One month in Cape Town: A status update
TBH I’m writing this with a glass of bubbly from the Silo Rooftop and just thought I’d pour some stuff out here. You all know I’m an open book so here we go!
Day-to-day
Honestly I am not kidding, I know I am quite in-your-face-about Cape Town but I effing love it here. I’m not exaggerating even slightly when I say every day I wake up, remember I’m in Cape Town, and I get a wave of excitement about what the day has to bring. More often than not it has an epic adventure, but even on the regular days I am still going to a cute cafe to work, going for a run or a hike and getting to see Lion’s Head, Table Mountain, and the ocean, or hanging with my hostel fam. Every day I am happy. Cape Town is the only place to cure my travel bug — here, I am not itching to go everywhere else around me and in the world. I’m just content. I haven’t had one day where I would rank my mood as average, let alone less than that. It’s actually WILD.
The extraordinary
What a crazy month n a bit I’ve had though, hey? Got to fly in a 2-seater plane over Cape Town. Got to meet some Instagram friends who turned into real life friends. Tried free diving. Hiked my favourite mountain, Lion’s Head, a bunch. Paraglided off my favourite mountain, Lion’s Head, almost slightly thought I was going to die when we spiralled down but you know what I survived. Went on two beautiful winery touring days. Went to two unreal concerts at Kirstenbosch, what an unbelievable setting and even better people watching. Dancing to Afro beats is my absolute fave, I love salsa dancing (miss you Mangos) but this is where I THRIVE. Dancing here is so carefree and vibey, it’s all in the knees and the beats. Bonding so hard with my hostel peeps — I have never loved hostel life so much until now. In fact, Atlantic Point is a MAJOR reason why I’m so floaty this entire time in Cape Town — I’m not stressed about accom, I’ve been blessed with a beautiful home and a private room so I can do my thing (write, rest, post-shower chill, throw my clothes everywhere, watch Love Island). Since I arrived I’ve been pinching myself saying it’s too good to be true but hey, here we are.
Living abroad
This is the longest I’ve been in another single country outside of Canada. It’s been so cool, very interesting, getting to know the South African people and culture. What I will say here is I honestly think South Africans are so kind. They’re so hospitable, welcoming, fun, and nice to me. I think they have good hearts. <3
I just feel like this is my home away from home. I don’t have a plan to end digital nomad life anytime soon and there are still places I want to base myself, explore, and get to know better — but I think my soul needs me to base myself in Cape Town about 6 months a year for the foreseeable future.
I miss my family and friends, I just wish I could transport them here, but I am diligent about keeping in touch and also I would rather be consistently happy every day because of Cape Town, than bummed out in Vancouver with little spurts of happiness. Not saying I will never move back to Van but for me now it’s just a tad rainy and boring.
Random things about Cape Town
Yes, I am being safe. No, it is not super safe in general. But I have a v trustworthy gut and I know when to cross the street, to book an Uber, to not venture into that neighbourhood alone. It is what it is. The MAIN bummer about Cape Town (aside from being like the furthest place possible from Keira, Ethan, the rest of my fam, and friends) is that once the sun sets, it’s game ovs. I have to book an Uber and head home, can’t stay out by myself once it’s dark. That sucks.
The cannon at the bottom of Signal Hill goes off every day at 12pm and it is loud. It’s not a gunshot don’t worry.
The parking guys are hilarious. I’m not sure if they’re employed? by the government? or something? but if you are slowing down your car they will RUSH OUT TO THE ROAD TO FRANTICALLY WAVE YOU IN and then you should probably pay them about 5 rand or something to watch over your car.
It’s just so ridiculously cheap here. I am so into the 35 rand ($3.50 CAD) bottles of wine from the grocery store, or $4 CAD glasses of wine at bars. I am basically spending $30 CAD ($20-40) give-or-take a day. Most of my money is going into Ubers (heard of them, Vancouver?) but that’s usually max $8 CAD to get where I need to go across the city.
The city gets INSANELY windy. One time it was so windy for 3 days I could barely walk outside without getting blown over. Going for a run was basically running on the spot cause you’re going up against this giant wind machine. It’s hectic.
Going off the wind, Table Mountain basically has its own climate system and when it’s windy, there is a cloud cover rolling over that mountaintop that you can call the “tablecloth.” It gets thick af when it’s super windy and is pretty crazy to see. The clouds are the unsung heroes of Cape Town.
Lion’s Head, or the Lion, is a mountain, not a real lion wandering through the streets if Cape Town (never gonna let you live tgat one down, Dan)!
The sea is an absolute ICE BATH. It ranges between 8-18 degrees C. Freezing, but a nice hangover cure!
Every view is stunning. My fave is of Camps Bay from Maidens Cove at sunset. Or obviously Lion’s Head at sunrise. You gotta do that hike or you haven’t been to Cape Town.
Content creation + my goals
I’ve had some unreal opportunities and breakthroughs since I’ve been here. Since I am spending my weekdays following my passion projects, I’ve been able to work towards my dreams, and my path is to travel and create content. I’m so excited about some of the things I have coming up and the universe has definitely pulled through for me.
But obviously, it isn’t the easiest road. Otherwise everyone would do it. I’ve been facing some rejections. I’ve realized what an underdog I am for even being a solo female traveller — do you know that most travel content creators I follow have a significant other taking sweet pics for them? Do you know that I mostly ask random strangers to take my photos, and they usually screw something up — can you guys stop zooming in, doing landscape orientation, or cutting off my feet please lol. I don’t even have a real camera, I use an iPhone. I post usually in real time, because what am I gonna do, upload my non-existent camera photos onto my phone for Insta? I’m also overwhelmed with the options — I’m supposed to be on Insta, on TikTok, blogging, use SEO, upload photos, pitch media publications, but maybe I wanna write about that topic on my blog, or should I post on Medium and hopefully make a couple bucks, I really wanna start a podcast, I don’t have a microphone, it would be so cool if I had a travel buddy filming me so I could make a YouTube channel.
But anyways, I think this is all my niche and I feel like I’m thriving anyways lol so let’s continue and see where it goes!
Thanks for your support guys, I’m gonna stop rambling and soak in this sunset now!!! Also stay tuned cause in 3 days a new chapter to my adventure starts!!!!!