The mountain that is life and other such profound things...

I climbed a mountain yesterday. No, not a little hill or a walk through a forest with an incline...I climbed up to the top of a mountain, walked along the top to get to the other side and back down the other side.

While I was climbing up I was thinking that when I get to the top, and look back over the view of Hout Bay, I will feel so good and it would be one of the most amazing views I have ever seen. Knowing that something amazing was waiting for me made the pain in my legs and my ever increasing heart beat completely worth while. And then it got me thinking about life and that life is, in fact, like climbing a mountain (well, my life is anyway). I do realise that references to this analogy have been made by many a thoughtful person but never have I truly got it, literally and physically.

Yes, life is tough (uphill) and then you get there (the top) and then it's just easy (downhill) but when climbing this mountain I had an opportunity to really experience an almost mini version of life (the way I experience it) and it was awesome.

Two minutes into the climb (we were walking up some stairs) I was already out of breath and my my thighs were aching and I thought, "F*#k! How the hell am I supposed to do this?" I voiced my concern (a bit more politely) and was met with a response that gave me so much relief. My uncle in-law (an avid climber) said, "Me too, don't worry." Later on, during the uphill, we were in a forest making our way to a waterfall and the beginning of a steep crevice that we would have to climb up. I realised while climbing above the waterfall that I actually enjoyed this part the most, the part that was more challenging was the part I liked. Don't give me wobbly rocks and slippery paths, these are just distractions; give me challenges! This is when it hit me, luckily not a branch or a rock, but a thought - The initial thought went something like this - "Hiking, climbing, mountain, life, uphill, downhill, reaching the top, ooooh! It's so similar!" But I will fluff it out a little for the sake of this blog.

Life, or any journey, is just like this hike. The beginning is tough and challenging, but with help and reassurance from other people and a lot of determination you will be able to get to the point of success. When you reach the top of the mountain, your first instinct is to look back and see how far you have come and to look at the view. Maybe some of us do not do this often enough in life, we just keep looking forward instead of acknowledging how much we have accomplished and really paying attention to our present. Once on top, you get the long walk at the top of the mountain, and as with life, even the top has its challenges. In my case there was muddy slush, loose pebbles and annoying spiky plants, so, in life, these refer to sticky situations, unreliable people (and self-doubt) and possibly the occasional prickly predicament. Either way, you have reached the top and the view is astounding! You have done it!

When it comes to mountain climbing, you start to go downhill when you've reached the other side or when you want to go home and so, the down hill decent begins. But wait, not only do you have the opportunity to see your view while climbing down, you also have to keep your eye on where you are going - one wrong turn and you are falling through the sky. The downhill can prove to be just as, or even more, challenging than the uphill.

How does the "downhill" apply to life? I am actually not sure yet and maybe that will have to be another blog. I am thinking that it has something to do with getting back home (or remembering to go home)- not forgetting where you came from and that even if you reach the top you should ideally always still have the essence of "home" with you. Even though I am not physically on the top of the mountain anymore, I remember the feeling and I can still see the views (emotionally, I am still there). What purpose would it serve for me to stay at the top of the mountain forever, in all my glory, if I had no one to share it with? As with life - get to the top, succeed, become famous, but don't forget that without "home", without your friends and family, none of it really matters. Maybe the "downhill" has something to do with that.

Anyway, here I am, I have reached the top (in life) but I am still making sense of it all (getting the lay of the land). I still have some aches of the journey uphill, but I am thoroughly enjoying the view and always remembering how far I have come and never forgetting the home that is always there for me.

The crevice above the waterfall that I loved climbing :)

The view from the top of Hout Bay

The view from the other side over-looking Llundudno

Me about to go "downhill" :)

What fitness means...

I am a big fan of dictionaries. Whenever I am not sure how I should start a post I look up whatever it is I am planning to write about. Today I want to write about fitness. To define fitness is not easy, so in order to find out what fitness means to me I first had to find out what fitness means in the Collins Dictionary. Fitness: a) The state of being fit. b) The degree of adaptation of an organism to its environment, determined by its genetic constitution. c) The ability of an organism to produce viable offspring capable of surviving to the next generation.


Well, there you have it. Now for the BIG question: Am I fit? According to definition a) I am not, but according to definition b) and c) I am super fit. I do not have a fitness routine or a dietary advisement chart on my fridge or kettle bells in my cupboard. What I do have, however, which makes me fit in accordance to definitions b) and c) is that fact that I am alive (I have adapted to my environment) and I have an offspring, Kayla, who is capable of surviving just as I have.


So, maybe I am 2/3 fit. Emotionally and mentally I am 100% fit but physically I am not. It is definitely a goal of mine to lose weight, eat healthy food and get into some sort of a fitness regime (that I enjoy). Once this has been achieved I will be 100% fit as a fiddle and the ultimate definition of fitness according to the Collins Dictionary.

Oh, they do make it look like a lot of fun, don't they?

The not-so-traditional anniversary gift

No matter who you are as a couple, it can always be quite a challenging task coming up with exciting and fun anniversary ideas. For the couple who is looking for the not so traditional anniversary gift ideas, Celestial Gift Experiences will have the perfect gift ideas on offer.

If your other half has a passion for motorcycles then the Harley Davidson pillion is the perfect anniversary gift for them. It “includes a one hour Harley Davidson Pillion. The Harley Chauffeur can collect from your address of choice and either provides a one way or two way transfer – totaling 60 minutes”. Maybe get the chauffeur to drop your partner off at a restaurant where you will be waiting…sounds like a very romantic anniversary gift idea to me.

Maybe you are looking for anniversary gifts for a couple that loves to fly. Some of the flying experiences available at Celestial Gift experiences include a Cape Town helicopter flight, hot air balloon flights, tandem paraglide flights as well as a tandem skydive. Also available is the WACO biplane flight for two and a Johannesburg sunset flight.

For something a little different you could also choose a beachcraft bonanza flight for three. “Your flight route can be discussed with your pilot to make this flight best suited and most memorable – take in the best of what the Jozie skyline has to offer. With three seats available for passengers this makes for a great experience for friends and family.” This is wonderful anniversary gift as it can include more people – sharing your anniversary gifts with others can only make it that much more memorable.

If you are looking for anniversary gifts for the couple that likes a good party then maybe the following gifts experiences are just what you are looking for. There is a Ghost Bus and pub crawl available as well as Party Hummer, which “operates within Johannesburg and Pretoria. Your recipient will be collected along with a maximum of 3 others and taken either for a drive or to your favourite restaurant, nightclub or bar”. This experience is bound result in lots of celebrating and will no doubt be night never to be forgotten.

Does your partner love to dance? If so, why not get them a dance experience that they will remember forever. Celestial Gift experiences offers 4 saucy salsa dance lessons as well as ballroom dancing for two, which “includes 16 hours of ballroom and Latin American dancing for one person or two. It is made up of a private 30 minute assessment followed by 4 individual lessons of 30 minutes each, 8 socials and 6 parties”.

Whatever anniversary ideas you come up with, whether you are looking for traditionally romantic anniversary gifts or the slightly more unique gifts, www.celestialgifts.co.za will most certainly be able to cater for your interests or the interests of the couple. 

Birthday Gift Ideas

A 60^th birthday gift doesn’t always need to include a pair of warm wooly socks or a book about boats or flower arranging. Celestial Gift Experiences offers a wide range of alternatives to these “normal” birthday gifts. Why not opt for a driving experience or a relaxing day at the spa? Whether your friend or close family member is celebrating their 40^th birthday or their 80^th birthday, you will find the perfect gift for them at www.celestialgifts.co.za.

There are so many interesting experiences out there, such as an opportunity to do a live radio broadcast for any event – this “includes fantastic Radio Presenters who will keep your guests rocking with awesome tunes as well as electric engagement with the audience to maintain the vibe of fun, excitement and promotion of your event”.  If this isn’t unique enough (but you don’t want to go as far as getting a ‘drive a Ferrari’ experience) then how about a WACO biplane flight for two or an elephant encounter? Both are perfect for any occasion from a 40^th birthday to a 60^th birthday.

If your Mom enjoys good food (and would never want to drive a Ferrari) then I suggest you take a look at these wonderful experiences – An Italian pasta lesson, high tea for two, a private fine dining experience for two, a Table Bay cruise and lunch for two, a chocolate tasting and lunch for two or a Jazz brunch for two. Another option is star gazing and dinner for two at the Cradle of Mankind where “participants will be given the chance to make use of both telescopes and called to look through the larger telescope usually on a table-by-table basis, before and during the various courses of food ordered in the restaurant”. These are all amazing alternatives to a driving experience.

And then, on the other hand, you might also have friends and family members who are passionate about cars and racing and who would love to drive a Ferrari and enjoy a unique driving experience. For those people you could choose to get a Birkin 2-seater hot lap session, which “includes a 10 minute introduction to the car and its mechanics/history followed by being strapped in and then 20 minutes experiencing this rare beauty at top speeds in the safe hands of a Professional Racing Driver. Once you have finished your session you can then enjoy light refreshments in the VIP hospitality tent”.

For your businessman uncle, who is celebrating his 60^th birthday, you could get a tailor made shirt consultation where “each tailor made shirt is cut to your individual specifications using the highest quality fabrics and craftsmanship”. For your sister, who is celebrating her 40^th birthday, and who loves to fly, you could give the gift of a Johannesburg sunset flight for two, a Cape Town helicopter flight or a hot air balloon flight, which also includes breakfast for two.

 Lion cub encounters for two, Vaal River fishing cruises, which “includes the private charter of a luxurious cruiser for 3-hours, all gear, equipment and training” and wine estate picnics for two – there is no doubt that Celestial Gift Experiences is the place to go for unique and exciting gifts that create memories that last a life time.  

Celestial Gift Experiences Vouchers

Buying 50^th birthday gifts for people you do not know is not easy. Celestial Gift Experiences has an experience voucher or gift vouchers, which are perfect 50^th birthday gifts for someone you do not know so well. Not everyone wants to test drive a Ferrari, so gift vouchers allow the person to choose, for themselves, an experience that they will enjoy.

At Celestial Gift Experiences there is a selection of three beautifully presented gift vouchers. Pluto is valued at R500, Saturn is valued at R1000 and Mars is valued at R1500. The experiences you could get with R500 or less include a rock climbing introduction, river rafting, a Segway lion park tour experience, advanced quad biking, chocolate tasting, horseback safari, an introduction to microlight flight, a Sushi lesson and a facial spa treatment, just to mention a few.

For R1000 or less, if you get one of the Saturn gift vouchers, you could get a live radio celebrity experience, a Lotus Exige driving dash, a hot stone massage, a Table Bay cruise and lunch for two, a Cape Town helicopter flight, a tandem paraglide flight, four saucy salsa dance lessons for two, a gyrocopter flight and even a canopy tour.

As you can see, Celestial Gift Experiences has so much more to offer than just the “test drive a Ferrari” experience. If you give someone the Mars gift voucher they will be able to choose from these amazing gift experiences. Here are just a few of the experiences on offer for R1500 or less – an Aston Martin driving dash, dinner in the sky for two, tailor made shirt, tie and cufflinks, an introduction to kite surfing, a Super Decathlon with aerobatics, a gents ultimate escape as well as horse whispering for two.

So, if you don’t want to get the ‘test drive a Ferrari’ experience you can always opt for one of the other amazing experiences instead. For the perfect 50^th birthday gift check out www.celestialgifts.co.za and choose from their selection of gift vouchers and experiences. Whether you chose a gift voucher or an experience voucher, you will be making the right choice and even if the gift is for a distant acquaintance they will not only remember the gift but they will, without a doubt, remember you as well.

An experience voucher or any of the gift vouchers are all wonderfully unique 50^th birthday gifts for the people closest to you but they are also perfect gifts for your boss’s wife’s sister or your uncle’s helpful elderly neighbour. You can’t go wrong with giving people, no matter how well you know them, an experience of a lifetime and memory that they will cherish forever.