Category Archives: South Africa

The Edge

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TEDx Table Mountain was about exploring the edge. It made me think a lot about overcoming fear, coming out of my comfort zone, going into the unknown. Exploring the edge is what I am doing here in South Africa, in Cape Town. It was the love for my Afrikaans meisie, but also the love for travel, for new things and for myself, that gave me the courage to leave my safe European home.

Coming to a new place where you only know one person, without any plan how to make money or stay seven months on a 90 day tourist visa is like stepping over the edge. It is scary, but also exciting. It challenges me to do what I’ve always dreamt of but didn’t have the courage to actually pursuit. So here I am, before me lays an inspiring land and an unknown future, mine to shape.

TEDx Table Mountain

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I am just back from TEDx Table Mountain – Exploring The Edge and I am very much impressed by the level of their speakers. I went to TEDx Brussels a few years ago and these guys here in Cape Town have blown me away with their line-up doing a TEDx with a fraction of the resources they had in Brussels.

I come back even more in love with South Africa and it’s people. Hearing these stories of South Africans overcoming set backs and difficult situations to make a difference not just for themselves but for others was truly heart warming and inspiring. I cannot wait for the video’s to come on-line so here are a few of the talks that touched me the most.

Before coming to South Africa, a friend let me watch “Forest of Crocodiles” a 2009 documentary about white South Africans addressing their fears of crime and violence. Hearing the story of underwater cameraman Roger Horrocks overcoming his fears and getting up and close with Nile crocodiles to film them says much more about South Africans then Forest of Crocodiles did.

Another incredibly inspirational person is Nicky Abdinor who didn’t let a small physical challenge like being born without arms keep her from her dream of driving a car. She started a non-profit organisation to aid other people with disabilities through the funding of car adaptations and is working with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to develop an adapted car for her and others to be mobile and independent: Nicky’s Drive.

The story of Braam Malherbe who was ready to step out of life, but accomplished the incredible feat of running the 4218 km of the Great Wall of China and in doing so funding the charity Operation Smile he started to pay surgery for children with facial deformities.

A man who radiates warmth is Mpumelelo Ncwadi who grew up in a township, from where he had to walk 15 km to school and made it to the University of Texas, Berkeley, Cambridge and more. He co-founded Indwe Trust putting his skills and expertise to use for sustainable agro-ecology and rural development in South Africa.

Jennifer Lovemore-Reed overcoming her fear and walking alone for four months. Actor and comedian Siv Ngesi delivering a chilling message urging men to stand up against rape. And free solo rock climber Matt Bush climbing Table Mountain and some the most challenging rocks South Africa has to offer, like 8+ climbs without ropes or any security: no strings attached (video).

Lance Brown who grew up in suburb, surrounded by violence, but had a dream of going to London and the determination and love and aptitude for taxation made that dream real. Anthony Turton calling for closure mining, cleaning up the mess left by gold mines.

These are just very short summaries that don’t do justice to the beautiful stories these speakers had to tell. As soon as the video’s are on-line I hope you watch them, because these are all stories that need to be shared.

A new home

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So it has been 2 weeks since I set foot on South African soil, as I already gave quietriotgirl shit about not updating her blog, I should write a bit about my experience, as i promised a lot of friends and in my last blog post.

So today I am moving in to my house for the next half year, an actual house with a roof and walls and without wheels. It has been 17 months since I called a house home, 17 months of living in my van, road tripping, sleeping on friends’ and strangers’ couches. I could get nostalgic and reminisce about my year and a half of nomadic life, but it’s this life that brought me to Cape Town, so it feels more appropriate to look ahead instead of back and talk about my new home (for the next half year anyway) South Africa.

So here are my first impressions: South Africans are really friendly, I haven’t met an unfriendly one in this two weeks, everyone seems helpful and even beggars (a lot of those here, they even go door to door) are polite. Security is big business here whether it’s guards at the station, in the train, at the supermarket, “armed response” for your house or neighbourhood, electrical fencing your property, and what not. I haven’t felt unsafe for one second here, but then that could be said to prove all of the above are doing a good job.

Cape Town is a beautiful city and Table Mountain is a sight I don’t think I’ll grow tired of. It’s not just Tafelberg, it’s the clouds draped over it, the so called tablecloth, and it’ Devil’s Peak on the left and Lion’s Head on the right. On the second day I was here I found myself looking up and using it to orientate myself. While Chicago is called the windy city and four seasons in one day is used to describe Melbourne, both are just as fitting for Kaapstad. The Cape Doctor, the south-east trade wind, is a force to be reckoned with, whether it’s providing a chilling draft whenever you leave a window open or messing with the MyCity bus’ automatic doors. And the day could start sunny and before noon Table Mountain could be obscured by clouds.

I haven’t gotten round to finding out all the places to hang out, but Lower Main Road in Observatory (or Obz as cool people call it) seems to have some nice bars and of course Long Street has a reputation to uphold. The Bombay Bicycle Club was the location for my first day welcome drink and is the nicest place I’ve been with the craziest cool cats. Almost any bar seems to have 2-for-1 happy hours just about all the time, just don’t spend it on Black Label (the beer not the whiskey) since it doesn’t taste like anything. De Waal Park is the perfect place to spend a babelas (hungover) Sunday.

Well, there is so much more in Western Cape: the Swartland with its lovely wines and charming farms (dankie Adi and Cornelia!), the granite rock of Paarl Mountain (hard to climb though) and I haven’t even been to the beach or Cape Point. So plenty more to write about in my next post.