If you're happy and you know it...
As per usual I am writing this in an effort to avoid doing my packing. I have no idea how I'm going to manage it other than vaguely hope that it will squash in if I get everyone to sit on my bag.
My birthday was amazing, especially considering the fact that when I booked my flights I hadn't really considered the fact that I would turn 19 in a strange city thousands of miles from home and that, back then, I didn't know anyone here.
As it happened I was awoken by a chorus of birthday wishes and had a small bag of presents at the end of my bed. Breakfast was cooked for me courtesy of Tom. Then we all walked into the city and wandered for a bit before we ended up in the aquarium. It was really cool, other than the fact I walked up to the first tank and said 'Ooooh, I found Nemo!' and, thinking I heard an echo, I turned around only to see it was just a three year old who was saying exactly the same thing. I also got into the aquarium on a childs ticket, not sure how that happened!
In the evening I also had my dinner cooked for me and we shared a bottle of wine, then before I knew it Lucy had walked into the kitchen with a big cream cake! So I got to blow out some candles after all.
Later that night we just all chilled out in the bar, nothing too mad after the past few nights! I managed to actually win some games of pool though, which is kind of unusual (although there is the possibility that they were letting me win, but I'll ignore that).
Today the weather improved drastically and it was gorgeous. We took an early ferry over to Robben Island which was so worthwhile. Whilst we were travelling through Malawi and Zimbabwe I'd read an old battered copy of 'A Long Walk To Freedom' by Nelson Mandela so I think I got a lot out of todays trip although you're taken around the prison by an ex-political prisioner so you get quite a lot of insight. I know that opinion on Mandela can be pretty split but knowing what I know now I still think he deserves some respect. I just can't believe apartheid was so terrible but happened such a relatively short time ago. It's so wrong.
We had lunch by the waterfront again and then, because it was such a nice day, we went up Table Mountain again. It was definitely worth it because the views were so much better than they were on Monday. It was absolutely amaaaaazing, and the perfect way to end my last day in Africa.
I can't quite believe that I am leaving tomorrow, it's so strange! But it had to end sometime and I still feel incredibly lucky to have made it here. Three months of meeting amazing people, seeing 9 countries and doing so many different things - it was the best experience I could have hoped for. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to forget it any time soon. I just love feeling this happy!
There are so many things I could say right now but I'll leave it at that.
A bientot,
xXx
My birthday was amazing, especially considering the fact that when I booked my flights I hadn't really considered the fact that I would turn 19 in a strange city thousands of miles from home and that, back then, I didn't know anyone here.
As it happened I was awoken by a chorus of birthday wishes and had a small bag of presents at the end of my bed. Breakfast was cooked for me courtesy of Tom. Then we all walked into the city and wandered for a bit before we ended up in the aquarium. It was really cool, other than the fact I walked up to the first tank and said 'Ooooh, I found Nemo!' and, thinking I heard an echo, I turned around only to see it was just a three year old who was saying exactly the same thing. I also got into the aquarium on a childs ticket, not sure how that happened!
In the evening I also had my dinner cooked for me and we shared a bottle of wine, then before I knew it Lucy had walked into the kitchen with a big cream cake! So I got to blow out some candles after all.
Later that night we just all chilled out in the bar, nothing too mad after the past few nights! I managed to actually win some games of pool though, which is kind of unusual (although there is the possibility that they were letting me win, but I'll ignore that).
Today the weather improved drastically and it was gorgeous. We took an early ferry over to Robben Island which was so worthwhile. Whilst we were travelling through Malawi and Zimbabwe I'd read an old battered copy of 'A Long Walk To Freedom' by Nelson Mandela so I think I got a lot out of todays trip although you're taken around the prison by an ex-political prisioner so you get quite a lot of insight. I know that opinion on Mandela can be pretty split but knowing what I know now I still think he deserves some respect. I just can't believe apartheid was so terrible but happened such a relatively short time ago. It's so wrong.
We had lunch by the waterfront again and then, because it was such a nice day, we went up Table Mountain again. It was definitely worth it because the views were so much better than they were on Monday. It was absolutely amaaaaazing, and the perfect way to end my last day in Africa.
I can't quite believe that I am leaving tomorrow, it's so strange! But it had to end sometime and I still feel incredibly lucky to have made it here. Three months of meeting amazing people, seeing 9 countries and doing so many different things - it was the best experience I could have hoped for. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to forget it any time soon. I just love feeling this happy!
There are so many things I could say right now but I'll leave it at that.
A bientot,
xXx