Adrenaline Week
The past four days have passed by in a blur. One big, hazy, adrenaline-packed, fun blur.
Tuesday - Camps Bay
Rashad and I had breakfast at Cocoa Wah Wah, where I stayed to work until Chuck finished class. I demolished some Pragmatism reading and was sending some emails when BAM! a motorcyclist t-boned an SUV at the intersection in front of the cafe. I was working, heard the tires squeal, and looked up in time to see the whole crash happen. I don't think anyone was critically injured but the motorcyclist was definitely in pain and the people in the car were ok minus a few cuts. But it was a crazy experience to say the least and it simply illustrated that the drivers in this city may be the worst in the entire world. Speed limits are nonexistent, it is required to peel out after every stop light, pedestrians do NOT have the right of way, and hearing at least one cop car chase per night is about average. Post-crash I met up with Selcuk and we headed out to Camps Bay, a beach on the Atlantic coast. With the 12 Apostles towering behind us, Selcuk and I walked along the beach and I stuck my toes in (the water is an icy ~40 degrees). We grabbed a bite to eat, tried to do some schoolwork on the beach but were thwarted by wind-whipped sand particles, and ended up at a cafe overlooking the beach sipping on happy hour cocktails. We met up with Rashad after his task force and got some tasty pizza. After dinner, in honor of St. Patrick, we went downtown to the sole Irish bar in town (along with every other expat). It was a hot, sweaty, crowded mess but we found some UCT friends and hung out at the quieter upstairs joint. Nothing too crazy but it was fun meeting some new kids, drinking some green beer, and checking out the Cape Town night life. The day of crazy/random occurences was topped off by our detour on the drive home because the highway was closed by a raging wildfire. When we left for the bar around 11pm, the fire was contained to a few small patches on the hillside near UCT. When we drove home from the bar at 1am, the ocean breezes had spread the fire across the entire face of Table Mtn making it look like a volcano towering over the city. The next two days were filled with the sights and sounds of helicopters filling water buckets and dropping them across the hillside nonstop. But we got home safely in order to fight another day....
Wednesday - Horseback Riding
Breakfast (at Coca Wah Wah...again) with Rashad and his friend Jane, a Wisconsin student studying at UCT. Delicious as always. I then sat in on Rashad's class, War and Society. The professor gave an interesting lecture about the Boer War, but the whole setup (overhead, straight lecture, nothing too complicated) reminded me of high school. After class I saw Maurie, Carolyn, and Laura for a quick second, long enough to make tentative plans to meet up later in the night. I then retreated to the apartment to try and get some work done before Chuck and I went horseback riding! I didn't get much work done (story of my break), but I was psyched when the driver picked us up for our afternoon's activity. We drove to Noordhoek and after getting a brief tour of the area from our driver, ended at Imhoff Farm. Wearing our cool riding helmets, Chuck and I were saddled onto our trusty steeds - Blaze and Cassie. My first time riding English and my first time riding on the beach, it was an adventure. Chuck had never really ridden before so he stayed with a nice trot but I was anxious to let Cassie out and she was happy to oblige (only because another horse got in front and she wanted to catch up) with a brisk canter. It is a pretty awesome feeling to be racing down the beach on the back of a horse with the South African landscape streaming past. I can't describe it any better than that and I apologize. Our 2 hr ride finished just as the sun was setting and the driver returned us to Cape Town proper to meet up with Rashad. We dined at a fancy establishment, but not before we had to wait 30 minutes for a table while watching an abominable cricket match. I don't know how anyone likes this sport. And as Selcuk pointed out, I'm not sure that any sport where a sweater is part of the uniform actually counts as a sport. It's like baseball but for less athletic people who don't want to have to do anything too strenuous. But the manager took good care of us and we had a great meal of crayfish and steak. Again, I have yet to have a bad meal in this city...unbelievable! We then returned to Rondebosch and met up with Maurie for casual drinks at a cafe on Main rd. It was great chatting with her and I regret not coming if only because I would have strenthened my relationships with the other Pton kids here.
Thursday - Work
I slept in for the first time all week and then got up to start some school work. I intensely dislike having things to do over break (other than have fun), so my ADD obviously kicked in and I was significantly less productive than I needed to be. I started work on both of my assignments but finished neither and still have lots left to do. Selcuk had class until 3 and our only plan for the day was to have dinner with all the Pton students at night. We met up with everyone and headed to an Asian restaurant that was very good, despite us being the only customers in the entire restaurant. We were the only people there for two hours. I have no idea how they stay in business. Anyways, we had an awesome time catching up, talking with new friends, and sharing stories. After dinner we tried to go across the street to play laser tag. Unfortunately it was closed, so we then tried to go bowling at the "open" alley next door. I guess "open" here doesn't mean the same thing as open in the USA and they told us they were closing and we couldn't play. The Pton team scattered, and Selcuk, Rashad, and I hit up a neighborhood bar for a few beers (bro-ing out) and then back to the apartment. Again, it was another bittersweet tast of "what could have been" for I know I would have loved it but wouldn't change my decision in any way.
Friday - Great White Shark Cage Diving!
It was not easy hiding the day's activities from my mom and Liz, but well worth it. Rashad and I were picked up at 4:30am and driven 2 hrs to Kleinbaai for a day on the water with White Shark Projects. Following Sebastian's advice, I figured this was an experience I didn't want to miss out on. After our quick breakfast/briefing, our group of ~13 was shuttled onto the boat and put out to sea. Kleinbaai is located 15 minutes away from "Shark Alley," mentioned in almost every shark documentary (accd. to our skipper). This 200 yd stretch of water separates two islands, one of which hosts 50,000-60,000 seals year-round. Seals happen to be the favorite food of the Great White Shark and thus, Shark Alley is a reliable buffet line. The day was a lot sitting and waiting (and for some people, getting seasick - rashad), but we saw 3 different sharks (1 I saw when in the cage). We anchored .5-1 mile offshore of the seal island, chummed up the water, and threw out a bait line (tuna head tied to buoy on a rope). Then basically you wait until a shark finds the bait line at which point the first mate tries to lure the shark alongside the cage. The cage is a metal crate roped to the side of the boat, 3/4 underwater and can hold 5 people at a time. You hang from the top of the crate with your head above water (the wetsuit keeps you warm) and when the first mate brings the shark alongside the crate, you dive below and watch these amazing animals swim by. Their sheer power is frightening and the fact that they share the same ocean that I was surfing in on Sunday is a little scary to say the least. The entire excursion lasted ~4 hrs on the boat and we only saw sharks for 1-2 minutes total, but it was exciting and worth it! It tempts me to return in May-August when the sharks are hyperactive and in abundance...maybe next year.... We returned to CT (napping the entire way), to meet up with Selcuk for the rest of the day. We worked in the afternoon and then headed downtown to find a place to eat. The places Selcuk had in mind were fully booked so we started walking...and walking...and walking. We finally found Kloof St. and the first restaurant we happened upon was The Opal Lounge. I won't bore you with details, but this was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. This meal alone made the trip worthwhile. The restaurant is in a gorgeous, old Victorian mansion and each room has a different motif. It wasn't too crowded, the service was excellent, and the food was interesting and delicious. Our 3 course meal (with treats to "prime our tastebuds" and "clear our palate" complements of the chef not included) was a FINE dining experience. If anyone reading this ever goes to CT and works up an appetite, check out the Opal Lounge. Full and happy, the three kings went over to Rachel/Kim/Stanton's apartment to sample Rachel's world famous blueberry pie. The tasty treat exceeded our expectations and we passed another night in great company with Rachel, Kim, Carolyn, and some other roommates (Katie and Stanton). Back at the apartment now, we are about to hit the hay beacause my last 24-hrs begin bright and early with a 9am tour of Robben Island....as my brother would say, "God hates lazy" and so I'm doing my best to take advantage of each and every waking minute. As I tell everyone here, we are just trying to fit a semester's worth of fun into one week. So far, it has been a great success and I'll be sad to leave tomorrow night.
Tuesday - Camps Bay
Rashad and I had breakfast at Cocoa Wah Wah, where I stayed to work until Chuck finished class. I demolished some Pragmatism reading and was sending some emails when BAM! a motorcyclist t-boned an SUV at the intersection in front of the cafe. I was working, heard the tires squeal, and looked up in time to see the whole crash happen. I don't think anyone was critically injured but the motorcyclist was definitely in pain and the people in the car were ok minus a few cuts. But it was a crazy experience to say the least and it simply illustrated that the drivers in this city may be the worst in the entire world. Speed limits are nonexistent, it is required to peel out after every stop light, pedestrians do NOT have the right of way, and hearing at least one cop car chase per night is about average. Post-crash I met up with Selcuk and we headed out to Camps Bay, a beach on the Atlantic coast. With the 12 Apostles towering behind us, Selcuk and I walked along the beach and I stuck my toes in (the water is an icy ~40 degrees). We grabbed a bite to eat, tried to do some schoolwork on the beach but were thwarted by wind-whipped sand particles, and ended up at a cafe overlooking the beach sipping on happy hour cocktails. We met up with Rashad after his task force and got some tasty pizza. After dinner, in honor of St. Patrick, we went downtown to the sole Irish bar in town (along with every other expat). It was a hot, sweaty, crowded mess but we found some UCT friends and hung out at the quieter upstairs joint. Nothing too crazy but it was fun meeting some new kids, drinking some green beer, and checking out the Cape Town night life. The day of crazy/random occurences was topped off by our detour on the drive home because the highway was closed by a raging wildfire. When we left for the bar around 11pm, the fire was contained to a few small patches on the hillside near UCT. When we drove home from the bar at 1am, the ocean breezes had spread the fire across the entire face of Table Mtn making it look like a volcano towering over the city. The next two days were filled with the sights and sounds of helicopters filling water buckets and dropping them across the hillside nonstop. But we got home safely in order to fight another day....
Wednesday - Horseback Riding
Breakfast (at Coca Wah Wah...again) with Rashad and his friend Jane, a Wisconsin student studying at UCT. Delicious as always. I then sat in on Rashad's class, War and Society. The professor gave an interesting lecture about the Boer War, but the whole setup (overhead, straight lecture, nothing too complicated) reminded me of high school. After class I saw Maurie, Carolyn, and Laura for a quick second, long enough to make tentative plans to meet up later in the night. I then retreated to the apartment to try and get some work done before Chuck and I went horseback riding! I didn't get much work done (story of my break), but I was psyched when the driver picked us up for our afternoon's activity. We drove to Noordhoek and after getting a brief tour of the area from our driver, ended at Imhoff Farm. Wearing our cool riding helmets, Chuck and I were saddled onto our trusty steeds - Blaze and Cassie. My first time riding English and my first time riding on the beach, it was an adventure. Chuck had never really ridden before so he stayed with a nice trot but I was anxious to let Cassie out and she was happy to oblige (only because another horse got in front and she wanted to catch up) with a brisk canter. It is a pretty awesome feeling to be racing down the beach on the back of a horse with the South African landscape streaming past. I can't describe it any better than that and I apologize. Our 2 hr ride finished just as the sun was setting and the driver returned us to Cape Town proper to meet up with Rashad. We dined at a fancy establishment, but not before we had to wait 30 minutes for a table while watching an abominable cricket match. I don't know how anyone likes this sport. And as Selcuk pointed out, I'm not sure that any sport where a sweater is part of the uniform actually counts as a sport. It's like baseball but for less athletic people who don't want to have to do anything too strenuous. But the manager took good care of us and we had a great meal of crayfish and steak. Again, I have yet to have a bad meal in this city...unbelievable! We then returned to Rondebosch and met up with Maurie for casual drinks at a cafe on Main rd. It was great chatting with her and I regret not coming if only because I would have strenthened my relationships with the other Pton kids here.
Thursday - Work
I slept in for the first time all week and then got up to start some school work. I intensely dislike having things to do over break (other than have fun), so my ADD obviously kicked in and I was significantly less productive than I needed to be. I started work on both of my assignments but finished neither and still have lots left to do. Selcuk had class until 3 and our only plan for the day was to have dinner with all the Pton students at night. We met up with everyone and headed to an Asian restaurant that was very good, despite us being the only customers in the entire restaurant. We were the only people there for two hours. I have no idea how they stay in business. Anyways, we had an awesome time catching up, talking with new friends, and sharing stories. After dinner we tried to go across the street to play laser tag. Unfortunately it was closed, so we then tried to go bowling at the "open" alley next door. I guess "open" here doesn't mean the same thing as open in the USA and they told us they were closing and we couldn't play. The Pton team scattered, and Selcuk, Rashad, and I hit up a neighborhood bar for a few beers (bro-ing out) and then back to the apartment. Again, it was another bittersweet tast of "what could have been" for I know I would have loved it but wouldn't change my decision in any way.
Friday - Great White Shark Cage Diving!
It was not easy hiding the day's activities from my mom and Liz, but well worth it. Rashad and I were picked up at 4:30am and driven 2 hrs to Kleinbaai for a day on the water with White Shark Projects. Following Sebastian's advice, I figured this was an experience I didn't want to miss out on. After our quick breakfast/briefing, our group of ~13 was shuttled onto the boat and put out to sea. Kleinbaai is located 15 minutes away from "Shark Alley," mentioned in almost every shark documentary (accd. to our skipper). This 200 yd stretch of water separates two islands, one of which hosts 50,000-60,000 seals year-round. Seals happen to be the favorite food of the Great White Shark and thus, Shark Alley is a reliable buffet line. The day was a lot sitting and waiting (and for some people, getting seasick - rashad), but we saw 3 different sharks (1 I saw when in the cage). We anchored .5-1 mile offshore of the seal island, chummed up the water, and threw out a bait line (tuna head tied to buoy on a rope). Then basically you wait until a shark finds the bait line at which point the first mate tries to lure the shark alongside the cage. The cage is a metal crate roped to the side of the boat, 3/4 underwater and can hold 5 people at a time. You hang from the top of the crate with your head above water (the wetsuit keeps you warm) and when the first mate brings the shark alongside the crate, you dive below and watch these amazing animals swim by. Their sheer power is frightening and the fact that they share the same ocean that I was surfing in on Sunday is a little scary to say the least. The entire excursion lasted ~4 hrs on the boat and we only saw sharks for 1-2 minutes total, but it was exciting and worth it! It tempts me to return in May-August when the sharks are hyperactive and in abundance...maybe next year.... We returned to CT (napping the entire way), to meet up with Selcuk for the rest of the day. We worked in the afternoon and then headed downtown to find a place to eat. The places Selcuk had in mind were fully booked so we started walking...and walking...and walking. We finally found Kloof St. and the first restaurant we happened upon was The Opal Lounge. I won't bore you with details, but this was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. This meal alone made the trip worthwhile. The restaurant is in a gorgeous, old Victorian mansion and each room has a different motif. It wasn't too crowded, the service was excellent, and the food was interesting and delicious. Our 3 course meal (with treats to "prime our tastebuds" and "clear our palate" complements of the chef not included) was a FINE dining experience. If anyone reading this ever goes to CT and works up an appetite, check out the Opal Lounge. Full and happy, the three kings went over to Rachel/Kim/Stanton's apartment to sample Rachel's world famous blueberry pie. The tasty treat exceeded our expectations and we passed another night in great company with Rachel, Kim, Carolyn, and some other roommates (Katie and Stanton). Back at the apartment now, we are about to hit the hay beacause my last 24-hrs begin bright and early with a 9am tour of Robben Island....as my brother would say, "God hates lazy" and so I'm doing my best to take advantage of each and every waking minute. As I tell everyone here, we are just trying to fit a semester's worth of fun into one week. So far, it has been a great success and I'll be sad to leave tomorrow night.
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