The end of the beginning

A rainbow for the Rainbow Nation

I   know   it   has   been   months   since   I   updated   this,   apologies   to   those   that   rely   on   this   to   know   that   I   am alive   and   well.   I   am   alive,   as   you   can   see.   Well?   Not   so   much—I’m   currently   weathering   a   pretty horrendous   cold,   born   out   of   the   equally   horrendous   weather   that   we   have   been   experiencing.   I write   this   from   my   bed,   cocooned   in   a   sleeping   bag   with   a   duvet   on   top.   Norway   really   need   to   give back   the   radiators! 

So,   of   course,   there   is   lots   to   update   you   on.   I   have   felt   unable   to   update   my   b log   as   despite   how   enjoyable    it   always   is   to   write   everything   up    and   pick   which   photos   to   share,   it   has   felt   like   a   huge task   which   I’ve   had   zilch   motivation   to   start.   This   has   mainly  been    because   all   I   have   really   seemed to   do   since   I   last   wrote   anything,   is   read   and   write- firstly   for   my   thesis,   then   for   exams,   and   now back   t o   the   thesis.   Thank   you   to   Izzy   for   begging   me   to   write   something   that   she   can   read   to procrastinate   at   work,    and   in   turn   providing   me   with   a  welcome   distraction   from   all   of   the   academic  writing   that   I   need   to   do.

I   am   coming   up   to   my   five   month   anniversary   of   being   here   (although   still   not   half  way   yet!)   and Friday   spells   the   end   of   the   first   semester   for   me.   It   has   flown   by.   As   lovely   as   it   is   from   the aspect   of   still   having   not   got   (properly)   homesick   (I   don’t   think   missing   Waitrose   cous   cous   counts,   or   does   it   Iz?!),   it   suggests   that   the   other   half   (and   a   bit)   is   likely   to   follow   suit—my   to-do-list   will   never   be   completed    at   this   rate!   But,   anyway,   my   point   is   that   I   have   been   enjoying   being   here immensely.   The   words   of   the   Stellenbosch   song   ‘Dis   altyd   lente,   in   die   oe   van   die   Stellenbosch studente’   (it’s   always   spring   in   the   eyes   of   the   Stellenbosch   students)   has   rung   true,   even   when work   is   tough   and   I’ve   wondered   why   I   am   here,   I   usually   just   have   to   escape   the   library   and   go   and bask   in   the   blazing   sunshine   to   be   reminded   of   why   I   love   it   here   so.   That   was,   until   it   started   to   rain   last   week.    it   hasn’t   really   stopped   since.   I’ve   lost   count   of   the   number  of   times   in   response   to my   moaning   that   someone   has   said,   “But   you’re   British,   you   should   be   used   to    weather   like   this!”   Yes,   people    really   do   think   it   just   rains   constantly   at   home   (Dad’s   brag   that   he   has   now   spent   two   Sunday   afternoon’s   enjoying   the   sun   with   a   BBQ   in   the   garden   obviously   dispels   this   myth!)   Yes   I   am used   to   horrible   weather,   particularly   having   spent   a   large   part   of   the   last  f our   years   of   my   life in   the   blustery,   often   drizzly   and   dreary   haven   of   St   Andrews.   But,   that   was   fine.   I   had   hats, scarves,   gloves,   Hunters,    Barbours,   blankets,   and   of   course,   central   heating   (which   at   present,   I believe   to   be   the   greatest   invention   ever).   Even   at   home,   where   putting   on   the   heating   is   deeply frowned   upon   (it   is   almost   an   SAS-style   survival   of   the   fittest   to   see   how   long  you  can   last   before   you   cave   in   and   flick   the   switch),   we   have   fires   (your   ability   to   make   a   fire   is   another   thing   my family   judges   people   on-I   am   usually   crap-and   none   of   them   believe   me   when   I   tell   them   a bout   the amazing   fire   I   got   going   here).    here   it    is   currently   colder   inside   than   outside.   And   my   perennially   drenched   clothes   have   no   chance   of   drying   (w here   is   an   AGA   when   you   need   one?- it   is   much   harder   to try   and   warm   up   with   three   people   huddling   around   a   table-top   electric   stove)!

On   the   whole,   though,   it   has   been   an   absolute   blast.   The   end   of   another   week   of   battling   the   books   in   the   library   has   been   marked   by   letting   my   hair   down   and   dancing   to   classics,   attending   yet   more wine   festivals   (occasionally   with   some   cheese   to   soak   up   the   alcohol)    and   mountai n   hikes   (always with   an   alcoholic   reward   at   the   summit!)   It   has   made   me   really   seriously   consider   whether   I   do want   to   try   and   stay   out   here   or   somewhere   similar   rather   than   joining   the   rat-race   at   home.   The climate   in   particular   is   a   real   draw   and   it    still   seems   that   wherever   you   go   there   is   yet   another beautiful   view  (the   one  above  from  the  postcard  cafe  in  jonkershoek  valley  is  one  of  my  favourites  and   only  five  minutes  up  the road).   But   there    are   of   course   the   obvious   limitations   to   bear  in   mind- you   can’t   just   nip   home   whenever   you   feel   like   it,   for   one.

Wine and chocolate paired tasting at Lanzerac

Welcome refreshment at the top of Stellenberg

Some   of   my   favourite   activities   recently   have   involved   watching   the   sun   set,   and   if   you’re particularly   lucky,   the   moon   rise.   These   have   varied   from   sitting   on   the   beach   at   Camps   Bay,   glass in   hand,   watching   the   sun   gently   sink   into   the   ocean,   to   racing   the   descending   sun   to   make   it   to   the top   of   Lions   Head   in   time   to   see   the   sun   once   again   meet   it’s   ocean   bed.   This   was   particularly   special for   me   as   it   was   one   of   the   last   activities   that   we   did   as   a   group   before   everyone   started   going their   separate   ways- travelling,   back   to   Europe   etc.   Despite   our   best   planning,   including   checking the   time   for   sunset,   we   hadn’t   taken   into   account   the   Friday   afternoon   traffic   in   Cape   Town   and that   despite   us   being   only   5-10   minutes   from   the   starting   point   for   the   hike,   it   took   15-20   minutes  to  reach   it.   And   even   though   my   asthmatic   lungs   did   their   best   to   delay   me,   we   made   it,   with   a   few minutes   to   spare.   It   was   one   of   the   most   invigorating   ways   to   begin   a    weekend   and   really   made   us feel   that   we   had   earned   our   night   out.   The   sunset   was   beautiful,   particularly   as   from   the   top   you can   see   all   of   Cape   Town,   right   round   to   Camps   Bay   and   beyond   as   well   as,   of   course,   Table   Mountain—seeing   the   change   in   the   sky   colour   from   the   brilliant   blue   from   the   scorching   afternoon   to   the   pink   sky   enveloping   the   mountain   at   sunset   was   stunning,   as   was   the   sight   of   the lights   of   the   city   being   switched   on.   Then   to   celebrate   exams   I   hiked   with   a   friend   up   Stellenberg,   one   of   the   mountains   here   in   Stellenbosch.   Our   ascent   was   once   again   marked   with   a   very   welcome glass   of    wine,   and   what   we   hadn’t   realised   was   that   it   was   a   full   moon   that   night,   watching   the perfect   moon   rise   from   behind   neighbouring   mountains   was   another   fantastic   experience. 

Sunset at Camps Bay

Sunset from the top of Lions Head

The view of Cape Town lighting up from Lions Head

Scrambling up Stellenberg

And enjoying the view from the top!

The full moon ascends

It   now   feels   like   it   is   the   end   of   the   beginning   of   my   life   here   in   South   Africa.   Many   of   my   friends   are returning   home.   Whilst   it   is   sad   saying   goodbye,   it   is   also   wonderful   to   have   so   many   brilliant memories   of   my   first   few   months   here,   and   I   hope   many   more   to   come.   The   months   ahead   look   set   to be   full   of   hard   work   but,   before   knuckling   down   for   them   there   is   another   adventure   to   be   had. Next   week   I   am   off   to   Mozambique   to   hit   the   beaches   for   snorkelling   and   sailing   aplenty,   escaping for   winter   sun   is   a   most   welcome   prospect   and   is   the   only   thing   getting   us through   the   last   few   days   of   work.   I   am   so   excited   to   see   another   part   of   this   wonderful   continent   that   I   haven’t   explored   yet   and   one   that   I   know   will   be   so   different   from   here.   The   portuguese   colonial   architecture,   the   beautiful   Indian   ocean   and   of   course   the   truly   African   flavour- the   markets,   buses   and   street   life.   I   am   hoping   to   take   some   photos   that   will   truly   capture   all   of   this   for   you   all   to   enjoy.   Then   before   returning,   there   is   a   brief   stop-off   in   Swaziland,   staying   in   a   national   park   with   a   tame   ostrich   for   company   (what   could   actually   be   any   better?)   and   indulging   in   some   outdoor   living   before   returning   to   the   Western   Cape   bubble.

The    next   few   weeks   are   set   to   be   the   highlight   of   my   time   here   so   far,   and   I   can’t   wait   to   share   it   all with   you...I   won’t   leave   it   so   long   next   time!