To re-discover ones home

Nearly three months to be precise...

I left Sweden last year, the 21st of December, absolutely loving the country, the time spent, the friends and just generally a settled existence. I had recently completed a field trip and essay for university, started getting all round fit, enjoyed some mild cold and huge amounts of snow; and most importantly, made some incredible connections with very special people. But Christmas was looming, a Christmas at home that was all about family and summer. Oh ja, and also to do some research for university, for a thing called "thesis", which is fundamental to passing a masters degree, what Sweden was actually all about.

Last day in Sweden on campus before leaving; -5C!

Christmas came and went and the family re-inforced themselves as irreplaceable; and events lined themselves up for the following few months. Trying to fit in all these events; aswell as accomplish critical research for my thesis was going to prove tricky and need finely tuned planning, something that as an African, you know will inevitably go hay-wire at some point;  compliments to AWA(Africa Wins Again).

So; essentially and on paper, the reason I came to South Africa for three months was to gather first hand empirical research for my thesis, which relates to investigating emerging market source as a viable means to bolster a declining domestic tourism market. (I have to make it sound formal to sound authentic). This involved meeting with sources, over a cup of coffee, dinner, a drink and just chatting about holidays; called "informal and unstructured interviews".

I also had to meet up with old contacts in the tourism industry I had, who would contribute as my "expert panel".

Finally, field work, in the forms of trips to Kruger National Park, Cape Town and Durban would add to the "scope of research".

All sounds legit and formal, right? So this was the reason I came to South Africa, officially.

Unofficially; here is the blatant truth:

I wanted to have a thee month paid holiday in South Africa, while I had the chance. 

I wanted to meet up and reconnect with my family

I wanted to escape the barren bitter cold winter that ravages Sweden in January & February.

I wanted to see if South Africa still held an appeal to come back to and if I could thrive there still.

African sunset...African dream

There, I said it. Now who wouldnt want to do this and still get it paid for at the same time; if you have the means and resources to do so? My thoughts exactly...

But, more than the above three mentioned items; other activities were placed on the agenda:

Spend New Years in a foreign country. Yip, correct, New Years with friends in Lesotho. Did I mention that I met the president of lesotho and welcomed New years in with him and his wife?

Woohoo Lesotho

Go to the Kruger National Park

Kruger: check

Go to Cape Town

Cape Town: check

Run a marathon. 

So, apart from that which was mentioned, the following all was accomplished too:

Had my Swedish heartsong come for an impromptu, wild, crazy, free 2 week trip to South Africa and showed her "my land".

Went fishing with Swedish family, a friend and with Sandra.

Went on a mission trip

Spent a total of 9 nights in the Kruger National Park

Went to Durban.

Durban: check

Ran 3 half marathons, set a P.B. Oh, and an Ultra Marathon..."just" 50kms...

Bruised but not broken, Rocket and Wolf unite!

Stagger Salute!

Watched a live rugby game.

Jumped off a ravine into a river

Reconnected with old friends and made new ones.

Went 4x4ing

Went on a helicopter flip over Johannesburg

Chopper flip: check

And I Discovered...

• that I love my family more than words can describe.
• the best running partner and consequently made a lasting bond with a man I admire, look up to and love hanging around, a man I am proud to call my brother. 
• that I love running and I can actually do more than I thought possible
• that I will always love South Africa, that it is an incredible country, that I and will always be drawn back; that opportunity rises out of what you make of it and there is always opportunity.

My family will always be my family

So in parting, the last two days in South Africa were reflective days, days that I spent trying to recollect, feel my way through what I had experienced in such a short time. Time that I enjoyed celebrating differences and similarities...and birthdays with family. The reflection was also helped by the fact that a virus left me bedridden on the morning of my departure; I blame the Chicken Lickin Hotwings.

As unreal as it feels to be back in Sweden, it also is a time of knuckling down and actually working on the thesis; I know my time here in Sweden is not yet done; I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be. He has lead me this far so long, why would it be any different now I ask? 

But inasmuch, I ask God, that should it be His will, to lead both Sandra and myself to where He wants us to be. If that be South Africa; I wont argue at all:)

So, to the land of my birth; till we meet again...

Welcome back...

Through the eyes of another

All too often we never realise the greatness of our surroundings. Blissfully content to exist in our happiness we often miss the finer details of what really is around us and really highlights key moments in our lives.
As much as I have appreciated being in South Africa at the moment, I found myself slipping into comfortable contentment of everyday life, missing some special, finer details that really make up the bigger picture of reality.
Three and a half weeks ago, if you were to ask me what my plans for the next two weeks would be, it would probably be "just research and reading". The same question could be asked, at the same time to a unique, spunky, dear Swedish person, and the answer would have probably been something along the same lines. This was a Monday...but a Tuesday was coming. Come Tuesday night; and Swiss Air had a happy customer, leaving in less than a week from the booking from a freezing Arlanda to a summery Johannesburg. Talk about spontaneity.

Day of arrival, note the paler shade of skin.

Arriving the following Monday, Sandra arrived to the thriving metro-city of Johannesburg. Pale, dressed in winter clothes and no idea what was in store for the next two weeks. The initial sensation and surprise of "wow, you are actually here, cant believe it" never really passed from the first day, but only ever increased over the next 2 weeks. Travellers Tip: Keep this attitude in any new destination and the experience is only ever enhanced in wonderment.

Excitement is such

So, with Sandra in tow, and a world of South Africa to show her, it was constant non stop adventure. The funny thing, it was never really out of the ordinary tourist adventures, rather the experiences were just everyday things that we as normal South Africans do and live with (with 1 or two exceptions).

Orlando Towers, if you ever in Jozi, do it!

How would you take the best of everyday life and make them stand out?
I think the secret with Africa is that it does it for you. Somethings that stand out in summer; swimming everyday, warm sunshine, amazing selection of cheap and super tasty fruits that make for kings breakfasts, green grass under bare-feet, super friendly people, braai's, ...and contrasts; stark contrasts in scenery and surroundings.

And the fruits, so much of fruits.

Thanks to one or two opportunities, we both got to experience some wonderful things. Captain Sharp secured us a helicopter flip over Johannesburg, what an experience to see the city and its actual expanse from so high up! 

Thanks Captain Sharp!

Other highlights that followed. A 10km race, organised in the capital of South Africa. Races are normally huge affairs in Sweden, big build ups, not many organised and expensive. Here in SA we battle to choose which one to do in a week as there will be a few every weekend. What a Saturday morning to wake up early, travel to Pretoria for the PWC 10km. Running with Robert and myself, we set a good pace and Sandra, competing in her 1st 10km set a very very respectable time of 58 minutes and did it with smile on her face the entire way. Tell you what, her celebratory and inaugural boerie roll afterwards will certainly stick in memories for a while.

Share the love

One request from Sandra was to experience an African church service. Easy, thanks to my Grandfather and continued contact with local churches, we arranged a Sunday service. Next time anyone goes to a western church, think about where you are and what you are doing, because its dead. One song into an African service will make you want to shake Western church goers and scream; "Wake up where you stand!". The faces, voices and passion touched deep into the soul all of us who went.

And sing out loud

The sublime nature merely an hour from Johannesburg really hit me, as the thought struck me wondering around the serenity of near by Mountain Sanctuary; "why haven't I come here more often?". This coupled with fishing in a remote spot on the Vaal River the next day really impressed Sandra too, who also caught her first South African yellowfish.

Banks of the Vaal, a special place

Following this, the Pièce de resistance, was next. Undoubtedly, the crown in SA's tourism, the Kruger National Park. Even as a local Saffer, the Kruger always has a magical appeal to it. Experienced through the eyes of a nature loving heat seeking adventure crazed Swede, wow it couldn't get better.

True Africa

All to often an impala and giraffe is ignored and driven in the hunt for lions or other big game, but take the time to stop, listen, realise where you are and what you are doing...and the essence of the living world makes you really come alive.

Fascination

Add a cup of coffee and a dunked ouma rusk over a sunrise in this and you are about as close to heaven as you can get on earth.

"Oh how wondrous are the works of Your hands..."

Finally, after the madness of the 2 weeks, we joined Robert, Jenni and Rebecca in a little peace of peaceful blissfulness. Bergwaters lodge, nestled in the foothills of Waterfal Onder is a secluded spot of paradise. Quiet, calm and perfect to recover, relive, re-experience and just be, surrounded by close family, mountains and an even greater God, thankful to Him for the wonderful times that the two weeks have been.

To experience all this from a complete foreign perspective, just made me realise what a great place South Africa actually is to live in. Often we bleat and complain about Jozi being the "big smoke" etc etc, but for someone to come from an ice covered country, with a who population being less than the number of Jozi inhabitants, and still experience the wildness that Jozi and the surrounds can offer was a fantastic thing to experience.

A little tongue in cheek, but rings so true as a South African: Why I love South Africa

This is for you sister...

When you are born with Africa in your blood, you cant escape it; its there forever. You can just appease the yearning by going in and relishing every moment. 

So, the secret to appease the yearning:

Take 1 4x4

Thanks Rob...

Add some good company and some good food

Hello folks...

Hello poitjie...

And go "wilder as die wildtuin"

The posers

The park-offers

The rare

The show off

The couple

The shy

The handsome

The joker

The regal

And after a few snap happy days, you get the result...a trip of great memories

Home is where the...where actually?

With so much that has been, is currently happening and still to occur, what or where actually would be the best place to start?

Plans change and so does life, and craving some sunshine, warmth and family, I decided to focus my thesis topic related to a South African phenomenon; and in so doing, allowed myself to escape two months of rough winter weather in Sweden and get the best of the South African summer, all in the name of "research".

Landing the day before Julafton in South Africa was a tumultuous affair, with all siblings converging in Johannesburg for Christmas, sister and her husband from Uganda, brother and his family staying in Jozi and myself from Sweden, coupled with some Swedish family all together in one pseudo-Swedish African Christmas. First time in many years that we were all together, it was a blessing, it was noisy, it was busy it was good being back home. A stark contrast to last Christmas where it was -27 and snow all over. This year, +27 degree's, a Christmas day swim and good company. Jipp, it was really a good Christmas. Some great pics and another dimension comes from my sister Karens blog, check it out on: THIS LINK.

Thanks for the picture Karen

So after stuffing ourselves silly with Christmas food, services and family time, New Years beckoned. Normally one of the worst times of the year, due to being over rated, a kak waste of money and time it was due for a new better way to celebrate the changing of years. So, together with a bunch of mates and armed with new running shoes, off to the country of Lesotho for some mind blowing adventures. What a place. Great accommodation 2600 metres up in the mountains, no cell phone reception, great sunshine and even better company, a better way to spend new years could not be chosen. Trail runs over mountains, hiking through waterfalls, jumping into rock pools and counting shooting stars will probably rank as one of the best ways to say good bye to the old year and hello to the new. Bring on 2012!

Reaching for the best start to 2012

View from waking up...

And so, as 2012 progresses, it's going to be yet another great year living life in the full glory of the Divine Makers calling for our lives. A year filled with challenges, decisions, experiences, life changing memories and daily, taking the gifts for each day and making the most of them. The challenge and verse for 2012, Psalm 143:8 "Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. Show me the way I should go, for you You I lift up my soul."

So, what more could we ask for?

November gone, December here and so another year comes to an end

And what magical months it has been. November, to most Swede’s is thought is as an abysmal waste of a time when everything goes dark, nature dies off, the population holes up into their own existence and generally wait around lit fireplaces for the first snow or December to arrive. Some fortunate Swedes become “snow birds” and use this time as a means of escapism toward a bit of sunshine in warmer climate.

But not this November…

November 2011 will be a November to remember. The snow in Östersund came very, very late. Weather was balmy to say the least, hardly any days below the zero degree mark, a bit of rain here and there and the days even afforded a few precious hours of glorious clear skies and sunshine.

And so; to mark the celebration of November, the following took place:

Mo-vember. One month of no shaving the upper lip, as a visual display in solidarity of those men who have suffered with prostate and testicular cancer. It was to raise awareness and have a bit of fun at the same time. The event took off even in Sweden with quite a few students growing a “mo”. Great fun.

With the great weather, there was a world of adventure to be taken advantage. A week didn’t go by without at least 3-4 trail runs through the forests. Shoes on, watch primed and finding a trail to blast along over roots through dips, plashing in mud and having a great laugh. Even did a 10.8km Salomon race through the Åre mountain side. Memorable to say the least to finish with mud caked to your legs knee down.

Salomon Åre trail run

Outdoor picnics took place at least once a week (always involving a fire). These are real highlights. Going out with a friend, finding rays of sunshine streaming through tree’s, create a fire place, watch the sun go down with a cuppa good coffee and great company. Often accompanied by something sweet and toasted on the fire…as nature intended J.

First snow of the season's fire

Försenleden; freinds, a view, wild mushrooms...

Always a fire

Scarily, one of these fika’s nearly involved a near death experience; the local ski slope was not opened, and going out with a friend we decided to push our bikes up this slop and then free wheel cycle down it. Its graded as a “red” slope. Red means blood actually in ski language. This friend who thought this a good idea is: a girl, apparently Swedish (bluntly put; hates volvo’s and has no helmet of any kind for dangerous cycle adventures, therefore not Swedish), has no sense of fear and in the last ski season actually broke her wrist snowboarding doing some tricks down the exact ski slope that is without snow that we were considering going down on our bikes. Bear in mind, its really muddy, the bikes are not good for this thing (read: have no brakes), no helmets and no common sense. You might argue that this is how we should live life, furthermore, I think somewhere in the conversation it was a way of making peace with the mountain if we went down and survived. Thank the Good God Almighty that logic ruled over spontaneity in hindsight. 

November even offered kayaking. Normally reserved for the summer months, I was taken aback when a friend who is kayak crazy surprised with a Kayak adventure one Saturday. The owner of the kayak rental place just shook his head at these two crazy youngsters going out in November, but with the water warm at a few degree’s the weather pretty much the same and not a cloud in the sky, we both set off to explore a few islands on lake Störsjön. There are very, very few times in life when a sunset will match the one experienced, sitting on a kayak, on a lake with absolute serenity. Truly one of Gods splashes of Joy in our lives.

Eventually the first advent arrived with the perfect timing of the first snow of the season. Precise timing. The first advent (the first of four Sundays leading up to Christmas) and every other one subsequently has been marked with the best Sundays ever. Normally watching a good sunrise (normally around 08h45), a run, a great lunch, a fika and “sondags mys”; basically, just chilling out with some really close friends, watching a movie, talking, candles/fireplace or anything cosy to go with it. These really are the best way’s to end a weekend.

First Advent and snow

With the onset of snow; it has far from ended the outdoor adventures. There has been around 2 feet of snow in the last 2 weeks, almost constant falling. Its made for some fantastic games of football, some magically special runs, evening walks in the forests and as always, a fire in the first snow. It also has made for the seasons first cross country skiing. No matter the weather, its never ceased to stop the fun that is.

Knee deep snow! Please do note the purple pants...

Other things that have been noteworthy: I lost yet another bet and have been reduced to wearing skinny reddish/purple pants as punishment for 2 weeks on a daily basis. Yes; I have heard all the jokes.

A field trip to Sälen, Swedens largest ski area, arranged by the university; four days in the mountains doing actual academic work. There are perks to studying tourism afterall. It also made for a fantastic running story getting lost on the slopes.

December also is the most special time in Sweden’s winter. This year has been exceptional. Its been almost constant snow, the tree’s are laden with snow, the light is a very special sunlight (claimed that sunsets are St Nicolas oven that’s opened while he is baking Christmas cookies for the children). Winter wonderland is a fantastic way to describe December.

St. Nicolas's baking 

Christmas lights on the town square

With one week to go before celebrating Christmas with family in South Africa, I have been tasked with preparing my thesis and plan for the time away in SA. Its been much stress and reading, so before anyone comments on that its all fun and games and no academia; I live by the motto that if you work hard you can play hard. I have done a lot of playing and yes, I am now paying for my sins in much work that needs to be done.

And so, ending off on the 13^th of December, Santa Lucia is a way to finish up the post. Up early for a breakfast of rice pudding, saffrom buns, ham sandwiches, glögg and strong coffee, listening to a live choir and a girl with candles in her hair. Mornings like this have a way of rubbing off on the rest of the week.

So to those whom I will see in less than a week, and to those who I say good bye to, God Jul, thanks for the crazy, awesome, amazing, memorable adventures that have been November and December. And praise be to God Almighty our Father for His wonderful gift of life. Least we not forget the reason that this season is what it is. Amen