Cape Area - South Africa

After one of the longest flights of our trip (if not the longest), we reached our sixth continent: Africa. We had heard so much about the wonderful country of South Africa, and although we had just left the not entirely safe USA behind us, we still felt a bit apprehensive before our last major stop. The country has a huge gap between rich and poor and is considered to have a high crime rate in some areas. From the very beginning, we had decided not to stay directly in Cape Town, but rather outside the city in the university town of Stellenbosch, which is situated in beautiful natural surroundings. Of course, we also went into Cape Town to visit the German Consulate General (where we discussed inclusion in South Africa), to go to the Waterfront, to visit the District Six Museum (where we learned a great deal about the history of apartheid), and, of course, to go up Table Mountain.

Our excursions to the Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach with its penguins, Langebaan with its beautiful national park, and Hermanus, where we could observe whales up close from both a boat and the shore, were also wonderful. Since we were staying in Stellenbosch, a wine tour was a must, and we both felt the effects for two days afterward.

Yes, we had our safety concerns beforehand. But if you simply follow a few rules while you're there, Cape Town and its surroundings are simply a beautiful travel destination that everyone should visit at least once.