It is Christmas eve tonight. I wanted to wish anyone stopping by a happy and blessed Christmas, and may your life be filled with love!
Now get out of here and pass on some of that love...
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A lesson in icing
Just finished icing the Christmas cake!
You are probably thinking that this is not a normal skill for a guy, but I just love Christmas cake! I also like it the way I like it; no nuts, full of brandy, and lots of marzipan. Of course my specific likes have meant that the only way I get it the way I want it, is to make it myself! And so I have had to learn how to make it and get it right. I sincerely believe that one can learn and conquer anything. At least, this is the message I want my children to get!
Making a cake is also not too far a stretch...
Once the icing was on, the boys and I attempted to decorate the top with the leftovers. Needless to say, we have a lot of training to do, if we ever hope to get that part right!!
You are probably thinking that this is not a normal skill for a guy, but I just love Christmas cake! I also like it the way I like it; no nuts, full of brandy, and lots of marzipan. Of course my specific likes have meant that the only way I get it the way I want it, is to make it myself! And so I have had to learn how to make it and get it right. I sincerely believe that one can learn and conquer anything. At least, this is the message I want my children to get!
Making a cake is also not too far a stretch...
Once the icing was on, the boys and I attempted to decorate the top with the leftovers. Needless to say, we have a lot of training to do, if we ever hope to get that part right!!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Walking for fun
Last night I had a beer or two at the local pub with a couple of men from church. We had an awesome dicussion about men, and I am very excited to see what transpires.
Both of the men I met at the pub walk every morning in the nature reserve. It sounded like a good idea and so 06h30 this morning saw me setting off with Mike for a 90 minute walk on the mountain. What a beautiful place. I felt most privillaged to see the sun peek its way through the clouds and then later drink fresh mountain water from the stream that runs through the gorge.
I have an idea that this may be a good way to use up some of my boy's energy through the holidays!!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Mothers and blogs
My children were frustrating me the other day. No surprise, it must be one of their principle roles in life...
The boys were operating at speeds slower than a snail with a limp. Fighting with each other at every moment. And seemingly requiring detailed instructions on absolutely everything, from talking properly to walking.
I was relating these issues to my mother and her comment was most unexpected!
She referred me to a blog I had posted ages ago, where I had whined about the same issues. She then quoted my insight which had been to let them do things in their time, instead of controlling every moment.
I was gobsmacked! Firstly, that I ultimately had good advice for myself, and that my mother pays that much attention to my blog!
I am back to setting broad boundaries and letting the boys get things done in their own time. And so far, it has relieved a heap of tension.
Gotta love your mother!
The boys were operating at speeds slower than a snail with a limp. Fighting with each other at every moment. And seemingly requiring detailed instructions on absolutely everything, from talking properly to walking.
I was relating these issues to my mother and her comment was most unexpected!
She referred me to a blog I had posted ages ago, where I had whined about the same issues. She then quoted my insight which had been to let them do things in their time, instead of controlling every moment.
I was gobsmacked! Firstly, that I ultimately had good advice for myself, and that my mother pays that much attention to my blog!
I am back to setting broad boundaries and letting the boys get things done in their own time. And so far, it has relieved a heap of tension.
Gotta love your mother!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Old men and brown belts
Wednesday night was the year end judo function. It was a little strange to see our large group of Judokas gathered together in civilian clothes. More strange were all of the parents of the children who join the handful of oldies for our twice weekly sweat sessions.
Not long ago, I had been stressing about my grading. We had found out on a Wednesday night that we would be graded on the Friday night. A Provincial representative would also be present to adjudicate the grading, and we would have to complete a special kata, which we were yet to learn! The four of us, who were grading for brown belt, arrived two hours before the grading to try and figure it all out. By grading time, I was dazed and confused, after being slammed into the floor on countless occasions. But we were as ready as we could be. The grading was tough, but we knew our throws, although our execution left much to be desired!
It was rather a relief to see my children receive their new belts; Luke an orange, and Matt a blue stripe. And their dad got his brown!
In order for me to achieve my black belt goal, it will take another two years of Judo. Then I will get to stress all over again as I face a panel grading.
The upside is that I get to do Judo with my children for at least another two years! And it often surprises me how valuable this shared time is to all of us!
Not long ago, I had been stressing about my grading. We had found out on a Wednesday night that we would be graded on the Friday night. A Provincial representative would also be present to adjudicate the grading, and we would have to complete a special kata, which we were yet to learn! The four of us, who were grading for brown belt, arrived two hours before the grading to try and figure it all out. By grading time, I was dazed and confused, after being slammed into the floor on countless occasions. But we were as ready as we could be. The grading was tough, but we knew our throws, although our execution left much to be desired!
It was rather a relief to see my children receive their new belts; Luke an orange, and Matt a blue stripe. And their dad got his brown!
In order for me to achieve my black belt goal, it will take another two years of Judo. Then I will get to stress all over again as I face a panel grading.
The upside is that I get to do Judo with my children for at least another two years! And it often surprises me how valuable this shared time is to all of us!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
So Angry
The line between finding a company acceptable and absolutely despising it seems to be thinner than I ever thought.
Yesterday, after years of service, and more than 300 good flights, SAA managed to infuriate me in mere minutes. I have not been this angry or exasperated in many years. This one incident was enough, even after so many perfectly acceptable journeys, to destroy any loyalty I felt for this company. Funny how it just takes once incident...
The day started out well in that my 05h45 flight to Johannesburg got me to Johannesburg with little fuss. Except for the small matter of a stone cold breakfast of potatoes, spinach, sausage, and scrambled egg. Very tasty!
This afternoon, though, found me searching for my boarding gate. After referring to the monitors, I made my way to the stated gate, only to stand in a horrendous queue. Once I got to the front, I was informed that I was in the queue for the Durban flight. Checking the monitors again revealed that my flight was still not boarding, but would be boarding at another gate. At the other gate I was rudely informed that I had been offloaded. What?????
Now starts the good part! The lovely lady at the gate waved her hand in the direction of the check in counters and told me I would have to sort it out. Confused and annoyed I headed off to the check in counters, to stand in another queue, to be told that I really needed to be at the ticket counter. The ticket counter lady told me that I really needed to be talking to the Team Leader in a red jacket. The Team Leader in the red jacket told me that I would have to pay for an upgrade to my ticket as announcements were made about the gate change.
I understood how they could not find everyone but to make me pay for an upgrade when they had a problem and failed to communicate with me was going a bit far. The Team Leader disagreed and explained that announcements had been made and thus I had been communicated too. I must admit, I did not hear a single announcement. Then again as far as I was concerned, I was in the right queue! He then said there was nothing he could do. I disagreed and said he could sort it out. He bluntly told me that he would not be explaining this cost to his superiors!
So off I went to upgrade my ticket, paid my hard earned R707 over to a company that did not deserve it in the least, and angrily went back to the lounge I had not long previously departed.
At the ticket counter, I could not help but read the giant list of SAA values; people first, safety, accountability, integrity, reliability. I could not argue with safety but the rest are most certainly in doubt. And I was not the only one; at least 4 other people suffered the same fate.
It would have been so simple for anyone to actually treat me as a customer. Some empathy and help would have gone a long way. I had after all paid for their services and yet I was treated like to the naughty kid at school who was sent to the headmaster. I am amazed at how simply they could have avoided the issue; by walking the 60m to the gate that they had originally indicated and asking...
The biggest irony was that I spent the day in Johannesburg with a number of customer service experts compiling a wicked customer service intervention. I now have a wonderful example of personal experience to use in all my courses!
Yesterday, after years of service, and more than 300 good flights, SAA managed to infuriate me in mere minutes. I have not been this angry or exasperated in many years. This one incident was enough, even after so many perfectly acceptable journeys, to destroy any loyalty I felt for this company. Funny how it just takes once incident...
The day started out well in that my 05h45 flight to Johannesburg got me to Johannesburg with little fuss. Except for the small matter of a stone cold breakfast of potatoes, spinach, sausage, and scrambled egg. Very tasty!
This afternoon, though, found me searching for my boarding gate. After referring to the monitors, I made my way to the stated gate, only to stand in a horrendous queue. Once I got to the front, I was informed that I was in the queue for the Durban flight. Checking the monitors again revealed that my flight was still not boarding, but would be boarding at another gate. At the other gate I was rudely informed that I had been offloaded. What?????
Now starts the good part! The lovely lady at the gate waved her hand in the direction of the check in counters and told me I would have to sort it out. Confused and annoyed I headed off to the check in counters, to stand in another queue, to be told that I really needed to be at the ticket counter. The ticket counter lady told me that I really needed to be talking to the Team Leader in a red jacket. The Team Leader in the red jacket told me that I would have to pay for an upgrade to my ticket as announcements were made about the gate change.
I understood how they could not find everyone but to make me pay for an upgrade when they had a problem and failed to communicate with me was going a bit far. The Team Leader disagreed and explained that announcements had been made and thus I had been communicated too. I must admit, I did not hear a single announcement. Then again as far as I was concerned, I was in the right queue! He then said there was nothing he could do. I disagreed and said he could sort it out. He bluntly told me that he would not be explaining this cost to his superiors!
So off I went to upgrade my ticket, paid my hard earned R707 over to a company that did not deserve it in the least, and angrily went back to the lounge I had not long previously departed.
At the ticket counter, I could not help but read the giant list of SAA values; people first, safety, accountability, integrity, reliability. I could not argue with safety but the rest are most certainly in doubt. And I was not the only one; at least 4 other people suffered the same fate.
It would have been so simple for anyone to actually treat me as a customer. Some empathy and help would have gone a long way. I had after all paid for their services and yet I was treated like to the naughty kid at school who was sent to the headmaster. I am amazed at how simply they could have avoided the issue; by walking the 60m to the gate that they had originally indicated and asking...
The biggest irony was that I spent the day in Johannesburg with a number of customer service experts compiling a wicked customer service intervention. I now have a wonderful example of personal experience to use in all my courses!
So Angry
The line between finding a company acceptable and absolutely despising it seems to be thinner than I ever thought.
Yesterday, after years of service, and more than 300 good flights, SAA managed to infuriate me in mere minutes. I have not been this angry or exasperated in many years. This one incident was enough, even after so many perfectly acceptable journeys, to destroy any loyalty I felt for this company. Funny how it just takes once incident...
The day started out well in that my 05h45 flight to Johannesburg got me to Johannesburg with little fuss. Except for the small matter of a stone cold breakfast of potatoes, spinach, sausage, and scrambled egg. Very tasty!
This afternoon, though, found me searching for my boarding gate. After referring to the monitors, I made my way to the stated gate, only to stand in a horrendous queue. Once I got to the front, I was informed that I was in the queue for the Durban flight. Checking the monitors again revealed that my flight was still not boarding, but would be boarding at another gate. At the other gate I was rudely informed that I had been offloaded. What?????
Now starts the good part! The lovely lady at the gate waved her hand in the direction of the check in counters and told me I would have to sort it out. Confused and annoyed I headed off to the check in counters, to stand in another queue, to be told that I really needed to be at the ticket counter. The ticket counter lady told me that I really needed to be talking to the Team Leader in a red jacket. The Team Leader in the red jacket told me that I would have to pay for an upgrade to my ticket as announcements were made about the gate change.
I understood how they could not find everyone but to make me pay for an upgrade when they had a problem and failed to communicate with me was going a bit far. The Team Leader disagreed and explained that announcements had been made and thus I had been communicated too. I must admit, I did not hear a single announcement. Then again as far as I was concerned, I was in the right queue! He then said there was nothing he could do. I disagreed and said he could sort it out. He bluntly told me that he would not be explaining this cost to his superiors!
So off I went to upgrade my ticket, paid my hard earned R707 over to a company that did not deserve it in the least, and angrily went back to the lounge I had not long previously departed.
At the ticket counter, I could not help but read the giant list of SAA values; people first, safety, accountability, integrity, reliability. I could not argue with safety but the rest are most certainly in doubt. And I was not the only one; at least 4 other people suffered the same fate.
It would have been so simple for anyone to actually treat me as a customer. Some empathy and help would have gone a long way. I had after all paid for their services and yet I was treated like to the naughty kid at school who was sent to the headmaster. I am amazed at how simply they could have avoided the issue; by walking the 60m to the gate that they had originally indicated and asking...
The biggest irony was that I spent the day in Johannesburg with a number of customer service experts compiling a wicked customer service intervention. I now have a wonderful example of personal experience to use in all my courses!
Yesterday, after years of service, and more than 300 good flights, SAA managed to infuriate me in mere minutes. I have not been this angry or exasperated in many years. This one incident was enough, even after so many perfectly acceptable journeys, to destroy any loyalty I felt for this company. Funny how it just takes once incident...
The day started out well in that my 05h45 flight to Johannesburg got me to Johannesburg with little fuss. Except for the small matter of a stone cold breakfast of potatoes, spinach, sausage, and scrambled egg. Very tasty!
This afternoon, though, found me searching for my boarding gate. After referring to the monitors, I made my way to the stated gate, only to stand in a horrendous queue. Once I got to the front, I was informed that I was in the queue for the Durban flight. Checking the monitors again revealed that my flight was still not boarding, but would be boarding at another gate. At the other gate I was rudely informed that I had been offloaded. What?????
Now starts the good part! The lovely lady at the gate waved her hand in the direction of the check in counters and told me I would have to sort it out. Confused and annoyed I headed off to the check in counters, to stand in another queue, to be told that I really needed to be at the ticket counter. The ticket counter lady told me that I really needed to be talking to the Team Leader in a red jacket. The Team Leader in the red jacket told me that I would have to pay for an upgrade to my ticket as announcements were made about the gate change.
I understood how they could not find everyone but to make me pay for an upgrade when they had a problem and failed to communicate with me was going a bit far. The Team Leader disagreed and explained that announcements had been made and thus I had been communicated too. I must admit, I did not hear a single announcement. Then again as far as I was concerned, I was in the right queue! He then said there was nothing he could do. I disagreed and said he could sort it out. He bluntly told me that he would not be explaining this cost to his superiors!
So off I went to upgrade my ticket, paid my hard earned R707 over to a company that did not deserve it in the least, and angrily went back to the lounge I had not long previously departed.
At the ticket counter, I could not help but read the giant list of SAA values; people first, safety, accountability, integrity, reliability. I could not argue with safety but the rest are most certainly in doubt. And I was not the only one; at least 4 other people suffered the same fate.
It would have been so simple for anyone to actually treat me as a customer. Some empathy and help would have gone a long way. I had after all paid for their services and yet I was treated like to the naughty kid at school who was sent to the headmaster. I am amazed at how simply they could have avoided the issue; by walking the 60m to the gate that they had originally indicated and asking...
The biggest irony was that I spent the day in Johannesburg with a number of customer service experts compiling a wicked customer service intervention. I now have a wonderful example of personal experience to use in all my courses!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Love in the morning
I recently visited a mate in Johannesburg for a good chat. One of his sons mentioned something about car prayers and I pricked up my ears. My mate has 3 sons, all 13 years old, cool teenagers, and yet comfortable with the concept of prayer with their father on the way to school. I liked this a lot!
One of the problems with prayer is that unless you teach someone to pray, it really seems a little ilogical. As a Christian parent, I have a responsibility to ensure that my children can pray, and to guide them in their development in this area. It has of course been one of those areas that I have neglected, and hoped that they would just learn, like I did!
So about a week ago, I tried out car prayers on the way to school. My boys were totally enthusiastic, which I found rather surprising. Even more surprising were their beautiful prayers. Filled with love and concern for all of those around them! Driving to school for the last week has been a humbling experience as they have made car prayer time their own.
It would seem that I am now the one learning how to pray!
One of the problems with prayer is that unless you teach someone to pray, it really seems a little ilogical. As a Christian parent, I have a responsibility to ensure that my children can pray, and to guide them in their development in this area. It has of course been one of those areas that I have neglected, and hoped that they would just learn, like I did!
So about a week ago, I tried out car prayers on the way to school. My boys were totally enthusiastic, which I found rather surprising. Even more surprising were their beautiful prayers. Filled with love and concern for all of those around them! Driving to school for the last week has been a humbling experience as they have made car prayer time their own.
It would seem that I am now the one learning how to pray!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tired
I was exhausted last night.
Yesterday was a frenetic rush of activity, despite all of my cut backs. Then revelations flooded in as to how much work I need to do in the near future. All of my various projects seem to be crying for time and attention at the same time. And then the potential projects, which have been hiding in the wings, briefly showed me a glimpse of their size. I think I was exhausted just thinking about it all.
A good nights sleep was just the thing to get me raring to go this morning. Isabella only woke once last night and I did not even hear her. This morning I am ready again to take on the world.
It did cross my mind that there must be so many people out there with problems that are thoroughly overwhelming. Where a good nights sleep is far from sufficient to erase the troubles of life, and really just awakens the hardships one is trying to escape. Those with cancer, husbands whose wives have tried to committ suicide, children on drugs, parents on drugs, people without work, and the list goes on...
My thoughts and prayers are with all of those people. May today also bring some light!
Yesterday was a frenetic rush of activity, despite all of my cut backs. Then revelations flooded in as to how much work I need to do in the near future. All of my various projects seem to be crying for time and attention at the same time. And then the potential projects, which have been hiding in the wings, briefly showed me a glimpse of their size. I think I was exhausted just thinking about it all.
A good nights sleep was just the thing to get me raring to go this morning. Isabella only woke once last night and I did not even hear her. This morning I am ready again to take on the world.
It did cross my mind that there must be so many people out there with problems that are thoroughly overwhelming. Where a good nights sleep is far from sufficient to erase the troubles of life, and really just awakens the hardships one is trying to escape. Those with cancer, husbands whose wives have tried to committ suicide, children on drugs, parents on drugs, people without work, and the list goes on...
My thoughts and prayers are with all of those people. May today also bring some light!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sacrifice
I am amazed at how time flies.
Donna and I have just celebrated 13 years of marriage. Isabella has turned one. We have been in Cape Town for 7 years. I have been on my own, business wise, for almost 3 years. Matthew starts big school in just over a month.
I think everyone understands on some level how fast things move, yet we don’t seem to notice it. Perhaps not until Christmas shopping time when everyone comments on how the year has flown by. The same sentence usually ends with the wishing away of time as they explain how much they are looking forward to taking a break.
Last night we attended Luke’s junior preparatory prize giving. It was very sweet and all of the children were recognised for their strengths. I realised just how little time I have left with my lovely little boy before he turns into a raging hormone. This clock is ticking and there is no turning it back!
If I really want to make a difference in his life; and for that matter a difference in the lives of anyone around me, I have to do it now!
What that means is that I need to sacrifice some of the things I want and like to do. That time and energy, I need to invest in him. Of course there is a good chance I could carry on the way we always have, and he would turn out just fine.
But what if that just is not enough?
Donna and I have just celebrated 13 years of marriage. Isabella has turned one. We have been in Cape Town for 7 years. I have been on my own, business wise, for almost 3 years. Matthew starts big school in just over a month.
I think everyone understands on some level how fast things move, yet we don’t seem to notice it. Perhaps not until Christmas shopping time when everyone comments on how the year has flown by. The same sentence usually ends with the wishing away of time as they explain how much they are looking forward to taking a break.
Last night we attended Luke’s junior preparatory prize giving. It was very sweet and all of the children were recognised for their strengths. I realised just how little time I have left with my lovely little boy before he turns into a raging hormone. This clock is ticking and there is no turning it back!
If I really want to make a difference in his life; and for that matter a difference in the lives of anyone around me, I have to do it now!
What that means is that I need to sacrifice some of the things I want and like to do. That time and energy, I need to invest in him. Of course there is a good chance I could carry on the way we always have, and he would turn out just fine.
But what if that just is not enough?
Monday, November 22, 2010
New look
After three years of the same old tired looking front end, I have decided to do something about it!
My blog is in the process of getting a facelift. Many decisions on colours and photographs to be made. So far, the result is far from where I want it to be. In time, I will get it much better, but you will just have to wait and see!
My blog is in the process of getting a facelift. Many decisions on colours and photographs to be made. So far, the result is far from where I want it to be. In time, I will get it much better, but you will just have to wait and see!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
My baby girl
My daughter is one today. A whole year has passed since we were blessed with the presence of this amazing little person. And she does become more amazing every day.
It has been 6 years since the last baby pattered around here, and I now realise just how much I had forgotten. Luckily my wife forgets nothing and has special miracle baby powers. The last year has not been easy but it certainly seems to get easier by the day. I don’t think the work requirement of a toddler is any less than that of a baby but the smiles, expressions, and rate of learning provide their own reward.
Our first steps have been taken, two teeth have been popped out, many bumps and bruises gained, and an incredible vocabulary of which none of us can understand. I fear it is the latter that is going to be the most trouble in months and years to come!
After two boy boys, a daughter makes an interesting change. I suspect that I will only find out how interesting in time to come. Nonetheless, I am enjoying the role of dad to a daughter, and am a little surprised at how much!
So Happy Birthday my darling daughter, may your birthdays to come be filled with love and happiness.
And I look forward to all your attempts to wind me around your little finger...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A new colour belt
I like to be prepared for anything that I do. Perhaps too prepared! If I need to know something, I like to research it, think about, day dream about it, and eventually go and do it. I like to know absolutely everything I need to know for any test I may take. I hate not knowing. I suppose not knowing is a personal failure and I don’t like failing.
Right now I feel like a bad parent. I did not adequately prepare my boys for their Judo grading on Monday night. We went through their stuff together a couple of times over the weekend, but they still needed more work. A lot more work, I thought! Hence my absolute surprise at their confidence and calmness as they were called up to grade.
My immediate thought was that they just did not know what they did not know. Yet every time, I looked over to the grading, they looked assured and executed some lovely throws. Hopefully, the right throws!
Afterwards, both were very happy with how it had all gone. Nonchalant!
I have to grade on Friday and am a little concerned. Adding some pressure is the presence of a Boland official at the grading. I am going to have to be on top of my game. Luckily, Wednesday night saw us learning an 18 throw Kata for the first time. And it will be tested on Friday!
I have a lot of work to do before Friday, and sadly none of my children’s confidence or calmness!
Right now I feel like a bad parent. I did not adequately prepare my boys for their Judo grading on Monday night. We went through their stuff together a couple of times over the weekend, but they still needed more work. A lot more work, I thought! Hence my absolute surprise at their confidence and calmness as they were called up to grade.
My immediate thought was that they just did not know what they did not know. Yet every time, I looked over to the grading, they looked assured and executed some lovely throws. Hopefully, the right throws!
Afterwards, both were very happy with how it had all gone. Nonchalant!
I have to grade on Friday and am a little concerned. Adding some pressure is the presence of a Boland official at the grading. I am going to have to be on top of my game. Luckily, Wednesday night saw us learning an 18 throw Kata for the first time. And it will be tested on Friday!
I have a lot of work to do before Friday, and sadly none of my children’s confidence or calmness!
Monday, November 15, 2010
and time goes on...
Luke and I took the Beast down to the sea for a surf. The Beast decided to stay at the beach and watch the two of us frolic in the water. A good call! The waves were small but it was hard work to tow Luke out to backline after every wave that he caught. He still has not mastered the art of duck diving and hence the need for my muscle power. Unfortunately, my muscles were feeling somewhat depleted after a mere two and a half hours at the Judoka practising all of the throws required for my Brown belt grading in two weeks time.
Just last week, Matthew asked if he could go to surf lessons, and so we spent Thursday evening in sea together. It was a very short session, but then again the weather was abysmal. Perhaps one day, I will get to spend some really valuable time surfing with my two boys...
It was wonderful to be in the water again. To feel these tiny waves sliding under my feet. To watch Luke’s joy as he experienced the same sensations! Somewhere in all of the salt water, sea spray, and beautiful blue sky I finally made the decision to declutter my life. I have thought about it, blogged about, and talked about it, but now it is time to do something about it.
Just about every evening in my week is taken up by some or other activity. I hardly see my wife in the evenings anymore. That must change! I want to spend more time with my wife doing stuff, instead of us doing our own stuff at the same time. For that reason, Action Cricket, Action Soccer, and Forum are all activities that must cease immediately. Other activities like some of my charity and church stuff will need to be phased out. Especially the stuff that I attend but make no meaningful contribution. That is just a waste.
Hopefully I will just be left with the crèche as a charity project, judo and surfing as my sporting pursuits, and time for my wife and children.
And then perhaps I can try again to be the father and husband I really yearn to be!
Just last week, Matthew asked if he could go to surf lessons, and so we spent Thursday evening in sea together. It was a very short session, but then again the weather was abysmal. Perhaps one day, I will get to spend some really valuable time surfing with my two boys...
It was wonderful to be in the water again. To feel these tiny waves sliding under my feet. To watch Luke’s joy as he experienced the same sensations! Somewhere in all of the salt water, sea spray, and beautiful blue sky I finally made the decision to declutter my life. I have thought about it, blogged about, and talked about it, but now it is time to do something about it.
Just about every evening in my week is taken up by some or other activity. I hardly see my wife in the evenings anymore. That must change! I want to spend more time with my wife doing stuff, instead of us doing our own stuff at the same time. For that reason, Action Cricket, Action Soccer, and Forum are all activities that must cease immediately. Other activities like some of my charity and church stuff will need to be phased out. Especially the stuff that I attend but make no meaningful contribution. That is just a waste.
Hopefully I will just be left with the crèche as a charity project, judo and surfing as my sporting pursuits, and time for my wife and children.
And then perhaps I can try again to be the father and husband I really yearn to be!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Hiding out in a Convent
On Thursday I packed a suitcase and got on another plane. My destination was a little convent in Bez Valley in Johannesburg. The idea was to attend a workshop on Catholic media and communication, and somehow somebody had contrived to find me a space at this meeting at the last minute.
Apart from being Catholic, I am working on an incredibly interesting project that involves Catholic film. The workshop seemed to be just the thing to educate my completely uninformed brain on both my faith and the state of the Catholic media.
Add to that, the entire South African Catholic media assembled in the same place as me...
I have always known that my faith and understanding of the Catholic Church is a bit shallow. These four days clearly pointed out that I now know that I don’t know how much I don’t know. Regardless, my new found friends were dynamic, deep, and passionate. The sharing of mass first thing every morning was absolutely beautiful. The laughter was plentiful and the debates lively till the early hours of every morning.
More than anything, I had found a group of kindred spirits. People eager to change the world with the power of the written word, the music of broadcast radio, and the soulfulness of film!
I keep wondering if I have found that special place where I will be able to unleash the talents within me to actively serve my fellow man...
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday Board Meetings
The last two Mondays have started off with a surf. A wonderful return to an old and good habit of mine. How on earth can one not look forward to the new week when it starts off doing something you love?
This past Monday was also the "Beast's" first surf outing. It was surprisingly fun, just a good mate and I, on a surf mission, accompanied by the low growl of a powerful V8. She is not yet complete and I hope to have all of the last niggles ironed out in the next week or two. My children absolutely adore her and are only to keen for her to take them anywhere! Even my 11 month old daughter gets a big goofy grin whenever I start her up!
Oh, and the surf was good too!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Big & Beautiful
We were walking in the nature reserve this weekend and stumbled upon this magnificant King Protea. I just had to share it with you all! Perhaps more preferable than the book just launched by Herschelle Gibbs, an 'expose all on tour' book? Of course the rest of the Proteas have denied all...
Thursday, October 28, 2010
and then there was nothing
I have not been blogging much since my climb.
Whilst walking, I would spend long passages of time planning my blog. Words would flow with careless abandon. Blogs would get written and rewritten in my mind. They would swirl and jostle for space, fighting for breath, for life of their own.
That was then. Now, life on the flat plain is fast, hectically fast. There is no time for contemplation, or even a moment for an outpouring of spirit. Instead, silence reigns where words once tumbled and played.
And so...
My body aches. Judo the definitive cause! This week has been ultra intense. Partly because two Korean Olympians have joined our club to assist with coaching and partly because my body is fighting back from a chest cold. Somehow I managed to resist being strangled to death, have my arms twisted off, and be body slammed through the floor. But only just! I know I am not dead, so surely I must be stronger for all of the abuse.
My sons think I am cool! Although not for my prowess on the matt but rather because I sweat so much! One must wonder...
My car, the beast, of which there are still no photographs, is running like a dream. I now am down to two short lists of things to be done. The terrible paint job is on neither of those lists as I have at last made peace with it. Regardless she charms people wherever I go. Yesterday a lady in her late seventies made my day when she stopped at a traffic light, got out of her car, came up to me and told me the beast was absolutely beautiful!
The Beast has developed a nasty habit of setting off car alarms with her deep rumble. My record has been three in a single parking garage. Oh she is fun!
I have some more car stories about other cars, but I will leave them for another day.
I have so enjoyed this time of writing. It is so sad that life is lived so fast. It really is so much fun when time stands still.
Whilst walking, I would spend long passages of time planning my blog. Words would flow with careless abandon. Blogs would get written and rewritten in my mind. They would swirl and jostle for space, fighting for breath, for life of their own.
That was then. Now, life on the flat plain is fast, hectically fast. There is no time for contemplation, or even a moment for an outpouring of spirit. Instead, silence reigns where words once tumbled and played.
And so...
My body aches. Judo the definitive cause! This week has been ultra intense. Partly because two Korean Olympians have joined our club to assist with coaching and partly because my body is fighting back from a chest cold. Somehow I managed to resist being strangled to death, have my arms twisted off, and be body slammed through the floor. But only just! I know I am not dead, so surely I must be stronger for all of the abuse.
My sons think I am cool! Although not for my prowess on the matt but rather because I sweat so much! One must wonder...
My car, the beast, of which there are still no photographs, is running like a dream. I now am down to two short lists of things to be done. The terrible paint job is on neither of those lists as I have at last made peace with it. Regardless she charms people wherever I go. Yesterday a lady in her late seventies made my day when she stopped at a traffic light, got out of her car, came up to me and told me the beast was absolutely beautiful!
The Beast has developed a nasty habit of setting off car alarms with her deep rumble. My record has been three in a single parking garage. Oh she is fun!
I have some more car stories about other cars, but I will leave them for another day.
I have so enjoyed this time of writing. It is so sad that life is lived so fast. It really is so much fun when time stands still.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
So Strange
It is strange to be back home. Good but very strange. Visiting the mountain was profound. Full of spiritual insights and deep thought about my life. I never expected to enjoy the endless monotony of super slow walking but it was the most incredible gift. Being back home means that I have stepped back onto the roller coaster.
I feel a little at sea. Not sure what I should be doing. Certainly missing my time of silence and introspection. But loving being home with my family. Appreciating how each of them is growing and changing in subtle ways.
I suppose there will always be tension between living life in this world and the deep peace that I crave. As impossible as it seems, I have a feeling that one can have both. Unfortunately I am nowhere near understanding how to make it possible. In time, I hope to grow in wisdom, and so live soulfully in this world!
I can say that after a week of intense admin and car related projects, I am ready to step back into my business and find a difference where they are required. This is a big step forward.
More than anything I am eager to find my passion in life. And then to make my passion my life!
I feel a little at sea. Not sure what I should be doing. Certainly missing my time of silence and introspection. But loving being home with my family. Appreciating how each of them is growing and changing in subtle ways.
I suppose there will always be tension between living life in this world and the deep peace that I crave. As impossible as it seems, I have a feeling that one can have both. Unfortunately I am nowhere near understanding how to make it possible. In time, I hope to grow in wisdom, and so live soulfully in this world!
I can say that after a week of intense admin and car related projects, I am ready to step back into my business and find a difference where they are required. This is a big step forward.
More than anything I am eager to find my passion in life. And then to make my passion my life!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
My Climb up Kili in Pics
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| Dave, my boet |
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| Me |
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| Sunset, day 1 |
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| Cannot beat this rain forest |
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| Sunset, day 2 |
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| Sunset - night 2 |
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| Night over Shira Camp2 |
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| Another Flower |
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| Dave the Man! |
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| Just Me! |
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| Shira Plateau |
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| Mt Meru through cairn |
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| Dave & I & the climb that awaits |
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| Mt Meru floating in the clouds |
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| View from our lunch tent |
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| Where we be going |
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| Why be normal? |
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| Just a jump to the right |
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| Them boots are made for walking! |
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| And another cloud rolls on in |
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| Dave on his way up? |
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| What a beautiful place |
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| On top of Africa |
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| Just the 4 of us! |
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| Sunrise on top |
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| Our assistant guide |
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| The Kilimanjaro impatient |
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| And another flower |
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| The beautiful forest |
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| The whole crew to get just 2 of us to the top! |
Monday, October 11, 2010
And it all ends
There is nothing quite so rewarding as coming home to an excited family. A special Kilimanjaro cake had even been baked to celebrate this great occasion!
I spent a lot of time thinking on this trip and here are some of the fruits of my labour. Firstly I wanted to share the three reasons why this trip was so wonderful:
1. Climbing this mountain was a challenge that I have entertained for years. To actually be out there surrounded by its incredible beauty was a special reward.
2. Spending time and connecting with my brother after years of little contact was equally special. We got to rebuild a really important relationship.
3. Kilimanjaro is climbed at a snail’s pace. For the first time in my life I have had the opportunity to enjoy every moment! Going so slowly meant that I had all of the time in the world to look around, drink in my surroundings, think deeply, and find a deep peace within!
And yes, I did learn some things out there:
1. I have to slow down! It is only when I do life slowly that it has any meaning at all!
2. The end is not as important as every step along the way. If I get every step right and make the most of it, it actually does not matter where I end up.
3. The timing of my goals is also not important. So long as I keep plodding on towards them, I will achieve them when the time is right. I certainly do not need to achieve everything right now!
4. Life needs to be lived in a state of happiness. I can choose to be happy and cheerful every step of the way.
5. Data coverage on Kilimanjaro is NOT very good, hence I was not able to post in real time!
That is probably enough about the mountain, although I will be back on its side at some time in the future! For now, it is now time for me to do life on my new terms!
Friday, October 8, 2010
And so it ends
Sleep is wonderful, when of course you get some! For the first time on this trip, I crashed. When I awoke, the grey light of dawn was stroking the tent. Our last night on the mountain was over. It was time to finish this adventure.
The camp is built on the edge of the rain forest and so the mornings walk plunged us into a fantasy world of old tress, tangled vines, and hanging lichen. Once again it was absolutely beautiful. David, with his bionic knee, had to take things slowly, which gave me the opportunity to take photographs like a man possessed. This nine kilometres of forest yielded over a 100 pictures, but truth be told I could have taken that many in any two meter square section of forest!
And then it was all over with a signature at the final hut. A remarkable experience and an even better bonding event between brothers!
The shower back in our hotel room was a revelation. Seven days worth of dirt and grime dripped to the floor in rivers of soap. My longest ever bristles were cut short in their prime. And clean clothes never felt so good. Especially considering I had worn one t shirt for the entire walk!
And then the only thing better than the shedding of dirt was of course a couple of cold beers, ‘Kilimanjaro Baridi Mbili Tafadhali’. Let alone the intense philosophical conversations that followed!
The camp is built on the edge of the rain forest and so the mornings walk plunged us into a fantasy world of old tress, tangled vines, and hanging lichen. Once again it was absolutely beautiful. David, with his bionic knee, had to take things slowly, which gave me the opportunity to take photographs like a man possessed. This nine kilometres of forest yielded over a 100 pictures, but truth be told I could have taken that many in any two meter square section of forest!
And then it was all over with a signature at the final hut. A remarkable experience and an even better bonding event between brothers!
The shower back in our hotel room was a revelation. Seven days worth of dirt and grime dripped to the floor in rivers of soap. My longest ever bristles were cut short in their prime. And clean clothes never felt so good. Especially considering I had worn one t shirt for the entire walk!
And then the only thing better than the shedding of dirt was of course a couple of cold beers, ‘Kilimanjaro Baridi Mbili Tafadhali’. Let alone the intense philosophical conversations that followed!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
On top of the world, ah Africa
Our pace up that hill had been fast, far from pole-pole. Even the guide was not himself and weaving on the path. It had taken less than 6 hours of walking to conquer the 1,300 meter climb and almost 5km in distance. Sounds poor when you consider I was walking 12km and climbing 1,000 meters up and down in just 2 hours at sea level. I cannot say it enough, altitude is the big leveler.
We took our photographs and then under the insistence of Aaron, headed for the exit, back down Stella Point. By now a number of other parties had started to appear on the top and the thin air aided some interesting conversations. We took a break at Stella Point for David to strap on his bionic knee brace. I lost about another 10 layers of clothing, finding innovative ways to attach them to the outside of my backpack, the inside having been long filled up! Some of my water was completely frozen. It must have been relatively cold up there for a moving liquid wrapped inside my warm clothing to freeze up!
Starting back down the mountain was a shock. I could not believe my eyes when I saw what I could not see in the night. The path up was a big patch of loose gravel up an incredibly steep slope. Lines of people were still struggling up this slope and we tried to give encouragement to all of them. Most of them looked exhausted! Perhaps we looked just the same to them.
What brought a tear to my eye was the number of older people at the top of the mountain. And by older, I mean 65 and upwards. This must have been tough for them and yet they had managed to do it. I was proud of my own achievement, but for them, this must have been very special. An almost confirmation of the fact that they still had lots to offer life. It was all very moving!
3 hours of work was what it took to get down the gravel slopes to our camp. The slope was relentless and we spent most of our time trying to sand ski, jump, and hop through the sliding gravel. For Dave the process was difficult, as he was trying to protect both knees and his back. But there was no stopping us, we were going home!
The clouds descended just moments before we got to our tent. We were happy to toss off our clothes and boots and climb into our sleeping bags for a good mid morning nap. We really tried hard to nap, but there was something about that site that would not let us sleep.
Our crew was happy to ‘wake’ us up and get on the move again. We were still left with a 7km hike straight down the mountain before the day was over. Certainly the hardest part of the walk so far. The slope was relentless and the end never seem to come. But it did and we were soon hunkered down for our last night on the mountain at Mweka camp.
And boy did we sleep!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
To the top
All of that excitement was no good for me. I managed to get a whole ten minutes sleep. More than enough to prepare me for the adventure to come, surely? Whilst lying in my sleeping bag waiting for my 'wake up' call, I calculated that I had slept no more than 11 hours over the last 5 days on the trail. Altitude certainly had not helped my sleeping patterns.
Eventually Abbas wakes us up. I am out of my sleeping bag like a shot. Dave is a little groggy as he only fell asleep only a couple of minutes previously. We are served tea and biscuits in our tent. It seems a little bizarre to be eating these strawberry flavoured biscuits in freezing conditions in a tent. Altitude is supposed to decrease one's appetitite but I had no such problems, and tucked in happily. Despite all of our preparations it still took us about 40 minutes to kit up and exit our tent. There we were, dressed for the snow, and waiting for our guide.
Our guide was still in his tent. Shouting to each other through the tent, we established that he was not keen to leave until midnight, in 20 minutes time. We stamped our feet, cajoled him to hurry up, and wasted time until he emerged. Lines of lights snaked up the first of the mountain slopes as parties set off up the mountain, one after another. I was feeling rather anxious and after all of our preparation, I wanted to get moving.
Eventually, we set off at midnight.
My wife had advised me to dress warmly with the sound thinking that I can take something off, but I cannot put anything on if I am too cold. After 50 meters of walking I was overheating. Perhaps, I had gone too far with my 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants, and 4 tops. I called a halt to our march and started to undress. Off came my beanie, a pair of gloves, and a top. The march resumed. I was still hot but unzipped my tops, and let the freezing air flow wherever it could to cool me down.
We marched and marched and marched. My world shrunk to the diameter of my head torch as I carefully followed Dave's slow footsteps as he slowly followed the guide. An assistant guide followed me in case one of us had to turn back at any point. Every now and then my mind would get the better of me and I would look up to see how far we still had to climb. I could not see very far but what I could see is that the hill just continued up. Then it was back to concetrating on following footsteps.
The moon soon rose over our shoulders, a beautiful orange quarter. It started to illuminate the profiles of the mountains around us. I could see a spur running to our right which reared up into the sky as it joined the top of the mountain. This was not good psychological news as it meant we still had some way to go. Our slow pace continued but not as slow as the pace of others as we soon overtook all of the parties that had departed some time before us. This was no race, but it gave me hope that we were making progress.
Aaron, our guide, called a break. This break in rhythm seemed like an imposition. We drank water which was already starting to freeze and I ate a frozen Crunchie. After a couple of minutes we set off again. It was just too cold, even for me, to sit around doing nothing.
Time was surreal as the path continued endlessly upwards. My mind narrowed to nothing but moving my feet. The surface we were climbing changed and my hope soared. Was this the start to the last climb to Stella Point? Aaron said no! I shut off my mind again and continued to walk. The ground was covered in sand and small stones. As I placed my foot, it would slip backwards as the surface shifted downhill. It was a little frustrating.
I could feel that I was tired. My lack of sleep catching up with me. I settled on a 3 word mantra and repeated each word with every step I took. This seemed to help, as the climb was endless. I kept wanting to close my eyes and have a quick nap. Completely nonsensical. I repeated my matra and plodded on. My brain was numbed and my world shrunk to the importance of just those 3 words.
I heard his words but did not understand at all. Aaron had said ‘Karibu Stella Point’. Where we there already? A few steps later and we were there. Way below us, lights in lines snaked up the mountain and we could see lines of lights on the other mountain spur. The sun was getting ready to rise and I was almost on top of the world. We did not linger and set off on the last part of the climb, a gentle walk to Uhuru peak, just 45 minutes away along the crater rim.
That walk was gentle but I was tired. The top was absolutely spectacular, views over banks of clouds, other mountains reaching up through the mist, a sunset about to break, and massive glaciers shining whitely below us. I struggled to take it all in. My mind was definitely moving in slow motion and I slowly realized that I should be photographing these great sights. Dave and Aaron, standing on the peak, were shouting at me to get a move on. I was not really perturbed and could not see the point in rushing.
Somehow we were the first there. The sun rose as we stood and watched. The moment was beautiful.
More beautiful was the fact that Dave, my brother, and I had done it together. And in the process we had rekindled our brotherhood. So special!
Eventually Abbas wakes us up. I am out of my sleeping bag like a shot. Dave is a little groggy as he only fell asleep only a couple of minutes previously. We are served tea and biscuits in our tent. It seems a little bizarre to be eating these strawberry flavoured biscuits in freezing conditions in a tent. Altitude is supposed to decrease one's appetitite but I had no such problems, and tucked in happily. Despite all of our preparations it still took us about 40 minutes to kit up and exit our tent. There we were, dressed for the snow, and waiting for our guide.
Our guide was still in his tent. Shouting to each other through the tent, we established that he was not keen to leave until midnight, in 20 minutes time. We stamped our feet, cajoled him to hurry up, and wasted time until he emerged. Lines of lights snaked up the first of the mountain slopes as parties set off up the mountain, one after another. I was feeling rather anxious and after all of our preparation, I wanted to get moving.
Eventually, we set off at midnight.
My wife had advised me to dress warmly with the sound thinking that I can take something off, but I cannot put anything on if I am too cold. After 50 meters of walking I was overheating. Perhaps, I had gone too far with my 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants, and 4 tops. I called a halt to our march and started to undress. Off came my beanie, a pair of gloves, and a top. The march resumed. I was still hot but unzipped my tops, and let the freezing air flow wherever it could to cool me down.
We marched and marched and marched. My world shrunk to the diameter of my head torch as I carefully followed Dave's slow footsteps as he slowly followed the guide. An assistant guide followed me in case one of us had to turn back at any point. Every now and then my mind would get the better of me and I would look up to see how far we still had to climb. I could not see very far but what I could see is that the hill just continued up. Then it was back to concetrating on following footsteps.
The moon soon rose over our shoulders, a beautiful orange quarter. It started to illuminate the profiles of the mountains around us. I could see a spur running to our right which reared up into the sky as it joined the top of the mountain. This was not good psychological news as it meant we still had some way to go. Our slow pace continued but not as slow as the pace of others as we soon overtook all of the parties that had departed some time before us. This was no race, but it gave me hope that we were making progress.
Aaron, our guide, called a break. This break in rhythm seemed like an imposition. We drank water which was already starting to freeze and I ate a frozen Crunchie. After a couple of minutes we set off again. It was just too cold, even for me, to sit around doing nothing.
Time was surreal as the path continued endlessly upwards. My mind narrowed to nothing but moving my feet. The surface we were climbing changed and my hope soared. Was this the start to the last climb to Stella Point? Aaron said no! I shut off my mind again and continued to walk. The ground was covered in sand and small stones. As I placed my foot, it would slip backwards as the surface shifted downhill. It was a little frustrating.
I could feel that I was tired. My lack of sleep catching up with me. I settled on a 3 word mantra and repeated each word with every step I took. This seemed to help, as the climb was endless. I kept wanting to close my eyes and have a quick nap. Completely nonsensical. I repeated my matra and plodded on. My brain was numbed and my world shrunk to the importance of just those 3 words.
I heard his words but did not understand at all. Aaron had said ‘Karibu Stella Point’. Where we there already? A few steps later and we were there. Way below us, lights in lines snaked up the mountain and we could see lines of lights on the other mountain spur. The sun was getting ready to rise and I was almost on top of the world. We did not linger and set off on the last part of the climb, a gentle walk to Uhuru peak, just 45 minutes away along the crater rim.
That walk was gentle but I was tired. The top was absolutely spectacular, views over banks of clouds, other mountains reaching up through the mist, a sunset about to break, and massive glaciers shining whitely below us. I struggled to take it all in. My mind was definitely moving in slow motion and I slowly realized that I should be photographing these great sights. Dave and Aaron, standing on the peak, were shouting at me to get a move on. I was not really perturbed and could not see the point in rushing.
Somehow we were the first there. The sun rose as we stood and watched. The moment was beautiful.
More beautiful was the fact that Dave, my brother, and I had done it together. And in the process we had rekindled our brotherhood. So special!
Barafu - Ice Camp
Day 5 dawned and we were only too eager to get out of camp and into the next camp. It was now time to do this thing and we felt as if we had been circling the main event for far too long. At no time so far had we felt out of our depth or physically unable. A good thing because we were now almost at summit day; acclimatised, in one piece, and with tons of energy in reserve. We certainly could not expect better for our summit attempt!
The days walk was a whole four kilometers uphill. It was a gentle walk and we were in our tent at Barafu by mid morning. Barafu means ice in Kiswahilli and we were soon shown why. The clouds descended on us minutes after we had arrived and pelted us with rain for the rest of the day. It was thoroughly miserable and cold. So it was inside the tent with very little on the agenda for the day for us. Probably just what was required prior to the climb ahead of us. David had slipped a couple of books into his bag and so we settled down to read.
Dinner was done by 17h00, a picnic in our tent, as the porters were using our mess tent for shelter.
Our bags were packed for the big summit, and all our clothes were ready. A last sleep is all that stands between us and our attempt.
Our wake up time is 23h00. I am so excited, I just cannot wait...
The days walk was a whole four kilometers uphill. It was a gentle walk and we were in our tent at Barafu by mid morning. Barafu means ice in Kiswahilli and we were soon shown why. The clouds descended on us minutes after we had arrived and pelted us with rain for the rest of the day. It was thoroughly miserable and cold. So it was inside the tent with very little on the agenda for the day for us. Probably just what was required prior to the climb ahead of us. David had slipped a couple of books into his bag and so we settled down to read.
Dinner was done by 17h00, a picnic in our tent, as the porters were using our mess tent for shelter.
Our bags were packed for the big summit, and all our clothes were ready. A last sleep is all that stands between us and our attempt.
Our wake up time is 23h00. I am so excited, I just cannot wait...
Monday, October 4, 2010
Baranco Camp
I sleep fitfully for for the first time last night. This is a big step forward for me. It rains twice while I lie listening to a sleeping camp. The sound of the raindrops on the tent is comforting but does nothing to lull me to sleep. In the morning I wonder if I imagined this, as there is absolutely no evidence of rain.Every now and then I hear a tremendous roar in the distance, the sounds of massive rock falls, but acually this is the sound of the glacier ice moving forward and cracking. The sound is ominous and challenging at the same time.
We arise to another magnificant morning. The Baranco wall is revealed in all of it's vertical splendour. As is our first view of Kili and some of her glacial ice fields.
Kilimanjaro is old and tall enough to dictate her own weather patterns. By mid morning, she has accumulated a good following of cloud. By mid day, she is completely dressed in them. We have spent our last two days in those clouds. It is fascinating to watch them ebb and flow over our campsites according to her whims. When you are in the cloud, life is cold. As soon as they retreat, the sun shines on warmly. It is just like living in Cape Town, many clothing changes required daily!
We scale the Baranco wall with ease. In fact, its vertical challenge is a great alternative to the trudgery of the last few days. The rest of our walk to the Karanga campsite is quick and uneventful.Somebody once descibed this campsite as a refugee camp on a hill. It is an apt description. We arrive before lunch and wonder why we don't just head onto the next camp, just four kilometers distant, instead of wasting the day away. Many people do just this but for us, this first afternoon of leisure is a special prize. Tomorrow will be a big day for us. It will involve the short four kilometer walk, a nap, then after arising at 23h00, a walk to the summit and a long walk down again.
In my afternoon of leisure I need to keep on fighting the urge to do something. And so I find a rock outside of camp, where I can sit all on my own. Once again I am in the clouds. Suddenly the clouds of mist shift and I see the secrets that were veiled. An incredible panarama of a valley and the trail into this camp down its steep sides. Then as soon as it appeared it was gone again. In the whiteness, I wondered if what I had seen was still there or if perhaps it would all be different when the mist shifted again.
Crows wheeled all around me, their wings sounding like power kites as they passed overhead. Movement on the ground suddenly caught my eye, a four striped mouse scuttled pastl; so named for the four stripes on its back. I watched in fascination as tens of mice then abondoned their hiding places all around me and scuttled along well worn mice size trails. I got to observe as they played and fought. A rare insight into the life of a shy rodent!
What it is to be still and be able to rejoice in the moment.This trip has been an incredible gift even if this is as far as I get to go!
We arise to another magnificant morning. The Baranco wall is revealed in all of it's vertical splendour. As is our first view of Kili and some of her glacial ice fields.
Kilimanjaro is old and tall enough to dictate her own weather patterns. By mid morning, she has accumulated a good following of cloud. By mid day, she is completely dressed in them. We have spent our last two days in those clouds. It is fascinating to watch them ebb and flow over our campsites according to her whims. When you are in the cloud, life is cold. As soon as they retreat, the sun shines on warmly. It is just like living in Cape Town, many clothing changes required daily!
We scale the Baranco wall with ease. In fact, its vertical challenge is a great alternative to the trudgery of the last few days. The rest of our walk to the Karanga campsite is quick and uneventful.Somebody once descibed this campsite as a refugee camp on a hill. It is an apt description. We arrive before lunch and wonder why we don't just head onto the next camp, just four kilometers distant, instead of wasting the day away. Many people do just this but for us, this first afternoon of leisure is a special prize. Tomorrow will be a big day for us. It will involve the short four kilometer walk, a nap, then after arising at 23h00, a walk to the summit and a long walk down again.
In my afternoon of leisure I need to keep on fighting the urge to do something. And so I find a rock outside of camp, where I can sit all on my own. Once again I am in the clouds. Suddenly the clouds of mist shift and I see the secrets that were veiled. An incredible panarama of a valley and the trail into this camp down its steep sides. Then as soon as it appeared it was gone again. In the whiteness, I wondered if what I had seen was still there or if perhaps it would all be different when the mist shifted again.
Crows wheeled all around me, their wings sounding like power kites as they passed overhead. Movement on the ground suddenly caught my eye, a four striped mouse scuttled pastl; so named for the four stripes on its back. I watched in fascination as tens of mice then abondoned their hiding places all around me and scuttled along well worn mice size trails. I got to observe as they played and fought. A rare insight into the life of a shy rodent!
What it is to be still and be able to rejoice in the moment.This trip has been an incredible gift even if this is as far as I get to go!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Moving right along
The night air is punctuated with snores, grunts, an occasional Kiswahilli conversation, and of all things a radio! My ears cannot believe themselves as snuggled deep in my sleeping bag, they are subjected to a night of foreign chatter. I toss and turn, too hot and too cold, tired but far from sleep, and so I don't. Eventually grey light filters into our tent and begs me to get going. I am certainly keen enough!
Breakfast is welcome, more so the call to action; dwende. Day 2 begins with an incredible section of rain forest, each corner giving rise to something more spectacular than the last. Surely some of these trees have seen more than a 1000 summers!
And then everything changes and I find myself transported to a slice of the Western Cape, complete with fynbos! It is an incredibly long uphill slog, no respite, just up. The clouds threaten to engulf us, their cool mists a thankful shield from the sun. We walk on and up, each of us lost in the silence of our thoughts. I find myself deep in prayer, every step a tribute to all I know.
After forever, the path starts to contour and then opens up onto the Shira Plain. Walking is easy now, and Shira Camp 1 is visible far in the distance. In time it draws nearer until I am seated and being served lunch in our mess tent. A very welcome break as we do not stop along the way due to our slow pace.
We set off practically moments after we down our lunch tools. A tough 3 hour slog awaits. More prayer and more solutions to the worlds problems. Shira Camp 2 is beyond expectations with a wonderful view of the mountain we must still face. The clouds pile up just below the camp, absolutely beautiful. The sun sets in spectatular style through the clouds, illuminating Kili in pink. I rush for my camera but fail dismally to capture this fantastic vision. Instead it is imprinted on my memory forever. In moments a cloud engulfs the camp and the temperature plummets. I manage to sneak in a phone call home and am overjoyed to talk to Donna and the boys. Isabella screamed in the background, man I love these guys! Cell phone reception has not been all it was supposed to be.
Tonight I have an action plan to ensure sleep. Heaven help anyone who dares leave their radio on all night!
Breakfast is welcome, more so the call to action; dwende. Day 2 begins with an incredible section of rain forest, each corner giving rise to something more spectacular than the last. Surely some of these trees have seen more than a 1000 summers!
And then everything changes and I find myself transported to a slice of the Western Cape, complete with fynbos! It is an incredibly long uphill slog, no respite, just up. The clouds threaten to engulf us, their cool mists a thankful shield from the sun. We walk on and up, each of us lost in the silence of our thoughts. I find myself deep in prayer, every step a tribute to all I know.
After forever, the path starts to contour and then opens up onto the Shira Plain. Walking is easy now, and Shira Camp 1 is visible far in the distance. In time it draws nearer until I am seated and being served lunch in our mess tent. A very welcome break as we do not stop along the way due to our slow pace.
We set off practically moments after we down our lunch tools. A tough 3 hour slog awaits. More prayer and more solutions to the worlds problems. Shira Camp 2 is beyond expectations with a wonderful view of the mountain we must still face. The clouds pile up just below the camp, absolutely beautiful. The sun sets in spectatular style through the clouds, illuminating Kili in pink. I rush for my camera but fail dismally to capture this fantastic vision. Instead it is imprinted on my memory forever. In moments a cloud engulfs the camp and the temperature plummets. I manage to sneak in a phone call home and am overjoyed to talk to Donna and the boys. Isabella screamed in the background, man I love these guys! Cell phone reception has not been all it was supposed to be.
Tonight I have an action plan to ensure sleep. Heaven help anyone who dares leave their radio on all night!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
And my soul took flight
We meet our team of support staff, all 8 of them! A guide, a cook, and a bunch of porters. We clambour into our 4x4 mini bus taxi and aim for the trailhead that marks the start of our chosen trail; Lemoshi. It is an interesting journey along a single track through thick forest. The off road abilities of the vehicle are an absolute necessity, and it is obvious that this trip in the rain would be impossible.
We lunch here at the start of our big adventure. Tomato sandwiches and fruit, absolutely delicious! Then with packs on our backs,we set off into the rain forest. The trail just heads straight up, we are climbing a mountain after all!
Our guide sets a pace that is incredibly slow, literally a super slow dawdle. The motto on the mountain is pole-pole, slow! The slower we go now, the better we will acclimatise. We hope!
The forest is incredible! Trees that are hundreds of years old squint down on us through their beards of lichen. Vines swing in branches and tiny flowers vie for attention with their bright colours. Pretty monkeys hop, chatter, and swing, disturbed by our unusual presence.
The slow pace does something to me. I begin to forget about the big goal, and start to glory in the incredible surrounds. The beauty, the sounds of life, the smell of mother nature. My soul is filled with peace and joy. I feel at home!
The walk is not hard at our pace and after countless photographs we arrive at Nti Mkubwa, big tree, our camp for the night. We are greeted with the sight of our tents and invited to a cup of Milo. Incredibly civilised! Dinner is served in the same tent and is surprisingly good. Both Dave and I are absolutely famished and we plough through the soup, the vegetables, the roast potatoes, the meat stew, and even the mango. I am a happy man!
The campsite is filled with the hum of voices as many other parties arrive and set up camp. The sun sets in a golden light show and in the remaining darkness we realise that there is not much left for us to do but go to bed. Tomorrow is a big day as we must walk 16km and climb another 1000m.
What a day! How amazing to be sleeping on the side of Kilimanjaro! How privillaged we are!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Planes & more planes
Arrived at airport early. Got a new bag. Repacked bag to ensure all climbing essentials go hand luggage. Walk to check in. Flight to Nairobi cancelled. Booked onto new flight 4 hours later. Wangle free meal for the fun of it. Mom comes to wave goodbye. Mom takes me home.
We chat. Mom drops me off at airport. it's the second time today! Head through passport control. Take advantage of free lunch. Flight to Nairobi delayed. Air Kenya not looking like their slogan; 'the pride of Africa'. Plane departs, eventually. Read half my book. Arrive Nairobi just before 21h00. Walk off plane and onto connection to Dar es Salaam. Congratulate self on how easy that was.
Plane develops flat tyre. All passengers deplane. I read some more. We board again, much later. Arrive Dar well after midnight. I charge to the front to be first to visa application. Realisation strikes, hand luggage still comfortable on plane. Swim upstream through exiting passengers. Collect bag. Head to back of queue. Process is speedy for a change. Helps to understand the way things work in Africa. I congratulate myself on being patient.
Wait endlessly for bag. No bag. Fill out lost bag forms for second time in 2 flights. Catch taxi to hotel. Check in amidst friendly welcome. Open carry on bag. No toiletries, again. No pants for morning business meeting either!
I congratulate myself on smiling! Tomorrow will be fun and I will enjoy it.
Perhaps my stuff will even arrive...
We chat. Mom drops me off at airport. it's the second time today! Head through passport control. Take advantage of free lunch. Flight to Nairobi delayed. Air Kenya not looking like their slogan; 'the pride of Africa'. Plane departs, eventually. Read half my book. Arrive Nairobi just before 21h00. Walk off plane and onto connection to Dar es Salaam. Congratulate self on how easy that was.
Plane develops flat tyre. All passengers deplane. I read some more. We board again, much later. Arrive Dar well after midnight. I charge to the front to be first to visa application. Realisation strikes, hand luggage still comfortable on plane. Swim upstream through exiting passengers. Collect bag. Head to back of queue. Process is speedy for a change. Helps to understand the way things work in Africa. I congratulate myself on being patient.
Wait endlessly for bag. No bag. Fill out lost bag forms for second time in 2 flights. Catch taxi to hotel. Check in amidst friendly welcome. Open carry on bag. No toiletries, again. No pants for morning business meeting either!
I congratulate myself on smiling! Tomorrow will be fun and I will enjoy it.
Perhaps my stuff will even arrive...
A humble stumble
Driving a car can get you killed, whether you plan for that to happen or not. Been driven can have the same consequences. Simple decisions that we make every day can make the difference between life and death.
I often wonder about the decisions that I make on a daily basis. Some are obviously more risky than others, like surfing in big surf, running down mountains, or playing beach soccer with some of my neighbours! The chances of being injured are rather high, but dying would be extraordinary.
Going off to climb Kili is one of those decisions I have made. And yes dying is a real possibility. Dying on this mountain is not because of the extreme weather conditions, although they may be uncomfortable. Instead it is the high altitude that is the sneaky killer.
Altitude sickness is completely preventable in all its forms. The remedy is to descend and to descend fast. The problem comes in the form of highly driven individuals focussed on a singular goal. Individuals who won't turn back just beacause of a few unpleasant symptoms. Ahem, guys like me!
There is a fine line at high altitude between toughing it out and listening to one's body. There is a lot of humility involved too. Do I have it in me to fail? To give it up in sight of the goal because it may be too risky?
We have just flown over Kilimanjaro. It lies thousands of feet below the plane, yet I feel it's prescence, a completely unknown. I am humbled by the thought that I may have some real decisions to make on the side of this rock pile. Big decisions! Funny how the remote possibility of death can do that to one!
Humility feels alien to me. I certainly have a long way to go if I want to live a humble life of service to others! Perhaps the decisions I make here will not only affect my climb but the way I plan to live the rest of my life.
I often wonder about the decisions that I make on a daily basis. Some are obviously more risky than others, like surfing in big surf, running down mountains, or playing beach soccer with some of my neighbours! The chances of being injured are rather high, but dying would be extraordinary.
Going off to climb Kili is one of those decisions I have made. And yes dying is a real possibility. Dying on this mountain is not because of the extreme weather conditions, although they may be uncomfortable. Instead it is the high altitude that is the sneaky killer.
Altitude sickness is completely preventable in all its forms. The remedy is to descend and to descend fast. The problem comes in the form of highly driven individuals focussed on a singular goal. Individuals who won't turn back just beacause of a few unpleasant symptoms. Ahem, guys like me!
There is a fine line at high altitude between toughing it out and listening to one's body. There is a lot of humility involved too. Do I have it in me to fail? To give it up in sight of the goal because it may be too risky?
We have just flown over Kilimanjaro. It lies thousands of feet below the plane, yet I feel it's prescence, a completely unknown. I am humbled by the thought that I may have some real decisions to make on the side of this rock pile. Big decisions! Funny how the remote possibility of death can do that to one!
Humility feels alien to me. I certainly have a long way to go if I want to live a humble life of service to others! Perhaps the decisions I make here will not only affect my climb but the way I plan to live the rest of my life.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Oh to have a brain
The family departed Cape Town on Thursday in a baggage laden conveyance somewhat reminescent of the Groot Trek. Travelling with baby generally means vast amounts of baggage, let alone the requirements of river rafting, mountain climbing, and business meetings!
We somehow found ourselves in Johannesburg with most of our sanity intact. Luggage, though, was a close call, with about a hundred bags making their way back into our grubby paws and one that did not. Luckily, this was the bag into which I had packed all of my essential climbing kit. The theory being to take this bag as hand luggage on my subsequent flights into Africa as baggage often dissappears into dark holes on these flights. Well I found one of those holes right here in sunny SA.
A couple of hours later and we were en route to Parys, a small country town about an hour and a half out of Johannesburg. My brother in law and his wife were shuttling us off to their 40th birthday bash. We had unceremonially dumped all 3 kids on grannies doorstep for some much needed love and attention. With horrow I discovered that I had left my phone with them. They would not be using it as I had managed to forget my pin and lock myself out of the thing. A situation only resolved by my neighbour rummaging through all of my documentation to find the PUK number and a visit to a Vodashop. But now I am getting ahead of myself.
By the morning of day 2, the venue looked incredible. Or at least this is what I was told as I am not the best judge of these things. The 100 chinese lanterns strung up on the roof were 'fully cool'! Lunch came at just the right time, lunchtime, which came just before our river rafting expidition. Donna and I teamed up against popular marriage advise and loved the 8.5km of paddling. OK, so loved is a strong word, but we had fun, and managed to avoid all arguments.
Dripping wet, we managed to fix our thirst problem repeaedly for some time. Sadly that all ended when peer pressure forced me back to my room for a shower and the use of my newly borrowed toiletries. 2 minutes later, I was somewhat clean but surprisingly thirsty, and made my way to the function to fix that problem properly. It was a great party and I helped prop up the bar and set the dance floor alight. Actually I did none of those things but managed to poorly copy some of those who did, for short periods of time!
All that brings us to now. I sit at the airport waiting for a plane as my flight was cancelled. I have new flight arrangements that may get me to my destination today. I may instead enjoy the complimentary service of some dive in Nairobi. Ah, the joy of travel in Africa!
Fortunately my missing bag turned up, although in a rather worse state of wear than when it departed. Presumably an eldery lady mistook her completely different bag for mine. Realising her key did not fit did not deter her in the slightest as she ripped off the zips with some pliers. Only when she had unpacked the entire case and not found her favourite polka dot negligee did she realise that she may have the wrong bag. Surprisingly all of my kit was there. Even more surprisingly, BA handed me a new second hand bag to replace my newly modified one.
I sincerely hope the universe is not trying to tell me something!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
As slow as possible
Today was supposed to be a frantic rush of last minute preparations interspersed with work deadlines. Instead all of the pieces of work fell into place yesterday, leaving today free.
What a gift!
I thought I might sneak off for a surf. The beast swallowed my surfing kit for the trip to the beach, only to return with it all in the same dry condition. The waves were appalling!
Instead I found myself at mass. That’s right, church on a Wednesday morning. It was beautiful, better than the surfing could ever have been. It struck me that throughout the world, all day, every day, hundreds of masses are being said. That there are people praying for others, all of the time! I found that comforting, and added my own prayers to the pot.
Now I have a whole day to do the things I need to do, at the slowest possible pace!
Which by the way is the secret to climbing Kili; doing it at the slowest possible pace. It is said that smokers and overweight people are most likely to summit. Smokers have an advantage because they are used to breathing less oxygen, and overweight people are used to going slower. Young fit people are least likely to summit because they go too fast and don’t acclimatise. Essentially the atmospheric pressure at the top of Kilimanjaro is only 20% of that at sea level. In other words, it is five times harder to get the same amount of oxygen into ones lungs.
Climbing this mountain is going to teach me a lot!
I am going to push technology to the limit and post directly to my blog from the mountainside. I hope you will follow my journey with a wry smile and lots of enthusiasm!
What a gift!
I thought I might sneak off for a surf. The beast swallowed my surfing kit for the trip to the beach, only to return with it all in the same dry condition. The waves were appalling!
Instead I found myself at mass. That’s right, church on a Wednesday morning. It was beautiful, better than the surfing could ever have been. It struck me that throughout the world, all day, every day, hundreds of masses are being said. That there are people praying for others, all of the time! I found that comforting, and added my own prayers to the pot.
Now I have a whole day to do the things I need to do, at the slowest possible pace!
Which by the way is the secret to climbing Kili; doing it at the slowest possible pace. It is said that smokers and overweight people are most likely to summit. Smokers have an advantage because they are used to breathing less oxygen, and overweight people are used to going slower. Young fit people are least likely to summit because they go too fast and don’t acclimatise. Essentially the atmospheric pressure at the top of Kilimanjaro is only 20% of that at sea level. In other words, it is five times harder to get the same amount of oxygen into ones lungs.
Climbing this mountain is going to teach me a lot!
I am going to push technology to the limit and post directly to my blog from the mountainside. I hope you will follow my journey with a wry smile and lots of enthusiasm!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
All by myself
It is Sunday evening and I am sitting in bed. The day has been filled with church, an awesome lunch with friends, work on the house, and a couple of hours of work for clients. Nothing too out of the ordinary but then again not very relaxing!
I exited church today filled with thoughts. Enough for days of blogs, if I could only remember them all...
I did realise that my climb up Kili has come at just the right time, as I am ready for some avid soul searching. It was not long ago that I gave up the corporate world to follow my passions. Ending up of course with my own business and tons of freedom. I am not sure that I have found my passion, and that is certainly worth contemplating on the side of a mountain!
Hopefully I will be blogging my way to the top, and you will be able to share in my pain in the comfort of your own chair. It will be very interesting to see if technology will play it's part.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Divide and conquer
The mountain did not get to see me again last week. By Thursday my body was groaning that nine hours of exercise was far too much. Instead a weekend of lassitude provided wonderful compensation to my stiffness.
I did however pick up a book about some or other special forces experience in the middle of the Middle eastern troubles. An experience where death and murder were more common than corn flakes for breakfast. The author was clear on his views that he has been trained to protect every American. Potentially at the cost of anyone else’s life.
It got me to thinking about the divisions we have created in the world. Divisions along the lines of religion, language, culture, and even geography. Why on earth am I more important than you as a result of the space in the world that I inhabit? How many wars have been fought in the world to defend national pride? How many lives lost uselessly for this meaningless pursuit?
If we truly believe that we are created in the image of God, then surely every man is our brother regardless of race, colour, or creed. And if that is the case, then how can we see borders, boundaries, and colours out there?
I thank God that I was never chosen to be a soldier. On the one hand I can see why we need special forces but on the other, their use is a complete and utter breakdown in the values that we pretend to hold dear and true.
It is rather sad that with all of the clever people on this planet, we have not been able to figure out a better way. And in all our wisdom we revert to our national anthems, our clearly demarcated borders, our barbed wire, and our attitudes that this is somebody else’s problem.
Sadly, I am just as much to blame...
I did however pick up a book about some or other special forces experience in the middle of the Middle eastern troubles. An experience where death and murder were more common than corn flakes for breakfast. The author was clear on his views that he has been trained to protect every American. Potentially at the cost of anyone else’s life.
It got me to thinking about the divisions we have created in the world. Divisions along the lines of religion, language, culture, and even geography. Why on earth am I more important than you as a result of the space in the world that I inhabit? How many wars have been fought in the world to defend national pride? How many lives lost uselessly for this meaningless pursuit?
If we truly believe that we are created in the image of God, then surely every man is our brother regardless of race, colour, or creed. And if that is the case, then how can we see borders, boundaries, and colours out there?
I thank God that I was never chosen to be a soldier. On the one hand I can see why we need special forces but on the other, their use is a complete and utter breakdown in the values that we pretend to hold dear and true.
It is rather sad that with all of the clever people on this planet, we have not been able to figure out a better way. And in all our wisdom we revert to our national anthems, our clearly demarcated borders, our barbed wire, and our attitudes that this is somebody else’s problem.
Sadly, I am just as much to blame...
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