The Lonesome Trip

Xperience 17

It seems I’ve been so close to my own xperiences, I’ve lost a bit of perspective.

On Tuesday I thought my new experience was Swellendam, a small town I always see the sign for, as I drive down the N2 and hometown of a close friend.

It was my friend Natasha who reminded me that the new xperience, actually, was going on a road trip by myself. She’s right.

I’ve found myself to look for the more literal new xperiences, however small, rather than my original intention, to xperience not only the tangible (and frankly, a lot of times, tasty), but also the more insubstantial. Those seem to be quite a bit more difficult to spot and to plan. Maybe that’s just it, don’t plan it, but keep my eyes open for when it happens? At least then I would be able to write a better post about it?

The first day of my Lonesome Trip was hardly anything to mention. I was bushed from the 4 day outdoor party, and pretty much got myself cleaned, fed and crashed for about 14 hours when I got to my destination. During the drive to Swellendam though, it did feel quite empowering to realize I could go and do whatever I felt like. I made no reservations, I listened to a CD of Verdi’s best arias and if it had a few more I might even have driven on to the next town. I confess I did feel a bit lonely while shopping for some sandwich goodies, it lasted about 2 minutes until I spent an obscene amount on a small piece of cheese.

While sitting next to a big warm fire in the backpackers and talking to some other travelers, I realized, I might be alone, but I was by no means lonely.

 

The whole shabang!

Xperience 14

I haven’t been to a Vortex since they moved to the new venue near Riviersonderend. It’s just too far to drive back from at the end and too far to make it financially viable if I’m working only one shift. This time though, I got two shifts at the bar and as a bonus, I’m on leave and don’t have to go back to Cape Town straight away, double bonus.

There is a perfectly good reason for making this an xperience only on the second day of the Vortex.
The bit I saw while exploring the night before didn’t even closely prepare me for the whole Vortex xperience.
Visually the only word to accurately describe this is enchanting. Standing at the bar to my left is just a forest of trees and to the right a mirror image.
The dance floor is a circle of ancient oak trees, each marked with a crystal. In the shade an old caravan sells tea in cups and fairies, elves and pixies chooses their favourite blends. (For the record no mind altering substances was taken during this xperience)
Seriously, this venue reminded me of my very first party, where everything was so new, mystical, beautiful and quite enchanted.
I had a wonderful breakfast and met up with the Nella fairy.
The rest of the day was spent dancing, laughing, hugging, smiling and thoroughly enjoying every sight, smell, touch and taste that was too offer.
The best was connecting again with my friend and mother fairy Nella. Thank you for a magical day, above all, thank you for been there all this time…

This was the whole shabang, with a bang…
To the Vortex crew, WOW!!

 

365xperiences of what?

Everything, is the short answer.

The longer answer might mean you need to get a cup of coffee.

Lately I have found myself driving the same route everyday, preparing the same meals week in and out and even hanging with the same people all the time (by the way, I’m not trying to get rid of any friends here). Recent events, both international and personal, made me wonder, when am I going to experience something new for a change? Immediately the same old excuses about time an money popped up and this was followed by a very firm voice in my mind that went “NO!”, or like a good friend of mine sometimes say, “Nee, huh-uh, dit werk nie so nie!”. No more excuses for living the same dreary way every day. Life is really too short to do the same-old, same-old every day.

And inspiration hit… why not have a new experience every day? Instead of expecting huge “life-changing” experiences, have a small new one everyday. Live life moment, by moment? That kind of thing. It doesn’t mean I have to spend hundreds to get those. I live in Cape Town, an amazing city, with too many things I have not seen, done, smelt and tried.

I’ve grown up and lived with so many preconceived perceptions and tastes, based on nothing more that other people’s experiences. These will be challenged and tried and I will hopefully make these my own. Coffee with honey isn’t something to be frowned upon, but the subject of next week’s blog.

This is my pledge, I will try something new, be it small or big, a taste or a sound every day for 365 days starting on my birthday, 10 April.