Happy belated new year! Can’t believe how fast this year
flew by, never had I ever thought I’d be where I am right now. If you had told
me last year that I’d be celebrating New Years in South Africa I would have
laughed. It was an interesting experience to celebrate both Christmas and New
Years in the heat, I must say it just doesn’t have the same feel to it. Next
year I want the cheesiest Christmas ever, with snow, markets, decorations,
carols and everything to make up for it. It’s been a pretty awesome year
though, mostly because of all the great people I’ve met on my travels. I’ve
also learned that you don’t have to physically be close to someone to be really
close to that person. So to all my friends: thank you for being there for me
and always listening to my rants.
I’ve spend most of 2017 travelling and I hope to be doing
that in 2018 as well. On that note, my next destination is *drumroll* Iceland!
That will certainly be different climate wise ;) I’ll be going there over March
and April to work at a stables, similar set-up as here: horsecare, training and
trail guiding. But with Icelandic horses! And to make it even better, Ilona
will be there as well! Remember her from my first South Africa adventure almost
three years ago? Can’t wait to travel and work with her again. I don’t really
do New Years resolutions but I do have a lot of plans for the coming years, and
they involve travelling and horses. It’s still very tentative but I will
definitely keep you posted!
We’ve been quite busy over the holidays. I’ve had a lot of
trailrides with some really nice guests and I had some company on my training
rides as well. It was nice to have some people to chat to and to help with the
horses as it can get tiring sometimes, no matter how much fun it is to ride out
here. For New Years we had a ‘recycling’ theme party where everyone had to
dress in plastic (let me tell you, that’s not the best thing to be wearing in
30 degree Celsius weather). And of course half the people there (including me)
ended up in the pool. Last week I went to Richards Bay with Trienke to do
shopping. Being in the mall made me realise how secluded we are here, it was so
strange to see ‘normal’ shops again, I felt like someone from a tiny remote
town in the middle of nowhere who goes to the big city for the first time.
I had a few days off this past weekend and Heleen had
invited me over again so I went back to the park. It was so nice to get away
from everything for a while and I love spending time with Heleen and her
family. It was very warm but we still saw loads of buffalo, rhino, giraffe,
zebra, antilope, warthog, birds, monkeys, baboons and the lions (having a nap
next to the road). We went to see the horses again and this time I worked with
the third horse that I didn’t have time for on the last visit, while Heleen
worked with Spirit. Storm was very grumpy and nippy but as I worked with him he
got a lot better. He’s a sensitive horse but he was good when I rode him (after
a few bucks) and Fi and I even took him and Spirit on a little ride into the
park. Both of them were very alert but they didn’t spook or try to run so I was
quite happy with that. Ow and we didn’t get eaten by a lion ;)
I’m trying
to distract myself by writing this so I don’t have to think about the fact that
I’m actually leaving South Africa. I already said goodbye to Hluhluwe last
week. It was so weird to leave the place that has felt like home for the past
months. Last time I left, I knew I was coming back. This time I don’t know
what’s going to happen. Thankfully I had another week in South Africa, in
Hoedspruit to be exact. After only two hours of sleep and not feeling too well
on the plane, I finally arrived and went to pick up my rental car. I was feeling
quite shitty so when the attendant told me he couldn’t give me the car because
of a problem with my card, I was ready to break down in tears. There was
nothing they could do for me so I was basically stranded at the airport.
Thankfully there was a really sweet American couple who offered to give me a
ride into town where I would meet Christine. She and I tried to come up with a
solution but we couldn’t think of anything that would work. Eventually I called
the lodge I was going to stay at and they have honestly been amazing. They have
gone above and beyond to arrange the car for me. I am so grateful that there
are people who care so much!
So yeej, I
had a car! Christine and I made good use of that little car by driving it up to
Mariepskop, we really didn’t think we would make it without 4-wheel drive but
the car was strong and made it all the way up. The view from up there is
breathtaking. We sat there for hours just chatting and laughing. Being so high
up and far from everything makes you feel like there is nobody else in the
world and nothing else matters, exactly what I needed ;) The next day we got up
at 4am to go to Kruger for the day. I think we saw over 30 elephants during our
drive, including lots of babies, but the best sighting that day (possibly ever)
was of three lionesses with their six cubs right next to the road. We sat there
watching them for over 30 minutes (no other cars!), the lionesses were very
relaxed and the cubs were running around, playing and nagging their moms. Such a
special sighting and an experience I will never forget! On the way back to
Hoedspruit we almost got stranded without petrol but thankfully we found a gas
station just in time, lucky again. 
I spend two
nights at Wait A Little, where they do horse safaris in a big five reserve. I
had been emailing with them about their work experience program but since I was
in the neighborhood I decided to ask if I could come by, and they said I was
more than welcome. Everyone there was so lovely. They have some great horses
and it's a beautiful area. They work hard but there is a nice atmoshpere and
they all hang out together whenever they have some time off, I felt right at
home and will definitely go back in the future. The highlight was bumping into
two Rhino on a horseride one morning, such a special experience! My last night
I stayed with Christine at Umlani Bushcamp in Timbavati, where she works. It
was a beautiful lodge, very nice people and Hyena that walk around the camp as
if they are pets ;)
It's weird to be away from the horses. In my
last week in Hluhluwe I rode Attila to the plantations one afternoon, and just
sat there for almost an hour watching the sun set behind the mountain. The view
there is amazing and it is so quiet and peaceful. Another day, I rode Bullet along the lake
in False Bay with Flamingos flying next to us. You just don’t get that kind of
experiences in the Netherlands. I taught a few more lessons. Ka’tia has made so
much progress over the ten lessons she’s had. Bundu made it hard on her during the
last lesson, trying to turn around, stopping, even bucking, but she handled him
perfectly and even though it was frustrating, she kept going. The whole Druce
family came out for a little trail ride with Evan riding Tshoks without any
help and even Emma was on a horse (Heleen and her were on Bundu together), so
special! On my last day, Heleen and Mariette took me out for lunch and that
night we went to Amorellos for the last time. It was a perfect day to end my
stay with. 
