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Published: September 29th 2006
I awoke early Sunday morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (that’s for you Triplet) ready to hit the trail. Uh, well, that’s a nice version of; I slept through my alarm and woke up, heart racing, to my roommate Mac banging on my door to get my tush out of the bed. Yeah, some things never change (just ask Christin and Len).
After a quick stop at the 7/11 to pick up some essential sustenance for the trail, I met the group in front of the international office where we awaited our transport to Cape Town.
The actual hiking began a bit late in the morning. Somehow our bus driver, a local resident, didn’t know where exactly we were going, so we wandered Cape Town a bit before actually arriving at our destination—I guess knowing your way around town isn’t part of the job description of a bus driver. But whatever, I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic route, and watching Erin work herself up with worry was pretty entertaining too.
The hike began with a steep ascent through the pine-covered mountainside. When sweat pours from your body and you’re heart is beating out of your chest, there’s no mistaking it, you’re
alive, and you’re mortal.
And that’s how I felt all day—undeniably alive. Each step offered distance between my body and that busy city center, and every turn in the trail welcomed me toward the clouds. The beautiful boulders, the clear sky, the crisp air, nature itself—in it we find our way back to ourselves. I thoughtlessly trusted the direction of the path before me as my surroundings invited me to retreat deep into myself…
When we finally reached the top (which I was beginning to believe didn’t actually exist, that Tyrone had played some sick trick on us), I couldn’t help but stare, my eyes were fixed on the sheer height of my position and the distance of my perception. Those towering downtown structures looked more like a child’s legoland than a real city. The best part, though, was gazing out over the glassy surface of an ocean and feeling as if I could step out onto it and walk off the edge of the world, out into the nothingness. I was almost absent in that moment, I could hardly place myself in relation to the hugeness of it all..
When we finally arrived at the restaurant
and cable cart station, it was back to touristville, back to busyness, back to capitalist colonization in the form of gift shops. What else was there to do but kick back a beer and enjoy the view?
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Bekah
RebekahJL
Nice sun glasses! Are they Pink?!!
How beautiful! Your words are so capturing...."feeling as if I could step out onto it and walk off the edge of the world, out into the nothingness." I can tell how alive this place makes you feel and as much as i am enjoying seeing it through your eyes, i wish i were there! Frankly...i am jeleous! Love you!