South Africa is quite big. Most maps really don't put into perspective just how big the area is. That goes for the whole continent of Africa. As we drove toward out destination on the West Coast of South Africa, we drove past endless farms. It felt like the middle of nowhere really, as everything was so far spread from any towns or cities. (I link a Google Maps screenshot to illustrate where our adventure took us, and how many farms there are.)
As we drove on one of these roads, we stumbled upon Die Skooltjie Padstal, which can be translated to The Small School Farm Stall. I am not sure what the significance of this name is, but I am sure there is a rich history behind it. Not to get too sidetracked, but a lot of local history in South Africa is currently being lost due to so many factors. And I think this is one of them. But I digress.
So, come along with me on this virtual journey as I take you to this random farm stall we found in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere, where rich South African history is still preserved in time.
What Seemed Like the Middle of Nowhere
We drove for miles on end. It felt like the middle of nowhere, with no civilisation around us, and with our car being the only one on the road. It gave us many opportunities to get out of the car, and take some wonderful photographs (like the first photograph in this post). The screenshot below (from Google Maps) just shows how massive and vast these farms are, and exactly where we were. It really felt like a backroom.
Stopping for Snacks (and Ice Cream)
As we climbed out of the car, the eerie silence was tangible, material, almost like we could touch it.
Even the wind blowing through the leaves of the tree sounded different. Farm life and life far removed from the polluted air and the constant hum of life just hits a different note, a different register.
The wind blew through my fiance's hair, and we knew from that moment that a quiet life is one for us. The constant running around after deadlines gets to one's soul, and it is not the way we were supposed to live.
Either way, we entered the little farm stall shop, and we were treated with many delights, some so classically South African that we felt a strange yet warm nostalgia.
We grew up with a lot of the things they sold, and these small shops are the only ones that keep these traditions alive.
The lighting was a bit sharp and not perfect inside of the shop. But the older style bicycle looked so beautiful within the shop. I tried to capture its essence alongside the many sweets and treats that they offered.
The children we are in our minds, my fiance and I both had to have some ice cream. I think you will never be old enough that an ice cold ice cream on a hot day will not be good.
Setting of for the Mountains and Wild Flowers
As we were about to set off, the surrounding area captured our attentions. It was beautiful, even though a lot of it are being used for agricultural things. It is sad that a lot of the wildlife and nature is destroyed for farming, but that is a discussion for another day.
Despite this, there are still beautiful mountains and wild flowers that cover vast amount of territory.
As we drove, still close to the little shop, we saw so much beauty.
The mountains seemed to want to hug you, or it felt like I wanted to hike in them. The wild flowers on the foot of these mountains were beyond spectacular.
We just soaked up everything that nature provided us. We focused on the positive, and we thought about how sad it would be to not appreciate this.
The wild flowers next to the road felt like small pieces of cloth covering the ground. In Afrikaans we say "lappies" for small pieces of cloth and we generally say that the flowers look like various patches of small cloth covering the earth. I think that this expression really sums it up!
Postscriptum, or The Journey is Full of Wild Flowers
The journey came to an end, but like everything in life, that end is important so that we could enjoy the fleeting brevity of the moment and wild flowers. I think the reason why we appreciate wild flowers so much is exactly for the very reason of its shortness.
I hope that you enjoyed this virtual journey with me to a beautiful South African experience in what we felt was complete nowhere!
For now, happy travelling, and keep well.
All of the musings and writings in this post are my own, albeit inspired by the delicious ice cream and the sense of adventure running through our blood at that moment. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300, or the screenshot I made from Google Maps.