Sunset in the African Wild

... or my heart belongs in the African Bush.

It is not easy to explain to people how it feels to be South African and how it feels to be away from South Africa. Many South Africans dream of a better job market, less crime and improved infrastructure so that they can go home one day.  It is often physically painful to think about what we have left behind, especially when we are reminded of the awe-inspiring beauty of our home country.

Scenes like this sunset at Emerald Palace Casino and Resort on the Vaal River sustain me and fill up my soul until I can return.

We spent one night at the resort a month ago today.  We went with our friends, Sara, Donovan and Keira, who used to feature frequently in this blog when they lived in Surrey.  At sunset, Keira and I went for a walk to capture the sunset.  If you look at the photos above, you can see the lightning conductors which look like very tall poles.  Those are there because we have violent electrical storms all over the “highveld” in South Africa which is where I used to live.  The lightning conductor poles are there to protect the little cabins (we call them rondawels) as they have thatched roofs. 

This is possibly my Favourite Photo of All Time.  I have always been fascinated by guinea fowl which are plump little birds with white polka-dot spots on their black feathers.   They absolutely do not blend into the African landscape.  If you enlarge the photo above, you can spot two guinea fowl in the branches of what looks to be a baobab tree.

I could have remained there for hours just watching the sun disappear past the horizon but thankfully Keira reminded that there are more important things to do in the life of a four-and-a-half-year-old.