CAPE TOWN!

So, I pretty much loved being in Cape Town for about a month. I went down there to do my TESOL course (which I need to go and teach English in South Korea, which will hopefully still happen in August, fingers crossed!) and ended up having SUCH a great time – not to mention a super contemplative one.

Being in Cape Town properly again was quite strange for me. So much of what I saw, despite a ton having changed over the years, brought back tons of memories for me. Whether it was seeing the adorable ducks at Groot Constantia where we went wine tasting (having been there on a school trip back in the day) or walking along the promenade in the early evening time (something I mom and I would do on a daily basis when we lived in Sea Point back then) – it all was quite overwhelmingly nostalgic, and an experience that was both strangely fun and exciting, and really, really sad at the same time. It made me realise how much had changed in me since that time. How much I had changed. And also made me toy with the ever-dangerous notion of “what-if”. What if I had never left this place that I had loved so much? Would things have turned out differently? Would I have been spared the heart ached that resulted when I had returned to Durban to live with my father? Or would I have just experienced heart ache in a different form? It is frivolous, I know, to think in this way, but rather inevitable I suppose. The nostalgia came in another form as well, reconnecting from someone really important from my past, a reconnection which too gave me a heck of a lot to think about. But this is a post for another day…

Being back with Claire and Gabi made me once again appreciate how much they mean to me (along with my other besties from Rhodes). I really have made the most amazing friends over the years, and leaving them all behind is going to be so difficult. :/ Which is another reason why I was so grateful I was able to do this trip and spend all that time with them - from tanning on the beaches of Camps Bay, to getting hit on in strange CT clubs, to entire days spent huddled up in Claire’s bed with nothing but junk food and hours of Glee and Geordie Shore to keep us busy.

The (so-called) real reason I was there, of course, was to do the TESOL course - which was an interesting experience to say the least! I had a great time, met some awesome people, and was lucky enough to feel really validated in the whole thing. Not only was it great to actually use my brain again (it had been a while) but I realised all over again how much I really adore teaching. And I must say Cape Town is a wonderful space to be a student in. When I was staying with my long time high school bestie, Katie, in Rondebosch, I fell in love with this gorgeous little café called Cocoa Wah Wah, where I spent many a day studying and planning lesson (helped along with delectable shakes and tasty treats). And while I was in Sea Point I of course tried to make the most of the invigorating sea breeze by working on the promenade.

And as if in some battle to the death for my attention – the weekends certainly provided much distraction from work in the form of much, much Rhodent style partying from Obz, to Claremont, to Stellies. This was also peppered with cultured things (I was in Cape Town after all so such was necessary) in the form of wine tasting (in which Gabz and I got rather tipsy and said inappropriate things rather more loudly than we should have), champagne and nougat tasting (which was absolutely delectable, even if done while I was hanging like no body’s business), and market trawling (where we looked at pretty things we couldn’t buy). And no Cape Town trip would be complete without feeling like a kid again with a visit to Ratanga Junction.

Overall, Ieaving this place balling my eyes out, I realised how lucky I was to have the friend’s I did to make a trip like that possible. Not only to Claire, Katie, Gabz and Brad for all housing me at one point or another – but to all of them and others (including the crazy Max, the lovely Miss Es, and the best dmc partner ever, Yolande) for sharing part of their lives with me and going out of their way to show me a good time. I truly am blessed. ^_^

My adventures across the country...

So I have, once again, neglected my blog terribly over the last few months and this needs to be rectified asap! For now, let me catch you up on my adventures of the last little while. They have been eventful indeed.

 

                The Chili Peppers and yucky (but fun!) Jozi

At the end of Feb I missioned up to Jo’burg and stayed with the awesome Sarah for about a week for a mini friend reunion and – of course – TO SEE THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS PLAY LIVE. Yes, it was amazing. And yes, it did make my life. But before we get to that…

As I always say, Jo’burg really is just not my city. Half our trip really was taken up by traffic and shopping malls – and those are not exactly how you’d like to spend your time on holiday! But then again, I suppose that’s why everyone from there, leaves when it’s their holiday time :P But Claire, Sarah, Megz and I did manage to have plenty of fun – including experiencing the Jozi night life and having an extremely eventful Pimms afternoon which resulted in a strawberry and cucumber fight in the pool. "Because only in Sandton do you have a strawberry fight!!" :P You can see my hilarious behaviour in the video below. Why I expose myself in such embarrassing moments, I do not know :P

Click here to see me, my girls, a pool & a lot of Pimms...

One of the most amazing experiences of the trip was our visit to the lion park where we got to actually stroke and interact with some little lion cubs, who were just amazing. They are so gorgeous, and being up close to them like that was awesome. The one in the photo below was also a rather playful one who was fascinated by my flowy, colourful dress, and his eager little swipes were responsible for the little hole it now has in it.

Seeing the volunteer workers at the place looking after the slightly larger lion cubs was amazing too, ‘cause the lions are so comfortable and affectionate with them. I was so jealous. They were literally lying ON TOP of the keepers like bigger and much more intimidating looking house cats.

On top of that and seeing all the big cats chilling about the park, we also got to feed a giraffe out of our hands which was a fun but rather strange experience. The giraffe was not at all perturbed by the bunch of people around stroking him or putting their arms around his neck – I suppose he was used to it by now. All he was interested in was the food. His mouth and long twisty tongue felt very strange against the palm of your hand though. And his chin was really furry and bristly like he was rocking quite a formidable beard.

Another exciting part of the trip did, in fact, involve the malls – and that was the discovery of my new favourite shop EVAR and what could probably be called an addiction – Cotton On. Luckily the local branch is in Pavillion (somewhere I never go), otherwise my bank balance would definitely be worse for wear. But I made the most of my visits to it in Jo’burg (and later in Cape Town) that I have some rather lovely little pieces added to my wardrobe. Including these stunning sunglasses and cute crop top vibes ^_^

And then there was the concert. Although the overall experience wasn’t THE most amazing just cause of the general vibe and the extremely disappointing supporting acts (including Die Antwoord who I thought would actually be super entertaining but who proved, in fact to be nothing more than a couple of foul mouthed, weirdly dressed peeps, running up and down the stage swearing at the audience – and not even in anything close to a musically interesting way), the performance itself was absolutely awe-inspiring. I could not believe I really was so frikken close to these legends. And to see these guys who have been in the industry for this long and who are still rocking out the way they do if just amazing. I cannot express the overflowing respect I felt standing there (well, jumping up and down there, screaming so much and singing along so loudly I lost my voice :P).

One thing this Jo’burg trip did open my eyes to was, not only the fact of how awesome it was to be back with my awesome girls, but also how refreshing it was to get out of Durban and be somewhere new – even if it was just yucky Jo’burg. And so maybe it partly inspired my next and much greater adventure… 

**Do you like my orange shoes**

I have to say that I love, love, LOVE this band! They are truly one of the ones that make my heart not just smile but give a big cheshire cat grin! ^_^ Their voices are magic, their lyrics are charming and the music itself is upbeat and quirky in the best of ways... And they're from Durban which is so super rad! South Africa really does have some of the most awesome music EVAR. This is a band I really don't mind having stuck in my head all day long (which has been the case for the last little while...) <3

Fire Through the Window - Do do do

**Video/song of the moment**

Dans Dans Lisa - Gisteraand

Dit was anders as gewoonlik,

Die nag het om die liggies gedans. 

Almal was vrolik, 

Mense het mekaar verstaan.

Daar was musiek soos stilte, daar was

En dit was mooi en ek was daar.