Roar!

Although we have had a stressful week with drama (the bad kind) at the manor, internship tours, and studies, we managed to blow off some steam by... HIKING!  Again!  While my roommate, TA, and a friend climbed Table Mountain, me and some of the kidz decided to get to the top of Lion's Head in less than 1hr 15 min (the time set by the previous group).  It's not really a race, but one of our main forms of entertainment is having unnecessary and uncalled-for contests.  SO IT WAS ON.

We had been told that the hike up Lion's Head was a bit treacherous, and it began with edging along the side of the rock after hiking up the trail.  I tried to make it look really dramatic, but it was actually quite safe.  The more intense part, of which I have no pictures (curses!), was climbing vertically with the aid of a chain up to the top.

On the trail and at the top, we kept seeing these revolting interesting beetles.  I think I saw three total.  This one was being devoured by some flies.  Appetizing, yes?

After only 45 minutes, we arrived at the top of Lion's Head completely out of breath.  Then we realized we were IN a cloud.  I tried to include the photos that show some of the scenery, though most of the time it looked completely white all around.

The view of the city.  A cloud is about to consume us.  Clouds are actually quite cold when you pass through them.  It made for a bitter victory.

Anne Marie, Brenna, and I on a ledge (sorry Ma and Titi Sylvia) at the top of Lion's Head.  I think you can guess what is about to happen...

Great success!  Jumping photos are far too fun to pass up.  When I show people this I will lie and say I actually sky-dived from a plane and landed gracefully on the sandstone of Lion's Head.  Anne Marie looks like she actually did just that.

We then proceeded to continue jumping and taking photos of ourselves.  I was able to get some amazing shots of Anne Marie when it was completely clear, but then a cloud came to mist up mine.  Lame.

I promise I have a neck.  I was pretty giddy at this point - what's new?  Also, it was freezing, so don't be fooled by my clothing or jovial expression.

My clearest shot of Table Mountain.  The clouds would NOT let up!  Also, here you can see the stone steps we took to get to the top.  We may or may not be athletes now.

On the way down we passed this stone that I SWEAR says Diana.  It was awesome freaky.

Obviously the weather would become glorious ON OUR WAY DOWN.  What luck.  Here is a shot of one of the ladders we took to get to the top.

At the very least we had a great view of Signal Hill, which is also known as the rump of the lion (we climbed the head, and live on the rump, to the right).

There's the sun!  Where were you all afternoon?!

As you can tell, living in this city is spectacular.  The views cannot be beat.

The strain from climbing made us want to jump into the still-freezing ocean.  Check out the low clouds on the horizon.  How I despise them...

On the bright side, I was walking down with Anuja when we saw people wind gliding!  If I can, I would love to be able to wind glide over the city.  The sky became so beautiful after we left!

As the sun set, we said adios to Lion's Head, because we needed to get ready for Eboni's birthday party.  Eboni is the teaching assistant for our course with Mama Lee, and she is also our residence advisor for the trip (a TA/RA if you will).  She is intelligent, gorgeous, patient, kind, and we all love her dearly.  So much so that we got her a mucking afazing cake from Charly's.  See below (she is on the right):

The entire program was invited to her birthday bash by Mama Lee (our professor), who offered her apartment as the venue.  We had some DELICIOUS cheesecake, cheese and crackers, and concluded with a ridiculous game of charades.  One of the things we had to guess was "Caroline's bicycle" (she is 2nd from the left).  Without pointing, or spelling names.  Actually impossible.

Overall, the weekend alternated between relaxing and nail-biting, but overall it was great.  More to come this week when I start my internship!