Top 10 (English)

We have been writing in French and Dutch. We would have loved to add all our stories in English too but the access to Internet cafes is limited. That's why this is quick top 10 of the best and worst moments in SA. We hope to find more time in Asia to write in English from time to time.

The Best 10 points about our trip in South Africa.

1) Breath-taking landscapes, one of the global biodiversity hotspots of planet earth. Definitely the number one reason for us to come here.
2) Brandy and braai. A good brandy (derived from Dutch Brandewijn) with a good braai (barbecue) makes this country a fine place to stay.
3) David the Biker that popped out of the dark woods of Knysna like a lightning angel and saved us from a cold dark night in the woods just when we thought we might want get some fire going for the night. This is after we concluded we were now officially lost.
4) Knysna and Buffalo Bay were our favorite areas and high on the list of most beautiful spots of the southern coast. Year-round warm climate, lakes, woods and stunning beaches. Yes sir..!!!
5) Robben Island. This guided tour is short but definitely worthwhile when ex prisoners and comrades of Nelson Mandela explain their horrific years in prison.
6) The whales of Hermanus. Sit back and relax and watch tens and tens of those gigantic creatures swim around the bay. If you're lucky you might see one breaching..
7) Camping in Storm rivers Mouth: putting your tent right at a cliff looking over the tempestuous ocean cracking their waves on huge piles of natural rock formations. Picture that with a nice bottle of wine and life is not all that bad...
8) People are generally extremely friendly and helpful everywhere you go. That changes of Amsterdam rudeness in restaurants and pubs.
9) Spending time on the farm with Johann and Anneli in Beaufort-West, riding in their bakkie and shooting with their guns and rifles.
10) Kruger park and Addo Elephant park. Getting reeeaaaly close to the biggest creatures on the planet.

The worst 10 points about South Africa.

1) The monotonous food. Do you want burgers and chips or chips with burgers? Chips in the morning or chips in the afternoon. It is all fat and with quite some time on the road this is adding up where it shouldn't...;-
2) Japanese in Kruger park that park their Nissan, Honda or whatever in front of you when you are trying to see lions. Get outta my sight!!!
3) Getting lost in dark cold woods of Knysna without anything on you to spend the night.
4) Our camping spot in Kruger was on a stone underground and the view sucked. We looked at lodges when we wanted to see the river with the hippos. Guess we are on a budget and they are not....
5) Lack of interaction with the black community. It is still a strongly divided land and if you really want to get to know local typical black people other than on a guided tour you have top push hard for it. Of course you can but the main tourist tours, itineraries, backpackers, lodges, hotels are managed by whites. They are very friendly but we were a bit frustrated to constantly have one side of the story.
6) My Quechua trekking shoes that ripped open my heels while trekking in Drakensberg. Suddenly the 6-hour track seemed a bit long and it was....
7) The noisy bedroom in Capetown backpackers right under a bar. The beds moved on the rhythm of bad bassed-up tunes...
8) Our nonchalant, uninterested, bored-out-of-his-mind guide with his I-dont-give-a-crap attitude during our Soweto trip. That's a spoiler...
9) Pilgrims Rest is described in the guides as a romantic desolated gold-diggers town where some lonely old men keep digging for the golden goodies hoping for this fortunate day to come. The truth is that this town is a tourist trap with pannenkoekenhuisjes, English pubs, souvenir stands and Kebabs all over. That was worth a laugh but the decision is quickly made to get the hell out....
10) The fat food... or did we already mention it ???