South Africa... with ease

It is Monday. I am boarding a plane for Johannasburg, South Africa, on Saturday morning at 5 a.m. The trip is approximately 36 hours. And now, I’m loosing sleep over what to pack, my lack of knowledge about where I’m going, and all the loose ends I need to have tied up before I leave. Yikes!

My mantra for the trip is “ease, simplicity and joy”. And, I must say, for the most part, that is exactly what is happening!

This is a work related trip. Our company has been contracted to create a variety of DVD products, an online course, multiple promotional pieces (and more) for an author who lives (currently) in Australia, and hosts a “Soul Safari” for 20 participants in Swaziland twice a year. His name is William Whitecloud and we are also rebuilding his website. You can see a bit about him at his old website You can also click here to check out the trip specifically.

When we were first approached about the idea, I just about came out of my skin. South Africa has been on my wish list of places to visit ever since Kayla did an extensive report about the area in her 8^th grade project. I’ve always wondered how I’d get there.

The initial plan for the trip was to send Ed, my brother and videographer-extrodinare. He’s really good. There was one small hitch – he was already committed to another project in Italy at that time. Then the idea continued to grow, and Ed came up with the alternative to send Rory Finney. Rory is an extraordinary photographer (and dear, dear friend). Rory’s current body of work is just exactly what this project needed. So, instead of Ed going it alone, the project is now getting Rory and Kim. Ed likes to say that it takes two of us to be one of him. He’s only teasing us, so don’t tell him, but I think he’s right.

I’ll be working on writing an online course from the body of work that William teaches, as well as logging and coordinating the material we need to capture, and Rory will be behind the still camera as well as the video camera. I’ll be helping Rory with sound and lighting and all those tech things. It’s a big project. It will be lots of work. And, it’s called a “soul safari”…….

Part of our contract with William says that we are to also experience the work for our own personal growth as well. We will be attending a workshop, exploring the wild with the animals, and touring around Swaziland.

To add to the excitement, after scheduling this part of the trip, Rory contacted a client of his who works with the collaborative Rooibos farms outside of Cape Town in South Africa. This has caused us to extend our trip by a week to travel even farther south and visit the farms. We will be creating a documentary for next years Film Festival based on the collaborative farming, and on the people of those farms. We've rented a car and will be driving from farm to farm ourselves. I'll be writing and interviewing, he'll have the cameras on.

I’m thrilled beyond words.

And so, stay tuned…. Departing Saturday.