DAY-1 15 December (Cape Town to Paarl)

Assorted video collection from Day 1

After catching a good nights sleep, a nice breakfast, loads of excitement, at 9am I head off in a taxi with my riding gear in hand to Motoberlin Rentals located in the BMW Pavillion at the V&A Waterfront to pick up my bike. Lobby of our B&B

I meet Danie & Lawrence at the basement of the BMW Pavillion where the Motoberlin office is located. Outside the third & most important member of our trip, a clean and shiny 2010 BMW R1200RT is awaiting me with a smile!

That's Lawrence from Motoberlin

The BMW Pavillion in the background. This complex hosts the Atlantic BMW bike showroom as well as the 2 separately owned BMW rental outfits

In the basement parking, my lone RT is surrounded by numerous R1200 & F800GS bikes enduro touring bikes (that instantly tells me SA is a dirt touring haven). We quickly go thru the formalities and inspect the bikes for all the minor scuffs and marks from earlier renters and finally I am all set to ride off. I rented the GPS (the older model Zumo550) and Lawrence pairs it to my own Bluetooth Scala Rider Intercom headset, which I will inaugurate for this trip. I head to my B&B, where my wife is waiting to load our essentials into the 3 hardcases and one tank bag. By the time we load and check-out its already 11:30am. The official trip kick-off picture- Don't we look very excited? But read the next paragraph……!

We gear up and as we switch on the intercom, BOOM nothing is happening!! After about 40-50 'can u hear me, can u hear me…..' tries, we just give up and decide to take off (Indeed I had tested it back home in bangalore & all had worked very well so I was Puzzled & Pissed). I am very disappointed while my lady gives her customary silence (married guys should know what that dreadfully means!!!). How are we going to travel the next 8 days with no communication. I used all the choices of #$%@# words on Scala Rider as I had discarded our old but still usable cable type Chatterbox intercom for the plush Scala Rider whatever…. I suddenly spotted the Harley dealership and decided to give one last shot at asking if they can help. The 'specialist' there was not familiar with Scala Rider and hence we left. Then it suddenly dawned on me that the pairing of my GPS with the Scala could have…..I disabled the GPS and BINGO, I suddenly hear my wife on the intercom. WOW…we are back in business! Then comes the next challenge- my GPS is showing the route but seems to be running way ahead of me…(seems to be on simulated mode!) long story short, by the time we are out of cape town its well passed 1:00 pm and I know we have lots of scenic riding along the way (means more photo stops).

We take the M6 highway passing spectacular vistas of the beautiful blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the right and the iconic Table Mountain, Signal Hill and Lions head on the left. Mile to mile the view only got better. We pass Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Hout Bay (where we stop at KFC for a quick lunch as we are running way behind schedule).

Football fans should be familiar with that structure….

With our stomachs full and a few more kms of riding, we reach the start of the spectacular Chapmans Peak Drive (Toll fees for motorcycle- Rand 20). At Chapmans Drive the unending long sweepers, turns, climbs, descends, all with the sheer drops below to the massive Atlantic Ocean on the right and towering mountains rising above you on the left is a dream ride for any biker. At one of the view points here we decide to stop for some photos and coincidentally to our pleasant surprise, with a crew of about 15-20, a bollywood movie is being shot at the edge of a cliff and the hero is none other that Mr. Saif Ali Khan. Some of the crew see the Indian flag on our bike and come to meet us. Nagaraj a crew member from my city of Bangalore is thrilled to meet us many thousands of kms away from home and we instantly exchange pleasantaries in our local Kannada language and their mobiles clicking off our pics. So we also momentarily feel like celebrities being photographed!!!

Chapmans Peak Drive Toll booth

Video of our ride on Chapmans Peak Drive

Bollywood star Saif Khan shooting movie 'Cocktail' in blue T-shirt with his back to us

Crew member Nagaraj from our home city of Bangalore

Anyway, we are already running very late and hence we take some pics and leave Mr. Khan to go about his business undisturbed and turn inland for some more distance passing African art shops, farmland etc.

After a few more kms, we enter the Cape of Good Hope National Park, (Entry Fee per person Rand 85) thru which we head to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, BTW, this is only the southern most part of western part of Africa and NOT the southernmost part of the African continent (ha ha….now I also double up as your new geography teacher!). Here again the views are jaw dropping with the waves from the blue waters of the Atlantic ocean violently striking against the jagged edges of the numerous rock formations on the coastline. After a few pics including an ostrich family running like headless chicken on the road, we head back out of the National Park thru the M4 highway on eastern side of the western cape.

HEADING TO CAPE POINT

The M4 takes us thru yet again scenic rout with the ocean on the right side passing thru Boulder (Penguin colony), Simons Town, Fish Hoek etc. By then its already sunset time and we still have a long way to go for the day.

We pass False Bay with its white sandy beaches in twilight and after a while its pitch dark and its getting a little cold as well. How do you like this- I am here in Africa with my wife as pillion on my first day of riding and contrary to what I preach (no riding after sunset), here we are all alone on a cold dark highway except the headlight of our bike for company or an occasional car that we overtake, desperate to reach our destination in the dark, even foregoing food or water break to make up lost time. At times wondering, if this is adventure or pure stupidity in this part of the world. In the dark I could make out there were fields on either side of the road, but other than that it was only our bright headlight and we to ourselves. We pass Firgrove, Stellenbosch and after some more riding in pitch darkness it was a huge relief to see the distance to destination reducing on the GPS and finally it was like reaching an oasis in the desert when we spot the Rodeberg Lodge, our B &B at the town of Paarl. Honestly the last 15-20 kms were handled with hunger, fatigue and a little turbulent feelings, although we were constantly chatting & keeping company for each other on the intercom. Our B&B host for the night Mrs. Leaney was waiting for us and we soon park, unload and wash up. After a long tiring day, a shower, the feel of a bed, soft pillow….zzzzzzzz

For dinner we had already presumed that the restaurants may be closed & we will have to make do with the Maggi noodles we carry in our bag for emergency. But fortunately, a Mediterranean restaurant across the road is still open and we order our take away. Eat, rehydrate and its sleeping time. Distance traveled for the day 220 kms