Hello again! It’s been just over a week since my last blog post and what a week it has been. I started off this past Saturday with a hike across the Upper Contour path and then up Platteklip Gorge to the top of Table Mountain. Platteklip is the fastest and most populated route up the mountain, and it is also one of the most strenuous. It was definitely a cardio work out, but well worth it. Although it was the second time I had hiked Table Mountain, it was the first time I had really seen the top. It is unbelievable. It’s hard to explain just how huge Table Mountain is, but one could, for example, hike for 6 hours around the top of Table Mountain and never seen the same thing twice. The peak is absolutely massive. Kendall and I explored some of Echo Valley, one of the many areas on top of Table Mountain, and then walked towards the cable car. We decided to take the cable car down because it is faster and we were pretty tired and hungry after around 4 hours of hiking total. A few of the pictures from the hike are below.

On Sunday, we had another adventure, although this one was a little closer to sea level. We woke up at 4 a.m. and drove about two hours to Gansbaii, South Africa. For those who have never heard of Gansbaii, it is the Great White Shark capital of the world. After a big breakfast and a safety briefing, we boarded a ship and headed out to dive with the sharks (cage included). It took a couple hours of waiting to get enough sharks near us, but eventually we found them. When our group was called, I put on my wet suit and jumped into the freezing water. We were in the water for about 15 minutes and saw more than 7 sharks. A few of them were absolutely massive (>15 feet) and came within inches of our cage. Although a mouthful of salt water turned my slight nausea into full-blown sea-sickness, the experience was very amazing over all. Once I got home, I was very glad to spend the rest of the day relaxing and catching up on school and debate work. Some pictures of the boat, sea and sharks are below.

On Monday we had class for most of the day where we watched videos and discussed mostly the racial dynamics of South Africa. Afterwards, we took a trip to Bo-Kaap, a neighborhood in Cape Town filled with colored houses (pictures below). From Bo-Kaap, we walked around the city a bit and then went home. After such a busy weekend, I went to bed very early to prepare for the hectic days to come.

Tuesday morning, Lindela picked us up extra early to begin our first overnight camping experience. We drove down to Phillipi to get the kids ready to go. I collected back my first set of surveys. I was only able to get back 13 of the 20 I had originally handed out, so hopefully I will be able to collect the other 7 and pass out more as soon as possible. Once we got in the car, we drove to a grocery store near the mountain to get food for the next couple days. After that, we finally drove to the mountain. Once we reached the mountain, we ate a small breakfast and did some warm up exercises before beginning the day’s hike. Our hike began in an area called Constantia Nek. The hike, called “The People’s Trail” goes along the side of Constantia Nek up into Disa Gorge. Before we reached Disa Gorge, we stopped to talk to the kids about the biodiversity of the area. I learned about the Fynbos Family, which is a family of plant species native to the Cape Peninsula region. We discussed the problems of alien (or invasive) species and the differences between the Fynbos family and the alien plants, particularly with regards to water use and adaptation. This trail is a particularly good one for this lesson because it is a restricted, protected area. At the beginning, where the protected area begins, there is a stark contrast between the mostly alien species to the left of the trail and the mostly indigenous to the right. Disa Gorge in particular is noted for being one of the only areas which is predominantly populated with indigenous plants. We were only allowed there because BEEP has a permit. Some pictures from the first part of this hike are below.

As you go up Disa Gorge, you eventually reach a dam, Woodhead Dam. We had to climb a steep staircase to reach the top of the dam. From the top, you can see the whole of Disa Gorge. It is pretty spectacular. After reaching the dam, we walked about 10 more minutes to reach our overnight hut where we would be spending the night. Some pictures of the reservoir and Disa Gorge are below.

After lunch, we went out to an area to do an activity where we contemplate the biggest problems in our life. It was a great experience and very emotional for a lot of the kids. After the activity, we walked a few minutes to the top of the old cable way to watch to the sunset (pictures below). This spot overlooks Camps Bay and is one of the best spots on Table Mountain to watch the sunset. When we got back, we started preparing for dinner and bed. I chopped wood with the boys and made a massive fire. Olwethu, who was running this camp, lead a discussion about discipline, preparedness and passion before dinner. Dinner, cooked by Paige and other kids, was very good and afterwards, we talked and played games. Sleeping was difficult because of how unbelievably cold it was, but overall the day was amazing.

The next morning, I woke up early to catch the sunrise. I walked past the dams and climbed up some rocks near the entrance of Nursery Ravine. Some pictures of the sunrise are below. Once I got back, we made breakfast and lunch (for later) and cleaned up the hut. On our way back, we walked part-way down Constantia Nek and then traversed the mountain to connect with Nursery Ravine. Nursery Ravine spilled directly into Kirstenbosch, the garden I visited a few weeks ago, where our transport was waiting for us. We ate lunch at the bottom and then went home. The rest of the night was spent warming up and relaxing after a long two day. Thursday, we were given the day off and I am got some much needed time to catch up on work and reflect on the past few weeks. This trip has been more amazing than I ever could have expected. Friday, we are left early for a two night trip along the Garden Route, but the details on that will have to wait for the next post. Check back in the coming days to hear about this trip and more as I continue my Cape Town adventure!