evening.

Back at the hotel, feet THROBBING and belly full. After a somewhat successful day of room-prep shopping, we have returned to the lodge and enjoyed some delicious nandos take out. Gosh I love that place.

This morning found us at Cavendish centre – a lavish mall in Claremont with a layout so spectacular and shops so posh, that one could easily believe one was shopping in any first world country – and an upscale one at that. Traipsed from store to store, in search of bed, bedding and other home sense. Bought a duvet pillows and towels…the bed remained elusive, despite numerous stops. Went to see one in Green Point that an el Salvadorian girl is selling second-hand, then went to a furniture store that we were referred to by T. Think we may have found a winner though slightly out of original budget. Meh. Will make final decision tomorrow am.

Was extraordinarily hot today. 33 degrees and air so still. Sizzle. Over our piri piri chicken and rice, auntie anne and I were discussing the vast variance in temperature cape town experiences in a day. From 33 at midday, to a cool and windy 20 (?) degrees around suppertime. It is a very lush city. Tropical flowers grow wild everywhere you look, am forever picking frangipani off the trees and sniffing them like glue. Delicious.

Auntie anne and I have yet to take a ride on one of those jitney mini-van public transport rides that are constantly zooming past you and honking their horn when you walk on the main roads. Packed to the brim, there is always room for one more.

There are also buses. Today we saw one that was jammup proper, and the women in the back were engaged in a full sing-along. We could hear it from the street. Beautiful. We wanted to get on, but weren’t sure how we would be received as there was not one non-black face on the entire bus.