7 quick takes...

Reconnecting with friends was amazing

Confession: this blog was written 2 days ago in the plane, but after we landed in Lilongwe I had no desire to switch on the internet on my phone amd reconnect right away. My mind needed to rest after a very fulfilling but rather intense week in Cape Town.

1. My head is full and my heart is full. Too full to write. So many memories, so many emotions, so much to be grateful for. Just like last week's blog, I am writing from high in the sky as the plane carries us from Cape Town to Johannesburg. To my right sits Sophie, who's enjoying her muffin and a sticker book. To my left sits my father in law; he is sleeping after he failed to find a sudoku in the inflight magazine. We are so excited to be traveling with them. We may be flying back to Malawi but our trip isn't over yet. The next three weeks we'll explore Malawi with my in laws.
2. Flying to Malawi feels easy, almost too easy. If all goes well we'll be in Mzuzu tonight. Somehow my head has less trouble comprehending that we can fly in a day to Europe than the fact that we will be back in familiar Malawian territory tonight. Probably because I have never done it before, because our previous trips in and out were by public transport. I won't complain but Sophie and I have agreed that we will plant a tree to offset the polution caused by our plane.
3. This week has probably been one of the most draining but also emotionally filling weeks of my life. I already knew, but know now even more what an amazing bunch of friends we have in Cape Town. Friends that feel like family, friends where we don't have to show a brave face, friends who ask hood questions that prompt us to really reflect on the past year. Friends opened up their homes for us, freed up time in busy schedules and made us feel so loved and welcome. I can't help the smile on my face when I think about all the amazing memories we made this week while we reconnected with people whom we missed so much. Of course we loved the pizzas, the ice creams, sushi, dumplings, wine, the beach, the playgrounds and all the other good things Cape Town gave us but it's the people that make this place special. We love you guys!
4. The fragrances from the foodcourt (a mix of burger king, pizza and curries) mixes with the smell of new clothes, cleaning products and exorbitantly perfumed shoppers. There is music, interrupted by announcements, a mom calls ber toddler who has wandered of to far and a shop assistant cleans with a loud vacuum cleaner. And there is choice, so much choice. Do I go to this shop or the other? Does a bigger 'sale' sign in the window mean that the prices are better? And what's up with the fashion, has it always changed this much in a year? What am I even supposed to like? My head starts spinning, my vision becomes blurree. I went to the mall with a purpose but I forgot what that was. The moment I walk into a store I lose all ability to make decisions and all I want to do is cry and run away. I hide in a bookstore (because bookstores are never overwhelming) and try to make a list. I know what I need, I can do this. I used to go to this mall all the time. But an hour later I walk out with all my money still in the wallet and the things that were on my list still in the shops. I did not expect this. This extreme reaction to all the choice, the display of stuff that hardly anyone really needs but almost everyone buys anyway. Last week I was in a mall in Windhoek. I did not like it but it wasn't as hard. Probably because this mall in Cape Town used to be so familiar but had become so strange. Not because it had changed so much but because I changed. I am sure that, over time, I could get used to it again but the question is if I want to.
5. It could have gone eiter way for us and the girls. It could be easy and fun, bringing back many happy memories, but at the same time it could have been confusing and sad, creating a feeling of longing to times that we cannot bring back. Our new tenants invited us for food in their new and our old home and as much as I was looking forward to it, I was also dreading it. What kind of emotions would it bring to the surface? How would the girls react? We loved the house, lived some of our happiest years in that little cottage. It's the place where we became a family; both girls are born under that roof. All was well. As we walked into that very familiar garden, the girls ran to their old tree house that Hartmut made for them and Sophie started telling Doris about their shared adventures there, from times that Doris is too young to remember. We were welcomed and shown around in the house, the people who live their now are old friends and we are happy that our home can now be their home. They are happy there and to my relief none of us had feelings of sadness and regret, no longing or wishing that things were different. We are there where we need to be, in a place that God has prepared for us for this season of our life and that brings so much peace.
6. After we land in Lilongwe we take a taxi straight to Mzuzu. Tomorrow we'll take the boat to our lodge where we will spend a few days. The girls cannot wait to show opa and oma our house, the lake and the dogs. We cannot wait to experience the place we love so much with them. Next week we will explore Malawi; a safari in a wild park, a couple of days trekking on Mount Mulanje, hikes and relaxing in Livingstonia... This is going to be a real holiday after 5 weeks of fun but intense travel. (And yes, I do know that we are super spoiled and privileged that we can do this, it's not something we take for granted.)
7. We are about to land in Joburg. It seems cold and misty. Fortunately we are only here for just over an hour. Hopefully just enough time to go through the passport control and grab a drink before we fly again. And hopefully enough time to find some internet to post this blog. Happy new week!