Have One of Those Really Great Days

Some days are really great.  Things go your way.  You meet unexpected adventures that are surprising and fun, not euphemisms for an extra deadline from your boss.  You appreciate where you are and enjoy the people you’re with.

I had one of those days yesterday.  It was a combination of hiking, full moonlight and an impromptu party on the mountain – all on a Tuesday evening.  And in the middle of hiking up Lion’s Head I realized what makes a really great day.

the first hint of the full moon

You do.

Your mindset, the people you surround yourself with, your willingness to push yourself allow great days to happen.  Sure there are things above and beyond your control.  The day you break your leg in a car accident is probably not a really great day, no matter how hard you try and put on a smile.  And there’s the other extreme; those days you are mad at the world before you even open your eyes, but the stars align to force you back into happiness.  It turns out you have a surprise party waiting for you at night, or you get that promotion (and its big fat pay check).

But most times the difference between a really great day and one that will soon be forgotten is You.  Take yesterday, for example.

It was supposed to be an average day.  I planned to go home after work, have some dinner and fall asleep on the couch drooling on myself.  The usual.  Then came a text from some pals across town inviting me to join them for a hike up Lion’s Head, the baby mountain to Cape Town’s big mama Table Mountain.  As I battled traffic to make my way there I wondered if it was worth it.  Why not just go home and relax?  After all I was tired and hungry.  But my excuses were vetoed when I remembered that this is why I live here; to take advantage of the fun things to do in Cape Town.

big mama Table Mountain on the left, baby Lion's Head on the right

Normally Lion’s Head is an hour hike.  Ok, maybe one and a half hours if you’re out of shape like me.  Last night it took us three hours.  And it was awesome!  Turns out it was a full moon, which brought the tourists out like wolves. The whole mountain moved with a million human ants as we hiked alongside travellers from all over the world.  Some of the ants around us grumbled about the congested paths and obnoxious tourists.  But my pals and I laughed at the mountain’s transformation.  What is normally a peaceful walk had become South Africa’s own Moon Party.  At the top where there should have been one or two other weekday hikers, was a mob of smiling foreigners.  It wasn’t the communion with nature we’d expected, but it was…really fun.

Just a regular Tuesday evening on Lion's Head

The hike down was just as slow and cumbersome as the way up.  Around us our fellow ants pushed and moaned.  But it didn’t matter.  I had driven across town to do something uniquely Cape Town, and this was certainly unique to Cape Town.  I was with great friends, I loved being where I was and doing what I was doing.

Sure it never hurts to have a gorgeous view and some astronomical wonders around.  But a really great day starts with your decision to have one.

What are some of your really great days?

the sunset before the full moon