Taking a break

Our garden just before a party

This blog started almost by mistake. I had been trying to teach myself to create web pages from a DVD. Not a recommended way to learn such an intricate skill! Around that time my husband suggested I start a blog about the 2010 Soccer World Cup to get a bit of practice.

When I look back at older blog posts I cringe. They are awful - but - they are part of the progress of this blog. The focus shifted over time from Soccer Cup to Cape Town and writing about things guests at our B and B would ask. As we traveled more and more I started to include posts on our trips and holidays.

Our house

Whenever I read a travel feature in a magazine, it seems more like a novel to me than a feature. They always set a scene and a huge amount of effort goes into talking about ambiance. I don't want romantic backdrops. I want to know stuff like what to do and where to go. How much things cost and most importantly, how to travel on a budget.

Many travel writers are staying for free at swanky places and are obliged to say good things. People ask us how we are able to travel so much? It's becasue we don't stay at the places travel writers wax lyrical about. We always travel on the cheap. And so this blog evolved into writing about what I would want to find in a travel feature.

Our kitchen

I have been posting every week on this blog for a while now and have every intention of building up a big fat archive of hopefully useful, on-line information about our travels.

However I have to take a short break. Won't be too long. There is still plenty to write about.

We have sold our house/guest house - Cape Coast Views - and will be putting our possessions into storage for a bit. We heading back to Europe to get my husband's boat back in the water. See his boating blog - on this link.

We need a smaller lock-up-and-go home that is consistent with our current lifestyle.

Our living area

As soon as we get back to South Africa and settled into our new home (a semi-detached house two houses down the road) the weekly blog posts will resume. The plan is to take the next decade (or two) and see the inland waterways of Europe on our boat.

And there is always more to say on my home city - Cape Town. We're the world design capital for 2014. Read about that here.

Without the guest house we will have way more time to explore our home country. And more time for our blogs too.

You can visit the Greenie archives to read up about older trips and travels by following - this link.

Back soon.
Greenie.

Glasgow - Part 3

Inside Princes Square looking at the pendulum

Last week in - Part 2 - of this three part series on Glasgow I suggest what to do in the city.

I never got to the other side of the Clyde this time. I would have liked to see the Tall Ship, Armadillo building and take a Clyde River cruise. If you have time, you can move out from the centre city to Pollock Country Park where you can see Pollock House which is also free entry and filled with antique furniture, silverware and art.

The Burrel Collection nearby is a space show-casing over 8000 objects such as tapestries, stained glass and Chinese art which was donated by Sir William Burrel to Glasgow. Also situated there is House for an Art Lover which was built after Charles Rennie Mackintosh died and was his dream home. Glasgow has their ubiquitous black cabs if you can't figure out the bus service or your feet need a rest from all the walking. Check the price first, I never, ever trust a cab driver.

Saramago

And even further from the city you can take a tour out to Loch Lommond and The Trossachs to get a feel of the countryside. There are lots of walks and trails as well as other outdoor activities such as cycling, canoeing and many more. Glasgow is Gallic for "dear green place" and outside the city the countryside really is green and beautiful.

Princes Square

Do make sure you eat and drink local produce. Local ales and beers are made in micro-breweries and apart from interesting names they are made with love and care. I had - Profanity Ale - which is a local beer and I also tried a - Skull Splitter - from Orkney.

Tolbooth Steeple

The three vegetarian places I managed to visit were - Mono - Stereo - and - Saramago - which is a vegan cafe at the CCA. A beetroot pate at Mono cost £3.50, a Vietnamese salad was £7.50 and a large glass of red wine was £4.75. Tipping is not expected in the UK but rounding off the bill including some money is a welcome gesture.

I haven't even touched the surafce of what to do and see. Live music venues such as King Tuts Wah wah Hut where Oasis were apprarently discovered or 13th Note in King Street where some acts with names such as - The Cosmic Dead - and - Undulating Gland - deserve a visit, if only to satify your curiousity. You might want to see some live drama at the theatre.

I could go back and back to Glasgow as I never seem to see the same things twice, and each time I return, a new section has been rebuilt which changes the city and it's profile.

River Clyde looking east

Make sure you pack comfy shoes, an open mind and save some credit on your card for the shopping malls.
Here are some handy links for more info on Glasgow -

Scottish walks
Secret summer Glasgow
Wild walk Scotland
Charles Rennie Mackintosh society   
Scottish accommodation
Scottish Independent Hostels
Scottish Youth Hostels
Visit Scotland
Sweeneys cruises

Wall art

For more on other trips and holidays visit the Greenie Travel Archive - on this link.

Glasgow - Part 2

Kelvin Grove Gardens

Last week in - Part 1 - of this three part series on Glasgow I talk about the history and people of Glasgow. This week I give my suggestions for things to see and do.

Start in the city centre at George Square. The tourism office is located right there and you can collect a map to find your way around. The map will show which buildings and statues are of importance. Vegetarians might also want to get a copy of - Vegetarian Scotland - to find veggie friendly eateries.

Oldest public house in Glasgow

The tourism office should also have a handy brochure listing all the free entry museums - of which there are plenty. You can save quite a bit of money with free entries and rather buy something special to remember Glasgow. I found many places of interest were closed on Mondays such as Barras, The People's Palace and St Mungo Museum, so bear that in mind when planning your time in the city.

The shopping areas are at right angles to each other in and around Sauchiehall Street and Buchannan Street. Princes Square - doesn't appear to be much from Buchannan Street but inside we found trendy cafes and designer boutiques so don't just walk past without poking your nose into doorways and alleys. GoMA or - Gallery of Modern Art - is a must. I can't say I am up on my art but it's free and a full of very interesting creations, not just paintings and sculpture.

Merchant City area

You might also want to visit one of the - Willow Tearooms - in the area. They were designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an architect, artist and ardent proponent of Art Nouveau. The Lighthouse - is a great starting place to learn more about Mackintosh and where his designs and influnce can be seen in the city. Mackintosh is to Glasgow what Gaudi is to Barcelona.

Two places well worth visiting, and in walking distance from the city centre, are - Kelvingrove - where there is a free art gallery, museum, cafe and other exhibits. There are also beautiful public gardens and walkways surrounding Kelvingrove.

On the other side of town is Glasgow Green next to the River Clyde.  Peoples Palace - is located here. It's another free museum where they showcase everyday life and history of Glaswegians. You can have a lunch break in this exquisite setting.

I took a stroll along the Clyde taking in the views and aroma of the Chivas Regal whiskey distillery. Heading in the opposite direction are the river cruises and -The Tall Ship

People's Palace

From Glasgow Green you can walk up through the Barras, which is an indoor bargain market where they sell things like hairclips, carpets, vinyl and quirky designs. The sort of place to lose oneself and marvel at the junk and gorgeous things they sell.

If you carry on walking to the Merchant City and all the way up you will come to Glasgow Cathedral which is dedicated to St Mungo, patron saint of Glasgow. It was built in 1136. Across the road is the Necropolis where wealthy Victorians built massive mausoleums to their deceased loved ones.

Vegan mezze platter at Saramago

And if you walk quite a bit further north you will first find Woodlands Road and then Great Western Road. This is the bohemian area of Glasgow and has antique shops and organic emporiums to mention a  few interesting places to look out for.

Here are some handy links for more info on Glasgow -

Outdoor access regulations in Scotland
GlasGay
National Trust    
Discovering distilleries
Loch Lommond and the Trossachs
Discover Scotland tours
Glasgow architecture
See Glasgow
Glasgow landmarks
Scottish Anglers National Association   

Next week in - Part 3 - next week covers vegetarian food and local ales as well as where to go if you have a bit more time on your hands.

Pinstripe kilts for the modern Scot or visitor

Find out more about other destinations in the Greenie Archives - here.

Glasgow - Part 1

This blog is posted in three parts, each one a week apart.

Argyle Arcade

I have visited - Glasgow - before and been in transit through the city a few times. It's one of my favourite cities, so when a friend came back from visiting Scotland and said she didn't care for Glasgow, I was completely shocked.

When I went to Glasgow this time, I was conscious of what could have put her off.  My main reason for going to Glasgow was to do the - Great Scottish Run. The run was brilliant. Over ten thousand people ran the half marathon and it was a dream. No congestion, a course that isn't ardous and takes you on a tour through the city.

Historically Glasgow was minding it's own business as a regular medieval town for centuries. In 1707 a treaty allowing Glasgow to trade more freely, combined with it's excellent loaction brought about rapid changes. Factories flourished and imports and exports as well as ship building on the River Clyde created massive employment opportunities and an influx of people. The city grew beyond recognition. Around the 1950's trade and manufacture began to move to developing countries and much of the inner city fell into disrepair.

Glasgow Friendly City

Derelict chunks of the inner area were pulled down and tower blocks were built on the periphery to move and re-house large numbers of people. That proved to be a bad idea and many have since been evacuated and imploded. Read more - Red Road Flats - and - Bruce Report. The result of this is that Glasgow is the complete opposite of most cities. It's been called a doughnut city because it's hollow in the middle.

The exciting part is the planning and developing that is currently going on in the inner city. Essentially Glasgow is a city busy re-inventing itself. Old Victorian sandstone buildings and - Charles Rennie Mackintosh - architecture sit right next to glass and chrome structures.

Glasgow Cathedral

Although the poplulation of the inner city has shrunk, if you include the out-lying areas, Glasgow is home to 2.5 million people making it the biggest city in Scotland and third biggest in the UK. Edinburgh might be the capital city but Glasgow is the economic powerhouse and the hub of all activity. Glasgow is the biggest shopping destination in the UK after London. It's crammed full of fun and funky places to eat, play or stay.

The quirky Glaswegians are a massive part of the character of the city. They call Glasgow - The Friendly City - and it truly is. Each time I have asked a passerby for help or directions they have just about taken me to where I want to go.

Modern art at GoMa

Glasgow has a massive art and music scene. In - this blog - I list Glaswegian musicians. And some of the best humour comes from Glaswegian comedians. Think - Billy Connolly - and - Frankie Boyle. Not to forget a new wave of fashion coming from the likes of - Louise Gray, Christopher Kane - and - Holly Fulton.

Tourism in Glasgow isn't as obvious as in Edinburgh but that's not to say it isn't happening. The Commonwealth Games are set for 2014 and Glasgow is bidding for the 2018 Youth Olympics. Glasgow also hosts plenty conferences and exhibitions.

Glasgow Central Station

I guess if you are used to settling into an Alpine lodge or soaking up the sun on a tropical island, then you may not care for Glasgow. But if you love art, music, food, shopping and discovering fun quirky places and spaces then you will surely love Glasgow.

You need to get a map, divide the city into the amount of time you have on hand, and get cracking exploring. Next week I give my suggestions as to what to do.

Here are some handy links for more info on Glasgow -

The Lighthouse

Great Scottish Run

Willow Tearooms
Explore Glasgow
Glasgow Museums
Scottish National Heritage  
City Sightseeing Glasgow
Clyde Clippers
Clyde Cruises
Sail Scotland

Next week in - Part 2 - I make suggestions for a walking tour.

The Greenie Travel Archives - see here - has more information on other holidays and trips

Scottish Coastal trip + Orkney Island - Part 3

Highlander outfit at Atholl museum

Last week in - Part 2 - of this three part series on Scotland - I talked about the road trip up from Aberdeen to Scrabster, the ferry trip and what we did on the Orkney Islands.
 
I bailed early to read again but the girls went up to - Stromness Hotel - for drinks and a meal. The next morning we got up 04.15 to make sure we were ready to catch the 06.30 ferry back to Scotland. This time the swell was much higher and we had to hold on to walk up and down. We had a disappointing breakfast.

Killicrankie

Back at Scrabster the weather was appalling and we drove through - Wester Ross area - in a blizzard. It's such a beautiful part of the world and it would have great to spend more time there - and have better weather. The hikers we met at the last hostel said they had seen a caravan blow over, that sleet had been falling, and some of them abandoned their walking due to the rubbish weather. The drive was scary as the car was being blown about. It was also a long, long drive and when we arrived at - Achintee Farm - at the foot of Ben Nevis we were glad the day was done. But I did manage a glass of wine at - Ben Nevis Inn.

Eilean Donan Castle

The next morning we hoped to take the cable car up Ben Nevis but the weather was still tricky and we were told that the chairlift would probably not be operating.

We were also told that the cable car was not actually on Ben Nevis but another mountain in the Nevis range and that it only went halfway up as it was meant to be for skiers in winter. An alternative was to drive to - Steall Falls and Gorge - and take a walk that cuts though the scenery surrounding Ben Nevis. Which we did. Brilliant advice and a special place.

Logieriat country market

At the last hostel in - Tyndrum - we encountered people who were walking - The West Highland Way, a few couples and a big hearty group who were most friendly. We took a walk into Tyndrum which wasn't hard as there isn't much to it. But worth seeing is the massive souvenir shop come cafe - The Green Welly Stop - and for a meal with an eco friendly bias visit - The Real food Cafe. Our evening meal was self catering which seems to be the norm in hostels and quite frankly I way prefer self catering to eating out.

Working mill Blair Atholl

The last day the girls wanted to see - Blair Castle - which I had already seen. Read about it in - this - blog. On the way to Blair castle near Pitlochry we discovered a country market in - Logierait. We stopped and wandered around the stalls which where mostly fresh and home-made food as well as crafts. We had a quick cup of tea and a snack before moving on.

A Highland cow

I left my friends at the castle and went to - Blair Atholl Watermill, which is a working mill that still grinds flour for their bakery. You can have a drink and a home-baked treat in their tea-room. I also visited the - Atholl Country life Museum - for £3 - afternoons only - and saw how working life in the country used to be. And I went to the Visitors Centre at - Killiecrankie - where they have exhibits and information on the Jacobites vs the Redcoats as well as information on local flora and fauna. There is also a walk to a gorge and a rock where a soldier leapt to escape his opressors.

We re-grouped and had a late lunch at - Mckays - in Pitlochry before resuming our trip back to Aberdeen. We drove through Perthshire and Royal Deeside area via the pretty towns of Dunkeld, Braemar, Banchory and Ballater where we had a final biological break at - Rocksalt and Snails.

Scottish Gaelic road signs

It was one hellava trip. The diversity allowed us a snapsot of much of what Scotland offers. From lush green forests in Perthshire and the mighty mountains of Ben Nevis to the wind swept tree-less plains of Orkney. We explored the fast growing cosmopolitan city of Aberdeen to villages where the only visitors are hikers, and time has stood still. And we saw remains of civilisations dating back 5000 years BC.

We ate rubbish food at the tourist centre in Fort William and fabulous food at the tourist centre at Skara Brae in Orkney. The weather in Aberdeen was glorius and at Wester Ross the weather was atrocious. Needless to say we all want to go back to different places some day.
Fingers crossed.

Ben Nevis Inn

Hit - this link - to read about more holidays and trips.

Part of Ben Nevis mountain range

Scottish Coastal trip + Orkney Island - Part 2

Bishop's Palace Kirkwall Orkney

Last week in - Part 1 - of this three part series on Scotland - I talk about what to do in Aberdeen city.


We over-nighted in a Hobbit at a hostel in Inverness. A Hobbit is a round wooden dwelling that looks much like a sauna inside and out. It cost £45 for three of us. It has no sanitation. I had to keep costs low and went for price over quality when making the choices for our accommodation. I wouldn't sleep in a Hobbit again but at least now I know what they are like.

Loch Ness

I found all our accommodation in the - Scottish Independent Hostels - guide. I was surprised at how many much older people stay in hostels. I always thought they were only for youngsters. You can also try - Scottish Youth Hostels. Prices were between £16 - £19 per person. We shared a kitchen, living area and bathrooms with other residents. All our rooms were basic but clean and comfortable. You will hear other guests moving about and talking but it wasn't a hardship.
Maybe we were lucky.

A Hobbitt

We didn't hang about in - Inverness - but we did take a drive down and back up both sides of - Loch Ness. A quick photo moment at - John O Groats, the most northerly point of the mainland, which is also a must. But we had to get to Scrabster to make the ferry in time. There are a few ferries that run from Scotland to Orkney. They don't all carry vehicles and the smaller ones don't run in bad weather. I booked in advance with - North Link Ferries. They were the most expensive but the week before I booked they had stormy weather which affected the ferries. I wasn't going to take a chance on a smaller ferry. Northlink berth in Stromness and we booked to stay at - Brown's Hostel - so it also made sense to go straight to - Stromness.



Highland Park Distillery Kirkwall Orkney

We took the last ferry over which departed promptly at 19.00pm. Make sure you allow 60 - 90 minutes to sort out paperwork and queues at the ferry terminal. Once our car was parked we went upstairs to the restaurant and had a glass of wine and a hot cooked meal. There was a fair swell but nothing serious. Orkney has 200 islands and the landscapes are totally unique to anything I have ever seen before. We watched the bigger and smaller islands passing by the ferry. Look out for the Old Man of Hoy, a tall free-standing red stone column off - Hoy Island.

St Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall Orkney

Stromness has narrow stone streets that run through the heart of the town. Only one car can drive at a time. We found space to park and I went to bed early to read the travel guide. My two friends went walk-about and met a lonesome local chap who regaled them with stories.

The next day we set off to see the neolithic sights on the west mainland. The wind had gathered momentum. It was howling gales and raining on and off. We struggled to stand upright but we came to see - and see we did.



John O Groats

The - Standing Stones of Steness, Barnyard stone age village, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and Skaill House - the manor where Skara Brae was discovered. I had hoped to visit - Orkney Brewery - and the - Brough of Birsay - but it was not to be. We did manage to squeeze in a look-see of the cliffs at Yesnabay. You can get an - Orkney Explorer Pass - which gives you discounts on the main attractions if you know you will manage to see them all.




Skara Brae Orkney

We went back to Stromness and had a glass of wine at - Ferry Inn - before heading back to Brown's where we made ourselves an evening meal. The next day we set off for Kirkwall. Again, we got sucked into exploring and never got past Kirkwall. En route we visited the Round Kirk, Earl's Bu and the Orkneyinsaga Centre.




Old Man of Hoy Hoy Island Orkney

In - Kirkwall - we saw - St Magnus Cathedral, myriad craft shops and Bishops Palace. Lunch was at - Judith Glue - where emphasis is on local produce. We also did a whiskey tasting at - Highland Park Distillery. The whiskey tours run on the hour, every hour. We just missed the last tour so we walked up to the - Lynnfield Hotel - where we had a pot of tea and big, round, yummy, home-made shortbread biscuits for around £6 for three of us.


Next week in - Part 3 - the focus will be on the road trip south via Wester Ross, a night in Ben Nevis, a castle in Perthshire and the trip back to Aberdeen via Deeside.


Click here - to visit the Greenie Travel Archives and see other holidays and destinations.


Caledonian Canal Inverness

Scottish Coastal trip + Orkney Island - Part 1

Aberdeen beach front on a sunny day 

This blog is posted in three parts, each post is one week apart.

I have spent a fair amount of time in Aberdeen, Scotland, as my husband works in the marine oil industry. We make a point of seeing as much of Scotland as we can, while we can. We did the Isle of Skye and the Outer Hebrides a while back and I just assumed Orkney would be another similar Scottish island. Since there are around 800 Scottish islands and I couldn't possibly see them all, Orkney was not on my list.

Silver granite housing in Old Aberdeen

Not so, said an Orcadian lady I had been running with. Orkney was previously a Scandinavian island so their language and heritage is vastly different from the Gallic speaking western islands. And Orkney has more neolithic sites and archeology than they have the manpower or means to un-earth. I had some friends coming over to visit so decided to take us on a round road trip of northern Scotland. We headed up the eastern coast, popped across to Orkney and came back down the west coast. We had 9 days to pack in as much as we could. It's fair to say they came back having seem a lot.

Hill O Many Stanes Caithness

Pennan village

Since we rented an apartment in Aberdeen we kicked off with two days exploring the city. Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland and is the oil capital of Europe. It's called the Silver City or the Granite City due to the silver grey granite they use in their buildings. It frequently rains in Aberdeen and on grey drizzly days the sparkly silver flecks are not visible. But we got lucky and had two glorious days of sunshine when we did our city tour and the buildings were magnificent. I found a great DIY walking tour of the city in - Fodor's Scotland. You can also get a print-out of a walking tour from the Aberdeen tourism office in Union Street near Castlegate. NB - the tourism office opens later than the retail shops, closes for lunch and they finish up earlier too.

We walked past some of the key attractions - find them - here - and - here. We also took in a few free museums. I like freebies. Entry fees can quickly add up to a large sum of money. Free museums include Provost Skene's House, Maritime Museum and the Tolbooth. (check visit times for Tolbooth as they are not always open) I also wanted us to visit Old Aberdeen, which be warned, is a bit of a walk from the city centre if you're not fit.

Kings College Aberdeen

To make the most of your sight-seeing in Aberdeen, walk along the beach esplanade toward the Brig O Balgownie on the River Don. Then walk through the beautifully laid out Seaton Park, through Cruickshank Botanic Gardens toward Old Aberdeen. If it's too much of a walk, you can always catch a bus to and from this area. (Tourist info have bus details) Make sure you see St Machar's Cathedral dating back to 15th and 16th century and King's College. There are also lovely old houses which give an olde worlde feel to the area.

Seaton Park Aberdeen

I wouldn't call Aberdeen a shopping city but you can find famous high fashion brands like Topshop, River Island, H and M and Zara in one of the three main shopping malls namely - Union Square, Bon Accord and St Nicholas and also Trinity Centre. Bargain hunters will love the charity shops in Union Street and Rosemount Viaduct as well as Primark where you can get just about anything at rock bottom prices. Further along Union street is - Cruise, a designer emporium for those with cash to burn.

On Day Three I collected our car from - Enterprise Car Hire. Just a note, they drive on the left in the UK and best prices for petrol are at the major supermarkets such as Tesco, ASDA or Morrisons. You are unlikely to find supermarkets in the small villages so make sure you top up when you pass through a bigger town.

Old Aberdeen

We drove up the east coast following Scotland's National Tourist Routes. They have brown road signs which mark the scenic drives. The east coastline is rugged and you will encounter ruins, castles and fishing villages along the way. We stopped at Slains Castle in Cruden Bay, a ruin reputed to be the inspiration for Bram stoker's Dracula. And we drove into Pennan, a village where the movie - Local Hero - was filmed.

There are loads of pre-historic monuments and sites in the north east of Scotland. If time permits you may want to view Longman Hill near Banff Bay and Hill O Many Stanes in Caithness just south of Wick which we saw on the second day of our road trip.

Slains Castle near Cruden Bay

Next week in - Part 2 - I talk about the rest of the road trip up the east coast, the ferry to Orkney and Orkney Islands.

The - Greenie Travel Archives - have similar information on other holidays and tours.

Old fishing cottages near Aberdeen beachfront

What happens when you are bumped off a flight

Ever wondered what happens when you are bumped off a flight? I've been bumped twice and each experience was completely different.

The first time was coming back from an amazing overland road trip in May 2011 that covered Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Read about that trip - here. I arrived at Johannesburg International Airport to catch a South African Airways flight back to Cape Town for the final part of my trip. I used air-miles to book this flight. At the check-in desk I duly produced my printed booking sheet complete with reference number. I also had a text message confirming the flight on my mobile phone.

South Africa Airways - image source timeslive.co.za

The bloke at the desk clicked away at his keyboard and then gave me back my printout and told me I wasn't booked on the flight. I can still recall how calm he was about the whole thing. And you can imagine how shocked I was. It was totally unexpected. And worse, this guy was completely unmoved by the fact that I had arrived with my bags prepared to fly and was now stranded without a flight.

He made no attempt to help me whatsoever and no real explanation as to how this had happened either other than I was supposed to have confirmed this flight in person somewhere. How was I meant to know this? Well he didn't know and I will never know. I managed to buy a last minute Mango ticket to fly back home and I have never flown SAA ever again.

Cape Town International Airport check-in

The next time I was bumped with my husband. We were coming back from London Heathrow to Cape Town on a British Airways flight in September 2012. We checked in early. Always do. The lady behind the check-in desk asked if we would be willing to be bumped as the flight was overbooked. At first we weren't that keen but then she explained that we would be compensated well, in cash, in the currency of our choice, or we could take slightly more money in flight vouchers. Plus BA covered all expenses relating to our night stuck in London. Suddenly, we were a lot more willing.

We had no holiday booked and planned, no family matters to attend to and no fixed business agenda. Unlike some very unhappy travelers who arrived to hear the same thing. We were given a voucher to grab a coffee and we lurked with our luggage at a cafe until just before the flight was due to take off. Then there was a mad scramble to squeeze people onto the flight. A few people who thought they were staying suddenly found themselves flying after all. And that's the thing, you don't know if you are staying or going until 5 minutes before the flight leaves.

Once the flight had gone, we all queued up while the BA staff found us space in local hotels and allocated us travel vouchers, meal vouchers and accommodation vouchers. That took quite a while and by the time we finally got to our hotel it was late.

British Airways - image source guardian.co.uk

The next day we couldn't really do much as we had to check in again for our flight back to SA. Turns out South African Airways had cancelled their daily flight from Cape Town to London. British Airways were the only airline doing a direct flight. So no surprise when we arrived at check-in and were asked to be bumped again. We figured we were making money doing nothing and so we went for it. And we opted to be bumped for a third night.

By day four we wanted to go home. Although BA take good care of you, you end up hanging around your hotel and then hanging around some more at the airport. Three nights was our limit.

One can't help notice that one airline is regularly overbooked and another airline canceled it's flight on the exact same route. Perhaps customer service has something to do with it?