We all have these photos … throwback photos!
It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”.
Every Thursday we will throw a few photos of ‘way back when’ on our blog. Why on a Thursday? Because it’s just a day away from the weekend … and we love weekends!
You are welcome to join in or just enjoy the photos (#TB Thursday).
May/June 2016 – West Coast of South Africa
In 2016 we bought our 4×4 Suzuki Jimny and since then we have done many off-road trips in this tough little car.
In the next few TB Thursday posts, we’ll be taking you on our very first off-road trip in our Jimny. We started our journey on the West Coast of South Africa and ended in the very unique and beautiful Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.
The wild Atlantic Ocean on the West Coast of South Africa
For the next few days we drove on dirt roads all along the sea. Towards the end of each day we chose a nice spot to pitch our tent to spend the night by the sea.
Dirt roads along the coast
During the late afternoon the fog moved over the coast and we decided to pitch our tent before the ground got too wet. But just after we did, the fog lifted again and we enjoyed a sunny afternoon.
Our tent in the late afternoon fog
We walked a long way along the pristine beach and enjoyed the absolute tranquility. Back at our tent, I pulled out my journal to jot down the day’s highlights (it’s these journals that make throwback posts so easy to revive).
Journal time
Pristine beach
As some of you may know, meal prep is always a big deal for us on these trips. On this particular evening we made a big fire. On the grill we had sticky chicken wings and Berto made sure that we also got vegetables on our plates. Sweet potatoes were drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and then wrapped in foil. After baking under the hot coals for about an hour, we enjoyed this with a dollop of butter.
Berto busy preparing the sweet potato
And then we got to the highlight of each day – watching the sun set. It’s on evenings like this that you know you don’t want to be anywhere else.
Sunset on the West Coast
We sat by the fire, with only the sound of the crackling fire and breaking of the waves. We couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring. And we’ll tell you all about that in our next TB Thursday post.
Fire along the Atlantic Ocean
Wet and Dusty Roads 
Love the West Coast. Journals and photographs certainly keeps those memories alive.
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I’m glad you like the West Coast too. The unspoilt and wildness of this stretch of coast is incredibly beautiful to us. Ha 😄, my journal is usually the first thing I pack – it’s great to just flip back on great trips.
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I always used to keep a travel diary but I’m out of the habit now. My camera acts as a diary but it’s not the same. See you next time 🤗🩵
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It’s true Jo, a camera is indeed a very good diary, but sometimes something funny happens (which is usually the case when the two of us are travelling) and then I just have to write it down so I don’t forget the moment … especially now that we’re getting a little older 😉.
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🤣🩵
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Beautiful memories 😊
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Thank you so much Maggie … I think some of our fondest memories are along this stretch of coast.
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Lovely photos and a throw back for me too … I owned a Suzuki Sierra (for some reason they rebranded the Jimny in Australia) back in the early ‘90s. Such a capable and fun little off-road vehicle! My mate had a Hilux, a huge beast next to the Suzuki, but his would sink in mud and get stuck, I’d wizz around and pull him out! The odd time I got stuck, we could usually just lift it out. Only downside I found out the hard way, they are easy to roll over 😦
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I love this car! We’ve had it for 7 years now and it has never let us down – not in thick sand or mud 😉. We just had to learn to pack much less and also to have enough time to get to our destination. I’m sorry to hear yours rolled – that’s not good … but at least you’re still alive to tell the tale.
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We had a Honda CRV that was great for the rough logging roads in the PNW that lead to trailheads. We had over 200,000 miles on that little 4×4; it was a champ! Like you, I also keep a travel journal, and have for many years. It’s fun to flip through and enjoy the memories. I enjoyed your post and photos Corna, and always look forward to the next one!
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Wow 200,000 miles … now that’s what I call a very reliable car! It seems from the comments that many of us prefer to keep (or have kept) a journal. When I read it again years later, I remember little things I had forgotten in the meantime. Thanks Tricia, I hope you’ll enjoy the next few TB Thursday posts – there’s a lot more unspoiled nature to come on this trip 😉.
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I’m looking forward to them!
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These are such beautiful coastal views, Corna 🙂 It’s easy to experience travel’s external shifts. Simply stepping outside your routine, culture and comfort zone will open your eyes to new inspirations, thoughts and ways of being. But for a lot of travellers, the missing component is the internal experience: intentional self-reflection. I find that keeping a vacation journal is the simplest way to have a more mindful, engaged and transformative travel experience. Plus, daily journaling improves creativity, clarity, focus, productivity and happiness. Combine that with travel, and woah, talk about seeing the world with new eyes. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Yes, journaling is a great way to summarise each day and ultimately your vacation. When I write things down, I also become aware of the emotions I had on that particular day … sometimes they are mixed emotions of both happiness and sadness. Thank you for your lovely thoughts Aiva. Hope you have a nice day too 🌸.
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Travel journals are great. I always used to jot down observations, quotes from local books or magazines, sketches of plants, gardens etc. They helped me write several blog posts on my Travel blog.
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It’s really great to read that so many people like to take a journal with them on their travels. Oh yes, I also often write down quotes … but sketching is not one of my strong points 😄.
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Mine neither, but even bad sketches invoke memories 😉
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That strikes me as so romantic! I would much rather do that sort of thing that go to fancy restaurants or get dressed up in expensive clothes. Give me a pristine beach and a fire as the sun sets any day! Look forward to reading more.
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I’m glad to hear you think it’s quite romantic, because I really cherish these times when it’s just the two of us. And I agree 100% – it’s definitely our type of holiday (and then it’s even better when there’s no WiFi – as was the case on this trip). I think you’re going to enjoy the next few posts … we really go “off the grid” in the National Park and end our journey in a lovely place.
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Utter tranquility! Good food, beautiful scenery, and the waves lulling you to sleep = perfect trip.
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You can say that again! It’s here on the West Coast where I experience a tranquility that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. It was indeed perfect … I remember how many times I said exactly that to Berto on this trip 🙂.
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Ai Corna, julle twee is so oulik! Dit lyk na ñ absoluut heerlike wegbreek.
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😍 … ons praat nou nog baie oor hierdie wegbreek. Die absolute rustigheid het ons amper oorweldig. As dinge deesdae so bietjie gejaagd raak, dan se ons net vir mekaar: “Onthou jy daardie 10 dae van saligheid in 2016” … selfs om net daaraan te dink, maak ons rustig!
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Beautiful sunsets, what is there not to love. So happy I can enjoy 😉 too, great share.
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I’ve said it so many times on our blog, but allow me to say it just one more time: The sunsets on the West Coast are spectacular 😀. And I’m so glad you like it too!
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What a blissful trip along the west coast, good food, walks and glorious sunsets – what more could you wish for. I always carry a small, hard-backed book in my bag and keep a daily diary whenever travelling.
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I kinda thought you were a journal girl too Marion 😉. Yes, the unspoiled nature of the West Coast makes it the perfect place to take lots of photos … and to just enjoy your surroundings.
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Sjoe, dit is pragtige onthou foto’s. Ek ken jou nog so sleg, en skielik wonder ek, het julle kinders? Al uit die huis? Nooit gehad nie? Skuus dat ek so nuuskierig, jy hoef nie te antwoord nie. Ek dink net skielik daaraan hoe ons kinders dit saam met ons geniet het om te kamp.
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Die Weskus is ons hartsplek en so mooi (waarskynlik omdat ons altwee daar groot geword het). Jy’s meer as welkom om te vra Christa 🙂. Ons het nie kinders nie – ek het 5 miskrame gehad. Die Here se planne vir ons lewe was anders as wat ons gedink het dit moes wees en deur Sy genade het ons berusting gevind.
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Ai vriendin, dit is hartseer as mens daardeur is. Ek is een keer daardeur, tussen my twee kinders. En my seun en sy vroutjie is aan die begin van die jaar daardeur. Dit is ‘n seer wat mens sukkel om te verwerk. Maar ek stem saam met jou, die Here se planne vir elkeen van ons is soos dit moet wees. En Sy genade help ons om te verwerk. Jy is so spesiale vriendin.
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Baie sterkte aan jou seun en sy vrou … eendag kyk ‘n mens terug en dan weet jy dat alles eintlik net genade is. Dankie Christa, jy’s ook ‘n spesiale blog vriendin 💌.
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Dit is so, mens kyk later terug en weet dat dit net genade is dat mens dit kan verwerk.
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This looks like such a scenic adventure of your first off-road road trip in your Jimny. And how fun to set up camp by the water. The beach looks spectacular, as does that stunning sunset. What better way to watch it than by a campfire.
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I’m so glad we were able to follow this route on our first off-road adventure. It’s an area we know well and yet we discovered places we hadn’t seen before (perhaps due to the ability of the Jimny in thick sand). Yes, you know how we feel about campfires and sunsets – pure bliss!
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Dit lyk so naby as wat mens aan die hemel op aarde kan kom.
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Ek moet erken, dit is vir ons een van die mooiste plekke wat ons al gesien het … dalk omdat ons teen daardie kus groot geword het. Alles is net so natuurlik – en dis waarvan ons hou.
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Wow Corna, that beach is absolutely incredible – it’s so peaceful and serene. Sounds like another restful trip with great food, views and sunsets. Hope Berto is continuing his recovery well and sending a wave from across the world 🙂
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These beaches are truly breathtaking – peaceful and serene are very descriptive words for this part of our country. The further we travelled, the more beautiful the world became to us … and you know us, we made really good food 😉. Thanks for the wave from around the world – Berto is doing great. We are very grateful for his recovery.
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Not too dissimilar to NZ, though you may have a few larger animals to negotiate with on land and the ocean.
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When we were in NZ, a lot of the scenery reminded me of our forests in the Garden Route on the south coast of our country. Yes, the animals are slightly bigger here, but it’s a fact that you live in a beautiful (and green) country!
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Beautiful in places, though far from perfect. I love the fact that you can see animals in their natural habitat, which we only see them in zoos.
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Yes it is true, it is a privilege to see them in nature 🙂.
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Dis so pragtig Corna! Ek is ver agter met die lees van blogs! Ek is so gek oor die Weskus en sal nooit moeg word vir ons mooi kuslyn en sonsondergange nie!
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Hierdie was een van ons lekkerste trips nog! Niks “fancy” geite nie … net die ongerepte pragtige natuurskoon, die Weskus op sy mooiste!
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Ek dink ook so. Ongelukkig is my man nie n kamp me s nie, maar wil eerder in n chalet of bnb bly. So lank ons die plekkie kan verken bly ek in enige plek wat hy van hou. 😃
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Dieper in die Namakwa Nasionale Park (daar na Kamieskroon se kant toe) is chalets … en dan’s dit net ‘n entjie tot by die see. ‘n Goeie plek om te verken wanneer dit blomme seisoen is 🌸. Maar ek stem saam met jou – solank ek net kan verken en rond loop, is ek gelukkig en maak dit eintlik nie saak waar ek oornag nie!
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Dis waar, so pragtig! 💕
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