Packing for Our Month in Duban, South Africa

Day 095:  We're packing today.  Our time in Cape Town is ending.  When we were doing our initial planning for this winter away, we decided to fly between here and Durban.  The distance between the cities is around 1650 km by road.  The schedule to the right was copied from part of my eTicket and shows it'll be about two hours in the air.

We've been here for exactly four weeks.  In my opinion, this is the bare minimum to actually feel as though we've stayed in new city.  Anything short of one month only provides a cursory view.  I always want to shop like the locals and see the local sights leisurely.

We have had a fair number of hours in the air since our November departure from Vancouver, but we were last on an airplane from Madagascar to Mauritius back on December 9th.  I'm a bit excited about moving back to the Indian Ocean side of South Africa.

Jay and I have been happy with our Airbnb choices so far.  We liked the beach in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.  We've also enjoyed being right along Long Street in the bowl of Cape Town, South Africa.  I'll miss the convenience and views here.

A Slideshow Showing Places Travelled

 

Day 094: This is my Flickr album containing a single image that I took in each country or territory I have visited. I have already added a shot taken from Table Mountain in Cape Town although we still have more time in South Africa. We leave on a Friday flight to Durban.

It may take a moment to load all 92 images.  Touch the bottom of the frame. You will start in Albania, the first slide.  Use the right and left arrows to move through the collection. The names appear on the bottom, left side.

A 4K Walk in the Park

Day 093: We've only a few days left in Cape Town. For a little morning exercise we returned to The Company's Garden to see all the folks enjoying the sunshine and warm breezes.  The temperature was about 22°C but on its way up to 26° later today.  The backdrop to summer was all the sounds of the birds and kids playing.  How nice!

   

My new drone is so small, I tucked it into my hat for protection and carried it in a bag. The park had many more people than I'd anticipated. However, I whipped it out of the bag and set it on my hand for take off with 'follow me' set to my height. I ran enough for a thirty second clip. I palm landed it but had to extend my reach rather than expecting it to come to my outstretched hand.  Once I get used to the DJI NEO, I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with it.

 

Jay and I stopped for bananas on the way back to the Airbnb.  The total outing was only about 4.5 kilometers but a great way to spend some time!

Using Unique Characteristics as an Advantage

Day 092 - During the first week we were in Cape Town, we spotted an albino squirrel when visiting the Company Gardens.  A lady was feeding it.  It had red eyes; thusly, it lacked pigmentation.

When walking in the area this week, we saw it again. A white squirrel came up to us and waited for some food.  We didn't have anything that would have made it happy.  It was apparently using its uniqueness to beg for food from park goers. Perhaps people rewarded it because it looked different. All creatures, us included, should use the unique things about us to our advantage.  

We soon spotted another white, fluffy-tailed rodent in a nearby tree.  Apparently there is a whole family who carry the special gene.  

The Company's Garden is in the 'bowl' of downtown Cape Town.  The heritage park goes back to the 1650s.  The area was used to grow vegetables for ships rounding the cape.  The name is for the Dutch East India Company.  It's a couple of blocks from our Airbnb.

Cape Town in February

Day 090:  Is it already Saturday?  This will be the final one we see while in Cape Town.  The refuse room for our Airbnb is on the 9th floor and so was the picture above.  I love the idea of a view when taking out the garbage. 

 

We saw just how nice it was again today.  Yesterday was warmer but today's cool breeze was welcoming too.  We just went out to walk a bit of Signal Hill.  It was steeper than we expected, so we didn't go to the top of Long Market Street.  However, we were able to cut back towards our Airbnb through famous Bo Kaap neighbourhood again.

This is a lovely city and I'm happy we got to see it at the peak of the southern hemisphere's summer.

 

We've Completed 3/4s of Our Winter

Day 089: Tomorrow will be the 90th day of our winter away.  That must mean we left about three months ago!  

We started things off in November when meeting up with Jay's sisters and a family friend in Dubai, UAE. After 10 days, they flew back to Sri Lanka but Jay and I headed off to the island of Zanzibar. From there we took a ferry over to Dar es Salaam and stayed in Tanzania for a total of eight nights. Next, we flew to the capital of Madagascar and toured the country for a total of an additional ten nights. After that, we left Antananarivo by flying to the African island of Mauritius. We had a one-month stay at the beach in Flic en Flac. 

We then departed Port Louis on the Norwegian Dawn and headed here to Cape Town in January. The cruise was a total of 12 nights and in during this time, we visited the French Island of Réunion, two northern points in Madagascar which we'd not seen, and several ports in South Africa. 

Now we're on the Atlantic Ocean but we'll soon head back to the Indian Ocean. It's fitting to review our winter now as exactly one week from today, we will be going to visit Durban, South Africa. As it is nearly 1300 KM (800 miles), we have air tickets. We're staying there for nearly a month before fly back to Canada from Johannesburg in mid-March. 

All the locations have been interesting and this trip has been educational and personally rewarding. All this proves that we have finished three of our four months of this winter. Well, here is it actually summer. Lots of tourists were out and about today in the fantastic, dry 31°C heat of Cape Town today!

 

Less is Better

Day 088: It's a day that's been a while in the making. After I stripped to get on the scales this morning, I was suddenly overweight! 

I have a set of those digital, Bluetooth bathroom scales on which one must use bare feet.  That allows them to calculate a whole load of stats other than just how heavy one is. I couldn't imagine not having access to all those numbers this winter. So, I brought the scales along for our winter away! I did hold off on bringing along the kitchen sink.

   

Today, I moved from the obese category to merely overweight. Back on July 27 of last year my BMI was recorded as 34.1  Using a Body Mass Index is not a perfect way to choose a suitable weight but it is a great screening tool. Today's score of 29.9 is hardly something to brag about, but it feels like it's taken a while to get here.

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I've been taking Ozempic since last summer, primarily as a means to bring down my A1c results of last spring showing a pre-diabetic 6.2.  The weight loss side-affect of the Semaglutide injections has likely made moving from 102.1 kg  (225 lbs.) to 89.5 kg (197 lbs.) less of a chore.  

Getting rid of an extra 28 lbs. seems pretty good until I realize there's a months-long road ahead.   I still have to drop more than that amount again to get to my weight goal of 75 kg (165 lbs.).

Follow Me, Buzzy

Day 087: It's good that I have few qualms about embarrassing myself. That trait has come in very useful over the years. I guess though, my willingness for self deprecation may prevent me from ever being president one day.  

It was cool this morning. Not quite being ready to take my new drone outside, I just attempted to see if I could follow me around the Airbnb. Luckily, this drone will function inside even without a single GPS satellite lock. There isn't too much room inside, so I set the 'follow me' feature as 'close' to see what it could do.

I cut out about a minute of the clip and added music. This is not art. But one learns by doing and there's no need to throw away the result of learning something new. Maybe next time I'll dress up and plan the shot. Or probably not!

 

This clip is less than two minutes and it shows it'll probably be a fun option when walking in a park or on a hike.  I've named the new device, Buzzy.  That is not for a personal high school and college friend of my youth but because of the tiny drone's pitch. It is annoyingly noisy.

Now a New NEO

Day 86:  I suggested we go for a walk today, so I could find and pick up a new drone.  We headed to an Apple reseller which is less than a kilometer from our Airbnb. We walked a longer route going than when returning. Yet, I had my intended purchase in hand when we got back.

I do a lot of research before a purchase but eventually decided to go ahead with the purchase of a DJI NEO Combo Pack. My original DJI Mavic Mini of five years has now been officially replaced!  Although the old device still works as well as it did when new, it is not with me. That drone is light enough to easily take along but it is a bit too much of a hassle to use. It requires a few minutes to get ready and set up.  This makes it less useful as a travel drone. Although it shoots video, I snapped photos almost exclusively from altitudes impossible otherwise.

I am looking forward to get to know the NEO as it can practically fit in a jacket pocket. The camera isn't much of an upgrade and the gimbal is less sophisticated. A battery only allows for 15 minutes of flight. Yet it has other features I want. As well as using the traditional controller and phone app, it can fly with a number of pre-set modes right from the palm of one's hand. It'll follow its user around autonomously. I hope to practice using video and uploading clips to YouTube and other social media.

After lunch I had the battery and the two spares, the controller, and the NEO charged up.  I downloaded the new firmware and let it follow me around the living room a bit.  In the days ahead, I plan to learn and practice a lot.

Here and Elsewhere

I quite frequently check the current, local weather on my phone. Also, I have saved a number of places for quick reference. During winters away, of course, I like to keep track of what's going on back in New Westminster. However, I keep track of a few other locations too. These are the saved locations at present.  I can quickly select any to dive deeper into specific details.  Sometimes though, the simple centigrade temperatures alone are enough to satisfy my curiosity.

 

A Total of 214 Nights at Sea

In an effort to document our continuously expanding cruise experiences, I continue to update this information.  

UPDATED PAGE FOUND AT: 

Our Cruise History

In the Station: Blackie, Engine #162

Day 084: We had a chance to meet our Airbnb hosts today. The couple were going to come by last Sunday for cleaning but we said we really didn't need help. Today, they stopped to check supplies and ensure that some services were funded during our stay. I'm thinking that the electricity and water are metered and prepaid.

After they came, we went to a supermarket that was a bit further away than our usual one.  We wanted to buy some cheese and remembered that Checkers had a larger selection than the nearer Pick and Pay.  As usual, the weather continues to be stunningly summerish.

I snapped these two photos during a walk yesterday.  I like the silhouette in the top photo.  We had been in the bus terminal and train station area many times.  Yesterday, however, was the first time we noticed an old stream train in a huge station concourse.  There was a plaque with information.  However, in order to learn more, I asked for MS Copilot for a more complete story.  Here's what it wrote today.  I'm simply copying the text the AI wrote.  

Blackie 162 isn't just an old steam locomotive tucked away at the Cape Town rail station; it's a vivid slice of South African heritage that tells a story of transformation and ambition. Back in 1859, when Blackie first rolled along the tracks, it wasn't merely about a train making its journey—it was about a nation accelerating into a new era. This iron giant didn't just connect points on a map; it connected people, ideas, and possibilities that were previously unimaginable. 

Standing before Blackie today, you can almost hear the echoes of the past—the hissing steam, the clatter of wheels, the buzz of a crowd witnessing the dawn of modern transportation. It's fascinating how this single locomotive became a catalyst for economic growth, shrinking vast landscapes into accessible pathways and turning Cape Town into a vibrant hub of activity. 

What's truly remarkable is how Blackie symbolizes the relentless human spirit to push boundaries. It represents more than metal and machinery; it's a testament to innovation's power to reshape societies. The arrival of such technology wasn't just a step forward in transportation—it was a giant leap in redefining connections between communities, fostering trade, and sparking a wave of industrial progress. 

Thinking about Blackie also opens up a broader conversation about how pivotal technological advancements impact the world. Just as that steam engine revolutionized 19th-century South Africa, today's innovations—like artificial intelligence and renewable energy—are set to transform our lives in ways we might not fully grasp yet. It's a reminder that progress is a constant journey, with each generation building upon the milestones of the past. 

If the legacy of Blackie piques your interest, there's a rich tapestry of stories about other trailblazing inventions and the profound effects they've had on humanity. Exploring these narratives not only offers a glimpse into our collective history but also inspires us to consider how we can shape a future that's as bold and groundbreaking as the innovations that paved the way.

 

Video Postcards from Cape Town

Day 083: We enjoyed the great summer weather in Cape Town, South Africa this morning. We didn't really have any errands or trips planned. So, we simply went out for an interesting 3.5 kilometer walk. We are nearly in the center the city and so enjoyed many great views really near our Airbnb.

Today, rather than a few photos, I am including five, single-shot, short videos. I've recently decided I need to upgrade my skills when working with video files. This is my practice. 

I'm calling these 30-second clips Video Postcards. I simply pointed my phone in one direction and tried to capture a half-minute of what was in the frame. Rather than a static image, a viewer can see motion and in a few cases hear what is happening. If it turns out that doing this is easy, you may see more video clips in my eJournal in my future entries.  Maybe someday, I'll get all fancy with titles and background sound!

  Strand Street Pedestrian Overpass to the Bus Station
Adderley Street Fountains
Singers at Arch for Arch by Wale Street
Film Crew at the Happy Hippo at St. Georges Mall

Cape Town City Hall

Take-Away Biryani / Getting the Edges Chopped

 

Day 082:  Jay and I found a nice, busy restaurant where we can buy take-away food.  We wanted to pick up a single serving of biryani rice.  We bought some once last week and found the amount was sufficient to serve both of us for three meals!  The walk-through business space is called the Eastern Food Bazaar.  It has Indian food from different sections of that continent and also food labeled as Turkish, which I think really means Mediterranean here. Some dishes are Chinese as well.  It is in the set of buildings that look very 'Gotham-like' in design.  Food seems fairly cheap here in comparison to other cities.

 

Oh, and that is not the only thing cheaper than home.  This morning, I walked to a barbershop just down Long Street a ways.  I hadn't had a haircut since before leaving home at the beginning of November.  I wait to get my money's worth, you see.  

Getting a buzz never takes a long time because I only have the sides cut short with a #1-sized clipper attachment.  When I retired in 2014, I decided that I didn't need to cut my hair often or so traditionally. 

Another Red Meat

 

Day 081: We just brought this back from the supermarket. Jay will make a stir-fry or perhaps an ostrich curry. It was cheaper than equivalent amount of chicken at home. You should bear in mind that boneless-skinless chicken breasts in Cape Town are about one half the price we have to pay in Vancouver. 

Here's the initial paragraph from Wikipedia:

Ostrich meat is a type of red meat obtained from the ostrich, a large flightless bird native to Africa. Known for its health benefits and sustainability, ostrich meat has gained popularity worldwide, particularly in health-conscious and gourmet markets. It tends to be darker than beef due to the high levels of final pH.

 

I'm Surrendering to Greater Forces

Day 080:  Okay, I give up. Today's inclusion indicates that my years of avoiding short-form video has probably ended.

Jay and I used to own video cameras. I think I got my first when working in Bahrain in the late 80s. Carrying around these huge devices were a struggle but we were younger.  At least a decade ago, I dumped a whole lot of old video footage on YouTube.  It was a great place to store piles of old, 8mm tapes. I must have hours of unedited, long-form, old-school video saved online.  Most of it dates back to the 90s. 

Nowadays the Internet is all about inane, short videos though.  They are predominately used as a way to waste a human's finite time on this earth. I still have never bothered with TikTok, not because I'm worried about its Chinese owner but because I think the whole idea is an addictive misuse of one's precious hours.

   

That said, I'm totally about documenting our lives.  Why else would I have over 44000 images save on Flickr?  So, perhaps it is time to start thinking more seriously about using the technology so easily available at my fingertips. I don't think I've deliberately shot video on my present phone.  But if I get a new drone, I'll have a additional method to capture short video.

This uploading test above means that this aging cat has moved on to another life. This clip doesn't have comments nor was the shot planned.  I simply wanted to relearn how to upload to YouTube.  I had no idea how long it takes to upload a minute of standard video on a medium Internet connection.  The one-take file is a 55-second clip of our Airbnb in Cape Town, South Africa.

Cape Peninsular Day Trip

Day 079:  We got up early.  Well, perhaps it's more accurate to say we got up earlier than usual.  Since retiring, our days begin at a very reasonable hour.  Today though, I had to set an alarm for 6 o'clock.  We had to get ready for our trip down to the Cape of Good Hope.  I mentioned that we'd arrange for it on Sunday.  

We got to the BazBus agency office right at 7:30 am.  We met Mike, our tour guide and walked to the van.  We spent around 20 minutes picking up the other seven passengers from their hotels and places they were staying.  With us were a young Turkish couple, a single Asian buy from the US, a middle-aged Dutch couple, a solo guy also from Holland, and a man from Egypt.

Then we were on our way south via Seapoint.

HOUT BAY:  BOAT CRUISE TO THE DUNKIER ISLAND SEAL COLONY

CHAPMAN'S PEAK DRIVE

BOULDERS BEACH PENUGIN COLONY NEAR SIMON'S TOWN

PICNIC-TYPE LUNCH IN THE CAPE PININSULA NATURE RESERVE

HIKE TO CAPE POINT LIGHTHOUSE

A VISIT TO THE FAMOUS CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

It was a splendid and extremely windy day.  I'm not sure I've ever been outside in such sustained winds but they can happen during summertime in this edge of South Africa.

We didn't get back until around 4:30 PM.  We were tired but it was a special day in South Africa that we'll most likely never forget.