It seems that I took an unintentional blogging sabbatical, but alas, I'm back and reading to make 2013 my blog's best year yet. 

The irony here is that I've probably had more blogpost-worthy material in these past two months than I've ever had, but I guess my busyness has been inversely proportional to the spare time I've had in which to document all my adventures, finding, memories, thoughts and photographic memorabilia. 

From the time I wrote my last post until now, I spent my second Christmas in the USA and also my second Christmas away from home, family and festive season traditions. It was a divine Christmas nonetheless and I was spoiled rotten as I sat under the tree and unwrapped an iPad send overseas by my parents. Not to mention all the Australian delights that were brought here with my friends Emma and Rachel who flew over to spend Christmas with me. These included the Frankie Magazine journal that has been on my wishlist since before Channing Tatum had abs, and then of course the 50th Edition of Frankie Magazine complete with a hand stitched cover. Of course no Australian present would be complete without an abundance of tim-tams and a tub of Lucas Papaw ointment. Let's just say I felt like a kid on Christmas. 

Another of my adventures included a 2 week long road trip down the Californian coastline with my Aussie girlfriends. We hired a car, set our cruise control and with our Starbucks in hand and blaring chick-tunes, we drove down the 101, thriving on being young, single and having nothing but the open road ahead of us. We visited Santa Barbara, Malibu, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, San Clemente and San Diego. It was the road trip to top off all road trips, and I practically got writers cramp from checking so many items off my bucket list. 

The girls and I waved goodbye to 2012 whilst sipping red wine and watching the sun set into the Laguna Beach ocean, and welcomed in 2013 with a seafood dinner in the Newport harbor. I feel even more madly in love with OC, and I will tell my children's children of our great road trip and the adventures of the Sisterhood of the traveling Vans. 

In other news, I started the second semester of my second year and now I face decisions of what lies next for me. To be in California for third year or to return to South African shores is the prominent question on my mind. I must say, it does feel great to still be only twenty years old and know that whilst I have so much under my belt, the world hasn't stopped being my Oyster, but instead the adventures that lie ahead are sure to outnumber those that lie behind. 

I also found myself a handsome Australian bloke who I now call boyfriend, and he has ensured that my 2013 has gotten off to a sterling start. 

Despite being busier than I've ever been and having to put on my big girl pants and get serious about time management, this little blog of mine is so close to my heart, and although it has somewhat slipped to the bottom of my task pile, I want to ensure that this year really is my blog's finest hour. 

I have so many plans, ideas and creative imaginings regarding this little piece of cyberspace, so stay tuned for a great year here at Diary of a Daydreamer.

Love to all my faithful followers,

Jessica 

Let it Snow

Yesterday I became an enchanted little girl again as unanticipated snowflakes began to fall out of the Redding sky. Up here in Northern California snow is not uncommon on all the mountains, but it seldom snows in the city of Redding in which I live. As little white crystals began to float down from the heavens yesterday, I could not reign in my excitement and had to run outside and dance and twirl in the winter wonderland. The snow melted seconds after landing on earth, but it was magical nonetheless, and this southern-hemisphere born girl couldn't get enough of it. 
I've always dreamt of a white Christmas, and as a little girl, at Christmas time my mind would wander to faraway lands covered in white. Now that's proper Christmas. 
I'm still praying for a white Christmas this year, and after yesterday's little white gifts from heaven, it seems almost possible.

Ramblings

Cabin fever is no urban myth. My weekend can testify to that fact quite auspiciously. The cause: my diligent over-achiever tendencies met with three lengthly assignments and a stormy weather from hell's armpit. The result: Not seeing the light of day for prolonged periods of time and cabin fever in it's purest form.
Now that the weekend is over and I've annihilated those assignments, I am ready for an intravenous shot of fun and all things light-hearted and whimsical. This afternoon as I slammed that final book shut in victory, I had to reward myself with inhaling some fresh country air, so I slipped into my combat boots, put on my fingerless gloves and my room-mates military jacket (I've demanded she leave this to me in her will), and took a lonesome stroll to my local Trader Joe's store for no reason other than to have thai curry samples and a tot of gingerbread coffee. There is such thing as a free lunch, apparently. 

It has come to my attention however that all work and no play makes Jess a dull girl and so this week, so help me God, I will have fun, whether it be in the form of a Settler's of Catan showdown, an O.C marathon, or a latte sipped across from a witty friend. 

Care To Support My Dream?

Lovely followers and blog readers,
Some of you know as per my previous 'Keep Calm and go to England' post, I am going to England next April. This is a real dream come true for me as I can hardly remember a time in my life when I didn't year to be under the grey U.K skies. 
I am not taking a vacation or a leisurely trip, but am going with a fiery missions team from my ministry school Bethel. Every year the school takes a team across the oceans to hugely impact the nation through the love and joy of Jesus. The testimonies from last year's trip were absolutely phenomenal and apart from ministering in churches and loving on people on the streets, the team was able to actually work with the police force and were able to minister within a brothel to some of the girls 'working' there. Overall, the team saw the craziest of miracles, people being completely healed by the power of God and many people come to know for themselves the love and saving grace of their loving God. This was a profound time for the nation, it's people and the team of radical students who have dedicated their lives to spreading love across the planet.
This year, I get to form a part of that team and get to live out my dream of seeing this beautiful nation fall in love with Jesus. I am a person who's life stands for something, and my dreams, visions and aspirations largely center around changing this world through love and the power of God which has been so undeniably evident in my own life and has shaped my personal testimony. I will give my last penny and my final breath to seeing this dream take shape in my lifetime. But, I cannot do it alone, and this is where I ask you to support my dream should you feel your heart stirred to do so. As a student I am needing financial backing in order to be able to get on that UK-bound plane with the rest of my team in April. There are a number of payment deadlines that I am needing to meet, starting December 7th and continuing until the end of March. The entire cost of the trip is $2200, and I have no doubt in my mind that as friends, family and believers in my dreams gather around me, I will see all the necessary components come together in the name of my dream being fulfilled.
So, should you wish to play a part, you can click on this link and donate towards my England trip. (all donations are tax deductible. Yay.)  https://missiontrips.ibethel.org/transactions/new/1379

Thank you in advance beautiful readers and I shall keep you posted in the weeks and months leading up to this exciting adventure.
xxx

Soul Food

It seems as if someone in heaven just quickly flicked the heat off and the air-conditioner on, because man, it's awfully chilly up here in NorCal.

I am a beach girl that grew up with salty hair and sandy feet, and life in the tropics was always a fine one. Where I come from, all the seasons blend into one and the only two temperatures we have are hot and not-so-hot. Every now and then when the temp dips slightly below 20 degrees Celsius, everyone dusts off their eskimo gear and acts as though they're about to die of frostbite. It's actually a hilarious sight to behold. 

Life over here in the northern parts of California is vastly different, here, not only does each season come with it's own unique weather patterns, but the entire landscape responds to the season by coloring itself accordingly. Then of course food, fashion and lifestyle follows suit. It's so fun and exciting, especially for a tropical kid.

Yesterday some friends of mine and I went skateboarding along the Sacramento river trail and it was gorgeous. The cold air bit our skin as we rode through it, and although it was a sunshiny day, the sun didn't do a whole lot to ward off the chill. We skated along the trail that was decorated with every shade of autumn, and as the river peacefully flowed next to us, I felt as though I was getting an intravenous shot of soul food with every inhalation. Nature does a whole lot to my spirit that four-walled confines never could. Usually my form of the great outdoors consists of golden sandy miles, waves and palms, but I've exchanged that for snow-capped mountains, rivers and forests of pine, and am learning to enjoy the beauty in each without making comparison to the other. Gosh, creation is simply inspiring. 

{A photo I took whilst hiking in the forest near the Whiskeytown mountains} 

Personality Flavors. What's Yours?

Human beings are a strange breed of animal and they fascinate me to no end. I analyze people like it's my day job and just when I think I've come across the weirdest and most wonderful, I'll meet someone that better deserves the title. Humans are also the most intricately woven, complex creations and they astound me in the way they love, communicate, serve, inspire, create, pioneer, lead and envision. Ever found yourself sitting on the outskirts of a crowd, engaging in some casual 'people-watching' {yes, that is a verb}, and wishing you could just peer through a person, past their clothing or facade and look straight into their being? Ever wonder what's really inside a person? Ever wonder how they function, or what inspires them to their core or how they think and process the world around them? Call me deep, but this is where my mind wanders off to in it's spare time. 

The inspiration for this blog post actually comes from a lecture we had in class yesterday entitled "How do you affect your environment?" We have been delving into the mechanics of leadership as a school, and inevitably we ended up on the topic of personality styles; learning yours, understanding others and adapting in order to positively affect your environment. I eat practical personal growth tools for breakfast and absolutely love this branch of psychology; simply fascinating. 
If you've never taken a personality test, they are about as numerous as the spots on a Dalmatian's back, and most of them have great insight into unpacking the wonder that is YOU. However, my personal favorites are the DISC test and the Myers-Briggs, and it was the DISC that we unpacked this week in class. I've never loved the categorical confines that certain personality tests hammer us into, perhaps that's why I am biased to the above mentioned two as I've found them to do the opposite, liberate not constrain. 
This week we had a lot of fun recognizing ourselves in the various categories, whilst finding it scary how predictable the given human being is and the ease with which our personality traits can be identified. I have learnt so much about myself through these tests, and I believe that one of the keys to success in life is understanding yourself, growing in the understanding and appreciation of others, especially those who seem to see the world through a different looking glass, and then learning to adapt well to your environment. 

The DISC Test as mentioned above stands for Dominant, Influential, Steadfast and Contentious. These are headliner words for 4 different personality flavors. Most people have all four of these to some degree but you can generally identify a person as operating most strongly in one of these quadrants. 
On the Myers-Briggs test, I am an INFJ and on the DISC I am a C/D personality with C being my strongest quality and D following close behind. The Contentious one is a task-oriented individual that is highly information bound, analytical, organized and has a high value for justice and doing the "right thing." A "C" is obsessed with details and has an innate eye for these, they value time immensely and where they spend it is of vital importance to them. They are generally internal processors, that take in the world around them, process it in the laboratory that exists within them and then once conclusions have been formulated will speak and communicate. A "C" is motivated by truth and needs security at all times. They generally do not like change as they have well established routines that they constantly improve for maximal productivity and effectiveness. A "C" generally views life from the perspective of the past and draws their conclusions in life based on previous experiences. They are learners, thinkers and if you are in an argument with a C, expect to be wrong, they seldom share something without first knowing it to be true. 
Then we have the other half of my personality type which is D for Dominant. These are natural born leaders, the ones who make the history books as pioneers and risk-takers. A "D" needs to win at all costs, they don't play for fun, they play to win, and as highly competitive individuals will often race against themselves in order to push the boundaries of where they have been before. They are driven by the thirst for significance and are constantly asking the question "what is the purpose, and what is the point." These are task-oriented visionaries who live for tomorrow, and their motto in life is "get it done." A "D" may be akin to a whirlwind, as everything they do, they do fast. "Ready, fire, aim." D's view people as a resource that can be used to fulfill one of their many visions and have been known to step over people in the name of winning or getting something done. They are list people, and are driven by the sense of accomplishment that they get from completing tasks. 
Combine these two fascinating categories of human personality and you have me. I will not go into the I or the S, although they are my favorite types of people in this world, and actually, all of my best friends fall into these I/S categories making them the exact opposite of who I am. Opposites do compliment. 

If you would like to take the free DISC and Myers-Briggs test online, just click on the links here and here. What is your personality type? I'd love to hear. 

List Love

Tomorrow my room mates and I are welcoming in the fall season by throwing a "Pumpkins, Pies & Spicy Chais" party at our house. I've made it my mission this year to really clothe myself in the holiday spirit and celebrate all the USA festivities as a true 'Merican would. So, on that note, today we went shopping for fall-themed decorations and all the most delish seasonal foods. I'm going to be making caramel apples and pumpkin cupcakes with cream-cheese frosting. I can't wait to get my apron on tomorrow and fill the kitchen with the odors of fall. When our friends arrive we will be carving pumpkins and gorging on all things pumpkin flavored whilst sipping on hot cider. The good life.

Here is the rest of my fall bucket list:

Things I Know As A 20 Year Old

- Cereal tastes better at night
- Unforgiveness is masochistic in nature. By choosing not to forgive, you're only keeping yourself in prison.
- We are all products of our experiences
- I don't love talking on the phone
- We were made to need attention. The desire to be noticed doesn't shouldn't be swept under the rug of denial.
- It's perfectly okay to say no
- The more we learn, the more teachable we should become.
- Facebook is a black hole that devours time
- I was not made for big city life
- Few things excite me as much as handwritten surprises in the mail
- I'd very much love to fall in love
- It's of vital importance to live passionate and live inspired
- There are times when pajamas all day is not only acceptable but completely necessary
- There's hidden powers inside a smile
- When it comes to making someone's day, it's always about the little things 
- A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- The dreams you have, carry with them the ability to be fulfilled
- Time management is self-management
- Every problem is just an opportunity in disguise
- The future belongs to those who believe. In people, in themselves, in their dreams
- The right font can be a matter of life or death
- How fast I run is directly proportional to the greatness of my playlist
- The future is now
- Listen.
- Wisdom is no respecter of persons or age
- I love change as much as I love routine
- Believing is not seeing, it's what takes place right before seeing 
-  Chivalry goes such a long way in my world
- Sometimes, a Venti is exactly what you should order
- There are seasons in nature. There are seasons in life. Embrace them. Dress accordingly 
- Revisit your childhood at least once a week, even if it looks like singing the rap to 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' or finding hidden pictures in the clouds
- Midnight often brings with it all kinds of inspiration. Flow with it
- Rest is of equal importance to productivity and making deadlines
- Surround yourself with relationships that are two-way streets
- Make-up and beauty have nothing in common
- Differences are for celebration not criticism
- Children are great teachers; qualified by their purity and sincerity
- Excellence, good. Perfectionism, bad
- That friend that makes you belly-laugh. Hold onto them
- Control has no place in love
- A good writer is simply a good reader
- The key to knowledge is in asking great questions
- Everyone's life contains lessons from which I can learn

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

In keeping with my motto for this year of 'spending money on memories not material things,' some friends of mine and I hopped in the car for a some spontaneous San Francisco shenanigans last Saturday, and what a perfect YOLO day it was. Our mission was to see The Lumineers and The Head and the Heart play at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival at the Golden Gate Park, and by the end of the day, our mission was well accomplished. The park was crazy. We estimated maybe twenty thousand people in total between all five stages, and I was claustrophobic for a good portion of the time. It was a great vibe, and all kinds of weird and wonderful folk gathered to watch the bands play. I loved seeing the festival fashion (the good, the bad and the ugly) and the different styles that everyone was rocking whilst the autumn sun came out to play. 

We came armed with snacks and picnic blankets, sat on the outskirts of the madness and swayed arm-in-arm whilst we sang along to 'Rivers and Roads.' After the show, we watched the sun go down at the Golden Gate bridge, took all your stock-standard tourist photos, and then walked a portion of the bridge whilst night was starting creep in. The view from up there is unprecedented. 

To end off the night in proper tourist style, we went to the Fisherman's Wharf, had clam chowder bread bowls at the famous Boudin bakery before singing 90's rock songs all way home to Redding like you should do on long car trips. 

I'll only be young once. Making it count. 

Mamma Said There'd Be Days Like These

Ever had one of those days when you go to bed the night before with a to-list that is breeding to-do lists and a head cluttered with ambitious ideas, and then in the morning when your alarm clock plays it's god-forsaken tune, all your body seems to be saying is NO! No to the to-do list. No to all the over-ambitious activities you thought up the night before. No to leaving your bed. And a great big HECK NO to a morning gym session. Yes, you guessed it, today was that day. They come without warning, they really do. You know what I'm realizing? Sometimes it's okay to admit that all you want to do is light a fall candle, listen to Enya and avoid every bit of social interaction like the plague. Sometimes, but only sometimes, it's really okay to just darken the blinds, lie in bed, eat dark chocolate and pretend you didn't hear the phone ring. So, the next time you feel as though you don't have the brainpower to toast a crouton, just know that somewhere out there someone else is completely empathetic. It happens to the best of us. 

Pouts, Poses and Photobooth Fun

Being back in Redding means being back at the monthly 'Love Lounge' open mic night which is never complete without it's famous photo booth. This year, I am living with 3 girls Haley, Krista and Destiny,  and we've named ourselves 'The Bachelorettes' and our townhouse 'The Bachelorette Pad.' Highlight of the night at Love Lounge was attacking the photo booth with my gorgeous room mates, and the end product above will definitely be framed and hung in the Bachelorette Pad. 
Here are some more money shots from the evening. 

She's not a teenager no more

Last Sunday the 9th I departed from my teenage years and migrated north towards my twenties. This was my third consecutive birthday away from home and no matter how many times you do it, not being with family when you're celebrating your birth is never ideal. 

But praise be to the good lord above for blessing me so extensively with a group of friends here in California that loved me enough to make me feel like a million bucks on my birthday. I was spoiled like Comic Sans on a business card and got to eat my body weight in sugar whilst surrounded by a whole lot of good-looking friends. That's what dreams are made of.

But in all seriousness, I cannot explain how thankful I am for the years that lie behind me and all those that await me. This birthday, I was thankful for life and God's presence that has been so freely given to me. He didn't have to fashion me, number my days and fill them with all kinds of beautiful people, places and memories, but out of love, he birthed me into existence and it is his love that has held me all these years. So, as I step into the new adventures that this new decade presents, I know I am moving forward into new depths of maturity as an individual, whilst also learning what it means to stay childlike and never lose the youth that is mine in timeless place in which my spirit dwells. Childlikeness means joy, unashamed expression of individuality and remaining teachable no matter how much you've learnt in life.

So here's a toast to life, living it well and never losing the spring in my step that comes from knowing what a gift it is to be alive. 

Back.

My feet are finally on Californinan soil after a 36 hour journey that felt like it stretched on for weeks. If I never see another airport again it will be too soon. It feels strange to be back here. It's a foreign country yet so much is familiar. A sort of home away from home.
I'm missing my family and friends already, and after sleeping in my new and empty apartment alone last night, I was this close to wanting to go back to South Africa and just call it a day, even if it meant boarding another deathly long flight. I know this year is going to be even better and more adventure-filled than the last, but I guess I just need to have patience with myself as I make the mental transition. My body is here but my mind is still making it's way over. It's familiar here, yet still a foreign land and right now I just need some home comforts, so I will sit here with my rooibos tea and know that South Africa is always right here in my heart. 
I'm excited for the year ahead, and although I'll be in the same place with many of the same people as last year, I know it's going to be a vastly different experience. New surprises around every corner and bucket-loads of fun, no doubt. 
Right now I'm just trying to get this new apartment furnished and kitted out so it can stop echoing. Bare walls and empty spaces aren't so inviting at the moment, but I have many ideas and this place is a great canvas to for a creative mind to work with, so I'm excited to see what we'll make of the cute 2-bedroomed space. 
8pm and my eyelids weigh a ton. Jet-lag is luring me to bed. Goodnight California and I'll see you tomorrow for another sun-shiney day.

From where the grass is always greener

In six short little days I will once again be hauling myself and my 46kgs worth of luggage from Durban to Dubai and then on to San Francisco where I will begin round 2 of my Californian adventures. 
Looking back over my shoulder at this exact time last year, I was overdosing my blog with posts about leaving home, traveling the world, flying the nest and whatnot. In that time of my life I was a rookie in all things pertaining to an overseas life. I was excited and my tone of writing couldn't hide it.
This time around, I am practically sweeping the fact that I'm leaving under the rug of denial in a hope that the day will never actually dawn. Am I looking forward to returning to the States? In many ways yes. Am I ready to leave home for another year? In most ways no. 
You see, I am ridiculously grateful to be a nineteen year old girl with the world as her oyster, an air ticket in hand and a year long American dream awaiting her. Don't get me wrong, I never stop reminding myself that I live an outrageously blessed life. What I have realized though, is that last time around I was ready to leave behind a string of things that I had taken very for granted. This time around, knowing what it's like to live without these things, I'm more reluctant about letting them go. Before I left last time, I was right there on the bandwagon with all the other negative South Africans wanting to flee to greener pastures and 'escape' this country's downfalls. This time around I know that the greener pasture is the one beneath my feet. The people, the culture, the land that is alive and pulsating with life, the sunsets, the sea, the sounds of the night, the smells, the food, the lifestyle second to none. These are just a few reasons why I'm sad to see South Africa disappear into the distance for another whole year. 
But, that being said and heartily felt, I don't doubt that California round #2 is going to be a whole lot sweeter than it's predecessor. I'm excited about returning to a foreign country that no longer feels very foreign but rather an extension of home. I can't wait to see familiar faces, and hear familiar voices although the accents remain foreign. I can't wait to move into the new apartment, catch the tail end of the summer and most of all, begin second year at ministry school which all along has been the method to my madness in wanting to live in America. 
Until then, if anyone needs me, I will be sucking the marrow out of what remains of my South African holiday, which involves a farewell party, family braais, restaurant dinners, all-you-can-eat sushi, and burning a couple holes in a couple dance floors. 
Moral of the story: Sometimes it takes arriving at a green pasture to realize that you've always been standing on one. It's all in your perspective. 

Old dirt road. Knee deep snow.

We piled in the mommy wagon, headed for the countryside and got a whole lot more snow than we bargained for. Another successful family holiday under our belt before I head overseas for a second year.  We had some pant-wettingly funny moments, saw some jaw-droppingly beautiful sights and enjoyed the togetherness of family. Here is an 18-piece collage of our adventures. 

We're all going on a (winter) holiday

The weather in South Africa this week has been fa-reezing. I am definitely a winter lover, but seeing as though this is my third consecutive winter (the joys of international travel), I'm slightly done with the cold. Anyway, tomorrow my family and I are going to be going on our last family holiday before I head overseas for another year. We are going to one of my favorite places on the planet, the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, and the chances of us hitting snow are looking quite high. I love family holidays; the car trip, the bonding, the good food, the new sights, the photo-taking, the laughs, it all just reeks of a memorable time. I'm especially looking forward to fireplace-huddling, winter-woolies wearing, scrabble-playing, belly-laughing fun, and not to mention the shopping along the midlands meander. 

I'm really sad that my time at home is nearing it's end, but that's all the more reason to savor the remaining days, and I can't think of a better way to do it than on a countryside vacation. 

Legacy: What's Yours?

Instant gratification seems to be the theme of our generation. Let’s all just live for ourselves and the current moment; YOLO right?

Yesterday I had a bout of spare time, and found my mind strolling down deep avenues of thought. What led it there, I cannot recall, but nonetheless I caught myself mulling over the word legacy. As a girl of nineteen and three quarters, I’d probably be told by people of my age to stop acting like a retiree and concern myself with more trendy avenues of thought like what filter to use on my next instagram. This just goes to show, that my generation (myself included) pay little or no mind to the concept of legacy and the taste our lives will leave in the mouth of this planet once we are no more.

This is not about ‘save the trees’ or ‘go green,’ but the reality that whether we live like it or not, every one of us will leave our footprint on this planet in some way, shape or form. For some it will be a bloodline of beautiful children and grandchildren, for others it will be a worldwide business concept that changes the face of the globe (think Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg), or perhaps a series of novels that will make their way onto the bedside table of children everywhere.

Yesterday, I was caught up with identifying the legacies that have been left behind for me; the ceilings of previous generations that have become the floors on which my generation stands. There have been people throughout history that have fought for a day they would never see. Paid prices for things they’d never taste, and given their lives for people they would never meet. Think of the freedom fighters who shed their blood on the battlefield of human rights. Think of the 15^th century bible translators that traded their lives in order for the word of God to be read by every nation. Think of the inventors that stared in the face of failure and said “it can be done,” just so we could switch on a light, or pick up the phone, or hop on a plane.

Then there are legacies that live on in the hearts of men and women. The legacies unseen and untold that have their substance in the deep inner places of people that span the generational gaps. Legacies of love, of peace, of undeserved kindness. With every measure of oxygen inhaled, we are writing our stories, creating our legacies. A child is born onto a blank canvas on which he paints the picture of his life that will only be seen in it’s full measure by those who will one day stand at a distance and observe the portrait.  I want the canvas of my life to be an invaluable masterpiece that warms the heart and moistens the eyes of all that will one day enjoy its colors and brushstrokes.

If my life were to know no tomorrow, I want my head to rest assured on my pillow tonight in the knowledge that I lived a life that was a sweet taste in the mouth of this world and all it’s people.

I am creating my legacy, are you?

{Background image from emilymcmanus}

Bikes, Betties and the Beautiful Beachfront

Last week, in celebration of the lovely Casey's birthday, a big group of friends and I went skating/biking along the Durban beachfront promenade, from the Moses Mabhida Stadium to Ushaka and back. It was one of those 'pinch myself is this really winter?' kind of June days, and Durban was breathtakingly beautiful. This day was one of my top 5 days of 2012 so far and I am ever grateful for the city I live in and the people that I get to live with, and fun is definitely a top priority of ours. 

Side note: I am rather stoked about the recent rise in popularity of skateboarding in Durban (especially amongst girls), thanks to the likes of companies like 'Peg.' I got to use a Peg longboard for the first time, and it was a sweet ride!  

Here are some of my iPhone pics of the day.

Spotted on 'Guy With Camera' Blog

Last week some friends of mine and I went cycling/skating along the Durban beachfront promenade (blogpost and pics soon to follow), and I distinctly remember a guy standing with an SLR taking some shots of us as we rode past. You know those times when a rando takes a photo of you and 1) you wonder what the heck that picture will look like, and 2) wonder where the heck it will show up. Well, a friend sent me a link on Facebook to the 'Guy With Camera' blog telling me to check it out because I showed up in one of the featured photos. 'Twas a nice little surprise. 
I so loved the entire blog post that the Guy With Camera did about my hometown Durban, that I thought I'd share it along with some of the beautiful photos that accompanied it.


As seen on www.guywithcamera.co.za:
Durban
While growing up in Natal, Durban always had the feeling of a dated city. Like retro theme park or a sticky swimming pool flooded with flashbacks in beach mosaic and the smell of suncream SPFs. A summer nostalgia for South Africans who used to swarm in from middle country. The vaal flocks of GP numberplates. “Are those all doctors?” But slowly the city seems to be shedding it’s past prime plastic and reinventing itself. It still keeps that warm retro charm but after walking the new promenade, exploring brave new coffee shops in industrial umbilo and seeing rooftop gardens on downtown city blocks, you get the feeling the city is becoming alive again. Durban doesn’t have a large network of creative types supported by advertising and media houses like in Cape Town or Joburg who are normally the fuel behind interesting city concepts. A lot of Durbanites migrate to Cape Town craving creative stimulation. But many of these new Durban projects are started by people who’ve studied art in Barcelona or have had a software company in San Fransisco making apps for Apple. And they’ve realised that there’s nothing wrong with applying new ideas in your home town while surfing in boardshorts over your lunch break.

Durban, isn't it pretty?