As with any form of travelling one always has to consider what you leave behind. What I mean when I say this is that we tend to sometimes search for adventure and beauty in far off exciting places when very often there is a great deal of wonder right under our noses.
As I prepare to head off in three weeks I started taking in a little more around me here at home with the thoughts that I am not going to see it for awhile so I should enjoy my last days, when all of a sudden it occurred to me that there are many who might not have had the opportunity to experience Pretoria in October. The “˜Jacaranda City’ is even more unmistakable during October than any other month of the year. As you drive along the streets in the Brooklyn suburbs purple confetti flies up behind you as if excited by your visit, before settling on the dark grey tar. Lavender coloured carpets line the curbs and driveways and pop like tom thumbs under your wheels while you drive with your window open, radio turned down, to enjoy the sounds and smells of spring. The rare but beautiful white Jacarandas of Herbert Baker Street in Groenkloof, break the lilac haze like cherry blossoms against the azure sky. Multicoloured Bougainvilleas pour over walls and weigh down on electric fences while still protecting with thorny stems. Mulberry trees leave violet stains on pathways and children’s fingers. The only thing we still await is the wonderful promise of more rain.
Also Read: The 20 Best Restaurants in Pretoria East
