Number 6- really getting going now

First a small catastrophe- my mobile got wet (drinks bladder leaked into bag) and is dead so I have absolutely no phone numbers with me. So, if you wanted me to call or text- that's why I didn't. It would be very useful if you could email your numbers if you can so I can rebuilt some sort of phonebook.

And, naturally there's a 'I forgot to mention last time'.... Before heading off to the wine region and particularly Stellenbosch I did try to call to only contact I have here, my sister's, husband's, brother's, brother-in-law's, brother I think it was. But his mobile doesn't work either and he didn't answer the landline- I'll try again when I come back to Cape Town.

Anyway, Friday- the cost of the motorbike for the weekend turned out to be uneconomical- essentially I would be paying for 3 days but only getting it for two so that was postponed till Monday. Simon- an architect staying at the same hostel and I hatched a plan to climb Table Mountain by going up one off the many gorges- just to make it a bit more interesting and, for the sack of my old knees take the cable car down. The weather was awesome and for the second day since I got here the top of the mountain was clear. A few others from the Zebra Crossing Hostel were heading up and we crossed paths now and then through the day. The view got more spectacular as we climbed and was simply breathtaking from the top, right across the bay and out past Robben island toward Antarctica. I need to cram in the superlatives now because the funny thing is it is now such a familiar vista I pretty much take it for granted. The arrival at the top was slightly marred by very noisy Dutch, British and German tourists who had taken the cable car up and couldn't enjoy the spectacle by gobbing off to their friends- oh well. We dossed in the sun at the prime view point for a good hour, half people watching and half scenery watching and if I had to sum it up I would say it was worth coming all this way for alone. I haven't yet worked out how to put photos on this site- perhaps someone can save me money and email simple instructions as I am naturally paying for computer time.

Getting back to the hostel we had a much needed shower and headed out for some dinner. There are plenty of restaurants in the neighbourhood but after our days exertions we decided to splash out and went to a swanky Italian where a main cost 5.50. It is pretty cheap around here but of course by the time you've paid for accommodation, breakfast (usually toast and jam and buy a coffee), lunch (bead and cheese on the go) and dinner ( cooked in the hostel of go to restaurant) plus taxi's here and there and the actually cost of doing things it can really add up. I think I'll worry about all that another time. My kit choices seem to have worked out- with the exception of the drink bladder. I did my first laundry run today but noted the only thing I had run out of was clean pants. Still being near civilization there was no need to resort to turning them inside out then back to front so I got some more which should get me ten days between washes if I don't go 'commando'.

Thanks for the comments I didn't notice having an odd sock- I do hope that has nothing to do with an old Navy tradition I once heard about- if you don't know it don't even think of asking.