One year ago, we moved to the place of our dreams. A farm off the beaten track in the African bush where time is measured by the position of the sun and the only reminder of civilisation is the odd jet stripe when a lonely aeroplane is crossing the big blue sky.
We feel grateful and humbled to be the keepers of land boasting a beauty and diversity far beyond our wildest imagination. It’s been a long and exciting journey. Both measured by the countless kilometres of dirt road (some more challenging than others) as well as the mental journey embracing the unknown.
Deprivation of basic commodities has been one of the most interesting experiences. In the modern lifestyle we often forget the bigger picture. Our needs can be satisfied with an effortless push of a button causing us to loose awareness of our interdependence to nature.
For us, embracing the basic life has been a transformative journey. Life in the bush has learned us to let go of expectations and re-connect with nature. A nature where the beauty and brutality becomes very present.
When we moved here there was just one cottage that gave us shelter, but no electricity, no running water apart from beautiful spring. And no internet or mobile coverage. These conditions dictated the rhythm of our days. Getting up with the sunrise, going to bed just after sunset. And being connected to each other and surroundings rather than World Wide Web 😉
We’ve slowly established our solar power farm, water system for refreshing showers & baths and irrigation for our gardens. We’ve learned so much. We learned to value things we took or granted before.
The joy to see water flow from a tap, a bulb light up or taking a warm shower all reaches a new level of satisfaction and gratitude when you know this is the fruit of the merge of your own ingenuity, the natural resources around provided by an environment which can both crush or nourish you.
Everyday, the aliveness and silence of the bush, the beauty of the night sky put us in awe. We feel our interdependence with nature every day.
We have not only built our very own miniature municipality services (who else will provide flowing water, electricity, waste management etc. when you live 40 min. away from the public road) but also built stunning chalets and tent platforms. Bliss & Stars wilderness retreat is getting closer to be finished. We are wiser, more mindful and resilient going through ebbs and flows of running a building project and meeting all sorts of challenges, baboons eating our watermelons, our cars breaking down, people letting us down, dogs chasing snakes, road disputes, mice chewing on cables, running out of the building materials in the middle of lockdown, and so on and on.
This is definitely most stressful situations we have tried in life (the corporate hassle stress pales compared to this), yet we’ve never felt less stressed.
We can’t wait to welcome you at Bliss & Stars Wilderness Retreat and embark together on exploration into inner and outer space.