3 MONTHS IN CAPE TOWN
A part of me always knew I would come here.
It was really just on a whim that we decided to fly to Cape Town. It was a place I had always wanted to go, and my partner had lived there previously and only had 5 star reviews. He’s not one to over hype anything, so to hear such a glimmering review piqued my interest.
We flew from Thailand to South Africa by way of Doha on December 13th. Since then we have stayed in 5 different Air Bnbs, trying out different neighborhoods every few weeks. We started in the CBD, the City Bowl, or what you might consider downtown. The open & bright studio was nestled above a textile shop, called Mungo. There was even a loom in the window, where you could watch the fabrics coming together with each string. The studio was incredible, with large windows on every wall. It was one of my favorite places to stay, however we rarely left at night due to the seedy nature of the downtown area. Cape Town has a pretty bad rep for being unsafe, but as long as you are aware of your surroundings, and don’t put yourself in compromising situations, you will be completely fine! I have felt safe here the entire time I’ve been here, but I also rarely leave the house at night.
Every place I’ve gone this past year, I’ve done my best to integrate myself into the community and offer my teachings. Whether it’s yoga or meditation workshops or painting, I just love to participate in the wellbeing community and bring people together. This place was no different.
It was by kismet that I got connected with Wild Thing Studio. Almost 2 years ago, a sweet girl came up to me after a class I taught in Venice, telling me how much she loved class. We got to chatting and she told me she was from South Africa. I told her how I’d always dreamt of going there. Fast forward to that same sweet girl, Via, being in Cape Town at the same time as me now, and introducing me to the owners of the studio that she practiced with here, aka Wild Thing.
Since then, such a gorgeous friendship has emerged. The two owners of Wild Thing, Dom & Lexi, and I have co-created on photoshoots and murals and workshops and women’s circles.
These are the moments you can’t plan. The people you meet who become a part of your soul.
After the CBD, we moved to Da Waterkant (Pronounced Vah-tah-Kant) for a few weeks, followed by a cute apartment in Mouille Point. We’ve ended up in Sea Point now, and I only have good things to say about every neighborhood in Cape Town, although Sea Point has definitely been the most convenient and walkable.
I had no idea what to expect when I got here, and still, my mind was blown. The epic beauty. The vastness of nature. The culture. The food. The coffee!!! I could go on and on. I only have glimmering reviews of Cape Town myself.
In a way, it reminded me of home, even thought it couldn’t be further away. This beautiful little town, tucked into the coast of where the mountains and the oceans meet. The smells here bring me back to my childhood, like I’ve been here before.
I feel safe here. I’m not putting myself in compromising positions, and I rarely go out at night. (Homebody!) There have been a few sketchy moments, but if you are being smart and aware and not flashy, then you would feel safe here too. People generally have a friendly disposition. But you have to remember the trauma this entire country went through, its residual effects can still be felt today.
Apartheid only ended in the 1990s. This lifetime. I can’t even imagine segregation, but it was a real thing. Our humanity still has a long way to go until we can consciously co-habitate this planet. I’m so ready for us to heal and come together as one,
We will continue to live in Cape Town, because even after 3 months, there is still so much left to discover.
With these travel bans in place, and the uncertainty of the world, we are staying put for now. I truly appreciate all of your love and support from all over the world!
I was so ready to continue to explore the world, live in new countries and meet new people. I’m in disbelief with the current state of things, and at the same time, I’m not surprised at all.
Wherever you are in the world, I hope you use this time to be present and to truly appreciate where you are. Go inward. Travel your own inner world. Heal your past. Create your future.
Let’s ask ourselves: how can we be better than this?
