On the afternoon of Sunday, the last day of our time in the Garden Route, Emmett, Matthew’s brother, gathered his community together at Rocket. Together he, and Matthew, the sons, said a last cheers to David, their father, who had built a solid friendship circle with the people of George.
It was a happy celebration of a quiet, hard working, kind man who had made an impression on those he had come in contact with over the years he had visited. People were grateful to be able to remember him and talk about the things he did, the ways he had helped and the gentle humour and patience he always brought into the situation.
Closing the circle, honouring the man and saying goodbye.
It was a fitting way to close the circle. The community knew Emmett well, had enjoyed David’s visits from France, and had got to know Tristan, when he spent his lockdown in George. They knew Maureen, the mother, remarried to an American, but a regular visitor to that part of the world. But no-one knew Matthew. This was an opportunity to honour and celebrate the father and be introduced to the prodigal son.
A man of mystery
It’s a curiosity to have a particular perspective of a family group with one missing piece, possibly spoken about or possibly not, to suddenly make an appearance. There in flesh and bone is the one unknown, now made known. They wondered, will he be like David or like Maureen?
We all have someone in our lives or families that are a bit of a mystery to us. They are spoken about in hushed tones, or not at all. Shrouded in mystery and rumour their reputations precede them, until they reveal themselves and Oh, it’s all a little bit disappointing. The big bad monster is not at all.
Of course we have no idea what anybody thought about Matthew before or after the gathering. We witnessed good, solid citizens, concerned and caring, gathering to support each other through a loss. We trust they saw the older brother for who he is: a kind, gentle, hard working man. Very much like his Dad and his brother.
A fitting sunset after David’s memorial.
Cilla’s was a welcome respite at lunchtime with delectable food, drink, and delightful service to boot.
Time to go
Too soon it was time for us to head back home. We had encountered such wonderful people on the way down and while we were there in the heart of the Garden Route. Many of those we encountered asked if we, too, were considering moving that way. Although we love visiting this beautiful part of the world, it is not our home. It is not our place.
The gifts of connection and interesting people continued as we travelled back. A breakfast stop at Cilla’s in De Rust introduced us to delicious savoury pancakes and young people happy to help. It’s a tiny town, that if you blinked as you were driving through, you would miss it. We recommend keeping your eyes open because it has the most welcoming little places matched by warm, friendly people, young and not so young.
Our night time stop over at Moonlight Manor in Victoria West was a delightful surprise. We were welcomed at the renovated Victorian house by a bubbly young woman who pointed us to the local Ka'roux restaurant for supper. Here Chantal had the tastiest vegetarian pasta, while Matthew stuck to his pizza. Both were full of colour and flavour.
Just like Schalk, who owns and runs both establishments with his partner. We met him as he made our breakfast the following day. He pulled up a chair and spent time weaving colourful tales about the history of the house, and his journey to making his life in this little town.
“Are you thinking of moving here?” he asked as we ploughed through our plates of deliciousness.
“Oh no! We just love going on road trips and stopping off in interesting off the beaten track places.” replied Matthew through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
“Well, let me tell you about some places you must go and see,” he said and settled in to give us a travel directory to some wonderful stopovers for next time.
Moonlight Manor, so named for the kopje (hill) against which it is nestled.
Considered to be the most delicious pasta meal Chantal has eaten in a long time. A Mediterranean pasta dish that is full, rich, and juicy.
A light in the dark
Our last stop was overnight at Christiana, a bedraggled little dorp on the Vaal River. The roads have lost most of their tar and the stores that hug the leftover gravel seem to be holding on for dear life. They tip over like drunks recovering from that last pull of Klippies, while inside they are dusty, dark and depressed.
Amongst the dull and greyness of the town shone a light, in the form of Vaal de Vue, where we stayed for the night. The manager bent over backwards to accommodate our “unusual” dietary needs. She made us feel incredibly welcome and at home. The room was clean and the bed comfortable. We had a good night’s rest.
The following morning we were up early to start our last stretch of road to the “big smoke” of Joburg and home. The roads were good and not too busy. The trucks were plentiful but polite, pulling to the side as soon as they could. Honking their horns when we blinked our appreciation.
On our way through the beautiful Swartberg Mountains, we travelled along the Swartberg Pass, a renowned mountain pass built by Thomas Bain and considered one of his finest works.
Bright smiling faces
When we arrived home it was public holiday quiet. Workers Day where no work is done. Lovely. We slowly unpacked and then sat and had a cup of tea. To reflect on our experiences.
It’s the experiences we seek when we travel, both in our own country and abroad. The experiences and the wonderful people that touch our time. We made an effort to connect with other human beings wherever we went and it made our trip so much more meaningful. We got a sense of the town, the area and the history just by connecting and engaging with those that lived there.
We could have sped down the roads, barrelled through the towns, heads forward, eyes fixed on the destination. We chose not to. The journey was as important as reaching the destination. In fact it was all part of the bigger journey and makes it richer for that.
When we survey our trip it’s the people we remember. More so than the steepled churches, the dusty roads, or the musty museums. The faces, bright, smiling, engaging with us at each place we ventured into added a light to our experience. Before you leave, take some time to scroll through the portraits below and witness their illumination.
Until next time.
Yours in feeling,
Matthew & Chantal
Experience the ultimate journey in Emotional Mastery online! Our groundbreaking course, rated 4.94, will revolutionise your understanding and management of emotions.
Part four: Timeless, tender, and transformative
As we conclude our road trip, transitioning from the stormy, surprising, and serendipitous (see the previous issue of Enabling the How, Served with Surprises) to the timeless, tender, and transformative, we shift our focus to the captivating black and white portraits Matthew took throughout our adventure. These portraits capture the essence of the people we encountered, each telling a unique story of resilience, warmth, and humanity. We invite you to explore these intimate moments and celebrate the connections that transcend time and place, revealing the true heart of our travels.
Portrait one
Portrait two
Portrait three
Portrait four
Portrait five
Portrait six
Portrait seven
Portrait eight
Portrait nine
Portrait ten
Portrait eleven
Portrait twelve
Portrait thirteen
Portrait fourteen
Portrait fifteen
Portrait sixteen
Portrait seventeen
Portrait eighteen
Portrait nineteen
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