Table Mountain is an iconic symbol of Cape Town and summitting its flat, expansive top was an experience unlike any other. A wild entity in and of itself, every year inexperienced tourists get stuck at the top of the mountain in gale-force windstorms or weather systems that move in off the water rapidly and unexpectedly. It was a pure stroke of genius luck that my friends and I were not these dumb tourists. As we climbed up "Skeleton's Gorge" (known for its steep vertical scramble up a dry riverbed) a uniformed park officer cautioned us that the weather at the top was unpredictable, and that this particular day was proving to be rather windy. He radioed up to his counterpart at the top of the mountain, and surprisingly, we were given the go-ahead to climb on. Once we reached the top, we were surprised at just how windy it really was. At some points, we couldn't stand. Many times, we had to crouch down or find refuge behind huge boulders. The wind was thrashing so hard, the zipper on my windbreaker hit my lip so hard that I started to bleed. Mind you, this was all taking place along a sheer cliff edge. Luckily, at certain points, we had a respite from the whipping wind and were able to take in our surroundings. The aerial views of the peninsula were spectacularly breath-taking. In the distance, you could make out Robben Island, and being above the cloud cover really made me feel like I was On Top of the World.
