Cooking School - Table Mountain - extreme water scarcity

January 8th to 12th, 2018: Cape Town and surroundings

Already at the airport we are confronted with posters and signs about the extreme water scarcity in the Cape Town region. It is the worst drought in 123 years and the water consumption per person is limited to 87 liters per day. 'Day Zero', the day when no water will flow anymore, threatens by the end of April. Hard to imagine for us Europeans. But our children already experience the first 'lesson in real life' about what it means when water is not freely accessible. The hotel pool is closed, which is not well received by the kids. But not being able to simply wash hands and take a shower for max. 2 minutes already leaves a lasting impression.

On our second day in Cape Town, we visit a cooking school and prepare a delicious three-course African menu with our chef Nina - a real cooking star here. The kids bake bread and the main course is Braai (African word for barbecue) in the form of grilled lamb. We also visit the Waterfront, the Cape of Good Hope and hike up Table Mountain in hot temperatures, while the kids take the cable car with their grandparents. At the Cape of Good Hope, we take two hikes and encounter an ostrich family. Unfortunately, there is no sign of the baboons, who usually invade the cape and cheekily steal from tourists. So, on day 3, still no lions and monkeys in sight. Our kids are disappointed. That's why we visit a spot for African penguins and can observe them up close.