Jessica's amazing weekend away

“COME AND LET US SING. COME AND LET US SING.”

Our first glimpse into the personality of Byron, our singing, praising, dancing, laughing, hugging, car driver was when he wished us all “sweet dreams” at four in the morning on our six hour drive to our weekend-long Plettenburg adventure.

           

The majority of the girls on the trip planned an extra weekend away from the Mother City. Manuela graciously organized the whole trip with minimual groans when we continuously asked her the same questions over and over again. As annoying as it must have been for her, and as confusing it was for us, I think we all agree that it was totally worth.

           

With very few days left in Cape Town, I think a lot of us were worried for another weekend away, thinking we would miss out on so much. However, for me, it was a welcome change. It was a chance to get away from routine and from our house and from the boys. Trust me, they were just as happy to have a weekend away from us.

           

During our Friday, Saturday, Sunday adventure we stayed in hostels. Something I have never done before. The first hostel was on the beach and the second provided a huge indoor bonfire. The hostel were clean and friendly, offered us dinner and breakfast, and a place to meet travellers from all over the world. Even though I was mostly too exhausted to make small talk with our swiss neighbors, it was the idea that I was sharing this room full of bunk beds with people from different countries that made it so exotic and cool.

           

Another first for me was being able to feed an elephant. I was very concerned by the idea of this activity in the beginning. I thought it would be similar to the time I rode some very sickly camels in Morocco on the side of a road. However, when we showed up at an elephant sanctuary I began to realize that this would be different. These elephants were able to roam free on the rolling savannah type hills. They would line up when they saw a truck coming because they knew a bunch of tourists in silly safari hats and buckets of apples and squash were there to feed them. We fed them and they slurped the fruits and veggies voraciously off of our willing hands. We snapped pictures, quickly and unsteadily, too excited by the gentle giants in front of us. While some people decided to ride the elephants at a different farm, we opted just for the feeding, but I was more than satisfied. I got to feed the babies and stroke their rough, crackled skin.

           

Manuela & Jessica preparing for their 

bungee jumps

Lastly, although we did so many more things than I have discussed, bungee jumping was another first that I indulged in this past weekend. It was definitely the best investment I have made this entire trip. I think what shocked me the most about jumping off of the highest bungee bridge in the world is the lack of physical effect it had on me. I felt no pull, even though I was dangling by me feet hundreds of meters in the air. I mostly focused on the sway. The mountains to the sky to the water below. I could see everything, but in a twisted upside version, yet it was still awe provoking. I also had a go pro camera taped to my hand so I got the whole thing on video, if anyone wants to see it!

           

So in-between all of these crazy activities I got to climb back into a little white car with Tina, Sarah, Melanie, Morgan and Courtney and our wonderful driver Byron. There is really no way to catch his essence with words. But I know that at the end of the weekend, he certainly found himself sad that we were leaving him. It even shocked us to realize how close we had come to this outrageous little man over a three day span. Probably one of the best weekends I have had so far.

Byron & Jessica