This is about Cape Town, South Africa, Part 2 of 2
Welcome to the Dr. Mary Travelbest Guide podcast. A few weeks ago, I returned from a 90-day journey around the world, and I'm excited to connect with fellow travelers and share experiences.
The FAQ is: Should I rent a car in Cape Town?
Answer:
That depends on your desire to see the town and explore outside of the city. I rented for a week and drove 1,062 kilometers to the Garden Route (listen to the previous episode).
On the first day of a long drive, I drove 6 hours to George on the left.
A week later, as I returned the car, I still did not know how to turn on the headlights, and I was making my final trip to the airport in the rain.
I used Chat GPT at 6 am to ask, "How do the lights on the car turn on? Suzuki economy car. "
When I turned in the car, the Budget Rent-A-Car attendant was impressed. His Comment was "you drove far," and he did not know it was my first time driving on the left side of the road. Listen to the Garde Route episode if you plan to drive. I could not have made arrangements to visit there without a car, as the bus schedule was up in the air.
Got a traffic ticket, not sure why
The agent at Avis car rental commented, " You drove 1500 KM. That's a lot in a week.
After a day of driving in town and solo driving, it got easier for me. So yes is my answer, but be willing to train your mind.
60-second confidence challenge
Your challenge is the Confidence Challenge in Africa and deciding where to go.
If you like today's Confidence Challenge, my book series, Book B, delves deeper into destinations such as the Seychelles, off the coast of Africa, and moves through the 5 steps to solo travel, from easy to more challenging, with foreign-language communication tips.
See Book B for addressing this concern of which destination is right for you based on your experience of solo travel.
Find it on the website at https://www.5stepstosolotravel.com/ or on Amazon. It's a several-part series.
Today's destination is Cape Town, South Africa, Part 2
You'll hear two extremes:
"Cape Town is dangerous."
"Cape Town is totally fine."
Neither is fully true.
Here's what actually works:
● Use Uber consistently
● Do not walk alone at night
● Avoid isolated hikes
● Keep your phone out of sight
● Stay in Sea Point, Green Point, or near the Waterfront
And yes—security gates and alarms are normal here.
That doesn't mean panic.
It means awareness is built into daily life. You also need a special adapter for your electronics, as a "universal adapter" does not work in South Africa. Be warned about getting plugged in with your phone.
What Most Travelers Get Wrong, because they try to treat Cape Town like
● Paris
● San Diego
● Sydney
It's not. If you expect ease, you'll feel tension. If you expect structure, you'll feel confident.
Cape Town is layered.
You'll see:
● Natural beauty
● Cultural depth
● Economic contrast
And if you approach it thoughtfully,
you'll leave not just with photos, but with perspective. I was there in June, and it was winter. So dress for the cold. The homes are not heated, so wear lots of clothes to sleep.
Confidence doesn't come from avoiding complexity; it comes from learning to move through it and practicing.
Shout-out to my producers, Rowan and Rose, from South Africa.
My missteps: Travel Mistakes to Avoid in Cape Town
It was so cold, I should have had the right clothes. It was June, but felt like December to me, and it was the southern hemisphere, so normal.
Expect fog and rain and a deep chill in that season.
Thanks for listening, and I'll see you on the next journey.
AI was used to select some of the suggestions for this episode.
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