Another Road Tunnel For The Cape?

The 3.9km long Huguenot Tunnel extends the N1 through the DuToits Kloof mountains and provides a shorter and safer link between the towns of Paarl and Worcester. It was opened in March 1998 and for the past 20 years has served thousands of motorists and truckers.

Over the past number of years the ever-increasing traffic volumes have increased concerns about the safety of both the infrastructure and the air quality inside the tunnel. It is noticeable when driving through the tunnel during busy periods that the air quality is poor and I have often wondered how safe it is to be breathing in noxious exhaust fumes.

I was therefore pleased to read that plans are underway to develop a second tunnel to complement the existing one. Both tunnels would be one-way roads and the second would have a world-class air-conditioning system installed. The existing tunnel's air-conditioning system would be upgraded after the building of the second.

Construction is expected to commence in 2010 and will contribute R963 000 towards toll income. More importantly and extra 280 permanent jobs will be created upon its completion. Over 200 jobs will be created during the six months of construction.

The project is estimated to cost R1.2 billion. However I would expect this cost to increase by the time the project draws to completion.

I am excited about the ongoing road construction and infrastructure upgrades I see in Cape Town and surrounds. Much of this will be seen as part of the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup but I believe that, more than this, it is part of the ongoing development of Cape Town into a truly world-class city. The ongoing challenges of poverty alleviation and job creation are ever-present but it seems the city is on the right track.

What A View - Great Accommodation In Simons Town, Cape Town

Regular readers of this blog will know by now that I love the city of Cape Town. One of the challenges when visiting this wonderful city is deciding where to stay. Personally I love the sea and enjoy being able to wake up in the morning and look out over an expanse of ocean.

It is for this reason that I am pleased to present Glenmarine Lodge to you. These self-catering apartments are situated high on the slopes overlooking False Bay and historic Simons Town. Visitors enjoy panoramic views of False Bay -



These superb views and stunning sunrises can be enjoyed over breakfast from the comfort of your apartment or the spacious timber deck.

With so many wonderful tourist attractions in the vicinity, this will become your home from home. Take a look at the home page for further information. This could be a great place to spend Christmas with the family.

Great White Sharks - Be Careful Where You Swim!

I have always enjoyed the sea - watching it that is! Although I grew up in Cape Town I have never enjoyed swimming in the ocean that much. I love being at the sea and have snorkelled at Boulders and other areas from time to time. However I don't really enjoy swimming out in the sea as much as many of the city's residents.

Now I know why! The City of Cape Town issued a white shark warning on Tuesday as we head into what is traditionally a period of greater shark activity in the waters around the city.

"Although white sharks are present in our waters all year round, we are approaching the time of the year when the possibility of encountering one of these animals is much greater," Gregg Oelofse of the city's environmental resource management department said.

Oelofse said that sharks moved from the waters around Seal Island in False Bay in the winter, to the coastal inshore areas during the summer.

Statistics over the past five years show that the period of mid-August to end September had seen the highest numbers of interactions between white sharks and recreational users of the sea.

People using the ocean should be "extra vigilant" over the next few months.

This past Monday (20 August) shark spotters sighted a shark at Fish Hoek beach just after midday - the first in the area in months.

I definitely won't be swimming this season!

For those who wish to get a little closer to these apex predators, take a look at this opportunity to go Great White shark cage diving

For some incredible footage of False Bay sharks take a look at this documentary from the Discovery Channel -

Audio Tour Guides For Cape Town

Whenever I have travelled to a foreign city for longer than one day, I have always taken along a guide book such as the Eyewitness Travel Guide I used in London. This has entailed packing yet another item into an already full backpack. Now things are changing ... Just pack your iPod or other MP3 player into your kit with previously downloaded audio tours already installed.

This way you can listen to a friendly voice guide you around the city at your own pace. These audio tours can be downloaded from a variety of sources. I happened to come across a company that has tours for Cape Town in their inventory. The tours cost about R70 to download and range from 22-49 minutes in length. There is also a free introductory tour available as soon as you register - no cost for registration either.

This is a marvelous resource even for those who live in Cape Town. It is a city so full of interesting things to see that even the locals can miss out if not guided. An added bonus is a map which becomes available for you to download and print once you have downloaded your mp3 file.

Tour guides from a particular city are able to sign up with Tourcaster and produce their own tours in their areas of expertise. At present the only South African city represented on Tourcaster is Cape Town. I am sure there are plenty of tour guides in our other cities to produce some outstanding audio tours - come on guys....

Just so that those up north don't feel neglected, I also managed to find this iPod guide to Johannesburg!

Now if only I could find my car keys . . .

Making A Point In The Cape

The drive from the Southern suburbs of Cape Town around Cape Point and along the coast to the city is one of my favourite drives in South Africa. Depending on the season, you will encounter whales, baboons, quaint antique shops, penguins at Boulders Beach, lighthouses, farm stalls selling delectable eats, camel rides at Imhoff Farm, glorious sea views and so much more.

It is truly a delightful way to spend an afternoon with the family. I was thrilled to see the website Cape Point Route which gives locals and visitors more than enough information to keep them busy. With accommodation, sightseeing, activities, travel guides and more, this site should be the first port of call for anyone wanting to tour around this part of the Cape.

The site is neatly laid out and has excellent navigation. Icons guide your accommodation decision-making and the sightseeing guides are well-written and very useful.

Cape Point Route now boasts its own blog - unfortunately it only has two posts! The last one dated 1 June 2007. I really do hope this blog is updated regularly. It would be a wonderful companion to a truly well-run site.

Next time you're in Cape Town and want something to do with the family, take a look at this site - you'll be glad you did!

Table Mountain etc.

One of my favourite cities in South Africa is Cape Town. I grew up there and moved to Joburg when I was only 23 years old. It is a city with a rich history, incredible vistas, wonderful people and a place where life just seems more peaceful.

I was therefore delighted to find Cape Town as one of the cities featured in the global City Daily Photo Blog group.

The blog is called Cape Town Daily Photo and is a fantastic way to engage with the city without being there yourself. Some of the pictures are a little arb but that is the beauty of this site - you are drawn into the day to day of the city, engaging with the everyday people busy with everyday tasks. Each photo is accompanied by a short description and explanation of the shot.

This site is a real labour of love and I commend the site authors, Kerry-Anne and Paul, on their efforts.

Now if only I could afford to visit more often . . .