Queen of rain :)

My first steps on African soil. It's always exciting to set foot on a new destination, and in this case: a whole new continent!

As I got another stamp in my passport, I waited for the shuttle to arrive to take me for a 4,5 hours drive to Tzaneen.
He's name was Johan and a real South African. The other passengers joining, also all South Africans was a girl from college, a lady of 75 visiting her daughter and a schoolgirl from high school.
Since they all speak Afrikaans I immediately smiled. The language very similar to Flemich (Dutch) but still different in a funny way.

I learned that 'drukkies' or hugs, and that a giraffe is called 'kameelperd'.
On the way I saw a road sign "beware of hippos" :)

Along the road it started to rain and everyone (but me) in the car was happy. They said: 'Thank you Tania, for bringing the rain, we need it'
Never seen people so happy about rain, coming from Belgium, we have too much of it!

After almost 5 hours I arrived in "Tzaneen city" where my -long time no see- friend Virginie waited for me.
Riding to her place in the back of a 4x4 aka the 'bakkie'

Everything is so beautiful here.
We arrived at the house and I was immediately greeted by her 7 dogs :)

In the evening we went out to eat something, I tasted my first springbok with a glass of nice african red wine.

After dinner I was ready for bed.

At 6am I woke up from the pouring rain. My friend calls me Queen Modjadji, aka queen of rain :) They are all so happy here. It has been dry for months apparently.
Not good for the animals and plants.

It was dry in the afternoon and we went to a braai (bbq the african way)
Lot of fun. Boerewor op die braai and everyone brings there own drinks.
I can tell you, drinking alcohol and taking malaria pills, not the best combo because the next day I had a headache all day.
I just blame the Malarone pills ;)
Been having weird dreams as well since I'm taking the pills.
If the headaches will stay, the pills go!

So yesterday, chill day, went walking with the dogs around this beautiful property. Even when it's grey and drizzly it's still so stunning.
Like yesterday, just hanging out on the porch, all of a sudden a monkey jumps out of the tree on the roof.
Apparently, business as usual here :) But for me, it's like living in a live zoo now!

As i'm finishing writing this blog, i'm getting ready for Kruger park. The next two days I will be spotting some wildlife!!!
Soooooooooooo excited!

Ok, gotta go, talk soon x
I'll put on some pictures later....

Living on the edge

I bet many friends have heard me say it at some point in my life.
"Tania, you need to put gas in, your light is on empty" -Oh, living on the edge you know
"Tania, you have to wake up earlier so you'll always be on time at work" -Oh, there won't be traffic, the lights will be green, living on the edge.
"Tania, you should be more organised so you won't be too late at the airport" -Oh, living on the edge...
Well, it was a classic example again.

Most of you know, how much I love travelling, that's how much I hate packing!
Packing for this trip was even more hell than my hectic schedule normally is.
It's not so much the deciding what to pack but it's the getting everything ready in time. I'm one of those people who always thinks, she'll still have enough time :)
How would that sound on my tombstone :)
The last week I still need to do last minute shopping, and laundry. I'm usually still washing clothes I want to bring the day before i'm supposed to leave.
You're probably thinking: If you know this, why don't you change it?
Good question, I guess here's where I would answer: 'Living on the edge you know ;) '
Ok, I know, making my own life hectic and being one of the most indecisive people on the planet would probably be a better explanation than living on the edge here.

But so, tonight... Started packing too late again, trying to fit everything is this teeny tiny suitcase (seriously, almost nobody who'd be travelling for over a month would take such a small suitcase.
But that's another story I won't bore you with, for now :)

Anyhow, I just made it to the airport in time. The guy at the baggage drop counter said I was so so so lucky. I had 1 minute left, 1 minute... 6o seconds later and my teeny tiny suitcase wouldn't have made it on the plane...
I only hope it didn't burst open, since I had to sit on it to be able to close it.

All right, I bored you enough with my packing story.

Let's reminisce a little more about this blog's title.

Living on the edge...

It can be a good thing, or a bad thing. But when you are living on the edge, you do feel alive, you feel adrenaline going through you, heartbeat goes up.
I guess I do need it in my life every now and then.
There is this guy, Oscar Wilde who once said: 'To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.'
I'm scared of that you know? I'm scared of turning into 'one of those people'

So, are you still reading? Because I seem to be babbling today.
I'm actually on the plane right now, there gonna serve food soon. I'm hungry. Maybe that's why!
Promise my next blogs will be more interesting!

I'm flying to the edge of Africa at the moment, so stay tuned for more adventures soon.
For now I'm gonna eat and try to sleep a little.

X

Tania

Trapped in a time warp

You know, how one day you wake up and life feels like that movie Groundhog day? Where you wake up every morning and it's like it's the same day all over again and again? And no matter what you try, it's like the outcome is always the same.
Well, if you don't that means you are in the right place in your life, but if you do, if you can relate, you know that that is a sign to change something in your life!

Last year, a tough year for me, it hit me, my last big adventure where I stepped out of my comfort zone happened 5 years ago. FIVE years! What happened? Where did the last five years go?
After my 4 months down under I was a self-confident young woman, I took on life, I was going somewhere. But when I looked at myself now, I saw a weary woman. Where was that young girl, full of life and laughter? Ok, I aged 5 years but it felt like 20.
I felt like I was sitting on a merry-go-round and I couldn't get off anymore.
Or woke up on a raft in the middle of the ocean without any shore in sight.

In order to get back up you must fall down first. If you'll try to get of a moving merry-go-round, you might trip and fall first before you get up. Or if you want to get off that raft, you will get wet before you start to swim.

So before I could shake off this numb feeling I fell down hard. Really hard.
It took me weeks, months and great friends to climb out of my so called coma.

And when 2016 started I felt awake again, for the first day in a very long time, I got off that merry-go-round, I was swimming to the shore!

How? Well I won't reveal all just yet, but you already know I'm about to step out of my comfort zone again, even more so then in Australia.

In just a couple of days, I'm flying to Africa! The continent of the lion king, where a lot of the animals are still wild and free!

You're welcome to board the plane with me and join me on my new adventure in life.
But before I'll start dreaming about Simba, it's back to reality for one more working day...

But we'll meet again, very very soon!
x