Mokhotlong, Lesotho

Last month I found myself in the highlands of Lesotho doing a botanical survey with an incredible botanist who has written field guides for the region. I was in awe, not with her botanical skills (which are amazing) but with the gentle and caring way she inspired me to follow my dreams. She had a lifetime of stories that most would envy and although not always an easy journey, it was clear that she had followed her passions and in so doing has lived a fulfilled life.

This year I have found myself on a quest to find "happiness". It's been elusive of late and it's absence has made me question and often interrogate where I am going and what I want from this life. My journey so far has taught me this.

1. Money will never make you happy. You will simply never have enough. 
2. Close friends and family should be treasured and never be taken for granted.
3. Exercise. Exercise makes you happy.
4. Work to live don't live to work. Job satisfaction is important but your job should never come before your personal life.
5. Strive to step outside of your comfort zone regularly. It is important for personal growth and the sense of accomplishment gives you a feeling of wellbeing

It seems that what was supposed to be a post filled with images of Lesotho has turned into something else. So to get back to Lesotho, below are a few images from my latest trip.

Basutho woman and her hut.

Collecting kindling to make a fire.

Moving to summer pastures. Like most alpine communities, the Basutho move their stock to higher altitudes for grazing during the summer months.

Tete, Mozambique

"It's always hot in Tete". These were the words uttered to me back in March by a driver up north who was dropping me at Pemba airport. He was right! It was hot there in March when I did a wet season survey. It was even hotter last week with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees celsius by 7 am and reaching over 40 degrees by mid day. The region is sparsely populated (probably due to the heat) and is still teeming with wildlife (by Mozambique standards - most animals have been hunted and eaten). I desperately wanted to see wild elephant but only saw evidence of these silent creatures in the footprints and droppings they left behind.

This blog is slowly becoming a photo journal of my travels around Africa. On my way home I saw some gorgeous black and white photos taken in Mozambique and couldn't wait to get home and experiment with some photos from my trip. Below are the experimental results.

Fisherman in Mozambique, Tete Province

Crossing the Condezi River, Tete Province, Mozambique

Train Station, Mozambique

Wash day on the Revuboe River (a tributary of the mighty Zambezi River), Tete Province Mozambique. 

Washing clothes in the Condezi River. In the rainy season this river is full of crocodiles.

Mozambique Images

Women collecting wood, Mozambique

Mozambique…where the speed limit is a mere suggestion, the colours are vibrant and the infrastructure and services are generally non-existent. Where bucket showers are the norm, animals such as mice and lizards are the only source of protein for some and a primary school education is a luxury.

This year I have travelled to Mozambique on four separate occasions from Pemba and Balama in the north down to Nampula and Tete. I still have two more trips planned before the year is out. Every time I find myself traipsing through a forest or crossing a crocodile infested river far from any tourist strip, camera in hand, GPS tied to my backpack, weighed down by field guides, notebooks and plant samples I wonder how it is that I got so lucky to land what can only be described as my dream job. I get paid to travel in rural Africa and look at plants…3 of my favourite things rolled into one!

The sites I have seen are numerous. Below are a few choice photo’s from this years adventure’s.

Flap neck chameleon, Nampula Mozambique

A young boy soaking up the winter sun. Most of the old Portuguese buildings are in ruin. Mecuburi, Mozambique

Mice on a stick. These are caught and sold as a source of protein. Most people in this region only eat about 4kg of meat per year. Mecuburi village, Mozambique

This baobab tree had 3 beehives inside. There were wooden pegs inserted into the tree  and used as a ladder to raid the beehives for honey. Balama, Mozambique.

The inselbergs of Nampula, Mozambique

I loved the contrast of working on a laptop in rural Africa.

The colors and absolute delight on this child's face make it one of my favorite pictures even though the quality is poor. Wash day near Balama, Mozambique

The Scavenger Hunt: Nieu Bethesda

Last week my Irish friend and I were talking about photography. She was complaining that she doesn't take enough photo's. Our solution; set ourselves a photo scavenger hunt for the weekend. The list was open to interpretation. These are my results from my weekend away in Nieu Bethesda:

1. An Angel: This owl was perched on top of an archway, watching over the camel yard at the Owl House in Nieu Bethesda. I thought it's position in the garden gave it angelic qualities.

2. An abandoned object: Going nowhere slowly. An old VW Beetle that looked as though it had a lifetime of stories.

3. Someone Local: It was difficult to choose between Katrina, a local artist and Jakob, the town historian and storyteller. So I added both pictures.

4. A red object: Our quirky accommodation had us feeling as though we had jumped down the rabbit hole and woken up in Wonderland. 

5. A family member: Juno guarding the car.

6. Something Natural: An Karoo storm

7. Something man-made: This was a difficult choice as there were so many beautiful things to choose from. I eventually settled on this photo of the church.

8. Something inspirational: There is nothing more inspiring than a road trip through the karoo with good company and good music. 

The neighbours

I have suddenly found myself with two little visitors each evening when I get home from work. Two little girls who adore animals and beg to come on my daily evening walk around the farm with the dogs. A broken home with a mother who is about to be remarried to a man they dislike, makes for a sad tale. And so they "kuier" each evening, escaping their world to run with Juno, brush the knots from Oscar's fur and cuddle Sage.

Duvet Day and Biscotti

Yesterday I spent the day next to my fan. Today I am under the duvet enjoying the summer rain and mist outside as the dogs and cat vie for a space on my lap.

It's the perfect day to attempt my first batch of biscotti. Considering I had to improvise with some of the ingredients that I never had in the cupboard, I think they turned out pretty well. If you enjoy coconut, you will enjoy these.

Recipe
125 g Flour
115 g castor sugar
1tsp baking powder
1Tbsp Cocoa
50 g shredded coconut
50 g flaked almonds
1tsp ginger
2 eggs beaten

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Beat the eggs and add to the mixture. I used dough hooks to mix the dough but your hands are a good substitute if you don't have these.
Mix thoroughly.
Divide the dough into two portions, then roll each portion into a log about 4cm wide.
Place each log on a baking tray, leaving enough space between for expansion.
Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Reduce oven to 14o degrees.
Using a sharp knife, cut each log into thin slices. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, turning the biscotti halfway through cooking.
Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

2013 looks like a year for adventure. My new job, which I love, requires that I travel. A lot! This week I head to the Lesotho highlands for two weeks. March sees me making my way to Tete, Mozambique. I am not sure what April has in store for me but I am sure something exciting will come along. But, before I fill this blog with stories from 2013 I thought I would share a few photo's from 2012, a year full of change.