Camino Dagboek: The joy of walking in nature.

15 April 2023
Hi Shinghy,

Two weeks ago, in My previous letter, I bemoaned the fact that Punda did not take me on training walks.

Did you mention it to him?

Since that time, joy has returned to my life. I have joined him and Mpanzi on several outings.

On top of Dorst Berg.

On one outing to Jonkershoek with their friends Christo and Nelda, they discussed their love of walking in nature.

Mpanzi and Nelda in Jonkershoek

I heard them talking about why it is so satisfying to walk in nature. They agreed: All your senses receive positive input in those circumstances. You feel the sun, wind and rain. You see the beauty all around. You smell the plants and the earth. You hear the sound of nature, birds singing, water running over rocks in a stream, the wind in the grass and, best of all, the stillness on some days. And lastly, taste your favourite hiking food if you have packed a picnic.

But, there is always a but; all these fantastic experiences will pass you by if you do not make it your goal to feel, see, smell, listen, taste and receive all the goodness into your soul.

On another outing, this time to Meerendal, Barika and Rafiki joined us for what they called a gear check hike. It was all new backpacks, shoes, t-shirts, pants and hats, like an outdoor fashion parade. Adjustments were made to shoulder straps, hip belts, and shoelaces until everything worked perfectly. The next step is to finalize our packing lists and load it all into our backpacks for the Camino.