Play of light

We drove all the way across the country, heading straight for fish 'n chips at Lambert's Bay. And found the perfect West Coast accommodation accompaniment at Oppiduin, Grootvlei. 

This shabby chic beach house is as on-the-beach as it gets, with dramatic curved architecture making the most of the vast views onto ocean and surrounding nature. Expansive glass windows follow the curves of every room. Local materials such as shells, driftwood and beach sand have been used, creating interest and a play of light which mirrors the natural world outside beautifully. I do love a creative space which celebrates its context, for me the essence of travel, which takes one outside one's routine and familiarity. 

Our suite is as spacious as that view, with a fireplace in the open plan lounge and bedroom. Outside the wind is howling, but from our protected position we are almost unaware, except for the sound of it singing in the roof above the shower. It almost sounds spiritual. 

Still, I can't stop dashing outside throughout the long sunset to take photos as the golden rays light up new facets of the decor and architecture. I return from each outing windswept and glowing. 

What a privilege to witness so many slow sunsets and dawns in so many beautiful spaces - that was the mission of this trip after all. I hope it brings new appreciation to my life at home, not simply the struggle to sleep and wake and work. A healthier rhythm must be possible, or at least this is the hope a holiday in a place like this offers.

Oppiduin, Grootvlei Guest Farm

Creative new beginnings

Waenhuis Karoo Cottage

What is art really and who's to say? My creative trip blogging energy is only building up and I will not be offended if you unfollow me for a few days.

We are cultural heathens and our idea of high art is a starry night viewed through our roofless tent. But to impress our artsy friends we decide we really must go to Nieu Bethesda (even if only to avoid the chest-clutching gasp of "You've never been?!") You know who you little snobs are. But, since this is a trip of New Beginnings (and the coast has been hit by another cold front) we determine to travel the small 5 hour detour North. Sharon struggles to find New Bethesda on the GPS and her dyslexic companion is not much help.

I do some internet research on the famous Owl House. Now I know all good artists perseverate, but from the photos it looks (not unlike our car engine) like something went twang somewhere on a particularly bumpy patch. I shall stay open-minded.

I find out that there is a fine dining restaurant run by two Afrikaans boys, egte Karoo kos. Sharon perks up: "What do you think we'll have - boerewors foam? Melktert panacotta? Koeksister tuiles? Vetkoek profiteroles?" I sigh, knowing she's also only just getting started and did I mention it's a 5 hour detour North?

Once she ran out of creative descriptives, we listened to a talk about the gentle force of true nature pushing itself up from within, like a shoot from a seed pushing up through the earth, each one a unique enactment of authenticity.

The Owl House surprised us with this type of artistic expression, the imperative of it, the yearning to break free from a prison of circumstance.

Some of Helen Martins' female figures point with one finger to her other hand, seemingly saying "Look, it's right here in the palm of your hand. In this messy life of disappointed expectations." Other figures point to one another in solidarity, hope in despair. She used the ordinary objects of her life - a tin of Sunshine polish, broken, coloured glass and grey earth - to manifest her beauty.

What a courageous and unique woman and what a heritage she has left. It's a pity only history appreciates strong women.

We confess that it was a much more moving and inspiring visit than expected (why did you not insist earlier that we go!?)

The tiny town of Nieu Bethesda in general is a delight. The Afrikaans boys' restaurant, Die Waenhuis, was closed on a Sunday night, sigh, but we stayed at their karoo cottage, another artwork of unique and thoughtful design and decor. It is the perfect pairing for the Nieu Bethesda experience, full of authentic antiques, humour and creative flair. 

The kitchen is well equipped and the cottage is separated from the restaurant by a pretty courtyard surrounded by herbs and salads. 

It is a surprisingly stylish and plush place to stay, with white linen, soft beds, a luxurious bath and plentiful outdoor spaces from which to watch the world go by or rest in the green garden space. 

 

Hearing some of Jacque's story about their dream and struggle to create this space and express their vision matched well with this place of surprises, artistic imperative, making space for true nature to express itself and in doing so, allowing other more timid little souls to soar in awe.

Daberas Farm, Augrabies, Northern Cape

Soulsoaring

This is true luxury – a spacious desert wilderness alive with texture and colour and movement of creatures, without another human being in sound or sight. Photographer’s paradise, this is a place of Kokerboom trees, boulders of Rose Quartz strewn casually about, thick golden grasses and rust-coloured rock. 

Daberas Farm is a 10 000 hectare protected conservation area which borders on the Augrabies National Park. You may choose to stay in the campground, surrounded by Dassie-filled cliffs and remote from any other habitation. Accessible only with 4 X 4, the campsite is nevertheless well equipped with two full bathrooms, fire pits and a slatted roof dining area. There is no electricity at the campsite, which is part of the charm, though one may hire a portable trailer with gas and utensils, stretchers for sleeping outdoors, along with elegant wooden tables and chairs for alfresco dining.

The softer alternative is a traditional cottage with wrap-around verandah, set up against one of the most beautiful Kokerboom trees I have ever seen. A farm-style kitchen and lounge feels part of the setting, and the cottage has 3 bedrooms, a shower and toilet off the verandah. A large fire pit will still draw you outdoors into the spacious openness.

And this place is all about that great outdoors. Despite how much there is to do and see in this vast wilderness, we spend an inordinate amount of time sitting around this open fire, watching the colours of the dawn change in layers from black to purple to orange to pink to blue in the sky and again later gazing as the process reverses as the sun slowly sets.

Accommodation Experience:

While mindful of the local leopard which moves through the campground on its way to the watering hole, we decide to sleep out in the open so that we may look up into the stars. It is winter and we light a fire and sleep close to it, with the shared instruction that if anyone wakes up in the night, that person should reach over and toss a fresh log on the fire.

The night is crisp clear. I open my eyes soon after midnight to see the Southern Cross right above me and as I roll over I see Hair of Berenice with my naked eyes (a constellation named after another goddess, while my own hat-head hair is well concealed under a beanie). I feel happy – as happy as happy can be – happy as only a child can usually feel. And this moment of happiness seems to stretch to forever, such that I can even draw on it now as I sit here and write.

Mark Nepo proposes “The soul’s only interest is for us to be as alive as possible. The aliveness of our soul is our career.”

It is all I can do to plot my return to this spacious rocky desert of Kokerboom trees, boulders of Rose Quartz strewn casually about, thick golden grasses, rust-coloured rock and starry nights so clear your soul soars with the not-quite-forgotten happiness of a child.

Fever Tree Cottage, Houtboschhoek, Mpumalanga

Alignment of all things

These are a few of my favourite things – views down a valley, stone farm cottages next to a dam, Black Crakes (I know!), white décor and linen, freestanding deep baths and generous farm hosting. The stars have aligned and I find all these and much more at Fever Tree Cottage, Houtboschhoek in Mpumalanga. The perfect stopover, 10km off the N4 on my way to the Kruger National Park, I rather wished I had booked to stay here a week or more.

I arrive on an unusually cold, wet and misty night after a long day’s travel. A fire is lit in the gorgeous white open-plan cottage, warming the lounge, kitchen and pretty bedroom. Roasted pecan nuts, fresh milk, tea, filter coffee and fruit juice are provided in the cottage – rural hospitality at its best.

Someone with a keen eye for décor and texture has had a hand in the creation of this little haven, with the natural stone exterior of the cottage offset with whitewashed interior walls. A puffy white bed mirrors the uneven walls. Modern and stylish upholstery in the lounge references the rich bird and plant life outside the cottage, which has a private deck and overlooks the dam and valley beyond.

There is nothing dark or dingy about this cottage, and the open-plan design works well to give a fresh and modern feel in such a traditional cottage. Deep-set windows highlight the thick and lumpy stone walls in every room. The well equipped kitchen has also been done by a soul sister, with a butler’s sink, good coffee-making equipment and country style implements.

Accommodation Experience:

After a soft and cozy night’s sleep, I wander out early in the mist, walking around the cottage dam. I come across my said favourite waterbird, the shy Black Crake, swimming in the reeds. With an impossibly lime-green, elongated beak and neon pink legs, he is unaware of my presence. I have never before encountered one so happy and free as he splashes about, chortling and squeaking in delight. It quite takes my breath away and it feels like a rare privilege of belonging in this place. As soon as he becomes aware of me, he disappears in an instant into the reeds and the moment is past.

Amidst the stress and issues of life, this counts as a time in which everything in the world felt right and exactly as it should be. I hope you also have many moments like these where you can feel that rare alignment of all things, where life comes full circle back at you to give a glimpse of its beauty and imperfect perfection.

Zula Beach Cottage, Paternoster

Seaside Simplicity

  

What are the key features of a sensational seaside spot? Views of the sea, of course, within touching distance, with perhaps nothing separating one from the white sands other than a set of double glass doors and patio with an outdoor seating area. The architecture should be Cycladean, with clean lines, white walls, blue-grey windows and doors. Seaside interiors are ideally calm, cool and white, with hints of blue. 

Cue Zula Beach Cottage in the pristine little fishing village of Paternoster on the West Coast. This open plan cottage has all of these things. It is as close to the sea as it gets and the views are ever changing pictures of nature and the elements. The bachelor suite has an indoor and outdoor fireplace, a patio covered with a reed roof, with outdoor table and chairs. There are cushioned recliners on the lawn behind a low, curved whitewashed wall ending in a pretty blue gate to the beach.

Inside the linen is white and the bed is set back to enjoy the full views of the sea in privacy. The floors are covered in cool, glossy white tiles. There is a spacious glass shower and a well fitted, modern kitchen. An antique wooden wardrobe and wooden desk lend texture, along with wicker armchairs with nautical blue and white striped cushions to complete the maritime effect.

Accommodation Experience:

The magic of this place is its setting overlooking a long, natural beach in Paternoster. We sit outside enjoying sundowners late into the evening. As the sun finally starts setting, we watch spellbound as thousands of white seabirds tessellate their way onto the beach to rest. It takes more than half an hour for the never-ending wave of undulating, twisting, curving birds to land, rise and land again. It is a rare privilege and one has the sense that one could stay here for many weeks on end and not see all that these views have to reveal.

Solitude Retreat Centre, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

At home in Solitude

I have finally managed to escape my busy life by escaping into my very own home and self-catering establishment, Solitude Retreat Centre. In the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Solitude is situated in a tranquil corner of the Dargle valley. I have chosen to retreat in Yellowwood cottage, one of my favourites, as it was built almost entirely from high and wide reclaimed timber doors and windows. It is the golden light which draws me back to this lakeside cottage, a happy result of a setting which enjoys both morning and afternoon sun. The floors and roof of the cottage creak and murmur with the winds and changing temperatures, making it feel organic, alive and involved in my retreat experience.

I choose the oldest, softest cotton linen for my King size bed, and selected enormous towels, the size of baby blankets. It is fun settling back into the familiar space and I enthusiastically unpack my favourite things in their rightful places, including my favourite small dog. I have bought myself a bunch of beautiful pink roses, a small gesture of self care within the larger gift of a week off at home. The tree reaching over the deck at the upstairs bedroom door bends and bows its welcome.

Accommodation experience:

It is Autumn, my favourite time of year at Solitude. I love the sensory experience of this place – from the visual drama of the changing light, to the sweet smells of bubble bath and scented candles, and the softness of the sunken bed and cotton sheets.

It is good to breathe again – really breathe, rather than hedging my breaths. And now, all that remains is to wait, in silence and solitude, for the gifts of rest, contemplation and stillness.

What I love about Solitude Retreat Centre

• The quiet space, with no sounds of traffic or busyness
• The welcoming trees with textured bark and changing coloured leaves
• Dragonflies, fireflies and the gentle, plopping sounds of frogs in the dam
• The colourful wild mushrooms under the trees
• The double storey cottages overlooking the dam, with cosy attic-style upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms, each with a unique design and character
• The relaxed country decor, complete with soft ginghams, subtle florals and striped ticking fabrics
• The fireplaces and wood piles which are essential to any Midlands experience
• The cheerful dogs who include themselves enthusiastically in every activity
• The sense of entering a different world, set apart from the usual hectic pace of life

Prynnsberg Estate, Clocolan, Free State

History in the making

Never before had I been excited to stop in the middle of nowhere in the Free State. Cue Prynnsberg Estate, a glorious old 1881 manor house and lodge conveniently situated just back from the scenic R 26 between Fiksberg and Clocolan. There’s nothing better than discovering an old gem in a pretty setting, which is being restored to its former glory.

Classical of architecture and stylish of interior, I chose to stay in Aran, the Gamekeeper’s Lodge situated on a high hill beyond the original manor house. An original sandstone building typical of this area, I was worried by the name that the cottage would be dark and pokey, but this Lodge is as spacious and light as it is cosy, with a large open-plan lounge-kitchen-dining area with a fireplace and comfortable couches. The Lodge has been recently renovated to a high standard, but in keeping with the original period style. There are two bedrooms each with lovely white linen and traditional furniture, a luxurious sparkling bathroom complete with black-and-white checked tile floors and a ball and claw bath. A long veranda wraps around two sides of the building with an authentic ox-wagon decorating the wide front veranda. A pretty cherry blossom tree reminds one of the local fame of the region.

Accommodation Experience

As I move further into the second half of life, I find that what I look for in accommodation has changed. Increasingly I appreciate artistic integrity, sensory experiences, quintessential local character, and classical heritage with a fresh twist. In short, I am in search of soulful encounters of the most authentic kind. This is what I find at Prynnsberg Manor and Aran the Gamekeeper’s Lodge.

I wake early and head out to the long veranda which wraps around the Lodge. The views below are vast, and the mist lifting off the wide plains enhances the sense of an ancient and untouched African landscape.

After a hearty English breakfast the host offers to give us a tour of the manor house itself. I become quite giddy trying to figure out how all the many rooms are laid out in the extensive building. The host expertly leads us to the grand finale – a genuine Victorian bath house, with 3 freestanding baths laid out alongside one another in a spacious original stone building. I can only imagine the interesting conversations which have been had over the decades in this room and I instantly begin plotting and scheming a reason to return with a large group of favourite friends to add our own experience to the history of this estate.