I started my 15-night Silversea cruise around South Africa in Cape Town. I met my friend Hyehwa, who had flown in from Brooklyn, and we relaxed at the J Wellness Circle spa in the Taj Hotel. Hyehwa mentioned that the Taj is a nice place to unwind. After that, we boarded the Silver Spirit, a ship from 2009 that was renovated in 2021. On this cruise, there were about 410 crew members and 481 passengers, including 50 solo travelers.
When in Cape Town, you should visit Table Mountain. Expect to spend 2-3 hours there, and be prepared for some queuing and crowds. The cable car will take you up and down the mountain. At the top, you can enjoy stunning views, provided you visit on a clear day.
Luderitz, Namibia with a population of 25,000 is best known for Kolmanskop, a diamond mining facility. It was in operation in the 1920s, but today, it’s a ghost town. Our tour guide, who is a multi generational Namibian with German roots, told lively stories of this town which was passed down from her forefathers. After the tour, we had a delicious treat of oysters and sparkling wine. Pacific oysters are farm raised in the nutrient rich, cold waters off the coast. Since they mature in a much shorter time than most, this has become a thriving export industry.
You might be curious about all these German town names. Well, they used to be a German colony until 1990 when they got their independence. Walvis Bay is this gorgeous coastal spot famous for its flamboyance of flamingos, huge salt mines, and tons of sand dunes in the Namib Desert. Shoutout to Hyehwa for getting me to step outside my comfort zone and go for a climb up Dune 7, the tallest sand dune in the country. Sliding down was exhilarating!
Sailing around the south western side Africa, the stops in Port Elizabeth, Durban and Richards Bay was a cultural and culinary delight. In Port Elizabeth, I visited the Addo Elephant park, and Kariega Game Reserve. I recommend reading “The Elephant Whisperer” by Lawrence Anthony to get an understanding of running a game reserve. I had to remind myself that I was merely a tasty visitor in the animal’s own habitat. Unfortunately, the drive to the game reserves took a couple hours and when we arrived, many of the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo) animals were hunkered down for their noon-time nap. I didn’t get to see any lions or leopards.
Durban, located on the west coast, has a reputation as the “biggest Indian city outside of India.” I shopped at The Spice Emporium and visited the 1860 Heritage Museum, where we learned about the history of the Indian community since 1860. The atmosphere at uShaka mall was touristy and this is the place to go to get handcrafted souvenirs of Africa’s culture. Having a free afternoon, we treated ourselves to a 120-minute full-body massage at Mangwanani in uShaka mall for about US$60.
Silversea’s Executive Chef Olven Henry Dsouza and Sous Chef Vishant Raut prepared a variety of Indian dishes from their hometown. Each day, I had options like anda bhurji, aloo matar paratha, upma with coconut chutney, chola bhatura, dosa, uttapam, or rogan josh. When they ran out of breakfast ideas, I received chicken biryani, butter chicken, malabar chicken curry, or lamb curry. I looked forward to a surprise dish every morning and enjoyed it tremendously.
South Africa, and Africa for that matter, has so much to offer. I just saw a snippet of this huge continent. When people think of Africa, they mostly think of African safaris and seeing the animals. Often overlooked are the blend of cultures, food, wine, diversity and resilience of the people that make it truly amazing. While Silversea does a fantastic job with their shore excursions and guest speakers, if I ever go back I will definitely do a land tour and stay at a game reserve.
###
