EAST WEST... HOME IS THE BEST
Growing up in a small town with a population of less than 1500 people, my ideal for most of my life was to get out and see the world. Experience new faces and new places. That was the one goal I had for my life and one I have continued to strive for. However we live in a world filled with amazing spaces and places that most of the time we fail to see the beauty that is right under our noses.
For years I have travelled in South Africa experiencing the different towns. Travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg, Springbok to Port Elizabeth and also most of the small towns inbetween. Through all my travels most people I’ve met wanted to experience Namaqualand, the area where I am from.
For me Namaqualand is simply a small town place filled with people with small town mentality, but when you return home after hearing people yearn to go there you start to notice the little things, you start to see the beauty. You see your home through other people’s eyes.
What is most noteable is the fact that I have lived in this are most of my life,but before my travels I had no desire to experience the “tourist attractions”.
After 23 years of living in Namaqualand I finally went to visit the Namaqua National Park located 100km from my hometown. As I drove to the Park all I saw was dustcovered roads, grey bushes and mountain after mountain but looking closer I could see life under the dust. Dungbeetles running around trying to make a living, wild bucks running in the hills nibbling on the juicy bushes, dassies sunbathing on the rocks and smaller creatures playing in the sand. If you look closely you will see lines in the dust suggesting that not long ago a snake made his way on that path. But then just when you think the dusty roads and wildlife is all there is you reach the Namaqua National Park, and a wondeeful surprise will pleasure your eyes.
As you approach the Park the greyness suddenly makes way for an orange avalanche of flowers. Rolling over the hills and across the dusty landscapes which as we approach changes into masses and masses of indigenous flowers that captures your eye and you can believe that it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The closer you get more colourful flowers come out to play. Blue ones play peek a boo in the sea of orange, yellow flowers make a crown on the top of huge ant hills.
The flowers is only the beginning of the majesty of the Park, besides the flowers the variety of animals living in the park and making appearances as you enjoy the scenery stole my heart and all the other organs in my body. A space that not only pleased my eyes but soothed my soul.
Not only is Namaqua National Park home to the most beautiful flower arrangements and cutest animals I have ever seen in my travels, the people working there has the most beautiful souls.
Staying over in Namaqualand after a flower tour and listening to the stories of the local people is something that was not on my bucket list but it was the best experience I have ever had. One that will never be matched by anything or anyone.
This just made me realise that the saying “East West, Home is the Best” is not just a thing we say, it’s based on true experiences. No matter where I have travelled after that, my tourist experience at home was by far the best and most rewarding travel of my life.
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