Conversations with Myself

You cannot fake your fitness up table mountain.  Neither will you keep your smile up to the top.  Hiking Table mountain test your character,  It challenges you physically, mentally and emotionally.  Couples arguments get so intense that I sometimes wonder if they will survive once the hike is finished ha!.  I have seen people throwing up pursuing to reach the summit, some on the halfway swearing never to do it again.  “HELP ME GOD”, a loud plea from a young lady about to start the hike.  We bust out laughing.

On Saturday we went hiking.  When I heard that the hike was to start at 6am I was excited.  It suites right into my schedule.  I’m a morning person so any activity before sunrise is a real treat for me.  We had some delays though, and started at 7:30 AM.  I did not mind watching the sunrise while waiting for the team.  I watched the day light chasing the night darkness.  The action created an awesome view on the horizon.

The team arrived just after sunrise and everybody was confident and ready to conquer the mountain.

Getting pumped up just before the challenge.

There was a race going on.  Since everyone in the team was on his/her own mission, It was safe to separate and those who were up for socialising and admiring the beauty stayed behind. Those who had time target went ahead.  I stayed behind. I am a sucker for admiring the views.

I ended up going solo because the lady I was with decided to join the crew going down.  I climbed faster, before the temperature goes up.  You never sure what will be the weather in next few hours as Table Mountain’s weather is the four seasons in a day type.  I started to warm up like an oven. Sweat poured out but my legs were strong.

There were monsters of rocks to climb but one step at a time without rushing I made it up.  I could not help but feel like I am away from the busy city life.  The vegetation is beautiful and untamed.

Standing on top of Table mountain sparks feelings of inner peace, hope, joy and empowerment.  Just like we reach for a cup of coffee when we feel exhausted, reaching out to nature when you feel depleted is energizing.

One thing that grabbed my attention were cairns, man-made piles of stones that are often left behind by hikers.  These stones were definitely not there 2 years back when I last climbed the mountain.  Sometimes hikers stack the stones wishing for for health, for wealth, and for happiness.  Some people build them for fun to add to the collection.

Going down took a bit longer than I expected but I don’t blame my fitness level, Ha-ha.  I blame rock formations taking unique shapes and rolling magnificently alongside the trail. The atmospheric conditions accentuates the view thus delaying me.  I felt it will be a waste of opportunity to connect with my inner self if I rushed through the cool mist as it rise up the mountain.

Nevertheless I made it to the bottom with wobbly legs but content heart.

All thanks to Chum, the organiser.  She mobilised the team for a good course.  She offered climbers an opportunity to turn their efforts into something great for charity.  She took all the  money we donated to the charity.  Is she not sweet?.  Not only is she sweet, she is blessed with good looks and has a spirit of giving.

I told you she is pretty.

I was impressed by D’s patience.  I mean the guy is super fit.  If he wanted, he could have ran up and left everyone but he chose to remain behind and give encouragement when one thinks they cant make it.  Hands up to D.

If you can conquer a mountain, you can conquer anything. I know it is not technically true, but the mantra is a good reminder that important things in life can be accomplished through hard work and dreaming big.

I hope you had a well rested long weekend and celebrated a freedom day like a true free South African.

Take care,
Nez

Climbing a mountain Hiking Table Mountain