Nothing like waking up at 6:00 am while on holiday. Especailly if it's so you can hike to the top of Cape Town's famous Table Mountain. We'd befriended a Canadian named Dave and with him visited Robben Island known for its exile, imprisonment, and brutality of freedom fighters like Robert Sobukwe and Nelson Mandela. It was also with Dave that we felt more comfortable to hike to the top of the mountain, not so much because he was a guy but for some odd reason, to us, a group of three sounded more intimidating than two. The purpose for our intimidation was the amount of hikers robbed while climbing Table Mountain appeared to be on the rise! Unfortunately with robberies here you're trapped because there's no where to run and there's no one to hear your cries for help. So, we figured an early start would enable us to finish before the sun gets too hot and get us to the top before the robbers begin their 'office' work day (this was probably more of a mental trick on ourselves as I'm sure those who rob probably sleep on the mountain so it doesn't matter what time you start).
We began our hike at the Visitors Center where the manager approached us and suggested that we not climb to the top as there had been a bunch of robberies. Apparently they even had at the audacity to rob a group of 6 which is double the number of what we were representing! However, being the good backpackers we are we didn't heed his advice and continued on with our steep ascent. Sometime into our climb Mandy decided to return to the bottom and take the cable car to the top. Now our 'intimidating' group was reduced to just a couple. Fortunately Dave and I had a plan of attack. Since neither of us had any valuables, as we'd given them all to Mandy, I was going to hit the robber with my giant water bottle while Dave pegged him/her with his pocket change. Don't really know what we'd do after that, maybe make a run for it uphill but come on who are we kidding, I'm an asthmatic from Florida! Besides, I had enough problems walking to the top much less running. You see, the park was kind enough to place GIANT rock steps, more like boulders, to step on. I guess the steps were meant to be helpful but only if you're 7ft tall. They were so large that on some of them I had to pull myself up! Definately a full body workout but my buttocks felt the butt end of it...HA! Once we reached the top the sight was absolutely beautiful as we viewed over the city and surrounding beaches. You could even see Robben Island. We met up with Amanda, walked around a bit, and enjoyed a picnic lunch.
Back at the hostel we rejoined our friend Graham and you wouldn't believe his story. Apparently he was returning from the waterfront on a busy road with locals and tourists about, cars driving around and stopped at lights when (at 11:00 am) he was robbed! Two men held him at knifepoint, one in the front and one in back, demanding his wallet. Graham did as requested but with a bold request that they take his money but leave him his wallet. I guess it was his luck day, so to speak, and they granted him his wallet but taking with them 300 Rand or 20 Pounds/40 USD. The ironic bit is that poor Graham didn't climb to the top of Table Mountain the previous day for not wanting to be robbed. Sometimes the fates can be so cruel.
