This is the question that i was asked the most while i was in Cape Town recently. during my six days at the city (i spent three days with my fellow Malaysians at work and a further three days travelling on my own), i was asked this question four times. mind you, the question was popped at the initial 15 mins of conversation.
I found out from the fourth person who asked me,that the question was a sign of respect. they wanted to know so to address and interact with me properly -- in other words, if they were interested to pursue further, they'd know of the possibility in advance. perhaps Malaysians should do the same since it takes ages to know if the other person is actually available or not :p
I like Cape Town. if i have the chance again, i would want to see the place again. properly. winter was too cold and rainy. of the three days i was travelling, i only had one good day of sunny sky. i spent that roaming Cape Peninsular. it was not a wasted trip as i saw ostriches, antelopes, baboons, seals and African penguins at the various spots the guide brought us to. the view was amazingly scenic -- the mountains, the hills, the sea. i stood in awe of God's creation.
The Backpack was a great place to stay considering the price that i paid. for a dorm bed, i paid USD14 and i was impressed with the facilities that came with it. the place was so homey; with sofas, tv room, library, kitchen and even a swimming pool! (unfortunately too cold to swim). the staff was very friendly and helpful. they provided a lot of information on the city, places to visit and contacts for taxis and tour packages. it was reasonable prices. i didn't feel i was cheated terribly.
The Waterfront was another view to bestow. the yatchs, the ships and piers were a great view. not to mention the restaurants and cafes at the shopping mall that have the direct view of the sea. it's too expensive tho - food and merchandise.
I was surprised that my first few days i saw more whites than black people in the city. most blacks were working at the service counters while the whites were mainly the customers. i could sense a certain self-consciousness as if apartheid was still enforced.
I finally saw how some of the locals lived when i attended the dinner at Mandela's. it's an organised dinner by the locals at a township so foreigners like me could taste the culture. they prepared the dinner, sang and danced for us. we had steamed bread, maize, beef stew and salad. i was surprised at the state of the township. located on a hill, houses looked like boxes, built rows after rows. some homes were made out of brick, others by wood. according to our guide, Gary, the brick houses were built by one Irish man, who donated R$4mil (1USD=R$6.50). to own one of the houses, the family has to pay a certain amount as donation to the community. sanitation, water and electricity supply are inconsistent. the higher the homes are, the more likely that water is scarce. the community reminded me of the "rumah setinggan" in Malaysia, who are mostly occupied by foreign workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
I felt uncomfortable during the dinner because i felt i was intruding into a very personal part of their lives. it's as if i've come to insult the way they lived.
At the city, i felt grateful for what form of transportation i had in Kuala Lumpur. there are no buses or light rail trains within the city. the only means of transport are taxis and minibuses. the minibuses are basically vans that carry passengers but they are usually very crowded, hence the discomfort. also, there are no stated destinations so i didn't feel secure taking them on concern that i might not know where i would end up.
Despite being told that there are at least 2000 CCTVs in the city, i felt nervous walking. that particular Sunday, the streets were almost empty and hardly any vehicles or people were around. probably because of the rain and cold weather. not everyone is like a crazy tourist like me who insisted on seeing something.
My two regrets were the failure to climb Table Mountain and visit Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned). the terrible weather really didn't permit me to do so altho' i really wanted to.
I met some really nice folks during the trip and their personalities are perhaps one of my best highlights. i never fail to be amazed at the diversity of culture, way of life and beliefs system. i felt small amid of this. as if me, myself and i are no longer that important anymore. and that there are bigger things out there than my own issues. 
