Bus vs Bike

It's been a while now that I wanted to try Cape Town's new MyCiti IRT for commuting to work. I was thinking that on really wet days it might be a good alternative for the bike seeing that getting stuck in traffic with a car on a rainy day in Cape Town traffic is something you prefer to avoid at all costs. I had to wait for an actual day with a rain forecast because until now I just could not get myself to leave the bike at home while the sun was shining outside. Well, today rain was predicted and I decided to give it a go. Armed with an umbrella and my MyCiti bus card I hitched a ride with my neighbour to the main bus stop in Tableview. If he was not around I would've had to walk about 10 minutes to the closest bus stop, get a feeder bus to Tableview and that would've taken 20 minutes at least. So I scored on some time and effort here.

I am not really that unfamiliar with riding bus. I frequently have to take the bus from the terminals at the airport to the plane. So how much different could this be? I first had to pay to get sufficient funds on my card. The bus card is also a debit card and you cannot ride without one. No cash any more. Fortunately the card I had, but the PIN number eluded me for a moment and with anxious passengers behind me in line I had to try all the PIN numbers I had stored in my brain somewhere. Fortunately for me the first one worked and the sun came out at the same time. It seemed like it was going to be a good day after all. There was still time to turn around and go get the bike now with the sun out, but I was not backing out now. 

Last 10 min walk to my office

We left the house at 7 and got on the bus at 7:30. We were last in line but because of my PIN issue we missed the first bus and was first in the line for the next one. This meant that we could get seats. I like riding bus while standing, it is like surfing or skateboarding on a bigger scale, but the ride was about to last 35 minutes to town and sitting would just make it easier to at least have a conversation with my buddy. I guess it can get boring with no-one to talk to all the way. The people look better than the ones I saw on the Metro in Prague, but no-one was talking much, except for this girl behind me who was explaining events from the Bible to her friend like she was there when Jesus walked on the water. My buddy and I talked about kite surfing, RC helicopters, various gadgets, travelling and the normal stuff guys talk about. Time passed quickly and soon I had to change buses at the Civic Centre. My next bus would be the Waterfront feeder bus with the second stop being the one where I need to get off. Transferring were easier than at Schipol Airport and soon I was on my second leg. I arrived at my stop at 8:20 and was left with another 10 minute walk to get to the office. I arrived at 8:30.

So, what's the verdict, bike or bus? Time wise, the bike is better, 20 mins compared to 90 mins. Money wise, if you have a bike already it works out more or less the same, approximately R25 a day. Comfort wise, I think walking in the rain for 20 minutes might be just as bad a riding in the rain for 20 mins. Definitely safer to take the bus but with no excitement and adrenalin I would prefer to be on a bike. The worst of it all is that I am in town now with NO transport, and if I want to get back home in a rush, then I have to prepare myself for another 90 minutes before I get home, even more if I have to wait for buses and if I add the last walk to my house. Unless you can sit on the bus and meditate or answer emails, I cannot see how anyone can waste 3 hours a day on just commuting. Life is too short for that. 

The sun is shining at the moment and I am probably the only one with an umbrella today, but at least now I know what it's like and no-one can accuse me of not trying. In future I will however stick to the bike, thank you.

Stop the Clock!

Surely if you have been living for more than ten years in one of the 10 most loved cities in the world you would've visited and seen all the tourist attractions that the city has to offer? Wrong. 

Yesterday I decided that I needed to get out of the office for a while and instead of seeking my consolation in a Latte from my favourite coffee shop around the corner, I decided to go check out the Noon Gun on Signal Hill. If you are not familiar with the Noon Gun, then in short I can tell you that most Capetonians have heard it at least, if they have not seen it. The same for me. I have been wanting to go check it out when it fires at noon ever since I've moved to my new office at foot of Signal Hill. So at 11h40 I jumped on my bike heading up to Signal Hill hoping to take a short clip of one of the oldest rituals in Cape Town that has taken place every day since 1902. Except for Sundays and Public Holidays of course. I should have timed it better because in my rush to get there in time I left my wallet and phone at the office for which I had to turn back.  I also got myself lost in exactly 3 Cul-de-Sacs in the Bo-Kaap area. I know the way to Signal Hill, but I was taking all kinds of short-cuts which didn't help at all. 

I arrived at the top of Signal Hills at 11h55, which I suppose could have given me just enough time to reach the gun. It was like a game of treasure hunt and I was just about to shout "Stop the Clock!" when I realized that I might be at the wrong place. I asked around a friendly staff member from Cape Nature Reserve told me that the gun is not on Signal Hill but rather halfway down Signal Hill. I had to go back and approach it from the City Centre side. I was definitely not going to make it and stopped on my way back at a spot where I could see the smoke and hear the gun, but not close enough to take any worthwhile pictures. What I did take instead was a few picture of the amazing view from Signal Hill. I will visit the gun at a later stage and make sure that I have plenty of time to get there and enjoy my popcorn while I watch something that has happened in Cape Town over 62 000 times already. I am sure the tradition will continue for a few more years to come....

Home Sweet Home

I just arrived back in Cape Town from my trip to Tanzania. There is nothing that gives me that contented feeling than seeing Cape Town from the air when coming in for the landing. Home Sweet Home indeed.

Bad impressions from the "promised land"

Before I tell you about an interesting discussion I had this morning with some Chadian locals, let me just put the record straight on something I said in my previous post about unfriendly people and the countries where they reside. When I travel in Africa, one of the things that is quite striking is the difference in treatment you get when you arrive at an airport, the hotel, shops, whatever. It really differs from country to country, from feeling like a welcomed guess to a unwelcomed intruder. Even in the countries where I get bad treatment at any kind of reception I still work with and meet locals and many times they are not nearly comparable with some of the people I've dealt with. Like here in Chad. Arriving at the airport is not fun, but some of the people I have met are really interesting and friendly blokes. This brings me to the story I want to tell...

I have been here for a few days giving training to some locals. Because the company I work for send the French speaking employees to Cape Town for English Language Training, many that I do meet on my travels have been to Cape Town before. They usually stay about 3 months for the training and I have to admit, if I could've mastered French like they've mastered English I probably would've lived in the Seychelles by now teaching sexy French ladies how to kitesurf ...or something in that line. One thing I ALWAYS hear from my colleaques is how beautiful Cape Town is and that they would love to return one day. I think they see South Africa as the Promised Land and basically treat me as a prophet coming to visit his flock, with a lot of respect of course. Especially now with my hair that's longer than usual....

This morning however I was chatting to some locals when one guy out of the blue asked me: "Do you smoke?" I said no, why are you asking? They looked surprised, just as much as I was, and another guy repeated sceptically, "You don't smoke"? Curious as to why they would want to know if I smoke, I eventually got the story. One of the things they have noticed in South Africa, or Cape Town where they spend most of their time, is that so many people smoke. So much that it actually made an impression on them, a bad one I should add immediately. According to them nearly everyone in Caspe Town smokes, and what surprized them most is that so many children and women smoke as well. Living there I never actually noticed it myself. With the new smoking legislation prohibiting people from smoking in public places, it is even more difficult to see I guess. But these guys picked that up and it stayed with them as one of their "memories" about Cape Town. They all think it is "very unhealthy". When I told them that I don't smoke, have never smoked before and have no intention of starting either, they were even more impressed with me. After my long explanation about my dad that smoked and his heart attack and the dangers of smoking, etc, etc, one guy said: "That is so good, you are an angel then". Well, I come from the "Promised Land" don't I? I'm just wondering what the smokers are doing there then?

I learned a lesson this morning. Not only do I have first impressions of other countries, but so do people that visit South Africa, and they are not always good. It is a pity that our unhealthy smoking habits should be one of the things they remember about Cape Town. We might live in some "promised land", but we mess up our lungs and pollute the environment and it paints a bad picture of South Africans. Sad isn't it?

Colours of Cape Town

Even though I live in Cape Town I hardly ever see the city center. I was  rather amazed a couple of years ago when I went to Green Market Square and felt the tourist vibe that the Mother City has. I was always under the impression that the city center was more of a destination if you are into drug smuggling or prostitution. I am sure you can still find it there at night, but during the day it is rather a nice experiencing to walk around between the stalls and drink coffee at one of the many street restaurants. Yesterday I took the opportunity to walk around the stalls like a tourist armed with my camera and beach hat. The sun wasn't playing along in all my shots as much as I would've liked it to, but there is such a variety of subjects to take pictures of that one can really take pictures from morning 'til noon. I think that one day I will take the whole day and create a whole portfolio on the "Colours of Cape Town".

Missing out

It's Saturday morning. I am sitting at the staff house in Pointe-Noire, Congo waiting for the bus to the airport. If everything is going according to plan, then I will be flying to Port-Gentil, Gabon today. I will spend two days there and on Monday I will fly down to Launda, Angola. I have work to do in Gabon, so my weekend is going to be spend at the office, NOT on the beach. When I looked at one of my favourites web cams of Cape Town this morning, I knew that this was a weekend that I was definitely going to miss out on......

Enjoy the weekend and have fun Capetonians!!

Wake Up Cape Town....

...it's going to be another stunningly beautiful day!!