Hubby retired in 1997 and has never been busier! He loves building things and if circumstances were different in his childhood, he would probably have been a designer or inventor of some sort. Over the past couple of months he spent countless hours building a camping trailer and he decided that Christmas was just the occasion to try it out, thus the decision to go camping.
I, on the other hand is still employed fulltime and my best holiday destination is my own house. I love quietude and nature but all I have to do to get both, is walk or drive in any direction for about 10 minutes and I am in the bush, away from noise and surrounded by the Bushveldt. I like my own bed and my own bath fits met just right. I love travelling the world via the internet and visiting with my family and friends on my cellphone.
However, the daughters and I agreed, kicking and screaming in the spirit of Christmas, to give Hubby his wish and off we went to a friend's farm, only about 15 kilometres away from home. The camping spot was right next to an old, but quite habitable house, on the farm, so thank you very much for the indoor bath and toilet facilities and for electricity, but oh dear, no cellphone reception and even less internet signal.
Once there the tent had to be pitched. Of course, this was easier said than done as we have not used it for ages and each of us remembered pitching it in a different manner, but once we discovered that the green struts were in fact longer than the yellow ones (lol) it took no time at all. Next Hubby set up his trailer and Mom and daughter alike, were very impressed with it.
It really had everything you needed, including a portable shower and toilet which we would not need on this trip. There was a place for everything you could possibly need and everything you could possibly need was in its place.
Well done, Hubby!
The rest of Thursday was spent relaxing and snoozing in the shade of the trees. Thursday evening we opened Christmas presents and went to bed quite early. Just as well, because Christmas day was announced (with first light) with a fanfare of Hadida and Guinea Fowl calls. When we stuck our heads out, this was what we saw:
My two favourite Bushveldt symbols!
The Warthog is the father of six little hogs, but the mother is still very protective of them and allowed us just a glimpse of her brood when we arrived and then wisked them off into hiding (lol)
Christmas day was again spent in a very relaxing manner with a long walk in the afternoon. We saw this Naboom (Candlelabra Tree) and it is one of the biggest I have ever come across.
And talking of big, look at these water lillies... they are a bit far away, but take my word for it, they are huge.
The serenity of the Bushveldt. Even my city girl could not resist spending a few moments of letting it seep into her soul.
On Christmas night everybody else were off to bed again very early. This left me sitting out in the dark enjoying the gentle glow of the moonlight through the trees and over the Bushveldt and listening to the symphony of the night near the bush. As the peace and wonder of the Bushveldt in moonlight folded in around me and seeped into my soul, I once again realised the enormity of creation and how very small I am in the vastnes of the universe and yet, I am so loved that the Christmas Child was born specifically for me...
14 comments:
What a beautiful post. It was noble of you to leave your comfy surroundings to camp out in the bush...not really roughing it so much...but look what a wonderful experience it turned out to be! I loved your photographs and your descriptions of everything. I've done a good bit of traveling about the world but, thus far - and probably, never, now that I've retired and my income has dropped so drastically - I've not visited your part of the world!
Strange how time speeds up when one retires. How did we ever find time to actually go to work?
This story of yours if quite beautiful. You end by wondering at the vastness of the universe and how tiny each one of us is in the great scheme of things.
I often think of the miniscule house-mite. Too small for we humans to see. The house-mite's universe could, for example, be the living room carpet! A vast expanse to such a small and insignificant creature. It's all a matter of relativity and perspective I guess.
Have a great life and a happy new year.
Well done indeed! Your hubby is a very gifted person, and it looks like you all had a wonderful Christmas amidst Mother Nature.
Just lovely. Wish I could spend my Christmas in Africa!
I am very impressed with your hubs's handy talents. I'm not sure I would ever consent to go camping at Christmas (or at any other time, come to that). Mind you, you pictures made it look very interesting. My Christmas was spent deep in the heart of the city, no Naboom, water lillies - just cars and litter. Hey ho.
Happy new year to ya!
RNSANE, "Never say never". Who knows what exciting things waits int he future, maybe ever a trip to the Southern tip of Africa!
So happy to hear from you Phillip. Yes I also sometimes think and wonder about the human and the dimensions he is trapped in. I am sure that there are many more dimensions that we are not aware of and that the big picture is truly BIG, much bigger than our little human minds can comprehend or imagine.
Hi Duta, Hubby is very talented but sometimes drives me up the walls with the things he builds. I usually have to find a place to store it and honestly, my house is only that big (lol).
It is okay Argent, we also often spend Christmas in cities but it is not without some more kicking and screaming. I am not a city person at all! Too many people and cars and buildings. As I say in my post my favourite holiday destination is my own house - just enough people and cars and buildings (lol).
Hi Elise, Both Elise and Herman is such Afrikaans names (lol). Are you sure you want Africa's heat this time of year? It was a wopping 37 degrees celsius a day or two before Christmas, no joke.
I didn't know you knew Pumba, where was Tamone??? LOL, I'm just kidding, though I wouldn't want to get to close to that Warthog. What a sight!!
It looks like you enjoyed yourself for Christmas. I was very impressed with your husbands contraption. Very nice!!! My parents would love one of those for there camping trips. (Though they have bathroom where they camp, no showers) What beautiful pictures you took. How peaceful it must have been.
great stuff, soz we couldnt make it, lucky for me I have my cottage smack in the middle of it.
Herman: Have you ever read The Carpet People by Terry Pratchet? you might enjou it
Hi Arley, I love warthogs but I also will not get too close if it is wild. These are quite tame though it was just that there were babies at the time so nobody was willing to take any chances with them. I know they are ugly, but they are so very "bushveldt" that I cannot but love them.
Smoke, you should have been there for the swimming but I dare not post those photos - I might get disowned.
Great Christmas adventure! We love camping in our summer weather...but to do it in S. Africa and see warthogs! Now that would be a wonderful Christmas gift! Happy New Year to you...
Hi Susan, thank you for the comment. I am now off to visit your blog and I also wish you a very peaceful and prosperous New Year.
What a wonderful way to spend Christmas with family. And such an unusual present outside your tent.
Have a wonderful evening and a harmonious new year!
Oh My! How lovely indeed! I would love to be able to go on such an adventure. I hate camping though, I use to love it, now, I am always so chicken of crazies! (Too many scary movies where the campers get killed). The last camping trip I took, We ran into some drunks or dopeheads or I dont know, they were loud and frightening. Our kids were young, and even though we were fine, Sergio ran them off (or maybe the gun in his hand did) but ever since then, Im too chicken to go.
The warthog is amazing! I love beastly looking animals too.
Glad your Christmas was wonderful & wishing you a marvelous New Year too!
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