When the sun is setting, between dusk and darkness, there is a moment when the light turns blue. And the world stops for a heartbeat.
It was hot today… 35C at highest. I am not sure if I have just forgotten what it normally feels like, or if I have lost my heat survival mode after living four years in Finland.
We battled the heat with excessive time in the pool and relaxed walk in the (shady) forest. In the evening, when it started to cool down slightly, we headed out to a nearby winery with a quirky restaurant. Cold white wine and a frozed daiquiri improve any night.
Braai is a fantastic South African word for bbq. It includes the act of cooking (braai master is a sacred – and respected – duty) but it also carries a strong nyance of coming together with friends and family around a fire.
Every time we have ever visited Cape Town Hayley and Craig (Stuart’s sister and brother-in-law) have hosted a family braai. Today was no exception. Great meat, family, hot sun, cold wine… it feels like we’re back home!
But with all that going on, it’s good to take a moment to yourself.
Hermanus was windy today and the waves were majestic – and loud! It is almost hypnotic to watch them crash againsg the shore and seabirds fighting the wind (or hiding from it).
The waves carry shells, pieces of coral and other interesting bits and pieces onto the shore. We had to limit both girls to four treasures per beach to ensure our clothes will still fit into the suitcases for the journey home.
A good day to get out of the hospital.
Things don’t always go as planned. I, for one, wasn’t planning to spend the first three days of my vacation in hospital. Luckily, it’s all treatable, and I hope to get out of here soon. I’m fairly convinced I would have more beautiful things to photograph almost anywhere else.
I love Cape Dutch houses. Together with the yellow and red African sunset, they are almost too picture perfect.
And if it feels too cliché, it helps to remember that the view follows another well-known South African phenomenon: the parking lot is just out of the shot
Finland to South Africa is a long journey. You spend 14–15 hours in the air, but once you add travel to and from the airport, check-in, passport control, layovers and everything else, the total travel time creeps closer to 24 hours. A full day.
Even though I’ve done the trip many times, I always overestimate how productive I will be in these long flights. In reality, I get nothing done. I might manage to watch a movie from start to finish, but that’s where my efficiency ends. And that was true even before I had kids. Now, at best, I serve as a pillow.
The girls travel well. They’ve had their fair share of long trips – partly because we genuinely love travelling, but also because they are half Finnish and half South African. Whichever half you live close to, the other one is a long way away.
Travelling is great – even if flying itself is mostly just a lot of waiting in uncomfortable seats
Road trips are a travel of choice for Stuart and me – to my mother’s absolute surprise. When I was a child, I could not keep my eyes open for more than 3.5 min in a car – if I was lucky. I still get snoozy occasionally, but luckily Stuart really likes driving. I just try to keep my snoozing limited to the boring bits.
Road trip in Namibia is on our near-future to-do list. One needs a 4×4, but the scenery is sure to be worth it.
Stuart and I have always loved road tripping. We’ve done a few epic trips – most memorably an 5-week drive across the USA, an 8-week trip across Northern Europe, and a few different 2-3 week trips in Mid-and South Europe… There is nothing better than a holiday with a car and no plans. We split the driving equally with Stuart doing the driving during the day, and me driving back to the hotel from the restaurant. Even without reservations, we have always found a place to sleep eventually.
With no opportunity for a proper road trip at the moment, hopping into a car and driving to a secluded new restaurant somewhere in the vicinity is definitely a good way ro rewind on a Sunday.
I think any relationship needs mini-vacations. Stuart and I try to take a regular day somewhere new – preferably out of the city. In fact, we decided this year to do 24 ‘new’ things to keep exploring Joburg and surroundings. (Although, I admit we have already lost count…)
Anyway – today’s excursion was to Hartbeespoort dam, more specifically to a ‘live-movie set’ called Pretville. It was the film set for an Afrikaans film of the same name – a musical set in the 50s. They have preserved the film set for an attraction and a setting for events.
As I have never really been that into Afrikaans music or movies, most of the plot escaped me. But it did make some great photos of 50s cars.
It does say something about Stuart’s patience that he is still keen on going to these outing with me, knowing a lot of the time will be spent on finding the right camera angles…
Blue Moment 