Die Weskus is nie vir almal nie. Net so die Kalaghadi of die Tankwa. Tog, waar ek nou hier langs die koue Benguelastroom oor die spieëlsee van Strandfontein tuur en die aantal GP besoekers sien, besef ek vele ander vind hier rus, soos ek en Rosebud. Ironies genoeg was ek nog nooit hier nie, altans so ver ek kan onthou. Wel nie nie ver hiervandaan nie op Lambersbaai opgegroei tot 11. So op ‘n manier is die Weskus tog iewers in hierdie dna geweef. Die feit dat hierdie kouewaterwerêld nie vir almal is nie, het sy voordele – minder voete en meer stilte. Dis goed vir die hart en gemoed.

Gisteraand hier aangekom en karavaan staangemaak op A7 blok met eie miniatuur ablusie. Verwelkom deur ‘n buurman wat ‘n slang soek! Ou van Köln, Duitsland, maar oorspronklik van Rustenburg. GP kar en karavaan en sy vriendelike klein frommelgesiggie mamma. Mooi storie vir later!

Ons verwelkoming – ‘n mooi jong Kaapse Kobra! Aangesien hierdie vriend agter ‘n ander van sy spesie was, het hy (of sy) min ag geslaan op die nuwe intrekkers…..

Die son sak in die weste en groet sag as ek my glas lig. Wat kan mooier en meer strelend vir die siel wees?

Blouvlag status – die strand en see is verfrissend skoon. Heerlik vir stap en hondjies, net jammer dat wetsgehoorsaamheid vir Emma hierdie genot ontsê het. Namens Emma is gevra en Matzikama Munisipaal het geweier! Al die wetsongehoorsame burgers is hier met hul hondjies en dis ‘n fees! Matzikama personeel draai net oë weg.

Rustigheid is nie net stilte nie maar ook in die deinings van die see, die klotsing tussen rotse, die vreemde rotse en die swewende seemeeu.

Ons eerste dag van verkenning en wat ‘n heerlike nuutheid! Net suid van die dorpie vind ons hierdie massiewe sloep na die see. Hier vind ons bewaarskole vir duisende viskleuters!

Die wonderlikste wandelpaadjie lei na die mooiste labirint vir reis na jouself en innerlike vrede. Die rotsformasies is asemrowend en jy beleef ‘n nuwe paralelle werêld. Hierdie land is myne en so mooi!

Nou kom die mis oor die see en trek ‘n sluier oor die strand. Gou ‘n laaste wandeling voor die klam van die aandskemering ons toevou. Die see het sy dag se gawes gegee, maar ook teruggeneem.

Nagsê tot ‘n ander dag.

Our sunset, our safari sunset – when one retires and life goes on, one’s mind suddenly has far more time to wander. It is a fact, a fact of life. No more preoccupation with ‘managing ‘ life in the longer term, planning, planning, planning and working towards the absolute best post death scenario (for those left behind).

The mind, no longer dictated by the demands of purpose and survival, is freed in a sense and it is this freedom that allows for ample reflection on purpose and sense. On what has been and what has not, or what ought to have been, and what not. On blessings, but equally on hardships and loss.

A dear old erstwhile colleague of decades and friend passed away this morning. So blessed am I to have been able to see him yesterday to say farewell. I doubt if he knew I was there, but maybe he was aware. In my heart I knew that he wanted to go. He was more than ready – he found his God’s Amazing Grace. He is blessed. He is with his wife, and his children are ok. Over coffee we often talked about life, blessings and hardships, lessons and longings, wishes and wheretos in the end – at our sunset.

Rest in peace my dear old friend. I will miss our sunset coffee chats. I will cherish the many memories of fun at work, the nostalgia of fun inspections in loco and simply the lekker KGs ( Afrikaans acronym for lesurely and idle chat).

In the sunset of your life you have found your God’ s Grace and your final wish has been granted.

What is this sacrosanct event on the calendar? Self-centred, egocentric? A light within? Shutting the inconvenient darkness out? Me and us? Not about them. The gospel of love conveniently revisited? Fake?

How blind are we? Do we see any light, save the light within? The light we generate within, for own consumption.

What will it take to set us free? Pain, suffering, loss?

• 

What is it with me? With us? Mom and dad – forever filled to the brim with this perpetual heart pulsation over our kids? Zillions of questions popping up from dawn to dusk. From birth to death. Surely we have done what we could to raise beautiful children in close partnership with Grace. We were profoundly blessed. Beautiful, healthy, gifted kids. Although this process is mostly governed by Grace and our part may, from a certain perspective, be viewed as minute, the truth is that it was very hard work on our part, and far more so for mom. May sound a bit presumptuous, but at the same time reality has no place for modesty.

Little girls become princesses and little boys princes. Then they grow up and become human. Through all the endless worries and sleepless nights they become adults with kids and the circle of Life continues. Well, through Grace for most, but not for all. In our case, our one princess was destined to become an Angel at only 25, but not without zip-filing a virtually full life in those 25 years. Still, the worries remained for the full span of her beautiful life. Why?

Same with them whom we are still blessed to have, to hold and to love. Why is it as if the umbilical cord remains? Your heart bleeds when they bleed, you pain when they pain, when they cannot sleep neither can you, your heart skips a beat when they are not well. Their wholeness is your wholeness, their well-being yours and their happiness becomes your happiness.

It is not that the beautiful safari sunsets are not enjoyed by you or treasured. It is not that you are not grateful for your blessings towards the End. The pickings of joy are there. The leisure and pleasure of retirement are there – yet the sense of responsibility to care for them, to assist emotionally and otherwise, to clean that wound and dress it, to sacrifice every minute for them if in distress, seems never to go away.

Well, I suppose its the Circle of Life and part of our Sunset. Makes me think of my ‘cry’-movie – The Lion King!

And the song composed by Elton John (lyrics by Tim Rice) and performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M

….It’s the circle of life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love…

• 

• 

• 

There is nothing new under the sun – nothing. There is forever a beginning and an end. The only exception perhaps is memory, which only comes to an end with your final exit – or does it not? Is it possible that your memory travels with you through the Universe? Will it be a burden or a blessing?

Birth and death, and then……..

The in-between matters, so man thinks – but does it really? Man is fragile, needs comfort, needs hope – meaning. The in-between matters.

29 July 1980 – Sunrise

23 September 2005 – Sunset

23 September 2019 – Time

Leenkind

diep in moederskoot geweef
vrug van liefde
leef
en harte uitbundig bons
wyl vlinders senu gons
afwagtend op hierdie liefdesvonds

teen hart gedruk gehou
pienk lyfie knus toegevou
bring lewe so
misterie nou volryp
wat liefde bring
diep in ons harte kruip
ons hele wese aangegryp


hier- neem My kind vir jou
geleen om te versorg
lief te hê
te rig, te lei, te leer
om te geniet as gawe ryk
wat louter Genade gee
My hartskind so geliefd

maar weet, gee ag
en maak jou hart gereed
dat as Ek volgens Wil
haar lewenspad vervul,
kom Ek haar haal my kind
en weer dan uit jou hart
vir hierdie leenkind smart

onbeskryflik vreugde bring
deur ryke seën
‘n hele lewe heen
ons pragtig rooikop kuiltjiekind
‘n lewe vol gestamp
en beker so gevul
so vol tot teen die rand

as plotseling die donker kom
en styf teenaan ons mond
‘n bitter, bitter beker dwing
smeek hart ineengekrimp
kon hierdie beker my tog maar nie vind
my hart verskeur,
hier – neem my leenkind Heer.

Continue reading “Safarisunset – Dawn and Dusk” →

29 Julie 1980 – Vandag het ons die allermooiste koperson ontvang, met kuiltjies, sagste haartjies en ‘n soenemond! Deur ons gemaak in liefde, maar nie ons eiendom. Alleen ons toevertrou, geleen – vir ons reis, ons safari in die son. Koper koppie wonder, koper koppie son, dimpels in die wangetjies en die mooiste soenemond.

En 25 jaar het ons in die son gereis………..

29 Julie 2019 – Vanoggend wou ons eintlik nie wakker word nie. Hierdie traagheid en vaak loop nou 14 jaar saam met ons. Maar dis tog ook nou anders as toe. Nie meer die totale verlamming en amper soort van paralelle wêreld nie. Nie meer die

---

doodsheid wat C.S.Lewis so raak beskryf in sy ‘A Grief Observed’ nie:

“And no one ever told me about the laziness of grief. Except at my job – where the machine seems to run on much as usual – I loathe the slightest effort. Not only writing but even reading  a letter is too much. Even shaving.”

Nee, ons loop, lees en lag weer lekker en geniet die safari en ons ander safarigeskenke ten volle en met vreugde. Tog is niks op ‘n manier ooit weer dieselfde nie – dit kan tog nie. 

Nella sou vandag 39 gewees het, maar sy sal tot ons laaste safarisonsak altyd net ‘n sprankel 25 wees. Ons eer en gedenk haar, en nou gaan ons opstaan en dinge doen – soos dit moet.

En, die son kom steeds op in die môre en sak in die aand – en dit speel steeds met die kleure van die Safari Sunset Leucadendron.

Winter brings the best citrus, chocolate, cosy comfort, coffee, companionship, compasion for those close, but what about all the others? Winter also brings reflection, or atleast it should, if but the smallest grain of humanity remains within us, for the misery of the masses during winter. Those who for ever have but one season – Winter.

What is wrong with us? With society, religious institutions, every single human-being living all seasons?

The indictment will be irrefutable, trust me!

“Our collective tolerance of gross inequities of poverty and unemployment, and inequalities that undermine the humanity of many in our society are all markers of our failures as individuals and nation to embrace Ubuntu” – a most profound statement by Mamphela Ramphele: A homegrown remedy for SA’s predicament. What’s stopping us?

https://www.news24.com/Columnists/Mamphela_Ramphele/a-homegrown-remedy-for-sas-predicament-whats-stopping-us-20190723?

What have I done, become? What have we done, become? Who are we?

The very authority we have entrusted with the governance of society betrays society. The homeless, hopeless, forever Winter-people, are criminalised…..

https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2019/07/22/rude-awakening-photos-show-cape-town-police-cracking-down-on-homeless-people/

Will Jean Valjean’s soliloguy ever resonant with me, you, society?

What Have I Done? https://g.co/kgs/UzZL64

17 July – rather late departure from Mountain Zebra, but only some 400 km to cover to Stormsriver, so all in good time! A new day is dawning…

The moon says goodbye!

And the day got a bit longer when the Fortuner took a nose dive in power some 20km outside of Patterson! Lights came on from all sides! Freaky! Tried to push on, but the old horse has breathing problems! Pulled to the side and cut the engine. Rosebud has the manual ready – “proceed to nearest Toyota dealer” – oops! Thinking – keep your cool, although not like you. What on earth would man do without Google?! “Hello, Natalie from Algoa Toyota, how can we help?” Very friendly, but Natalie says we need to get to them!! Oops, another 98 km to PE!

Well, keep your cool – switch off the engine and wait – for Toyota magic….. Restart, lights are off and power back! Patterson, get coffee and go. Made it to Toyota. Magic receipt as can be expected, what else! 20 minutes and sorted – dust in airfilter. Now, this is why I drive a Toyota!

Got to Tsitsikamma around 16:00. Magic and spoiled for choice as far as camping site goes. What a beautiful spot on Mother Earth!

What an incredible contrast to the Great Karoo! The Seagulls welcoming us and the ocean thundering it’s supremacy over mankind! Breathtaking!

18 July – a most beautiful day. Time to explore! Did the walk to and across the suspension bridge and up to the viewpoint. So many tourists, we were totally outnumbered!

What a lovey blissful day. Blessings. Carpe diem. Did 10 km today- not to shabby!

Ending it all with a great curry dish, good red, thundering orchestra and a good read. Sleep tight, there is a cold front creeping towards us!

And the cold front arrived… spot on at 5 o’clock as predicted. The Bushlapa subjected to the most severe stress test! So glad we were proactive in many ways! The rain is coming down in buckets and the caravan proves to be NOT entirely waterproof!😟

Important resolve – pack up and go! Where to? Home and Emma. Soaking wet, brushing teeth and hitting the road amidst rain and wind hammering down on us!!

Perserverance as the morning breaks and managed to travel through Knysna for the first time again since 2005. Been avoiding this since our Nella passed on the eve of 23 September 2005 as you exit Knysna past the turn off to Bellvedere. Minds meet and grieve. We have done this… Hearts lightened and a pitstop at the Blue Olive in Wilderness for a brekkie. Wow, what a happy experience!

Off we go and pushing on to Riversdale, where our Nella’s memories rest. Flowers at the SPAR and to the Sleeping Beauty.

Time, only Time has full knowledge

Quick stop at Hooikraal farm butchery again for coffee and great variety of meat!

Hit the road and heading home to Emma. It was good, very good, but it is good to be home. We are safe.

Sleep tight, with memories of a yet another great safari!

14 July – Strangely enough we both struggled to fall asleep last night. Downside of Camdeboo is the incessant noise of vehicular traffic on both sides – the R61 and the N9. Well, after a good shower we were ready to hit the road to Cradock. Only some 120 km.

Now pitched at Mountain Zebra and snoozing with a fresh wind playing gently with the Bushwing of the caravan. Afternoon pensioner naps are not conducive to improving night sleep, unless you prep yourself sufficiently with a good red! Damn chilly outside, but perserverance bears fruit and the roosterkoek was perfect!

Needless to say, the meat was a fairly acceptable sidedish. Finishing off with my Nespresso ( thanks good friends!) and dreaming away.

Haven’t done much gameviewing yet, by got a hallo from the local pride! (Bergkwaggas natuurlik). Vistas amazing and takes your mind to creation.

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15 July – No idea why, but slept like babies and only rose when virtually everyone in the camp was about to leave. Non-issue at this point – time is hardly ever of the essence anymore.

A Nespresso (imperrative) to kick-start the day. Then long hot showers and breakfast consisting of boiled egg, last remaining roosterkoek with apricot jam and leftovers from last night.

We walked up to the lovely swimmingpool area and satisfied that swimming was not a good idea – brrr – relaxed with our reading.

Had a drink at the restaurant on the deck – new addition, and very tranquil, with the magic variety of birds providing subtle background music. It is incumbent upon the pensioner on safari to spoil him and her occasionally, hence the booking for supper at the restaurant.

Despite our disappointment with the wildlife, a quick late afternoon drive presented us with quite a big buffalo herd and the ever gracious kudu.

Rosebud’s Venison Bobotie was great, while my fillet was slightly overdone, but on the whole a splendid evening. Depending on the context people watching can be as much fun as game viewing! Why is it that Americans are so incredibly loud and forever spoiling or inhibiting conversation at the surrounding tables? It’s like a trumpet in a brass band where the trumpeteer looses all control and simply wants to blow his trumpet at all costs.

Snoozing off while the jackals are still desperately trying to link up and settle in for the night or not.

16 July – earlier start this morning. Decided to settle for coffee and yoghurt, and do a drive in jammies.

No rhino, no lion, no cheetah, but the very rare and lonesome Antbear ( Aardvark). Too far off for decent picture.

https://images.app.goo.gl/MemKsfpTLDLz3XxP9

Took a long circular drive along the most beautiful and scenic Kranskop Loop and have now experienced all 3 biomes being conserved here – the Nam-Karoo, Grassland and Thicket.

Final braai and as the full moon rises behind us a lion roars just outside the camp!

Tomorrow we are off to Tsitsikamma for the last stop before home.

12 July – Woke up with a rather eerie misty morning greeting us. The grey foggy drizzle over the lake making the perfect setting for a crimie novel. Everything soggy wet and breaking up camp a messy affair.

A funny noise when starting the Fortuner did not help to lift the spirit either. I decided to get priorities right – – first a good coffee and then pop in at Toyota in George! Well typically Toyota, getting to Halfway Toyota, the Fortuner was running like a dream!

Off through George to link up with the N9 to Graaff-Reinet. We were told that all these historic towns were in a terrible state of collapse, but not true! Beautiful, as it has always been. Need and making a good impression. The mere fact that the Spar stocks Ritmeester Moods has nothing to do with my impression!

Camdeboo Nature Reserve is a first for us and has never been rated as amongst the top of the Sanparks, and it is certainly not. Still nice caravan stands and good facilities. Had a chilly braai and popped into bed early. Bit of reading and off to dreamland!

13 July – Exploring the reserve and doing the Crack Gecko Trail in the Valley of Desolation. Fantastic views and realise that here the experience is not about wildlife per se but encompassing of breathtaking vistas, walking this historic town and enjoying fine cousine!

Tonight we had a great braai and off to bed with the distant soothing sounds if jackal and night owl.

Tomorrow off to Mountain Zebra Park near Cradock.