Cape Town: The Second Time Around

Make that the Third. I have been flying down to Cape Town more often than I expected I would be. And for the record, got pulled out twice from standby which made me scream and squeak due to flat out excitement! It's always a drum-roll-sort-of moment for crews waiting for the rostering team to pull you out for either a very bad sector or a really good destination. I'm flattered to technically be in Cape Town the whole year round, experiencing the Southern Hemisphere winter season and smashing summer day! It is no secret that the Mother City is very close to my heart from the very beginning, right here. It was love at first sight.

It's a blessing that for the second time around I got to make completely new memories with her, see what I missed and experience what more she has to offer. I'm glad to have tagged along with the rest of the crew and who else could be a better tour guide than someone who used to fly with us and a home grown Cape Townian - Andrew, whom you can follow on instagram and add on facebook for a well-tailored and super friendly tour. Seeing happy feet in Boulders Beach was at the top of our itinerary. You feel gigil by these cute little creatures, with the most delightful backdrop on a beautiful day. And being a waterbaby, I plunged into the most inviting waters to get soaked! Let Cape Point take your breath away and get a panorama of waters, cliffs and mountains as far as your eyes can see. I swear, no other word is gonna come out of your mouth from the cable car ride up until coming back down but... WOW. And if you're keen enough to spot where the Two Oceans meet (Indian and Atlantic ocean), aside from tasting a wonderful Sauvignon Blanc! We drove further to reach the most South Western point of the African continent that is the Cape of Good Hope. I'm just a speck in a million of other specks and to find myself being there was just unbelievable! Unbelievable. It was a truly majestic moment. Full of hope. More to our journey was being half awake passing through the wonderful valley of Noord Hoek below Chapman's Peak where you can have a dreamy horse ride by the shore, driving thru the coast and sight the Lion's Head and Signal Hill while Pompeii by Bastille is playing in the background. Our itinerary ended up at Table Mountain blanketed with a cold fog plus getting a view of Robben Island which holds what used to be Nelson Mandela's cell. And then, capping off the night at the Waterfront. 

This post is more of a photodump than a photo diary and I hope the pictures would speak for themselves. The editing process brought me back to the moment which made me so thankful and happy to finally share this with you all. And if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been here before?

Penguins at Boulders Beach

Cape Point

Cape of Good Hope

Meet the Crew and Andrew!

Lost in Beijing

I've been busy as a buzzing bee flying from one flower to the next in search for the sweetest nectar. Too busy, that even taking a peek into my blog needs to be rostered for duty. I won't lie that I've been so caught up at work but never have I stopped savouring every journey. Re-visiting my first Wonder of the World makes the best way to mark my half-a-year now living in Doha. Forgive if my upcoming posts are a bit dusty from my archive! 

One of the best and unforgettable layovers I had happened in Beijing - Home to one of the World's Wonders. I am above and beyond to share this experience with the loveliest crew anyone could have with onboard. Girls from every corner of the world, from totally different backgrounds but sharing the same flame was truly Godsend! We were the self-proclaimed #ChineseSheikhas representing The Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Kenya, Romania and Serbia. The flight bound to Beijing gave me the gift to view the Himalayas in broad daylight. That alone was a #HappyMoment right there. 

Upon reaching the hotel, us girls had already arranged with the concierge for a bus to take us to The Great Wall and The Forbidden City. Haggling (more like, bargaining and negotiating) is highly recommended in China. With just 4 hours of sleep, we were out and about! 

The Great Wall of China  

But first, The Great Wall of China. Surrounded with the most beautiful of landscapes I'd only seen in movies before like Mulan and Kung Fu Panda. The trees, mountain ranges, lakes and the simplest sight of flowers (or cows) made our hearts flutter - for people coming out of the sandpit. But that was just the cherry on top of the cherry. Beijing's weather was perfect on a mid-October's day. We took a Cable Car ride up the Great Walls seeing the thick foliage beneath our feet and the empty sky above us - and there I was - making it on top one of the Seven Wonder's of the World, standing strong for over 600 years. I couldn't have felt more alive and grateful. A lot of tourists still make their way to this landmark which is part of human history. I think going up is as exhilarating as going down The Great Wall thru the Tobaggo Slide ride! A good 20mins. sliding downhill on a cart with only a stop-and-go stick shift made me feel like a Happy Kid again! (Caught in video!) 

The Forbidden City

     

Seeing the entrance gate to this historical place brought me back to the days I saw it printed on my SIBIKA or HEKASI textbooks. The suddenness made me feel walking into and being part of history. We appreciated the Chinese temples, palaces and the Imperial Garden housed within. Beijing is also where we found the most fluffiest and fat feline and canine friends which brought wearing fur to a whole new level! Getting lost in Beijing with just a few hours for minimum rest and bearing in mind you have a flight (to operate) got our hearts pounding. Not to mention the language barrier to make things a little bit more exciting. We found (lost) ourselves in the massive Tiananmen city square and saw the palace by misadventure. That has made the sweating and experience all the more worth it.

Getting back to the hotel was a whole other story when the car won't start for us! As our flight was just a few hours away, we couldn't stay put and went on to grab a taxi - sleeping there like a baby out of too much adrenaline and exhaustion. Only to find out later, our flight is (thankfully!) delayed for another hour. Time and again, things do happen for a reason.

That leaves me ecstatic than ever, for I have only 6 more Wonders of the World to go! :)