I am absolutely longing to get out onto the mountain again and to feel the earth beneath my feet and to cast my eyes across the views from high up above. Currently my hiking boots are hanging up, but hopefully not for too much longer. My exams are now long over but my faithful hiking partner is currently recovering from a hamstring injury so we are both waiting patiently for her to heal so we can head out again.
But luckily I live in Cape Town and even when I can’t get onto the mountain, there is tons more for me to adventure out and do. This past weekend was jam-packed full and when I wasn’t indoors relaxing I was outdoors braai’ing or walking along the ocean (twice, lucky me!) and even checking out some of the smaller yachts that had come in to the harbour after the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Here’s a few pics from my weekend adventures. Granted, it’s not the mountain, but it’s just as fabulous!
Saturday started off a cloudy and much cooler day in The Mother City after a heat-wave on Friday. After a nice long lazy breakfast it was off to the beach for a stroll. Surprisingly, as the weather was cooler, Cape Town residence had seemingly deserted the beach. It was perfect!
Beautiful overcast stroll on a deserted Blouberg Beach.
With the beach deserted, the sound of the crashing waves was music to our ears.
Sunday the sun was back out again and the promise of a beautiful day beckoned. After a bit of a disastrous start burning the breakfast toast no less than three times the day could only get better! Heading out this time was a little different, instead of driving a car around the peninsula, it was decided to adventure out and discover the MyCiti bus routes. It was like learning the London and Argentinian Underground all over again! Routes selected and timing almost perfect, it wasn’t long before we were hopping onto a bus and whizzing our way towards the V & A Waterfront. Considering it was the blind leading the blind, without taking any wrong routes, we made it to our destination in record time.
Travel cards bought, waiting for the bus.
Hopping off the bus we strolled around and stopped to check out some of the smaller yachts that had come into the harbour after the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. I have always had a sense for adventure and just watching the teams working on the boats I imagined joining a team on at least one of the legs of the race. As a kid I spent a lot of time of a family members yacht and loved being out on the ocean. Sailing around the world in a race I can only imagine holds hair-raising moments among moments of absolute calm and vast expansive beauty. I listened as someone over the PA system interviewed some of the team members, one team-mate explained how their boat rolled over and how they managed to get it up right again and how one of their men went overboard too. Later the guy on the PA system spoke about how by joining a sailing academy for a year you could get a change to take part in a race like this. Right, where do I sign up? I’m already climbing the seven highest mountains of the world, how about I try sailing some oceans… Maybe this is something I need to consider adding to my bucket list after all.
Two of the smaller yachts in the harbour.
The smallest boat in the Volvo Ocean Race and the one that did some rolls in the ocean on its way to Cape Town!
The route of the Volvo Ocean Race. Um, next bucket list #….?!!
Teams drying out their spinnaker according to the guy on the PA system.
Yes, definitely, I could be out in the middle of the ocean on this sailing around the world.
Amen sista!
More boats from the Volvo Ocean Race.
After wandering around, American corn dogs and ice-cream we headed back home just in time for me to be picked up by my friend, Marli and my two favourite Basset Hounds, Lily and Franklin, for an early evening walk along the beach. My weekend wasn’t over yet! By now the infamous Cape Town South Easter was howling across the bay but brave girls that we are we headed out to the beach anyway. Heading out to a place called DerdeSteen, we pulled up into the parking lot by the wooden board walk only to have Marli exclaim loudly, I’m not sure whether in excitement or pure horror, “checking out that huge snake!” Instantly my feet were raised off the floor of the car and within another 10 seconds my feet were firmly drawn up onto the seat. To say snakes are my biggest fear is an understatement. In fact, as I type this my feet are raised off the ground (just in case you know!) Unfortunately, as Marli said that I had looked straight at the creature before I could raise my hands to shield my sight from it as I lifted my legs even higher. That image of that creature is still firmly planted in my mind, replying like a horror movie over and over again.
Needless to say, Marli will never again mention the “s” word in front of me again and we drove to the far side of the parking lot and very cautiously walked onto the beach!
With the South Easter blowing in across the bay, it was a stinging beach walk!
Strolling along a very wind swept DerdeSteen beach.
Marli and my two favourite Basset Hounds, Lily and Franklin!
Another deserted wind swept beach.
The wind battered us from across the bay and the sand whipped around our legs and arms, stinging us as we walked. The poor hounds, low on the ground, took the brunt of the sand flying low across the beach. It wasn’t before long we were all covered in sand and turning around to head back to the car, mission beach walk, failed!
Even thought my weekend didn’t hold the promise of the mountain, my weekend was jam-packed, filled with the outdoors and so much of what I love. How can anyone not love Cape Town?! Hopefully soon my hiking boots will be back on and I’ll be back on the mountain slopes that I love.
~ All Photos By Me ~
Walking4Air 