Our trip started at 6:15 in the morning. At least the sun was out, shedding its soft winter light on the world. The streets had already stirred perhaps an hour or so earlier, with a fair bit of traffic built by the time I headed down to Skin Sense in Rivonia to pick up my travel buddies, Sai and Ity, spa massage therapists who were all set to throw themselves into the holistic hippy vibe of a Ka Huna training retreat.

The drive through was very pleasant. For the most part, the roads were clear. The long weekend traffic had clearly not hit the highways yet. Transport trucks formed the majority of our road companions. There was only one major delay just under an hour before Warden. It looked like a tanker of sorts had collided with a removal truck, blocking off most of the highway. Four lanes of dual direction reduced to one resulted in almost a half hour sit and wait as emergency and traffic officials dealt with the wreckage and the traffic flow.

The tanker was still on fire when we finally went past. The firemen had squelched most of the inferno, it seemed, and were dealing with the final flames that framed the scorched remains of the truck.

Once the collision was past, our long trip continued without any further excitement. Despite the endless nature of the drive, we arrived at the Bazley beach-house shortly after 14:00 as I’d expected.

The area has changed a little since my last visit about four years back. There’s more security walls and electric fences up, and the cottages themselves have undergone some renovation. Our accommodation for the next few days is absolutely stunning! Our open-plan kitchen and lounge open onto a balcony from which we look down upon the ocean and beach. It’s absolutely beautiful and well worth the early morning and lengthy drive.

Our group is thirteen strong, a healthy mix of people from various ends of the country all ready to engage in their next step of Ka Huna. Some of those tales may follow in the days to come. Also, I’ve lopped off my hair. 🙂