I know I should have written about this earlier seeing as it was over a week ago now, but I forgot. I may have also forgotten important details of the day, so this blog will probably have a number of plot holes.
Sunday 13th March
The Argus is the world's biggest open entry timed cycle road race, so the day of the Argus is a massive event in Cape Town and the surrounding area. The route of the Argus passes right through Hout Bay; the cyclists come down off Chapman's Peak on the final stretch up Mount Rhodes before heading into Cape Town and the finish line. While other towns that the Argus goes through don't really embrace it, Hout Bay comes out in force to celebrate it, as well as to cheer on the riders as they make their way through.
This year's Argus was part of the 'Pink Drive' - set up to help support breast cancer charities (much like the Pink Test in Sydney) so everyone had pink shirts, pink wigs, pink clappers, pink hair and pink drinks (I had a strawberry milkshake to help out). Where we'd set up (outside Dario's next to the circle) loads of other people had gathered, and set up with pink balloons, and had spray painted pink slogans on surrounding walls and roads. The atmosphere was amazing, which was helped by someone belting out some really loud music that had everyone dancing along. The first cyclists (the elite ones) set off at around 6-6.30, and passed through Hout Bay just after 8am. It was great to sit out and have eggs and bacon early on Sunday morning - I didn't even mind that I had to get up at ridiculous o'clock (for me)!
After the elite peloton came through (very quickly), the masses followed not long after, with thousands upon thousands streaming through. The energy and colour of the crowds must have really inspired the cyclists, and many of them who acknowledged the crowds looked really motivated by the turn out - which is what we had set out to do. While the thousands of cyclists come through at their various paces throughout the day, after a couple of hours, we head off, as we had more plans.
Ratanga Junction is the main theme park of Cape Town, with all sorts of exciting rides. Located just out of the main city (in an area called Century City), Ratanga has all of the attractions that any good theme park should. I would compare it to Thorpe Park (only it was slightly bigger) as there are a lot of rides with water involved, and quite a few for younger thrill seekers to go on. We went with Richard, Sally and their kids, so in total there were four adults, three kids, and me, who's somewhere inbetween (which meant I could go on both the adult and kids rides).
We went on loads of rides over the course of our day out, both rollercoasters, log flumes, teacups, water slides and ones that spun, swung and generally threw us around. Ratanga being a big theme park would normally have massive queues, but because of the Argus (where people were either riding or cycling) queues were non-existent. We literally didn't have longer than a 5 minute queue for any given ride. One rollercoaster was so under populated, that after going all the way round, the controller asked if we fancied another. We ended up going around five times without stopping, and after a brief break to look at some of the photos, we went back for another five. Only the potential for motion sickness prevented any further goes on that one.
The headline ride at Ratanga is called the Cobra. It sticks out in the skyline above all of the others, and regardless what other ride you are on, you can't help seeing it whoosh past, with screams of terror from it's riders. We'd gone through the whole day avoiding it, going many times on the others. But just as watches were being looked at and kids getting restless, we decided to brave the Cobra. After a very brief queue (see above) we were strapped in - instead of a regular seated carriage we were winched into these things that came from above, and were left dangling in mid air. The ride itself was great - I really enjoyed the jolts, twists and loops, but judging by the shaky legs as others excited the ride I must have been the only one. Someone loudly exclaimed "never again" while walking off, while I was saying how I wanted to go straight back on!
The Cobra proved to be our final ride, and while we quickly went into Century City to do a bit of shopping ahead of our camping trip (more on that later) we soon head off for home, absolutely exhausted aftera knackering day. But it was great fun, we squeezed loads in and I had a blast. The Argus is a huge event, and I was glad to be around for one of Cape Town's premier days, and it was made better by the near VIP treatment at Ratanga.
I will blog about what's happened since, as well as hopefully more regular blogs, but later on. I'm still tired out from that Sunday, even though it was ages ago now.
Until next time, Will
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