Cape Town - South Africa {part 1}

We have been home for a week now - and we are still trying to getting into the swing of things.

I had all these great intentions to blog while on our trip - but super early mornings, and late nights got the better of me - but I have no regrets.

I love this space and sharing snippets of our lives and adventures, but this trip was the perfect internet detox, and just want I needed.  I figured once we were home, and unpacked I would have all the time in the world to slowly go through all our pictures - and cherish each memory.

I can't believe this trip is all ready over - and it will be another eighteen months before I get to see my family again ;)

Here we go... Cape Town...

** photo overload ahead.

The kids and I drove down to Cape Town a few days before Nate flew in.  He just ended up meeting is there to save some days for the beach house (post to come later.)

We had the most beautiful African sunrise on the morning we left...

We spend our first day in Cape Town settling into our cottages (after two days in the car) and grabbing some groceries for the few days we would be here. 

It was finally the day.... Nate would be joining us, the kids and I could hardly contain ourselves.  We got up early and headed to the airport to go pick him up.  We had a super slow first day, driving around some, and waking around in the V&A waterfront.

  

We ended the day at this awesome little restaurant right on the beach front.  It was a hit and such a beautiful afternoon.

The little beach was a hit after we had our drinks.

 The main thing Nate wanted to do while in Cape Town (well he has actually wanted to do this since I can remember) was go shark diving with the great white sharks.  I was a little apprehensive because I knew I would get suckered into doing it with him.  I was also a little concerned because I didn't want to have some janky set up (and well by this point we have all seen that video of the shark hopping right into the cage) so I did some research.

I was happy to find Marine Dynamics, and I would highly recommend them.   First of I love that they are a fair-trade tourist company, they are highly involved in conservation efforts, and you have a marine biologist on-board to answer all of your questions.  I was very impressed.  It wasn't the best time of the year, so the visibility kind of sucked.

We had to leave super early that morning, we had a two hour drive from Cape Town all the way to Gansbaai. It was kind of a little date day for Nate and I, since my parents to graciously took the kiddos for a fun day on the beach.  After my shark diving experience in Hawaii, I came prepared this time - motion sickness meds, peppermint essential oils, and motion sickness bracelets = sweet success.

Waiting on our boat...

We got situated on the boat - and I had to fight my nerves, I am so not an adrenaline junkie.

Once we reached the spot, they handed us our wet suites.  We spotted the first shark, so you got to go in the cage in the order your got dressed, so of course Nate makes me go fast so we could get in first. I immediately regretted my decision to get into the cage as soon as my feet touched the water - with wet suite and all, I felt like I was going to die from hypothermia.  At this point I had to commit because the next people where already climbing in behind me so there was no way out.  A few colorful works might have escaped my lips, and I had to really focus on not being cold. The water was twelve degrees Celsius.

We spotted another shark, just briefly and then it moved away.  We got out of the cage to drive a little bit further in, and that was my cue, I just didn't get back in, and I am not ashamed to admit it.  I am also grateful because the second time in the cage Nate was in the for like forty minutes... I would have die.  I am so glad he loved every single minute of it.

I loved how these little dudes just hung out on the boat.

I actually had a much better view from the boat then in the water.

We got these sweet little picture updates of the Ian playing in the freezing water - just in case it wasn't clear Cape Town beaches aren't really meant for swimming, it is way too cold.

 After the end of a super long day, we had the most beautiful and epic African sunset while out for dinner.  The African sun is one of my favorite things... there is nothing like it.

The thing Cape Town is probably the most famous for is Table Mountain.  It is such a beautiful sight.  We unfortunately had cloudy weather on the day we went, so it was more of on top of the mountain and looking at all the foliage then using it as a look out point over the city. 

The kids thought it was the coolest thing to be surrounded by clouds (like walking through the clouds.) It was a fun more relaxed morning, just strolling around, finding the beauty in the fog.
** major photo overload because it is all just so beautiful.

The day cleared up beautifully and we had a nice little lunch in a little harbor and then headed over to the penguin beach.

Boulders (the beach where the penguin colony lives) has always been a favorite of mine.  I just love being able to walk in the beach and bam here comes a penguin.  Also penguins are so so adorable.  This was probably one of the kids favorite things - we just sat on the boardwalk watching them for hours.  The best part was there were so many babies, and eggs hatching left and right - it was so amazing.

I was planning on just doing one big Cape Town post but decided to break it up into to parts because I am a photo girl, and I just can't thin out the pictures to compile everything into one post.

We had a very productive first couple of days - though it was awesome to see - we have outgrown the high strung, and fast pace travel days, so it did get to us after the first couple of days, we were so so tired.

I will be sharing the rest of our time in Cape Town soon, so stay tuned.

Happy Sunday!