Intentionality and Discovery

Hello wonderful people. Happy new month! I hope you are living life in the midst of whatever curveballs might throw at you. I went to get my perky boob yesterday.. a.k.a reconstruction. Hubby and I needed help with dropping our son at school, so one of our church members offered to help.  In the process of chit-chatting, I overheard him telling my husband of his future plans and the need for things to ‘settle down’ a bit before making some major steps.

I chuckled and turned to him I told him straight up: ”Oga, life no dey settle o”.

That was pidgin English for ‘Boss, there is no such thing as things settling down’.  When you think you have a little room to breathe, something crops up. There is always one mini chaos to deal with, a financial issue to solve, or a work issue to deal with and you’ll always juggle one thing or the other. However, let me remind you to always enjoy life and live it to the fullest as much as you can in the midst of the chaos.

Trip to Vrede en Lust Wine Estate

Alright, enough said, and back to why I am here. My brother got married, and the whole family went to celebrate. It was a destination wedding in Cape Town, which took place at the Vrede en Lust Wine Estate in Franschhoek. Before I continue I have a confession. I have traveled to quite a number of countries in Europe (France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Holland, etc) and I have visited the UAE. As an African, I feel ashamed that I have not explored the African continent enough. Top on my list is to reverse that trend.

The Vrede En Lust is a beautiful place, almost encapsulated by mountains. My sister, her friend Seyi and I got our doses of early morning oxygen and vitamin D as much as we could. At some point, I saw paw prints and my mind went straight to the baby mountain lion… you truly turned back. Come to find out it was a big dog.

Exploring Cape Town’s Gems

Their bistro offered freshly squeezed juices. The food would make your taste buds sing for joy.  It also made me wonder if organic food was truly organic in the USA… There was a freshness about the food I just could not explain. After the beautiful wedding, we left and moved to the central business district (CBD) of Capetown and stayed at Canal Quays. There was a beautiful view, it was self-contained, and had all we needed for the remaining 4 days.

We took a tour of the city. The only thing that was drab was the weather. You can end up with 4 seasons in a day! It was raining cats and dogs. We still made the best out of it. You have not visited Capetown if you have not seen Tabletop Mountain. Think of the mini Mt Horeb experience with God coming to see the Israelites. It is constantly foggy, looking like it’s in smoke!

Simon’s Town Experience

We visited Simon Town, aka Penguin Island. I never knew we had penguins in Africa, always thought I had to visit the Arctic. See why I need to explore more? The highlight of my trip was the visit to Robben Island. The weather cooperated and we were able to make the trip. It was quite an experience. The tour guide was a former prisoner himself. Freedom is a gift.

My prayer for South Africa is that it will truly heal from the wounds of Apartheid and create equal opportunity for each of its citizens. This might be a good time to watch ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. I got the audiobook via Audible. After seeing Mandela’s cell, I had to get the book.

Our last trip was to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. The rain was not cooperating again, but we still made good use of our ten minutes. We had our last lunch at an African-themed restaurant called Moyo… It was quite an experience; face painting, hand washing. We had our Wakanda moment.

Unfulfilled Adventures and Future Plans

We did not get to see the townships. However, not too far from Capetown International Airport, you will see what looks like township settlements. We also missed the opportunity to go to Cape Point. I will definitely be going back and will include Johannesburg on my list. Enjoy the pictures!

Remember, you do not have to spend your savings to enjoy your surroundings. I am going to be doing road trips with the kids this summer to all the New England States. Remember, the joy of exploration is not bound by distance but by the spirit of discovery.

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