- samsnedorf
Taking some time out
Being a Millennial, I have a knack for doing things differently. Now I can’t be sure if that should be attribute entirely to the year that I was born in or if a large portion of it is my own stubbornness and desire to stay true to myself.
Just take the way I have always hated working in an office, not that I ever held a fully corporate job but waking up to do the exact same thing in a 9 – 5 every single day was and never has been my vibe which is why I stand where I am today.
A 30 year old, self-made entrepreneur and gin blogger with big dreams and a love for dress up.
Getting to where I am today hasn’t been easy and I know that there are many paths I still need to pave for myself. What is so odd though, is that the idea of carving a name for myself and the unknowns that it entails, even the possibility of failing is not nearly as daunting as having to answer to corporate and abide by office rules.
I hate rules more than anything. I would go so far as to say that if you tell me to do something, I will most likely end up doing the exact opposite. I’ve also had some naysayers in my time who only serve to push me forward towards my own sort of success.
There are still days where I have no idea what I am doing; little crying spells where I am afraid that all of this was for nought but I simply continue to push forward until the next step and the next after that. It is stressful, there is no denying that, which was why my boyfriend and I decided to be a little different and take a quick 4 day break from our hectic lives. He was consistently interrupted by business calls and I still had work to do but on the final night, we shared an evening that made it all worthwhile.
Taking time out for ourselves
I had not even heard of Magoebaskloof until a few months ago and had no idea that such a sweet idyllic place existed. A tiny mountain town covered with pine forests and avocado farms, our drive through the town centre took about five minutes and then it was done.
Our first night was spent at the Magoebaskloof hotel. Built in the 1930’s, it was reminiscent of Stephen King’s Outlook hotel in the Shining. Luckily there was no scary ghosts, just breathtaking views of the mountains and the sprawling valley.
Magoebaskloof hotel
Waiting for ghosts at the outlook hotel
The rest of our trip was spent in an air BnB located within the valley. Thank goodness for 4x4 vehicles because the drive to the venue gave me a solid 15 minute core workout.
The accommodation felt like a little slice of utopia. The small plunge pool was great to cool off from the sweltering heat (and sip wine in) and the outdoor bath was something I have dreamed of for years.
Chilling in the pool
Back to our final night where we got to work on a bottle of Chivas Regal, put our electronics away and sat in the outdoor bath from 6pm till about 9pm, simply topping off with hot water as needed. We spoke about life and giggled while watching the sunset and listening to the birds and one lone monkey that I was sort of afraid of. I even made a chameleon friend and it reminded me just how incredible nature is. She needs no one to tell her of her beauty, only allows for us to take respite in her visage.
Rest easy in nature
Such a simple night but it will remain ever in my memory as the ideal way to take time out and refresh my soul. I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick(ish) getaway.
For those not able to go away, why not take some time out this long weekend to put your phones away, have a gin or two and chat to your loved ones over a braai. Just forget the stresses of the world for a few moments and embrace nature.
I personally have some more relaxing left to do and plan to get a head start on that! I hope you will all be joining me fairly soon.
Happy Heritage day lovelies.
To book a getaway: https://www.orionhotels.co.za/ohotel/magoebaskloof-hotel/