Flying for 25 hours with 3 layovers is not something anyone would consider a pleasant time, but good company can change all of that. Meeting Kim, a South African teacher on the flight from Soa Paulo, Brazil to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, made the hop across the pond much more enjoyable. It started by celebrating her birthday, where the stewardess happily served champagne and cake (without candles) and then sang happy birthday along with the captain.

The awesome thing about meeting fellow travelers is connections are amplified. There isn’t time or a desire to waste time on meaningless conversations, and instead you immerse yourself in being silly, depending on each other and just being true to yourself. Kim also provided many helpful recommendations about her home country, and I adjusted my plans accordingly.

Some Montreal friends bet I stop my world journey in Cape Town, and after a week here, I fully understand why they said that. It’s a magically city with so many possibilities and activities at your fingertips! Here are some things I’ve done:

  • A hop-on, hop-off city bus tour, to get a good perspective of the city and surroundings
  • A wine tour to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, visiting 4 vineyards. Unlike the wine tour in Menoza, I paced the sampling and had a glass of water between glasses. Result: was not smashed at the end of the day
  • Great white shark cage diving, which allowed me to get up close and personal with the fishies while safely in a steel cage. Lots of video footage was taken but no pictures. The boat was so rocky that 6 people unloaded their lunch over the side, and one couple didn’t manage to get into the cage at all
  • Watched the sunset with friends of friends on Clifton beach, followed by watching a fire juggling show along with a thousand other spectators
  • Hiked up the iconic Table Mountain on a cloudless morning, to watch the sun welcome us over the crest. Spectacular views from the windy top
  • Drank mojito and various cocktails from the famous Caprice Cafe, where models and men with huge egos are found aplenty

Simply put, Cape Town is wonderful: marvelous scenery, physically active people, shit tons of things to do, and a primal sense of the birth of mankind. Also, I’ve had no concerns for safety, other than you would in any other major city.

To respond to the bet, would I move here? Possibly, if I could be paid in USD, as the Rand is a very weak currency. It’s also challenging to engage with the locals, as they tend to stay in their well-established groups and don’t always welcome strangers. Especially demanding for a shy introvert.