Nancy's Travel Adventures!

Friday, October 6, 2006 - Cape Town

I am still in Cape Town riding solo, which is interesting. Definitely gives me LOTS of time to reflect on various life topics. Since Lindsey left, I have been keeping myself busy with various things. I have a "routine" which consists of drinking lots of wine, watching really bad So. African TV during my down time, waking up in the am for a long walk along the waterfront, and then trying discover something new about Cape Town. I also check email from work, which makes my head spin but more on that later.

Linds left last Sunday and I checked into my current home at the Peninsula Hotel which is more like a timeshare type of place. My room has a kitchenette and a few bad channels on TV that I have spent many a nights watching. The latest being the "Women's Mystery Book Store" series starring the ever-popular Kellie Martin as the owner-of-the-book-store-turned-detective. This is on the Hallmark Channel if that gives you any indication. But fear not, I have not spent my whole time in my hotel room... Remember, I am a social person and can only take so much "alone" time. So, here is what I have done:

Monday - Shopping at the V& A Waterfront for my sleeping bag, flashlight and sleeping pad for my time volunteering. Spent lots of money running around. Also had a pricey sushi lunch and wrote post cards to those whose address I knew by heart (so for most of you, sorry if you do not get one).

Tuesday - Went for a "Beauty Day" with Dune. I went for my long walk and then Dune picked me up with her baby, Ryder and off we went. I got my hair done, so Roots Chapman is but a faint memory. I then with her to a casting (as I mentioned before, she is a model) which was interesting. The funny part was that before we went to the casting, we got some wine and ate some food. Imagine that, a model eating before a meal... The kicker was showing up and she had her baby with her amongst all these young hopefuls.... it was like a record scratched when she walked in carrying this baby. And the great part is, she got the job!! After that, we (meaning me) had more wine while she breast fed the baby in the bar. (I am thinking of the line in the movie Sweet Home Alabama) It was all good but funny still. I think I finished off that evening watching The Wedding Date, which made me cry. You know those tear jerkers starring Debra Messing will get you every time! I am so emotional these days.

Wednesday - Went to Spier Winery. This is about 40 minutes from the hotel and I had a very nice, friendly driver who took me out there. This winery has more than just wine... it has a hotel, a CHEETAH project, horseback riding, an outdoor restaurant that has entertainers there, a great gift shop and beautiful scenery. I went there when I was in So. Africa before, so I was glad I could go back and enjoy some more time there. I first went to the Cheetah place (of course) and got to pet a 4 1/2 year old Cheetah who was purring when I approached him. But he stopped purring once I started petting him and then got up and walked away (is this a pattern with me???). But it was fun while it lasted. I guess he just needed to get to know me more....

I then went and spent some time talking to the woman who paints Ostrich Eggs. Her name is Erni and I remember her from when I was there last time. She has a great demeanor and was very easy to talk to so it was nice to just hear her story. I am hearing a lot of people's stories and it is amazing what you hear, learn and understand once you just listen to where people come from and their motivations.

I spent the majority of the afternoon at Moyo, the restaurant (surprise, surprise - me spending time eating!). I met my waiter, Felly, who was so sincere and sweet. He kept coming over to make sure that the American girl by herself was OK. He is from the Congo and has left very dire circumstances behind. But he always kept saying that he has lots to smile about. Amazing.

That night, I went to Kim's house (whom I met thru Rhett) for dinner. Her and her housemate (as they call it here) made me a homemade dinner. Something I have not had for a while. She picked me up after Spier and took me grocery shopping and then off to her house where her roommate entertained me with various impressions of "The Rich Cape Town Lady" (think someone from the higher eschelon of the OC high society), "The British Lady of Blah Blah that she used to work for in England" and various other entertaining impressions. But I was not prepared for the other colorful characters that showed up. There was the neighbor bull-dyke who definitely fit the term "Bull-Dyke" to a "T" and she really got off on the fact that I was from "The OC." And then her friend who showed up who is a gay activist in Cape Town and then Kim's sister who is also a lesbian but not nearly as masculine as the other two. They were nice but they went a bit far as the night wore on. Even Kim said that it got old and it was borderline bad taste. I think they were just trying to corrupt the very niave, hetero from 'The OC' who was wide-eyed but trying to act like it was all cool.

Thursday - Work Obsession Day. I checked emails from work and without going into it too much, I am not feeling like all is well on the work front. Really stressing me out since I know this is not going away. I wish I could let it go, but I cannot. That is all I have to say about that.

I went to dinner with the GM from the Peninsula, Chris, who I met through Lindsey. He is being very kind to me and making sure I am being taken care of while alone in Cape Town. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant. He is very perceptive and could tell I am searching for something (well, I guess you don't have to be that perceptive to see that a 30-something traveling by herself is searching for something.....) and that certain things are weighing heavily on my mind. We did discuss work and he was straight-forward about saying that I owe work nothing. It was an interesting conversation.

Friday - I did the usual - made breakfast and went for a long walk. The walk is very thereaputic and helps me clear my head. I was not sure what to do today (go to the beach? go to Robben Island? Hang out at the Waterfront?)... So, I just played it by ear. I went to the Waterfront with plans of going to Robben Island but I also had to run a few errands. Spent the day wandering through the Waterfront and trying to get my iPod fixed, got a mani/pedi, did a little work from an internet cafe, etc. I then got takeout from an Italian Restaurant from a waiter named Welcome. (I am finding that a lot of the Africans are named after very positive words -- Happiness, Nice, Welcome... I am waiting to meet someone named Love, Giggles, or Fun) Welcome was very entertaining, much like his name! And that is where I am at now. Sitting here in the bar of the hotel writing this long blog amidst a large party of So. African people who just arrived singing away and inviting me to join them. They have a really cool stereo system playing the tunes while dorky me is on the computer. Miss you all!

People have been asking me about my where abouts for the next couple of weeks. Here you go:

Depart Cape Town on Sunday AM and arrive in Joburg for a night.
Go to Hoedspruit on Monday for my volunteer work. I will be there from 10/09 - 10/30. From 10/30 - 11/6 I am not sure what I am doing. 11/7 - 11/15 Buenos Aires. 11/16 - 11/20 HOME! 11/20 - 11/27 - Hawaii for Steph's wedding and a CKE site inspection.

posted by Nancy Chapman @ 11:58 AM