I am away now for 4 weeks - 2 weeks in Indonesia and the rest of the time in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. The main highlights will be the hike to the top of Mount Rinjani on the island of Lombok and then a visit to the Komodo Islands to see the famous dragons.  I then head for Saigon for a few days before traveling overland to Cambodia to visit the world famous Angkor Wat and the infamous Killing Fields.  I finish off in Bangkok on 23rd August.

Kim as always will be minding the fort while I am away so you will be in good hands if hiking during this time.  Both of us will be responding to emails and already I look forward to meeting you all when I get back and it is time to head up Table Mountain again - it is still the best!

Despite the fact that we are in mid winter only two walks were canceled during the 4 weeks of the World Cup and walks took place everyday except last Sunday and Tuesday 29th June - not bad!  Most people experienced near perfect conditions - a couple of days were too windy for the cableway to operate meaning a hike down and doing it the hard way instead.

The World Cup was a great success and from the feedback I got from fans many will be back with their families to see more of the many sights from safari, the Garden Route and of course Cape Town.  We are now expecting a quiet period until September but winter is not necessarily the wrong time to come here - the whales will be in Hermanus, the flower season begins and no worries about the heat for your hike up Table Mountain!

Other then the football I hope the fans are finding time to see the many sights that South Africa has to offer.  Cape Town unlike Johannesburg experiences its wet season in winter with today being an excellent example - it is pouring!  Two disappointed Mexican fans have rescheduled their walk for later in the week when fine warmer weather is predicted. If you are coming to Cape Town in the winter months you can have days like last Friday when three England fans had the most glorious day on Table Mountain or you can have a day like today - no go.  Flexibility is the key as chances are if you are here for a few days you will get lucky.  There are more good days than bad!

It is great to see South Africa in the spotlight and hopefully we will continue to deliver a memorable World Cup. Table Mountain is the world famous landmark in Cape Town and fingers crossed all those fans planning to hike will be fortunate enough to get to the top and experience something special to take home with them.

I was in fact away for two and a half weeks but as so much happened and every day was different it felt like a nice long break.  I would certainly recommend Borneo for anyone who is interested in nature and it is also famous for its beaches and resorts and some of the best scuba diving in the world.

I concentrated mainly on the mountains and nature side rather than anything under the water and I was certainly rewarded with some great experiences and sights.  Mount Kinabalu I found very special and luckily with clear sides I was fortunate to have great views from the top.  The via ferrata I chose to do on the way down is not for the faint hearted.  A good level of agility and a really good head for heights is essential.

The other mountain I tackled was Mount Santubong in Sarawak just outside the city of Kuching.  Again not a simple hike but rather a climb with lots of rope ladders and scrambling   - mix in tropical temperatures and humidity you need to be well motivated to get to the top!

In between these two expeditions I visited a number of national parks and hiked the Headhunters Trail - beware of the leeches!  I also staying in a traditional native longhouse and saw my two favourites - orangutans and probiscus monkeys.

Well now back to Table Mountain which although I might be biased is hard to beat for all it has to offer.  This week the weather is not looking good but we can expect better days, plenty of sunshine and  pleasant temperatures not to be far off.

My plan is first to climb Mount Kinabalu which I think is around 4000 metres.  I am also going to  attempt the via ferrata on the mountain which is similar to the one they have in the Dolomites but not as extensive.  Should be fun!

After a few days in Sabah I am traveling overland to the province of Sarawak and will hike a section of the Head Hunters Trail - hope I dont lose anything en route!  We will be staying in very basic huts in the jungle and hopefully seeing lots of flora and fauna with the highlight of any trip to Borneo - orangutans.

Arriving in Kuching, the provincial capital of Sarawak I will take a day or so to relax but close by is the volcano of Santubong which can be climbed.  It is not so high - about 800 metres but it is a full day hike to make it to the top and back.

If anyone has any tips for Borneo any advice will be gratefully received.  In the meanwhile for me there is plenty of hiking in Cape Town.  Other than Table Mountain  there are lots of other areas to explore which I sometimes do on my days off.  Anyone wanting any information about hiking in the Cape Province please feel free to ask.

On February 4th Bernard aged 75 years at 12.05p.m. (just missing the noon day gun!) arrived at the top of Table Mountain a little weary but delighted having hiked all the way up Platteklip Gorge.   Quite an achievement and by 5 years the oldest person I have ever summitted the mountain with.   Bear in mind this is not a gentle jeep track that slowly winds its way upwards - this is a steep and stepped route with uneven footing and in places requiring the use of hands.  It just shows that if the mind is right then the body can achieve much more than what you might think possible.  I have no doubt the next day Bernard felt the effects of his climb up Table Mountain but it is certainly something that he can dine out on for a long time to come!

Platteklip Gorge is the shortest route and a safe one up the front of Table Mountain.  Skeleton Gorge is more fun for children because of the rock scrambling and ladders but time and distance wise it is twice as long so for younger children with less stamina it might not be suitable.

I have seen tourists but more often locals hauling children barely able to walk up the mountain.  I consider this foolish and not fair on the children who have no choice but to go along.  If the cableway is not operating or closes while you are still hiking up then a two to three hour outing becomes a full day and really far too much for a child to cope with.

So if you are not sure about whether your children will enjoy or be able for the hike rather err on the side of caution or be prepared to turn back if necessary.   If they haven’t done any long walks or done stepped routes Table Mountain is a big ask for a first major hike.  Feel free to ask my advice so the right decision is made.

I actually use this website myself before planning a trip and find it very useful.  I also now and again look at questions on the travel forum and answer those that I can.  I do recommend it for both accommodation, tours and if you have specific questions.

If  you do making booking for a walk up Table Mountain with us and if you do enjoy it and hopefully have no complaints it does help a small operator like myself to have a good rating on this top travel website.  So please if you can spare a moment a few words of review would be most helpful and much appreciated!

Those who walked with me on 9th November had a great view of Cecilia Waterfall and also a couple of not so easy crossings across fast flowing streams.  I managed to get some got shots which I hope to post on the site shortly in the new gallery section.

On a few ocassions after very heavy rain Skeleton Gorge may not be passable.  This seldom happens but one needs to know when to anticipate this as getting half way up and having to turn back may be somewhat disheartening!  Otherwise there are only advantages to the rainfall so long as you see the results rather than experience it for yourself while hiking Table Mountain.

This week things have warmed up and after a strong South Easter looks like we are in for a good spell and rather than be concerned about rain and wind we need to start early to avoid the heat.  When planning to pack for your hike it is a case of be prepared for all eventualities.  In summer it be be hot or cold and it can be wet (not often) and dry.  So remember some layers and you wont be caught out!

As you the client are paying your hard earned money for this service make sure for your own safety that your guide is properly qualified and registered.  You can do this by contacting the registrar at -   registrar@pgwc.gov.za

Unfortunately it is also the case that non specialised operators are using cultural guides to lead hikes on Table Mountain.  This from your point of view is not acceptable and also not safe.  At the moment there is in my opinion a total lack of control of guides on Table Mountain and it is turning into a bit of a free for all.  So make sure you are in the hands of someone who is properly trained and qualified after all that is what you are paying for.