Email for Chrisel to do her cooking demonstration

Special friends

It's such a gift to have a little group of people in my life with who I can relax into myself, who accept me as I am.  People who provide me with the space and freedom to be me.  It's so special to be able to offer that same beautiful, calm, loving space to Chrisel tomorrow.

Chrisel has been such an inspiration to me. Despite some immense challenges in her life, she embraces life with love and courage and a sense of excitement.  She feels such a strong longing to do something worthwhile with her life, something that taps into what she loves, something that will fulfil herself and inspire others.

That was the catalyst last year to giving up her job as a pharmacist and having a year in South Africa  to explore what that might be.  She did a wildlife guiding course and a yoga teaching course.

She also immersed herself in experimenting with cooking and healthy alternative recipes.  It is in this field that she now feels her strongest calling may lie and she plans to do a nutrition course. In the meantime, she's discovered a cooking tool that makes it really easy to create healthy meals and has become really passionate about, in beautiful Chrisel style, and is experimenting with the idea of using this for now as a "door opener" to share her passion with others for healthy food.

This is all very new for her.  She's doing her first ever session with a small group today.  Tomorrow she'll do it with us.  Just to see how it feels and if this is something to maybe pursue.

She can sometimes feel a little nervous and self conscious in front of others with something new like this, so it's wonderful to be able to offer her with such a calm presence of beings to put her at ease and allow her to explore.  Thank you.

Graeme

Letter to Chrisel on her return to Sydney

Howdi intrepid traveller

Welcome back to Jbg.  I loved the photos you sent through.  The lion cubs were gorgeous and seeing Mount Kilimanjaro like that just made me want to climb it.  So majestic.  I can't wait to see the rest of your photos.

Can't believe your year is coming to an end.  Enjoy your remaining time with your wonderful family.  Sydney is waiting for you with open arms.  Hopefully it will have warmed up a bit by then. It's been the coldest its been in well over a decade!! So cold that Mack regularly refuses to go for walks. Pulls back against the lead and returns up the stairs with his nose in the air. I can't hold it against him though.  He makes a very handy hot water bottle!

Otherwise, everything is great this side. I went to my first photographic meet up today and LOVED it. I nearly didn't go as the outing was a simple walk across the Harbour Bridge and then along the Cahill Expressway, doing street photography, but so glad I did.  So inspiring to be with so many kindred spirits sharing the same passion.  And amazing how much beauty there is in the city when you pay attention, especially in the little details.  I really felt it.

Talking of photos, I've added all the photos from our South Africa trip to the blog now.  Lots of your masterpieces there too as you'll see.  I did it very gradually and it was lovely to go back through it all and relive so many amazing experiences.  To check it out, goto  http://graemex.blogspot.com/search/label/Chrisèl   When you get to the bottom of the page, click "older posts."

I saw such an inspiring 4 minute video the other day that instantly made me think of you.  It could so easily have been about you and your adventurous year in SA.  Check it out if you get a moment, you'll absolutely love it.  https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/120206922

I saw the movie Amy last night about Amy Winehouse. I don't think I've ever been so emotionally effected by a movie in my life. Such a brilliant documentary, a work of art in itself. I didn't really know much of her music before - what an extraordinary artist she was. If you don't watch it at the cinema, I can download it for you when its available.

Off to bed to rug up with my hot water bottle :)

Chow,
G

Baz bus

Memories ...

• Some impressive names.
• Filling in the comments book.
• Meeting other backpackers.
• Stopping at The Crags and wanting to stay.
• Listening to music.
• Reading my book - kept reading out in Steven Hawkins voice.

Utopia

Chrisel's family has a little bush retreat, just over an hour's drive out from Joburg, near the Magaliesberg Mountains.  It really did live up to its name and I loved my time here.

Highlights of the overnight stay included:

• Stopping off at The Hartbeespoort Dam on the way.
• Buying some delicious cheese from a local farm.
• Stopping at a huge African market and a distillery to get Chrisèl's family a thank you gift.
• Buying delicious berry jam at a quaint little farm stall on the way - maybe the best jam I've ever tasted.
• Feeling immediately relaxed as soon as we arrived. Such a gorgeous, tranquil setting right in the bush veld with the constant sound of birds calling.
• The view from the deck of the house, out onto a far away lake.
• Going for a walk along the river and stopping off to photograph white-fronted bee-eaters on the way back - one of my favourite birds.
• Making a delicious lamb potjie. We did one at The Amphitheatre, but this time I knew what I was doing and it was a considerably more relaxed experience!
• A stunning walk in the reserve next door along a dry river gorge, gazing in awe at some of the reddest and most ancient rocks I've ever seen. It certainly gives Australia's Red Centre a go for its money!

The houses in Utopia - built to meld into the landscape.

A big deck to admire the view out onto the bush.

A walk along the river.

The local white-fronted bee-eaters, the iconic symbol of Utopia.

Making a delicious lamb potjie.

Exploring a river gorge.  Aren't those rocks amazing!

Lots of wind and water sculptured rock formations.

A cute Vervet monkey along the way.

Spending time in Joburg with Chrisèl's family

Highlights:

• Getting to meet Chrisèl's wonderful family and being made to feel so very welcome.
• Getting to meet all the beloved family pets including Rosie, the pug, and the chooks.
• The lovely setting of the house on a huge piece of ground - who knew you could enjoy such space and tranquility in the heart of a huge city?
• A walk in the neighbourhood - and the dogs going absolutely crazy!
• A delicious braai with family friends, including the best potato bake I've ever tasted.  The ribs were also right up there.
• The best veggie pasta I ever tasted. And an awesome smoothie.
• Playing lazer tag (so much fun) and watching The Avengers 2 at the Montecasino.
• Watching Christafa play in a football match and sing a solo in a school musical. Very multi-talented!
• Seketa - a little ray of the purest sunshine.
• A drive through Joburg in the middle of load shedding with none of the traffic lights working. So glad Chrisèl was driving. What a consumate driving professional she is.
• Helping Kevin to build a greenhouse frame for the vegetable garden - a lot of fun.
• Shopping up a storm for our trip to Utopia.

Chrisèl's sister, nephew and niece.

More of the family household. That's Rosie in the bottom right, the most loved dog in all of Joburg !!

The lovely house, set on a huge ground with a river running through the bottom of it.

The frame of the greenhouse we made for the veggie garden.

Watching Christafa play football.

Hiking to the Tugela Falls in The Northern Drakensberg

And here we are now at the highlight of the whole Baz bus trip: a hike to The Tugela Falls in the Northern Drakensberg, the 2nd highest waterfall in the world at 3400 metres. This is possibly the best hike I've ever done. The scenery was so spectacular that I had to keep pinching myself. I'm so totally in love with The Drakensberg.  I can't wait to come back here.

Just look at the scale of that rock face.  You almost expect to see the faces of American presidents carved into them!

Lovely flowers along the way.

A steep climb up a narrow gully ...

... brought us out onto the ceiling of the world.

Beautiful and exhilarating.

The iciest leap into water I've ever done. In fact, it was so frightfully cold my heart nearly stopped. But then what do you expect at 3400 metres!

Climbing down the chain ladders on the way down was a nice little adrenaline rush!

There were plenty more awe inspiring views on the walk back.

Here I am with our awesome guide.

The Amphitheatre Backpackers has to one of the best backpackers I've ever stayed at.

Such a relaxing setting...

... with a lovely bar, chill out spaces and even a jacuzzi!  The restaurant served the most amazing food - three courses every night.

From the backpackers, there was a beautiful walk through the grasslands...

... with a gorgeous mountain backdrop.

The grassland flowers were absolutely spectacular.