Zip-lining (Jana talked me into doing everything, except drugs)

I'm not afraid of heights, or so I thought.  I love rollercoasters, helicopter rides, and paragliding.  Jana is a free spirit and always up for a challenge.  We decided to go zip-lining after finding a place very close to my home online.  Cape Canopy Tour located on Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, beautiful really.  So, we take the short drive there, we had to book in advance they only have 2 or 3 tours a day because they last a whopping 4 hours from start to finish. I was also shocked, and it took every minute of the 4 hours.  We checked in, the tour came with a small meal that we were to eat after the tour.  We were introduced to our guides and then led to a cattle truck with benches and bald tires.  My husband had a cow about the tires (He nor Lamont took the tour, they stayed in the cafe and sermonized) we then were taken up a winding mountain my daughter screamed half of the way up because there were no doors where we were sitting and she thought that we were going to fall out.  We passed another tour that was leaving, I should have paid closer attention.  They actually had to stop and let us by because the road was that narrow.  We finally made it to the top of the mountain and were geared up.  My gear was strapped on a little too tight but I chose to stay quiet because the snugger the better right?  We hiked down to the first platform, there were 11 in all.  That is where they gave us our briefing and taught us how to zip-line in 30 words or less.  Jana is bouncing around like a pogo stick and I just feel sick.  My daughter who is not afraid of heights and down for anything was scared, she decided to go first and get it over with.

You can't even see the platform on the other side!!!!

Israel Went!!! The boy is terrified of heights after an unfortunate incident at Disney Land that involved a boat and lots of screaming.  We call it Disney Gate.

So I decided right then and there that I wasn't going and that they could keep my money.  I was then encouraged by JANA to just do it.  She would have made Nike proud.  So, I did it.  On the first one, I didn't look around at all.  I kept my eyes on the prize, which was the platform.  Israel and Jana had a blast I mean they were doing tricks, laying back, no hands and other insane things.

She pretty much disappeared from sight.  This is when I freaked out, and then I looked off of the platform.  I did it though, and didn't regret it.  It was beautiful, there were waterfalls and our guides were the best.  Very encouraging and hilarious.

The platforms were really high and some of the lines were incredibly fast, one of the people that went with us came in too hot reached the platform but was going way too fast and bounced off of it back into the middle of the line.  She had to turn around and pull herself in, well with the help of the guide (She did this multiple times and they had explained to us when to brake and even yelled it out to us, so by the 4th time I was like "Geez, get it together").  We arrived at the last platform and then had to hike back up the mountain.  OMG!!!!!! It was so far up, I was like "Where is the truck" and they said "Up there." I was like, " I don't see it" and they were like "Look higher".  I almost had a heart attack, and then I really did when I had to hike up it.  Halfway up I sat on a rock and was like,  "Just leave me here"the guide then told me about the wild animals that were there and asked me if I wanted to wake up with one gnawing on me.  So, I got my butt up and continued on after loosening my still snug straps, my guide scolded me for not saying anything.  Once the circulation returned to my legs I was ready to go (Jana was tired also but she had a camera and could pretend to take pictures so that she could rest, I called her on it too!!). I realized that the tour in front of us was not flushed from excitement but overexerted from the hike, you would think that they would have made some sort of signal with their eyes or something. I do have to say that the ride up and down was scarier than zip-lining.  They need a new truck!   All and all it was so much fun! Thank you Jana!  Next year you, me and Turkey!!

From South Africa With Love,

Go Pro: Paragliding Fail

I was there when this happened!!! My friends the Melrose's had come to visit and Jana talked me into doing almost every extreme sport that South Africa had to offer. So we decided to try paragliding.   This is Lamont and his first launch.  It was epic!!!!!  Or should I say RIGHTEOUS!!!!!

Jana and I had already landed and we knew that he was supposed to come in right behind us and we waited and waited.  Three people landed and we were like "Where's Lamont?".   Then one of the paraglider's told us that he had fallen.  We laughed but then we saw the video and we howled.  I have watched it about 50 times.  More adventures to follow, so stay tuned!

From South Africa With Love,

Happy Extremely Belated New Year

I have had several adventures since my last post.  I went snorkeling!  I had a wetsuit!  I also had a panic attack!!!!  I didn't realize that the water would be that deep.  When I say deep I mean that I could not see nor touch the bottom.  We were in the freaking ocean.  We actually did this during Christmas in Mosselbai (Mossel Bay).  A very nice and highly populated area during the festive season (Christmas).  So back to me freaking out, I was fine until I really looked down and realized that it was just really dark down there.  I wouldn't see a shark until he was directly under me and I was dressed as a seal.  A plump seal, aka a recipe for disaster.  So I flipped out and our guide ( A really nice and patient young man, who didn't mind the chokehold that I had him in) took me back to shore.  My kids were embarrassed and amused.  I kind of drew a crowd (A small one), there was a restaurant located directly beside the place where we snorkeled.  Okay, two restaurants.  Some guy was yelling that he would let me know if he saw a shark (So, not helping the situation), then he offered to come in and help me (He was having this one way conversation with me while eating his lunch and sipping several glasses of wine).  I had a guide and really wasn't too keen on a slightly inebriated man jumping in to help me.  I've been snorkeling in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic the water was so clear, warm and beautiful and I was fine.  I'll definitely try again but in shallower water. So, without further a due................Everyone snorkeling but me.

                                                     

Timed Torture.

                             

They fit this time.

My children holding up the peace sign.  I was out of the picture on the other side of them drowning in a floating wetsuit.  I can make the impossible, possible.

It's so much deeper than it looks.

Our guide (He's the pale one in the back)

Well folks that's all that I have for the newest snorkeling debacle.  My next post will be about the Chinese Lanterns that we sent off to ring in the new year and how many fire trucks were called in to remedy the situation.

From South Africa With Love,