If I asked you what your happy place is, what would you say?
I believe we should all have our own happy place. It is a physical place where you like to go, a place that allows you to be at peace with yourself and just be YOU.
For some people this space is hard to find – I believe that we should all be able to identify where or what this place is and fight hard to hold onto it.
For me, my ‘happy place’ is the Kruger National Park.
I have many wonderful childhood memories spanning a lifetime from an early age until today. My mom’s family were very close and we all took the yearly trip to the Kruger every single year during the June/July school holidays. It became a family tradition and something I couldn’t wait for! There was something so magical about the Kruger for me, I loved the excitement of the ‘hunt’ wishing to see any one of my favourite animals. I couldn’t get enough of it and actually dreamed of becoming a Game Ranger when I got older. I absolutely loved the rawness of the Park and felt humbled to be in the animals’ domain. No animal sighting was a given and mostly it was about putting in the time, lots of patience and a little bit of luck!
I have so many wonderful memories of the whole family driving through the Park in convoy, spending quality time in the many beautiful camps. Many a night was spent sitting around a fire talking passionately about the days sightings and near misses!! I couldn’t wait to get out there the next day to see what awaited us! No day was the same and promised to no one. We would listen to what other people had seen and plot our next route in hopes of seeing the same.
The best part of the day was sleeping in the rustic ‘rondawels’ or thatched huts. Thankfully to this day they have not changed a bit and I actually think this is why the memories are so strong for me. I can remember the smell of the thatch, the smell of the small round soaps placed on the beds. Even now when I go, nothing has changed and when I close my eyes, I am transported back to my earlier memories of fun, laughter and close family time.
Recently over the past few years I have tried to visit the Park as often as possible, sharing it with my wife and kids. I want to try recreate the wonderful memories from my childhood. My passion for the Park is insane and I feel so connected and at peace when I am there – its like I lived here in a past life. I want my kids to see my love of the animals, the excitement I feel at every amazing sighting as if it was my first one.
I know the roads and various routes through the Kruger by heart and associate all my amazing sightings over the years by recognising the exact areas from memory as if they happened yesterday. Driving slowly along the many roads, allows me to return to return to a simpler time in my life as my mind, body and spirit fall in sync with each other.
Some days can be long and frustrating but it can all change so quickly! I have my favourite spots I like to visit, special picnic spots and my many favourite camps. All of which have provided me with very intimate memories. I long to recreate the days spent there as a child, learning to drive on my uncle’s lap. I felt somehow grownup there with a sense of responsibility to the animals around me.
I just can’t get enough of my ‘happy place’ and feel the excitement I felt as a child every time I go!
I am blessed to be able to go up to the Park this Saturday the 10th of December for 5 days. We will be visiting Skukuza Camp, Lower Sabie and Malelane satellite camp. My mind, body and souls needs to be rejuvenated and replenished again. I feel like a little kid again, counting down the days!!
Before I go I guess its easy to see why the Kruger is my ‘happy place’ but I want to encourage you to think carefully about your happy place and identify what makes it so special to you?
I can be anywhere but it must provide you with a deep connection to your inner self, reviving a lost spirit that needs to be fulfilled, a passion that needs to be relived and a deep yearning to have it all over again!
I want you to find this place within you but it must also be an extension of you – think about this and let me know where your happy place is?
Remember….don’t be AVERAGE!!
Later
Joe. Blogs
