The Journey Inward

After breakfast at the hotel the next morning, I walked the grounds in the drizzly rain and felt like I had been transported back to Reading, England circa 1990, when I attended university there on a study abroad program. I could have spent the better part of the day wandering the grounds and hiking, but we had a long drive ahead of us and there were a few markets we wanted to get to.

We had lingered over breakfast, enjoying the ambience of the fireplace, antique decor, and of course people watching, so we decided to hit just two markets. First up was a trip south to a market I had picked out from my research called Blue Spiral. It reminded me of Two Buttons in Frenchtown, New Jersey, the import/export business co-owned by Elizabeth Gilbert. My girls and I spent many hours there back in the day.

I found quite a few whimsical items at the store, which made me very happy in my year of whimsy. One of my favorite things about this trip was how many dogs and cats hung out at restaurants and shops. They were friendly and made my day every time I saw them!

From there, we traveled to a wind chime workshop called Culamoya Chimes. Walter had bought chimes there years ago from an elderly couple at their house/workshop off the beaten track. They had since passed and their daughter was running the workshop. Throughout their 30 years living there all together, they had bought more parcels of land and added on more rooms to their enchanting house. Walter and the daughter, a retired maths and science teacher, spoke about the chimes and the vibes and other cool stuff while I wandered the grounds and took pictures. I adored everything about this place. I would circle back and ask the woman questions and she was such a pleasure to speak with. She brought us inside the workshop and partly inside the house, as well. Her mother, a musician, had not allowed glass to be inserted into the windows, and monkeys came and played amongst the chimes, but after she passed, the glass was installed!

Walter said if he got the cabin, he would be back to make some purchases and have his chimes refurbished. He knew all the places he was going to hang them!

It was a drizzly day with a chill in the air, but that stop was pure magic thanks to our host.

From there, we stopped at a market for Walter to get lunch and for me to buy savory pies to bring back to Sue, since she had recommended this excursion to me.

It was a 6 hour drive back to Pretoria, and we hit some pretty bad weather along the way, especially through the Free State, but we saw such beautiful countryside, gorgeous hills, the Drakensberg mountains in the background, and gorgeous white and pink cosmos blooming in the fields.

About 15 minutes before Walter dropped me off, he got the call that his offer was accepted! He was absolutely beaming! He’s lived in Johannesburg a long time, so this move to the coast will be a big one for him, but he will literally be living where people only vacation. I am so excited for this new chapter in his life.

The week was an extraordinary one and left me filled with gratitude. I am grateful Sue recommended it. I am grateful to my several friends who are from Durban and who gave me inside scoop. I’m grateful to friends who sent links and suggestions because they had traveled there. I’m grateful that my plans changed and that coincided with Walter going to see his new house in an area he knows so well. I would not have driven down the coast or seen nearly as much on my own, so I am grateful for Walter’s tour guiding and historical knowledge, as well as his general patience and enthusiasm for all things me (hiking, walking, picture taking, snacks, candy, chocolate, tea). Walter remarked over breakfast the last day that I’m contagious, and though I was a bit under the weather early in the week, I hope that’s not what he meant!