Meeting Eye to Eye

In Blogland we meet many people.  We come to know much about them and their lives.  We become quite fond of some of them and we enjoy them tremendously.  Yet, I have come to realise that we do not know them, we only know about them, and we are not fond of them, we become fond of an image of them... and I would love to actually get to know them personally... to look them in the eye and hear their voices because then I could call them friends.

So, when I read that Gaelyn from http://geogypsy.blogspot.com/ is coming to South Africa I was very excited.  At last it would be possible to meet this very interesting person who spends her life as a park ranger at the Grand Canyon and posts the most delightful photo's of her environment.  Despite my aversion to driving distances, traffic and the city in general, I decided that it would be worth all of that to meet her and a lunch date was set up compliments of Joan  from http://saphotographs.blogspot.com/.

On Wednesday morning I was up bright and early, much too excited to sleep in even though I did not have to go to work.  Out came my best pair of jeans and a light, bright shirt... even some foundation, mascara and lipstick... and I was dressed and ready to roll hours early.  Just as well, because it gave me time to drive the 160 km to Pretoria in a relaxed mood and pick up a new shirt for hubby and a birthday gift for Jo-Anne before it was time for lunch.

(I must admit, not being a very social human bean, I was a bit anxious about meeting three new people all at once.  I guess the introvert in me was hammering on the door of the closet to get out...)

Joan was picking Gaelyn up from the airport and they arrived at the Spur Steak Ranch in the Kolonade Shopping Centre just at the same time as I arrived - perfect timing.  My very first impression of Gaelyn on meeting her was:  "You are so little!" ... after all she did go for all those long, long hikes all over America, carting a packpack along for days on end... and the second was:  What a lovely smile she has.

Joan was my second surprise for the day.  I have known about her blog for some time from her comments on Geogypsy, but I have never really been a follower.  Such a warm and interesting person and I have been missing out on her blog all this time... it is now rectified.  Did I mention that she is a tour guide in the Kruger National Park... she was the first female ever to be appointed!  Anything you want to know about bugs? Speak to her, she knows them all (chuckle).

Soon Eleanor,  from http://thatchwick.blogspot.com/ arrived.  Another blogger that I have know about for some time, but have never followed.  She lives in the most adorable thatchroofed house and that is where her blog gets it's name from.  Here are the four of us getting to know one another a little bit. (Smile for the birdie!)

Left to right:  Eleanor, Anne, Joan and Gaelyn

We visited for about two hours and it was much too short, but alas, Eleanor had to return to work, I had to drive back to Naboom and Gaelyn and Joan had South Africa waiting to be explored.

It was such a pleasure meeting you ladies and Gaelyn, I hope that our country and your visit will be everything you dreamed about and more.

PS:  I was right!  Meeting these three ladies was well worth it!