As Shannon and I parted ways in Thailand, it dawned on me that I had nowhere to be and no plans so… we looked at flights for 2 days and I made the decision to follow her over to South Africa. It really was never on my radar as somewhere to travel. My brother had his honeymoon there so I assumed it’d be a different experience to what I was looking for as a backpacker and trying to stick to a budget but actually, was there any need for the budget anymore? I decided to go to South Africa and then home with the idea of putting down some roots, something I had been craving since I completed my yoga teacher training. I was in desperate need of meeting my nephew and really he’s the only reason I’m going home at this point. Yes, I was searching for roots, I knew that but I could have kept going but when my sister went into labour, I knew I needed to be home. I was an anxious wreck waiting to hear news on her and the new baby.

So we (I say we but basically it was Shannon researching and me agreeing or disagreeing) booked flights with a stop over in Singapore for a day to see the place (I don’t rate it) and then I landed in Cape Town for 2 weeks of fun filled Shannon time. We met in the exact same way as we met in India which I loved! She met me as I came by in the taxi with no money for my ride and her paying for it. It was so good to see her. We’d only spent 2 weeks apart and in that time we’d been texting anyway so we took straight to the bar, had a few sunshine beers by the pool and ended up battered and I was asleep by 9pm. Lord above! My stomach was in bits from the flight and just life in general. My stomach hasn’t been right since I got sick in Sri Lanka in September but I’m hopeful that it’ll be OK with porridge every morning and some chill time.

We had a general idea of what we wanted to do but since I was in Bali with my friend I hadn’t actually had time to look up anything. So day 1 was an absolute write off with a few beers, exhaustion and complete lack of interest in planning anything.

Day 2 we managed to get on a walking tour in the afternoon after I died a death in the bed with my stomach for the whole night and morning. The free walking “Apartheid to Freedom” tour was excellent. I had some idea about South Africa’s history but I really didn’t know much. I had a colleague from South Africa before but I never had the courage to say “I haven’t a fucking clue what happened there all those years ago, can you help me out?” I’d picked up bits and pieces from him but I was eager to learn more.

The walking tour took place in the city centre of Cape Town. Just being here and walking about, you can feel that it’s not safe for tourists to be wandering about (this may be different if you’ve a man with you but for myself and Shannon it felt dodgy and we got a lot of leering men). There was just this overall shady feeling to the place and I definitely didn’t feel safe walking around on my own. South Africa has an unemployment rate of almost 30% so you have a lot of people hanging around doing nothing which doesn’t give the place a safe feel. You also have workers sitting on the side of the road waiting to be picked up for a day of work, which may or may not happen depending if they’re lucky on the day. There are people begging at traffic lights because they really have nothing else they can do. It made me terribly sad to see this on my first day in Cape Town but also for the remainder of my stay.  Apartheid segregated people based on the colour of their skin. It wasn’t based on religion and most locals we spoke to or did a tour with would have said South Africa was very peaceful before Apartheid. Religion has never played a role in separating people which I think is lovely, considering our own history in Ireland.

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I continued my history learning the following day with a tour of the town ship. Shannon and I are always unsure of how ethical these tours are. We circled for days and days about if we should do this or not, the same as the slum in Mumbai. These townships are running tours and the money goes to the local people, but these people are running a business on poverty. They are earning in a certain way and potentially this isn’t sustainable or morally correct. Then again, we are contributing to small businesses where people are making money from tourism. I am always conflicted with these types of tours and although I enjoyed it and learned a lot I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. The thing that got me was visiting a preschool. These kids were absolutely gorgeous but were visited every single day by this tour company. This meant that their learning was disturbed every single day for a performance for the tourists because they did get up and sing and dance and as I said they were divine but, this does not assist the kids in becoming more educated and escaping the cycle of poverty. Apartheid reminded me of the caste system in India. If you’re born into this it’s incredibly difficult to escape it, like basically impossible. I hoped my money would go to a worthy cause but I’m just not sure it’s sitting well with me. 

We spent 3 days in total in Cape with a sunrise hike to Lions head (accompanied by two young men from our hostel because we need to be careful as women which is ridiculous but necessary) and lots of time down on the V&A front full of food, entertainment and laughs. It was gorgeous. But again I was hit with the stark difference between how people live in Cape Town. Maybe I’ll be more aware of it in Limerick when I return but it seems really really different here. Cape Town was absolutely gorgeous but 3 nights was enough and we were keen to get going.

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We rented a car for the remainder of our stay and we’d planned a little road trip for ourselves. I said it as soon as we got in the car, if we were ever going to have a melt down with one another this would be the time. We’ve managed many countries together, challenging times of messed up transport and people trying to take advantage, looked after one another being sick and or annoying but if we could manage a road trip together, I believed we were pretty invincible. 

We started with a drive from Cape Town down along Cape Peninsula stopping along the way in different locations. We managed to stop on one gorgeous beach called Noordhoek which was as cold as the waters of Ireland in Spring. It was absolutely baltic and I nearly lost my bloody life trying to swim in there but it was stunning.

Our first night’s accommodation was booked in Fish Hoek where we met Anthony the owner of the guest house. He was a British man who was living in South Africa for many years. He was very chilled, genuinely nice and looked out for us two giving us loads of information and even some postcards when we left to say thanks for staying with him. We were buzzing from our stay. We had a great meal and wine in a local restaurant and an early night to go and see the penguins the following day in Simon’s Town. I was so excited! We left at 6am to make sure we were nice and early for the penguins and we weren’t disappointed. We were the first people on the beach and got to see the penguins chilling out and sitting on their rocks. I could have sat there all day long. Shannon is a huge animal lover and this was one of my favourite activities.

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So we avoided paying any money for the penguins but had to pay into the national park to get to the Cape of Good Hope, the most south westerly point of South Africa. We had estimated an hour of driving about and seeing the sights but we managed a gorgeous small hike and a couple of stops along the way. We met some lovely ostrich along the way, ate some breakfast by the ocean and had a nice meander about. It was absolutely stunning but it actually reminded me of Ireland a lot! The same rugged coast line as ourselves. It always makes me appreciate Ireland a little more when I see similar landscapes abroad. I am so blessed to be from such a beautiful country.

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We spent about 3 hours in total in that national park and then we got on route to the next stop which was Muizenberg and then onto Hermannus. I had planned on surfing in Muizenberg but I was a complete mess with cramps and general period hormones so we stopped for some food and once we found some pancakes for me I was a new woman. I have to remember to not deprive myself of any sweet treats when I’m due my period because it makes the world of difference to my mood. I was a new woman after some chocolate and banana pancakes. The beach there was stunning but again, weird vibes. I wasn’t convinced that anywhere was totally safe for two women to be strolling around. When we were on route back to the car we spotted a bit of a scuffle on the street and went the very long way around to get back to the car to avoid it. I know you could get it in Limerick as well, it could be anywhere but there was no need for myself and Shannon to be putting ourselves in any harm.,

Hermanus accommodation was an air bnb with an amazing host called Johan. The house was gorgeous and in a very nice residential area. It was really lovely and felt very safe. Johan gave us great recommendations for dinner and wine and we had a lovely evening in a wine bar and a lovely restaurant which actually reminded me of home. We weren’t able to reserve a table in the restaurant but they offered a cosy little table in the bar area, which felt like walking into one of the pubs we always went into for food in Dingle back in the day of being down in BallyFerriter. It was such a nice evening and then into bed nice and early. 

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We were up early to make a long trek to Inverdoorn to a private game reserve which we were spending an absolute fortune on so I had high hopes (absolute fortune in our eyes but honestly it was so cheap for what we actually had included). We arrived by lunch time, ready for a gorgeous lunch, afternoon time by the pool, afternoon safari, dinner, morning coffee and pastries, morning safari and breakfast as well as our lovely private room and HOT shower. It’s not like we didn’t have hot showers in the rest of our accommodation but it is still a novelty having hot water after all the time spent in India and Thailand!

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The private game reserve means we basically guaranteed seeing the animals as they’re not really in the wild, they’re in this reserve for different reasons. I was only delighted to meet some of my favourite animals. It was really an incredible experience to be so close to them in a small jeep of just 10 people and no one else. The food was amazing as well and we left full to the brim with a great breakfast and we were off to our next destination which was Oudtshoorn to have sunrise with the meerkats. It was something Shannon had found and was buzzing over and of course I was too. We arrived at a really nice guest house with a little pool and accidently got plastered and posted my last blog about how much I love Shannon! 

Sunrise with tea and rusks followed by a directors chair to watch the meerkats was an experience I will never forget. They popped out slowly but surely to warm their bellies in the sun balancing on their feet and tail. They are glorious creatures! We had about 2 hours with them and then I went to see the Oudtshoorn caves which really I didn’t need to go to but it was great. I’ve been lucky to see the caves in Ireland, Vietnam, Mexico and now South Africa. Note to self, I don’t need to go see anymore caves. It’s not that they’re not amazing, it’s that you lose interest if you keep seeing them.

After Oudtshoorn we were off back to the coast to a place called Plettenberg where we were going to stay for 2 nights. I was absolutely buzzing. I love a small bit of routine, getting up in a nice space to do yoga, drink tea and have my porridge. If I can start my routine like that I am set up for the day and feel fab for it.

We were renting an air bnb and had planned some beach time, a hike and some good food! The first beach was super weird and not actually that nice but we got to witness dolphins surfing actual waves!!! The following day we managed to do about 9km of Robberg hike which was gorgeous but again…. Ireland on a really good day? We felt fab for it and the Robberg beach was perfect for a swim after. The water wasn’t as cold as Noordhoek but it was still fresh. A great afternoon of sunning ourselves, getting burnt and passing out from the heat. We went home for some showers and chill time and then out for early dinner. We ended up in a great restaurant with a seafood platter for 2 people which we devoured and adored. The mussels, prawns….drool…everything! We had an early night of couch time and a tv show we were watching together (which I watched in the wrong order and fucked it completely for Shannon…..ffs).

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From here we made our way along the coast to Knysna for coffee and onto Mossel Bay. We had made a stop in Mossel bay for oysters and loved it but this time it was just for coffee. We found a very cute space including an art shop, yoga studio, cafe and the likes, it was very cute! We spent a nice chunk of time here and then made the trek 100km to Mossel bay where I then realised I’d left my water bottle on the cafe counter! That bottle had sustained me on so many hikes, so many countries (Ireland, England, Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Bali, Singapore and South Africa). I was absolutely devastated BUT also saw it as a sign. I had been thinking of replacing the bottle because it gets so hot in the sun, so I wanted to get one that’s actually insulated…. So this was a sign. I was sure to call the cafe, confirm it was there and ask kindly if they’d pass it onto someone who would make good use of it. I’m hopeful that the bottle is being appreciated by someone now and living it’s best life!

The hotel in Mossel bay had super weird vibes, nice but weird. We went off to find a good coffee shop, have a walk on the beach and find somewhere for dinner. We ended up in a small restaurant which again had weird vibes but the whole place was proving to have weird vibes. We had the signature mussel soup which was gorgeous. It was like a great bowl of chowder from home but only with mussels. Mmmmmmm delish!! Our waitress was shockingly shit but we still gave her a good review on trip advisor all for a free shot!

Mossel bay onto the major event….. Franschhoek….. This was one of the famous wine areas in South Africa and we’d planned it for the end because I was sick with my stomach at the start. I had been having my porridge every day, taking it handy on the booze in that I wasn’t binge drinking, all in preparation for this!!! We booked into a very cute lodge in the town of Franschhoek. Day 1 was our “quiet day”. About 7 hours later, lunch, wine, wine, wine, cheese board, wine and cheese pairing, dinner….we found ourselves struggling to watch our TV show at 8pm together and both awake at 2am having already had a full night sleep. The actual big event was the wine tram the next day which resulted in 6 winery visits and me being absolutely battered being a bold pup because that’s how I’m inclined to behave lately with a few too many drinks. So I was in bed by 7pm and again had a full nights sleep by 2am. Myself and Shannon were not doing this properly. We woke up at 2am again, me starving and eating the mac and cheese Shannon kindly got me (as I’d requested anything with cheese apparently, my poor insides), and poor Shannon actually sick as a dog with her stomach.

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I forced myself up for yoga the following day, exhausted but knowing my head needed it more than ever. After the last winery visit in India I was awfully anxious so I was prepping! I had done yoga every morning and was good with the wine until this. I was drinking one or two each evening which is a lot for me considering how little I’d been drinking at the start of my travels but really it wasn’t that much considering where I was and how cheap and good the wine is!

We managed to drag our asses to Camps Bay in Cape town, only an hours drive which I was delighted about. I was anxious and could feel it but I  wasn’t in despair. Some beach time, freezing sea swim and some time back in the hostel had me feeling good for our final evening together down at the V&A waterfront. We planned oysters but they were all out so I had an absolute feast of summer rolls, stuffed pepper, mussels, coconut yogurt, Shannon’s tortillas (I am her rubbish bin) and not one but two brownies! I was like a stuffed piggy that evening but worth it. The food is delicious down there.

Our final morning was spent doing what we do best, eating and chatting shit. Made a trip into the city, had a walk to get some bits for my nephew but wooah, walking around felt so dodgy! I was glad to see the V&A front one last time and off to the airport. Another anxiety inducing activity. I had to drop the car back which I was happy about as I got to drive myself to the airport obviously but I was so nervous it’d blow up on the last few miles (I have a complete irrational fear of cars due to my first car Priscilla being an absolute death trap and always having something wrong with it). I stopped in for petrol, filled her up, got to the airport and handed Savannah back.

I had made it! I had made it from Ireland to Sri Lanka to India to Thailand to Bali to Singapore to South Africa and I was finally on my way home 5 months later and a whole load of adventures later. I sat in the airport supping on a few last glasses of wine feeling really pleased with myself. I was on my way back to meet my new nephew and my sister. I couldn’t wait!