It’s World Travel Market (Africa) time in Cape Town this week, with a few thousand overseas visitors coming to make deals, buying trips and itineraries for their clients back home. The beauty and diversity of this city constantly has me in awe, and I have no doubt will do the same to them. Here my friend Bodo with our sons on Long beach, Noordhoek. This is surfer’s corner, but only for those in the know. It’s wild water and strong undertow for the uninitiated, yet utterly beautiful – and safe – if you respect the ocean, as with anywhere. Monkey Valley lodge is about 100m above and behind Bodo, completely hidden in a rare thicket of Milkwood forest. The wooden lodge is owned by an Eco veteran by the name of Judy, who if I remember correctly stood for the Green party in national elections a few years ago. Just an iPhone image this week, my apologies.  http://www.monkeyvalleyresort.com/

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The view from Piekenierskloof Pass over the Swartland, en route from Cape Town to Clanwilliam and the West coast. It looks especially attractive in the soft light lent at the rising and setting of the sun. But this is sterile land, where biodiversity is sacrificed at the altar of monoculture, particularly wheat. Beyond those mountains, to the rich waters of the cold Atlantic, and behind me, in the Cederberg mountain wilderness, are the real places to visit.  For this week’s place to stay, I’m suggesting nothing dry, but rather a cool looking spot on the edge of the Atlantic, Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel, in the picture-book coastal village of Paternoster. I visited the village 20 years ago, before my life took the wildly interesting turns that it has. It was remote, quiet, rugged and beautiful then, apparently it’s a bit busier today, trendy with the Cape Town crowd. Maybe I’ll get there before you (!) http://www.strandloperocean.com/

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