(1) Cheap pickup from the Cape Town airport:
a) 30R/person to Cape Town area: by Extreme Adventures (a backpacker’s bus) email: extremesports@worldonline.co.za, phone # (021) 426-0294, Grants’ cell phone # 083-265-6661
b) Backpackers Bus: Call Andre Soule, cell # 082-8099185. It runs trips to the airport every hour and also has transport without having to purchase a Tour to Kirstenbosch Gardens (8am-4pm and 11am), Stellenbosch (9am-6pm), and Peninsula (1pm)
(2) Good place to stay that is not expensive:
CASCADES Holiday Apartments: in Green Point, Capetown near the V&A Waterfront: has fully equipped kitchen, parking garage, balcony & TV w/ M-net. Email: cascades@iafrica.com, phone # (021) 434-3385. Rates: Studio-Bachelor: R170, 1 bedroom: R190, 2 bedrooms: R280.
Seasons Apartments in Sea Point.
(3) Good Transport that is a lot cheaper than Taxis. Take the minibus vans (some are not marked) that you can wave at them to stop. Most trips within Capetown around the city are only R2.50. Also can take the Rikki Bus for 15R/person around town.
(4) Cheap Tour Company:
Baz Bus: Cape Peninsular Tours for only R140/person. Visit: the Atlantic Seaboard, Hout Bay Harbour, Seal Island (optional cruise), Cape Point, and the Simonstown penguins. Phone: (021) 439-2323; email: info@bazbus.com; website: http://www.bazbus.com
(5) Good restaurants:
a. Panama Jack: near V&A Waterfront; serves lobster for reasonable price.
b. Mama Africa Restaurant: 178 Long Street (crnr of Long & Pepper St.) Booking essential: (021) 24-8634. Recommended dishs: Maputo prawns w/ garlic or African meats.
c. Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant: 1 Nicol Street (crnr Kloof & Camp Street), Gardens. Tel: (021) 424-7670.
d. Good Italian restaurant: Steffano's or La Perla
(6) Must-see sights in Capetown: the South Africa Museum, the Palace, and Kirstenbosch Gardens.
(7) Good Beach for swimming: the Strand.
(8) Good Daytrips:
a. Ratanga Junction: for daytime or nightime. Phone # 0861-200-300. Take the Sable Rd. exit off the N1, 5 mins. From Cape Town. Website: http://www.ratanga.co.za Call for bus-schedule pickup from Cape Town.
(9) Good Restaurant (near Cape Town):
Die Strandloper (near Langebaan)
We took a Saturday luncheon break at Die Strandloper, named for the members of the Khoi group who were the first inhabitants of the Cape. Want a totally different type of dining experience the next time you are able to get away to Capetown? Try this. Die Strandloper is on the beach at Langebaan, 125 km up the West Coast from Cape Town. It is an open air, TOTALLY casual restaurant on the beach, sand under foot, fish-nets overhead, and everything cooked on the braii, in bread ovens, or in kettles in front of you. Go hungry! We counted at least 7 courses. We began with mussels prepared 2 ways: in shell with wine and onion, and out of shell with lots of garlic. We would have had seconds, but knew we must persevere. Next came grilled harders, a fish. Paella potjie followed, with a great variety of seafood, and very tasty. Smoked angel-fish and grilled stompnose (?) were next. For a change of pace, the next course was a lamb and green bean potjie. Sometimes, in season, they are able to serve waterblommetjiebredie (stew) instead. If this is important to you, ask when you call to book. Then we had snoek with sweet potato/steamed potato. All of this was topped off by the braiied crayfish, and coffee to finish. Beginning with the mussels, and served all afternoon, fresh bread, "pot brood", was available, with more butter than anyone our age should consume and a multitude of yummy West Coast jams. The ones I could recognize included sour fig, Cape gooseberry, fig, mango and peach. Die Strandloper is unlicensed, so everyone brings their own wine/beer/ champagne/coolers, or whatever suits your fancy with all the seafood. We also enjoyed the young guitarist singing songs of the 60’s and 70’s in English and Afrikaans, although we couldn’t decide if it made us feel young or old! Lunch is served on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and dinner is available most nights. Lunch begins some time around 12:15, and dinner around 6. If interested, the number is (022) 7722490 or 083 22 77 195. Booking is essential.