“In Loving Memory of ’The Prince of Gingers’, James Alexander, 8 Jan 1978 – 28 Apr 2023. By His Grace. For James, who loved this view, from Anel, who always sat beside him.” On Sunday 28 April 2024 a bunch of family and friends went to the Drakensberg to scatter James’ ashes and put up a memorial bench for him. It felt surreal. One regularly sees those benches in parks and overlooking beautiful vistas. But it always belongs to somebody else. Some other ‘Beloved Grandpa’ or ‘Mother, daughter and friend, RIP’. But this time it was my bench… My family has a home in the Central Drakensberg and James and I’ve been going there for the 22 years we were together. From our honeymoon in April 2003 to our very last ‘holiday’ 2 weeks before his terminal diagnosis end of January 2023. We put up a bench for him in our favourite spot and planted a tree with his ashes. We had a really special memorial weekend with the friends and family. We laughed and cried, shared memories and photos and thanked God for his life. We decided to put a few different plaques on his bench as it was impossible to just sum him up in a few words. James would have liked it. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking weekend and I was just reminded again about how we cannot do this alone. We need our family and friends. And also, we need to realize, that someday, it’s gonna be your bench. That’s just part of life. Try to live a life that will elicit people to write the kind of messages that James, despite all his tortured flaws, deserved on his bench. Our bench…
Cheers! Thank you to the incredible staff at @swartbergmanor for a really special time in this slice of heaven. The views are priceless, the staff like family and the food at their restaurant, Patat, was out of this world. Compliments all round. I’ll be back! #nofilter #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
Cheers! Thank you to the incredible staff at @swartbergmanor for a really special time in this slice of heaven. The views are priceless, the staff like family and the food at their restaurant, Patat, was out of this world. Compliments all round. I’ll be back! #nofilter #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
La Dolce Vita! Celebrating my friend and colleague, @nicopanagio’s 50th (I know, say whaaaat?) And yes, he is as nice as he is good looking (and he is veeeeery good looking!) Happy Birthday, Friend! You are one of the most integrous people I know and I’m blessed to have you and your family in my life. Here’s to the next 50!
After a 10km hike at Robberg we of course had to go for the obligatory Bomba at Enrico’s in Keurbooms 😋. I thought I ordered the large?! #roadtrip #ristoranteenrico
After a 10km hike at Robberg we of course had to go for the obligatory Bomba at Enrico’s in Keurbooms 😋. I thought I ordered the large?! #roadtrip #ristoranteenrico
Just having a cuppa rooibos on the stoep of the Klaarstroom Guest House ☕️ In 2013 I had the privilege of shooting ‘Faan se Trein’ in the tiny dorpie of Klaarstroom in the Klein Karoo. It was one of the best filmmaking experiences of my career, thanks to the hospitality of Jeremy and Sharon at the guest house (where we stayed for the 6 week shoot) and the neighbouring farmers and residents that spoilt us rotten. I will always keep coming back! @klaarstroomsharon #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
Just having a cuppa rooibos on the stoep of the Klaarstroom Guest House ☕️ In 2013 I had the privilege of shooting ‘Faan se Trein’ in the tiny dorpie of Klaarstroom in the Klein Karoo. It was one of the best filmmaking experiences of my career, thanks to the hospitality of Jeremy and Sharon at the guest house (where we stayed for the 6 week shoot) and the neighbouring farmers and residents that spoilt us rotten. I will always keep coming back! @klaarstroomsharon #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
Just having a cuppa rooibos on the stoep of the Klaarstroom Guest House ☕️ In 2013 I had the privilege of shooting ‘Faan se Trein’ in the tiny dorpie of Klaarstroom in the Klein Karoo. It was one of the best filmmaking experiences of my career, thanks to the hospitality of Jeremy and Sharon at the guest house (where we stayed for the 6 week shoot) and the neighbouring farmers and residents that spoilt us rotten. I will always keep coming back! @klaarstroomsharon #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
Just having a cuppa rooibos on the stoep of the Klaarstroom Guest House ☕️ In 2013 I had the privilege of shooting ‘Faan se Trein’ in the tiny dorpie of Klaarstroom in the Klein Karoo. It was one of the best filmmaking experiences of my career, thanks to the hospitality of Jeremy and Sharon at the guest house (where we stayed for the 6 week shoot) and the neighbouring farmers and residents that spoilt us rotten. I will always keep coming back! @klaarstroomsharon #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
There’s it! It has sprung! Dis heerlike Lente! Happy Spring Day, beautiful South Africa 🌼
There’s it! It has sprung! Dis heerlike Lente! Happy Spring Day, beautiful South Africa 🌼
Reunited with my little guy… Note: I hardly ever post in real time. I feel it takes me out of the moment and I like to be present. So thank you to every person that has invited us over for a cup of coffee on our road-trip, but I’ve been home for a week!
Reunited with my little guy… Note: I hardly ever post in real time. I feel it takes me out of the moment and I like to be present. So thank you to every person that has invited us over for a cup of coffee on our road-trip, but I’ve been home for a week!
The welcoming committee at @swartbergmanor is the BEST! #Neelsie #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
One of my favourite mountains in the world viewed from one of my favourite stoeps in the world at one of my favourite places in the world… and I got to see it covered in SNOW! @swartbergmanor #swartberge #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
One of my favourite mountains in the world viewed from one of my favourite stoeps in the world at one of my favourite places in the world… and I got to see it covered in SNOW! @swartbergmanor #swartberge #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
Dis ‘n vibe! Ek het die voorreg gehad om ‘n mentor te wees op die 2023 @silwerskermfees kortfilms wat in Gauteng vervaardig is. Só trots op hierdie klomp jong filmmakers en hul harde werk. Was heerlik om julle films op die grootskerm te sien! Dankie aan ons gashere @kyknettv en @thebayhotel vir ‘n fees vol bederf! #Vollebors #Karen #Thrifttotdiedood #dansdatdiebiesiesbewe #Werpsel
Dis ‘n vibe! Ek het die voorreg gehad om ‘n mentor te wees op die 2023 @silwerskermfees kortfilms wat in Gauteng vervaardig is. Só trots op hierdie klomp jong filmmakers en hul harde werk. Was heerlik om julle films op die grootskerm te sien! Dankie aan ons gashere @kyknettv en @thebayhotel vir ‘n fees vol bederf! #Vollebors #Karen #Thrifttotdiedood #dansdatdiebiesiesbewe #Werpsel
Sometimes I feel small… #Knysna #diegrootboom #roadtrip
Come on, Spring! You know you want to… #overwinter. Photo credit: @elsabeputter
We climbed a mountain-tjie! #kleinleeukoppie #houtbay #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
We climbed a mountain-tjie! #kleinleeukoppie #houtbay #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
We climbed a mountain-tjie! #kleinleeukoppie #houtbay #roadtrip #beautifulsouthafrica
