Oct. 6, 2017. We are in Cape Town, a vibrant city set against the backdrop of Table Mountain.
The African Safari Challenge rally begins on Monday, Oct. 9, however our adventure began last week while we were (supposedly) relaxing in Paris following the Odyssey Italia rally. I received an email which began, ” I come bearing some very upsetting news…” It was from the young man, D. who prepared the 1968 Audi 100 that we had purchased in S. Africa for the rally.
He had been carjacked at gun point and the car had been stolen! 
(The car has now been recovered by the police but is impounded until some undisclosed date.) We learned all the scary details over lunch with D yesterday.
To backtrack, it is easy to say that our heads were not in Paris and we spent the next few days after that email considering-and eliminating options, including the possibility of having our 67 Beetle, Stewball, air-shipped to Cape Town. That one was quickly eliminated when the we were presented with the cost.
After one generous offer to drive a rally friend’s 1957 Bentley, and another offer from D to drive his 1975 Beetle, we decided to rent a car for the rally. The compensation is we will ride in air-conditioned comfort.
I have decided if I ever have to go into witness protection, Cape Town would be right up there with my choice of places to hide out. Except now, I can’t do that since I’ve announced it on WordPress. The waterfront here is always full of music and 
entertainment. the only negative is the long overnight flights to get here.
Tomorrow we set off, destination, Clanwilliam.
