Drakensberg |
Action shot - see what I mean, how can you sleep through that journey |
Always seeking clarity I asked
what were the conditions of being a co-pilot for a 3 day weekend trip? “To be
supportive and show the way” was the response.
Perfect! I could do that, after all what one really needs in a co-pilot
is a person who can make the journey as fun as the destination.
In saying YES, I unknowingly opened myself up to learning more about the spirit of generosity that exists within the world. When you decide you want to be spontaneous and travel the day before a public holiday, you enroll in defying the school of thought that proclaims failing to plan is planning to fail.
In saying YES, I unknowingly opened myself up to learning more about the spirit of generosity that exists within the world. When you decide you want to be spontaneous and travel the day before a public holiday, you enroll in defying the school of thought that proclaims failing to plan is planning to fail.
After calling every place I could
find in the Berg seeking a cottage with 2 bedrooms and braai area, I realised
that I was in for a challenge; all the places were fully booked. In a final attempt out of sheer desperation I
asked the person I had on the line, if there was any place they could suggest? “Central
Reservations” he suggested “they know everything.”
I called, still hopeful because you cannot
give up without knocking on every door.
A delightful woman answered the phone; she exuded happiness that permeated
through our conversation. She explained that she had only been working there for a week and didn't know if she could
find this rather complicated request at such a late hour. She asked me if I was travelling with kids
that I needed a 2 bed-roomed cottage.
I explained that we were friends; I was met with odd silence that was
followed by short giggle, “well, I hope I can find you two little friends a
suitable place, I’ll be in touch within the next hour.” An hour later like clock-work
Magda emailed me 2 places that she had found, a miracle worker indeed. She had
found a quaint little cottage that could accommodate us. I didn't expect Magda to go above and beyond
for a stranger who was asking for an arm and a leg in accommodation but she
amazed me in her willingness.
These rather human-like, smiley gnomes can be found at the central reservations office |
#1 Trust in the power of asking
for help.
Now that the accommodation was
done, my mind was on the road. I enjoy
being behind the wheel, but since my job was to show the way I had the luxury
of taking in every bit of scenery. There
where huge fields with sunflowers that extended beyond what the eye could see,
cows grazing in huge open fields and the panoramic mountain views.
I even decided to indulge my curiosity about a Honey-comb looking building on the side of the highway, that I had passed several times but had never
stopped to see what was inside. Whilst my friend worked on building a
relationship with what looked like an ostrich, I discovered that they created
interesting preserves and mouth-watering baked goods. It took a whole lot of discipline for me to
walk out of there without something for tea.
#2 Drop what you know and Indulge your curiosity
When we arrived the first thing I saw was the parking area, it dawned on me that the rental of
the cottage was something our host had fallen into and not a business venture that
they wanted to grow. It was a cottage with all the amenities we needed but none
of the charm you would expect from a professional establishment. It still contained family pictures and
Christmas cards dating back to the 90’s. The host though was soft spoken,
pleasant woman who brought us farm fresh milk for our tea.
#3 Let go of what you must to open yourself up to possibility
Whilst I finished unpacking, my friend started a fire to prepare our supper. Besides the salad he cooked a scrumptious
feast that left us satisfied in happy silence.
Not only could he make a "fire-lighter free" fire and cook he also washed-up
afterwards. It was a pleasant surprise, a real all-rounder.
#4 You discover things about people when you travel with them, things
that you would not necessarily know in the convenience world of city life.
Retreating into nature can only
be therapeutic for the soul, to get the most out of this trip we decided to go
hiking the next day. It was a perfect
day, warm enough with clear blue skies. Even
though I have been to the berg several times I was blown away by its enormity
and magnificence. So blown away that
mid-hike I felt like losing myself in its glory, plonking myself on the side of
the path, I soaked in the silence, slight breeze and the feel of it against my
skin. A memory that I could never
capture with my camera, beauty that can only be appreciated through the
connection of being there with no distraction.
#5 Generosity of spirit allows you to make room for each other’s quirky
ways.
Along the way I felt myself heating up at the
next stream I decided to dip my wrists into the mountain fresh, cool water. What a welcome relief, I could feel my body
temperature drop down to a more agreeable degree.
Once we arrived at Nandi falls, I was enamoured with the coolness that I insisted on us eating our lunch under the spray of the falls. Luckily he was not going to allow me to get away with this one and found us the perfect and most probably the most scenic spot. The melody of the stream and tranquility of the area was a welcome reprieve
Nandi Falls |
Once we arrived at Nandi falls, I was enamoured with the coolness that I insisted on us eating our lunch under the spray of the falls. Luckily he was not going to allow me to get away with this one and found us the perfect and most probably the most scenic spot. The melody of the stream and tranquility of the area was a welcome reprieve
This was such a beautiful spot, it was not easy to reach but worth the trouble |
#6 Great scenery, simple food & good company are the essentials of life
The beauty of being in nature is
it allows you to reflect, with no need to fill the silence with small talk, you
get to be present. I was aware of how helpful my partner in crime was, how he always
offered a helping hand in places that were precarious. He was not upset when I rugby tackled him after
thinking some wild animal (baboon to be exact) was launching at me. It was
not just me that he looked out for, when I was doing a final look around as we
were leaving, I found some new additions to the bathroom and kitchen. It made me think of my Land Service days, that we are here to look after each others interest. When you leave a place better than you found it, you in turn honour the person and encourage the spirit of generosity & kindness.
I suppose
part of a successful nature inspired road trip is having a person who is
pleasant to be around and makes the experience one for the books or blog in
this case.
#7 Leave things better than how you found them