Cape Town – peace play passion

(disclaimer: i use proper grammar all day err day at my job so please just excuse my laziness here k)

so! just turned 30. this may come as a shock but there was no way i was entering a new decade by staying in vancouver.

so where to go?!

there is one place that has been calling my name for the last year or so, a place that has been tugging my heart since i first went in Nov 2017. and if there’s one thing i’ve learned about myself in the last year n a half it’s that i’m not one to procrastinate my bucket list. it was time for AFRICAAAAA.

when i thought about it, Rwanda was probably the most special and unique part of #peaceplaypassion. it was definitely the place that gave me the most culture shock, and made me feel the most out of my element.

i wanted more of that. that’s the good stuff.

Rwanda was also the place that gave me my first taste of the safari bug: and that bug is ADDICTING. when i did a game drive through Akagera Park i knew that i was INSTANTLY hooked. you can look at all the pics of elephants you want online, but seeing these incredible animals up close is an experience you just can’t imagine unless it’s IRL. plus i still had to round out my Big 5 sightings, including that elusive leopard, so what choice did i have but to go back to do a proper safari?!

then there was Cape Town — a place i coined in 2017 to be my spirit city. i’ve yet to meet someone who went to Cape Town and wasn’t obsessed with it. i had such an epic time there, i think that part of my trip really changed me. it was the first place i came into my own as a solo traveller. i just met awesome friends, yoloed so hard, had a freaking blast. plus, i had as close as i’ve gotten to a spiritual experience at the top of Lion’s Head at sunrise, when i decided i didn’t know what life held for me post #peaceplaypassion, but i knew it was up to me to keep the adventure going. i just never ever want to let go of that commitment that i made at the top of that mountain.

so i knew i was going to make it back to cape town as soon as humanly possible.

when i was growing up i kinda always thought i’d be married??? by 30??? or at least in a relationship.

welp. here we are.

back to africa i go!!! lol

i did spend my actual bday with my besties in new york city, which WAS my city at the time. (till Cape Town)… what more could a girl ask for on her bday, really?

a 14.5 hour flight from JFK to Jo-burg, plus a 2-hour flight from there to Cape Town, later, i was descending on this breathtaking south african landscape and, SHOCKER, getting emosh.

i was here, back in africa, back in the motherland, the land that is shared by so many incredible animals, each with their own story to tell. i made it my goal to come back here, and here i was. badabing badaboom.

i also have never been so confident that i would have a 10/10 trip. like i was so prepared, everything was perfect, i knew i wasn’t going to screw anything up (trust me, i have in the past). i honestly had set an intention that my trip was going to be an amazing adventure and never wavered from that — that is called manifestation, friends. it works, trust me.

got to Cape Town, back to Atlantic Point Backpackers Hostel, back to falling in love with the V&A Waterfront. it is so fresh, clean, modern, vibey. the views of table mountain and lion’s head. the live musicians singing african beats. ahhhhh. i was so so so happy.

walked from there to Sea Point in literal bliss. everything was so stunning. the mist was hovering over the shore. lion’s head was towering in the background. everything was perfect.

Sunset drinks at Chinchilla rooftop in Camps Bay with my shark diving guide from last time and his gf Ana. i love how travel creates friendships like that.

next day toured the peninsula with Allie from ToursByLocals. this was all a personal trip but this one day was a work partnership and i am so blessed that all worked out. here’s the article. saw dolphins, seals, dodged the baboons at Cape Point, obsessed over the penguins at Boulders. caught the Muizenberg beach huts at sunset and it was so freaking magical.

honestly in Cape Town i felt like i was floating. it was next level. i was so happy the whole time. every person i met i was just like “hi i am so happy” like i could not shut up about it. but everyone was like “i know, i get it.”

i met new friends, drank on rooftops, caught every damn sunset. went out dancing with different people, went to Yours Truly, Asoka, Mama Africa, Tiger’s Milk, the Gin Bar, Radisson Red. popped into Sgt Pepper a couple times for old times’ sake lol. worked on my laptop in a cafe and a rooftop, got a tour of the beautiful Silo Hotel. hiked Lions Head at sunrise again and had the same sort of out-of-body experience. there is something so incredible about sunrise, especially in Cape Town — it’s all quiet, and the city is twinkling and just waking up below and all around the mountain. i get there early so the other stragglers are just making their way up to the top as the sun is coming up. it’s just more peaceful than sunset, when everyone is getting loud. i think sunrises are a secret to success that all real travellers know — this is when the magic happens. never turn down a sunrise.

i was with my new friend Xavier, from Jo-Burg, at Silo Rooftop when the bartender brought a bottle of wine and said it was for me. i was shocked, asking Xavier if she bought it cause i mentioned i was on a birthday trip. she was like nope wasnt me. apparently it was some gentleman who already left. he came back up later and we all had a drink, just one drink, then went home. he was so nice and not creepy and we all were just appreciating life and this amazing world we live in. i said i was having the best time ever in Cape Town and the universe just kept handing the good vibes right back to me.

the next morning he was already on his way to the airport when he msged me: “so not sure what you up to but can get you a helictoper excursion that takes you out along peninsula down to Cape Point and around. it’s awesome and something to tick off. it’s 4pm today. let me know” *waving emoji*

me: “lol WHAT??? how much?? … NO. STOP. no way. … honestly thank you so much but i couldn’t. that is way too crazy!!”

random stranger who i probably will never see again: “The world is crazy girl. embrace it.”

and that is how i got a free helicopter ride around the most stupidly beautiful city in the world.

it was insane. on my bucket list ranking it came in #2 after the gorillas. probably because of the WHOLE SITUATION. like i was manifesting a sweet trip, but that was next level. i never could have seen that one coming. even my pilot was italian/french/south african, cause why wouldn’t he be? then there was champagne at the end. cause i was thirstay.

what else?

city tour with Kiff Kombi tours was awesome, went to Bo Kaap, Woodstock, got wine tipsy at Constantia. Drew was so great an invited me out with his friends who were so pretty and nice and welcoming and made me want to move there so fricken bad … … .. .

went paragliding with Marc from Fly Sky Wings, flew for like 20 minutes in the sky like a bird. we just floated. he said the winds were perfect that day. took me on a roller coaster over the water, i freaked out at the landing. it was just so amazing. something i had tried to do last time but couldn’t because of the wind, and remember how this trip everything went perfect?

strolling through Sea Point after, its beaches are white sand and its waters are icey blue (in colour, but not that warm in temp either but you know). it’s just so beautiful there. Cape Town isn’t the most safe city (you just have to follow these tips i wrote) but it is so damn liveable. just look at it.

… was going to make this post about my whole trip but you know what cape town filled’er up already! so that was what i call the best week of my life. i have had some amazing weeks, but you ask me when i’m 40 and i’ll still say that week in cape town was the happiest i’ve ever felt. i’ll match it i’m sure, but i don’t think that feeling can be beat. Rio olympics was similar (we called it #consistentfun), and for 6 months of #peaceplaypassion were pretty close to pure bliss. but this one was perfect. i need everyone to go to Cape Town and experience what i mean.

i wonder if people who live there feel like that all the time. kinda seems like they do.

ok bye stay tuned for more africa!

so in case it wasn’t clear, i have a new favourite city and its name is Cape Town.

this city has EVERYTHING. you can go shark diving, climb one of the 7 Wonders of Nature (Table Mountain), surfing, sand duning, ziplining, paragliding, safariing, AMAZING shopping, beaching, partying. like we were going to go see the penguins and this guy wanted to go kayaking on the same day. lo and behold we googled it and of course you can kayak right at the penguin beach. you want it, CT’s got it!

it’s a developed city with a very recent racially divided and tumultuous history. parts of the city reminded me of LA or even Vancouver but it’s still got that wild African charm. it’s actually SUPER similar to Rio, with the gorgeous mountains acting as backdrops as the city sprawls around them, the party atmosphere, the slums (Cape’s favelas are called townships) and the clutch-onto-your-purse-at-all-times mentality. it’s true, every person who heard i was travelling there was like “be careful, be careful.” i spent my first day there being terrified unless i was in a crowd of people. but like EVERYWHERE else in the world, just have your wits about you and the rest is out of your control. Cape Town is ranked the 13th most violent city in the world because of the outskirts – there are 15 homicides a day on avg. my shark diving guide Wiehann told me if you walk into emerg at any given time it’s like 90% gunshots and stab wounds. but he said this happens in places i would never just stumble upon, on the outskirts of the city. so best to stay on the beaten path!

i met the best people at my hostel. Scottish Andrew was always good for lols “this feels like New Orleans” – “i guess” – and he always checked on me and got me to get in the cab home first. Derek from San Fran was down to yolo and pulled me to the safe side of the sidewalk when we were approached by sketchballs. Pedro from Madrid was brushing his teeth but then rallied with me to go out dancing on my last night. Anne at the hostel was such a sweetheart, and Camille took us to local bars “when we were ready” at 3am lol.

i loved Waterfront and the familiarity of a gorgeous promenade/marina with amazing shopping and restaurants; the ritzy Camps Bay reminded me of lunching in LA; Hout Bay was like an old fishing marina; Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is peaceful and beautiful.

obviously, i wasn’t going to go to Cape Town and NOT go shark diving!! still showing that bucket list what’s up. apparently Great Whites aren’t as common anymore where i went (a bunch were killed by groups of whales) and some groups don’t even see sharks at all. i went to Gaansbai with Great White Shark Ventures, and apparently no other groups there that day had seen a Great White. our boat went out to sea and anchored down after about 20 mins. we hopped into the cage in groups of 5, the water was freezing, the crew was yelling DOWN DOWN DOWN for us to duck our heads under water when they spotted a shark. we saw a ton of copper sharks and it was cool, but we were prepared to write the day off as sans Great Whites. just as we were about to head off, a giant 3m long white bellied friend came outta nowhere and ZOOMED up next to the cage. we all lost our shit. i was SO EXCITED. everyone jumped back in the cage for a new turn. it was crazy and so so so epic. one of my faves.

another fave was hiking up Lion’s Head at 4am for sunrise, and trail running down. i had a maj moment at the top of that mountain. feeling very happy and grateful.

went on a “safari” with Aquila to round out the big 5; saw the lions and rhinos but it was more like a zoo tour than a safari. no exhilarating feeling of what animals we were gonna see next and where, because they know exactly how many animals of each type and where they are. the humans even feed them. real safari in Africa is still on the bucket list!! i did meet Pierre from Paris (of course) on the tour, and hiked Table with him and his friends the next day. so that was fun!!

saw the penguins at Simon’s Town, saw the most south western point of Africa at Cape of Good Hope. went to Sargeant Pepper on Long Street a few too many times. enjoyed a patio bevvy and burg at Tiger’s Milk on Kloot Street. a magical, windy rooftop bevvy at Piano Bar (Cape Town’s wind is next level). visited the adorable Bo-Kaap coloured houses with Pedro. sang along and danced with my African brothas. chatted with a local at our hostel, learned about how he is “coloured” but considers himself “black”. in South Africa blacks had an identity card and were sent to jail if they didnt have it with them. they werent allowed out past 6pm. black and coloured people had to walk in a different door in the shops, while whites walked in the front. i have never heard so many people speak about racial groups in these categories, so often. South Africa has seen a lot of improvements but it’s still got a long, long way to go.