Places to keep in mind

Two weeks ago it was still holiday for us South Africans. The schools reopened and…everyone returned to their places at home, work, school, and social circles.

But during the few weeks of vacation, I really had the time of my life. I joined in church outreaches/camps in the Transkei, saw friends that I barely get to see, ate way too much sugary stuff, and chilled at the beach.  Here are some reviews on my favourite vacation locations…

Coffee Bay (Click here to check out info on Coffee Bay)

 If you’ve ever been to Coffee Bay, a rural coastal town (which I guess is actually just a village with backpackers, hotels, and houses sprawling over the hills beside the sea) right here in the Transkei, you’ve probably also been to Hole in the Wall. It literally is a hole in a wall. The huge “Wall” stands rather randomly on the beach with the waves crashing against it 24/7. At high tide the waves plunge through the Hole and flood into the beach which the Wall partly encloses. At low tide the waves just tranquilly flow through. Usually you find tourists clicking away at their cameras to get a perfect shot of the Wall, and a lot of times you see them jumping of rocks into the Hole—which looks super dangerous if you ask me. So this holiday I went to Coffee Bay twice and obviously to Hole in the Wall twice too.  I suggest giving this great location a visit if you ever come to SA—and maybe even have a braai next to the beach!

Morgan Bay (Click here to check out Morg's website)

I went with my family to Morgan Bay, just north of East London. Morgan Bay is also a coastal town, but I love it SO much more than Coffee Bay. Everyday I could just look out my window and see the waves continuously rolling, and rolling, and rolling without end.  Surprisingly to me (since it’s winter) the weather was really good.  We went hiking (it took us a whole day, and I ached ALL OVER for the next few days…) to a beach called Treasure Beach, named so because carnelian beads and shards of Chinese Ming porcelain constantly wash up on this beach—4 centuries later. These little treasures come from a shipwreck that was wrecked in the 1600s and is suspected to lay right off the coast, although no one has ever attempted to dive in and search for it. I only succeeded in getting a piece of a carnelian bead…but there’s always next year. We went to Yellowwood Forest, which has a campsite and restaurant. They have delicious wood fired pizzas, and really nice milkshakes—and all of their sauces (including mouth-wateringly good chocolate sauce) and other stuff are HOMEMADE. We joined a church service at the Morgan Bay Hotel on Sunday evening, and that was truly one of my favourite church services of all time. Again I come back to the stunning blue ocean... I just can’t get over that awesome view…you can judge for yourself in the photos. I also got some cool pics of a random guy surfing.  After our unforgettable week in Morgs, we were wretchedly sad to leave…

I can’t wait to get back to Coffee Bay and Morgan Bay again, but until then I just have to enjoy [and be happy with] what I have back at home. Because awesome memories aren’t limited to only two places...

Light

Just quickly...I was editing some pics and when I had this one done, Psalm 119:105 sprang up in my mind. :)

Travel

I travel a lot--inside my country of course--and get to meet tons of people and see tons of things. It's awesome but also not so awesome.We have to drive everywhere, and depend on other people for accommodation and other stuff. This past weekend my dad and I went to the city where I lived a few years ago, and I got to see some friends and see a movie (we don't have those around here:-/), etc. etc. It was 100% fun, but I was so tired after everything that when we came home today, I slept for I don't know what amount of time. And let me just tell you: I don't take afternoon naps. It's so not me.

Anyway, something random always happens on these trips, and this time it happened while friends and I were driving "home" after the movie. So we were waiting in the parking lot (getting burgers at a garage) and then a beat up red Toyota drove in.............with a guy sitting in the front passenger seat holding his surfboard against his door. It was a...very alternative way to transport your board. I wanted to get a pic, but my flash was on and all I got was the dust on our window. aaaargh!!  I ducked at the speed of light, and then my friend told me they were looking at us....and waving.  She was freaking out because it was so embarrassing, and I was laughing like crazy. We sure looked guilty...because they saw the 2 of us staring at them before I even tried to "archive" them, and now there was only 1 person in the back. I'm so bummed I didn't get that photo, but next time I am rolling my window down for sure.

But...
I quickly drew what it [sort of] looked like. =]

Big Sis

I have this old black statement t-shirt somewhere in my closet that reads in big letters “BIG SIS.” Ironically, the t-shirt is way too small for me now, but many a big sis or big bro (figuratively I mean…) experiences the following event somewhere in their lives…  My little sister is now a teen. Unfortunately for me, the older sister, she has also developed a new independence and stronger own opinion.  I have been so used to ordering her around (I have to admit) and getting my way, that this was quite a shock to my system… It just exploded on me, although I know it’s been coming for some time. But I’m not writing  this to complain; I’m writing this because I realize she needs to spread her wings, and I know it’s not going to be a walk in the park for me. Don’t get me wrong though, we have been best friends ever since…well, ever since forever.  And that’s how it’s going to stay.

May God bless our awesome friendship so it will never fail, and give us many more a ridiculous giggle, Mealworm.

Patriotic

so you walk up the street past some Chinese stores in a ZA town, and suddenly a group of guys approach you, encircle you, and start patting you on the shoulder. "My friend, my friend!" They keep shouting, with huge menacing smiles spread across their faces. You know "daar's 'n slang in die gras" (Afrikaans idiom literally meaning there's a snake in the grass), and as a reflex action you lift your arm up to push them away; I mean, they're invading your personal space and you don't even know who they are. One second later they're running for dear life down the street, around the corner, laughing like hyenas. Then you notice your cellphone is missing. You've been served.

But then again, life isn't so bad here. In fact, South Africa has [in my opinion] the best climate in the world. It doesn't really get below freezing where I live, and not too hot either. Not too much rain, not too dry. We even get some snow in certain parts, which, when you're staying in a quaint old cottage, is perfect for an idyllic winter break-away.

Besides a wonderful view almost wherever you are, South Africa has a very colourful history, including the good and the bad. And we are a rainbow nation! Despite still struggling with racial differences, there are tons of people from different cultures and backgrounds who come together as great friends and can relate without judging each other because of skin colour. I speak from experience.

And yes, although many people immigrate to Down Under or the UK, we locals can still enjoy the spectacular coastline, mountain ranges, and nca (c is a dental click formed by placing the tongue on the back of front teeth and pulling away, as if sucking air...n-'C'-ah) Indian briyani, Afrikaans boerewors, Zulu/Xhosa ipap, and oh-so-delicious melktert (milktart). We have 11 official languages, 9 provinces, awesome cities, and random treasures of all types all over the country to stumble upon (e.g. Vintage stores...ice skating rinks, home-bakery stores, our own little Eiffel Tower in Bloemfontein:D).

I don't think I'll be moving anytime soon. :-)

the writer

Since I was a leeeetle child I wrote short stories about princesses, kings who painted huge castles :O, and stories based on apples. Yep, apples . I've always wanted to write and publish a book, and it's number 3 on my bucket list.

Since I've been 9 yrs old or something, I would start a story--not really having a plot--hoping I had a future best-seller here, bust I'd just reach the first few paragraphs before my creative juices supply would run dry, or I would get bored with it. I'm still doing that now. However, thanks to this blog, I can write short stuff with an ending, which is a good thing. I need experience.

I've been praying real hard for a worthwhile, smart, fun, or even gripping subject to write a book about for a very long time. I know it's going to come some day. Patience. But I just hope I have enough determination by then not to drop it after a few sentences!

So to all the aspiring writers out there: if you want to write, & you have something worthwhile to say, don't wait around for better times or whatever, JUST DO IT.

All the best
Lara

"Writing is a lot easier if you have something to say."
Sholem Asch

Sea Sounds

I can hear it... The distant swooshing of the waves as they crash and tumble into the water from which they rose; the soft fizzing sound as they retract into the horizon to swell and tumble again in all their glory. As I hold the seashell that I picked up while scouring the beach for shells of interesting colours and shapes against my ear, the nostalgic feeling engulfs my heart and brings me back to those wonderful days at the beach. Even though I'm not standing facing the Indian Ocean with my feet covered with coarse, light-brown sand, the shell I'm holding against my ear takes me back to a place filled with wonder and joy. How I wish I was there now, diving into the salty, cool, blue water. This is one of my favourite memories. One that can easily be relived just by taking a shell that's lying around my house, and holding it against my ear. Some sand that I never managed to wash out of the shell escapes and falls on the floor, but I don't mind. It reminds me of all the times I spent at my country's extraordinary seashore.