Tour Guiding
Once I have already done with my Tourist Guiding course with Tourist Guiding Institute https://touristguideinstitute.co.za/ it was time to go out and do the work. Julie and Scott have been very wonderful and enthusiastic to train hundreds of new Tourist Guides each year. Their energy as a team was so amazing from the onset with little time to play. Their knowledge of Tourism, the love for us to be the best was so challenging that we knew we had to do Guiding for the love of the industry other than anything else. Knowledge at this point is much more important and the people skill I didn't worry so much as I have already been working with learners all my days of teaching. Yes this industry is about expectations and funny and holidays; it matters all the more what people get to know and spend their savings on. Much more if they will still remember you in years to come as a guide.
Cape Town International Airport
I love Cape Town already and I have lived for a year in the Mother City. Surprising there is a lot of information that I never was interested to find about the city and yet I would claim to know my way around every street. That perception would change now thanks to TGI for that search of knowledge. Cape Town today is a hub of Tourism in Africa perhaps after the Great pyramids of Egypt and the Victoria Falls of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Cape Town International airport is the second biggest airport in South Africa after O.R Tambo International airport in Johannesburg. It handles flights from Africa, Europe and Asia. It has also direct flights to Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and many more in the country. It is situated just about 12km from the city and has two terminals the domestic and the International terminal. On arrival one has a choice to take MyCity rapid transit bus which runs every hour from the arrival platforms to the Cape Town central station (Civic center bus station). From the Civic Center one connects easily to one's place of residence using the metered taxis. Besides there is quite a number of taxis on the Uber and Taxify platforms an app that one can download before hand or on arrival since there is free WiFi at the airport. Usually when you have a booked Tour already your guide will be waiting for you in arrival center with the name of your group. In 2019 only Cape Town Airport handled over 10 million passengers. There are banks and most importantly Bureau de change, Duty-free shops, restaurants and cafes, restrooms and prayer rooms at the airport.
Driving out of the airport there is Airport Industrial area surrounding the airport especially as would be expected courier companies and cargo industry. As you get clear of the industrial area you are already facing the lovely Table Mountain and one needs no explanation as to why its called the Table Mountain. To the left and to the right is the old Black African suburbs of Cape town, Langa and Nyanga. You are already in Cape Town depending on the time of the day you arrive the traffic to get to town can get be so slow.
Accommodation in Cape Town
Before I even think of what to do in Cape Town I want to know about where I would stay first. Accommodation is in abundance in central town with lodges and hotels every corner of the town. Depending on your favorite place really I wouldn't worry much about transport to get to my accommodation as the taxi industry is well organised and diverse. The Uber , Taxify and other metered taxis here operates 24 hour service at a very affordable fee around the city. For a radius of 10km the last I checked it would cost me just under £3.00 a ride.
South Africa uses Rands as there currency and no other currency except in hotels and lodges where the industry is mainly looking after Tourists. As I write this article the rand is trading at £1=R20.00 that's it you get R20.00 for £1. Given that in many restaurants a pint of beer is about R15.00 I would think prices of goods and services is quite affordable.
I chose to stay at Ashanti Lodge Gardens just after the Company Gardens. A double bed room costs £38.00 for 2 people per night. There is free WiFi and a swimming pool and above all continental breakfast is included on the charge. It's a 10 mins walk to Long Street in town, the busiest street during the night with restaurants and bars. The streets are well lit but anyway if one decide to take a taxi for securiy reasons its only R30.00 a mere £2.00 if you want.
Safety and security
Should I worry about my safety and security in Cape Town? That's the most asked question I get to answer when one wants to visit Cape Town. My answer is always YES. As lovely as the City is just like New York in the USA, London in UK and Paris in France one just have to take that extra precaution that you are in a big city and of course robbery would always be a possibility. I avoid to carry cash or loads of cash with me or on me, I also avoid flashing jewelry and expensive clothing or to carelessly expose my phone or laptops. These few things would attract too much attention. I prefer to use Uber and Taxify taxis for simple reasons that I already know the details of the taxi and the driver should anything happens I can already make a report. At night I would carry my card and a few cash just for drinks and other interesting activities. The night life here is quite vibrant and with the locals they like chilling in the city center a lot, your chance to understand the local and mingle with them and of course you can move from one end to another. From Camps Bay to Green Point, Sea Point, Three Anchor Bay, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront are all places one can get around all the night without any challenges.
There are a lot more bigger and more expensive and luxurious places around town than the Ashanti Lodge Gardens but for me it gives the average person any idea of how to get around Cape Town. Long street is the most popular night street here and everything happens here really. With a wide range of Tourists here its pretty much a good place to meet people from across the world.
( to be continued)
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