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I didn't know if you , the visitor, would have the inclination to peruse a personal travelogue so for now I'm just going to provide some key recommendations and links; I hope you will reciprocate with some of your own.

Cape Town and Garden Route, South Africa

 

Use Opodo or  Travelocity for air tickets about £550 return if you don't mind changing at Jo'burg but allow full1.5hrs as you have to clear and re-check in. Else pay £800 direct; occasionally less.

Comet are an inexpensive car  hire company who will meet you at  the airport but don't forget before exiting the terminal to buy (very cheap) a South African SIM card and some airtime for your mobile phone; go to the Vodafone or MTN desk.

To see the real Cape visit Paarl (about 30min from the airport by hire car). Stay at Auberge de Courtrai; have dinner at Romantica in the main drag.

This is part of the "wine route"; buy a specialised map and do it....preferably out of the main tourist season.

If you like Rally driving go over Bains Kloof pass to Tulbagh. Spectacular.

All accommodation in Cape Town proper is lousy. Try Pier Place or the cottages in Waterkant Street. 

    Do go into the town at night, it's quite safe, look for music lounges in Long St.  Narcisse has a great sound system and they don't mind if you dance.

For lunch, Taxi to Meastro's for a steak or have a Babootie in the garden cafe situated in the Museum in Whale Street.

At the Waterfront, Quay 4 is best. For a change, walk 10mins further up the coast and, have lunch at the Radisson Hotel in Jeffries bay.

Once you have done Cape Town and the Waterfront hit the beaches; go to stay at Camps Bay.

It is trendy and expensive (but near Clifton beach ....have lunch at beach cafe on 4th )

Stay at The Bay or The Place on the Bay if you can afford them, else, rent someone's house or apartment ....plenty of accom agencies on the net. 

Best search engine is http://www.aardvark.co.za

Move on to Hout Bay ..the pretty, quite, and easy to get to the beach.

Even if you don't stay in Hout Bay, have a lobster at the Chapman's Peak Hotel there (quite cheap).wpe44469.gif (109497 bytes)

Also try Fishmongers and Dune (on the beach). Have a Dom Pedro to drink.

Next drive to Constantia, a lush and opulent suburb ; visit Pub "Peddler's on the Bend".

 

       Cape Slideshow 

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              more Cape Photo's                                                                                           Cape Video -going EastCape Video -going West

 

Cruising the Med

Yes, you can charter lots of boats on the med but what if you want to take your own?

There are a number of ways:

  1. Take it by sea via Gibraltar. [Long way, uncomfortable and a mite dangerous] 
  2. Have it shipped by sea to Gibraltar. [Too easy (berth to berth) and too expensive] £1900 one way
  3. Have it transported overland to the French coast. [Quick but expensive] £2500 one way

    If it's small enough

  4. Tow it overland yourself. [Quickest, cheapest, most flexible but big hassle and slightly dangerous]
  5. Take it via the Channel and inland waterways through France. [Slowest, most interesting, big hassle]

Last year I did number four; here's what happened.

Getting under way.    sptrailr.jpg (21413 bytes)    Takes a few days to get the rig right also things tend to break at the last minute.

It's 1100km (660mls) from Calais. Would take a day if no overnight stop.

 

Ferry expensive £425 and now not many from the south coast of England.

UK roads terrible for towing

Use twice as much petrol/diesel as you think.(more precisely a third more)

Can't go very fast. 50mph.     A Discovery TDI was not powerful enough uphill. Cannot overtake a 80kph governed French truck.

French hotels are grotty (take your own kettle/coolbox) . Lay-bys (called aire's) are good.

French tolls are expensive. £125

French ramps are good (usually free) but not always long enough!  Hard to find without a height restrict barrier on the Riviera.

Marina's cheap=they include elec. Loo's are terrible, but then it's France. 

Harbour masters don't speak English. Nobody speaks English unless you speak French first.

The Med is bigger and rougher than you think. The coast guard /met man doesn't speak English either.

French marina electric plugs and water outlets are different; French marina's don't have hosepipes either.

No fresh milk except at  supermarkets; and boy are they Super.

Carnon de Plage, Le grand Motte,Palavas, Petit Camargue, Sete, Midi Canal, Marseille

 

UPDATE.

Been again this year in August. V.sunny but V.crowded.

Came down from Le Havre =slightly better if you live on south coast and going to the riviera.

Cassis, Coitat, Bandol then St.Tropez, Antibe, St.Raphael, then Cannes, Nice, Villefrance

 

It's great when you finally get there.     Now all you've got to do is get back!

Speed wobble.

 

 

Anywhere in the West Indies

Charter a catamaran in the British Virgin Isles or St.Lucia

Caribean Photo's

 ...for now, who would like to swap their house or boat with me for a vacation anytime outside hurricanes.

                    House Swap Details

              Alternatively, would you like to rent me your house or boat at somewhat less than commercial rates?

Sydney and Brisbane, Australia

.......for now, who would like to swap their house or boat with me for a vacation. Before December 31st

                    House Swap Details

                Alternatively, would you like to rent me your house or boat at somewhat less than commercial rates?

Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius

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