South Africa – May 2017

The story begins with the arrival of Tina and I at the Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel at Long Street in Cape Town. We’ve just finished our 12-day road trip along the Garden Route and successfully returned our rental car. Now we’re checking into the only hotel we pre-booked and are going to stay in an airstream trailer on the roof top of the hotel building for 1 night. The view is awesome and we can’t wait to explore the city. Our first stop brings us to the V & A Waterfront where we buy tickets to Robben Island for the next day.

From the humongous waterfront neighbourhood we take an Uber to the bottom station of the table mountain cable car. Our goal is to see the sunset from up there. And though the flat mountain was covered in clouds all day, it doesn’t disappoint. About 10 minutes after we make it to the top, the clouds lift and we enjoy an incredible view of the whole city. The Lion’s Head at sunset is still one of my favourite pictures I’ve ever taken. Later that first night we want to make the most of our prime location in Cape Town’s nightlife district.

With the help of google maps we put together our very own pub crawl tour, starting off at the popular BEERHOUSE. Later we finally find a night club where there is not an hour-long queue and check out its basement dancing area. Realizing that a night club without people is not the right thing either, we soon return up to the entrance. It’s there when we first see the huge number of police cars shutting the whole street. We decide to go back to our hotel and follow the course of the action there. All night we watch helicopters and police cars circling the nightlife district and do not regret our decision.

The next day over breakfast we learn that the police targeted the local bouncer gangs with their razzia from the previous night. Not quite sure what to make of this information, we decide to just go about our day as planned. First we visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for ver 20 years. We then stroll through the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood and Central Cape Town. In the late afternoon we check into our fanciest Airbnb yet. It comes with a doorman and our room features ceiling high windows with an unrestricted view of the Table Mountain.

After relaxing at the Airbnb for a bit – enjoying the view from our room, as well as from the owner’s balcony facing the bay – we return to Long Street for our final night out. First, we wander up and down the busy street, checking the whole razzia situation. Everything seems to be fine and so we have dinner at a Mexican restaurant on a terrace on the first floor. Until we are ready to join them, we watch the diverse crowd of people all wandering the street with the same intension – to have fun. And fun we have.

Like the night before we start at the BEERHOUSE and then check out different Pubs and Clubs. At the final one Tina persuades me to have a shot of Absinth. Lucky for me, I hesitate to drink the whole glass in one go and empty the rest over my back. From this moment there is no stopping us. We meet handsome Chad and his friend. We talk for a bit, I give in when he tries to kiss me but decline an invitation to breakfast at his place the next morning. A little while later, at around 2am, Tina and I decide to finally head home.

I know that the Airbnb isn’t too far away to walk and also includes a possible stop at a McDonalds. Of course, this is the argument needed to convince Tina. And so, after buying 2 cheeseburgers each Tina ends up chasing geese in a close by park, while I film the whole thing. Just before we make it back on a paved road, a figure approaches us and snatches my phone from my hand. The guy didn’t anticipate tipsy, angry Jana to fight him – but so I did. At one point during our short argument, I even hold my phone, the knife he wanted to threaten me with AND the money I offered for my phone. Kind as I am, I give him back his knife and we want to head our separate ways.

However, enticed by our screaming, another guy in a yellow reflective vest appears and now tries to steal Tina’s phone. They have a small fight during which he injures Tina’s foot and I my thief now tries to help her out. I realize that the situation is too much for us to handle and run towards the main street. I stop an oncoming car and quickly explain the problem to the Uber driver and his local customers. A limping Tina arrives, an arm slung over the first thief’s neck, and off we are the last 1.5 blocks to our Airbnb in the Uber. Our friendly saviors lecture us, saying that 1. Whenever someone tries to steal something from you in South Africa – you just hand it to them; 2. Always take an Uber wherever you go at night.