Howzit!!!

So much has happened since I have last written! Its hard for me to believe this is actually happening, everyday just keeps getting better and better! I left off last post about ot leave to go out for the night. We went to a local restaurant/bar called The Brass Bell, a favorite of the local s here in kommetjie. It was very cool and very fun, our first real night out with the group. He grabbed a table right on the water that overlooked a great break and watched surfers charging some pretty nice waves while we ate fresh calamari and "cape style" pad thai. By the time we finished eating the bar was really crouded! We made friends wiht a bunch of locals, drank too much, stayed out to late...in the end it was beyond a great night. Since we didnt get home till late we got to sleep in till 930 am(haha).  We ate some breakfast and quickly jumped in the van and headed to the beach. Claire and I were not feeling to well (wonder why?!) so we decided to take it easy grab some coffee, get some rays and take videos of the group catching some waves. Did I mention that since it was a saturday their was over 1000 people surfing the break. Complete chaos! About 2 hours later we got back in the van stopped by the local market to pack a picnic and headed out table mountain park. We took a short hike up the cliffs to a lighthouse that looked over the whole bay. Needless to say it was stunning. We quickly headed down and drove to a secluded beach. It was covered in tall dunes and the best part wild Baboons! Since its summer they had all JUST had baby so there was about seven 3 week old babies tumbling and playing in the sand. It was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. We watched the baboons for a little then found our way to an especially steep dune. We decided to have a contest to see who could jump out/down farthest. I didn't win but it was lots of fun. We played for about and hour and then it was time to head back home for dinner. I havent told you about how much FUNNNN everyone in my group is like 5 year olds stuck in a 20 year old body. We got into a food fight between the two cars, our car ended up covered in cole slaw and we were able to get a couple of tater tots through the other cars window! When I got home I was greeted by my aunt Betsy who happened to be traveling through Cape town! She took me out to a great dinner at the Red Herring of pizza and french fries and Cider! It was so much fun!! I got home and had to head to bed pretty early tho becuase we were getting up early to climb table top mountain. Which was spectacular by the way. After we climbed the mountain we drove to the waterfront in downtown to see the typical tourist area and get some beers and lunch! I had an amazing burger, and Ed and I strolled around popping into shops and watching the street drummers. We finished it off getting ice cream and wondering around a huge mall. This may sound strange but one of my fave things about africa so far is that no one wears shoes. Ever. Not even in the malls or in the grocery store. SO much for the 7 pairs I packed. I have happily been shoeless for the last week!! Today was one of the best days yet. We woke up and headed to the beach to surf for a couple of hours. We decided to have a surf off so we divided into three teams. We barely got started before a giant sand fight erupted between me kate and the boys. It quickly turned into all the boys turing on me and trowing me into the water and flinging me around. I don't know if its because I am by far the smallest person on the trip, or because they think I'm a silly american but I am definately the one who gets messed with the most! The just love throwing me into the water fully clothed, tackling me, or making fun of how I was everything. I also an the only one on the trip with about 20 nicknames...including skaterade and skatman. I actually love it!!! After surfing we headed back to our local beach and meet up with the boys from the local under 8 soccer team I wrote about to play them in some beach soccer...we lost. It was quite a sight to see a pack of 8 year olds schooling us 20 year olds. I did score one of our 3 goals tho!!!!! After about 2 hours we brought out some cold drinks and chips to give the kids. Its amazing how happy something so simple makes them. I forget that being able to eat a bag of chips is such a luxury hear. seeing the Joy in these kids faces makes reminds me of how fortunate I am each and every day!!! Ill write again soon but for how I hope everyone at home is well! Seeing your post makes me happy gramsie...I miss you!!! Xoxo

I swear I'm never coming home!!!

Im feeling badly that I have not posted in two days but five hours of surfing makes you really "nackered"(I love english people)!! I had just enough energy after yesterdays activities to eat dinner and sit in the hot tub gazing at the stars and have a "cider"(Again I love english people) with Will and Kate! Yesterday me and about five other people (three boys and two girls) were deemed good enough by our surf instructors to paddle out the back to the bigger break. It was amazing. I also went from a 7'10" board to a 7"2" board. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done. I am surprised at how much progress I am making so quickly. I was able to keep up with the local surfers, who have ad quite a bit of experience. I wind was coming off shore(means perfectly shaped waves with NO wind and NO chop). It was the first time I have surfed waves that come in sets. I would guess they were about 4-5 feet, huge by my standards!!! But today the wind was blowing on shore so the waves were smaller and choppier, but still great!!! Yesterday after we surfed we went and watch the under 8 kids Football(soccer) team that TTRIDE sponsors! It was sooooooo cool. It was the first time I have seem real poverty in africa...the way the children live. And they were the happiest kids I have ever seen. The girls who were ribbon dancing on the side fell in love with me for some reason. And when I took out my camera to take a picture of them it too about 4 seconds for them to pull it out of my hand and trade off taking picture of anyting and everything. Many of them had never seen cameras before. I will put up the pictures when I find my camera connector!! The girls taught me and will some of the traditional dances they do. We have a VERY funny video of this that I will also put up! Tomorrow we are taking those same boys/girls to the beach to go swimming and play beach football, I am very excitited! Then we went across the street to an outdoor pub and had a few before dinner drinks with my group and our instructors! It was the first time I have ever had cider, and it was THE BEST drink I have ever had. I really love every person on this trip, we are all very different but get along so well. Each day here is full of laughter and smiles. But its hard NOT to be in a good mood after a full day of surfing and seeing the most amazing and beautiful places and people I have ever seen. The beaches and towns here are built on the side of mountains and cliffs which hold perfect white and beaches at the base. It is SOOOOO charming! Not to mention the average temp is about 87!!! I have to go becuase were leaving to head down to a local restaurant and have dinner then go out to a bar but I will tell you all more tomorrow!!!! Much love xoxo

Tired, full and Happy!

Its 8:07PM and the end of my first full day in south africa. I've just finished eating a fantastic home cooked meal with my trip mates and were now sitting around having a few post meal beers watching Taxi. I left home two days agao at 930 am on the 19th and arrived in Cape Town at 710 PM on the 20th after three flights; Chicago to DC(2rs), DC to Johannasburg(17hrs), Johannasburg to Cape Town(2hrs). With layovers, a total travel time of over 26 hrs, but it was well worth it! Not to mention all my bags made it(huge)!!. I was met at the airport by one of my surf Instructors/group leaders Nico, who by the way is VERY cute. He is from france but has lived in Cornwall England during the summer and South Africa during the winter(their summer) for the last 7 years. He is ranked in the top seven Longboarders in the world...number three in england!! He drove me to the house I'm staying at for the next two weeks where my group was waiting to greet me for a welcoming Braii( BBQ) since I was the last to arrive. actually, the last person to arrive is a Boy from england who is coming in two days after he finishes up his exams. The house were staying at is Beautiful. It has a big deck that looks over the hills down to the ocean with a big hot tub and outdoor shower. It seems to be a very typical home here in Cape Town. Most of the group headed for bed right after dinner but Kate, George, Ed, Will, and myself stayed up drinking and laughing for a bit longer. I really like everyone on the trip, they are all so funny, nice and really cool. Almost all the other People are from England but there is one girl from the Netherlands and one girl from a little island off the coast of france called Geurnsey. Today started off early at 8 AM with a big breakfast then we were off the Muzenburg(SP??) beach to meet the rest of our Instructors (also all very cute) and poke around the surf shop/surf club that we are going to be based at here in Cape Town. It was probably the coolest place I have ever been...Pat you would of died. The man who owns the shop is THE pioneer surfer here in South africa in the 50's he practically introduced surfing to Africa. He is said to be one of the people that has made surfing what is is today. The shop is plastered with his old covers of various surf magazines. They have two resident shapers who we watched work for a little while we explored this surfers paradise. Finally suited up, distributed boards and surfed until 130. The waves here are the smallest we'll see the whole trip..and they were still the biggest I have ever surfed!!! I am proud to say I caught exactly 21 waves(Yes, I'm very tired). When we finished up, I took a outdoor shower at the surf club and Tim and Nico drove us down to this little fish and chips spot right on the beach for Lunch. You can usually tell if a restaurant is any good when local are around, and this place was PACKED with locals. I ordered Calamari and Chips. It was indescribable, the softest freshest Calamari I have ever had. We ate outside on the dock while two old men serenaded us with guitars. We told stories, laughed and drank a few beers, it was magical. Not to mention that one of the waitresses, a very old south african women, took an interest in one of the girls in our group and proceed to try and scare her throughout out meal!!??! We piled back into the Van and headed to a local mall to buy everything we had forgotten to pack. Me and Jenny(she's from Reading) explored all the little shops for 40 Mins before we had to meet back up with the group. We drive back home, taking the long way through the mountains past the tallest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere. We finished the day chatting with a native South African women who is in charge of our community service in Cape Town over a delicious dinner of Tacos and fresh Salad(picked from our home's garden) while we watched the sun set over the ocean. Now I'm here; tired, full, happy and anxious for tomorrow!! Xoxo