Our 21-hour travel day started with a one-hour train ride from downtown Istanbul to the underground line that leads to the airport. After checking in, we explored the airport and grabbed a bite to eat. It was the largest and busiest airport we’ve ever seen, boasting over 500 gates compared to Calgary’s 40.
Our first flight was with Emirates Airline from Istanbul to Dubai, lasting 4 enjoyable hours. The plane was spacious with plenty of legroom, large screens with over 200 movies and numerous TV shows. The highlight was the food: we got a menu and enjoyed penne pasta with grilled chicken in tomato sauce, a salad, a bun with butter, cheese and crackers, a generous piece of chocolate cake with whipped cream, and a piece of chocolate—accompanied by red wine. It was exceptionally good, a rarity for airplane food.
We arrived at Dubai International Airport at 2:00 AM and waited until 4:00 AM for our next flight to Cape Town. This leg was also with Emirates, though the plane was slightly older and smaller. Nonetheless, the food and service remained excellent. We slept for about 5 hours of the 9-hour flight.
Reaching Cape Town was thrilling! At the airport, we picked up our rental car, a little Chevrolet Spark, and headed towards downtown. It’s a manual car, and they drive on the left side of the road, so it was a bit of an adjustment for Nick, but we reached our hostel without any issues.
Excited to explore, we quickly dropped off our luggage, took a shower, and ventured out to familiarize ourselves with the area. In each country we visit, we adapt our travel methods. This includes changing our mindset, dressing style, and how we care for our belongings.
In South Africa, where crime rates are high in cities like Cape Town, we take extra precautions. We avoid wearing anything flashy, keep our extra money and passports locked in a safe with our padlock for added security, and use a concealed money belt instead of carrying a purse.
After getting acquainted with our area, we walked to Long Street, known for its restaurants and bars, passing beautiful churches and old Victorian-style buildings. Our first meal in South Africa was a masala dosa, reminiscent of our favorite food in India. South Africa’s diverse culture includes many different influences, primarily from the descendants of slaves brought by the Dutch from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Madagascar in the 1600s. This mix of people, along with British, Dutch, Portuguese settlers, and the local black population, created the vibrant “colored” community today. With over 80% of the population being black, 9% white, 9% colored, and 2% Asian, the culture here is fascinating, with 11 official languages.
Since it’s winter here in the Southern Hemisphere, the days are shorter. It gets dark by 6:00 PM and light around 8:00 AM, quite different from Turkey’s extended daylight hours. The weather has been perfect, with a sunny 25 degrees Celsius. We took advantage of the great weather and went to the top of Table Mountain via a 1,086-meter high gondola, which had a rotating floor for panoramic views of the city and mountain.
The views from Table Mountain were stunning. We hiked around and enjoyed the sights, including the Cape of Good Hope. It was a memorable day. We then headed to the waterfront, where we saw kids in traditional African clothing dancing to a drumbeat. Their performance was captivating. We also discovered an “all you can eat” sushi place, much to Nick’s delight.
Continuing our walk, we reached the picturesque waterfront area. Massive yachts filled the quay, surrounded by beautiful buildings with waterside restaurants, cobblestone lanes, and seals swimming in the waters! Though we only saw a few heads pop up, we’ll return in the morning for a better view.
We also watched an incredible dance group performing on the street. Their blend of bongos, xylophone, and maracas made for an unforgettable show. Additionally, we saw the new stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which seats 68,000 people and cost $571 million to construct!
It was a day full of exploration, and we saw much of the city. Tomorrow, it’s penguin time!