Cape Town – Day 1

Monday, 19 May 2025

At midnight (local time) we made our way back downstairs to Gate A2. Security screening was more troublesome with all our electronics having to be taken out of our carry-on bags, belts off, watches off, outerwear off before we could proceed through the body scanner. Despite the hassle we all made it through security this time without any additional checking.

Boarding for SQ478 on an A350-900 aircraft from Singapore through Johannesburg to Cape Town also started a bit later than expected, but once again was finished in time for our scheduled departure at 1.30am. As part of his welcome aboard announcement the captain asked us to keep our seatbelts on at all times during the flight as flights over the Indian Ocean from Asia to South Africa do tend to encounter a bit of turbulence. He said they would be trying to fly around it, but to keep our seatbelts on just in case.

We were given another dinner-type meal … which was pretty ordinary. The ‘entrée’ was a salad (?) consisting of a dressing over something (cauliflower, Cathy said). That ruled it straight out for Cathy and Bernie! I tasted a green bean that was in it which was revolting so put the lid straight back on that salad and moved onto my baked fish choice for main course. Also, pretty awful. I think I should have gone with the chicken and noodle choice that Bernie opted for. Although he asked for chicken but was given fish, he stuck to his guns and asked for it to be swapped to the chicken because that was what he had asked for.

We slept/dozed a reasonable amount after dinner. I discovered Slumber Studios – Get Sleepy on KrisWorld. It features people with very soothing voices telling stories that are supposed to help you relax/fall asleep. I started with ‘A Quiet Walk in the Yorkshire Dales’ which was a 56-minute track of which I heard about three or four minutes at the beginning! I think I heard a little bit about the Galata Tower in Istanbul during the 40+ minute track titled ‘A Sleepy Day in the Life of an Istanbul Cat’ and maybe a little bit about the stars in the track titled ‘Stargazing in Joshua Tree’. There were other similar length tracks interspersed with these that I didn’t hear a word of!! So, I think the soundtrack was pretty effective.

After some shut eye, I resumed watching ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ managing another five episodes back-to-back. BUT this only took me to episode 10 and I couldn’t quite fit in the finale (which I think is the show finale not just the season finale) on this leg! Oh, no.

About three hours out of Johannesburg we were served breakfast with both of us opting for the rubbery omelette. We smacked down at Johannesburg slightly ahead of schedule and those travellers for whom Jo-burg was their final destination departed the plane. The few of us continuing to Cape Town had to remain on the plane while cleaning and maintenance staff came through. Ground staff then came through to check that all passengers remaining on the plane had a boarding pass that had Cape Town as their destination. If any passengers embarked at Jo-burg they didn’t make it down to our end of the plane, so the tail end was pretty empty for the final leg.

Our good run continued with us touching down in Cape Town a little earlier than expected about 10 hours and 15 minutes after leaving Singapore. Most importantly though, I did fit in the final episode of ‘What We Do In The Shadows’!! We arrived to a rather wet and cloudy day with it only having reached 14 degrees by mid-morning. We disembarked quickly with so few passengers left on the plane and cleared immigration in record time as it seemed that we were the only flight arriving. By the time we arrived in the baggage hall luggage was already on the carousel. A guy thought that Bernie’s plastic wrapped bag was his and claimed it from the carousel. Fortunately, Bernie spotted his move and retrieved his bag from the would-be thief … albeit accidentally. You have to pay attention at the baggage carousel.

After we passed through the Nothing to Declare line at customs without being challenged, we proceeded to the Arrivals Hall where we found two drivers with red Bunnik signs. Even though our flight details were linked it seems our hotel transfer details were not with two cars and drivers having been booked for our trip into the city. Better two than none though!

With peak hour traffic all but finished we were soon being dropped off at the Protea Hotel by Marriott which is well situated near the V&A Waterfront District. Our driver had us to the hotel first, so we approached the reception desk to check-in. Hmmn, do you have a booking reference number as I don’t seem to have you in the system or … could it be booked under another name. Oh, try our friends’ name. Sure enough, our booking was linked again with two rooms both booked under Cathy and Steve’s surname. Weird, but at least we have a bed for tonight.

The rooms weren’t ready immediately but after a short wait we were being given our room keys so that we could go to our rooms to freshen up after about 24 hours of travel. It always feels so good to shower and clean your teeth after a long-haul flight.

Feeling human again we headed out about noon to explore the waterfront and buy some lunch. We walked past Nobel Square which features bronze statues of South Africa’s four Nobel Peace Prize laureates: Albert Luthuli (1961), Desmond Tutu (1984), Nelson Mandela (1993) and F.W. De Klerk (1993).

We were by the sea, so we eventually decided on fish and chips at the Ocean Basket. After lunch we wandered around the waterfront and saw our first African animals at the African Trading Port. Not actual animals in downtown Cape Town but some very impressive sculptures of giraffes, rhinos, warthogs and gorillas.

We ventured past the Clocktower and saw some Cape Fur Seals hauled out on the dock near the Victoria & Alfred Basin Swing Bridge. Crossing to the other side of the basin we found ourselves at the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island. This had been our plan for this afternoon – to take the tour out to the prison on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was interred for 18 years of his 27-year sentence. However, this is very much a weather permitting excursion and today the weather was not suitable for the tour being run.

A little further along the waterfront we found ourselves at the Silo Hotel a very upmarket hotel conversion of a former grain elevator. Co-located with the hotel is the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Needing something to keep us occupied we decided to visit MOCAA finding ourselves having our second ‘grain silo converted to art gallery’ experience for the year. The foyer space created here was even more spectacular than the Kunstsilo in Kristiansand in Norway. We preferred the art in Norway though.

From the Museum we found our way to the Pick n Pay supermarket to purchase a few supplies before walking back to the hotel where we just needed to stay awake for another hour or so before going out for an early dinner.

We made it to dinner time without falling asleep! We walked back down to the waterfront to try Den Anker one of several restaurants recommended by the Concierge. We also managed to eat dinner without falling asleep onto our plates. Steve opted for a rabbit stew with the rest of us choosing prawns. Good food and good service and it was well and truly time to think about an early (but not too early) night.

 

Steps: 16,160 (10.77kms)