It’s been a week since I boarded that flight to Cape Town with nothing but faith. No sponsorship, no perfect plan, just a deep knowing that I needed to go to breathe, to reset, and to remind myself who I am when the noise falls away.
This isn’t my first leap of faith. Years ago, I was just a girl from Phoenix who had never left KZN, yet I had the audacity to apply to UCT to study media. That was the only application I sent. I didn’t have Maths, I had failed it but everything else was solid. And I made it in. That decision changed my life. And this trip, this solocation, felt like a full-circle moment. A quiet rebirth. A reminder of the brave girl who always believed in more.
I booked a return flight this June with no guarantees. I had just ended a two-year relationship. We lived together. Walking away meant walking straight into the unknown. The emotional, financial, and physical displacement that followed was real. My retainer had ended in June after an event wrapped up, and with no backup plan, I took what I had from a freelance project and booked that flight.
Even the morning of the trip tested me. In the house where I was staying, the specific bathroom I use had no bath stopper. I stood there frustrated, feeling the weight of everything. I ended up using a little plastic bag to block the water and bathe. I had never experienced anything like that. But adversity will always teach you how to think on your feet. That small moment somehow reflected the bigger shift I was navigating.
I got to the airport early, sorted the logistics, sat on a bench and quietly broke down. I thought about everything. Just a few days before, I had spoken at my grandmother’s funeral. I was grieving. I was heartbroken. I was exhausted. I felt displaced in every sense, uncertain of where I’d sleep long-term, what work I’d secure next, or how I’d feel whole again.
But even in that, God provided.
A dear friend opened her home to me as I began applying for my own place again. Her kindness gave me a place to breathe and reset. And just as my flight landed in Cape Town, a payment from work I had previously done came through. The timing was divine. It reminded me that provision doesn’t always come how we expect, but it always comes.
I headed straight to Pullman Cape Town City Centre. The hotel was everything my spirit needed urban and modern, rooted right in the heartbeat of the city. I was welcomed with warm smiles and helped to my room. And what a room. A spacious en-suite with sleek finishes, a welcome cheese and fruit plate, a bottle of rosé, and peace. Real peace. I slipped into the robe provided and just sat in that moment. After everything, I was here.
Later that evening, I caught up with a varsity friend, also in media. We had dinner at Pullman’s newly opened Japanese restaurant, Konichiwa, where I got to experience their winter tasting menu curated by head chef Ernest Tsosane. He’s worked in some of the finest kitchens in the world, and his passion is so evident. Over perfectly plated dishes, we spoke about purpose and growth. It reminded me why I started my own platform and how much more I still dream of doing.
Here’s what we enjoyed:
Miso Soup
Udon Soup (Mirin)
Rose Salmon
Salmon Belly Aburi
Chicken Yakitori
Celeriac Soup
Everything paired beautifully with the rosé that had set the tone when I arrived. That meal wasn’t just a dinner, it was a reminder that I still belong in beautiful places, even when life feels unstable.
Cape Town didn’t just welcome me, it reintroduced me to myself. I even found myself thinking, maybe I want to move back. There’s something about the water, the pace, the creative energy, that grounds me. And as I continue to stabilise my work life and rebuild, I’m open to wherever peace leads me.
If you’ve ever had to start over, take a leap, or remind yourself of who you are, I’d love to hear your story in the comments or DMs. We’re not alone in this.
Stay tuned. It only gets better from here.
