After 26 hours of travel - yes, you read that right - we made it to South Africa. Our first flight was Osaka to Dubai, then Dubai to Cape Town. These two flights were about 8-10 hours each, and we had a four hour layover in Dubai. Needless to say, we were completely exhausted and absolutely disgusting by the time we arrived to our apartment in Cape Town. There was an unofficial dinner happening just about 30 minutes after we arrived, so we did our best to get ready, unpack only a little (though, we are quite efficient now), and headed to a restaurant called La Parada.
We had been told that there were 46 total Remotes in Cape Town for February, but I don't think I really conceptualized what that would mean. When we walked into the restaurant, I was completely and immediately overwhelmed by the number of people. It was good and bad, many new people, and reunions with Remotes in our group who we had not seen for a few weeks.
When we were in Thailand, we had met someone who just wrapped up their 12-month journey. I felt like a Freshman talking to a Senior, asking questions with admiration and fascination, receiving answers with confidence. Being around so many one-mothers made me feel more like a Senior. I ended up connecting immediately with a few people who were also on a 12-month journey. It was really nice to connect with people who were farther along on their journey.
The following day, we had our City Welcome and Orientation, and I spent a good portion working. February is, as you know, a short month, and in the grants world, it's also a month of many deadlines. So I really kept my head down. I attended a complimentary yoga session and the language class, walked around our new neighborhood (the V&A Waterfront), went grocery shopping, and worked. Later in the week, we had our welcome experience - included in our program, and different in every location. In Cape Town, it was a drumming circle. We learned a few drumming patterns and got to witness some incredibly skilled singing and drumming. We learned about a traditional African song that is sung before the slaughtering of a cow or large livestock. It was so fun and I have so much respect for hand drummers. My hands were buzzing and I had to stop a few times to bring feeling back to my fingers.
On Friday morning, a group of 11 headed up to Lions Head, one the the premier hikes accessible within city limits of Cape Town. It's also a tough one, with about 2000 ft of gain over just 1.5 miles (roughly). The hike has a chain and ladder section, reminding me of Acadia National Park, or Angel's Landing in Zion Park (both of which are more challenging than Lions Head). We started early, but if I'm honest, not early enough. By the time we got to the false summit, many of our group had turned around because they ran out of water, or just needed to stop before the bouldering section. In the end, only three people (including yours truly) made it to the top that day. The views were totally incredible and worth it. The way back down was mentally more challenging than the way up, because you're looking down at some pretty steep rocks. I can't quite remember when I did with the rest of my day, but I think a nap was involved.
The following day we had a walking tour of the CBD area in Cape Town. The CBD (Central Business District) is a major business district in Cape Town's metropolitan area and serves as the financial centre of the Western Cape and South Africa. It is also the central area that has many historical buildings, local squares and markets, as well as gardens and parks. Afterwards, we went to the Old Biscuit Mill, a small business market and food court in Woodstock. Our walk was long and in the sun, so I only stayed for a bit before heading home to get ready for dinner with a few friends.
The next day, I had another hike planned up Table Mountain, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. We went up one of the less challenging - but still intense - trails called Platteklip Gorge. The trail was really well-maintained and generally popular, even at our early start time. It is comprised of stone steps nearly the entire way and follows a creek. We walked through the gorge area, admiring our view of sunrise and some of the steam/clouds that were showing off. The view from the top is supposed to be amazing, but we wouldn't know because by the time we got to the top, we were completely socked in! It made everything a little eerie, and we still enjoyed a coffee from the cafe. The cable car ride down was also enjoyable, and overall, this was a great way to spend a morning!
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