Stop thinking

…and a good deal on Flickr.

Spotted online, this cartoon:

And with all the existential dread going around, the crow’s reaction is completely understandable.

Less thinking, people.

On a more positive note, I decided to cancel my Flickr subscription today. It’s expensive and so I either had to use it more or I have to move on, and I haven’t been using it more, so…

I’ve still got a few months left on my existing subscription, but when I told them I was going to cancel, they offered me 65% off my renewal. I’ve taken the offer, but if I don’t start using the service more between now and then, I might cancel anyway.

I’ll think about it.

We braai’d

I don’t know why I always remove the E. Maybe four consecutive vowels just seems over the top.

Anyway, remember this from yesterday?

Of course you do.

Well, at that point, all of the above was true. But then we went to do a quick recce on the pub before we made a booking and… well… let’s just say that the braai option suddenly leapt into a massive lead.
And won. Immediately.
I’m not going to name the establishment in question, but wow… it made a lot of really rough places on the Wynberg Main Road seem positively clean and inviting. A dive bar, in a West End Coast Town, you could say. I did. I couldn’t help myself.

The only downside with the braai option was the wind, gusting to just below storm force and turning the braai into something like a blacksmith’s furnace. But we prevailed with ribs, boerie and porkies, and a bit of chicken for a vegetarian option.

Back in Cape Town now and missing the beach lifestyle of the West Coast, if not the icy cold waters of the Atlantic there. I’ll sort some photos at some point.
And that will reawaken the “Do I continue with Flickr?” debate. And then I won’t sleep for another month.

Day 719 – This guy, tho…

Happy Birthday To You…! 😉

A wander around Kirstenbosch, a wander around Intaka, and then a brief wander along the beach today. And that was all before lunchtime.

I needed the cobwebs blowing away after last night, to be honest.

Pick of the pops from the shots today was this guy:

The bird hide at Intaka was full of real ‘toggers, so we ended up standing on the bridge, and then this little fellow decided to play just a few metres away, right in front of us: ironically, we were far closer than any of the guys in the hide.
So a total bread and butter shot, but very pretty and always a pleasure to see these little ones playing up for the cameras.

Today’s photos

Day 670 – Photos up

I’ve uploaded some photos on Flickr. I’ve spared you the portraits, the people and the drunken antics and given you some different Table Mountain beauty instead.

Pop along and have a look.

I’m not sure if everyone there was having one on one conversations about living in Cape Town while we were up on the mountain, but I had several. And the general consensus was that while living in South Arica certainly has its challenges, we’re very lucky to live in our little bubble in the south west corner and so privileged to live here and to be able to enjoy experiences like our overnight trip. Having a national park on my doorstep isn’t a new thing for me: I’ve had it when living in Sheffield and Newcastle, and while I don’t use it as much as I might, living in Cape Town has reminded me how much I missed the opportunity to get out and about while living in Oxford (ironic since that is arguably the least urban – and certainly the smallest – place I’ve ever lived).

Anyway, as you might have gathered by the posts on our brief overnighter, we had a pretty amazing time, and it’s reaffirmed my project to get fit again so I can do more trips up the mountain.

Day 669 – Back down

We’re back down off the mountain after a splendid 24 hours away, filled with fun, laughter and incident. Thunderstorms and shooting stars, skinny dipping (allegedly, at least) and a Cape Cobra encounter.

There will be a time to tell you about the exhausting hike up there in the ridiculous heat, to speak of the fireball in the kitchen, to elaborate upon the gentle 4am rain shower that meant we had to move some mattresses, and to explain how we discovered that Cape Spurfowl don’t eat lettuce.

But that time is not now, because I am completely knackered.

I did manage to get some photos edited and will be doing a Flickr upload tomorrow.

In the meantime, this:

A view over the lights of Cape Town as the cloud rolled in from False Bay. Better bigger and on black, but you’ll have to wait for tomorrow for that. [UPDATE: Here it is]

Watch this space.