We left our final backpacking accommodation in Swellendam to roll into Cape Town as early as possible. Our guides were finishing up their 3 week work with us and had the next week off before they were expected to embark on some other tours. The biggest problem for them was that we were in Cape Town and they lived in Soweto in the Johannesburg area – which was 1400 kilometers or 15 hours of driving away! Once they dropped the rest of us off at our accommodation, it was time to hit the highway again for a very long drive back home.
While most of my traveling companions checked into cheap backpacker places, I decided to check into something a little more upscale for my final weekend of travel. I was greeted at the front by a doorman who insisted on hitting a gong and announcing the arrival of “Lord Day” to others in the hotel lobby. It was actually a bit embarrassing, but I was glad they were able to check me in early and give me an enormous suite with full kitchen, laundry, and separate lounge.
I spent most of the remainder of the day exploring a bit of Cape Town, buying groceries for my fridge, and plotting what to do over the next few days here. By evening the clouds opened up and it started to pour – a phenomenon I haven’t seen since I arrived in South African three weeks ago!
