CAPE TOWN DIARIES
2006 Cape Town Walkers
This years group raised over €250,000 for NBCRI
WELL DONE!
 Cape Town – Here We Come
With an early start and a long day of travelling ahead, this year's NBCRI walking team
gathered at 6am in Dublin airport to begin their 12 hour flight to Cape Town.
The team flew direct to Cape Town and the service and care the crew took of the team
made the long journey easier. On hearing that the NBCRI Cape Town Walkers had raise
over €250,000 the crew had a collection among the other passengers and an amazing €1500
was collected on board for the Institute.
At 11pm local time we arrived. Tired and stiff we may have been
on arrival but bed would have to wait, as this was a very
special day for one of our walkers Theresa Gilson,
who was celebrating her 50th Birthday.
Photo: Joe Duffy NBCRI with the LTU Cape Town Flight Crew.
Carlos Brito and Dirk Schaeter.
On arrival at our Hotel (Breakwater Lodge www.breakwaterlodge.co.za)
a surprise Birthday cake was presented to Theresa from Joe Duffy and all the walking team.
A great way to end the first day of our trip before we got some much needed rest.
 Walk Along the Sea Front To Seapoint
After a long days travelling yesterday, Joe Duffy gave us a lie in this morning
with a 9.30am start. After breakfast we all gathered at our hotel entrance
and headed on foot to Seapoint.
Walking along the seafront in the shadow of ‘Lion's Head’ on a beautiful October
day in South Africa was magical. On reaching the Seapoint we found a fantastic
sea water swimming pool.
Some took the opportunity to have a splash and cool off in the midday sun and
many more kept marching on to Clifton Bay.
Are Ya Ready?
And They're Off!
Andrew and Peter - 'blessed art thou amongst women'
Lion's Head
 Cliff Walk At Hermanus Bay
Early start this morning 8:30am, we sat off by coach (1.5 hours) to Hermanus Bay.
The coach trip gave us the chance to see a little more of South Africa, passing
vineyards and townships on our way.
On arrival at Hermanus we were delighted to see whales and dolphins in the bay
as we got off the bus. From June to November the whales migrate to these warmer
waters to calve and mate. Everyone grabbed their cameras and waited for them to
come to the surface again. Photos taken, it was back on the bus to get to the starting
point of our 10km walk along the cliffs.
The views from the walk were stunning along the cliffs overlooking Hermanus Bay.
At the end of our walk we arrived at the beach were we all enjoyed a little rest
before getting lunch and visiting the stalls and shops in the small town of Hermanus.
 Rest Day
 Cape Point
8.30am start for us today as we head to ‘Cape Point’ and the ‘Cape of Good Hope’.
After a one-hour bus journey we were dropped off inside the entrance of the
reserve for the first part of our walk to Cape Point.
The weather was good for walking, dull and cloudy with a cool breeze.
The landscape around the Cape is reminiscent of Connemara
but is home to baboons, ostrich and of course snakes. We marched on through
the reserve until we came to the Cape of Good Hope.
Once everyone arrived it was time for the group photo.
All smiled out, everyone back on the bus to travel to Cape Point for the
second part of the walk; across the cliffs from the Cape Point Lighthouse
back down to the Cape of Good Hope. This walk was spectacular walking
through the narrow paths along the cliff edge with the Atlantic and Indian
oceans beneath us.
The route was challenging in parts but invigorating and we all made it down safely.
 Township (Niall Mellon Project) Hout Bay & Table Mountain
Niall Mellon Project
 In 2002, Irish businessman Niall Mellon, while visiting South Africa was so moved
by the plight of the residents of Imizamo Yethu Township
in Cape Town that he set up
“The Niall Mellon Township Challenge”.
Today we got to visit the township and
see the great work Irish builders
and volenteers have made to the
people of Cape Town.
Table Mountain: A quick head count and it was back on the bus to Table Mountain
but not before the local baboons came out to see off all their Irish visitors.
Standing 1,086 m above sea level, Table Mountain dominates the landscape
around Cape Town. We took the cable car to the sumit, which rotates as it goes
up to give you a panoramic view of the cityscape. We were surprised how big
the area on top of the mountain was.
Some of the group were tempted by
a further challenge and absailed down the side of the mountain while the
rest of us took the easy way down in the cable car.
Constantia Nek
To
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Rest Day
HOME
Sunset from Table Mountain
Photo by: Andrew Grimes
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