Coincidence

I love penguins. I love the fact that they are clumsy as hell, but at the same time they always look terrifically, well-dressed and ready for a black tie event.

Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town is quite a spectacular place, within this magnificent setting of rock mazes and tranquil pools lies the habitat for a colony of African Penguins. It seemed almost inconceivable for my overseas friends that one could chill out on one of Cape Town’s most beautiful beaches and still get to mingle with these little natural socialites.

On this beach though, you can, and you could literally go up to one and hug it too; so as long as you don’t mind being pecked by one of their wonderfully, understated, yet powerful beaks. The combination of natural beauty and wildlife seems just a little too coincidental.

Speaking of coincidences, on our way back into the city, I had an idea to stop off at Olympia Café in Kalk Bay for a bite to eat, but as it so happens another group of my friends, separate from our penguin excursion, decided to go surfing in Muizenberg and they also had the same inkling to refuel at Olympia. Now, usually I would think nothing of it. Two groups of friends converging on one spot – big deal right?

Well get this, the story gets even more exciting. Firstly, neither groups had planned on meeting up, and it’s not natural for us townies, as the locals call us, to venture too far out from the city center, so the chances of meeting up in Kalk Bay were slim.

Secondly, to grasp the magnitude of this coincidence I need to explain the dynamics of our group. In my group, from here in known as Group A: we had an Eastern Cape boy i.e. moi, a Danish girl, a Canadian girl and a Spanish guy. In the other group, now known as Group B: there was an Eastern Cape girl, a Danish guy, a Canadian guy and girl and a cool, chilled out, laid back, surfing Aussie.

I knew everyone from Group B, but oddly enough I know them separately from each other and didn’t even have a clue that, those social circles overlapped. The Eastern Cape girl just so happened to have gone to one of the schools that I had been schooled at too.

I met Danish girl in Group A close to two years ago, as she was living in my block of flats, and met Danish guy in Group B recently through a friend of a friend. However, it turns out that Danish girl and Danish guy are close friends in Copenhagen.

The Canadians in Group A and B live in relative close proximity to each other and my friend the Aussie seemed like the only exception and didn’t have any freakishly, coincidental connections with the rest of the group. At least none that I could deduce, but I’m certain if I had to pry a little deeper something would have popped up.

You’re probably wondering about Spanish guy? I only met Spanish guy yesterday through Danish girl, but conveniently he is friends with another Spanish guy that just so happens to do stunts with my very good friends Dan and Paul. Also, later in the evening Spanish guy meets a Venezuelan friend of mine and the topic of a Penguin beach excursion surfaces. Venezuelan friend quickly puts two and two together and figures out that he must have gone with me, as Venezuelan friend was supposed to come too, but could not, due to work obligations.

Ow my head hurts! All these freakish coincidences just blew my mind.

Overall I had an amazing day, I mean how could I have not? Hanging out with friends and penguins in one of the most beautiful settings in the world; life, it doesn’t really get much better than that. But, honestly there were brief moments where I also felt quite down.

I still get incredibly anxious driving along parts of the M3 due to Lauren’s accident. Every time I drive past the scene, I get shivers down my spine, and yesterday coincidentally as we drove past: Beatle’s, depressing Yesterday was playing. In particular the lyrics “Why Why she Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.” came up as we drove past

In that instant my emotions and thoughts shifted elsewhere. Retreating and concealing the joy I had just previously experienced. I’m sure I became a lot quieter and my passengers must have wondered what happened as in an instant, I had gone from being extremely happy-go-lucky to least sociable in the car.

I miss you incredibly, Lauren. I’ve accepted that you are no longer here, but how much fun would it have been if you had to come on our day out?