...huge turbulence somewhere over Africa, we are flying right through the middle of a huge lightning storm, lightning above me, lightning below me, lightning everywhere - this really isn't doing much for my nerves right now...

Anyway, as they normally do, the plane makes it to Cape Town, I get off, pick up my luggage and just stand there!

And stand there!

Where do I go? What do I do now? I've heard some bad things about South Africa, I can't just walk out of the airport, shit when is the next flight home? No, can't do that, give it a few days at least! I take a look at this guide book I have with me, but don't really trust it and it is all so confusing. I decide to go to the information desk, get a bit of human contact and ask where there is good, safe and cheap place to stay here in Cape Town.

As we go out of the safety of the airport, I look back and wander if I really should check out the next flight back.

The girl behind the desk is obviously completely used to people turning up with absolutely no idea of what they are doing there and where they are going! How strange! Anyway she is very helpful, gives me a couple of options and even phones them for me. The hostel that I choose is the slightly cheaper one and will pick me up free of charge from the airport.

I sit down on my sparkling new, expensive back pack and wait, warily watching people and making up my excuses for when I returned to the UK....soon! Eventually this huge guy walked into the airport, I look at him and think, no, can't be this guy, please, looks scary as hell!

Well, he walked right up to me, and asked me, in that guttural, harsh sounding Afrikaner accent if I was waiting to be picked up.

"Err, umm, yes I am".

Shit, what am I doing! As we go out of the safety of the airport, I look back and wander if I really should check out the next flight back. Then the heat hits me like a rock, I've never been very good with the heat, I burn in about 3 seconds and just hate it! Oh and this is the cool period, great! I really didn't think this through did I!

I'm dithering, scared and alone, I look down for my pack, it's gone! Shit, no not already..oh, its in the minibus and the driver who introduces himself as Leon tells me to get in. We drive away. The first thing I see coming out of the airport is a huge ramshackle mess of corrugated iron odd bits of wood and cardboard, my first sight of one of the many black townships. It is an immediate eye opener and not one I particularly like either, it is intimidating.

I am not racist, I have no problem with any one of any race, but this scares me. I see all these black people walking around in old tatty clothes and to me they look menacing. I have heard that you just do not go near these townships. My problem really boils down to ignorance, the only things we hear about South Africa back home are the problems, and of course like most people, I don't look past the headlines and the sensationalism, the riots, the killings.

...my first glimpse of Table Mountain - Wow, it's like right in the city...

I had no idea that I would have to see this, it is all of a sudden right in front of me and I now believe I am the most stupid person in the world to come here by myself!

I get chatting to Leon, apart from his size and that scary voice, he actually seems like a decent person, very relaxed, very talkative and very reassuring. I start to loosen up a little, and as we drive towards the city my mind drifts away from the problems as the scenery starts to grab my attention - I've not seen any lions yet, but it looks very beautiful.

Leon tells me about Cape Town, how I need to be a little careful, but really it's a great place, loads to do and see, friendly people, I'll like it here. Apparently!

We drive into the city and I get my first glimpse of Table Mountain - Wow, it's like right in the city, it's huge, it's like a great big wall, the side just goes straight up into the sky. And then there are these amazing white fluffy clouds that just seem to be continually rolling over it's flat top and disappearing into themselves, contrasting against the incredibly deep blue sky, the colour of which I have never seen before.

I'm mesmerised, and it's not just Table Mountain! To the left there is another mountain, this time dark jagged peaks jut into the sky, almost menacing. It is known as the Devils Peak, Leon informs me. And more, over to the right is The Lions Head, a 'sphinx' shaped hill, that with a little imagination can be viewed as, surprisingly, a lions head!

"This really is a beautiful place" I say to Leon and he tells me that every day he takes a look at Table Mountain to remind himself that he is living in the most beautiful place in the world.

 

©Ian Picken 2004