A Garden Route Road Trip Story

by Steven Lang (Canada)

A leap into the unknown South Africa

Losing your job sucks. This is just what happened to me in December of 2019 on a cold, dark wintery day in Toronto. I did one of the things I do best in a crisis, I escaped. Call it what you will, the easy way out, cowardly, whatever, but I needed to leave for a while. February 1st 2020 eventually rolls around and I find myself in George, South Africa, over 13,000km from my hometown calamity. The Garden Route, something I had briefly heard about a few times in passing from my father, was right in front of me. I had arrived to be part of a journalism program. I had two fellow escapees with me, both escaping for their own reasons and one native South African, Rouxne, who would be infinitely helpful with her local knowledge. There’s something about going into an experience or place without an abundance of knowledge, just surrendering yourself to come what may. A sort of willingness to let go. A temporary escape from what was or is. Road trips are great for that; the escape. You’re forced to focus, pay attention to nature and rekindle that sense of wonder that we as adults get robbed of so easily. We began in Mossel Bay and headed east towards Knysna for a brief trip through the Garden Route. Like other towns along the Garden Route, there’s plenty to do in town, even if you’re only there for a few hours. The first thing we did was check out the viewpoint at the Knysna Heads Lookout Point. It’s a fantastic view overlooking the Knysna Lagoon with an array of deep blues and greens. As a photographer, I’m always on the lookout for unique landscape views and this one didn’t disappoint. Next, we headed to the Knysna Waterfront, a hotspot for tourists, locals and boaters. After a gin and tonic at Mario’s Cafe, situated right next to the water, we headed on a boat ride around the Knysna Heads on a two-floor ferry called the John Benn. Thanks to a David Attenborough sounding narrator, we were swept away into a time when ships would hit the low lying rocks and sink as a result. To a place under the water where a seahorse lives that is endemic only to that lagoon. To the rich buying homes overlooking lagoons that are often left empty and with a price tag to make the wealthiest person blush. What I remember most of the boat ride was a small glimpse of a human story. I saw a couple on their phones, not talking to each other. In fact, it seemed like the last thing they wanted to do was talk to each other. The woman got up and went to the front of the boat where I was, looked out for a full hour in the same position, seemingly lost in thought. It turned out to be one of the most unique photos I took during the entire trip. It would be remiss of me to not mention one of the more unique experiences I had on this road trip and that was the morning I spent with the Eden Empathy Initiative. Simply put, it’s an initiative to help traumatized children find healing through the compassion and empathy of animals such as horses, dogs and snakes. We learned a lot about the healing properties and therapeutic effects such animals can provide. Learning about their ‘ambassador’, Cody the Brave, a horse who suffered from burns from over 90% of his body during the 2017 Knysna fires, was truly inspirational. He ended up making a full recovery through his strength and the love of his humans and continues to provide empathy treatment for children. That ever important connection to nature, wonderment and curiosity I’ve been experiencing so far on my trip was alive and well in Knysna. I would soon realize that the The Garden Route is more than a name, it is an experience. It's the compassion of Eden Empathy, it's the beautiful views of Knysna and the courage of Cody the Brave. It's everything I needed for an escape.