From the far corners of the earth they came. Six of them. Scattered by the winds of time across vast continents and over endless oceans, but bound by a common thread - a thirst for adventure, a yearning for the road less ordinary, a longing for the extraordinary in a mundane world... In other words, they all lived in Palmerston North and have been trying to make up for it ever since.
Welcome to the wilds of Africa folks. Bear with us while we kick back and pop the cork. If you came to this blog looking for sun-baked savanna punctuated by the occasional elephant then you're in the wrong place; you probably meant to head to TwoPhatKiwis, which has already reached that part of the tale.
Cape Town, it turns out, is not exactly your typical African village. UNICEF doesn't usually deliver to huts with soaking tubs, gas fireplaces, and see-through showers.
Cape Town is as cosmopolitan a city as you'll find on any continent. A buzzing cafe scene and a spiffy new waterfront district are starting to draw the attention of the discerning traveler. See if you can spot one below. Hint: there is only one.
Dude, don't deny it, you know you want it. The chocolate that is.
It's only day one, but Cape Town has already been awarded a lofty four thumbs and two bellies up.
If Mei's piloting the rescue copter, you're probably better off offering the Great White your other leg, and while you're at it, your jugular.
Is that the elusive WuhaneseWhining Cat lurking there on the left? Why we've already ticked off four of the big six, and we're not even out of Cape Town yet.
A giant Lego man made of Coke cans. If that's not a winning combination I don't know what is.
Looks like someone needs a stint on a Robbin Island diet before he can join the pantheon of heroes.
At last, the legendary Big 6, an unyielding alliance forged deep in the fires of Mount Doom. Or at least in a wood-fired oven that cranks out a mean pork belly pizza.
If they get this excited about a shaved head, what are they going to do when they see a lion?
Proof that Africa really is the cradle of civilization. You can't have life without flat whites.
Fueled for a day's adventuring, the party strides forth into the great unknown. What fearsome beasts lie in wait? What unspeakable horrors lurk in the shadows? Uhm, a cute seal that plays peek a boo in the hopes of winning a sardine treat...
The Cape of Good Hope. Many an ancient mariner meet their salty end trying to conquer her fearsome temper. By the way, we are talking about the peninsula here.
Lock up your ladies and your M&Ms folks, the Three Amigos are back in action!
Whew, catching lobsters is a lot harder than ordering them with ginger and shallots.
The march of the penguins begins in earnest with a display so fearsome even the hungriest predators slink away.
Not a bad spot to set up a colony. Only one shark spotted in the vicinity.
Let's get those happy feet going! On second thoughts, best if Rock restricts his moves to the privacy of his own home.
Anyone else spotting a resemblance here?
This little fellow decided to take the quick way off the rock.
The Three Amigos in red carpet garb make Daniel Craig look like a Kmart model.
If you pay 500 rand for the privilege of a penguin bite, how much do they charge for a Great White decapitation?
How much does a bite from this one cost? Turns out something so common can't command a premium.
The picturesque harbor of Simon's Town, a welcome respite for mariners from the howling winds of the Cape.
The Three Amigos are now the Two and a Half Amigos. Which means a lawsuit from CBS is forthcoming.
And now for the culinary highlight of the trip - heck one of the highlights of the trip period - a private luncheon at Chef Roberston's beach house. Cool character - used to work alongside Gordon Ramsey at the peak of London's fine dining scene, went on to run some of Africa's most lauded eateries, burnt out in spiral of alcohol, inhuman hours, and vitriolic critics, and then rose from the ashes to offer an entirely different dining experience to a lucky few at his own home.
Mei could get used to this whole private chef idea, it's a step up from Midtown Bagels around the corner.
Lucky Rock has a fast shutter speed, because this didn't stay like this for long.
The perfect place for a leisurely digestion.
Sorry bud, no doggy bags hear, every last delicious crumb was licked right off the plates.
The Chef's taste in art is as exquisite as his taste in truffles.
Master Chef and his fan club.
Time for a coastal stroll to burn of some of that truffle oil.
A spectacular day on the magnificently desolate coast of the Cape.
Ok, either this dude just snapped World Press Photo of the year, or just he scoffed five glasses of vino at lunch.
Wise move, practicing your jump in black mamba territory. Although you'll need more ground clearance than that to beat a beast that can reach 2 meters into the air.
If this is how they warm up, you probably don't want to see the game.
A decade on, can the circle be re-forged? Will they once again defy the inevitability of gravity and soar to the heavens in pursuit of a bean-filled bag? Can they banish the millstone of responsibility, the ballast of the real world, to reclaim the legend that was once theirs?
Turns out we'll never know, since they promptly kicked it down a drain.
Cape Town from above. And to think this is only the view from the foothills of Table Mountain.
Unfortunately it's as good as it will get today, since a howling gale at the summit has canceled the cable car for the rest of the day.
It's not just cable cars that should be banned from the slopes today.
For once Rock has a chance of getting his way, he outnumbers Mei two to one!
When the wind is so fierce it whips up a sandstorm on the beach, you can see why sailors were so relieved to round the Cape of Good Hope.
Turns out this Africa place is pretty vast.
And that's just day one folks. There's a whole continent waiting out there. Or if you don't want to wait, you can fast forward by reading TwoPhatKiwis...
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