Week two in Cape Town took on a much more manageable pace. Thank goodness – I can’t keep up with all the young people. I admit I got caught up in wanting to do all of the things initially. The excitement of a new city, new friends, plus all the activities RY had scheduled, it was like a drug. I wanted to see everything and do everything! I am now realizing that I prefer to see and do just enough things. Frantic is not my natural rhythm.

So I am settling into a better balance between quiet time, exploring the city, actually working a bit, and then squeezing in some social activity here and there. Tuesday a few of us started the day with a lovely meditation circle. It took half of the 30 minutes for me to settle into it, but I felt great by the end. I went straight from that into a run/walk along the water and around DHL, and by 10am I was feeling so freaking alive. This is the way all days should start. Can’t wait for the next meditation.

From there I had the energy to actually focus on work, so I headed to our shared workspace for a few hours. It’s located inside a building called the Watershed, which is filled with little artisan shops, so I DID get a bit distracted along the way. But eventually I found a spot to sit and work for a while on my current project.  Side note: I’m still looking for new contracts if you know anyone who could use some help. This trip isn’t going to fund itself, and I don’t have any clients for June yet. Don’t make me start the GoFund me page! Or maybe I should look into adding paid ads to my blog… that should earn me about $1.50 extra🤣

Anyway… we had another lunch roulette on Tuesday. These are weekly opportunities to get to know people in the group on a deeper level. Our leader scrambles us into groups of 4 or 5, different combinations of people each time. This week we went to a cool little spot called the Strangers Club. It’s a gorgeous house filled with many rooms, where you can enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch and also shop! Local artisans and designers have small shops inside some of the rooms, and wandering through these eats up another hour or so of the day. Cute spot, though overpriced shopping and mediocre food IMO. Regardless, its worth a visit.

The highlight of the week for me was dinner at a place called Gold Restaurant. I was excited about this one, and it exceeded my expectations. The building and atmosphere are very authentic and welcoming. You feel like part of the family as soon as you enter. The food consisted of 14 different dishes, each representing different regional cuisines of Africa. It was served family style, and all nine people in our party were very impressed. Shockingly, the overall favourite dish of the evening was an ostrich salad!?! Even Christina, who was struggling to get her brain past eating an ostrich, was very glad she did. The meal ended with the cutest little cup of ice cream and a cookie in the shape if the African continent. Chef’s kiss.

While we were enjoying the food, there was occasional live entertainment. African singing, dancing, and storytelling. All in all, a very memorable evening. The only less-than-great moment was when our server sprayed bubbles all over me when he popped the cork. Terrible waste of good MCC, but luckily my dress was a quick-drying fabric.

How much did this 14 course meal plus entertainment cost, you ask? R475, which amounts to approximately $35CAD!!?!! I thought it was a mistake – started shouting “start the car!” like a crazy person. Turns out it was just incredibly good value, and I’m so glad to have experienced it.

Wednesday and Thursday I took it easy, exploring on my own and squeezing some work in. Wednesday evening I went to a live taping of the In My Non-Expert Opinion podcast, followed by a visit to a secret gin bar. The place was made even more mysterious when the load shedding started and we were suddenly chatting by candlelight… This is Cape Town lol.

Friday I went on an amazing wine tour of the Constantia region. Talk about stunning views – I think it was even more spectacular than Stellenbosch. But of course I’ll need to continue my research before sharing my final analysis🤣. Next Sunday we ride the Wine Tram around Franschhoek, so we’ll see how that compares.

Saturday we went to a super cool open air market called the Old Biscuit Mill. These markets are all over Cape Town, and definitely one of my favorite things about the city. The OBM had tons of food stalls with cuisine from all over the world. There were stores and stalls selling clothing, bags, souvenirs, jewelry, and more. And of course there were bars and a live DJ. So much to do in one place!!

We had our home base right next to the DJ, and as you can see, it got pretty happening around there as the day wore on…

Later that night we were lucky enough to watch the parade as the locals celebrated Carnival. It was a pretty cool experience, mingling with thousands of people from all walks of life – plus the floats/singers/dancers/bands were impressive.

Think I’m going to end the week two roundup there. I’ll pick up from the Sunday concert in my next post. I’m trying to jot notes down every day while things are fresh, but I admit I have fallen behind a bit in the last few days.

Love and big hugs to all my friends and family at home!! Until next time… Don’t be kak, be lekkar!

TL

Sunday, March 10th

It started with a visit to Langa, the original township created to segregate non-whites under the Apartheid regime. Today, although many residents are underprivileged and oppressed, it is a community filled with culture, art, and humanity. In some ways, it is beautiful.

What absolutely blew my mind was experiencing how positive people can be in any circumstances. The people of Langa have created a vibrant community despite so many challenges; and they somehow seem to carry no bitterness. It’s a life lesson for all of us. You can choose to be happy and to spread happiness. This outlook and the warmth it creates is what has made me fall in love with Cape Town so quickly.

So we arrived in the morning at a community/cultural centre called Guga S’Thebe. There, we were introduced to a group of children who would join us in the task of cleaning up the local streets. With garbage bags in hand, we set out together. I found myself hanging out with two adorable girls named Hope and Simange. As we walked the streets on our litter-busting mission, my new friends told me about themselves, and taught me some Xhosa words. The girls are both 10 years old and in the fifth grade. Hope told me she wants to be a doctor, and Simange wants to be a CEO🤩. Bless their beautiful hearts, I hope they both achieve all their dreams. By the end of the day we were the best of friends and it was hard to say goodbye. There were many hugs, but I managed to stay dry-eyed behind my sunglasses. I sincerely hope they enjoyed the experience even half as much as I did. These two special humans will live in my heart forever.

It’s worth noting that even the youngest children were very kind to one another, with bigger always looking out for smaller. That spirit of positivity, generosity, and community, is all they seem to know. It’s a far cry from your average North American child, and it’s very impactful to witness. Huge kudos to the inspiring volunteers who make Guga S’Thebe so great. They create a warm and loving space for the children, they make sure the kids get lunch, and they teach them about music and art. I think this community is special. In this ‘it takes a village’ environment, kids like Hope and Simange can dream of any future they want. I am blessed to have been a part of it for a few hours.

And now to the mindf**k part…

Directly from this immersive, gritty, real world experience, we returned to our fancy modern apartments in the V&A Waterfront – the beautiful shiny touristy part of Cape Town. A bunch of the group went directly to a boat cruise, but I just chilled out on my own for a bit. I was sitting with thoughts around the extremes of South Africa, and feeling uncomfortable in my privilege. I was feeling like I am nowhere near grateful enough for all the little things. I was trying to work out what the rest of my time here should look like – keeping in mind my intentions and goals for this travel year. Then, my thoughts were interrupted by the very ‘happy’ boat folks showing up at my door and insisting I come for a late dinner. And somehow from there I ended up enjoying bottle service in a very fancy nightclub?! Talk about one extreme to the other…

Now, you may know I am not normally a Bottle Service kind of gal. But when you’re invited (actually strong-armed) to partake in the festivities, you make the best of it🤷‍♀️. Plus I’m open to all the things right now, so just add it to the pile. I don’t need to tell you I was out of my element at this upscale club. I think I had on more clothing than every other girl there combined🤣. But I very much enjoyed the spectacle of the service. Each new bottle was delivered with great fanfare, including flames and signage so the whole place knew we were ballin’ (cringe word for the young people). I only stayed for about an hour, then left the kids to do their thing. Had a great time though, and appreciated the opportunity to experience the high life for a moment.

So. You get where I’m going with this, right? About the mindf**k? I’m trying to find the right balance between bonding with my new family, experiencing all the great culture/food/wine/scenery, while also somehow creating a positive impact in a place that feels so deserving of it. And learning from the inspiring people I meet every day; working on becoming my best self. Oh, and also just working haha. So far the scales have been way tipped toward fun, but I’m hoping to settle into a more balanced ‘normal’ this week.

Anyway, that’s where I’m at. Absolutely loving it here, despite my jumbled thoughts. It IS only week one, so I’ll allow myself some grace…

More coming soon.

TL

Ok I’m a bit slow posting this one, but I did write it on Monday… just somehow got sidetracked before sharing🤷‍♀️.

Anyway, Sunday I had the opportunity to visit Khayelitsha, one of the largest townships in SA, apparently home to more than a million people. Unlike Saturday, where we saw the struggle of township life, this time we got to witness the success of a local business, and then the awesome energy of a Sunday Funday!

We started by visiting a local winery called Khayelitsha’s Finest Wines. The tasting took place in a rustic patio attached to the home of the owner, Lindile ‘Lindi’ Ndzaba. He is a quietly impressive man, who has built his dream from nothing. He tells us he developed an interest in wine while working at a restaurant in Cape Town, and dreamed of getting into the industry some day. At some point he thought “Why can’t there be a winery in Khayelitsha?”, and together with a partner, he began sourcing grapes from local vintners. The rest, as they say, is history. There’s a great article about him if you’re interested.

There are currently two wines on offer: a red blend and a white blend. They are both decent wines, the red being my favourite of the two. Interestingly, they offered a dill pickle to pair with the white, and some spicy biltong with the red. Lindi’s passion and determination convinced me he will do great things, and I would love to help him build his business beyond the local area. If you have any wine distributor connections, I think there’s great potential here!

From the wine tasting we walked thru the township to a place calked Rands, where all kinds of people come together for good drinks, braii, and music. There is a saying in Cape Town that I love: Don’t let your Monday ruin your Sunday! Well let me tell you the Sunday Party is an epic tradition, and nobody seemed the least bit concerned about tomorrow. Rands is basically a huge open air patio. Think music festival vibes – live DJs playing all the right songs; tables, umbrellas, and couches for lounging in the sun; buckets of beers, wine, cider, tequila, Moet… pick your poison. Hookah if you feel like it. Everyone swaying to the beats and singing along when the song demands it (Noooooooo Scruuuubs!).

Our amazing hosts made sure the ice buckets were always full of beverages (apparently bottle service is becoming my norm🤣). They also brought us heaping platters of braii, which is South African bbq. Delicious grilled meats of all kinds, along with a bunch of sides. I must confess I only tasted the chicken wings and a bite of some kind of skinny sausage thing – I’m not very proactive in a mass food-sharing environment. But I did enjoy what I tasted, and it all looked and smelled delicious. As the afternoon wore on, the place filled up and the vibe got better and better. We all had such a great time dancing and singing together.

As I have been known to do, I engaged with many of the locals. They were all so incredibly nice and friendly. One lovely gentleman even asked if he could be my man😳. I also met some friends who were visiting from Zimbabwe, so now I have a place to stay if I end up traveling there lol.

Shout out to our hosts for this party! They were all so much fun, and had interesting stories to tell. Have I mentioned how much I like South African people?

The best part is that we were all home before 9pm and I was able to go to bed at a reasonable hour. This made for a nice change after a very busy first week. Think I am done trying to keep up with the young folks…

So that wraps up week one with my RY family. I know I haven’t talked about my Stellenbosch wine day yet, but I think I’ll put that together with my Franschhoek and Constantia wine days. And I’ll throw in some tidbits about my favorite local wine bar. Plus, who knows what other wine things will happen? Basically, you can count on some wine talk.

Stay tuned for week two adventures…

TL

Thursday, March 7th

Soooo much has happened in the last 5 days!! I moved into my new apartment and met my roommate, Jacki from Florida. The apartment is lovely – modern and clean, right in the heart of the V&A Waterfront – with a big patio where I can people-watch to my heart’s content. Jacki and I are getting to know one another and seem to be compatible enough to cohabitate for a month. She is a retired respiratory therapist who has been travelling almost exclusively for the past 5 years! #retirementgoals

Our Remote Year(RY) group is pretty big – I think we’re 34 in total – and quite a cross-section of interesting people. Ranging from 22 years young to “retirement age” (Jacki prefers not to reveal her age to the group, but let’s just say she looks great). The majority of the group is American, but we do have a token Aussie, three Canadians, a pair of UK folks, a couple of Mexicans, and two Caribbean Islands represented.

The first week has been a blur of activities as we all get to know one another and settle in. We got to see the most amazing sunset from Tiger’s Milk in Camps Bay. Side note: the seafood and produce here are insanely fresh and delicious. We also got to learn how to speak isiXhosa – complete with clicking!?! And we learned more about one another through short presentations and photo slides. I can already see common threads in this group: an openness to learning and growth, and a true appreciation for cultural diversity. And adventurous spirit of course. I think I lucked out…

Our city leader, Nat, is a hilarious SA native who lives on a lemon farm with her partner and a dozen dogs. She is 100% my kind of people. The sarcasm is strong with this one. Our community leader is Flo from Mexico City, and she is quite simply the warmest human. She makes everyone feel comfortable and cared for, and ensures nobody ever feels left out. Not that that would likely happen in this group. It feels very inclusive, and everyone seems genuinely interested in getting to know one another. Flo shows us all what it looks like to be a positive force in the world.

The Oranjezicht city market is right on our doorstep and it is amazing. Lots of little artisan shops, tons of food and drink, and picnic tables where you can soak up some sun while listening to great music. I tried biltong for the first time – not bad actually. I also had an Amarula coffee slushie for breakfast one morning – yum! Oh and I had a really nice Swartland wine – I thought I was buying a glass, but apparently I purchased the whole bottle…🤷‍♀️🥂🤪

We did a walking tour of the CBD and District 6 one day. Stopped in at a really nice leather-making shop (note to self: must return). Visited a bookstore and some super cool coffee shops (Truth Coffee). We walked to Bo Kaap – a very multicultural, predominantly Muslim corner of the city – where all the houses are vibrantly colourful, and the smells from the shops are so enticing. We walked through the area where governments of past and present have sat and sit today. It was a great overview of some areas I’ll need to revisit.

One of my favourite activities so far was the drumming we got to do in Green Point Park. We learned some basic beats and even a simple song – while local kids danced along. I was NOT a natural, but I think I held my own. Some of the repetitive beats were actually very hypnotic, and I felt myself almost meditating at times. I absolutely loved it.

This weekend is full of really cool activities and I will try to post about them shortly… For now lets just say I am certain this is where I’m meant to be, and I love South Africa even more than I already knew in my heart I would.

Hugs!

TL

As I sit here on day 5 (since departure) – with another yummy home-cooked breakfast in my belly, and the sounds of so many exotic birds as my morning soundtrack – I am grateful. It’s another gorgeous day in the Western Cape, and I can’t believe I’m really here.

To catch you up, days 1 through 4 were a whirlwind. I left snowy Vancouver on the evening of March 27th and flew for 14 hours to Dubai. Surprise! It wasn’t snowing there. After a refreshing shower and a change into some lighter clothing, I enjoyed a Moet mimosa in the lounge before boarding my next flight: a 9 hour jaunt to my final destination. The trip took 28 hours in total, which was only made bearable by flying business class and making good use of the lounges along the way. This is one occasion where the splurge was most definitely worth it. Thank you Aeroplan points!!

I arrived at Cape Town airport just before noon on day 3. Lucky for me, it was uncomfortably hot and there were about 200 people already in the customs line. It wasn’t my favourite experience, but I made it through without mishap. First stamp in my new passport – check! I then booked an Uber, and dragged all my luggage to the pick-up spot. Or did I? Long story short, me and my driver Sam eventually found one another. Friendly and patient, Sam was the first South African I met, and he set the bar high. He gave me a running tour throughout the drive, and taught me to say hello in Afrikaans (Goeie dag!) and Xhosa (Molo, unjani?). Some of you are laughing right now because I’m famous for bonding with my Uber drivers…

Wait, let me backtrack for a second. The first South African I really met was on the plane. A lovely lady named Fatima from Jo-burg (as the cool kids say). She sent me a link to join the Socially Gathering group that her friend in Cape Town is part of. Their Instagram bio says: Supportive female community. A space for you to feel less alone. Bless Fatima’s heart, she also sent me a link for e-bike rentals that I’ll never use. But ya, first impressions confirmed; South Africans are very lovely people.

Anyway, Sam dropped me at the Point B Guest House, where I am staying until I get my Remote Year apartment tomorrow. This place is magical. It’s run by a group of the warmest, funniest ladies; and they sure make a good breakfast! Thank goodness for that as I have been on a one-meal-per-day diet so far. Also the PURO fairtrade coffee they serve me is super strong and delicious.

So Point B has turned out to be the perfect place to land and begin finding my footing in Cape Town. I think today I am almost adjusted to local time, having slept for 8 hours the last two nights🤞. Samantha, one of the fabulous Point B ladies, is my new best friend; and her adorable 7-year-old niece made me the sweetest note:

There is also a hilarious family (3 generations) from Finland staying here with me, and that has added to the experience. Yes, my friends, I DO have to talk to all the random strangers🤪. I will actually be a bit sad to leave here tomorrow because I feel like I’m part of the family now. Although the mosquito that shares my bedroom will not be missed…

Speaking of which, between the bites and the sunburn, I have experienced some minor struggles. As positive as I am determined to be, sometimes things will go slightly awry. But while I am currently itchy and lobster-y, I remain steadfast in my good cheer. Today will be an indoor day😁.

In case you’re wondering, the story of the sunburn is as follows: yesterday I set out at 11am to find the ocean. My friend Samantha told me if I walked through Green Point Park I would find the Promenade on the other side, and that I could walk along the water all the way to Sea Point. She wasn’t wrong, but I had no idea how far away Sea Point was…

So I started out walking through the park, with a slight diversion to see DHL stadium up close. The park was a wonder, with so many walking paths and fields and parks and ponds to explore. Locals were everywhere, enjoying the day in large groups, or walking dogs or jogging. Everyone had a smile when we made eye contact – this place is so darn friendly!

After strolling around the park for about half an hour, I emerged on the other side, and the Atlantic Ocean was right there in front of me! I snapped way too many photos, had a little moment of gratitude, then started walking the promenade toward Sea Point. Yes it was sunny, but the wind made it seem deceptively mild. And I WAS walking with my back to the sun…

Not until I returned to my hotel did I have any inkling of how clueless I had been (was it Cher who said on Fridays we turn pink?). Anyway, the face staring back at me was NOT fetch. *Apologies for misusing Mean Girls references. Now, I am normally a very diligent sunscreener – many of you know this about me. And especially with my face. But I haven’t located my sunscreen yet (trying not to unpack until I get to my apartment), and I thought I could get away with just an hour or so of late summer/early fall sun exposure. Lesson learned. THE. HARD. WAY. Can’t wait to meet all my new remote friends tomorrow looking like Clifford the Short Red Dog.

On the bright side, the promenade was breathtaking. Listening to the waves crashing – while taking in all the people and buildings and art installations – had me lost in my own little world. I also had a great South African Pop Essentials playlist going quietly in one ear. By the time I made it to Sea Point I had walked 8kms (in not-the-best shoes), and almost 2 hours had passed. Still no clue at this point that I had become a lobster.

Next, I wandered up to Mojo Market and strolled through all the little shops there for a bit. I sat and had a cold beverage and people-watched. This is definitely a place I’d like to return to with friends. Across the street I found a wine store and wandered the aisles for a while, as I like to do on occasion. Then I made my way to Checkers and picked up a bottle of Durbanville Hills Chenin Blanc (under $6!!), along with some crackers, grapes, and nuts for snacking/pairing.

By this time it was after 3pm, so I gave my sore, tired, unwittingly over-sunned body a break and took an Uber back to Point B. There, I soaked my feet in the pool for a bit, taking time to just BE. Ahhhhh, the pure bliss of it (despite the aforementioned ailments).

Tomorrow I join my Remote Year group and things will get busier, so who knows when I will write again. As mentioned, I promise nothing😁.

Until then, life is good (Die lewe is goed).

TL

Ok it seems many people have many questions, so I’ll try to give the people what they want. To be clear: I’m not committing to any regular schedule, but I might just write a few updates along the way. Feel free to follow this blog, but DO NOT have any expectations as to how often there will be new content. I also make zero promises regarding the quality of the content. Deal? Ok cool.

Some of you know more than others, so this is the short version of how/why I came to be in Cape Town, and what might unfold in the coming year. My closest peeps know I have been talking for a long time about doing a year of remote working while traveling around the globe. It’s probably fair to say not many of them thought I’d actually do it, but here I am🤷‍♀️. Late last year the magic 8 ball of my life just came up “signs point to yes” and the planning began.

To be fair, I use the term planning somewhat loosely. I did diligently work my way through a giant checklist of things I needed to do before leaving. I did do ALOT of thinking about what to pack for a full year away (stay tuned for how that turns out). I did move all my personal stuff into storage, and my boys into my condo. And I did manage to schedule a ton of fun activities with awesome people into my farewell tour. Shout out to Sharon for hosting the wine tasting & charcuterie extravaganza, and to Andrea for organizing the Island tour!

But as far as planning my actual itinerary for the year… not so much. I’m starting in Cape Town with an organization called Remote Year. I’ll spend a month here with 30 or so other remote workers from all over. I haven’t met my roommate yet, but apparently she is a retired respiratory therapist from Florida. Can’t wait to see how that goes… fingers are crossed and I’m manifesting great vibes.

After the first month I have no official plans. I’d like to stay in Africa longer, but it will depend on finding people to hang with. After Africa I plan to go to Europe and visit as many wine producing countries as I can. Follow my Winestagram if you’re interested in that aspect of the journey😁. I would love to stay in and around the EU until the fall, depending again on who I meet, as well as navigating Schengen rules.

So basically all destinations and timing are TBD as I go – because that sounds fun and exciting in a maybe-I’m-crazy kind of way🤪. My only loose plan is to stay in warm weather all year, because packing 365 days worth of stuff into one suitcase is already insanely difficult without adding all four seasons into the mix. Oh and of course my other sort-of rule is to follow the wine… So as of October I may find myself in South America or even Australia if the budget allows.

Speaking of which, I’ll need to find a good balance between working enough to fund my adventures, while still finding time to really immerse myself and fully explore each place I visit. You may know that I’m happiest working about 15 hours a week, and that’s not likely to change. But maybe wanting to do all the things will help incentivize me to squeeze in a few extra hours here and there. That’s assuming I have work to do of course; if anyone reading this has a project for me I’ll probably be needing some new clients/contracts as the year unfolds (message me through LinkedIn). Or maybe I’ll just start a Go Fund Me page – who’s in?🤣

So why am I doing this, you ask? Short answer: because I can. I’m able to work from anywhere, my boys are thriving independent adults now, and in theory I’m financially stable enough to afford it (see above re having to work at least a little🙄). I love to travel and I haven’t done enough of it in the last two decades, so I’m making up for lost time. And also – stay with me here – I’m hoping to find myself. I won’t get deep into that, but I’ll be focusing on self reflection, discovery, and growth as I move through this crazy year. Getting my mental and physical health back on track. I’m fully embracing change, and I can’t wait to see all the awesome things that come into my life.

Ok that’s enough for now. Thanks for being interested to this point. And thank you to all the people who have supported me in doing this crazy thing❤️. Hope to see some of you along the way!

TL