Sept 30

Great white shark cage diving day begins.  We get picked up at 6:15 am from our hotel.  We travel 2 hrs by mini bus to Gansbaai then the fun begins. We are given breakfast on arrival and shown a DVD of what adventure awaits us.  I begin to get very nervous with the do's and don't and what can happen if you do this and that. We sign the waiver and off to the boat we go.  We travel about 15 mins to a place called shark alley.  They put out chum and tell us to wait.  And wait we did.  I thought maybe we weren't going to see any today but after about an hr our first shark arrived and boy was it exciting.  After about 15 mins it was apparent he was staying around so the first eight people got suited up and climbed into the cage and the excitement began.  They used gladys ( a seal cut out) to attract the sharks even closer to the boat.  As well they used bait which for the most part was right in front of me, which was good and bad.  It brought the sharks close but also was in front of me and probably in the way for most of my go pro shots.  The sharks were huge and from the boat we could see them coming from quite far away.  The crew would yell "down" and you would pull yourself under the water to see the shark.  We had wet suits on and weight belts.  It was important to lock your feet under the bar to hold you down.  I was having a hard time getting down there and was worried my feet were floating outside the cage.  The guy next to me kept telling me when they were.  I soon figured it out.   They came very close and some viewers even got a shark hitting their cage.  Underwater you can only see about 2 metres as the water is very murky from the last three days of storms.  But the experience was amazing.  We saw 11 sharks in all that day and the largest was 4 metres.  We also saw a few whales and a couple seals and lots of sea gulls of course. 

We returned back to Cape Town to meet up with our tour for our 6pm meet up.  

Sept 26

Got up early for my flight.  Dubai airport is very interesting.  Security very tight.  Full body scans for all.  Seemed like we had security check point after security check point.  When we finally started boarded we were all boarded onto a bus where we drove for miles and miles past emirate plane after emirate plane.  My friend Tess is an air traffic controller at Dubai airport and she said that there are over 1000 planes on the ground at any one time and over 3000 in the air.  When we finally drove past all 1000 planes it seemed, we came to a plane parked and they let us off and boarded the plane by walking on the Tarmac.     Looking back at all the boarding stations and you see everyone is being boarded by bus.  The buses are stopping at intersections to let the planes go by.  Interesting concept, you take the people to the plane and therefore don't need so many loading docks.  Another interesting fact.  Everyone who works for emirates must live in Dubai.  That is a lot of people with some very long commutes!  10 hr flight. Another smooth flight sitting with a gentleman in his 70,s from the states.  He was a retired dentist and was very interesting to talk to.  He was at the window seat and got a very nice picture of the palm island as we took off.  He said he would email it to me.  He was meeting his son in Cape Town.  They were going to climb table mountain and were also going shark diving.  Yes I said climb table mountain! He had done the desert safari and also went up the Burj Khalfa to view the city.  Both adventures he said were well worth it.  Missed both those!  Guess I have to go back.  

Arrived in cape town, South Africa at 4:30pm.  Hailed a taxi and shared it with a few other people and off to the room we went.  I was the last to be dropped off.  We did a lot of driving around.  So didn't get to the room till about 6pm.  

My room was a lovely small place one block from the beach.  The nicest staff, where you felt like you were the only ones staying there.  They had free Internet, free bottled water, did my laundry and. The lady there bought my tickets online for me to save me money. 

It was late when I arrived and after a 10 hr flight and another 14 hr travel day I was ready for bed, but had to find a place eat.  So walked to the beach to a lovely restaurant where I had salmon for 140 rand. Or approx 14 dollars. The temperature here in Cape Town was a shock.  It was about 10 degrees and windy and cloudy.  After dinner it was to bed so I could be up by 730 to meet Peter for my private photographic tour of the cape.  

Drink I tried in Dubai.  It was a juice.  Will have to get the name of it.  Was very refreshing.  The green color was the lime.  It was a lime aid of some kind. 

Sept 25

Today was my second day in Dubai.  The jet lag has caught up with me and had a hard time getting up this am.  But when I finally did Tess and I drove out of town to see the sand dunes.  They are very red in color and its was extremely hot. You can actually just drive off the side of the road and go four wheel driving over the sand dunes.  We were going to do it until we got there and saw a truck hung up on one of the dunes and decided not to.  I guess what they do is let some air out of their tires to allow the tires to grab easier to the loose sand.  The dunes were huge and endless.  It was the heat that was unbelievable.  They offer desert safaris where they take you out on a 4x4 over the dunes.  Then you have camel rides and dinner in camps set up for such an event.  Evening entertainment is included in Such a package.  I didn't do it and regret it.  Should have!  

We went out to the dunes to see camels and didn't see any.  Well we saw one on other side of a divided highway but after getting turned around and coming back it had disappeared 

Tess and I went for lunch and then picked the kids up from school.  We drove back to the house and went for a nice refreshing swim.  After it cooled Down a tad we went back to the Madinat Jumeirah city had dinner by the waterfront. It was now 8pm and at 33 degrees we were able to sit outside and shopped in the stores for a few souvenirs.   We had an early night.  Tomorrow off to AFRICA

Sept 27

Today was my photographic tour of the cape.  It started out a miserable day.  Raining and cold.  Peter my guide showed up and said we could postpone if I liked, but worried about not fitting it in decided it go ahead with it. 

Our first stop was on Muizenberg beach with the colourful beach huts.  Here we stopped for some photographic tips and I took a few shots in between down pours.  The next stop was Kalk bay harbour which was a fishing wharf.  You could buy some fresh catch here. 

The scenery on this drive was breathtaking.  The blue sky came out in between rain showers and although cold and windy was a gorgeous day all round.  I couldn't have asked for a better tour guide.  Peter was very knowledgable on the area plus very knowledge about photography.  He stopped wherever I wanted to get some good shots.  I asked him to pull over at a railway line to get some shots of Fishhoek beach. 

One of the highlights for me was Simon town with the penguins.  We arrived there and it was pouring rain but a few minutes later it passed and we were able to walk down to see these delightful creatures.  They are now called the African penguins but were called the jack-ass penguin because the sound they make is exactly like a donkey.  I could have stayed there all day watching them waddle into the 

surf. 

As we continued our drive I saw signs saying baboons are dangerous and beware.  I asked Peter if would see any and no sooner did I say that and we took a corner and 2 baboons were coming down the roadway.  We pulled over at a lookout and there was a car already there.  This was at Smitswinkel.  Peter was concerned because this troupe of baboons are known for going into cars.  They actually listen for the beep of you locking   the cars and if you don't they will go and open the doors.  These baboons are very clever.  We warned the tourists to shut there doors and lock them.  They informed Peter their keys were in the  ignition.  By this time the alpha male baboon was on the hood of his car.  Peter quickly reached in and grabbed the keys and locked the doors.  The alpa male jumped down and literally went and tried the door handle.  Amazing!  This male had a GPS around its neck and no sooner did I get the great pictures but the baboon patrol arrived to scare them off with paintball guns. Peter told me that another alpha male and young male baboon had to be out down because they became so aggressive, so it is important no to feed these animals.  

Peter entertained me with great stories of baboons.  He says they are afraid of snakes so he keeps a rubber snake in his car.  He would use this to through into a vehicle to get the baboon to retreat. 

We then entered the cape of good hope nature reserve. We spotted some ostrich here as well as a oryx I believe it was.  Or maybe it was a kudu.  Didnt get a good look at it before it ran. 

Once arriving at the Cape Point we had a lovely lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant. 

Before we walked down to the newer lighthouse and then way way up to the older lighthouse.  Spectacular views from the top and it was extremely windy.  I also took lots of pictures of the waves crashing against the rocks here.  Upon our decent it started to rain so we ducked into the tram station store to get out of the rain and wait it out.  

From here we drove to the cape of good hope which was once called the cape storm but was renamed as no one wanted to go to cape storm or more importantly sail around cape storm. 

Here is also where the story of the Flying Dutchman came from.  There was a sailor who tried and tried to get around the cape but kept getting blown back so decided to tie himself to the mast. He died trying and to this day people still say they see the Flying Dutchman out at sea.  

We drove. back to sea point via chapmans peak drive again the most spectacular scenery.  Table mountin and the 7 apostles is one of my favourite rock formations.  Camps bay was a beautiful beach area where some condos are said to go for 13 million.  They film a lot of movies there and were filming the day we drove by. Apparently the summer can get very busy.  This is were the rich and famous have their holiday homes.  

Sept 24

Awake 530am local time. I will relax by the pool today until my friend gets up after night shift.  Then about noon will start on my tour.  Only in Dubai for 2 full days. So excited to see the most I can see. Woke with full on migraine.  Hopefully due to the long flight and not sign of things to come. 

I am staying in a huge villa. You walk in the front door and the whole living space is wide open with 20 ft ceilings. Then the kitchen and bedroom are around the outside. Each very larger bedroom has its own dressing room and bathroom. 

The day started off at 35 degrees at 6am and rose to well over 45 with the humidity.  It is unbareable to think how anyone works outdoors in this heat.  Not until it reaches over 50 will they allow workers 2 hrs off during the middle of the day.  In those 2 hours they usually don't leave site because have no way to get around so they just look for shade.  In other worlds their day now becomes 2 hrs longer.  

The ex pats or expatriots as they are called are considered of very high ranking here.  Most of them have maids and gardeners. They can live in gated communities of all ex pats or live among the locals. 

A local neighbourhood has its own grocery store.  Here you can stop to pick up milk etc.  You can call and they will bring it you house or you can even drive up and honk and they will run out get your order and run back in and get your food and change. Never having to leave the comfort of your airconditioning. There are no stairs and even if there are no one uses them.  Escalators and elevators always used.  All the high skilled labour is brought in from out of the country.  Most of the labours are from Pakistan, Philippines etc. If you are an emirate you have a very privilaged life style.  You have your schooling paid for.  You have the money to build your first home loaned to you by the government and you are given a piece of land once you graduate or if you join the milatary. There are no taxes what so ever.  No land tax. No sales tax.  Gas is a WHOPPING 50cents a litre. The cheapest gas in the world.  

There are mosques on every corner.

 There must be one every 500 metres. emirates must go to pray 5 times a day.  This is a way that the men are kept accountable.  The first one starts an hr before sunrise and the last one ends at sunset. This allows for no one to be lazy.  Prayer is a cleansing as well as a exercise. Emirates are very clean and in shape.  

Families that come here to work send their kids to private schools. These schools are very expensive and group by country.  For instance, there are American schools, kiwi schools, English schools etc. 

The schooling is of the best caliber and the teachers are brought in from all over.  They go from kindergarten to grade 13.  They must take a second language throughout.  

In Dubai the father is responsible for the children.  If you are a foreigner and something happens to the father. The children become ward of Dubai.  Therefore you must be very careful to have a plan in affect to get the children out of the country immediately if this happens.  You may have 2 hours to do this..

The laws in Dubai are very tight. You can go to prison if you steal, do drugs, are homosexual or have sex before marriage.  You can't drink without a license.  You must be 18 before you can get your drivers license.  

Dubai is growing faster than any other city.  The buildings are very unique. They spare no expensive at drawing the tourists and the rich and famous to their city.  

The palm is man made islands in the shape of a palm tree with a ring around it.  The fronds are all gated communities. Very expensive waterfront property.  At the top of the ring is the Atlantis hotel.  As you are  driving to the end of the palm you actually drive under the Atlantis through a tunnel. 

The views from the palm of the Burj al-Arab are stunning.  You can also see the Jumeirah beach hotel which is the shape of a wave behind it.  

Dubai has many Guinness world records!   The worlds heaviest ring! 

This was on display at the Gold souqs.  

We got to the souq by crossing the Dubai creek on an Abra. 

It was a very interesting mode of transportation.  The creek was dredged to allow the large boats to come up the creek to increase the trade.  At one time the creek was so shallow at low tide you could walk across it on the sand bars. 

The worlds largest mall is the Dubai mall.  Outside the Dubai mall is the worlds largest building the Burj Khalifa. 

Here you can watch a foundation show to music much like the one at the bellagio in Vegas. 

Inside the mall is the worlds largest aquarium.  

At the mall of Emerates you can go from 45 degrees outside to -3 degrees inside and hit the slopes at ski Dubai.  

We spent the afternoon walking around a city within the city call Madinat Jumeirah. It was hotel and restaurants, waterways and shops. You could take an Abra around.  There are breath taking views of the 7 star hotel Burj al-Arab.  The architecture is stunning.  There are wind tunnels throughout that are all lit up at night.  

Sept 23

Well I am about 1hr from Dubai.  Not as long a flight as I thought! Actually got some sleep.  I believe it was 14 hrs total. Emirates flight as been very nice.  Been feed three meals, alcohol beverages and all. Was a bonus that I had an empty seat beside me so was able to stretch out. The emirate flight attendants are beautiful in their attire. 

When we arrived there was a kit on our seats with tooth brush,towel,eye mask, blanket,pillow and headphones. Flight was smooth, pretty uneventful except for the girl beside me who split Bloody Mary all over empty seat in middle of us. Oh well one way to make sure no one sat there! 

Don't let me forget the nice hot face towels they hand out! 

So I arrived in Dubai about 30 mins early and it was such a easy smooth transition, literally 10 mins I was through customs and had my bags. 

My friend was late picking me up.  So I went around looking at strangers wondering if I would recognize her.  But as soon as she walked up I knew it was her!

We came home and had a lovely dinner. Met her husband Matt and 2 sons.  Got a quick history lesson on Dubai and the region and now hitting the sack.  Looking forward to seeing the sights tomorrow.  

Oh and did I tell you it was a 38 degrees when I landed at 7pm.  Had been 48 earlier in the day!   Ugh.  

Saw Palm island flying in and the worlds largest building Burj Khalifa! So cool.  

Sept 22

Sitting in Seattle airport, waiting for my connection to Dubai.  Excited to say the least!  Already had an adventure. Sat beside a lady who is from South Africa.  She has given me the name and number of a lady in Cape Town.  I have emailed her to see if she can hook me up with school to donate my school supplies,

toys and sports equipment to a local school in need.  So excited to help out some local children.  Thanks to all that donated!