There is Nothing…Nothing… Like Laundered Underwear!!!

As we mentioned in our last post, we ended up checking out of the B&B we were scheduled to be in due to lack of internet service and distance from where we needed to be.  Sad, because it was a cute little place but where we ended up…OH BOY!  We feel like we are living in a condo!!  Before we left, Tina was so happy because they had a washer and dryer and since she only brought 6 pair of undies (not sure what she was thinking!), she has been giving a new meaning to the word “commando” for a couple of days.  Needless to say, she now is “covered!”

Our living room

Our bedroom

Our morning was a little off due to having to find a new place to stay and then actually getting there but all ended up ok.  Tina and I have been doing an awesome job, I must say, staying in the moment and just allowing things to happen as they will.  This keeps us in a state of squeezing everything we can out of every moment we are here.

We ended up taking the half-day afternoon tour headed to The Cape of Good Hope.  This area is the southwestern most point of South Africa and is where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans meet.  Thabani was our tour guide and he was a hoot!!  We were in the van with a couple from Austria and another couple from Whales.  Thabani was cracking jokes the whole time about where each of us were from.

Tina and Thabani

Chris and Tina at False Bay overlook

It was a quite eventful ride (it took about an hour and a half) and we stopped a few times along the way.  As we were passing a beautiful beach off of the Atlantic Ocean, Thabani pointed out to us the FULL-TIME shark spotters on the beach.  The shark spotters sit up over the cliff with binoculars and have different colored flags that warn the guard on the beach if there is a shark in the area.  This happens quite often due to the fact that the sharks mistake the people for seals!   If you saw the movie “Jaws” – that is the shark we are talking about.  They are ALL OVER the waters in Cape Town!!  (Vin you would be in heaven!!)

False Bay

We then stopped to see the penguins and found out their nickname is the “Jackass Penguins” due to the fact that when they make noise apparently they sound like a Jackass!  (A few people I know came to mind….  :))  They so reminded me of the movie “March of the Penguins!”

Penguins

“Happy Feet”

Tina and I then decided we had to use the restroom and upon entering the stall noticed a box on the back of the toilet.  To our surprise and laughter (loud enough for the entire place to hear!) there were boxes of FREE condoms in every stall!  Seriously though, this is a way South Africa is educating people on safe sex so as to prevent the spread of AIDS.  (NO – Tina and I did not take any!!)

Only Tina and I would take a picture of condoms!

We started our drive again and were warned about the WILD BABOONS!  These guys are EVERYWHERE!!!  Apparently, they have been fed too much by tourists so are now on the violent side and actually try to jump in peoples cars to get food.  We passed a mama and her baby on the side of the road….SO CUTE!!

Baboon mama and baby

We finally almost got to our destination when we stopped again for a bit to climb up to a lighthouse overlooking the Indian Ocean.  It became very apparent as to why they call Cape Town the “windiest city in the world!”  Tina almost had to cash in my life insurance policy because I literally almost got blown off the edge while going up.  TINA IS MY HERO…SHE SAVED MY LIFE!!  (tears of joy and gratitude flowing).   We were so “blown away” at the top, we decided to take the Funicular (a flying Dutchman-kind of cable car) back down mainly due to the fact that I was having a hard time remembering where I put my life insurance policy!!

Lighthouse view-you have no idea what it took to take this picture!!

“Funicular” car

Once we got back to our “palace” we decided to order pizza and beer.  We were soooo happy!  We also noticed that this is the first post that we do not have a picture of us drinking an adult beverage….on the other hand,  we also just noticed that we talked about drinking an adult beverage and happen to be drinking one as we type so maybe this whole paragraph is totally pointless!

On to tomorrow where we are going to be…wait for it….DRINKING!!!  (full-day wine vineyard tour!!)

Here’s for “hoping” for a good day tomorrow…

Tail???
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Gail, Chris and Tina toasting with their Amarula

One follow-up note to yesterday’s dinner:  We now are Wanna-Be members of the “Amarula Club”.  We enjoyed our little aperitif while Gayle told us the story of this delightful beverage.  The facts:  The African Marula Tree produces round fruits (a member of the mango family) that are favorites of the Elephants, in fact it is sometimes called… wait for it…the Elephant Tree!  The “Tale”: You become a member of the Amarula Club when you, let’s just say become overly intoxicated from drinking Amarula…Chris-Tina’s new goal in Africa!  (Brazzier’s on!)
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Justice, Gail, Zali and Chris at The Tribe Restaurant

Tina and I had a great day today with our SANBS group!  What an awesome bunch of people!  We had our second day of training and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity of being able to do my work in this beautiful country with these amazing people!
Juice!

Instructions Required! (See warning label on picture)

I chose to stay away from the juice today since I had such a “concentrated” experience with it yesterday (clearing of the throat sound).  We had an amazing lunch which Tina and I took back to the facilitation room so we could prep for the afternoon session.  I was eating what I thought was some kind of BBQ’ed ribs that were delicious!  Gobbled them down, finished prepping and started our afternoon session.  I asked everyone how their lunch was and told them how awesome I thought the “ribs” were.  I was then informed, ever so gently, that I had eaten Ox tail!  (That explains the actual vertebrae that were left on my plate when I was finished!).  I have to say, they were good though!!  I can now officially say I had “tail” in South Africa….WOW!

Tina and I then had the distinct pleasure of dining in the Melrose Arch area of Johannesburg with our new friends Gavin and his lovely wife Ilana.  What a blessing!  Within minutes we were talking about ascension, 2012 and Africa’s role in the “new world.”  (Jay – I owe you BIG for the introduction!  Love you for it!!)  We had an absolutely lovely waitress, No (her name is “No”) who made our dinner that much more enjoyable with her beauty and sparkling personality.

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Gavin, Chris, Tina, Ilana at Melrose Arch

Tomorrow we only have one short session (1 hour compared to 8!) and then we are off to Cape Town on Tuesday.  We are so looking forward to Cape Town because we have heard sooo many wonderful things about it.  Our list is soooo long of what we want to do while we are there!  We also found out that the sun does not set there until 10pm!  We are thinking we need to give the town a heads up that Tina and I are coming!  🙂

Until tomorrow….

Chris-Tina