Braai, Brannewein, and Coke. Lekker, Man!

A South African farmer’s favorite pastime over the weekend as we had plenty of them, one place or another.

According to Ruhan, we could braai every day.

Or have a pizza and coffee night in between. Café Pronto, Dankie!

The foundation of a Braai, BBQ, Grillen, Churrasco, etc is the same all around the world, let me tell you that.

It’s a comfortable get-together with friends and family with lots of laughter, just the way it should be.

A fire provides warmth on cold winter nights as well as the coals for the braai.

It still feels like yesterday when I arrived and baked the first ciabatta.

Farm-baked fresh bread.

But in fact, that was 8 weeks ago. That’s right, eight weeks!

Who would have known. Things were delayed and this or that needed to be done, and that’s just that. Time just went by.

The Adendorff Castle is a working farm and there is always something that needs to be done.

Besides, this is Africa on an +0 Hours global timescale.

The frustrating thingy here is the fact about how slow things get done if you want to get things done.

Going round and around in circles, in slow motion. Just like a cardboard game.

One needs to go there first to get a stamp from this office, but the stamper is sick and no one else knows how to stamp.

The stamper may be back tomorrow, but it’s not confirmed yet.

It’s best to come back tomorrow and see if the stamper is here.

Only then can you take your Monopoly Money to GO to Free-parking.

By the time you get to Free-parking, your stamp has already expired and you go straight to JAIL.

It’s a frustrating ‘the shite out of me’ kinda system. And I don’t even live here.

It amazes me how relaxed South Africans are about it. ‘There’s nothing else we can do about it, but being persistent’ Pieter said. It took him 10 whole years to relicense his dad’s gun to his name.

But he never gave up and that’s the attitude one needs here to win the game.

I didn’t give up on my daily routine of this and that either.

Just like anywhere else, my day was usually pre-programmed by the weather.

I spent some time with my various cameras, capturing Mariette’s delicate and delightful garden.

The colours of varied flowers shone best at the Golden Hour.

However, the shapes and patterns of the succulents are more dominant in the shade.

Several types of orchids were carefully hand-raised in different locations. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time in 20 years, that this orchid is in bloom.

Rick and Osmo were out and about in the field as well, often early morning or late afternoon.

There is still a lot to be learned about these two new gadgets.

I spent a bit of time with Ruhan and his cattle.

He is a proud farmer’s boy. Farmer seeks bride ZA.

Pieter is a lot like me, or I am like him. Either way, we both can’t sit still for long.

During the time I spend exploring with cameras or drones, on my bike, or on foot, Pieter is solving problems on his hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical machinery. It riddles him and puzzles me on how he finds the problems and works out the solution. And if that doesn’t work, he makes another plan. Piete, the Toolman Taylor. MacGyver did the same.

Of course we had a braai for my farewell with new and old friends I met over the past eight weeks. JC came along with his charming partner Nikita. And Hannes was solo for this weekend, but not for long.

Dina and Dirk came along as well and it actually was the first time that they had officially met and spent time together. Both pairs knew about each other and chatted a lot on the phone together, as I was the missing link between them.

Missing in action. Some people thought I might never bugger off. Ha ha, very not so funny. Well, I am not Russian after all.

And the ‘He’s Gone’ celebration next weekend is said to be blown out of proportion. There is still Brannewein and Coke left in the fridge.

But the time has come for the two of us Cruisers to get on our hoofs and migrate north.

1000’s off zebras and wild beasts have started their migration already.

They can follow the rain, we will follow the sun.

It’s been fabulous staying with Pieter, Mariette, and Ruhan, there is no other way to say it.

The hyrax early morning coffee in the sun, before the day began, was a fantastic way, to start our day.

Ozzi and Jackels often waited at the gate to be opened. They wanted their breakfast. Fresh oranges and bananas were Jackels favorite, which I still find hard to believe.

As soon as I sat down with either fruit, he sat right in front of me, being inconspicuous.

Sharing is caring.

13-year-old Ozzi has almost lost all his eyesight. He gets around by smell and bumps into objects, which looks funny, as sad as it is. But he is happy.

So is everyone here on the farm.

When asking Pieter if he is happy that I am moving on, his reply was, that he is happy for me to start my journey.

Spoken like a true gentleman. So, Ja… same goes for me! I am happy too.