We landed a few minutes late at Joburg, picked up our two duffels (first off the belt) and found the left luggage office. We ransomed our bags, redistributed the duffels into four bags and walked to the domestic terminal. We found British Airways and then had one of the worst/most frustrated experiences I’ve had in twenty years of business travel.

When we got to the desks, they weighed our entire luggage cart and told us that we were six kilos over the weight limit. I said that we would take one of our small duffels with us on the plane and were told we couldn’t. We were shown to a check-in desk, and the woman who had weighed our luggage went away and then came back with a slip of paper – but now it said that we were ten kilos over the weight limit instead of six and that we would have to pay excess baggage.

Now, Gary and I travel quite often with heavy dive bags and have paid excess baggage before, but the attitude of every member of the BA staff with whom we interacted was appalling. I had to go to a separate desk to pay for it – it was 25 rand per kilo, or $35.00. The BA rep gave me the credit card receipt to sign but her pen was out of ink. I told her that three times and was ignored, finally having to find my own pen with which to sign.

When I returned to the desk, our bags were being checked in and Gary had removed the “Fragile Wedding Garments” sign from our trunk. When I asked about it, he said he would tell me later. After we got our boarding passes from the rude ticket agent and found our way through security to the gate, Gary said that agent started hassling him about the sign saying that if they were clothes, they weren’t fragile and we had to remove it.

We got on the plane – a 737 – and watched as it began filling up with people, many of who were carrying more than one piece of hand luggage and many of the suitcases were much bigger than the duffel we would have taken on board. I will be writing a letter to British Airways. I flew with them for many years and I was so angry with the way that their staff treated us.

Take-off was delayed slightly, but once we were airborne we were served drinks and a rather dodgy ham-like wrap. It was a two-hour flight to Cape Town – most of the terrain looked like the desert southwest of the United States.

We hit clouds shortly before Cape Town so didn’t get much of a view inbound. One bag was one of the first off, and the rest strung out over fifteen minutes. We went out and found our driver waiting for us. I went to tap the ATM for rand, but realized that I had left my ATM card at home. Luckily Gary had his, so after we sorted that we headed for the hotel.

It was overcast and drizzly, but we could see the townships across the road from the airport spreading out for miles. It is a very disturbing thing to see such terrible poverty, with people building shacks out of anything they can find (wood, plastic, corrugated metal). The poverty in the US is not seen on this scale.

There is a lot of construction going on everywhere. South Africa is hosting the World Cup in 2010 and Cape Town is one of the venues. Everyone is very excited about it as they hope that it will improve their image and lead to increased tourism in the future.

It took about twenty minutes to get to the hotel. Our driver was one of the company’s managers, but all of his drivers were off so he was taking us. He did a small detour through a little section where many of the Indian and Pakistani immigrants had settled – all the houses are brightly painted with white trim. It reminded me of the colors in Bermuda.

We arrived at the hotel and were greeted by one of the managers. He seated us in the sitting room next to the fireplace, brought us wine and crisps and gave us some information on the area. We were shown to room #2 on the ground floor. It was lovely, with fifteen foot ceilings and a small private courtyard. I loved the bathroom with its huge stone tub. We did a quick shower and change, then went off by cab to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront area, which is basically a huge shopping area and mall at the harbor.

We walked around the shops for a while, saw some neat things that would cost a fortune to ship home and found our restaurant, Baia, on the second floor of the mall. We had researched some restaurants prior to the trip and Gary had selected this one. We were shown to our table overlooking the harbor.

We had a fantastic waitress. She was attentive and extremely knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list. Gary ordered nine oysters to start – our waitress recommended mostly wild caught, but a couple of cultivated to see if he liked them. He also ordered their seafood platter with line fish, a rock lobster, prawns and langoustines. I ordered the springbok carpaccio to start - I mean where else will I get that? I was going to order the “Ladies’ Platter” which had three langoustines and three prawns, but again our waitress recommended just the langoustines which offered five for the same price and it was a great idea. She also helped Gary find a nice Sauvignon Blanc to go with our food.

The carpaccio was good, although I couldn’t tell much difference in taste to beef. Gary liked the oysters but couldn’t pick out the cultivated ones. Our waitress showed him how the shells are different – the cultivated ones are smoother. We both loved our main courses. They came with garlic-paprika sauce and lemon-butter sauce, both of which were delicious. We decided to take a pass on dessert, and our check, including a bottle of wine, was less than half of what we would have paid in the states. The 20% tip that we left our waitress about knocked her over, but she was so good and deserved it. We grabbed a cab to the hotel and the night porter let us in.

Monday, April 30, 2007
We woke around 8:00, showered and had breakfast (fruit, cereal, yogurt, cheese, salami, juice and coffee) before our guide, Mark, arrived at 9:00. He drove us all over the Western Cape – unfortunately we couldn’t see much as it was rainy and overcast most of the day. The landscape of the Atlantic coast reminds us of Laguna Beach with the mountains and tide pools and kelp forests.

We stopped at a small fishing village/harbor to walk around – we had an option to take a boat out to Seal Island, but declined. Instead, we saw several seals swimming right next to the wharfs and one sitting right in the middle of the dock, to the delight of the tourists and chagrin of the fishermen who were trying to unload their boat. He seemed quite calm, despite the bus-load of Italian tourists PETTING him until the fishermen started banging pots to get him to leave – they couldn’t unload their catch with him sitting there. Quite cranky then, he left bellowing.

We continued our drive, stopping a few times for photos and a quick visit to an ostrich farm. We drove to Cape Point National Park and saw a big male baboon patrolling the parking lot of the visitor’s center. We also saw some springbok far out on the flats.

Up to Cape Horn where, having gotten our funicular tickets and waited in line, we were told that it wasn’t working. Gary suggested we walk up, “since it isn’t that far.”

Okay, maybe it’s a little far.

But we made it, checked out the tins of impala, kudu, and ostrich pate at the gift shop and continued up to the lighthouse. It was a shame that it was overcast as we couldn’t see much. The funicular was working on the way down and we had a brief stop for the obligatory photo with the Cape of Good Hope sign. We headed north along False Bay where the water was much calmer.

We saw more baboons along the residential streets. Mark said that it is quite a problem, since they will break into vacation houses and go through garbage bags that are left out. They are very bold and can be dangerous if cornered.

We stopped for lunch at the Black Marlin – it is included in our tour costs and we looked enviously at the large platters of prawns and langoustines going to other tables. We were to receive the “Grilled Trio” – this turned out to be half a rock lobster, three large prawns and a calamari steak, served with a green salad, basmati rice and ice cream with berries for dessert. Drinks were extra – a bottle of water and two glasses of wine came to US$10.00 including tip.

After lunch we continued along False Bay, stopping at the Penguin Colony. We snapped loads of shots, but my camera battery died along the way to the beach. Luckily Gary is a better photographer than I am, and he was snapping away so I am sure we have some good penguin beach shots, including the one teenager penguin on the beach with his parents. He tried to follow them into the water, but penguins aren’t water-proof at that age, so he came back up and cried on the sand for a while.

We continued up False Bay towards Cape Town, stopping at Muizenberg, the battleground where the British first gained a toe-hold in Southern Africa. No British there this time, but we did spot a mongoose.

Mark said we could either go to a botanical garden or one of the oldest wineries in South Africa. Guess which one we chose?

Groot Constantia was founded in 1685. We tried their Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc (OK), Merlot (nice) and Cabernet (OK). We also tried both of their dessert wines – Gary liked their Muscat, while I preferred the Grand Constance. I went to the tasting bar and asked for their corks – apparently no one in South Africa ever asks for corks as I had to explain to the staff (and several guests) why I wanted them. After my explanation, one guest looked at me over her glasses and said, “I hope that most of the wines in your cellar are South African.” I said, “Not yet.”

We drove back to Cape Town and Mark dropped us off at the Waterfront. Following some successful shopping and a sighting of the infamous “Den Anker” restaurant, we had a light nibble of some prawns and calamari at Quay Four (I believe it is the sister restaurant of the Black Marlin) before heading home.

When we got back to the hotel, we found a bottle of red wine waiting for us in the room from Ker & Downey, and a note from Corinne, the event coordinator at our next hotel, advising that the hair/make-up artist would see me tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. to do a trial and I should call if there were any problems.

I was a bit chilled when we came in, so I drew a bath and had a delightful soak in the big stone tub before getting ready for dinner. I decided to dress up a bit for dinner and put on the black dress and sandals I brought. Gary gave me a silver and elephant hair bracelet that he had purchased that afternoon – what a guy!

Tonight’s restaurant, Ginja (pronounced “jin-jah”) was one that I selected based on rave reviews from tripadvisor.com and others. The taxi dropped us off in a rather run-down area not far from the hotel. We started to go in one door when the driver shook his head and pointed down an unmarked corridor between buildings. Hmmm. We went down the narrow, rather grotty tunnel to the door – once inside, it is very nice, converted from an old row house with a very eclectic flair.

Our reservations were for 7:30 and we were right on time. There were only two or three other tables seated and the rest of the tables were set up and empty. The hostess took us to a two-top set up right next to the bar and in front of the kitchen – definitely the worst table in the house. There was another two-top next to us – still not a great location but at least it didn’t have a view of the back of the bar- but she said that it had been “specifically requested.” As we sat, it did appear that the other tables were all laid out for parties greater than two, and that they probably didn’t usually put tables in the area where ours was placed.

To offset the table placement, our waiter was very good, although once the restaurant filled up by 8:30, he was all over the place. Nonetheless, we couldn’t fault the service as everyone was working hard and still attentive.

The menu is priced on the number of courses one has – there are also chef’s tasting menus of six or eight courses. In keeping with the eclectic appearance of the room, the food is very “nouveau”, with unusual ingredients and combinations. I had the asparagus/risotto “lollipops” with a gorgonzola center and tomato/rice salad to start and Gary tried the prawn/scallop/lobster trio which came with coriander foam and was sprayed with coriander “perfume” at the table.

For mains I tried the Springbok Wellington, a Springbok filet with a mushroom crust, encased on a puff pastry and served with caramelized onions and green beans. Gary had the grilled ostrich steak. We also had a bottle of Robertson Merlot with our meal, which was pleasant but nothing too special. While we found the food tasty, we weren’t overwhelmed. It seemed a bit more flash than substance, but we were also still a bit put off by the table we were given. Still, the total for the meal including wine and tip was less than US$100.00 and a bargain by comparison. We called for a cab and went back to the hotel. There was another note from Corinne wondering if we had gotten her first message, so I called her and confirmed my appointment for 8:30 in the morning.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007
After a week of being awakened by hippos, jackals and “disco doves”, it’s quite another thing to be roused by a car alarm. We got up around 7:30 and finished packing before going for breakfast. It was a nice day and we planned to sit in the courtyard to eat, but discovered that the tables had a metal bar that prevented one from getting their legs under it, so we moved back indoors. Gary had fruit, cheese and croissants while I tried the “Eggs Royale”, a kind of Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon on a croissant.

At 8:30, Gerda arrived to do a trial of my hair and make-up for the wedding. Gary went off to shop at the Waterfront while we were busy. Gerda is in her mid-30s, tall, blonde and very nice. She teaches computers at Cape Peninsula University and is getting her Masters degree in Education, but does hair and make-up on the side, as well as modeling. She is beautiful and reminds me a bit of Darryl Hannah but prettier.

She and her husband live on a small farm outside of Cape Town – he’s a former lawyer, but now works as an energy trader. They have eight dogs, several chickens and a pygmy goat that rides in the car with them. Gerda did my hair in an upsweep and played around with different make-up colors, just to get an idea of what she would do on Thursday.

Gary returned and Mark picked us up at 11:00 to take us to Hermanus. It was a beautiful day today, and we had a nice view of Table Mountain as we left Cape Town.

It took longer than expected to get to Hermanus, about 1 hour 45 minutes, so when we got there we changed the pick-up time for Friday from 2:00 to 1:00 to allow enough time to get to the airport. Hermanus is a very small town, and looks similar to the small coastal towns in California with a little city center and residential homes spreading out around it. The coastline is very rocky, with little beaches inserted every so often.

We arrived at Birkenhead House and were met by an army of staff in white who took our bags, handed us glasses of Champagne and we were shown around the property by Sarah.

Birkenhead House is named after the Royal Navy vessel HMS Birkenhead. She was the largest iron ship of the navy in 1852, carrying one hundred and thirty crew members and four hundred and eighty seven soldiers on their way to the Frontier war, then in progress. On the 25th of February 1852, just before 2 a.m., the Birkenhead struck a rock off Danger Point out in Walker Bay, and she sank within a half hour.

In 1992, Phil and Liz Biden bought and built a holiday home on the property on the eastern outskirts of Hermanus. It consists of three “houses” connected by central courtyards with fountains and pools, perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking Walker Bay, where the Southern Right Whales return each winter to calve and breed.

After the huge success of developing their other two holiday homes, La Residence and Royal Malewane, into exclusive holiday destinations, they decided to follow suit with Birkenhead House, creating a boutique hotel with eleven guest rooms and a spa. Everything is included - all meals, all beverages (except reserve wines), and the staff is there is make sure that every desire is catered to.

The hotel is laid out in a series of three "houses" connected by courtyards leading from the street in the back to the terrace overlooking the bay at the front.

While we took many pictures, and the website has a virtual tour, there is no way that photographs can do it justice. After getting the tour of the property, Sarah said that since they only had three other rooms occupied at the time, we could choose between Room 5 and Room 9. Room 5 is on the ground floor of the “Middle House” and while it doesn’t have an ocean view, it has its own private plunge pool. Room 9 is on the second floor of the “Back House” and has ocean views from two of its three balconies. We chose that one. Sarah also said that when rooms were not occupied, or being prepared for guests, they leave the doors open, so that guests can go in and see the other spaces. The entrance to our room was a hallway with floor to ceiling dark wood closets on one side and mirrors on the other. It stepped up into the bedroom with a large bed facing one of the balconies, and a desk area behind the headboard and a vaulted ceiling. Three steps down into the marble floored bathroom, with two sinks, toilet, an open shower and a free standing bathtub in the middle of the room.

We were invited to come downstairs for lunch next to one of the pools. There was a table set for us, as well as one set for a single and a four-top. We were given the wine list and invited to select a bottle but I opted for just a glass as we were going to visit a winery that afternoon. Nico, the executive chef, came out to say hello and tell us about the menu for lunch. Today it was a Caprese salad, a choice of fishcakes or Thai beef salad and a chocolate brownie with ice cream for dessert. As our starters arrived, Corinne joined us – she has been my main contact for all of the wedding plans. She sat with us and went over the schedule, starting with an envelope that I had to open then: it was a note from Mom saying that she had arranged a massage for me at 6:30 that evening at the spa! Lunch was terrific and when we returned to the room, our bags were there. There were rose petals and lavender laid out in patterns on the bed, pillows and towels. There was also an ice bucket with a split of champagne and two glasses, and a bag on the bed with a welcoming note and two Birkenhead House baseball caps. We unpacked and took pictures and Gary futzed with his underwater camera setup and I wrote in my journal on the balcony. At 3:30 we had arranged to do a quick tour of two of the local wineries – when we went downstairs, we found that Corinne and Estelle, another member of the staff, would take us there in one of the Birkenhead vans. One of the wineries I had mentioned, Bouchard Finlayson, was closed as it was a public holiday in South Africa, but we drove about fifteen minutes to Hamilton Russell. It is a beautiful place, with a lovely lake next to the tasting room and we sampled the Chardonnay and the Pinto Noir, which has received very high marks in international wine circles. The location near the bay gives the grapes a cooler climate, but they are high enough in the hills to prevent them from getting too much moisture. We enjoyed the Pinot, and it was a good price, but we don’t have much room in the luggage, so we decided not to purchase any. We drove back and got a brief tour of Hermanus and the fishing harbor, returning to the hotel around 5:00. I called Mom in Charleston to thank her for the spa treatment – she and Carol were getting ready to head out for a tour of the city. At 6:30, I was given a wonderful aromatherapy massage by Alice – ahhhh . . . It felt especially good after the climb up to Cape Point the day before! Gary was out on the front terrace watching the surf when I came back down. We sat in the drawing room where the staff had built a fire and had a drink before dinner. We met the other five guests – all Americans, which is unusual as about 70-80% of the hotel’s clientele are British. There are two couples “of a certain age”: Steve and Kaye from Tennessee and Gary and Nancy from Orlando. Kaye looks and sounds just like Rue McClanahan, and they are all very nice. They are long-time friends and are here on their first safari, the idea for which came from another couple who set everything up and then cancelled. They just arrived that day from the states, spending three nights here, four nights in Cape Town then visiting two lodges in Sabi Sands, Leopard Hills and another one I cannot recall. We also met Lisa from Denver, Colorado. She’s about my age and on a sabbatical from her job at Alcatel, and spending six months traveling all over the world. She has been to some fascinating places, hiring guides and translators to visit local tribes. She’s been to Borneo, Laos, Bali, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, and has just spent time in Jordan and Syria. She is keeping an on-line journal of her travels and posting photographs of her journey. Two of her friends, Rick and Monique are scheduled to arrive here tomorrow and they will spend a few days together before taking off in different directions. There are no set times for meals here, it is whenever the guests are ready to sit down. We all adjourned to the dining room where there were two tables set for two and one for four – one of the managers ate with Lisa. The menu was rolled up and tied with some raffia: Squid Tempura, Mango Puree and Sweet Soy Sauce ~ Or ~ Mushroom Risotto, Parma Ham and Truffle Foam Butternut and Orange Soup with toasted Pumpkin Seeds Seafood Paella ~ Or ~ Marinated Quail, Polenta, Vegetables and Tomato Reduction Amarula Crème Brulee ~ Or ~ Traditional South African Cheeses and Sugared Fig We both had the shrimp tempura and the seafood paella, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. They have both a regular wine list and a reserve list, both of which are very nice. The regular list is gratis and the reserve wines are modestly priced, but one may, and is encouraged to, order a bottle or multiple bottles with one’s meals. The starters and mains were very nice, and the dessert was fun. It was a small, plain crème brulee, served with a half test-tube of Amarula, with the idea that one breaks the crème brulee crust, adds a little bit of Amarula to the custard and eats – repeat until finished. Before we headed upstairs – we had an early pick-up the next morning – we invited everyone to attend the wedding on the terrace on Thursday evening. They were all very excited about it. We went back to the room – the staff had placed tealights all up the stairway to light the way for us. I also discovered that there is radiant heating in the floors of both the entryway and bathroom. Marvelous.