Sabali

New Years 2010/11 came around and found me embarking on a roadtrip to Namibia with 6 close friends. It took us 24 hours to complete a journey that would've normally taken 11 hours, but for some idiotic reason we thought the shortcut through the desert would be a shortcut. Take note: shortcuts through deserts are NEVER shortcuts. With a small Renault Clio stuffed with 5 people and a Corsa Cab with the other 2, we finally made it through the endless nothingness with our sanity barely intact. We camped out in the coastal town of Swakopmund for a few days to experience the massive beach parties, then headed east towards the great Namibian capital Windhoek. There we proceeded to party some more with our local german friends, and from there travelled to what would become one of my favourite places in the world. On a cattle farm in the bush, between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, I experienced that peace of mind once again. Our three days there consisted of tropical thunderstorms, true farm lifestyle, star-gazing, private game drives (slightly intoxicated) and the amazing dam in the photo above. There we rowed out to the tree house and sat and watched the sunset, or just messed about in the water.

My trip might have been filled with my familiar friends and a lot of drinking, but I couldn't stop to think in between all the amazing nature - oh Africa, my Africa. How I can't and shan't ever be able to leave your beauty

I also fell in love with a certain song - Sabali by Amadou&Miriam (produced by Gorillaz). No song describes the feeling you get when driving through the African landscape more. Go ahead and YouTube it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KhFv1qJcao.

At the end of the day everything works out

This was taken at the Breede River (which means wide) in the Western Cape, South Africa. It was at the end of a day filled with kayaking and drinking with good friends who were all camping together - just a weekend away from home. This photo completely explains the peace I felt that day - I was so content with my life. Isn't it amazing how any sunset can calm your soul and make you feel like everything will be okay?

T.I.A.

I might work to feed my family but I am still a dreamer.

Maputo, Mozambique 2008.

Everyone's lost dream

In this summery european dream, everything seems so much more beautiful. I love you so much more, I want you so much more - a life of passion and everlasting inspiration.

I got on the plane and went back home to black roads and white paper.

Let's start with saying what's true

"A lie can run around the world before the truth has even got its boots on" - Terry Pratchett. Although James Watt, a scottish inventor appears to have said it first, Terry Pratchett is just so much cooler. And so is Mark Twain - "A lie can run around the world 6 times before the truth even has its pants on".
Why do we all shy away from the truth that we all know? We constantly make excuses for situations, people and our feelings even though deep down we know the truth.

Truth one: you are a victim of circumstances yes. But only you can change those circumstances. Stop making excuses and leaning on their comfort. If you are complaining about everything wrong in your life, stop talking and put energy into fixing it. There is always hope. Unless you're so starved somewhere in the middle of Uganda that you would physically die if you attempted to walk to a town to get a job to get food. What? Inappropriate? Its just the truth.

Truth two: There's still time....Yeah right - you know time isn't in abundance - it WILL end for us all eventually. Stop putting things you want to do off.

Truth three: It's not all black and white - what about the grey? Well. The grey is very vague - unless you'd prefer to live a life of vagueness, stick to what's obvious and what not. Your brain is smart enough to tell what's real and not. The reason I'm saying what's real and what not is because even right and wrong are just elements of reality. You say emotions are too much of a grey area but all your life you've always known which route to take when it comes to emotions - you've always just been too overwhelmed by certain ones to actually make the right decision.

And then some petty truths:

- you didn't not have enough time to study for that exam. You've know about it for weeks. You're just lazy. Truth.

- he/she's not replying to my texts and I'm making all the effort. Maybe he/she's afraid of commitment/too busy/ wanting something more casual. If the person doesn't contact you within three days at the most, they aren't thinking about you and aren't interested really. Move on. 

- you're screwed up because your family was screwed up. Um no, you are completely and utterly independent from your family. The only way you can blame anything on them is if it is scientifically proven that you inherit characteristics from them. Other than that, your "daddy-issue" complex was enforced by society (they even gave it a name). Shake it loose now. 

The obsession with all this truth?

Well, aren't we all in a constant flux of finding ourselves? What we believe today is not what we believed 5 years ago, and won't be 5 years in the future. Trying to figure out what will be constant is like a really intriguing puzzle - one you won't ever get bored of. So I'm on a quest to find some genuine truth and I'm curious to see if this truth is wearing sneakers, stilettos or slops.