Chasing Daisies

Before I came to South Africa, I heard that there were these spring wildflowers that extended as far as the eye could see. I resolved to go see them when I first came here, because at that point I thought I would only be here for that eight month period.

Never happened. Too busy.

Same thing the next year. And the next.

This year, I’m actually properly busy. Like things that should have been done weeks ago still not done busy. Life of an entrepreneur. Not that I’m complaining.

Heck I haven’t even breathed since this break enough to write a blog post. True story.

It felt good to be away from it all, though. As much as I love most everything about my life right now sometimes you just need a break when no one is asking you what to do, or telling you something you already know, or trying to make their problem yours.

The break wasn’t long enough.

But it was breathtaking. The stories were true.

After Upington I drove back to Springbok and the roads we’d been on the day before when the daisies had their petals closed to the sun. How different in the daylight! The patches were orange. Bright orange, like a nuclear spill you might see on a cartoon.

What a thing to see the roads lit up like that!

After a quick stop for food in Springbok I headed about 45 minutes south to a small town where I stayed overnight  at this retro little hotel. It was literally like something out of the 1960s or 1970s South Africa, and it was nearly like going backwards in time to be there. I met a pair of flower-seeking ladies at dinner and they invited me out with them in their 4x4 to the National Park the next day, which saved some wear & tear on my car’s suspension. Plus they knew the names of all the flowers. Piet Snots! Who would have known??

After a while seeing carpets of fluorescent orange as far as the eye can see got to be a bit repetitive. On the drive out we stopped because we saw a couple of different colours in one area, and this was the magic of the entire trip for me. Walking through a dry creek with multi-coloured daisies; even running through them on the way back to the car. It was like a fairy tale.

There was also the feeling of standing in the sun, feeling its warmth on my cheek. Nothing but nothing feels like the spring sun. It somehow seems like it’s been a long winter, perhaps because I’ve been travelling for so much of it that whenever I return there is this shock to the system.

I did have one of those ‘oh CrossFit’ moments when it was about 2pm, we hadn’t eaten since breakfast, there were no restaurants for at least an hour’s drive, and the local grocery store didn’t even have biltong! I wound up eating some sort of tinned fish like mackerel or something, with a cucumber & avo. Sometimes you just have to laugh; probably my cat would have appreciated the way the fish tasted but to me it meant one thing: protein. And it was actually quite tasty.

Thanks to our amazing mobile carriers, I was with internet the entire trip just about. It made it possible to make sure there were no fires to be fought upon my return, but it disallowed me from completely checking out. Digital detox indeed.

I know I’m skipping ahead of myself, but I also realise that it could be a lot worse. If I let it. I guess we will see what happens.

My triumphant return to Cape Town brought me to see friends at &Union. The flowers have their magic, and so does Joburg, but there’s no place like home, and sleeping in your own bed.

I’ve felt this way before. When I was at Ask Jeeves International. One of the happiest times of my career to date.

• “She never rests!” – Rudolph (this was after he called me Boss with a capital B in an email …. hilarious)
• “There’s something wrong with most males, in my opinion.” – Judy (LOL)
• “I know that you bake cupcakes and strangle people with ropes.” – Jason (he wasn’t talking to me)