2 sheets gone!

Extended my return ticket today... so I've got more time. I was scheduled to return on the 18th but will stay until the 29th. I spend alot of time at Oceana shooting so I haven't seen enough of the area yet. It was REALLY tough tearing myself away from the luxury, but now I'm back into travel mode and want to hit a few more towns before my return.

I read about a place called Hogsback that's supposed to be "other worldly" and rumored to be the place where Tolkien got his inspiration for the Hobbit.. so it sounds kinda cool. There's a place to stay there called "Away with the Fairies" that sounds groovy.

I'm sitting on a deck patio one story up... found an unsecure wireless network so I'm making the most of it. ;-) This rasta guy just sat across from me and is smoking some VERY strong smelling weed. I wonder if that's illegal here? All the rasta dudes seem to light up freely on the street AND in the cafes.. or, they step just outside the door.. hit it a few times.. then come back in. Alot more police around tonight. Wonder what's going on. Maybe just beefing up for the weekend.

Was going to visit Oudtdshorn (or something like that) but I think it's basically alot of Ostrich farms.. so might skip that one. Or not, it's kind of on the way.

When up to Table Mountain today. HUGE line of tourists. It's been cloudy for the last couple of days, but today was fairly clear. Guess everyone else was waiting it out like me. ;-)

I'm very terrified of heights so it was a challenge dragging my hide onto that cable car that appears to climb nearly straight up along sheer stone bluffs. But, I made it. Kept my eyes closed most of the way.. but grew a pair and kept them open for the entire ride down. Luckily, it was faster.

Paid a parking guard to watch the bucky for me, but when I got back... they'd slipped the side windows of the cab open and stole the two old sheets that were in the back to cover up my luggage. Nothing else was in it but I can't believe they'd steal old sheets. Seems like if you're gonna steal you'd go for breaking into a Beamer or Mercedes.. not a little bucky with nothing in it. Oh well, guess I'm lucky they didn't break the windows to get in.

It's been tough sleeping here... there's a reggae bar below my window that blasts music all night long.. and, a falafel stand that blares the same ol' Arabic tape over and over again. NOT a good mix with reggae. ;-) At first it was kinda cool, but now it's just annoying. I really need to move on from Cape Town, but there's just a couple more things I'd like to check out before I leave.

Just about a half hour ago (It's about 9:45PM at the moment) I was walking down the street to get a pepper steak pie. They're pretty cheap and very tasty. Kind of a pot pie without the tin bowl. Anyway, I couldn't even eat it on the street without all the street freaks coming up and wanting it. One guy just kept moving in closer like he was going to snatch it from me and run. Then this woman came up wanting money. Started to feel like they were working together.. one to distract me while the other did a snatch and run. I've seen that same gig too many times so I just darted back into the pie shop to wait it out.. and finish my delicious pie in peace.

It's a great city with spectacular views.. just not so swell if you're staying in the part of town I am... ie. the "party" street with a park nearby where the junkies like to sleep during the day. If you're in several other parts of the city in the bigger hotels, I'm sure it's perfectly safe.

More later... here are a few more photos for your pleasure: