“Your one wild and precious life”
I
love winter beach stays, where the days are clear and the sun warm and inviting.
One can walk for many miles and feel energized and alive. In the evenings there
is the enjoyment of sherry by the fire and the nights are just cool enough to
sleep under cosy covers. Umngazi River Bungalows (www.umngazi.co.za) are the perfect place for a
warm winter beach escape, as there are beautiful long beach walks, and much to
do including canoeing, fishing, tennis, darts, snooker and a fabulous spa.
The
setting is spectacular – as riverside and beachside as it gets, with cottages
facing the river, indigenous forest or ocean. Not called “the Wild Coast” for
nothing, the coastline is pristine, with dramatic gorges, river crossings and
cliffs.
The
luxury you will find here is not the usual imported, urban, angular modernist
kind. It is soft, curved, natural and intensely local. The rounded thatched
Pondo huts are finished with timber and stone, and even the door handles and
towel rails are smooth, curved, natural timber. The bungalows all have wide
glass doors, with little separating one from the beach other than a stretch of
green lawn. Outdoor showers, generous baths with sea views and fine linen
elevate this stay well above the usual beach bungalow standards. This is
barefoot luxury at its best.
At
Umngazi there are plentiful indoor and outdoor seating areas – lounges decorated
in bright colours by someone with a great love of fabrics, recliners, dining
areas and decks facing all directions.
I
like Pondo hospitality – there is no simpering or gushing, only dignified
generosity. With a distrust of insincere “quick smiles” as they say here, you
are more likely to receive an approving grunt when you make the most of their
ample catering. The caregiving arrangements are excellent and I
saw several children enthusiastically greet their hosts. I have heard of many
rest-deprived parents of tiny tots travel to Umngazi just for the amazing
baby-sitting service.
By
contrast, I am in the Eastern Cape to visit a worthy project of incredibly
dedicated women who care for the sick in their community. Having not visited
this area often, I had a hankering to discover more of this pristine wild coast
and found Umngazi River Bungalows one of the more accessible beachside locations.
However I had worried that the contrast between the stories of these women and a luxury stay might unhinge me. But the women in this project are now
being paid by the government for their work, and supported by a local NGO with
debriefing and training. They are assertive and professional. And at Umngazi, the
evident respect for local culture, the plentiful employment created by the
resort for the surrounding community, and the multiple local income generating
projects made possible by this place leaves me feeling inspired and hopeful.
True development is not about patronizing charity or handouts, but about
inclusivity, ownership and employment which allows people the satisfaction to
raise their own families well, and this is one of the best examples of that I
have seen in a luxury holiday hotel. Both the women’s project and the Umngazi
community support make me want to be a better person, to enjoy life to its
fullest, while supporting others. As usual when I do community development
work, I thought I was coming to give something, but find myself learning and
gaining more than it was possible to offer.
Accommodation
Experience:
And
so I thoroughly enjoy my work and find I am able to have an energizing stay. My
favourite time of day at Umngazi River Bungalows, it turns out, is the evening walk
to and from supper. I stay in the furthest cottage from the restaurant and love
the mindful stroll along the river. Schools of fish swim past me, catching the
silvery light as they jump in unison. A cool breeze comes off the water. The
skies are full of stars and it feels like I can touch the Milky Way. I swing my
scarf to and fro as I walk and throw my head back to drink in the night sky. I
feel wild and free and I am reminded of Mary Oliver’s questions:
Tell me, what
else should I have done?
Doesn’t
everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what
is it you plan to do
with your one
wild and precious life?
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