I’ve been a terrible blogger, everyone, and it’s definitely not the first time. I really ought to post every evening after an interesting day, but it’s not a perfect world, and I’m not a perfect writer.
I’ve neglected my reporting for about three weeks or so (as you may or may not have noticed), leaving you all in the dark about my various adventures. There’s been a lot going on, too, all of which would make for really terrific blog stories. I’d like to pretend the delay was for dramatic effect, and thus totally purposeful… but I never really liked when TV did that cliffhanger malarkey at the end of an episode (Will Joey fall for Dawson or Pacey? Oh my gosh! This is terrible), so I’d never wittingly do that to my readers (and who am I kidding, I’m not nearly as fascinating as Dawson’s Creek). What’s my excuse, then? I’m just a lazy blogger.
Here’s a sub par summary of my free-time fabulousness:
Recently, a group of other volunteers and I managed a day trip down Cape Peninsula to take in the beautiful coastal views of Hout Bay, Cape Point, and Cape of Good Hope (Africa’s most southwesterly point). Picture the winding sea-cliff-side roads of car commercials: that’s where we were. The nature reserve is home to elands, baboons, and birds of all types, in addition to deserted, breath-taking beaches worthy of a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. We spent the afternoon hiking along cliffs between Cape Point and Good Hope, seizing the occasional break to rock climb here and there and frolic in the ridiculous surf --- all a warm-up for the epic ascent I rocked out (no pun intended) the very next day. Because you know how I roll.
Early the next morning, five of us rolled out of bed (mildly stiff from the day prior) to tackle Table Mountain on foot (instead of hopping the cable car like everyone else). Let me put it this way – the steep climb up was the most beautiful/scenic StairMaster I’ve ever committed to, and my thighs and hips haven’t felt the same since. My guide book refers to it as a sun-drenched “vertical slog,” if that gives you any indication. Long, rock-step lunges all…the way….up; but gosh, was it worth it. There’s no “safety precautions” to speak of around most of the mountain, so you can literally crawl out onto a hanging rock and be devoured by clouds on all sides, king or queen of the skies. After accomplishing the Platteklip Gorge trail on the city bowl side of the mountain, we hiked across the “table top” itself to ascend to the mountain’s highest point, passing truly phenomenal views of the ocean, bay, and city on all sides. After clamoring to the tip and claiming it all for beloved America (naturally), we turned back around and marched our way to the other end where a restaurant with cold African beer and food awaited us… not to mention the rotating cable car back down, haha.
The weekend before all of this, meanwhile, Dave and I took a one-dollar train trip down to False Bay (which runs along the ocean, literally… if the train tipped over, it’d splash right in like a giant metallic whale) to rent sea kayaks in Simons Town. With a small group of other paddlers, we set out from the local naval base into the wide-open Atlantic, where I became best friends with several sea lions (no joke, I think one waved at me), all of whom kept popping up to say ‘hello’ next to our kayaks. Later, after navigating the waves and taking in the best views of the coast I’ve seen yet (nothing like observing the cliffs, coves, and clouds from the water) we “parked” our boats amongst the rocks near Boulders Beach and mingled with dozens of African PENGUINS (capitalization to emphasis my enthusiasm for such things). Yeah, they just so happen to colonize there in all their endangered glory, no big deal. I walked away from that day with mildly increased arm definition, flora/fauna euphoria, and a bad case of sun-induced dehydration… so all-in-all, a victory in my book.
In case you were wondering, I do other things besides exercise. (I don’t know how I’ll stay in shape when I go back to the Midwest, come to think of it… even the word “gym” tastes sort of paltry when I say it out loud. Anyone want to sell me their bicycle this May?) I’ve demolished innumerable books since arriving in Africa, both academic and tasteless. I’m doing oodles of scholarly research in conjunction with my volunteer work, as well (anyone want to fund my Masters? Haha)… mostly centered on international/comparative education and literacy attainment in multilingual and/or disadvantaged communities. I’m bombing at Xhosa lessons (bring back the Swahili, tafadhali!), but I didn’t do poorly on the African drums, if I do say so myself. On Thursday and Friday nights, some friends and I like to frequent one or two local cafes/bars for free live folk, African fusion, or reggae bands. Oh, and last Monday? I participated in a political rally and march to parliament. But more on that later.
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