Two Oceans Aquarium. ...I Found Nemo!

So this is going to be a VERY short blog post, it's more just to post some photos from the Two Oceans Aquarium that I went to. I went with my housemates Chelsey and Renata, and we had so  much fun exploring and seeing lots of new things. My favourite part was this fish tank at the beginning that was titled "Nemos." You could go inside and it felt like you were swimming with hundreds of Nemos. For those of you who don't know.... "Finding Nemo" is one of my all time favourite movies.
Thus, I LOVED the aquarium!!!

The JELLLIESSSSS.


Stay tuned for more Cape Town Adventures :)

Full Moon Hike up Lions Head Mountain

In Cape Town there are Mountains everywhere, but the main one's you need to know are: TABLE mountain (the most famous which is completely flat at the top.... like a table) aha, then there's Devil's Peak which is 1000 metres higher than Table Mountain but directly attached to the East of it, and finally there is Lions Head which is just West of Table Mountain and smaller in size. Hiking is quite popular in Cape Town since there are so many mountains. People hike before work, after work, on weekends, to watch the sunset, to watch the sunrise... you name it and it's been done. One interesting hike which is popular is the Full Moon Hike.

 

My housemates and I came home from work one day and realized that it was supposed to be a full moon that night- which meant that it would be a PERFECT hike up Lions Head. We spontaneously threw on our running shoes, packed some wine and headed to Lions Head. Yes, that's right. WINE for our hike! Lions Head is a fairly easy mountain to climb- the trail is mainly flat and goes around the mountain like a corkscrew rather than an straight incline uphill. So during the Full Moon Hike people tend to climb to the top and party in the moonlight. We joined in and had a GREAT time. The hike is wonderful because as you're walking up, the sun is just setting. We got some great silhouette pictures. But once you're at the top (with tons of other people) the mountain is lit by the light of the full moon. It's a spectacular view where you can see all of Cape Town lit up at night. I really enjoyed this hike and I hope I can squeeze another full moon hike in before I return home! 

My housemates (Renata, Chelsey) and I on our way up the Mountain

At the top of Lions Head Mountain
(From left: Trish, Me, Chelsey, Robbin and Renata)

Weekend at Hermanus Bay

Sorry I've been late posting these blogs! I've just been super busy living and loving life (no time for computers!)

But last weekend VAC scheduled a weekend trip to Hermanus Bay which is about 2 hours away from Cape Town, but is a nice small town which is known for whale watching. We, however, did not go for the whales.... we went to see SHARKS! Shark cage diving is a popular tourist activity here, and the best place to do it is in Hermanus Bay. So me and about 20 other interns went shark cage diving last saturday. It was beyond epic. We were staying at a really cool hostel with all the VAC people that came on our trip. And so the morning of shark cage diving, we left our hostel at 6:45am and spent most of the day in the ocean, living on the edge of danger! haha. We drove the boat out about 20 minutes in to the bay and anchored there. Then we set out our bait- a dead tuna head tied on a string- which attracts the sharks, and allows us to see them upclose. The actual shark cage diving part is super easy. We get all dressed up in wet-suit gear (because it's FREEZING in the water) and put on a snorkelling mask. Then we hop into the cage that is attached to the side of the boat, and the cage fits about 4-5 people. This is where you wait, with your head above the surface, for a shark. When a shark is near, the guide yells "DOWN" so you take in a huge gulp of air and go under water to see the shark. These sharks are Great Whites; they are about 3-5 metres long and have soooo many teeth. But most of them swim by so casually. It's not like JAWS or anything. Apparently the sharks don't even notice the people in the cage- their senses tell them that the cage is just a big metal box, so they don't bother attacking it. But every so often they do... I was "fortunate" enough to be in the cage when one shark attacked it! It was SCARY but amazing at the same time. The shark was actually gnawing on the cage and a blue floaty attached to the cage (my hand was on a floaty right beside it.. not smart). But no worries, no one lost any limbs and we were all safe. It was a GREAT experience, and I will never forget it. I may have nightmares though,. haha.

All wet-suited up and in the cage!

Here is the shark cage attached to the boat with a BABY shark next to it. 

My hand is the one on the floaty... thank God it was a few feet from the actual shark!

In Hermanus I also got to go Sea Kayaking which was wonderful. After a fun night out on town, me and about 7 other girls were brave enough to wake up and go sea kayaking (while partially hungover). 

 But it was definitely worth it! We were paired up into double kayaks, which I was thankful for because I got paired with my housemate Chelsey who is MIGHTY strong compared to me. So we had a guided kayak tour of the bay where we got to see baby seals RIGHT upclose. They were very playful and cute. We kayaked in the open ocean, and right along the coast which provided breathtaking views. After about an hour and a half I started getting a little sea sick (may have had something to do with the hangover.. not sure haha) so me and Chelsey headed back. But it was a beautiful time, and great exercise! Plus seeing the seals upclose is something that not too many people get to do.

Chelsey and I kayaking in Hermanus Bay

BABY SEALS! so cute. 

....I'm realizing that most things here are "not things that many people get to do" and so I'm very appreciative of this opportunity, and all of the experiences I've had here. Cannot wait to tell you more! (I actually climbed Table Mountain today but am WAY too exhausted to write another blog! stay tuned for updates)

Much love,
Keira xoxo

Simon's Town Beach... with PENGUINS!

Last weekend I went to Simon's town which is about an hour train ride away from my house. I went with a few of my housemates and some other VAC interns. Simon's Town is known for the beach it is near. The beach is called Boulder Beach and has so many PENGUINS.. and boulders. haha.
But it is very beautiful.

We took the train which runs along the coast so it's a gorgeous view the whole time. It is actually so close to the coast that when you look out of the window you just see water- so it feels like you're on a really fast boat.

We got to Simon's Town and headed straight to the beach where we saw some cute penguins and then decided to adventure out onto all the boulders. We climbed a bunch of them and just took in the scenery the entire time. It was GORGEOUS (as I realize most things are here!) But I have to say that it was suuuper windy. I mean, I was standing on top of a boulder and I almost flew away it was so windy! You honestly had to scream just standing next to someone in order for them to hear you. But we climbed all along the beach for a good couple of hours. it was fun and exciting. I kept saying "Wow. This is AWESOME" about every 5 minutes. ... but seriously, it was AWESOME everywhere we went. After some fresh calamari and french fries at a restaurant right by the water, we ventured back home on the train. It was a truly wonderful day :) 

Miss each and every one of you :)
much love,
Keira xox