5 Years in Cape Town - Let's catch up - Part One

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My whole life changed in these few years. Before I realised how quickly it all went, but seems like a life-time ago and I almost don’t recognise the woman I’ve become…There have been so many ups and downs but I wanted to sit down and actually remind myself of every step I took to getting to where I am today.

2021

April my mother and I sat at a cafe in the airport, we were next to our boarding gate, calling my sister and the boys, who had just dropped us off at the airport, Duke nicely tucked in at the Bidvest Pet Lounge Air Cargo and though the phone call was good, it ended in tears… thinking about the distance that lied ahead. The fact that they dropped us off to be relocated to Cape Town seemed too real to comprehend. The idea of the kids quietly crying in the car all the way home lingered and I struggled to truly feel the excitement of this new beginning. With my green hair and my suitcase with the last of my belongings, we set out to start a new life…

May started feeling more settled, taking Duke to the beach, the forest, the markets and everywhere I could and building a sense of home. I later started on Oratane, as the masks during covid created a sensitivity that I simply couldn’t take anymore. Not the best time to have joined hiking clubs or an outdoor running club, but on those scorching days, I managed to go to the gym. The thing about Oratane is that you can’t go out in the sun as there is a major risk of scarring but I needed to adapt to my new life and the major reason I moved was too explore the city and live the adventure. There’s so many places to go in Cape Town that I had an ever growing list of things to add to my bucket list. So even on the medication, I went anyway. Hats, sunscreen 100! and layers of clothing, I adventured.

Experiencing Ramadan for this first time was also such an incredible cultural experience. With so many family, friends and rich Malay culture around us, Cape Town Ramadaan is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I loved it, I love the beauty of islam shining through the different traditions and practices and the abundance of recitations and just the sheer presence of muslims all around me.

By June, I had a rhythm, there were more than a dozen places I could go to easily, without a GPS, I knew my favourite places to eat or have my car washed. I found the most perfect place for Duke to be groomed and with all the outdoor clubs I joined, I started growing a nice little friend group. I felt submerged in the culture and the overwhelming sense of regret I faced in the first month, started going away. I missed my family so much but I discovered a part of myself that I never knew I needed. I connected with more family than I knew I had and hiked a couple dozen mountains and seen views that felt completely unreal. I absolutely loved Cape Town. My hair colour was pink and looking through my camera roll today, that wasn’t the most colourful part of my life back then, it was all the beautiful places, the views and the incredible parts of Cape Town I was exploring.

July my love for plants and gardening started, it happened pretty naturally as we started decorating our rental home in the Burbs and it was a gentle mind-break for when I started studying for exams. 2021 was the year that I decided to go back to varsity and settled on a Corporate Communications degree that would tie me down for the next three years. Looking back, I don’t know how I managed all of these things but somehow it all worked out. Also, winter hit like a ton of bricks, surprisingly not as cold but double as miserable than Joburg winters! It rained a lot but on days when it didn’t I was still ticking things off my list. I did my first beach cleanup, I Hout Bay and it was so fun being out at the beach and also doing something special and good for the community.

August my skin started feeling good, I was making tiktoks and taking harbour cruises, went on the electric scooter on the promenade, visited the Oranjezicht Market and went to Ala Turkish for the first time. Would you look at me, the cold of winter didn’t seem to bite quite as hard anymore. I got used to the one thing the people visiting Cape Town complain about most which I think officially made me a Capetonian?! I had a nice circle of friends and we went on the SkyHi Ride at the Sky Hotel and then enjoyed confectionaries at Coco Safari before shooting pictures at the Zeitz Mocca museum.

Before August ended, I had my first bread baking class at the SkyHotel that I enjoyed with friends and I really started getting back into blogging and creating content on YouTube. I also decided to try out a life-long dream of mine and go for motorcycle lessons, and to this day, I can’t believe I did this! As exhilarating as it was, it was that I somewhat felt closer to my dad, who was a biker all the years; or maybe how I front flipped off the bike and injured myself lol But I realised I could probably go on living without having my bike license. After it didn’t heal for weeks, I had to go to the hospital for X-rays and it took what felt like forever to heal. I also went for a covid vac the same day and I still wish I never took the vaccines but we move.

September was my favourite month, not because it was my birthday, but because I accomplished more in this month, than any other month since moving…it started with us going to the Canola fields on the westcoast and doing shoots with my family and a friend. I was invited to come and zip-line again at the Cape Canopy Tours and it was the perfect day for the drive out to the Hottentots Holland mountains with my mom and my aunt and they enjoyed the drive and the outdoors while I had a solo adventure with a group of strangers. We went to the Clay Cafe to paint porcelain while enjoying some delicious snacks and coffee, and had dinner at the Bokaap Kombuis where my other mom made me the most gorgeous birthday cake! It felt like a milestone birthday because it was my first one here. The outdoor cinema, The Galileo is one of the most incredible outdoor, chilled things you can do in Cape Town and we dressed my car with lights and cosy blankets and pillows and not only did we watch a classic movie, Man in Manhattan, but we also won a hamper for the cutest car set up which was awesome. Also need to add that I did a while separate blog post of all the free stuff you can do around your birthday so do check it out. We went on the Cape of Good Hope Big Wheel at the VA Waterfront, spent the day at the Aquarium, had Nuri Sushi for the first time, went on Table Mountain cable cart and did off-road-electric scooters down Table Mountain! I also went paragliding down signal hill, went on a walking tour around the Bokaap and went to the Creamery for the best ice cream in town.

October was also a fun month after my birthday month, I was invited by Fame Week Africa to go on a few adventures and I didn’t know it would be the start of a very special journey… we went on the red bus tour, Roodebloom Studios, visited City Hall for the first time and went on a tour at the Castle of Good Hope before ending the tour for a screening at the Labia Theatre. We also went to Gold Rush Restuarant and just met the most incredible group of people. A week later I met up with my new found friends and shared my dreams about my app that I would love to start developing and though we were just restaurant hopping for First Thursdays, we made a partnership for my idea to finally become a reality because one of the friends I met at Fame Week is a software developer and agreed to start working on building my bucket list app. Went on a few dozen dates with my mom and some friends, and went to the Butchers Wife Eatery for the first time.

November I started a new segment on my Youtube channel, I started droning more and I went on a hunt to capture all the tidal pools I could find along the coast. Had my first injury with my drone where I sliced a piece of my finger off but it was a crazy lesson learnt. I went to Grand Beach to catch up with some friends from Joburg that I haven’t seen in over a year and afterwards, went on the electric scooters again on the Green Point to SeaPoint promenades and also went to some of my favourite restaurants again, Damascus, Seapoint and Cozy Corner, Wynberg. Also discovered the really awesome Asian market in Observatory. One of the lows of this month was that it was the one year anniversary of my car and we were driving to the Waterfront when a guy slammed right into us, but I guess it was my first time at a police office.

December was Awesome. My family came to visit for a few weeks and for a moment, everything felt whole again. We had chilled days and adventure days. We found a virtual reality gaming arcade which was super dope and the kids absolutely loved it. Went to Moro Gelato again which is hands-down the best gelato in the country! Beach days and electric scooters, meeting up with family and friends and long scenic rides around the entire peninsula which usually end up around Chapmans Peak and then the best fish at Snooki’s in HoutBay. We went to the strawberry farm for the first time in Cape Town, went to the VA Waterfront, went on the Big Wheel and ended the night at Saray Restaurant for our sister-date. We were gifted a teeny baby tortoise which we later gave up to the Cape Town Nature Reserve so Pendejo can live his best life in nature, where he belongs.

2022

January was nice and slow, most days was with family and Duke. Spent many afternoons at the Tokai forest before ending up at family lunches and suppers, played board games and welcomed the year in, in the most special way. We went to the famous Snookies eatery in Houtbay chose to take the scenic route back to the suburbs where we’d end up at Muizenberg Beach, meeting up with more family from Johannesburg. We went to the Strawberry farm with some friends and the kids enjoyed animal and dirtbike rides and strawberry picking in the farm was a highlight, but most importantly, ate a bunch of fresh, organic produce and handmade ice cream. Before January ended, I marshalled with my cousin for the Bay to Bay runners race in Camps Bay. It was super fun and encouraged me to start running. February, I joined a running club, ARD, it was close to where I was staying at the time and I joined because my cousin had been with them for a few years already. We ran twice a week (Mondays and Wednesdays) so I could still enjoy my hiking group where we hiked every Sunday, and sometimes on a Saturday. Met so many people with these groups and I would definitely recommend joining clubs if you’re struggling to feel “at home” in a new city. I started taking photographs more, studying better and really enjoying the juggle of it all. I remember how happy I felt, being so submerged in nature, health and fitness and just the overall balance of how life became. It showed too, I looked healthy, I looked fit and my skin and hair was just glowing! I played around a lot more in the kitchen making healthy, organic meals and fruit and vegetable smoothies and juices.

March felt pretty much similar, balanced, filled with friends and family and taking Duke to as many new places as a could. There is a burger place in Seapoint on the promenade that sells the most delicious halal burgers that are literally the size of my head! We ended up there ever so often and after a long walk on the promenade, we usually end up there. Dessert at Mojo Market where dogs are also allowed is the best way to end a long day in Seapoint. I also fulfilled one of my ultimate bucket list items in March, I found a pottery place where I could use a pottery wheel and craft my own pots, plates, cups, everything and having to finally do that at Cathrines Pottery in Noordhoek will always be one of my fondest memories. I have separate posts on most the things I mention here but if there is anything you’d like me to share more about, please reach out. Also since my Oratane, skin treatment, was finished, I could finally start laser hair removal, and I found an incredible place Shenanigans in Claremont.

One of the things I really enjoyed since moving to Cape Town was that I could decorate the house the way I wanted to, so in April I set up a home gym with a few dumbbells, resistance bands, skipping rope and yoga mats so this Ramadaan I worked out at home following YouTube videos and tried to stay fit while eating as healthy as I could. Went to Tokai a few times with Duke to get out. I also went to the office for the first time. I planned to go to the office after Ramadaan but my laptop ended up crashing so I was forced to go in. I also ended up meeting Saadiq as he was the one who fixed my laptop. My mom and I went with some family to the “Maankykers” for the first time which is a beautiful Islamic tradition to go out and sight the moon for Eid. Capetonians all gather at Seapoint and we have a mass iftaar and salad before trying to see if we can see the moon, which would mark the end of Ramadaan for the year.

Eid was the 3rd of May, I felt the strongest desire to go and reconnect with my fathers side of the family and we went to visit them on Eid, it was such a warm and beautiful moment and if the yearning in our hearts were not enough, the tears filling our eyes felt like our souls healing. Eid is always filled with family, friends, and all that we hold so sacredly, but this year, truly felt different. My dads brother, who felt the most familiar to me because he also reminded me of my dad, he even wore the same oud/ atir and that smell “Jannuatul-firdows” hit me like a wave of pent-up emotions gushing forth. I finally found some suppliers for my Bonafide Merch clothing brand, and I designed and produced a few items that I put on my website to sell. The hikes started again and I couldn’t wait to get back out there after Ramadaan. We went to the Winchester Hotel for mothers day, where the most beautiful bougainvillea flowers were in bloom, we just went for dessert and tea but it was so beautiful in that setting, felt like we were in a different country.

We also found an awesome puppy hotel for Duke, and when we went away to Avalon Springs Resort, he went for a mini vacation all on his own. My mom spends a few months with me and a few months in Joburg with my sister and the boys every year and its nice that we get to take a couple hours drive and spend time with my moms friends just enjoying the Cape and around. It was a while since my mom and I had a vacay in Avalon Springs so it was super special to have been back there again. I packed some Bonafide orders and went on my first trip back home to Joburg for a couple days. Went hiking with my sister and the boys and then in that week Nadia (my sister) and I went to Pretoria to go bungee jumping. The weather was super crazy so they didn’t allow us to bungee but they had a bungee swing that they said they would allow us to do, which is the same as bungee but they tie the ropes a little bit different so you don’t end up upside-down, but rather in a sitting position like a giant swing off a bridge. It was absolutely crazy and felt a pit in my tummy as you hit the drop but it was quite the experience. I also went to meet some friends from work in Joburg and spent some time with my friends and family back home. We went to a really cute cafe at Melrose Arch called Iris Garden.

Before May ended, I extended my stay in Joburg to take another drive out to Pretoria to go sky diving! We jumped at SkyDive Pretoria and it was honestly one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had! Something we’ve always spoke about and we finally got to tick it off our bucket lists. The thought of truly living life hit me when we did this activity. From saving our money and doing little things and to still be doing big, amazing things like this really felt special and surreal.

In June, once we got home to Cape Town, we went to a Cape Malay show, and also planned a day out with my dads family, we took a drive along the entire coast, ate in Houtbay and then ended the night off with Moro Gelato. We spent the entire day just catching up, taking photos and enjoying what we missed all the times when we were in Joburg. I joined an Arab Archery club and started a course where we’d go once a week and it was ladies only so it was nice to just enjoy the sunnah teachings or the sport the right way. My mom went to live with my sister in Joburg again so it was just Duke and me. Usually more family and friends are around me when my mom isn’t here, had my friends sleep over and we visited the Old Biscuit Mill for the first time which was very cool and looking back at the photos now, I was always sun-kissed and out living intentionally with adventure on my doorstep. Duke and I would often go to the beach or the forest for a walk, stop for a treat and some ice cream, there was a famous ice-cream place on the corner of the main road in Muizenberg’s Surfers Corner and I remember one of the days, they had plain vanilla and I bought Duke his own cone, it was a core memory for me and a the few people that saw us.

July came before I knew it and because I became friends with the people from the hiking groups, we ended up in a few social clubs where we’d go for dinners, bowling and low-key activities. One of the cool bowling alleys is at Stadium on Main, Claremont and definitely worth checking out. It was a pretty chilled month, lots of friend and family hangouts, and found the best banana bread at Bootleggers in SeaPoint, where they toast the bread and it’s ABSOLUTELY delicious!

In August I did another bucket list hike, the shipwreck in Sandy Bay. It was so incredibly breathtaking and beautiful. Definitely a few tough climbs but it was so worthwhile. I also went to the Cavendish outdoor market for the first time where my love for home fragrance was born, I bought sandalwood and chamomile essence and my house has never smelled better, I love it. I hiked every week, ran every week, did archery every week, cooked, baked and just enjoyed nature and the outdoors with Duke in hand and spent more time with family and friends than I ever did. I loved it. Before August was over I made a few more Bonafide sales. I enjoy packing orders and writing a special note in each package for supporting my small business.

In September, my birthday month, I done some more photography shoots, went to Century City Intake Island for the first time and found a cute place called Mo’s Diner, a quint little place in Observatory that is halaal. I went to Cafe 51 for the first time when my cousin treated me for my birthday. I also hosted my first birthday party at home where we were renting. One of the stand-out hikes was on a Cape Point and we ended up trying Sabria’s Wynberg for the first time. Explored Klein Joostenberg for the first time, after hiking Paarl Rock. The Paarl hike felt like living in the Reader’s Digest books, from my childhood.

Another incredible hike marked October, Pniel Hike also on the other side of the city but so beautiful. I feel like discovering new places is simply endless. I was truly in my fitness, tree-hugging era that I had always dreamt about. Duke and I also went on endless adventures, and took him to most places that allowed dogs and he just loved all the attention from everyone.

With my fitness journey I felt better than I had felt in years, about my physicalities and wellness and it came just in time for me to still be in my Covid-TikTok addiction. I made TikTok’s almost daily and enjoyed spending my resting, downtime on there. But I also really enjoyed my quality time with my family and friends and especially since I reconnected with my dads side of the family. I loved spending time with them and we’d make a day out ever so often. It was around Moulood time and my dads brother invited us to a moulood, and it was my first one in Cape Town so it was special to spend it with them.

We had a few celebrations in October, went to a musical concert at the Grand West Theatre and did a photoshoot. I remember this photoshoot so clearly because just as we were wrapping things up, my phone was blowing up and I usually only check it and the end of the day when I’m shooting but it was persistent. Remembering that it was only about five months after becoming a lot closer with my dads side of the family, the phone call I got was a completely earth-shattering moment that completely took my breathe away, my uncle passed away and they were trying to call us to let us know about his very sudden death. I completely broke down… I couldn’t believe it. Only a couple days before he passed, we were still texting and his last message to me was “Love you to the moon and back”. He was the most like my dad and having him close to me here in Cape Town felt like a had a little piece of my dad with me again.

November felt a little lighter. Something I’ve always wanted to go was go to a farm and play with baby goats, and it’s exactly what we done at Fairview. We got to feed the little ones and it was so incredible! Spent a day there, went for a smoothie and overlooked the beautiful farm with this most spectacular weather. We also had a wonderful holiday in Piekeniers Kloof Resort with my cousin and family. A week away in the quiet mountains and stargazed… had my first potjiekos in Cape Town while Duke went to the hotel again. He had the best time with his buddies at SuperWoof even though he had a tumor (cancerous growth) on his paw. They were exceptional in looking after him and making sure he get all the cuddles he deserved!

My sister came down to visit in December, a day too late to have enjoyed an authentic Cape Malay show at City Hall. But we had some fun girls day themed outings, like going to the salon, themed family functions, hiked up Table Mountain, took our cousins kids to Mojo Market, Newlands Forest with Duke, had karaoke nights, beach days, and even had a min-staycay at Royal Atlantic where we decided to go on the SkyHi Ride at the Sky Hotel. Attended a family wedding while Duke again went to the hotel for a couple days stay to hang out with his buddies. We also caught the sunset at The Rock before heading out to the best sushi in town, Nuri!

December we went on another staycay, this time at the Tableview Cabanas, what a wonderful and gorgeous view of kite beach. The most serene sunsets, strolls on the beach and just the most relaxing home away from home. We invited my moms bestie to join us and Duke was absolutely spoiled to go on vacay to the SuperWoof hotel again. Looking back at all the photos and videos now, I feel like I should have had about five dogs at home because he always seemed so completely overjoyed being surrounded by that many dogs and constant attention and cuddles. It was also my turn to go to Joburg so I flew up shortly after our stay in Tableview. We went on a mini family vacay to Dikholo Nature Reserve, spent quality time with Nadia and the boys and went on a ton of adventures. Got stung by a wasp while adventuring but even though it hurt like a mono at the time, I feel pretty cool now, to be able to say that lol

My sis was into billiards/ pool and took me with her and her friends for a fun night out playing pool with them. We grew up with a pool table at home and I always related it to my dad, so it felt super different playing it after all the years. My mothers health took a turn and she’d fallen twice in just a couple weeks. We were back and forth at the hospital when I got back from Jozi. But she recovered over the weeks that passed. The rest of December was pretty chilled with some family and friends visiting from Joburg, Cape Town was buzzing with the Dezemba fever and we had more beach days than ever because those two weeks away made me crave the ocean. We spent a day at the beach and found a teeny little kitten, the kids who brought him to the beach completely forgot about him but we didn’t complain because he literally spent all day with us. Took our family and friends to all the fun and memorable places in Cape town before the year ended and before they headed home. And then ticked another one of my bucket list adventures off my list, Kayaking in the deep blue ocean! It was sooooo incredible. Kinda scary seeing just water beneath you and the seaweed under the kayak, but it was exhilarating and definitely something I would do again.

I could keep you here all day reading about my five years, but we’ve only gotten two years down and look at the length of this post. Decided to go with a part approach so here is the first two years in a nutshell! Hope you enjoyed the read, there is a lot more to come and also prizes to be won from my favourite adventures over the years so subscribe, comment and stay tuned.

xo, Tasneem