Day 58:  
 Waking up this morning big plans to make a full day of sightseeing, but Mother Nature had different plans .  I look out the 14th floor of my window and rain is going sideways.  It really is a great view and I could not ask for a better place to be in a rain storm.  There are nasty storm clouds everywhere.  At times, it looks like hail is coming down.  I only slept a couple hours the night before.  I think my sensory system is on overload worrying perhaps too much about my safety and pushing my ventures too far into unknown area.  Well, I will sleep later.  For now, I am loving learning about the culture of South Africa.  As Darwin's said during his travels,(paraphrased) we go into new locations with our expectations that we will understand a place when it agrees with what we expect, but we find out how learning more information not only creates the desire for us to not draw a conclusion, but seek additional information. I am currently in this forever ending spiral and I feel that I want to learn more about Africa.  What do the people feel on the streets that are poor and suffering? Are they on drugs or do they just hurt?  How do the locals feel that are not poor and are instantly treated by tourists as if they were going to rob anyone near them just because their skin is black?  I will find out my on my journey today . 

I eat a breakfast large enough for a family of four with Salmon Eggs Benedict, Sushi, Miso Soup, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Fish of some sort, spiced hamburger meat and Multiple Oatmeal Protein Shakes.  The breakfast is included at the Westin and I love my free stays with the Starwood Preferred Guest program.  

I check out of the Westin and head out via rental car for Cape Point into the harsh weather.  Directions are pretty straight forward:  Head West and follow the coast.  Lock my doors, don't put down my windows, put my luggage in the back and don't put my self in a situation where my car is boxed in.  Got it.  

I drive over a windy mountain road that is absolutely breath taking.  I think, "Is this the most beautiful place that I have been?"  The view are amazing with HUGE waves seen in the distance.  There are no pull offs and I roll my window down and stick my camera out the window while driving on the windy road, violating every possible tourist warning that I was not supposed to do .  I can't pass up a pic of this!

I reach Camp Bay and seem people on the beach start approaching my car as I park.  One guy has a Yellow Vest on as to appear as a security guard.  He waits in front of my car.  I lock doors and stay put, knowing that I now have all my possessions in my car with me and feel more vulnerable to getting robbed. The area is heavily populated and I stop right next to where a tour bus stops.  I am not sure what they ask, but I ignore anyone that comes near me and head to the beach near the other British tourists with camera tucked under my jacket.  The rain picks up again and starts going sideways and I quickly run into a nearby surf shop.  

I travel at my current stage with an incredible energy, enthusiasm, sincerity and genuine interest in others.  I am in the moment at all times and living as close to the ultimate euphoric life that I would hope to ever live.  My energy seems to attract good from others and continue to be humbled by my conversations with others and the gracious attitudes that I have experienced .

 The gal at the Surf Shop is Jacqui.  She and her husband own the Surf Shop.  She is from Zimbabwe.  Her husband is from Cape Town.  He is the local Land Rover competition winner of several years.  Being a Land Rover owner, I am aware of the hard-core Land Rover Club competition here in South Africa and realize how prestigious the event is.  We talk about the local culture and she gives me local advice about the Camps Bay beach community: what to do, what not to do.  It seems pretty safe, but still lots of loitering and begging.  I did not realize how many celebrities travel to South Africa and how many surfing competitions there are down here.  I buy a local surfer hat to cover my head in the rain.  We talk a great length about poverty in South Africa.  She is ironically a volunteer for many organizations that help the poverty in South Africa and she explains to me that I should not even leave clothing on my seats of my rental car.  She talks about how crimes often happen. When someone starts going hungry, they feel horrible and search for anything to satisfy their hungry . They are so hungry that they do not think clearly. They are often good people, but they get desperate for food, warmth or anything to add comfort.  Drugs are often used to attempt to make their pain go away, but because they are not always thinking straight when they get to an extreme hungry state and would eat anything that was passed their direction not distinguishing what sounds good from what does not.  She informs me also that giving money will not help, but food is a better alternative. She operates as a liaison to a couple small communities stopping by and giving them old clothing directly.  She collects old clothes that don't sell in her store or clothes that others don't want.  She tells me how appreciative they are for anything.  A shirt, shorts, shampoo, toothpaste, or even underwear (maybe not my underwear).  

I think about the struggles that I have each time I move from one place to another.  My backpack has got so big that it is a struggle to pack my clothes each time I move on to my next location .  I am sad at how diverse various parts of the world live and it is easy to put most American's financial trouble in perspective with the daily fight of survival that people in the locations I have visited deal with.  I have picked up some new clothes on my journey and really do not need all of the clothes I have thinking about the cold storm and perhaps giving a shirt or two to someone here would make me feel good. This is a cause that I will feel good doing.  With my new perspective, I don't hesitate. She gives me a plastic bag to put my unneeded clothes in.  As I sort through my clothes in the bag of my trunk, I disregard how this may look to passing locals violating a whole new set of DO NOTS when traveling to Africa.  I sort through my clothes and realize how attached I am to things.  Ahhh, my favorite Nike shirt for working out.  Guess, it does not have sentimental value and must go.  My adidas hat-not needed, just bought a new one. It must go; towel that I bought with Kristin in Fiji, pajamas that they gave me in first class (and let me take them off the plane), all the shampoos that I had taken from each hotel-all this is really not needed... I fill the bag in no time and operate with a different standard on my needs.  This is what I wanted to do when I got here.  I wish I could help more as I am deeply moved by such a broad problem and have such empathy for those that live it each day.  I vow to return before leaving for Joberg with my shoes and other gear that I wont need after leaving Africa. I end up buying another small wallet from the gal in which she discounts it heavily and throws in a set of boxers for free! I insist on paying the full price not wanting any special deal from her, but she refuses and gives me a second pair of boxers as she rings me up.  Jacqui is one of the more pleasant people that I have met on my journeys and I will remember this experience forever.   

I continue on down the coast.  The swells are getting bigger.  I am told the local weather reported 9 meter waves at one of the beaches.  This is 27 feet waves!!!  The ships are all tied down in the more calm bays and there aren't any freighters for boat anywhere in the distance.  The waves are as sick and fierce as I have ever seen.  Even more fierce than the several hurricanes that I have sat through.  I am told that wind will reach 85 km/h and the weather report shows 45 mph.  This is the first storm as their is a follow up storm coming after this one that is more fierce.  I pull off a Hout Bay pronounced Hot Bay and get the famous Fish and Chips sandwich.  There is a surfer taking on same of the waves as this section has a calmer section to it.  I can't imagine anyone taking on the waves at the previous beach without risking their life. 
I walk out on the pier and before I can eat my sandwich, I bump into the most unique girls.  They are two french white girls, 16 and 17 years old, dressed identical with a woven basket containing soap.  I am looking around for a candid camera as these girls stand out like sore thumbs.  I ask the girls what they are selling in their basket and they respond with the same words starting and stopping at the same instant, "soap to give towards helping a cause in Africa."  I ask another question and again, their response is the same starting and stopping at the exact same time. Almost like they were replicates of each other.   It is kind of freaky to be honest.  Almost reminding me of Night Rider's car voice or some type of Science Fiction movie where aliens came to the US.  The girls inform me that they are sisters a year apart and they have spent so much time together that they think exactly alike.  I still am baffled by it, but can't figure it out.  We continue the conversation for a couple hours.  They are selling soap and giving the money to a local South African support group.  They have been doing this for 4-5 years here.  Their mom required them to do something that gave them purpose and helped define self confidence in them. They are very confident and inform me that they just signed a contract with Universal Records for singing.  They sing and it is really good!  It is a weird experience! Look out for these girls, I think they will be on David Letterman in the near future.   I buy a soap from them unsure if I even risk taking anything like that on the plane with me.  It is a Dolphin engraved into the soap and very pretty. I get their business card to check up on them. They have a website :http://www.thesoapgirls.co.za and it is interesting to read more about what they have been doing. 
   
The weather goes from bad to horrible with swells picking up and wind blowing the ocean sideways across the pier.  I have a long 1-2 drive to my next hotel and have once again violated the rule of never driving after dark.  I navigate back pretty well and although the signs are pretty good and it is tough to drive in sidways rain down dark roads and still see all signs. As I get to the country, the road gets gradually more and more remote with very few lights.  It is only 7PM and almost all stores close at 5PM as it gets dark at 6PM in South Africa this time of year. There are no stores open along this road as gas stations are even closed.  My biggest risk is any kind of break down.  As I drive, I come up with a game plan of not stopping even if I get a flat.  It is slightly nerve racking.  I pass the hotel by the first time.  It is the Arabela Westin Resort and Spa.  Now I know why it was only $100 per night.  With it getting dark so early and being cold, less people travel to this resort.  The hotel is situated on a bay with a prestigious golf course that host the Nelson Mandela Open.  I can't see a thing, but am really happen to finally get to the hotel.  
With Mother Nature stepping in, I will have to bypass the Great White cage diving as boats can't go into the ocean.  I also won't be able to do Whale watching.  I may try to play golf in the cold windy weather, do a wine tour or sight see the birds, flora and surrounding beaches that this hotel is known for.