Hello! This is Beth finally here comes my post! I have now been in Africa for a day shy of a week now and it is time to give you my thoughts. Arriving into Capetown was amazing the views from the plane were great as the sun was coming up. A bit of a hitch at the airport as I had no return ticket out of the country (what can I say I was expecting on loving it). So the hiccup was that I was required to pick a place to buy a ticket to so they would let me in. I covered my eyes as a bought a full refundable ticket to Nairobi (random). So I was now in. Nicole has informed you of all of the happenings after that up until Friday night which now is apparently my duty and initiation into this blog.
Friday night began at Elephant and Barrel as usual. We played some serious Crazy 8's with our friends who work at the bar. It is amazing being the only travelers in a small town where everyone knows everyone...because the new guys get drinks bought for them. So I think in total we all spent for our own first drink and that is it. I can definitely live a lot longer here on a 20 ZAR budget. So after meeting many more locals, which hurt our chances at more free drinks, we closed the bar. Some of our new friend invited us over for a late night braai (BBQ). So after some interesting meat they cooked for us over open flame, we were home at an reasonable hour of 4:30AM.
Saturday was filled with big plans laid out by the Kusasa team. First some brunch and then off to climb one of the peaks around surrounding Franshhoek so we could see the whole village and Table Mountain in Cape Town. After our late night Nicole and I had some trouble climbing the mountain. We barely made it. Due to our early morning antics it felt more like Everest and not merely a 1,000 meter climb. We did made it though and Table Mountain was visible, well worth it. After Paul (Franshhoek Dad) took us out for Gelato. Next was a Braai, at a more appropriate hour, over at Doug's (the director) house. Amy, Nicole, and Paul were treated to a lovely drive up their by their driver ME. I was a bit like a HAWK with her wings clipped on that drive. I do have a few excuses...I have not operated a vehicle for 5 months and have never driven on the left side of the road and on the right side of a car ever. On the way we saw Dougs zebras and wildebeests and other animals to which we don't know their names but they had horns. His house was amazing and it was fun to be with his family and our new Franshoek friends for dinner and drinks and cards. Also a fun new Name game we will have to bring back with us to play at home.
We all were so excited to wake up for Sunday because Anne, Amy's lovely family friend, was taking us to see whales!! We headed out of town to a place about an hour away on the coast named Hermaus Bay. We got in and right away from the car started spotting whales. They were all over. Ann
e had made reservations for us right on the water at an amazing seafood restaurant. Here we were able to converse while never looking at each other as we waited for the whales to breach and jump out of the water. Nicole, the Asian tourist, had trouble getting her camera out capture these. Eventually she kept the zoom lens on and due to our teasing is now trying to charge Amy and I for her amazing photographs. At this stop were were able to 
see other wild life a Dassie (google that, adored by us for their fat body and small head) and a sea lion. Pretty much amazing. After we headed out down the coast on the way home. I was woken up as we made a stop at another coastal spot....little did I know were were about to see PENGUINS! Those little guys were everywhere. They were African Peguins aka Jackass Penguins. This pretty much sums up an amazing day and weekend. Now passing to Amy to post the week and volunteering events.
Friday night began at Elephant and Barrel as usual. We played some serious Crazy 8's with our friends who work at the bar. It is amazing being the only travelers in a small town where everyone knows everyone...because the new guys get drinks bought for them. So I think in total we all spent for our own first drink and that is it. I can definitely live a lot longer here on a 20 ZAR budget. So after meeting many more locals, which hurt our chances at more free drinks, we closed the bar. Some of our new friend invited us over for a late night braai (BBQ). So after some interesting meat they cooked for us over open flame, we were home at an reasonable hour of 4:30AM.
Saturday was filled with big plans laid out by the Kusasa team. First some brunch and then off to climb one of the peaks around surrounding Franshhoek so we could see the whole village and Table Mountain in Cape Town. After our late night Nicole and I had some trouble climbing the mountain. We barely made it. Due to our early morning antics it felt more like Everest and not merely a 1,000 meter climb. We did made it though and Table Mountain was visible, well worth it. After Paul (Franshhoek Dad) took us out for Gelato. Next was a Braai, at a more appropriate hour, over at Doug's (the director) house. Amy, Nicole, and Paul were treated to a lovely drive up their by their driver ME. I was a bit like a HAWK with her wings clipped on that drive. I do have a few excuses...I have not operated a vehicle for 5 months and have never driven on the left side of the road and on the right side of a car ever. On the way we saw Dougs zebras and wildebeests and other animals to which we don't know their names but they had horns. His house was amazing and it was fun to be with his family and our new Franshoek friends for dinner and drinks and cards. Also a fun new Name game we will have to bring back with us to play at home.
We all were so excited to wake up for Sunday because Anne, Amy's lovely family friend, was taking us to see whales!! We headed out of town to a place about an hour away on the coast named Hermaus Bay. We got in and right away from the car started spotting whales. They were all over. Ann
e had made reservations for us right on the water at an amazing seafood restaurant. Here we were able to converse while never looking at each other as we waited for the whales to breach and jump out of the water. Nicole, the Asian tourist, had trouble getting her camera out capture these. Eventually she kept the zoom lens on and due to our teasing is now trying to charge Amy and I for her amazing photographs. At this stop were were able to 
see other wild life a Dassie (google that, adored by us for their fat body and small head) and a sea lion. Pretty much amazing. After we headed out down the coast on the way home. I was woken up as we made a stop at another coastal spot....little did I know were were about to see PENGUINS! Those little guys were everywhere. They were African Peguins aka Jackass Penguins. This pretty much sums up an amazing day and weekend. Now passing to Amy to post the week and volunteering events.
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