Cape Town Bus Tour

Today was my third day in Cape Town, South Africa and my second day of orientation with Volunteer Adventure Corps. I was joined by three other students, Nicole, Mary, and Sara, all of whom arrived on Monday like me. Our orientation consisted of going on a bus tour of Cape Town where we could hop-on and hop-off at various points of interest throughout the city. It was definitely a touristy thing to do, but it gave us the introduction we needed to our new home.

On the top deck of the Sightseeing Red Bus Tour. We are excited to see all that Cape Town has to offer!

A small glimpse of the famous Table Mountain. Some days, the low clouds cover up much of the mountain, including Devil's Peak. Today's no exception, although later in the day, the clouds will end up clearing up. 

Our first stop on the bus tour was the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Nestled against Table Mountain, this 89-acre garden was established in 1913 to preserve and showcase the many unique, indigenous flora of South Africa.

Even with an hour spent walking through the beautiful garden, we only managed to see half of it. We are looking forward to coming back soon to see the rest!

Walking along the Boomslang Tree Canopy Walkway, we were able to appreciate the vastness of Table Mountain and the 1300-acre Kirstenbosch Estate.

With the clouds cleared up, we can finally see the top of Table Mountain!

Our second stop on the Red Bus Tour of Cape Town was Groot Constantia Wine Estate. Founded in 1685, it is the oldest wine estate in South Africa. Past famous customers include Napolean Bonaparte, who ordered 30 bottles a month while in exile in St. Helena until his death.

Of course, we didn't come here just to listen to Groot Constantia's great history. We had to try the amazing wine ourselves! Sara, Mary, and Nicole tried wine & cheese pairings while I decided to go for the wine & chocolate coupling. 

Each wine was paired with a specific chocolate imported from Belgium and infused with distinct flavors right here in Cape Town. There were a total of five pairings (only four shown here because I was too excited for my first-ever wine tasting). While I know next to nothing about what constitutes a "good" wine/wine pairing, my favorite was Groot Sauvignon Blanc with Tropical Guava White Chocolate.

After the delicious wine tasting, we hopped back on the bus, which took us on a drive around the coast of Cape Town. Our timing couldn't have been better - we got to see the sun set over the ocean as we drove along the beautiful coastline.

On the other side of the sunset is Table Mountain again. One of my goals during my time here is to hike up the many trails around this mountain, including to Devil's Peak and Lion's Head.

One of our next trips will definitely be to one of these sandy beaches along the coast! Surfing, anyone?

This picture shows just how much Cape Town has to offer. From the breathtaking views to the abundance of activities, such as hiking, swimming, snorkeling, or surfing, there is no limit on the number of things you could do here. I am so excited and blessed to call this gorgeous city my home for the next 11 weeks. 

I had the time of my life exploring Cape Town with Nicole, Mary, and Sara today, and I can't wait to go on many more adventures with them and everyone else I meet in the months to come.

Stay tuned for more!