Here we go 💪🏾 Let’s start #SedandDanshortlyaway and #ReisenohneVisa 😎😎

Hello dear blog readers,

About a week ago, we were still in Cologne in a snowstorm at 5°C at the Müngersdorfer Stadium. Not an unusual weather for December, but it was a bit chilly. Now in December, we have already enjoyed 29°C and were knee-deep in the Atlantic. And we get to experience all of this upside-down on Earth - in SOUTH AFRICA!

We have just arrived at a very nicely furnished accommodation in Knysna/Western Cape on Thesen Island. The day started with some rain for a change. No problem, because we can look back on our first week.

As mentioned a week ago, we not only started our 1st big trip, but also took our first long-haul flight of 11h 30min - from Cologne CGN to Cape Town CPT. The city located at the Table Mountain welcomed us with 25°C and sunshine, so we immediately forgot about the tiredness of the flight. The next step was the bureaucracy - the visas. So we stood in line at immigration with our passports and our onward flight to Thailand, which is usually a requirement for a visa in South Africa. Now a counter was available and we approached the counter. A friendly staff member welcomed us, asked about the purpose of our trip, checked our documents, and confirmed our entry with two stamps and his signature. So here we go, we have our first visas!

Now it's time to grab our backpacks and drive to our first accommodation - to Milnerton in the north of Cape Town, to Clare. She and her husband have a large property where dogs and four cats roam. All the animals are very relaxed but like to be petted. Clare has prepared a small, but rather cute room for us with a very comfortable bed. After a short nap, we headed to the big water - the Atlantic! Even the wind with a strength of 6 cannot take away our first impression. So we stand on the beach and stare at the water with a "Wow!"

The next day, December 12th, we explored Cape Town. After a bus ride to the city center, we visited places recommended by Clare. At 1 p.m., we joined a free walking tour of Cape Town's "Bo Kaap" quarter at Green Market. With its small cute and very colorful buildings, this district is very worth seeing and a must for every visitor to the city.

We then walked back to the other end of the city - to the Waterfront - an up-and-coming district with new office buildings, a large marina, malls, and a food market. There, we couldn't resist trying typical South African food: Pap with Beef Stew and Cole. Very tasty and cooked with love! That was our day two..

The next day started with some rain and clouds, which didn't bother us much because our destination was the penguins in Simon's Town on the east coast, who are famously unable to fly 😄 We decided to take the one-hour train ride from Woodstock. After being allowed to change to the SEV, the sun came out when we arrived at the little feathered creatures. So they were able to pose wonderfully on their beach with the ocean in the background. Check off the to-do point!

The next item on our list was Cape Town's landmark, Table Mountain. The day before, the cable car was closed due to strong winds, so we only had this day left. Already at the foot of the mountain, we realized that the wonderful view would be denied to us.. But not the feeling of having taken the cable car to 1067m, standing in the clouds, and getting to know the endemic Dassies.

The next morning, we closed the chapter Cape Town for now as we got on the bus heading east at 8:30 a.m. Next stop: Hermanus! In the beautiful coastal town, we spent the next two nights with Maggie and Hennie. They were our first Couchsurfing experiences, so we had prepared for the bare minimum, a couch to sleep on. On the contrary, they provided us with a large and beautiful room with a huge bed. Both of them were very warm and helpful people. After a hike along Ash's Cove and watching the gigantic waves of the ocean, we couldn't resist enjoying the sun on the beach and cooling off in the Atlantic. The sun was really strong, so we didn't risk staying on the beach for more than 30 minutes without getting burned. On the same evening, Hennie took us on a little tour of his town, Hermanus.

For the next day, Friday, Hennie suggested a wine tour, which we then did. He drove us into town, where we were received by the shuttle service "Wine Hopper". In total, we had 6 stops ahead of us. So let's go up the mountain! With the weather with blue skies and 29°C, we enjoyed great views over the vineyards, delicious food, and 14 different wine tastings at different wineries. Awesome! Inevitably, we liked two wines so much that we gave the Savignon Franc as a big thank you to Maggie and Hennie and had to try the Syrah Mourvedre again in the evening!

So far so good! These are our first impressions and experiences of the first week. We hardly have anything to complain about, as we see beautiful corners of the country and meet nice and very warm-hearted people.