Phuket

We had four nights in Hong Kong which was much shorter than I'd originally planned. Well, it definitely was short and sweet. While we managed to catch up with many friends, it way way too short and rushed. I was exhausted from all the late nights, and non-stop eating and yakking! We were looking forward to Phuket. It was going to be a much needed relaxing holiday. A much needed one too, Ryan was down with a cold so we did nothing but sleep, eat and chill at home for the first few days after we got there.

Mia's been looking forward to her Bubble Maker course for awhile now. She took to it like a duck to water!

All geared up and ready.

Underwater puzzle making session.

Our little diver.

Bubblemaker certified! With Angie, her dive instructor.

Hong Kong

Ryan and Mia were looking forward to this part of our trip so much. They’ve really missed their friends and their “home”, and of course the food too. You could just how happy they were the minute we stepped off the plane in Hong Kong, and it was pretty hard not to notice it since Ryan kept saying over and over, “I’m so happy to be back”! We stayed with the Yings, of course Ryan and Mia both had a blast with Jaden, and Mama hardly got any sleep the few days we were there cos Aunty Christine and I stayed up half the night yakking each day. We had a full schedule these three days, kids having playdates with their friends, Shad catching up with his workmates, and of course, me meeting up with all my friends. Felt like we’d never moved away!

Our little Hong Kong girl. She’s now a proud holder of a Hong Kong passport. 

Always so much fun to hang out with J.

Ryan with his ISF buddies.

Johannesburg

We had a one night stopover in Johannesburg. We only had one place in mind to visit here, the Apartheid Museum. It was a rather confronting experience for the kids, especially Mia but both of them walked away with much deeper understanding of the injustices of apartheid, and the effects it had on the people who lived through that time. 

We didn’t take any photos in Johannesburg except for this piece of thick, juicy T-bone steak we had for dinner at the Butcher Shop and Grill in Nelson Mandela Square. Incredible steak at such a reasonable price!

Last day in Cape Town

We spent out last evening down at Bakoven catching the sunset again. We’re really enjoyed our time in Cape Town. The weather was lovely, sunny and breezy, the city itself has such a relaxed feel to it (the different areas we visited), and we had some fantastic meals here. It’s definitely a city we’d love to come back and visit again.

Having a zen moment.

Hermanus

Today was the day we were going to see whales and dolphins! Sadly, we saw none. Hermanus, a little hamlet wedged between the mountain and sea, is regarded as the heart of the whale route. They even have their own whale crier! 

Rocky playground 

Next best thing to a real whale!

Table Mountain

It has been so windy the last couple of days that the cable car up Table Mountain was not operating. Fortunately for us the winds died down a couple of days before we were due to leave and we made it up to the top of Table Mountain.

The view from the top was magnificent.

An easy walk around the top.

From Table Mountain we then made our way down to Bo-Kaap, the historical centre of Cape Malay Culture. Formally known as the Malay Quarter, this area is rooted in Malaysian, Indian, Sri Lankan and African culture, largely a result of the descendants of the slaves who were brought here by the Dutch imperialists over the 16th and 17th centuries.

The brightly coloured homes of Bo-Kaap. 

Cape Malay food which is very similar to our Malaysian cuisine.

Next stop was Robben Island. It was here that Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of the 27 years he served behind bars before the end of apartheid. The tours are extremely popular, most times were booked out days ahead. However we managed to get a late afternoon tour on the day before we left Cape Town. Leaving from Nelson Mandela Gateway, we took a one hour ferry ride out to the island. There, we hopped onto a bus and took a quick drive around the island. And after that we were met with our tour guide for a one hour guided tour through the jail cells. All the tour guides are former prisoners and our guide spent eight years there. How these men could come back here is really a wonder. The stories our guide told us were chilling. Many prisoners did not make it out alive and those who did, leave with emotional, and for some physical, scars for the rest of their lives.

Block B where Mandela was housed.

Cell Number 5, Block B. This is where Mandala spent 18 years of his life.

Bare minimal furnishing in each cell.

Bakoven Beach

After a relaxing late afternoon at home, we took a slow stroll down to Bakoven Beach to watch the sunset. These two monkeys had a great time scrambling around on the rocks as we waited for night to fall.

Table Mountain in the background.

Rocky ocean 

Golden rays over Table Mountain 

Nightfall in Cape Town.

Stellenbosch

Today we say goodbye to the Chans but not before chilling over a few glasses of good wine first. We picked up our rental car then drove to Ernie Els vineyard in Stellenbosch. Surrounded by rolling mountains and lush green vineyards, it was a beautiful place to spend the day.

Of course there has to be a place for people to practice their golf swing!

Beautiful spot for a driving range.

Until we meet again. 

The Cape Peninsula

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb in Bakoven, just five minutes walk from Camps Bay. The place was so comfortable it was difficult to drag everyone out of the house each day.

4B Houghton Road, Cape Town

The Chans came over to pick us up for a drive along the coast. The scenery was beautiful along the way. We stopped off at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town to visit the penguins.

Boulders Beach

Hundreds of African penguins everywhere.

November to January is moulting season, the entire moult takes about 20 days to complete. During this time, the penguins lose their fluff and gain “blue feathers”. This is the longest length of time the penguins will stay onshore.

The wind was so strong it was blowing up bits of sand. We had sand all over us when we got into the car again.

“Whatcha looking at?”

From Simon’s Bay we headed towards the Cape of Good Hope.

Who know what this crazy boy was doing.

Reunion with our round-the-world travelling companions again.

Absolutely stunning views from the top of the lookout point.

Little Miss 9 Year Old

Turning 9 in South Africa

Today our baby turned 9. We let the birthday girl plan our itinerary for the day and this is what she came up with. We started the day off with a movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, followed by lunch at the waterfront. MacDonalds of course! Then shopping for her birthday present, one dress and and skort. Next, back home to relax before sushi dinner with our travelling companions. Finally, back home to blow out her nine candles on her special cupcake cake. Happy birthday Little Monkey!