Xperience 18
I have a strange soft spot for museums. One of my earliest memories was dragging my poor dad to the museum in Hartenbos. To me a magical place caught in a time bubble, now that I think back, not exactly what my dad had envisioned when they booked our seaside vacation.
So new town means new museum too and off I went. Swellendam has an interesting history and museum to go with it, but this was not the new xperience.
Something I didn’t know was that there’s a blueberry farm just outside the town. I know it’s not season, but after I saw the sign, I had to follow. I found a little farm called Wildebraam. They do not only grow blueberries, but make jam and liqueurs from all kinds of fruit which they buy in. Here comes the best part – tasting! I tasted Pineapple & Granadilla Jam, Sundried Tomato Mustard, Hazelnut Liqueur, Sweet Pepper Jam and I’m sure there was a Chili Chocolate Liqueur. For a change, these weren’t my new xperiences either.
Back at the backpackers I started talking to a Dutch guest touring our country for 4 months. I couldn’t help to mention he must have the best boss in the world, taking leave for 4 months? Jasper confessed he resigned his job to travel. During this whole conversation I invited him to join me for dinner at the Oude Molen, a small restaurant that came highly recommended by a friend.
Now I thought this was going to be my new xperience for the day. While having dinner at this wonderful little place just outside the town, Jasper threw a spanner in the works. My new xperience was not the restaurant, no. My new xperience was inviting a total stranger out for dinner. We only introduced ourselves after the first glass of wine. I know, I know, but it was only while we were ordering we realized we don’t even know each other’s names.
Looking back now, it seems Jasper and Natasha both pointed out a very important point. Every new xperience might have more than one dimension. Thanks to a stranger and a trusted friend, I’m now looking out for 2D (or maybe even 3D) xperiences.
365xperiences 