Above being said, I can assure you this is the final installment of my African journal. As I finished logging the remaining few days I was unable to do in real time, I remembered that we had kept track of our peaks and pits from each segment of our journey. While we physically shared in the same activities, our varying interests prevailed in terms of what stands out the most in each of our minds. I am so glad we decided to do this - it adds a personalized touch from 4 different perspectives.
CAPE TOWN
Cape Town ended up being the perfect way for us to begin the trip. A sort of "transition" into commencing all-things Africa. It is very much a westernized city, with a San Francisco type of vibe.
It is not surprising that we all ended up with very similar peaks and pits during the first leg of our travels, considering the similarities we share in daily life - adventurers, foodies, self proclaimed wine connoisseurs and lovers of great company. The accomplishment of hiking from the base to the very top of Table Mountain was something none of us had ever experienced as hikers. It was the most difficult climb any of us had ever done, and reaching the top was so rewarding.
The Old Biscuit Mill was also a fan favorite. We ended up having a number of meals at the wonderful restaurants in this particular area of the city, and it proved to be a lot like Wicker Park in Chicago. With a plethora of shops and restaurants in the surrounding spaces, we all felt right at home here!
- ALI
- Peak: Hiking Table Mountain
- Pit: Receiving word that our shark encounter had been cancelled
- BRANDON
- Peak: The Old Biscuit Mill
- Pit: The bus ride at Robben Island (surprisingly, not the boat road out there!)
- CLAIRE
- Peak: Hiking Table Mountain
- Pit: Receiving word that our shark encounter had been cancelled
- JASON
- Peak: Tie - The meal at The Test Kitchen and hiking Table Mountain
- Pit: Receiving word that our shark encounter had been cancelled
CAPE POINT TOUR/TRANSPORT TO FRANSCHHOEK
Wow. What beautiful coastal views we saw as we drove along the winding roads of the southern most tip of Africa. None of us had been so far south in the world before! This was a day filled with Game of Thrones style cliffs, panoramic ocean views and interesting wildlife.
There was nothing that even came close to being a pit on this day - with the luck we had with the weather and our great driver. We all relished in the good karma and hoped that it was going to follow us through in the days ahead.
- ALI
- Peak: Tie - seeing an ostrich in the wild and the many whale sightings
- BRANDON
- Peak:The weather
- CLAIRE
- Peak: Cape Point lookout
- JASON
- Peak: Cape Point lookout
FRANSCHHOEK
As if the scenery from the Cape Tour could not have gotten any better, Franschhoek went ahead and blew our minds! We arrived just as the sun was setting, shining beautifully off of the mountain ranges all around us. We knew this was going to be a great experience in such an amazing setting. Franschhoek is a small, quaint little town. It reminded me a lot of Sedona in a way - it somewhat shuts down after 9pm. A perfect set up for us to purchase wine and snuggle up in our amazing B&B penthouse apartment at night. We only had a short stay here, but we absolutely maximized our time - wineries, wineries, biking in the mountains and more wineries!
- ALI
- Peak: Tie - Maison Estate and Bike Tour
- Pit: The Tasting Room
- BRANDON
- Peak: Tie - Maison Estate and Bike Tour
- Pit: The Tasting Room
- CLAIRE
- Peak: Bike Tour
- Pit: Rain on the way to get coffee right before our Bike Tour
- JASON
- Peak: Maison Estate
- Pit: The Tasting Room aftermath
SIMON'S TOWN
The day of JAWS...or lack thereof! We had only a 1 day/night stay in Simon's Town, but it is just a small little bay town and likely did not warrant much more. The setting is gorgeous and our B&B was tucked away atop a mountain area, overlooking the bay. Truly the most relaxing way we could have ended the stresses of the shark encounter! We ordered food in, hung out around the fireplace and (of course) drank lots of wine!
- ALI
- Peak: Seeing a great white shark breach and swimming around the boat
- Pit: Not being able to get into the shark cage
- BRANDON
- Peak: Salty Sea Dog fish & chips
- Pit: The entire shark encounter (minus actually seeing the shark by the boat!)
- CLAIRE:
- Peak: Seeing a great white shark breach and swimming around the boat
- Pit: Walking up Ranciman Street, trying to get to the B&B (Trail of Tears!)
- JASON
- Peak: Seeing a great white shark breach and swimming around the boat
- Pit: Boat ride out to Seal Island
SAFARI
There is no such thing as a peak and pit on this portion of the trip. For 7 days and 6 nights, we called this haven of paradise home. I truly believe the 4 of us will forever be changed because of our experiences here.
Safari forces you to reset in a way, getting back to the basics. Before we had iPads or cell phones. Before we had the Internet or any of the other newly insane ways to stay constantly connected. Before that, there was life and the utmost of appreciation for it.
Safari makes you value the things you love the most. As cliche as it is, we saw first hand the circle of life. We now know what it means to truly be a survivor. The entire experience is quite humbling. To feel so insignificant is important, or at least it was for me. There is always something bigger than yourself, and the world is more than capable of functioning without you. I needed to be reminded of that...
I so often let work take precedence over not only my family and friends, but also myself. I shouldn't. I should live in the now. Jason harped on me a number of times throughout the trip when he noticed me dicking around on my phone. Sometimes reading work emails, though I made a very conscious effort not to respond to anything, and sometimes on Instagram. In my defense, Instagram was always used to document our experiences! But the point is clear - I need to be more present in my own life. I need to enjoy the incredible people in my world. I need to make the time for myself and those I love. While I am thankful for my career, I am slowly gaining a better perspective on what it means to be balanced. Sure, money can buy a smile, and afford us such opportunities to travel the world, but earning it should never be at the expense of your own sanity and personal well-being.
To spend the time in the African bush that we did allows for so many things, but for me - a total state of clarity. To look up at the stars and know this is a sky I had never seen before left me speechless. To take in the breathtaking colors of an African sunset filled me with warmth. And to find myself in the face of so many beautiful animals was (sometimes) terrifying, but mostly peaceful.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel quite a bit, always thoroughly enjoying myself and definitely saddened when I have to leave. But leaving the game reserve in South Africa? That nearly brought me to tears... This is very much my happy place - a personal paradise. I could have stayed on safari forever, staring at the exact same scenery day in and day out. Knowing each day is somehow very different than the last.
I will forever dream of going on just one more game drive - even with the 5:30am wake up call!
There is no such thing as a peak and pit on this portion of the trip. For 7 days and 6 nights, we called this haven of paradise home. I truly believe the 4 of us will forever be changed because of our experiences here.
Safari forces you to reset in a way, getting back to the basics. Before we had iPads or cell phones. Before we had the Internet or any of the other newly insane ways to stay constantly connected. Before that, there was life and the utmost of appreciation for it.
Safari makes you value the things you love the most. As cliche as it is, we saw first hand the circle of life. We now know what it means to truly be a survivor. The entire experience is quite humbling. To feel so insignificant is important, or at least it was for me. There is always something bigger than yourself, and the world is more than capable of functioning without you. I needed to be reminded of that...
I so often let work take precedence over not only my family and friends, but also myself. I shouldn't. I should live in the now. Jason harped on me a number of times throughout the trip when he noticed me dicking around on my phone. Sometimes reading work emails, though I made a very conscious effort not to respond to anything, and sometimes on Instagram. In my defense, Instagram was always used to document our experiences! But the point is clear - I need to be more present in my own life. I need to enjoy the incredible people in my world. I need to make the time for myself and those I love. While I am thankful for my career, I am slowly gaining a better perspective on what it means to be balanced. Sure, money can buy a smile, and afford us such opportunities to travel the world, but earning it should never be at the expense of your own sanity and personal well-being.
To spend the time in the African bush that we did allows for so many things, but for me - a total state of clarity. To look up at the stars and know this is a sky I had never seen before left me speechless. To take in the breathtaking colors of an African sunset filled me with warmth. And to find myself in the face of so many beautiful animals was (sometimes) terrifying, but mostly peaceful.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel quite a bit, always thoroughly enjoying myself and definitely saddened when I have to leave. But leaving the game reserve in South Africa? That nearly brought me to tears... This is very much my happy place - a personal paradise. I could have stayed on safari forever, staring at the exact same scenery day in and day out. Knowing each day is somehow very different than the last.
I will forever dream of going on just one more game drive - even with the 5:30am wake up call!
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