Leaving NYC at 11pm, we arrived 12 hours and 45 minutes later in Dubai, at 7:45pm UAE time. The airport was as glitzy and over the top as I expected the Dubai airport to be, though I was shocked at how empty it was at such a reasonable hour when I was expecting such a busy transport hub to be packed with people.

I had an almost 8-hour layover so had considered getting out of the airport to see some of the nighttime spectacles of Dubai, but realized it was going to be 100+ degrees with high humidity, and the thought of sitting on my next long flight as a sweaty mess sounded terrible, so I opted to stay in the airport.

I am lousy at sleeping on planes, and with about 23 hours of flying time I didn’t want to risk being completely sleep-deprived in Cape Town, so I had rented a short-term room at the in-terminal hotel. I explored the airport a little before checking into a lovely room, taking a very welcome shower, and having a solid 4-hour sleep.

Finally, after the next 9 hour & 45 minute flight, I had made it to Cape Town! After getting through immigration, I was met by a friendly man with a Flash Pack sign who was ready to walk me to the hired car that would take me to our hotel. I wish I had taken a photo of my enthusiastic driver, who shared an overview of his Xhosa heritage, complete with a lesson in the different kinds of clicks that make up their language, the “what happens in the bush stays in the bush” rituals of becoming a man, and the cow-exchange rules he’d have to follow to get married. (He was sure to let me know that if his future wife cheated, he’d get his cows back.) I’m sure the cow thing is symbolic and has been modernized, but his passion and energy for sharing his culture was infectious, and it was a fabulous intro to South Africa.

After a scenic drive from the airport to our hotel, I was excited to get the adventure started! Arriving at the Radisson Red hotel in the V&A Waterfront district, I ran into Katherine and Harpreet from my group who had coincidentally gotten in at the same time (also arriving a day early before the trip formally started), and after dropping off our suitcases we decided to grab lunch together at Si Cantina Sociale, a casual restaurant next door.

Seriously beautiful stuff from Avoova! 🥚

I always enjoy doing some sort of locally-inspired spa treatment when I travel, so I opted for the 90-minute “African Journey Experience.” In their brochure, it’s (poetically) described as “A unique proudly South African total body treatment created to prepare your skin for a nourished sunkissed glow, combining scents of sweet orange and baobab oil to uplift your senses. Beginning with a Rooibos and rock salt scrub to encourage radiant skin, flowing into a massage experience with the African Rungu Stick to key areas of tension, ending off with a Rooibos tea ceremony to complete your African Journey, this total indulgence offers the ultimate feel good sensation and fully prepares your body for resort life.” (I love spa brochure copy haha.)

And let me just say, I don’t know if it was that I had just come off of 30 hours of travel, or a particularly grueling several months of work, or if Astrid really was just that good, but it was honestly the best massage of my LIFE. If you find yourself in Cape Town, make time for this spa. 🙌

After the treatment, I sat in their Relaxation Room (not pictured) for a while with some Rooibos tea, enjoying the silence and feeling completely rejuvenated and ready to take on the Flash Pack itinerary.