Sunday: End of homestay

We left from Mama Knox's house once all the SAS folks got back with their mama's. It was Mama Knox's birthday so we also sung to her. After some pictures we piled up on the mega-coach bus we came in and left. The kids who were from the neighborhood followed after the bus yelling goodbye and waving. So cute. While on the bus, Courtney and I decided what we would do. We had SAS trips planned at different times on Monday and Tuesday. But we had the rest of the afternoon free. We had originally planned to do Table Mountain but we didn't have a clear agenda. Some of us wanted to hike it up and then take the cable car down....just for the satisfaction of having done it. Others were not interested in hiking lol, and wanted to take a cable car both ways. So with all the confusion and stuff, we decided to leave it for another day and get our hair braided. I hadn't had braids for the longest time so I knew that would be difficult to get used to again, but hey, when can you say you got braids in South Africa? Just went ahead for the experience. We came back on the ship to drop some stuff off and change (since we were just getting back from the overnight). Then, we asked the South African guide named Eugene who was sitting at the field activities desk. We didn't expect to get much help since he was a guy and plus it was a Sunday, but he was very helpful/ He told us that there was a huge craft marketplace with shops and there was a Hair braiding unit indoors. He offered to walk with us since the tourism company he worked for was along the way. Naturally we were complied. As we walked we talked about things and learned that he had worked for the voyage some years back. He said that when he heard the ship was coming back, he told his boss he had to be the one to work haha. He loved the ship. He kept saying how he would love to hide in one of the empty cabins and rotate whenever a steward came in to clean. He wasn't the first person who jokingly asked us to hide him. I can name a few people –eh hmm... lol.  He also told us that he had the opportunity to work in Florida for about 7 months for work. He said the first 3 months was very hard just getting used to it, but after that he loved it. It was very funny how the conversation took a turn. We were in South Africa and getting advice on where to go in Florida. It was so ironic and he thought it was the funniest thing since I had never been. That was our point, Courtney and I kept saying. People overseas don't understand how big the United States was.  He along with Tumi had the idea that we were violent people, but gave us the pardon after spending time with us. I just thought it was the funniest thing. Media sure has a way of doing things. Anyhow, we part ways and he tells us to come by the tourism office or stop by the desk on the ship when we get back. Courtney and I completely walk the wrong way after his very simple directions (as we see now). But eventually, we wander into it. Neither of us were sure what we wanted and I had just cut my hair prior to SAS and was working with a curly mop so I didn't know what to do. This pretty little gypsy looking woman selling these artistic looking clocks across from the hair braiding area was very vocal and helpful. She was telling us to get color and “go wild.” “Just do it” was her model. We only live once and we were in South Africa so we have to go for it was her philosophy for us. Gotta say she was very convincing and we were excited with the idea of it anyways lol. Before long, Courtney was getting corn-rolls with both black and burgundy. I was getting “normal” braids with blonde and black. Hahaha. Didn't have a clue how it would look but I believed because everyone else did haha. Not to mention, I figured what the heck... I could always take it out. It isn't permanent, thank Gosh. Lol. Anyhow, we had a couple more conversations while the woman started on Courtney's hair. I didn't catch the hair braider's name but she did tell us that she was from the Congo and came to South Africa for her husband. Anika was the name of the woman selling clocks. She told us she was born and raised in Capetown which was a rare comment since we'd been talking to people and very few were native South Africans. Capetown was full of non-South Africans working which says a lot about the disparities we saw once we had left the beautiful touristy area for our township stays. The thing I appreciated about it was the diversity though. Anika looked hispanic and many of the South Africans we met like Eugene. Anyhow, the hair braider did about two braids before Courtney stopped her. She wasn't happy with the way they looked and mostly due to the braider's inability to really braid her hair. She had also cut her hair prior to this trip and it hadn't really grown much. She paid the braider a bit for her time though but that kinda sucked since I knew how much she had wanted it. So when the braider started on mines, she did two and stopped, telling me to look in the mirror and make sure I liked them. Since mines were more like individual braids or big micro-braids, they were fine. She started my hair at 12:30....we didn't get done until 4:30pm. I was the big anxious kid. I was shuffling my feet. I was moving around. I was hungry since we hadn't eaten since earlier at breakfast with our Mama's. I didn't anticipate sitting still for so long. It just reminded me why I don't do braids. I don't have the patience. While my hair was under construction (lol), people were walking by and googling. It was as though I was on display. I did a lot of smiling. My cheeks were sore for a couple of hours. There were a few young girls who wanted a braid or two and others who wanted a streak of a bright color but they had parents who dragged them away really fast haha. There was this old couple who thought it was the most intriguing thing and came up close asking questions about how it was done. She stayed to watch a braid and walk away marveling. Haha. Most who stood watching asked the same questions: “Does it hurt?”, “is the hair heavy?” and “how long was I sitting there?” I entertained them with answers and the braider and I shared a few laughs. In the meantime, Courtney did some shopping and got a custom dress. The seamstress came over and we talked a bit about places Courtney and I should check out to eat. She was hilarious. Anika gave me an apple because I had eaten all of my candy from my bag lol. I was telling the braider that she could make the braids king-sized or bigger but she laughed and continued with the consistent pattern. Anika kept giving me the countdown when it was almost done. Lol. Sigh. It was excruciating sitting there. Seriously. I'm not a braids person anyway because I get antsy after a few days to take 'em out. Plus we didn't know if the folks we were gonna meet up with on the ship would still want to squeeze Table Mountain in that night. There were discounts for going later at night, and the best pictures or view was just before 6 pm to catch the sunset. Next time, corn-rolls or something shorter most definitely. When we were done, I was happy with the results—a bit shocked though to say the truth. We also talked with another woman who warned us about the Somalian pirates. But it was time well spent, I learned a lot from these women. We walked back to the tourism place but Eugene was still at the ship so we caught up with him there. He was out on the gangway, preparing to swipe and leave. He told us that he was off but had waited for a bit. He was shocked when I told him I had literally just finished getting my hair braided all this time hahaha. We ended up talking in Tymitz Square some more. Mark Anthony came through the doors and joined us. After talking about places to go out to that night (Camp's Bay), Florida, South Africa, ship life, and people in general, Eugene's job called him asking where he was. He told them he was walking back haha. So we said goodbyes and he told us he would be working at the info desk in the mall on Monday but would be off on Tuesday. We decided to drop by on Monday. We all took pictures and then he left. That night I went to dinner with Anna, Tatiana, Kayla and Sarah. I didn't know we were getting dressed up lol, so I was casual but they looked lovely. We went to longstreet to get Tatiana's stuff from the hotel she'd stayed in the night before while we figured out what to do for the evening. Most things were closed since it was Sunday so we just returned back near the Waterfront. We went to Mitchell's which was the proclaimed SAS spot this port. Everyone started off there and then went elsewhere...or not. There was great music, food and a bar/restaurant area. Everyone ordered and I went for the Chicken and Calamari basket. Left early when they started getting drinks and shots with the waiter. Was tired and kinda out of it. Went back and slept =)