Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape

Escape! The very word spells adventure and freedom..

I used to think escape meant packing my gear and driving out into the wilds to find new roads to travel. new places to find. new faces to meet.

And I did. Had a wonderful time doing it and still hope for some more of that.

I’ve pitched my tent on the soft sandy beach of Maziba Bay, upper Zambezi, far from the maddening crowd.

Even stopped for a few snorts at the beautiful – and deserted – pub at Puku Pan

Met many strangers with their own stories; men and women who continue to inspire me.

And every time I took the road less travelled to come back home

Because I found that escaping doesn’t mean you have to go somewhere. It’s much more difficult than that. ‘Escape’ means finding yourself; and that can be quite a journey… Freedom is, after all not somewhere else. It’s inside every one us. And that, I believe, is the ultimate escape.

Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above (Lessons to be learnt in the Kalahari)

These two explorers live on an elevated shelf  in Boggel’s Place. They have learnt a valuable lesson – by viewing things from a greater height, you get a better perspective of life. In fact, you learn that even under the most arduous conditions, living life to the fullest allows you to survive  the worst of times.

From their perspective, the trials and tribulations we all face, are lessons in survival.

Take, for instance, the miracle of a plover’s nest. Exposed and completely out in the open, these birds simply  line a hollow with a layer of grass and survive under the harshest conditions. Two birds. One egg. No protection. They should have been extinct centuries ago – but they aren’t. Don’t let the odds tell you something is impossible. Be brave enough to follow your heart.

A few yards away, the stunted and withered skeletal remains of a once-green shrub tells the world: “I’m dead. I’m dry. You won’t find nourishment here, animals. Go somewhere else.” Why? Because after a few drops of rain, it’ll produce green leaves once more. Lesson: never give up hope.

But look carefully around you. There is beauty hidden in the apparently dead landscape. Despite the conditions, Nature never loses her sense of joy. Whatever your circumstances, something good is hiding in there, somewhere. Not easy to spot with tear-filled eyes, at all – but still…never stop looking for beauty.

Sometimes it is necessary to protect what you have. Bigger thorns and smaller leaves tell the hungry ones to stay away. We can learn a lot from this. Put away the ego but don’t allow others the right to devour what you’ve built up.

From a higher position – above the ground level of daily toil – one may see danger lurking with greater ease. Don’t crawl ahead with downcast eyes; walk tall and proud…and cautiously.

And yes – our explorer’s last message: never give up on your dreams. Don’t rush. One step at a time is enough.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture

Culture may be defined as the co-existence of different entities in the same space. The entities may be human. The space may be a room or the world. The word says: we belong together, we share values and dreams.

Of course that means we sometimes argue. You get talkers and listeners, although some prefer to shout.

Introverts avoid conflict and will take time out away from the maddening crowd – to think, to work things out…even to doze off.

While extroverts love showing off and playing King of the Mountain.

Even when we’re hurt or lonely, there’s no denying the fact that we’re all one big family.

Culture isn’t a difficult word. It only says: we belong together…

Weekly Photo Challenge: Colour

Colour? It the essence of being. Red, the colour of Life, is everywhere, but it needs the other hues to become beautiful…

Dawn’s display heralds a new day, filled with light and colour

Butterfly celebrating on white

Tiny spider weaving amongst green and red

Red stockings for this oyster catcher

An angry succulent?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense – The Futility of Hope

We all dream about the future. We hope. We love. We nurture and adore. But sadly, the future is but a passing phase – only temporary – like everything else.

Hope’s dawn is beauty personified. It calls out a promise. It spells out a brighter day.

But…the pot of gold…which side to go?

So..pack the bag, set off. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.

The oasis of hope awaits the intrepid traveller, yet the landscape of reality is part of the picture.

The once-proud acquisition will age with the dream.

The building that housed the hopes will decay…

And so the sun will set on every dream, every hope, every love, the day dying in a blaze of colour.

But…, despite the knowledge that everything must pass, we’re up at dawn again; hoping that today, indeed, will be different.

Phoneography Challenge: My Neighborhood – Nature at her Best

I’m blessed with a rather unique neighbourhood.

My house is situated in a nature conservation area, surrounded by fynbos

Twenty kilometres of unspoilt beach invite early-morning runs, allowing plenty of time to think up new stories

My closest neighbours are some Bushbuck, closely guarded by a very jealous ram. He hates being disturbed.

A Cape Leopard occasionally leaves his tracks on the beach

When the rains come, getting to town to buy supplies, is an adventure in itself.

There is, of course, time to laze in the sun and enjoy the view.

So…this is where I live. It’s a haven of peace and tranquillity  Hustle and bustle of the city? Not for me, thank you…

Travel theme: Roads

I don’t usually do the Travel Theme challenge because writing takes up so much time. When it comes to roads, however, Africa must have the most interesting roads of all – and I thought I’d share a few…

Only in Africa: first cross the river, then drive over the bridge.

The road to The Hell – or Gamkaskloof – offers breathtaking scenery and some breathless moments

The bridge that wasn’t

And sometimes you have to hold your breath…the pole sticking out an your left is what you’re aiming at…to the right is a deep hole. (First do a walk-through after having made sure there are no beasties around)

Of course there are main roads, tarred roads and speedways; but it’s much more fun negotiating a fast exit past an elephant.

Don’t get the wrong impression, though: most roads are first-world standard. In Southern Africa you’ll seldom need to leave the tar to get to major destinations. However, the allure of the road less travelled will always tempt the explorer in each of us. And that, in famous words, makes all the difference.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Lost in the Details – The Story of a Hippo

To meet this week’s challenge, we have to visit Mukambi, on the Kafue River in Zambia.

Meet Basil, the local Hippo. At first glance, he seems to be just your friendly, everyday sort of hippo. Big, rather round, and sleepy. But Basil’s story didn’t have a happy beginning.

As a three-month baby, a young bull courted his mother. When she succumbed to his amorous advances, the stepfather naturally turned on Basil. Hippos do this. Basil fled for his life, left the river and ran blindly on the bank. In hippo-land, you see, the new bull insists on raising only his own children. Basil had to be killed, so Young Bull and Mamma can start all over again. The previous bull had been chased off; his offspring must go, too.

By sheer good luck, Basil found himself on the grounds of the lodge and headed for something he recognised: water! The lazing tourists exhibited remarkable discretion, and agreed (in varying stages of terror) that Basil may have the pool to himself. Young Bull snorted, stomped around…and left. Basil has been a non-paying guest ever since.

Basil doesn’t mind being photographed, but I was rather careful not to use a flash. Those aren’t crocodile tears, by the way – it’s a mucous secretion to protect the eyes.

Although he can be rather nosy, he closes his nostrils from time to time, like he would under water. He seems quite docile, but he’s still a wild animal. Named after Basil Fawlty (Fawlty Towers), guests will take their G+T’s at a safe distance. He prefers the lounge during the hot summer days, which means we had to seek shade in the gardens.

He prefers to stay away from the river, where Young Bull still waits.

But Basil doesn’t mind. He’s turned his back on the pod of hippos in the river. He’s quite content in his new kingdom, where he rules in benign slumber.

And so we come to the end of Basil’s story. One day, he’ll return to the river, and select a hippo-maiden to be a special friend. Will he return to his safe haven, or will he be brave enough to face Young Bull?

Only time will tell…

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

Mostly, my attempts at taking snapshots are outdoorsy efforts. Sticking to the theme of Inside, is a challenge…

Safari tent in Serengeti

 

A luxurious bathroom, Ngorogoro crater

Inside the lounge of a lodge on the Zambezi

A cave where the Boer commandos hid ammunition during the Anglo-Boer war

Travelling alone? It sure messes up the inside of the vehicle..

But this is my favourite: Inside a classroom in Zambia

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Home

Maybe we should distinguish between Home and House…

A house is a building, a place to accumulate stuff that’ll decay over time. It does, however, afford protection from the elements.

No matter how elaborate – or basic – the structure is, a house remains an empty shell, waiting to be transformed into a home.

.Home is where you hang your pictures to remind you of the fun you had so far.

Where you arrange the furniture to suit your taste..

Where you can swap tall stories and think out new ones…

Home doesn’t have to be an elaborate place..

Because: