Last day out

Posted on

It’s Granddad’s last day with us today (in Cape Town, that is. He’s heading back to Sheffield tonight – we’re not shipping him off to Dignitas or anything). I asked what he’d like to do while the kids were at school and he said that a coffee somewhere by the sea would be great.

Kalk Bay seemed to fit the bill, in that it wasn’t as full of annoying surfers as Muizenberg would have been, nor as dull, dreary and geriatric as Fishhoek on a Monday morning.

It was high tide and the remains of the swells from the past few days were still coming ashore, making for some entertaining scenes over the breakwater, so we togged for a while then wandered along for calamari and chips at the Brass Bell, where the friendly waiter moved our table to avoid the worst of the sea spray coming into the restaurant.

Then it was back around via Chappies and a rather tame Southern Rock Agama (Agama atra), then back to just 6000 miles from civilisation… just in time to pick up the kids from school.

A morning (and part of the afternoon) very well spent, and hopefully some decent last minute memories for the long trip home.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: These photos are not to scale. The agama is small, but the breakwater is far away. (reference)

Mainly waves and no RBOSS

Posted on

There’s a problem. Such was the weather yesterday (very sunny; very, very windy), that there was nothing to photograph except amazing waves, and just so much light and colour that it looks like I’ve RBOSSed everything.

Not the case, I promise.

If you’ve not been to Cape Town, I can completely understand that when you look at these images, you immediately think that I have gone mad with the sliders in Lightroom. I would never.

I remember being utterly astonished by the clarity of the light and the colour when I first came over here. Not every day, obviously – it’s grey and miserable today. I’m sure that there are other places in the world with equally amazing conditions, but I haven’t been there yet.

But I swear that yesterday, the turquoise really was that turquoise, the white honestly that white and the other colours genuinely were whatever colours they were. If only we could have enjoyed them without our eyeballs being ripped out by the wind and assaulted by the sand.

Still, great day out…

(Oh, and I know that I probably shouldn’t have monochromed that one photo, but I just have a nagging feeling that I’m going to need a dramatic B&W wave photo one day. As you do.)

How To Enjoy Hobbies As A Digital Nomad

Posted on

If you’ve taken the big decision to leave the hustle and bustle of “normal” life behind and become a digital nomad, you may be worried about your hobbies. How can you maintain your favorite pastimes if you’re always on the move and working remotely? 

There is no doubt hobbies are important and in some ways help to define us. Finding time to connect with what you love to do is vital for your spiritual well being. For remote workers and digital nomads, there are some obstacles in the way. Whether it’s unfamiliar surroundings or a lack of connections in a region, there are challenges to overcome. 

It’s not important if your hobby is making model train sets, playing soccer, playing on NetBet slots, or collecting stamps: there are ways to connect with your hobbies when you are remote.
Here we’ll show you some of the best tips. 

Embrace Your Tech

Whether you love it or hate it, the internet has become the great unifier. Even if your hobby is extremely niche there is going to be a place online where you can connect with people that share it. It may be just a few (but is more likely to be many more), but those people can help you connect with your pastime. 

Having someone to talk to about the things you love is important and fulfilling. Social media groups, forums and websites allow you to be one click away from your hobbies at all times. It’s worth remembering that most remote workers rely on the internet anyway for their job. As you’re likely to be online a lot, you may as well take your hobby on the internet with you. 

Embrace Local Culture

Many digital nomads end up in unfamiliar surroundings quite often. If you’re arriving in a new place and have a passion for live music, you’re not going to know the best local venues. One of the things most remote workers get good at is making friends quickly. By embracing local people and getting to know them, you have a source to find ways to enjoy your hobby. 

Locals will be able to tap you into the heartbeat of a city or town. Again, technology is your friend and services like Facebook groups can help you find people who share your hobby in the area. No matter how niche your hobby is, there is bound to be someone else in your location who shares it. Connecting with locals is the best way to find those people. 

Get Into The Routine

All people who must work to travel understand that the best way to be productive is to have a schedule. And yeah, you need to stick to it. Distractions are frequent and often amazing when you’re a digital nomad, so a schedule will help you to work when you need to. Sticking to a schedule will also give you more free time to explore your hobbies.

Image credit: ehowportal.com

One of the best pieces of work advice for people living remote is to work to a schedule like you would a normal job. Give yourself shifts and set hours so you can better plan your free time. 

Peninsula tour

Posted on

We drove around the peninsula a bit today, because we couldn’t really stop anywhere due to the utterly ridiculous wind.

But then if you ignored the near storm force South Easter, it was a gorgeous day out…

Phone shot from wobbly car. Better photographs will be available soon.
Edit: Look here

We did have a quick blow (careful now) on the beach at Misty Cliffs and then got thoroughly sandblasted at Scarborough, but it was mainly about views from the car. Safety first.

Then back home for United’s courageous 1-1 draw at Arsenal and then out for a birthday Chinese at TaiPing.

This has been a good day.

Last minute QP

Posted on

I’ve been busy doing jobs and having fun today. Jobs included putting up a shelf, fun included some 10-pin bowling.

I almost forgot to blog.

Here’s Cape Town Harbour Breakwater Light Tower. The Starboard one.

I think that the weird sea wall with its angle-cut semi-circular wave defences catching the summer sun lends itself to a bit of monochrome. Cliché? Ja… ok, maybe a bit, but it’s just so nice and simple.

And it fills an otherwise empty gap on here.