step by step to a whole new world

Group starting the hike

Me hiking Table Mountain

This is what the trail mainly looked like

View down the mountain while hiking

We hiked up this part

One view from the top

me at the top

Our hiking group

I did it! 

Sunset from the top of Table Mountain

This blog is going to be short today. It’s like midnight and I am worn out! Today we hiked Table Mountain. This was probably the greatest physical accomplishment of my life! I am so dang proud of myself for reaching the top that I want to go hike it again.

Table Mountain is this huge mountain that takes over Cape Town. There is absolutely no way to miss it if you are looking at the city. The mountain is 5,558 feet with a 2-mile wide flat plateau at the top. The staff surprised us today and decided we were going to hike Table Mountain today instead of Friday due to the weather coming in this weekend. Well I was thinking that the hike was going to be a somewhat simple flat dirt trail up the mountain but I was in for a rude awakening. Within the first 10 minutes of hiking I was completely out of breath. The trail was all rocks on a steep incline. As Liza, one of my roommates, put it the trail was a stair master on steroids. Every time you looked up you felt that you were never going to make it but I was so motivated to get to the top. I wanted to see the views and experience the top of the mountain! Every step made you hurt more and more. My legs literally felt like jello. We all got so excited when a flat area came about even if it was for 5 steps. Whenever the group I was hiking with got to the top we screamed with joy because we were so excited to be reaching our destination. The views from the top were absolutely worth the hike. They were completely breath taking. I wish I could have stayed up there longer to take more pictures and take in where I am and what I just did. That was the first mountain I have ever hiked and probably the most strenuous amount of physical activity my body has done in a really long time. Today really was a great day! I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow probably not being able to walk but it was totally worth it.

On the side note, I am finally charging my phone for the first time in 5 days. Got to love these 1990 little keypad South African phones! Also drinking a glass of wine at dinner every night has been the best thing ever. Can’t wait to turn 21 in the States 2 days after I get home. Tomorrow we are touring a township. I am really looking forward to this eye opening experience.