The usual top five must-sees in Cape Town are:-
1. Table Mountain Park and cable car
2. Robben Island and V and A Waterfront
3. The Cape Peninsula and Cape Point
4. Kirstenbosh Botanical Gardens
5. The Winelands
It’s what all our B and B guests come to see. That is apart from soccer during the Soccer World Cup. Needless to say these excursions are very popular. A word of advice. Book trips like Robben Island and Table Mountain in advance if you can at webtickets. That way you can avoid the queues and hopefully make sure you get to see them. One more word of advice. Check the weather before you head out. If the weather is wet and windy, phone first. Both Robben Island ferry and Table Mountain cable car do not run in bad weather
One of Cape Town’s not to miss experiences is the glorious sunsets. A stroll along Sea Point Promenade is a perfect way to observe the fiery skyline. Or you could find a place anywhere along the coastal road to stop and sip a cocktail with the setting sun as an accompaniment. Just be aware that the new drink driving laws are being enforced with a vengeance.
In my last blog I was waxing about how incredibly wonderful South Africa and South Africans are. Funny thing is, the rest of the world don’t see us like that. I can’t count the amount of times after I was asked where I was from, people would ask me about crime and how I manage to live with it. It’s almost as if they think we’re all living in fear here.
I can’t lie and say we don’t have crime. We’re definitely at the top end of the statistics lists. And while most of the people I mix with have not been affected by crime, I do know some people who have. Crime happens in hot spots and for the most part – to people who don’t take proper care. If you leave a laptop on the passenger seat of your car, well don’t expect to find it when you come back. If you get blind drunk and walk off in a dark alley, there is a chance you will be attacked. If you don’t do stupid things you should be fine.
But there is good news. Crime in SA is coming down. National Crime Statistics showed our murder rate had dropped by 8.6% since last year. Soccer Cup went off with hardly a glitch. Except for the soccer team that invited ladies of the night into their hotel and left cash lying around. Then wondered why their money got nicked. I can tell them why. But then what do I know?
There was a lady from SA, who stayed three nights in Galway
She contracted an affliction, that altered her diction
And now she converses in a strange Irish way.
Guess who went through county Limerick in Ireland? For today’s blog, I thought that I would share some of the ways I use to keep costs down when travelling. I am travelling right now and likely to forget them when I get back home. So here goes –
1. Walking tours are usually cheaper than bus or mini-bus tours. The local tourism office can usually advise you. Even better is to get a brochure with a map of the walking or bus tour and do it yourself for free.
2. Use the local public transport bus to travel to the furthest point of the city or place you are visiting. A day pass is ideal as you can hop on and off at your convenience and make it a day out.
3. Keep dried fruit and nuts to snack on instead of eating at restaurants.
4. If the local tap water is safe to drink, refill a small water bottle, and keep that instead of buying water.
5. You can save on wi-fi costs by visiting a Starbucks or cafe where wi-fi is free. A great way to meet locals and get tips as well as insight into a place. The cafe might even provide a free newspaper.
6. Lonely Planet and Wiki travel have free on-line travel information about most destinations.
7. Read the local newspapers and watch the telly to get a sense of how the people think and what is going on in a country. It’s also handy to get weather predictions.
8. Stay at B and B’s. They are almost always cheaper than hotels. You get things like tea, coffee, soap, towels, hairdryer, TV and wi-fi included in the rate. The sort of stuff you should actually get for free but often don’t in a hotel. B and B’s are usually the same or not much more expensive than hostels and backpackers. And they are safer since you are not sharing rooms and facilities with strangers.
9. Only visit free museums. There are always plenty. Why pay?
10. Choose salad packs and sandwiches from supermarkets over restaurant meals. I buy cheese triangles, fresh fruit and oatcakes for a healthy budget lunch.
11. Book in advance. From flights, intercity coaches and ferries to car hire, you get great savings if you can plan and book ahead of time. I have used Megabus to get from London to Glasgow at £1 for a few years now. There is a window period in which to book. Make sure you don’t miss it.
12. A no brainer is to use a small hired car. It’s cheaper and more economical to run.
13. Check out whether your credit card offers free insurance on vehicle hire and health travel insurance. My medical insurance gives free travel insurance too.
14. Look for on-line booking discounts. I stopped using a travel agent years ago. Booking flights on-line is cheaper and I can make sure I get a vegan meal. Travel agents always forget to do it for me. Why a vegan meal? I can’t bear a heavy meal when flying and I get my food long before the rest of the people on the plane.
15. When arriving at an airport, skip the taxi. There is usually a public shuttle bus that you can take to the central district. From there you should find a bus or train to your accommodation. You can usually find an alternative shuttle service if you do an on-line search. Taxis are my worst for being ripped off.
16. I no longer use travellers cheques or travel cards. I arrange international banking with my bank before I go and draw money from a hole in the wall. The only snag is to make sure you don’t exceed your daily allowance in the local currency. Do some sums before you withdraw. And I pay by credit card as often as possible. It’s much safer and you have recourse if things go wrong. You still pay for a foreign transaction but it is often less and the inconvenience is way less.
17. If you are staying anywhere for a lengthy period then try to self cater. Many places won’t accept a few days in their self catering units but for a week you shouldn’t have a problem. Besides you won’t really save if you buy a box of cereal and a loaf of bread for a day.
18. Look at a pay as you go cellular phone card. And maybe even a wireless “dongle” to keep Internet communication costs down.
19. Check in for your flight on-line exactly 24 hours before. It allows you to whip through the check in counter at the airport and get yourself the best seats. And I mean exactly 24 hours before. It amazes me how the best seats all disappear in a matter of minutes. I once dithered over a seat and it was gone.
20. My last tip is to sit near the front of the plane and sit in the aisle. Why? You get off first after the first class passengers. Sitting in the aisle can mean you get bumped when people climb over you to go to the loo. But it also means you can move around easily to go to the loo yourself.
The last two tips aren’t money saving but what the hell, they make life on the move easier. Going to give my top 20 packing tips on my other blog. Click here – 20 top travel packing tips. For health and safety tips and advice for travel in South Africa visit our website here – tourist travel tips for South Africa.
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
Where to eat? I am a very fussy eater. Don’t do meat. Don’t do junk food. And I want good prices. But I manage to eat well and achieve all that.
The three “fast” food chains I support are Simply Asia – stir fries and green curries, Osumo – fresh juices, wraps and salads and Kauai – more fresh juices, wraps and salads. All three have branches all over Cape Town. In the picture, to the left, you can just see Kauai in Green Point.
Giovanni’s Deli in Main Road Green Point have the yummiest food. Balsamic roasted onions, Caprese salad, olive tapenade … And the coffee there is good too.
A 10% tip is customary here and as said in a previous post many waitrons rely on that tip for income. Service is usually good. Not excellent but good.
I have had a bad experince at a trendy spot in Green Point. I wanted a breakfast like my friend but a vegetarian version. They charged me more for less food. The reason? Mine was a “special” meal and they had to ring up my items individually. And that was the owner telling me that.
If you do get ripped off here, go on-line and rant to Hello Peter. It won’t cost you anything and it works. Many large companies keep an eye on what get’s said at Hello Peter.
