CAPE TOWN

  Somewhat to my surprise I have arrived at the Lady Hamilton Hotel without any major hassle, and am settled in in this pink establishment. The cab was waiting at the airport with my name plaque prominently displayed, despite the fact that I was a bit late coming out as I waited for my luggage to arrive on a carousel on the wrong flight from Johannesburg.  I was just wondering where to report my luggage as missing, when I spotted another carousel disgorging luggage.  This was the SA flight - the one I had been on from Jo'burg.  My case looked as though it had been spinning round and round for some time before I came and retreived it!  Despite the scurrilous rumours to the contrary, the Lady Hamillton is not a gay hotel, in the modern sense of the word.  However I must say that I have seen adverts for the "Out Of Africa" gay & lesbian film festival on street lamp posts - I think I will give that a miss!  Pink is quite a popular colour for buildings here.  I managed to cods up my password in the room safe and had to call for help to get it sorted.  Also I could not figure out how to release the basin plug.  Apparently it has to be pressed down to either lock or release it. 

  I have booked a day out on safari next Monday - a 6.00am start there, the following day I'm going on a trip to the Cape and the penguin sanctuary, whilst Wednesday is wine and cheese tasting on the way to Stellenbosch.  Tomorrow I shall continue to explore Cape Town on foot, a process that I started today.  I have located Kloof Street that leads into Long Street and that leads you to the waterfront.  I indulged in a steak sandwich, a whopping piece of delicious meat with lashings of fried onions washed down by a bottle of lager that set me back the princely sum of £3.50.  I don't think I need any dinner! For a further two quid I had a pint of Castle on the way home.  It is now 7.00pm and my travels are starting to catch up with me, so I think it is time to watch a bit of telly, have a shower (no flippin' bath in my room) and call it a day.  The time in South Africa is two hours ahead of British Winter time so it is only about 5.00pm, but the eyelids are starting to get heavy.