Leaving Guelph
Two fantastic flights. Both nearly empty with plenty of room to stretch out and sleep.
I couldn't get to the Frankfurt disco tunnel... you needed a boarding pass for a certain terminal, something I didn't have.
The South African flight was the best I've ever been on. The food, ohhhh the food: salmon with a creamy white wine sauce, rice & veg, free booze (excellent South African red wine), with dark chocolate and gouda to top it off.
Allow me to introduce to you a seventy-something British plant biologist by the name of Paul Hubbard. I find my seat on the Toronto-Frankfurt flight, and Paul is sitting two seats over.
"It was so chilly in Newfoundland it could have been mid-winter!" Paul says. And for the next three hours Paul and I shared travel stories... of which he had many more. Having traveled to over 70 countries, he was regularly referencing the local plant life of the places he's been while describing some of the most spectacular parts of the world.
Paul has something like 7 kids and 22 grandkids. I can't say I'm entirely convinced all of these family members exist, but it made for great entertainment on the flight. One son is an emergency doctor in the US, another is an artist with work in the Guggenheim but now spends his time flipping million dollar apartments in Paris. Paul and his wife adopted a 4-day old infant they found in a remote village in Chile, after the baby's family had been shot during civil unrest. That daughter is now living in Paris and is dating the Head Chef of the Ritz. Another son is a robotics engineer working in the aerospace industry, and another is a researcher/developer for IBM in New York.
Paul and his wife have traveled the world (his wife was a pilot, not sure what she does now), and currently live in Paris. They are buying a 14th century castle in the south of France (or Spain.. can't remember), with a restored water mill and acre after acre of rolling hills. They own a summer home on 15km by 35km Greek island, which I was invited to visit after my stay in Morocco. We'll see if I can work that into the route...
Throughout the stories, Paul made of point of identifying potential suitors for me. He'd have a pretty killer lineup ready if all of these men are real- Swedish engineers, Greek surgeons, British laywers. He even made a point of asking how tall I was, you know, so that the Spanish artist I might marry is taller than me.
Moving right along... I arrived in Cape Town to pouring rain and a cool 14 degrees. It was 5am so I couldn't see much of the landscape. Phil, the contact I made before leaving home, met me at the airport and has been an invaluable help! He immigrated from Britain 7 years ago after meeting his South African wife and has been running his kiteschool business since. He filled me in on everything I could need to know- the great places to visit, the weather patterns, and the safe and unsafe areas.
I'm staying in Tableview, a suburb of Cape Town, which truly earns its name. The view of Table Mountain is spectacular. My accommodation is incredible. I couldn't have asked for a more comfortable, if not luxurious, place to stay. Check out the pictures. I'm walking distance to kitebeach and the bars/downtown area.
My flat for the next week or so... no complaints
here.
Nap time before my daylight tour with Phil. I've never loved a bed so much in my life.
The courtyard outside my flat at Jenny & John's guest house.
The area is perfectly modernized, but what is most shocking is the range in wealth. Gorgeous ocean view villas with the poorest of the poor a 10minute drive away.
I'll be out kiting tomorrow, and Phil's got an American couple who will be joining us.
Phil has all sorts of valuable contacts for fun things to do- I'll be taking the winelands and Cape Point tour on Sunday, with sandboarding and surfing saved for the wind-less days.
Table Mountain
Tableview beach road
A rainbow!
Table Mountain
The view of Table Mountain from kite beach
I'm still adjusting to the schedule-less lifestyle. Even right now... I don't really know what I'm going to get up and do once I leave this internet cafe. But that's the best part. And although the mindset and lifestyle is new to me, I think I can get used to it!
And so it begins....2.5 months of vacation.
