AFRICAN FLOWER CHAIN

My roots are here in Africa. This is where I was born. Where I breathed the air for many years before life took me on a journey.

Ten years ago we (my husband, myself and two toddler boys) travelled deeper into Africa, to the equatorial jungles of Uganda. Here we explored the wild waters of the Nile, the lakes of the Rift Valley and the volcanic mountains where gorillas still roam.

From there we travelled further north, across the desert to the Arabian Peninsula. For eight years we enjoyed this beautiful and misunderstood part of the world. We camped in the desert; we explored the rugged Hajar Mountains and green wadi’s. 

We dived and fished off the Musandam. We came to love Oman and the United Arab Emirates. During this time our family was blessed with a daughter and the boys turned into teenagers.

Now life is taking us back South to a new continent with new adventures.

But before we start this next chapter, we are taking a trip down memory lane. We go back to our roots. We introduce our worldly and well travelled children to the beauty and splendour that is South Africa.

Our trip starts in Pretoria. From here we plan to travel west to the border with Namibia, where we will turn south towards Cape Town. From there we will go east to somewhere along the Garden Route where we will turn back north again. We will keep going until we reach the Kruger Park from where we will make our way back to Pretoria. We will visit friends, family, old haunts and new faces. We have no fixed route; we will follow the road and see where it takes us. If all goes well our trip will take 30 days.

On each of the 30 days I will ‘plant’ an African Flower. I made the flowers using fabric from all my travels and a crochet flower using the “African Flower” pattern. It also contains wooden flowers and beads obtained at souks and markets across the world.  It represents me. I am made up of little bits of everywhere I have ever been. It represents travel, strange places, different traditions and colour. It is based on and rooted in Africa. My Africa.

The 30 flowers will make a chain.  This chain will link all the places on our route together. It will link me and my family to this country. And it will link my life on different continents to my heartland, Africa.

But my Africa has lots of faces. And that is where you come in. If you find one of these flowers, please become part of the chain. Take a photo of yourself at the flower (Do NOT remove the flower, please!) and send it to me.  Tell me your story:  Who are you?  What are you doing here? Is this your place? Then tell me about it, please.  Are you a tourist? Then tell me about your journey, please.

Join the chain. The African Flower Chain.

Link 1: Potchefstroom
Link 2: Witsand
Link 3: Augrabies
Link 4: Franschoek
Link 5: Stellenbosch
Link 6: Cape Point
Link 7: Kleinmond
Link 8: Hermanus
Link 9: Baardskeerdersbos
Link 10: L'Agulhas
Link 11: Malgas Pontoon
Link 12: Groot Brak
Link 13: Mossel Bay
Link 14:  Jansenville
Link 15: Bloemfontein
Link 16: Clarens
Link 17: Blood River
Link 18: Barberton
Link 19: White River
Link 20: Mac Mac Falls
Link 21: God's Window
Link 22: Three Rondavels
Link 23: Haenertsburg
Link 24: Pretoria

An Afrikaans version of our travel story appears on the WEG magazine's website: http://www.weg.co.za/lesers_vertel/-n-Blom-vir-Afrika