A quick run down of my time in South Africa...
Sian, Trey, Clare and I cooked up some Fan-tastic 'gourmet burgers' for dinner on New Years eve and had a fun laid back evening. New Years day I caught up with Olivia and Zach Kosky who were in town to visit Zach's family for a few days post Christmas. It was really great to see some familiar people from back home, even if it was entirely too brief.
On the second of January a bunch of us (Sian, Clare, Trey, Jan, Kath, Jerry, and I) piled into two car and headed to the Cedarberg mountains for a few days of camping. A nice break away from the city, doing a bit of hiking, people watching, reading and writing. It also gave me a good chance to think back over my time in Africa and the upcoming trip to Asia. I had given Sian a hard time about all of the stuff we seemed to be taking with us, but when we got to the campsite I realized South African's take their camping very seriously, and we seemed to be the most ill equipped on the block; we were easily put to shame. In addition to organizing everything the women also all took care of the food and I have to say that I have never eaten so well while camping out! Being that we were camping, there was some level of digression to primitive man, and Trey and I took a keen interest in fire and would spend about an hour each night setting it up. In an attempt to be somewhat useful we also developed an intricate, height adjustable (by accident), system of rocks for cooking over the fire.
After we got back from camping, Trey and Sian and I did a great, lung busting hike up Skeleton's Gorge to Table Mountain, and found a beach on top. The last couple of days in Cape Town were relatively uneventful but we did wrap the last night up with a tasty, albeit expensive, ethiopian dinner. When I arrived in Cape Town I really wasn't sure what to expect and didn't have much to go on besides mountains and water, shark attacks, and the expectations built up by so many people saying how great it was. I have to say that this is one place that actually lived up to all of the hype; Cape Town is an amazing place, I think in large part because of the people, and a place that I would definitely love to spend a more extended period of time. All of the people from Zimbabwe that I hadn't seen in so long, the Jogi's and the Butcher's, were amazing and went well out of their way to help me have a great time, and it was great to catch up with them.
Thanks Sian for letting me crash at your place and putting up with me despite the fact that I was driving you crazy, and Clare I've been missing your amazing cooking (thinking of that gnocchi now is making my mouth water), those meals were the best eating I've done on this trip!
Photos: Cape Town, Cedarberg Mountains
Sian, Trey, Clare and I cooked up some Fan-tastic 'gourmet burgers' for dinner on New Years eve and had a fun laid back evening. New Years day I caught up with Olivia and Zach Kosky who were in town to visit Zach's family for a few days post Christmas. It was really great to see some familiar people from back home, even if it was entirely too brief.
On the second of January a bunch of us (Sian, Clare, Trey, Jan, Kath, Jerry, and I) piled into two car and headed to the Cedarberg mountains for a few days of camping. A nice break away from the city, doing a bit of hiking, people watching, reading and writing. It also gave me a good chance to think back over my time in Africa and the upcoming trip to Asia. I had given Sian a hard time about all of the stuff we seemed to be taking with us, but when we got to the campsite I realized South African's take their camping very seriously, and we seemed to be the most ill equipped on the block; we were easily put to shame. In addition to organizing everything the women also all took care of the food and I have to say that I have never eaten so well while camping out! Being that we were camping, there was some level of digression to primitive man, and Trey and I took a keen interest in fire and would spend about an hour each night setting it up. In an attempt to be somewhat useful we also developed an intricate, height adjustable (by accident), system of rocks for cooking over the fire.
After we got back from camping, Trey and Sian and I did a great, lung busting hike up Skeleton's Gorge to Table Mountain, and found a beach on top. The last couple of days in Cape Town were relatively uneventful but we did wrap the last night up with a tasty, albeit expensive, ethiopian dinner. When I arrived in Cape Town I really wasn't sure what to expect and didn't have much to go on besides mountains and water, shark attacks, and the expectations built up by so many people saying how great it was. I have to say that this is one place that actually lived up to all of the hype; Cape Town is an amazing place, I think in large part because of the people, and a place that I would definitely love to spend a more extended period of time. All of the people from Zimbabwe that I hadn't seen in so long, the Jogi's and the Butcher's, were amazing and went well out of their way to help me have a great time, and it was great to catch up with them.
Thanks Sian for letting me crash at your place and putting up with me despite the fact that I was driving you crazy, and Clare I've been missing your amazing cooking (thinking of that gnocchi now is making my mouth water), those meals were the best eating I've done on this trip!
Photos: Cape Town, Cedarberg Mountains
