One of the guys from my program, Nick, and I decided we were going to go into Cape Town after orientation yesterday. We were told as long as it is light outside it would be okay to take the mini buses. To make a comparison, there are more mini buses on Main Road in Rondebosch than there are deer in Pennsylvania. AND at least deer are quiet. Mini buses honk at everyone walking every direction trying to pick people up. Do not be deceived either. The only characteristic of a mini bus that is similar to a big bus is the amount of people they squish into these over sized caravans. Needless to say, Nick and I had no problem getting one into town. I think the only reason I felt safe was because I saw little kids who were getting out of school jumping on and it was headed into the direction of Cape Town.
Next thing I know I’m at the bus depot in Cape Town and everyone is getting off so Nick and I just look at each other and jump off as well. Having no idea where we are going, we do what every wannabe does, we follow the crowd. Although we were hoping to find Long Street which is basically the center of the city, we ended up at a square with vendors everywhere. Good enough for me. But that got old fast so we wandered off the square again hoping to find Long Street. I HAVE NEVER SEEN MORE VENDORS. Nor have I ever clenched my bag to my body so tightly. We eventually did find Long Street but we were so entertained by all the vendors with paintings, stolen car chargers, masks, and other random things that I will never need basically, that we didn’t bother to walk down Long Street.
The trip home was most notable though. It was a little after five and we were both getting hungry so we were going to call a cab but then figured if it got dark while we were on the mini bus we would just get off. So we go back to the bus depot and having no idea which direction we are heading one driver walks up to us and screams something in our face then waits for a response. We look at him like he has a thousand heads and ask if he’s heading to Rondebosch and he pushes us on the bus. Whatever, it’s 5 rand and by the looks of the white, American girls on the bus, it’s probably heading back close to UCT, right? People are getting on and off as we’re heading out of the city. I’m looking around for anything familiar. But what the heck is familiar in Cape Town, South Africa to a girl from Lansdale? Facing the back of the mini bus, I turn around to look forward and catch a glance of the dashboard. Everything that could be stolen and things I didn’t even know could be removed from cars was gone. The dial on the speedometer was fluctuating somewhere between 40 and 60 km/hr. It’s 5:40 and the sun is setting fast, if we didn’t find where we needed to be by 6 I was getting off and calling a cab. I hate to say it but the truth of it is the liquor store saved the day. Nick and I saw the liquor store that is just by the Royal Lodge and we jumped off at the next stop to safely walk the rest of the way home in daylight.
I can’t wait to see what the rest of Cape Town has to offer me.
No comments:
Post a Comment