I learned something today. Shark cage diving is actually more about the seagulls than sharks. Of course I'm only speaking form personal experience after round II kicked off better than Friday (as we got picked up) but it resulted in the same sorry story, no sharks, no cage and certainly no adrenaline.
After recording some rather brilliant stuff on my camcorder I was starting to get rather giddy at the though of swimming the the mighty whites. I had the viion in my head, long shot of the boat, plugning into the water, then BANG, a Great White jumping out of the water. What a video (it would've been). Instead, I have some rather entertaining video of Pete and I dressing up up as giant black condoms (with complete helmet accessory) and some, you've guessed it seagulls hovering around the boat, leeching of all the bait which was trying to attract the sharks.
All's not bad though, met a pilot on board the boat, I think I have made a new career choice, free flights for everybody!
It was actually the second day I have had on a boat this weekend. I quick, hop skip and a jump (boat ride) over to Robben Island to see where Mandela spent his time in prison, although the romance of it all was kinda taken away by what seemed every German in the whole of Cape Town training to be paparazzi. I've never know anyone to take some many photo's of barbed wire and fencing before. Bloody German's, first the sun bed's, then the football and now this. I swear if I see another one snapping some metal because it looks "artistic" I may be forced to wrap his camera up in a selection of meats and cheese and serve it to them with a litre of beer.
Do I sound like I'm complaining?! South Africa is bloody awesome though and Pete and I have discovered a super Model in a Sport Illustrated we found in the pool room at the hostel. Minki van der Westhaven, check it out boyos.
Anyways best go and bronze myself in the evening sun. Off to Knysna tomorrow.
Tim
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
We'll make it Happen!
In the cage, Atlantic ocean lapping around your ears and one of the world's most fieriest creature swimming feet away from you. That's what I would be writing if our bus would've turned up this morning.
We're up at 6a.m. nearly 10,000km from home and I'm pretty sure that we are the only Englishmen in the whole of Cape Town awake at this moment. It's always been a struggle to get out of bed when you see those red digits reading 05:30 in the UK when you have a nice warm duvet over you, central heating and if your particularly lucky someone to snuggle up to.
Unfortunately, the summer nights aren't as warm as you think in the Cape, and the only person to cuddle up to is Pete, in a different bed, 10 feet away, at this point I thought going to swim with sharks would be a great idea.
Heading down the stairs we're thinking how cool we were about to wrestle (swim in a cage) with the oceans most dangerous fish. The questions we were asking ourselves would soon become irrelevant as there was no bus to take us to our aqua filled day of fun. It was then, our heads slowly tilted upwards and there it was our day, 1,000 km up and about 15 degrees colder. Forget Kilimanjaro, the Himalayas or even Everest, table Mountain was in our sights, and we we're wearing shorts, a t shirt but this time no sandals.
About now I think I should introduce you to Jeffery. You can find a picture of the legend that is on my facebook. If you were to imagine a cross between a London cabbie and Michael Grecco you'd be on the write lines though. He came into our lives in which was our darkest hour, no sharks, no cages a massive hill to climb. But here we were sat in our hostel with the promise of Penguin's and the Atlantic ocean. Hasten to add we thanked Jeff (Grecco) and promised to call him.
I won't bore you with the details of the mountain, bloody hard work, clouds, cold, windy. You get the picture, or at least you can see them. Our day was to really get exciting at the bottom on the mountain when Jeff was to pick us up.
"I don't think he's going to charge us, I just think he's a really nice guy" Pete echoed moment before jumping into his car which aptly noted on the side of it 9ZAR per km. "I can take you on a full or half day tour, 850ZAR or 1200ZAR, it's up to you." Feeling rather sorry for ourselves and realizing it was past midday we aimed of the cheaper of the two. "So where do you guys want to go, do you know your way around? Don't worry guys I'll make it happen for you."
We're thinking brilliant, we're going to see the cape from the eyes of the locals. "So what kind of snakes will we see around and about Cape Town, we didn't see any on the mountains" I asked. "Don't worry, I'm gonna make it happen for you both."
Four hours, one cape point, a collection on baboons, ostriches, penguins, a whole lot of sea and numerous dashes from car to photo opportunities later we found out the Jeff did indeed not make it happen as we had not seen any snakes but we had been taken on a journey of epic proportions and to be perfectly honest I never wanted to see the snakes anyway, they scare the s**t out of me.
And that was that, apart from my debut photo shoot with a Croat, possible the weirdest and most homosexual thing that has ever happened to me. Put it this way, he asked if he could take pictures of me, I thought innocently, why not, snap snap snap and a number of arty poses later I'm feeling violated. I'm not sure what's going to happen to those pictures, he told me he'd send them to me and that he would like to England again and take some more, I may give this a miss but if you're ever on a compromising site, the sort of one you'd minimize your screen within seconds if your mum walked in the room, and my face is tacked to a rippling set of pecs, oil drenched torso and skin more orange than David Dickinson, it's not me but feel free to let me know so I can contact my lawyer.
And that was that, no sharks but I did meet Jeffery. Onward bound, Sunday may a rest day for most but we're off shark cage diving, take 2.
Tim
We're up at 6a.m. nearly 10,000km from home and I'm pretty sure that we are the only Englishmen in the whole of Cape Town awake at this moment. It's always been a struggle to get out of bed when you see those red digits reading 05:30 in the UK when you have a nice warm duvet over you, central heating and if your particularly lucky someone to snuggle up to.
Unfortunately, the summer nights aren't as warm as you think in the Cape, and the only person to cuddle up to is Pete, in a different bed, 10 feet away, at this point I thought going to swim with sharks would be a great idea.
Heading down the stairs we're thinking how cool we were about to wrestle (swim in a cage) with the oceans most dangerous fish. The questions we were asking ourselves would soon become irrelevant as there was no bus to take us to our aqua filled day of fun. It was then, our heads slowly tilted upwards and there it was our day, 1,000 km up and about 15 degrees colder. Forget Kilimanjaro, the Himalayas or even Everest, table Mountain was in our sights, and we we're wearing shorts, a t shirt but this time no sandals.
About now I think I should introduce you to Jeffery. You can find a picture of the legend that is on my facebook. If you were to imagine a cross between a London cabbie and Michael Grecco you'd be on the write lines though. He came into our lives in which was our darkest hour, no sharks, no cages a massive hill to climb. But here we were sat in our hostel with the promise of Penguin's and the Atlantic ocean. Hasten to add we thanked Jeff (Grecco) and promised to call him.
I won't bore you with the details of the mountain, bloody hard work, clouds, cold, windy. You get the picture, or at least you can see them. Our day was to really get exciting at the bottom on the mountain when Jeff was to pick us up.
"I don't think he's going to charge us, I just think he's a really nice guy" Pete echoed moment before jumping into his car which aptly noted on the side of it 9ZAR per km. "I can take you on a full or half day tour, 850ZAR or 1200ZAR, it's up to you." Feeling rather sorry for ourselves and realizing it was past midday we aimed of the cheaper of the two. "So where do you guys want to go, do you know your way around? Don't worry guys I'll make it happen for you."
We're thinking brilliant, we're going to see the cape from the eyes of the locals. "So what kind of snakes will we see around and about Cape Town, we didn't see any on the mountains" I asked. "Don't worry, I'm gonna make it happen for you both."
Four hours, one cape point, a collection on baboons, ostriches, penguins, a whole lot of sea and numerous dashes from car to photo opportunities later we found out the Jeff did indeed not make it happen as we had not seen any snakes but we had been taken on a journey of epic proportions and to be perfectly honest I never wanted to see the snakes anyway, they scare the s**t out of me.
And that was that, apart from my debut photo shoot with a Croat, possible the weirdest and most homosexual thing that has ever happened to me. Put it this way, he asked if he could take pictures of me, I thought innocently, why not, snap snap snap and a number of arty poses later I'm feeling violated. I'm not sure what's going to happen to those pictures, he told me he'd send them to me and that he would like to England again and take some more, I may give this a miss but if you're ever on a compromising site, the sort of one you'd minimize your screen within seconds if your mum walked in the room, and my face is tacked to a rippling set of pecs, oil drenched torso and skin more orange than David Dickinson, it's not me but feel free to let me know so I can contact my lawyer.
And that was that, no sharks but I did meet Jeffery. Onward bound, Sunday may a rest day for most but we're off shark cage diving, take 2.
Tim
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Cape, the wonderful Cape.
I think it was Michael Fish who once told us that fears of a freak hurricane on the shores of the UK was quite simply absurd. Well it appears that he now plys his trade in South Africa, telling locals and travelers alike that we could actually expect sunny weather in Cape Town in the middle of summer.
OK, so no tornado, hurricane or even a hint of a whirlwind this time, we don't even have any fallen trees but as I'm sure so many of you will be happy to here that CT is in fact plunging below 10 degrees tonight, my hair is dripping onto the keyboard as I speak and I'm already wearing the second of the two pair of jeans I brought away with me.
Well, all the same, jumper, trainers, socks and jeans in hand you have to admire the South African's. It rains so they wear coats and put there hoods up. No complaining of how global warming is creeping up on them in the middle of the night and that if they don't turn nuclear by the next decade suddenly a new season will appear.
My admiration does have to stop here however, as the Brit in my is crying out to complain. 9500 miles for rain and lots of it. You do have to wonder eh! Fingers crossed for tomorrow, it's time to climb a hill, in trainers, a pair of jeans and a jumper. Now where have I heard that before. Let's just hope Mr Fish isn't rota'd on!
Tim
OK, so no tornado, hurricane or even a hint of a whirlwind this time, we don't even have any fallen trees but as I'm sure so many of you will be happy to here that CT is in fact plunging below 10 degrees tonight, my hair is dripping onto the keyboard as I speak and I'm already wearing the second of the two pair of jeans I brought away with me.
Well, all the same, jumper, trainers, socks and jeans in hand you have to admire the South African's. It rains so they wear coats and put there hoods up. No complaining of how global warming is creeping up on them in the middle of the night and that if they don't turn nuclear by the next decade suddenly a new season will appear.
My admiration does have to stop here however, as the Brit in my is crying out to complain. 9500 miles for rain and lots of it. You do have to wonder eh! Fingers crossed for tomorrow, it's time to climb a hill, in trainers, a pair of jeans and a jumper. Now where have I heard that before. Let's just hope Mr Fish isn't rota'd on!
Tim
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Heathrow Airport
Well, I'm at Heathrow waiting to board my plane and start my world adventure. All is good, it's raining outside and it's 20 plus degrees in CT! Brilliant!
I can't believe I'm about to leave, waitin for Pete typing standing up on a metal keyboard isn't how I though it would all start but all the same, best go, only 12p credit left.
See you in the Cape.
Tim
I can't believe I'm about to leave, waitin for Pete typing standing up on a metal keyboard isn't how I though it would all start but all the same, best go, only 12p credit left.
See you in the Cape.
Tim
Monday, November 5, 2007
Planning, planning and more planning
Well it's just over 2 weeks until we go now. Pete and I have been getting everything together over the past couple of weeks and just secured our accommodation in Johannesburg (more than 2 months after we started looking!)
After looking at what seems hundreds of hostels all over South Africa and Australia it seems we might be getting somewhere, let's just wait and see.
Now it's time to spend some money, backpacks, towels, sleeping bags, batteries, cameras, memory cards, shoes, shorts, sunglasses to just name but a few, not to mention to ever important bottle opener!
It's a weird concept to think what we are about to set out on, 2 months before we see anyone we know, and then a further 4 until we get home again to the comforts and quality of living we have become accustomed to over the past 20 years or so.
But of course, for all the apprehension and indecisiveness we may encounter over the next couple of weeks, it's virtually impossible to not be overwhelmed by the excitement of it all and knowing that for all the months we've been scrimping and saving is going to let us explore parts of the world many have never been lucky enough to explore.
So Cape Town it is, 2 weeks and one day, itinerary planned, activities paid for and most of our things bought we certainly have thought this through. But for all the planning in the world I can't help thinking we're about to embark on an adventure which will open our eyes to things we can't book, buy or ever imagine.
After looking at what seems hundreds of hostels all over South Africa and Australia it seems we might be getting somewhere, let's just wait and see.
Now it's time to spend some money, backpacks, towels, sleeping bags, batteries, cameras, memory cards, shoes, shorts, sunglasses to just name but a few, not to mention to ever important bottle opener!
It's a weird concept to think what we are about to set out on, 2 months before we see anyone we know, and then a further 4 until we get home again to the comforts and quality of living we have become accustomed to over the past 20 years or so.
But of course, for all the apprehension and indecisiveness we may encounter over the next couple of weeks, it's virtually impossible to not be overwhelmed by the excitement of it all and knowing that for all the months we've been scrimping and saving is going to let us explore parts of the world many have never been lucky enough to explore.
So Cape Town it is, 2 weeks and one day, itinerary planned, activities paid for and most of our things bought we certainly have thought this through. But for all the planning in the world I can't help thinking we're about to embark on an adventure which will open our eyes to things we can't book, buy or ever imagine.
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