[imagesource: TripAdvisor]

Most Ubers I catch involve a greeting, a journey, and then thanks and goodbye.

It’s not mandatory to ask the driver what time they started, and whether it’s been busy, but sometimes that conversation happens organically.

The other day, my Uber driver told me that he’s noticing a slight uptick in the number of tourists he picks up, including some Americans, which is good to hear.

Perhaps they’re readers of Condé Nast Traveler (single ‘L’ for the US-based site), which has recommended Cape Town as one of ‘The Best Places to Travel in October’.

The month has nothing to do with COVID-19, but rather escaping America as the weather gets colder, for destinations that offer something different.

Enter Cape Town, which has this description:

Cape Town is one of the best places to travel in October, as the month signals the height of springtime in the southern hemisphere. That means you can plan on tons of outdoor activities, from walking among spring blooms in Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden to touring vineyards in Franschhoek.

You could also spend an entire trip hopping between Cape Town’s best beaches. Camps Bay Beach is worth visiting for the views of Lion’s Head and the Twelve Apostles alone, as is Windmill Beach (a 10-minute walk from Boulders Beach) for its warm water and boulders you can jump off.

Nail on the head with Camps Bay Beach.

Nothing like a stroll along the beachfront, a swim and a laze, and then watching the sun do gown from Café Caprice with a tasty cocktail in hand.

Look at this view:

Cracking.

The article then recommends staying in Gardens, “a fashionable neighborhood known for its restaurants, bars, and interior shops”.

It’s also known for Gardens Centre, where, mercifully, face masks have now given us ample cover to avoid awkward hellos with acquaintances.

Other warmer destinations that get a shoutout include Loreto, Mexico (“best known for its secluded, unspoiled setting on the Loreto Bay National Marine Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site), and Barbados.

In particular, the east coast’s Bathsheba Beach, “where you’ll find big, surf-able waves and shallow pools carved by the coral reef right off the shore”.

There are also options that don’t revolve around the beach, such as the Bavarian Alps in Germany:

An trip to southern Germany is about so much more than Oktoberfest (which has been canceled for 2021 anyway)…

The season is prime for outdoor enthusiasts as well, with areas like Berchtesgaden and Lake Tegernsee lending themselves to some epic scenic hikes.

Image: Alamy

Shutterbugs are never disappointed by the Disney-esque Neuschwanstein Castle, whose white turrets look best against a backdrop of deep reds and oranges.

Yeah, that castle is ridiculously good looking.

Must be nice to have all those travel options, whilst South Africans watch on and wait to see which countries will open their borders to us.

[source:condenast]