Zip lining through the forest, country sundowners at the philharmonic orchestra or African Spa. I couldn't decide. So we did everything. And it was unforgettable. It was a couple months after I lost my first husband. I was; understandably, not in the mood for a party. But a distraction, preferably a pampering one, was exactly what the doctor ordered. My mother was celebrating a significant birthday. For the day I surprised her with a very, very, very early wake up call. I had packed a bag the night before. Warm clothes and fancy clothes. Plus blankets and a picnic basket. And big girl panties for whizzing a gazillion metres above ground level.
We arrived at Indigo Fields as the sun was contemplating waking up. It is usually a spectacular drive through the Natal Midlands. We drove it in the dark hours of early morning. Indigo Fields is an unusual Spa. Set in the beautiful countryside it offers a very unique African experience.
We were given fresh vegetable juice, hot water bottles and bundled off in the 4x4 to our first tented spa camp. The fire crackled merrily inside. The scent of essential oils filled the air. Throughout the morning we were shuttled from one spa treatment to another. With an incredible fresh farm breakfast squeezed in. Just when we thought we couldn't eat another bite we were given champayne and escorted to the rose-petal-strewn jacuzzi to await a delicious farm lunch. Indigo Fields Spa was an almost full day of pampering par excellance.
And then it was off to the zip line.
The Karkloof falls offers some incredibly scenic hikes. We - I - chose to view the countryside whizzing through the tree tops. If my mother did not already have grey hairs I think she acquired a few that day! Always game for adventure, she didn't anticipate flinging herself off a platform, held by a few cables suspended 60 metres above the ground. At speed.
But we both look back on that day, many years ago now, with fond memories. The Karkloof canopy tours has 12 platforms and the longest stretch is 200m. It took the first couple zip lines to get used to the sensation of flying through the treetops.
Just when we felt our adrenals were almost maxed out, the two hour Canopy Tour ended. And we dressed up. Fancy. And warm. We headed to the beautiful outlook overlooking the 90m waterfalls as the sun was setting. A stage had been set up and one of the country's top orchestra's were warming up. We unpacked our picnic. Spread the blankets and snuggled down for an evening of classical music.
While my photos are not great - I had to take a disposable camera because of the risk involved with my Canon and canopy tours - the memories are special. The day remains a highlight in that dark year that ripped my heart in pieces. @dswigle may you too have many golden threads in your life that glue together all your broken pieces to form something beautiful on this #marketfriday . Just like Kintsugi
Zipping through memories over a period when feeling low, sounds like the best medicine to carry you on to face the coming years.
Lovely share of the region, so much to do throughout this troubled province.
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And such a beautiful part of our country! Which, sadly is so troubled. I think changed quite for the worse since I left 13 years ago.
An area I would have considered, now not so much. Actually not sure which way to go of late!
Many feel the same
You certainly know how to have an adventurous time -- big girl panties and all! @buckaroobaby😀
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Oh, my heart! Golden threads are like that, aren't they? They don't take away the pain, or heartache, but that wasn't the point, was it? They silently pull you back together, giving you reason to pause.
Did you imagine that it would pamper you in such a way, that all these years later, you can dictate it like you are there right now? It doesn't matter what they fed you or what kind of spa treatment you got. The best part of it was that it was all about you and you felt the warmth. I think when we are devastated, our soul feels cold, or perhaps that is just me. I need to release that and make it feel again. Time. It takes time.
I hope you brought your mom some big girl panties too.
I will say that was a brave hop off the platform. I have only been ziplining two times in the jungle. Once in Columbia and once in Honduras. It totally beats the ziplining through the forest. Beat is wrong. It was different and exhilarating.
The picnic under the stars with classical music! What a lovely way to end your day. I am not sure you can ever top that and then being with your mom, shared experience... you do it the best, Tracey. @buckaroobaby
Life has dealt you, beauty. You deserve the best. Love you to pieces. ❤️
#MarketFriday began as a way to reach out across the globe and learn about different cultures through their markets, especially local markets and farmers' markets, and eventually branched out and evolved over time from straight shopping to a cultural affair as it highlights how we differ and then again, how much we are alike. We have become a melting pot of culture, but it is still the Rituals, Festivals, food, architecture, and even your language/languages that separate us... Along with the fact that these things are normal for us. There are unwritten rules that rule our social behaviors. I see this as allowing for increased tolerance between cultures and nations, and opportunities to come together on an even playing ground. A strong culture can be beneficial to a country as it promotes unity, especially during a crisis, peaceful debate, and open dialogue. I have learned so much about all of you and it has been an amazing experience. I can only hope that learning about each other can help us work together for a peaceful world.
Thank you for being a part of #MarketFriday
This looks like a really great trip although not at a good time of your life. Maybe it was just what you needed though, something out of the ordinary to give you a little respite. Just an observation...didn't the lady on the left in that orchestra get the memo about the black and white dress code? There's always one. Lol.
Thanks for sharing what I assume would have been a momentous moment in a horrendous year.
There is always one!
Thanks for the kind words Galen. It truly was an unforgettable day during a time I would rather forget
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Wow! The experience was so exciting. I could imagine all the excitements and thrills while zipping through the forest my dear friend. Have a nice time and more great moments like this.
It's awesome that you were able to have a great time at this amazing location despite your circumstances.
I totally love the look of this 🙌
Thank you. It was an unforgettable experience during a time I'd rather forget
It's an absolutely fantastic day. A very contrasting and powerful experience.
It was exactly that! Powerfully contrasting
I did not know this!!!💕💕💕💕 Goodness. What an awful thing! How old were you then?
And what a wonderful memory amongst the memory of sadness. With your mum no less ❤️❤️❤️
Really @riverflows? I thought everyone knew. It comes up often in my posts. For various reasons. Death of a loved one changes you forever and you are never the same again. He was a trails officer so we lived in one of the most magnificent wild life reserves. He battled cancer for two years and died at 28. I married into the medical fraternity. Literally. So it was (almost) a war. My outrageous (natural) ideas versus conventional.
I honestly don't know how I missed that and feel like a terrible person. It must have been so traumatic.
Oh please. You are not terrible. You just didn't know. Yes. It was horrific. Would you believe that we buried my first father-in-law (brain tumour which killed him in one month) and my first husband within a year of one another. I didn't go to another funeral for 12 years and then 3 last year. All spouses of close friends who also sadly walked the cancer path. The devastation is unimaginable. I am grateful that I could support them but it is a bittersweet journey to repeat
I am also discovering a lot about your life through this post and the comments you answered!
You are really full of resilience and crazy inspiring! I could totally fall asleep next to the philharmonic!
Thank you Ed