HOLYYYY Sheeet! This past weekend was unreal. Definitely am in Africa, but got to see it from a tourist's perspective basically for the first time. What a ridiculously cool country.
Sooo started off Friday with a 5:15AM pickup. Gulp. Then two hours until we boarded up a tiny boat, headed out to open waters and got in a 6x3x7 ft cage with bars no thicker than a third of an inch and began bating GREAT WHITES in the Great White Capital OF THE WORLD. Yep highest concentration anywhere. Gainsbaai, South Africa. Look it up!
There were cage diving boats all over the area too and everyone of them saw plenty of sharks so just gives you an idea of how many must be out there.
Our group was the first to get in the cage out of everyone on the boat and I was the first of our group. I was calm until we got into our wetsuits and then OH MY GOD, racing thoughts, pit in my stomach, repetitive questioning of my sanity. The crew was throwing pounds and pounds of live bait out and set out the "visible bait" of two giant yellowfin tuna heads--each about the size of a basketball. Once the crew spotted the first fin in the general area of the boat they told us to get ready to party it up the cage. Visibility was pretty poor and the water was icy cold, even with a wetsuit on. We waited about 5 minutes for our first sighting. They scream, "Down, Down, DOWN" and you take a deep breath and pull yourself down in the cage without sticking any fingers, hands, or feet out of the cage. Honestly, harder than it sounds when you are all frantically trying to claw your way down against gravity in a tiny cage. I saw it! Holy Shit. It wasn't real clear but there it was. This huge grey and white creature just casually drifting by.
I wasn't at all satisfied with that though. Now that I had talked myself into doing this crazy thing and was in the freaking cage, I better see some teeth! Next sighting was on the other side and I didn't see a thing. Finally, though it came within about a foot and a half of the cage and did a nice slow drive-by for me. I saw it from fin to nose! HUUUUUGGGEE. HOLY F! Craziest feeling ever. The guide said it was about 6m (15 ft long). OMG OMG. The same cruised by quickly again, this time going for the bait (not us, the tuna). and came up from below at an angle and gobbled it up as its head came up out of the water. INSANE. Its face didn't even look real. It looked more like Jaws than you would think. After our final sighting, it was time to de-cage and give some others ago.
It was great to go in the cage first though, because the view from above was actually even cooler. I'll have pictures for you soon, but without a phone it makes things quite a bit tougher so hopefully your imagination is in shape. We had such a clear view of the sharks. Saw 6 great whites in total. From a wittle itty baby (that was about time and a half as big as me) up to a huge mama that was about 17ft long (the guide said the biggest he'd seen in years). They dove out of the water, swam circles around the boat checked out the cage and were basically being playful with us.
I know it sounds cheesy, but they are MAGNIFICENT incredible unreal crazy creatures. But not nearly as aggressive as movies make them out to be. I mean don't get me wrong...they even chomp on you a tiny bit (like our taking a big whiff of something fragrant) and you're done. But they don't want humans and they are not inclined to just go around eating everything alive. They are lazy and didn't go for the bait as much as I thought they would. Apparently it expels too much energy and they only want to do that for a large payoff (not our skinny asses). But Beautiful and Powerful and Huge and yes, Terrifying they were.
Okay but the weekend was not quite over. We cruised along the Garden Route, which is a lush tropical region along the southern coast of South Africa (SA). It is gorgeous, views are amazing. Spotted an Elephant and many ostriches, some funny looking lambs, and a couple antelope on the way. Made it to our awesome hostel on the beach. Afrovibe. Incredible Sunset. Beautiful Beach. A classic SAan meal--like a stew thing--around a bonfire. Lots of people drank and beer-ponged into the night. I took it pretty easy. I was exhausted and it was a big day tomorrow. Plus, a lot of these kids are completely drunken 18 and 19 yos. 'Nough said.
Next day we started up by saddling up on some elephants. We didn't really have a saddle. But we really did ride elephants, and hugged their trunks, and gave them commands, and held hands with their trunks on romantic walks. They were so cool and so big. Obviously, but I was still astonished by their size. The ride was super cool. There was a super interesting sway to it so I sorta felt like I had to do a belly dance to keep my posture straight.
We had lunch with monkeys. Literally. It was inside a monkey sanctuary and baboons and spider monkeys and a few other kinds were all around us as we were eating. Couldn't touch though and apparently you don't want to get too close anyways cuz they are just little thieves.
THEN. Drove to Bloukrans Bridge.
For bungee jumping from the tallest bungee bridge in the freaking world!!!!! 216 m drop (which is like 750 ft or something) and the bridge is about 286 m off the ground. Views were amazing. But it was absolutely the most terrifying, pant-soiling thing I've ever done in my life. Hands Down. F@$%!!!!!!!!!!!!
We got our harnesses on, on solid ground and then had to do the scariest trek along this wire and mesh (see-through) walk-way that is held under the bridge. Probably secure but definitely didn't feel that way. No matter which way you looked it was just down, tall, high, and a looooonnng drop. It was a really long walk about 5 minutes out to a ledge (big ledge, but still a ledge) under the middle of the bridge. Music was playing and I think that's the only way I got through it. Just danced and danced and sang and tried to think about anything but where I was. People started going, I wanted to go first or at least be one of the first. But nope. Called about 10th in the group. They strap your legs all in and do a safety check and scoot you to the edge. Toes literally hanging off. I don't look down. Couldn't. Shouldn't. Would've pissed myself. Just looked straight out and my mind got really blank. I don't know that I would say clear, but more numb. And I put my arms out.
Oh Yeah, and everyone had a song to jump too and mine was "Don't let me fall". Not funny. Seriously. Give me the sad, slow one about NOT falling. I tried to not take it as a bad sign.
Ok. Then. 5..4..3..2..1..Swan Dive. And my eyes scan from out to down as I start to free fall. OMG (I know I keep saying that but legitimately OMG). My palms are actually sweating as I type this and my heart is racing a bit. For about 3 seconds you can't even scream. Definitely felt like you were going to die. Falling to your death. Nothing to stop you but also really calm. And I reached the bottom, finally able to scream. Then bounced up an started swinging, again the totally weightless free-fall feeling. Swinging more from side to side (within a gorgeous ravine with both mountain and ocean views, so at least it was scenic). Three more bounces. Then I was just spinning at the bottom for what felt like an hour. Blood rushing to my head. It felt like your feet were slipping out to be sure. And my legs and feet were shaking from trying to hold a flex for so long. Finally, I felt the crew guy coming down for me. He attached my harness to his and we started to be pulled up. I was shaking still, just as scared as during the jump. Wanting to get to solid ground (or at least the bridge ledge) so bad. Luckily, he made good conversation. they pulled me onto the metal platform, but it felt like it took foooorrrreeeevvvver. Pretty sure they let you hang just off the platform for a minute for dramatic effect. AH! Then safety. I hugged everyone, whether I knew them or not. Loved everyone. Felt weightless still and possibly in a bit of shock. Then, ELATED. Absolutely ecstatic and excited and just joyful. So cool. Can't believe I just did that!!!
The walk back along the see-through, bouncy, mesh walkway was just as scary as on the way out. You know, you're just telling yourself, "Of course, this is how I'm gonna die. Not bungee jumping. No no. Walking back to solid ground right after bungee". Terrifying. I just stared at the backpack in front of me and did deep breathing lamaze breathing exercises.
I MADE IT! Solid Earth below me. So only one thing to do.
Tequila Shot!!!!!!!!
Duh. What else?
Then we went back to the hostel for another beachy party night. Had a delicious brii (BBQ) and partied with foreigners.
Woke up the next day and did the least exciting thing all weekend. Safari. Actually, I don't think I can actually call it that b/c it was in a game reserve, not open bush land. But still pretty cool. Saw all the big 5 and some others on top of that. We were trying to get the male lion to chase us just so Sunday could be just as adrenaline-producing as the last two days. But our guide was not into that. Apparently, less thrilling and more stupid according to him.
Then we had a five hour drive back to Muizenberg. Slept a lot. Saw some cool views/lookouts. Stopped at a super cool farmers market and had my first meat pie.
When we made it back home we were thrilled to discover we had electricity back!! It had been out for 3 days when we left. No light after 6:30. No hot water, No way to charge cameras, our gate (electric) didn't close and our back door doesn't lock, so that was scary. But luckily everything was fine. We had been extra freaked out b/c no one was home all weekend (except for the creepy family in the garage) and one of the other volunteer houses had been broken into on Saturday night and laptops and stuff were all taken. Sucks! Glad I didn't bring mine.
Then back to reality (or SA volunteer reality) today.
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