ITTN’s Louise Ducrocq landed on Sunday December 1 in Cape Town with Norse Atlantic Airways, commencing her 4-day FAM trip in South Africa – courtesy of South Africa Tourism Board UK, Escape to the Cape and Norse Atlantic Airways.
Departing from London Gatwick, the prospect of a 12-hour journey ahead initially seemed quite dreadful – the idea of spending that amount of time sitting down in a big metal box was a bit scary to me. However, as soon as I boarded the plane, I realised my flight in Premium was going to be a pleasant experience.
It turns out, Norse’s Premium option sits right between Premium Economy and Business Class. From the complimentary drinks all throughout the flight to the tasty dinner and consistent breakfast, the lovely flight attendants made sure I had everything I needed. The most impressive feature of the whole cabin, for me, was how spacious those premium seats were. Not only could I stretch my legs all the way, but the large armrest, fully-extendable footrest and size of the whole cabin made me feel so cozy.
Keep in mind that, of all airlines flying from London, Norse offers the most numerous and spacious premium economy seats, with 56 seats on a 2-3-2 configuration. The design of the cabin is such a pleasure to look at all throughout the journey. Of course, when I was yearning for entertainment, I could simply recline in my seat, lift the footrest up and pick a favourite movie or TV-show out of the 80+ pieces of in-flight entertainment.
Whenever I felt sleepy, I took advantage of the complimentary ear plugs, soft blanket and eye mask, and had a very good nights’ sleep – almost 7 hours! If you’re lucky, you will also get to wake up to the most gorgeous sunrise of your life through those big windows. Despite the years I spent studying science, I still can’t explain that beaming pink sky I was incredibly lucky to see from my oh so comfortable seat. This 12-hour journey was the coziest flight I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing – the “premium” designation is more than well deserved. A dreadfully long journey turned into a very relaxing experience in Norse’s Premium cabin.
Me and my fellow travel trade members landed in Cape Town and wasted no time before exploring around the Mother City.
Is there a better way to start a trip like this, than seeing African Penguins sunbathing on a white-sand beach? Probably not…
The group went to Boulder’s Beach Penguin Colony to observe some unbelievably cute African Penguins. This National Park teaches you all about the sustainability side of things. The African Penguin, previously named jackass penguin due to the loud donkey-like noises they make, has become a critically endangered species, with a high risk of extinction in the wild. Their world population was as big as 1.3 million in 1931, but there are now less than 22,000 African penguins left. Their decline is due to urbanisation, global warming but most of all, overfishing, as they mostly eat sardines and anchovies on the cost, where their natural habitat is. It’s also the closest, cheapest and easiest way for locals to fish. Laws are now in place to protect the African Penguin, and net fishing is only allowed in deep sea. The Penguin Colony we visited had also put numerous projects in place for the conservation.
After a delicious seafood-focused lunch, the group drove around the region with our knowledgeable guide Chris from Escape To The Cape. We all drove down to the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western point of the African Continent. A very good starting point for our first day in the Southern Hemisphere. We stopped at various viewpoints before climbing up the Cape of Good Hope, where the 360° view was breathtaking.
Finally, we checked into the President Hotel to settle into our lovely suites – ocean-view, thank you very much! This 4-star property is the perfect option for couples and families alike, with an extremely central location (about a 10-minute walk to Camp’s Bay, the beachfront), a swimming-pool, a sauna, gym, and other amenities to make their guests’ stay that much more special.
After an amazing dinner at Hugo Social Club restaurant, the group was able to get some quality rest.
The next day was quite literally the definition of a thrill-seeking adventure, full of hiking, paragliding and cold-plunging, completed by some delicious food, sightseeing and a little shopping in the Victoria Waterfront – a cute little port looking over Table Mountain.
Half of our group went for paragliding that morning, whereas the other half went for wild scooter rides down Table Mountain.
Paraplex’s wonderful team of paragliders flew the 5 of us down the Lion’s Head Mountain, where we were treated to what’s likely the most beautiful sights of Cape Town. Additionally to the thrill of flying off that mountain side and quite literally surf that windy sky, the intensity of the turquoise water contrasting with the white sand is a divine sight, and makes for an unforgettable experience.
After a good lunch at Time Out, a gourmet food court at Victoria Waterfront, our group strolled around for a bit – and the cheekiest of us did a little shopping – before heading to Camp’s Bay Beach. Don’t be fooled by the clear turquoise water, the Atlantic Ocean on that beachfront is actually 16° degrees celsius (just a tad warmer than Ireland!). The bravest of the bunch went for what felt like a cold plunge before relaxing on their beach towels.
This perfect day ended with a delicious steak dinner at Mouille Point’s Bobo’s. We got just enough fuel for two fun-filled days through Stellenbosch, that actually started with a 4-am sunrise climb up Lion’s Head Mountain. Stay tuned for more.
Louise is so grateful to South Africa Tourism Board UK, Escape to the Cape and Norse Atlantic Airways for having her on this wonderful trip, in the company of members of the UK trade Elisa Urdiales of South Africa Tourism Board UK, Andrew Fish of Norse, Attilio Sesti of Trip.com, Riann Ross of Dial A Flight, Fiona Sarre of Travel Counsellors, Nicolas Corney of Southall Travel, Laura Kirkham of Moresand Ltd, Yousaf Shah of TravelUp, Kelly King of Premier Holiday and Julius Mills of Saga Travel Group. She wants to sincerely thank Elisa and Andrew for putting together such a wonderful adventure in the Mother City.
