Tuesday, 27-Feb-2007: The last posting was done on a rather cranky computer at the British Airways Terrace Lounge at Johannesburg. No two computers I've used on my travels have behaved the same, but we've managed!
Once the flight was called, I made my way to the gate and outside to a transfer bus. The noise from nearby aircraft was intense. We started to drive across the apron, but had to wait while two aircraft taxied in front of us, only yards away. When we did move again, two other aircraft were manoevring quite close. The aircraft for the two-hour shuttle flight to Cape Town was a Boeing 737-400. This has 3 plus 3 seating with a small curtained-off area at the front for business class. I had 3 seats all to myself. The evening meal was simpler than I've been getting on long-haul flights, but completely made up for by the friendly attentions of the two lady cabin staff looking after us. South African BA staff seem a different breed from the usually-snooty UK staff. We were a little late away because they had to extract the hold baggage of three passengers they'd "off-loaded". We never found out why the passengers were off-loaded. We had a good flight and arrived at Cape Town more or less on time. Again, a coach took us to the terminal and I noticed that the early evening in Cape Town was decidedly cooler than Johannesburg had been. The luggage turned up on the carousel quite quickly and the young man from the travel company was displaying my name in the Arrivals Hall, so the two of us were soon speeding towards my hotel in a 12-seater personnel carrier.
I hadn't realised that Cape Town was so large (population around 4.5 million). It has a large central area dominated by built on land reclaimed from the sea by the Dutch (they were always good at that sort of thing). I'm at the Cape Grace, an impressive (though modern) hotel down at the harbour. My large bedroom overlooks the yacht marina and Table Mountain. Then there's a hallway with dressing room and bathroom leading off. The bathroom has a separate WC cubicle and shower cubicle. All very satisfactory.
It's now 6.20 am as I post this and getting light, so I must leave you.
