Doing things with your hands

And seeing them grow

“That’s a whale.” De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape. August 2023

I was on a bean bag, right on the front edge of the marquee tent that was set up at the finish line. It was sunny with a cool breeze, in front of me lay turquoise waters, friendly yellow flowers, and about fifty breeding whales. Jolly music played in the background, there was no cellphone reception and so the only sporadic interruption was the event organiser making a cringeworthy but warm comment on the playful show the whales were putting on. And, of course, a whale pun here and there- ‘Whale, whale, whale, will you look at that!’. It was what I would define as - super chilled.

I knew I was going to be there for a while - who knows how long it takes to complete an ultra race anyway!? And so I was pretty open to casual chatting and new ideas. “Have you heard of Bitcoin,“ someone tried. “Do you know that you shouldn’t buy into a currency that is controlled by a central government-”. Okay, maybe I wasn’t that open to new ideas.

I proceeded to do my chilling with the whales and breeze thing when a Dutch couple came to sit next to me. They had just completed the half marathon and were pumped with endorphins and good vibes. That thing happened where, when I moved my bean bag to make space for their third companion, we were all instant friends.

“South Africa is such an incredible place,” he beamed. “The land of Milk and Honey, really.” I asked him about his journey to the half trail and he told me how he and his wife watched a documentary called ‘Biggest Little Farm’. How, in an hour and a half, it had changed everything for them and how they sold their flat in Amsterdam and bought a farm in the Western Cape. Now this was an idea I could buy into.

When we left the race village to start the journey home, I eagerly told my brother what I had learnt about the couple who chose to exchange their comfortable life for farming in South Africa. This was set against the fact that many young South Africans were leaving our country, an issue that was discussed frequently in the media and at gatherings. Among my friends, the main reasons for leaving were to seek better opportunities and security. We wondered out loud, what security and a life worth living meant for us, before surrendering our thoughts to the road trip tunes and the beautiful rolling hills of Swellendam.

At home, I searched the entire internet for the documentary, every streaming service and even a dubious backup option or two. This documentary was not available in my region.

“We can watch Clarkson’s Farm?“ my brother suggested. I’d heard about the new Jeremy Clarkson farm documentary series. But my mind immediately went to one too many cars exploding on Clarkson’s usual car show, The Grand Tour. Hellz no!

“Uhm, okay sure,” I said. We watched one episode, and another episode. The next day I watched the rest of the season, and before I left for Europe, we watched the entire second season as well.

It’s hard to explain, but there is something about it, right? Planting something, hoping for rain (or no rain), and some good fortune and then seeing it grow. Caring for something. Working at it day and night - but not being able to control the outcome. Enjoying the sunsets, the early mornings, enjoying the dance with nature. Trying to fight it, only to be humbled right back by it again. Even just being terrible at something, and honest about it, and to keep trying.

I don’t know what I was supposed to learn from Clarkson’s Farm, there weren’t too many fast cars - and no explosions, at least.

But there is something about it, right? Doing things with your hands and seeing them grow.

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“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

―Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

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*rushing to water my houseplants*

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