The experience.

by Zandile Xaba (South Africa)

A leap into the unknown South Africa

My Journey Someone I know once said, "Traveling isn't just about the journey, it's about the experience." I used to think that was just a crazy and meaningless statement, until I got to step out of my comfort zone and take my own Journey into the unknown. You will never know the pure depth of any place by just sitting still at home and watching TV. As I stepped out of the car and my bare feet touched the ground of Mpumalanga, I couldn't help but feel like a new born. The sun was showing off and we were witnessing it's best moment. The cloud were white as the dinner tablecloth our moms put out when they wanted to impress the pastor. I was away from home but it didn't feel like it. I never expected the journey to end up being a self-reflection journey. This probably sounds like an exaggeration but Mpumalanga brought me closer to God. It opened my eyes to the love God has for us. The journey brought me peace and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. From the moment we exited Gauteng and entered Mpumalanga, I felt a sense of wonder. I was overwhelmed by the beauty our country had. From nature, to the warmth of the people. The mountains took my breath away, I had never seen something so wondrous and gorgeous. To fully appreciate the beauty, I had to put my phone and camera away and just stare, feel the breeze on my bare arms - even the air smells differently. The moment felt like I was coming back home. When I arrived at the B&B I couldn't sit still in my room, I knew I had more to explore - I needed to explore. The first place I went to was Sudwala caves. One word to describe that is gorgeous. Hearing about the history of the caves and what our ancestors used them for brought me closer to home than I ever thought anything would. I still think about those caves years later. You can't go to Mpumalanga without seeing Kruger National Park. That would be like depriving yourself of water - the basic need to survive. Kruger is a nature/game reserve and my initial thought was that I was going to just see animals and there wouldn't be anything special about it. Wow was I mistaken! The animals were in the territory, living by their own rules and baking free. I loved that they could go freely and do whatever they want without being contained or controlled because God brought us here to just live, including those wild animals at the Kruger. We took a breath from a drive at Skukuza, which is just so beautiful especially for those who enjoy taking pictures. It would be a great Instagram post too, with a beautiful caption, you're good to go. Let's talk about my third tourist attraction, God's window. That's actually what it's called and I didn't get it until I saw the place with my own eyes. It truly is God's window. You're standing at the top of the mountain, looking down at God's wonders, there are trees that go as far as the eyes could see, flowers, mountains - just pure nature showing off. It was beautiful. At that moment, I was thankful to God for the gift of life. I am yet to experience something like that in my life again. To be honest I didn't want to go back home. It was sad to leave, I wanted to cry, it felt like leaving one of your best friends behind. I never understood why people would love traveling so much until I went to Mpumalanga. Traveling is eye opening and it brings one closer to who they truly are. It isn't just about the journey but it's about the people you meet along the journey, the food you eat on the journey, the places you pass along the journey and the wonder you get to see - it's about the experience. Now that I've had a taste of that, I never want to let it go. It's beautiful beyond measure. Get to let go of ordinary life drama. Travel and set yourself free.