Africa???

When I was 17, I decided that I would one day follow in the footsteps of my adventurous parents and spend a few years of my reckless youth wandering the Earth.

So... 10 years, an engineering degree, a full-time job, several ex-girlfriends, many fingers of scotch and the kitchen sink later, here I am. Cape Town, South Africa.

I'm surprised I was able to afford it, really. What with the gambling addiction, the many illegitimate children and my penchant for lighting cigars with $100 bills, every penny needed pinching. Fortunately, traveling in Africa doesn't require one to be Warren Buffet.

First impressions? Well, I'd say that CT looks a lot like San Francisco for its ritzy waterfront. And Rio de Janeiro, for its bizarre topography. And Toronto, for its bohemian sidestreets. What it does NOT look like, is Africa.

Not that I expected there to be lions wandering the streets and a bunch of black guys with bone necklaces dancing around a roaring fire in the center of town. And believe me, CT has no lack of interesting things to do. A 2-hour vertical slog up to the summit of Table Mountain affords a brilliant view of the city, as well as the nearby landscape all the way from Robben Island (where Mandela was imprisoned) to the lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope. In nearby Camp's Bay, you can side in a seaside bar and drink Castle Lagers and watch the sun set over the turbulent sea. The town offers everything from mountain climbing to barhopping, and tourism thrives here as people descend on the place to get a taste of African culture without having to worry about their safety - for Cape Town, I'll hazard, is more secure than Rome.

Of course, there are ample opportunities to endanger yourself if you so wish. I suggest ditching the ordinary taxicab in favour of a ride in a minibus taxi - for a few cents, you jump in the back of a rickety old VW wagon, sit down amongst the dodgy patrons, and hold on tight while you are whisked to your destination at insane speeds by a driver who couldn't be older than 15. Of course, the Lonely Planet all but forbids using minibuses as a means of transportation, but who are THEY to tell YOU what to do? You just have to say NO, GUIDEBOOK! SHUT UP, GUIDEBOOK! Then close your eyes and get on.

Sometimes you find the adventures, and sometimes they find you. Though my first few days in Africa have been decidedly un-African, they've also been a Hell of a good time.

Worth the 10 years? Stay tuned.