The Week in Pictures...

The Week in Pictures...Pt 2.

Put Your Hands in The Air.....

Hands up...

How many of you are "wannabe's"?   I don't mean in the "I want to be famous" sense, I mean in the "I want to be...." well, anything sense.

I am a wannabe.  It is both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because so many things excite me.  A blessing because I refuse to let myself fall into the mundane traps that so many people wake up and find themselves in A blessing because I want to aim high and achieve great things,  I want to see and do it all. I don't want to be "normal".

It is also a curse. A curse because as a wannabe you always want to be something, do something, go somewhere - you focus on everything that you're not.  There is often the feeling of  restlessness, like something is missing, yet you're not sure of what or how to fill the void.  I am not happy just being, yet with so many things to choose from, where does one start?!  What do I want to be?

The missing ingredient in a "wannabe's" life is contentment.  Something which I think few people genuinely have. The pros and cons of being content deserves a separate entry altogether, and one that I cannot possibly touch upon without speaking to my best friend - possibly one of life's most content. She inspires and brings sunshine to my world on a daily basis.

Things on my Current "Wannabe" List...

I want to be successful. I want to be well travelled. I want to be interesting. I want to be clever. I want to be respected. I want to make a difference. I want to help. I want to be motivated. I want to be funny. I want to be near my loved ones. I want to be excited. I want to be cool.

I don't want to feel lost.

Maybe I want to be content....  I'll keep you posted!!!

Lions Head...

So, the all new, all dancing trainers which I purchased in a motivational bid to get fit have been used twice. That's right. Twice. I don't like to talk about one occasion - let's just say the hate-hate relationship with running continues, beautiful beach or not.  The second occasion was to climb Lions Head, which looked like a breeze in comparison with the climb up Table Mountain I encountered on my first trip to the Cape.

So new & shiny.. So eager!

The dusty trail soon turned into a bumpy, rocky, steep incline. The boy marched ahead, only pausing for breath when to shout at me to catch up. The energetic excitement the shiny sneakers and I shared at the bottom of the hill soon started to fade, but we rounded a corner and the view over Camps Bay gave a much needed lift. I managed to block out the impatient yells directed at my weary legs and marched on, only having a slight wobble when confronted with chains in the rock face and the realisation I would have to use them to scramble up.  The boy had a wobble of his own on the descent when a Cape Cobra (read "deadly") slithered across the path in front of him. Thankfully my bad eyesight saved me from sharing this moment.

Ready to collapse.. What a view!

Now I am a firm believer that any pain inflicted on oneself through physical exertion must be rewarded in some way. Climbing in 30 degree heat, irrespective of an amazing view, most certainly falls into the "Reward Yourself" category, so I decided the reward should be lunch at the Loading Bay in De Waterkant. We rocked up, sweaty, dusty, hot and starved, very eager to feast, but as soon as my eyes swept the room all hunger pangs disappeared as I saw the trendy, creative clientele. Even the staff were super cool.  Obviously such things don't bother a starved boy who hates anything and anyone that can be defined as "hipster", but finally I find a place I would like to frequent, and I look like this? A dishevelled English girl who's Mulberry is no doubt fake.. it's not!

Luckily for all concerned, we sat, ordered, and ate and all thoughts of  being a failure evaporated as I relished in the fare before me and rejoiced in the climb I just completed.

Just your average Apple Juice...

Cape Town is too pretty not to explore and trample on, so the trainers and I will be going on another adventure, soon I hope. I will just have to be more prepared for the feast which will no doubt follow it.

Anyone For Ice Cream....?

Big Bay's answer to "Mr Whippy"...

Year of The Dragon..

Hello Year of The Dragon... The start of this new year sees my little feet stomping on a different continent - AFRICA! Times are a changing, as Hagrid once said to a young Harry Potter... And ain't that the truth. Cape Town. Wow. What a wonderful city, a vibrant city, a beautiful city...Yet so full of contradiction. For everything I coo over and marvel at, there is always something I see which equally fills me with a deep sadness. Poverty is ever present and I often feel overwhelmed and so helpless by it. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend the extent of the situation  whilst  appreciating all the beauty that Cape Town has to offer. Things keeping me busy: - Being so close to the beach.  It is wonderful to feel the fresh sea air, watch the kite surfers do acrobatics on the waves and know that when the wind disappears (sadly with summer) it will be time instead to watch the surfers bob up and down, waiting to catch the perfect wave.  *Must remember to wear spectacles for uninterupted viewing pleasure!  - Being an uber organised wedding planner extraordinaire.Ok, fine...a slight exaggeration, but what fun to be allowed to stalk wedding blogs, dissect wedding magazines, and help materialise them into real life without being a wannabe bride. The organisational control freak insde me is in heaven!!!  - Helping Cape Town lose One Ton of Fat.  Enough said. - Obsessing over www.wearingittoday.co.uk   Literally, I love this lady. I want to be this lady. Everyone should follow this site religiously. That said however, I am reminded of the traumatic loss of a pair of Topshop trousers which appeared on her site, promptly selling out, thus leaving me trouserless and heartbroken. Maybe you shouldn't follow her site after all... - Deciding if I should spend £60.00 more to travel on a direct 11 hour flight with 23kg luggage allowance, or a 20 hour flight with 30kg luggage allowance. Fear of flying vs an awful lot of clothing to pack... it's a dilema and actually one I need to address quickly.  - Miscellaneous Items include:  Trying to decide how else to keep myself busy, finding a yoga or Pilates class, deciding what my dream career is, missing home, trying not to eat too many naughty things (Steers chippies), working out how to keep up with Gossip Girl (love the Van de Walts - thank you!) and deciding on random tourist adventures. I am like a broken record - "when can we go here?", "I want to do this..." You would think he would want a quiet life and just agree......!!!