In the final days of my first block abroad in Cape Town, I learned that it is almost impossible to check off all my bucket list items. Each day, I am reminded of a must-try outdoor movie night, a secret sunset spot, or the best cafe in Cape town. My bucket list has grown longer and longer which has made my last week feel extremely crammed. 

Now that I am just a week away from leaving Cape Town to head to Sydney, I decided to look back on the six weeks I have been here. What are my favorite things I have done? Where do I go for lunch most? What would I recommend to someone who wants to come to Cape Town? Well, thanks to my bucket list, I have all of the recommendations and more! At week six, I almost completed my bucket list items. Follow along to see how I did it! 

 

Step One: Create

The first step to completing your bucket list is to make a bucket list. Wherever you are traveling, creating a list of things you want to see and activities you want to do is a great way to help schedule your trip. Research is a big part of creating a bucket list. What are some of the best restaurants around? Where is the best place to watch the sunset? What are locals saying about the cafe on the corner? 

Through my program, CIEE Open Campus Block, a lot of events are scheduled as a group. Big bucket list items, like going on a safari in South Africa and touring the city, were something that was organized by my program. Other group activities like a group cooking class, Lion’s Head Hike, and a family lunch were planned as well. Though these activities were incredibly fun, I had items of my own that I wanted to cross off my list here. 

Incorporating bucket list items catered to your own interests will allow for a more memorable trip. Hiking up Table Mountain and going to Robben Island to have a tour of Nelson Mandela’s prison cell were items on my list that I was interested in. Though, not all of these items have to be big, like sand surfing across the dunes of Atlantis. For me, some of my bucket list items included small things like visiting coffee shops, bookstores, and markets. Who would have guessed? Since I arrived here, I have heard the whispers about “the best coffee in the world” and as a coffee lover, I had to check it out myself. Similarly, because I am a book junkie, Clarke’s Bookshop caught my eye as well. Other smaller activities like trying out a cycle or exercise class are important to me. Having a smaller group or even traveling by yourself to some of your bucket list item places is a great way to capture a memory. 

Now, heading into my last days in South Africa, I have completed almost all of my bucket list items. Because your list may continue to grow from local recommendations and seeing new places, completing items that you are most excited about should come first in your schedule! 

 

Step Two: Plan and Prepare

Bucket list items often tend to be ones that require a lot of planning. Therefore, planning ahead and creating a schedule is extremely helpful when trying to check items off of your bucket list. Because I am attending classes, I decided to look at dates that worked best for me when trying to plan long days like sand surfing or long hikes. Once these dates are confirmed, I begin to write out a schedule so I can see what the days ahead of me entail. This schedule has been keeping me on track and holding me accountable for what I plan for. 

Preparing to take part in a bucket list item activity is crucial. Sometimes, depending on the scope of the activity, different emotions come into play. For example, we had to take a ferry when we traveled to Robben Island to the prison where Nelson Mandela was held. I am a very seasick person and had to plan ahead.This means I had to take Dramamine and find a location to sit on the boat that was best for me. Additionally, prior to the trip, a group of students and I learned in class that an ex-prisoner provides the tour. We prepared and practiced how to be respectful of his words and time while he showed us around. Preparing for moments like these when planning your bucket list is necessary. Planning ahead and preparing for your trips allows for a clean tick on the bucket list item. 

 

Step Three: Be in the Moment!

Who doesn’t love the feeling of checking off an item on a list? Especially a bucket list! One of the greatest feelings is completing a treacherous hike, being sweaty after an African dance class, or eating outside with a view of the South African mountains. After all that planning, it is essential to allow yourself to be in the moment. Take it all in. This is something you have been wanting to do for a lifetime! Take a deep breath, and take in the view. Being in the movement helps to create a fond memory of somewhere or something you have been wanting to try. Then, when you go back to check that item off of your list, you will be able to recall all of the emotions you have felt while being there. 

Being in the moment is something I have been working on while being here. Trying to capture the beauty of each place I go to is impossible. My camera can not comprehend how blue the oceans are when the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet at the Cape of Good Hope. A phone call home to describe that sand surfing was like snowboarding on the softest snow does not come across the same. Therefore, I have taken the time to be in the moment wherever I go. I have a journal to write in to try to capture these moments, but what is most important is to allow yourself to truly see the beauty around you. After all, these are items on your bucket list. 

Thank you for following along with this week’s blog. I am so happy you are here! Stay tuned for my next blog post from down under!

 

 

 

 

 

Hi friends! My name is Tara Roumes and I am a junior here at URI. With a double major in journalism and English, you can always find me writing! When a pen isn’t in my hand, a fresh cup of coffee and a book often replace it. My love for books can be found on Instagram, @taras_littlelibrary, where I post reviews and connect with other avid readers. If I am not reading or writing, I am definitely claiming a front-row seat at any athletic event on campus, playing with my two dogs, or listening to Harry Styles. This is my second semester blogging for Inside Rec and I am so excited to share my experiences, thoughts, and opinions with you! Right now I am studying abroad in Cape Town then I head to Sydney and Rome!