Photograph by Hougaard Malan. Website www.hougaardmalan.com
Through a recent project I did, I suddenly had to visit key places in Pretoria and record the significance of each place as part of the project. As a "Pretorian" for over 10 years I was shocked as to how little I actually knew about Pretoria. So this project allowed me to re-discover the absolute beauty of this city and the rich history that colours it.
Pretoria is simply serene, it holds amazing national treasures, architectural masterpieces and some of the most eccentric people you will ever meet, but what fascinates most people about it is the diversity in everything. It holds different people who come from diametrically opposed cultures and ideals then it jumbles them all up in a plethora of colour. Even though it is a landlocked city, it doesn't stop millions from coming to see the beauty of this city.
Far be it from the western depiction of "the African jungle" the modern shops and malls array the urban streets and entice swarms of crazed shoppers from all over the city. Jacaranda trees clearly outline the boulevards leading into the city, with deafening echoes of heavy city traffic as the sun sets. However in its loudness the city is lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, as voices in chatter compete. The beauty of the city is often forgotten in the complexities of life, and above all, that is the real tragedy.
What I have learned is that you don’t have to be on a plane to appreciate beauty, you don’t have to fly 1000 miles to travel and have a great time. Even if you are not in Pretoria, there are beautiful sites in your city that can make an absolute voyage with a story worth sharing.
We often imagine that our next best story will come from our excursions to The Grand Canyon, The Great Wall of China, the Eiffel tower in Paris, or the Maldives Islands, but could the nest best story be in our backyard? Could the Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria Townships, the Union Buildings or Freedom Park be the next best story?
At Flexi Trip we made the greatest realisation that people often travel so they can live. So we do all we can to help you make the best of your day; not just to travel but to live. See travelling is not for everyone, but everyone wants to live. We can get you to Siem Reap Cambodia, Rome Italy, Buenos Aries Argentina, but we still help you get to Soshanguve, Soweto, local heritage sites and all the key wonders of Pretoria so you can live.
Today I won’t dare you to travel, I dare you to take the 10 mile holiday and embrace our surroundings…