Dave, this is me wearing a brown fleece with a horizontal cream stripe. Very fetching if i say so myself !!! Am wearing a grey baseball cap and am waving good bye and smiling rather nervously. The reality of the trip has just sunk in. I am holding my passport in my left hand.

By the way, everyone say hello to Dave. He is a great mate of mine who is blind and has asked me to do a brief description of the pics, so if you want to add anything in the comment boxes, that would be great.

Got off to a late start, though didn't know it. Thought the flight was for 8.20 pm, turned out it was for 7.20 pm, so had a bit of a panic and hardly any time to say goodbye to Ollie, which was probably a good thing as we may have started to blub over each other. The flight was fairly painless except that the fella I was sitting next to had the most terrible breath. I decided I would not speak to him because it was just too awful. Well, sods law he was tired and yawned for about 11 hours, each time hitting me with a camambert/poop vapour that nearly finished me off. I was this close to telling him to brush his tongue but chickened out. Landed safely in Cape Town and got my rucksac off the belt, with a little difficulty as the straps got caught in the gubbins. Walked towards passport control and began to think what the f*** am i doing? It suddenly hit me that I was potentially about to spend the next year on my lonesome and the idea wasn't sitting well with me. Then I remembered that that was the point. To sit with the challenges and fears and begin to trust them. Cape Town airport is very similar to Heathrow term 5 but on a much smaller scale. I was picked up by Pete, who had moved to CT from the country and had been in CT for a few years. Over qaulified and driving a taxi. He talked to me about district 6 and the troubles during the Aparthied and pointed out Robben Island where Nelson mandela was locked up for all those years, the exact amount i have forgotten !. We arrived at the Big Blue backpackers run by Guido and his dad. Guido is a very intense man and clearly doesn't give a hoot about what other people think of him. Good for me to be around as he pushes my buttons !!! I am staying in a lovely room , though is by the ladies showers, so every morning there is a chorus of hairdriers and high pitched voices...good grief ! Have brought my ear-plugs, which are a life saver. Went walking yesterday to check out the dive centre where ill be spending next week. Got hassled by two fellas, one form america and the other from spain, both as high as kites. The american took an instant like to me, asking for money and telling me some bull-shit story of robbery etc... when i declined the payment he asked me if i didn't like Americans. I turned and looked him straight in the eye and said , "yes i do, it's just i don't trust you". He said nothing in return and walked away. I felt a little bad but need to get used to it as India will no doubt be much more challenging !!! Went to bed early as needed a good night sleep. Was a feeling a little lonely as the day ended, so took off to the cinema, which made me feel even more isolated as it was practically empty. Saw district 9 had my dinner and then was off to bed. Slept well and today went for a beautiful swim in a large outdoor pool by the sea. Bliss. have put on at least a stone and floated very well. All those goodbye dinners. Walked around town. Cape town is very beautiful and very laid back. Table mountain sits handsomely behind the city and the wind off the Alantic keeps the place cool. Today it was 28 degrees but felt cooler. I have gone on too long, most of you have probably switched off.......The top of table mountain tomorrow and a little walk through old cape town......over and out X