Safar - the journey

24/06/2022

The following are *unedited* extracts of the journal I kept while sailing for 12 days from New Zealand to Fiji on the Great Escape, with three other crew members:

Pahia, New Zealand. I've been on the boat now for 3 days already, it's been constantly changing and taking form. Nora arrived yesterday and it's been such a pleasure, enjoying the little things in life. Today we sailed to an island in the Bay where we lay in the sun, smoked joints and waded through 'blue as' water.

"It was Sunday 15th of May,
we left New Zealand bright and gay
The winds picked up, so did our speed
We're off to sail to Fiji"

We left New Zealand at the crack of dawn after a refreshing morning plunge. The night before I had a few final calls with family and friends, which made me tear up. When or if would I see my loved ones again?

I was told on several occasions before embarking, how brave and adventurous I am to be undertaking such a voyage. But I don't feel any more courageous than the next. I've simply accepted that I cannot escape death, so why let its fear diminish our choices in life.

I sit writing this now in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the second day since leaving New Zealand. There is no land in sight, some dolphins this morning in the distance and many impressive birds all the way out here. If I've learnt one thing, its that boats don't tip, no matter how often I'm convinced that the angle of the mast has leaned beyond return. Yet death has been on my mind recurringly. We are taught our whole lives to see ourselves as a drop, with our own identity, separate. But I want to understand, to feel, what it means to be one, in union with everything. That we are all the same. I am a drop in the ocean and the ocean in a drop, and when I die, which will happen, I will become one with the ocean again. Why be afraid of a beautiful inevitable. And as we will die at one day, then every passing day we come closer to our death. A finite and diminishing amount of time alive to experience this physical world, to enjoy the illusion. I don't plan on wasting these moments if they could be my last.

That being said, it was difficult the first few days. I found myself constantly irritated, crammed into 12m of boat after coming from NZ's expansive mountain wilderness. But this is simply perspective that I can switch out of... if I just knew how to. Gratitude practice is a proven antidote. I'm grateful for this path I have CHOSEN, for the crew, for food and a bed, for Life! for those I love and who love me in return.

Day 6. We reached halfway today, we have 400 nautical miles to go. Slower than expected but I much prefer the calmer seas, when it's unpunctuated stillness and sun basking. As opposed to thrashing above and slamming down through relentless swell. That's fun for a few hours, when the joy of surfing the bow (tied in with harness) through crashing waves wears off, and the salty cold reaches your bones, and the perpetual rocking sinks deep in your stomach. There's not single thing to see on the horizon. We are all alone out here occupying international waters, no one to tell us off for smoking our joint while tacking winds and changing sails.

I jumped in for a swim one day and held onto the ladder at the back. It feels unreal to be immersed within an intensity and extent of blue as deep and as far as you can imagine. I pictured the scene from a bird's-eye view, to see a girl holding on with one hand to a boat being dragged through the Pacific Ocean. The movie frame zooms out, expanse accumulating, endless ocean around. The thought made me burst into laughter, childish squeals of joy seem to be a symptom of this simple life.

Music and spinning keeps me sane and my body used. I play songs on full blast at the bow, most of the volume being swept away. I spin precariously with my dense and highly sinkable fire staff from Youseff. "If it falls in the water there's no way I'll be getting it back". That happened to me the next day. It feels as if the universe is adamant I have the lesson of detachment drilled into me as unapologetically as possible. No more New Zealand, goodbye friends, no hair, detach yourself from your physical identity, no more fire staff and no expectations (I was envisioning fire spinning on the Fijian beaches), don't I know by now not to make plans? It's a sure fire way to make sure they never happened :). Even if only for a few days, it was worth it to bring the staff. It gave me the chance to use my body and feel beautiful with the flow, the staff smooth and playful on my skin. To progress was a captivating experience and I'll be back, but for now I'll focus on my juggling.

'Lowlights' have been interesting and acceptable, and include another infected wisdom tooth, a crushed finger, and general lack of motivation from the constant rocking and seasickness, sometimes I'm just not keen for anything but lying down. To remain patient with the crew, stuffed in the same boat as me, I imagine everyone if they were children, and 100 years old.
And the sleeping situation, never more than a few restless hours at a time.

Plenty of highlights though! Every sunset stunning and unique. I see my dragon in each one. I feel her in the water protecting the boat, on guard for potential danger. And I see her in the clouds silhouetted by the sunset, pinks and yellows and blues and purples all blended together.
Then the full moon appears to illuminate the ocean by night and the stars are shining bright. The Milky way stretches across the southern horizon as we sail north, and a shooting star as I'm lying on my back, staring up and singing to sweet and sad songs on the speaker.

And then we see stars in the waves that break beside the boat. Thousands of phosphorescent plankton sparkling in the never-ending darkness below. I grabbed the boat hook and splashed around the water to create sparks and splashes of light across the water. Bright, fleeting, captivating.

We went a little crazy one evening as the sun set and I played music that had us dancing as wildly as possible within the limited space on the bows wooden deck, b***y trapped with plenty of toe-stubbers. I have obtained a ridiculous amount of bruises from The Great Escape. It was transcendental with the music, movement and hypnotizing sinking sun, and all the colours she commanded. We were a bunch of sun-worshiping monkeys swinging from the ropes and howling our heads off. Then we settled down like a family at Christmas Eve and watch the moon rise. One day, mid joint, we tacked so effortlessly, it made me smile to be a part of this stoned, coherent crew. We've got this s**t under control.

There's been plenty of time as expected and hoped for to disconnect and connect with my thoughts and the universe surrounding me. I believe my concentration span already strengthening. I feel less fidgety and an ease in simply sitting with my thoughts. Simple things like music, journaling, reading, singing, and food brings abundant joy as my dopamine receptors lower their tolerance, activities I'd struggle to find motivation for pre-boat trip.

The boat life really helps keep you tethered in the moment, while making distractions difficult. And of course the constant beauty and majesty of this adventure makes me want to savor every insane moment. A bucket list journey like no other, a powerful now. Finally I'm here and we are all alone and it is Perfection. What a journey, what a life.

19/11/2020

Dear friends and adventure supporters!

This December I aspire to tackle one of the worlds toughest thru-hikes; the TE ARAROA. The 3000km trek spanning the length of New Zealand and stretching through beaches, volcanoes, mountains, rivers, lakes and valleys. My mission is to complete the trail within a 3-4 month period (based on weather dependencies), with two intentions in mind.

The first: to complete the trail on a 100% vegan diet and raise awareness for animal rights. I'm exhilarated to have the opportunity to prove it possible to complete one of the worlds most strenuous thru-hikes while being powered only by plants!

The second: To truly "leave no trace" by pursuing a zero-waste lifestyle while on the hike. Over pollution is one of the leading causes of environmental degradation, and so by making adjustments to my daily routines I will to create zero waste during my time on the trail (besides maybe a little composting..). I'm expecting this to be a greater challenge than the hike itself.

I'll be staying in my tent and in cabins along the way, replenishing supplies when I stumble across towns, reconnecting with nature and allowing myself to become absorbed into hiking tunnel vision; meditating on the technicality of the trail immediatly in front of me and getting to my destination for that night, while developing an obsession for my next meal and clean socks- the obvious reasons one goes thru-hiking right? 😉

I'll be posting updates along the way, through youtube videos and blogs, and supporting animal rights organisations as well (more info on that to come! 😃)

Being a 3-4 month trek, I would like to hike as an ultralight minimalist. However, lightweight gear to get started is going to be pricey... Please consider sponsoring the neccessary gear I'll need to turn my dreams into a reality, by funding my expedition at gofundme (link below). I'm thinking maybe an early Christmas present? 😉. Once the gear is in the bag (pun intended), I'll be rasing money along the trail for animals rights organisationsa dn spreading a message of liberation to all creatures. I will be funding the rest of my expenses, food and accomodation costs.

Thank you all for your time and support, I really appreciate it! Even the smallest donation will mean so much to me! If you'd like to find out more about my intentions, send me an email or keep up to date with my adventures via instagram , and journal updates at Conservation Cath (for those with neither instagram nor Facebook I'll be sending out a whatsapp broadcast as well to those trying to live that 'off grid' kinda life).

Lots of love, and have an exquisite day further! xx
Catherine Meyer

This December I aspire to tackle one of the worlds toughest thru-hikes; the Te Arar… Catherine Meyer needs your support for Treading gently upon the Te Ararao

20/04/2020

Stunning Lake Malawi
In my mind, paradise has always appeared as coastal oceans teaming with life, while soft waves lap at the palm lined beach. Yet Lake Malawi, tucked within the African continent, seemed to have all the qualities I was looking for in a paradisiacal getaway. Thousands of brightly coloured cichlid species swarmed within the crystal clear body of freshwater, ringed by the African bush, and dotted with islands of overgrown jungle. I spent my days here forgetting about the rest of the world, while swaying in my hammock above the waters edge and intently observing my new kingfisher friend for hours. This must have been the friendliest little bird I ever met - a delightful model to photograph.

29/03/2020

Domboshawa - "Red Rock" in Shona.

Both the balancing rock and the legend of the enchanted forest, spreads a message of natures ability to balance, a cryptic testament to an elusive order. Ndambakurimwa, the “enchanted forest that refuses to be farmed” stands guarding the work of artists that once painted their world. The story goes that when the settlers first came they tried to cut down the forest of majestic musasa and muzhanje trees. But the forest immediately grew back. So they cut it down again and again, and every morning, the trees had sprung back to exactly where they stood the previous day.

We climbed the horizon in search of a cave that contained evidence of an era by-gone. Ancient art of rhinos, elephants, wild dogs, giraffes, people... glanced down on us, oblivious to the passing of time and generations. Fingers that were once dipped in paint, became fingers pressing camera buttons.

17/03/2020

CLOSE TO HOME

While unwinding on a rickety 14 hour bus drive through Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, (aka the African massage), my mind began to wander back to my own country. I still believe that the extensive Drakensberg mountain range is one of the most beautiful and pristine regions in this world, and home is lucky enough to lie at its feet. I’ve spent years exploring its peaks and valleys, national reserves and passes, during week-long traverses, or day trips to secret crystal pools. In the Southern Drakensberg, I was introduced to a particularly special family-run lodge, and the breathtaking trails that stem from it. Sani Lodge backpackers is the most commendable place to stay in the province, placing a beautiful emphasis on sustainability, community upliftment and conservation.

Coming in as one of my favourite hikes in the berg was a humble stroll from the lodge along the Giants cup trail. One takes a sharp turn off the beaten track, endures a good old bundu bash (it may be recommended to omit this stage by paying closer attention to pathways), and follows a ravine until you come to arrive underneath a cascading waterfall. Hint: plan on staying the night ;). We crept around the freefalling water, to arrive under a high overhang, amongst lush vegetation, that would provide immaculate peace for the night. From the cave you could see through the waterfall, with a rolling view of the valley below, cut away over thousands of years by the forces of the river. I fell asleep to the sounds of water and rose before the sun to capture its awakening presence on the blankets of mist below. And as stunning as they are, the photos didn’t do the scene justice. The Drakensberg truly offers serenity and tranquillity and an opportunity for regeneration, and I walked back with a full and grateful heart.

*About Sani Lodge Backpackers*

Situated right on the famous Sani Pass, Sani lodge is a 4 star backpackers and responsible tourism destination that offers the "traveller with a conscious" a chance to genuinely give back to society, by supporting sustainable social upliftment projects, while providing a wide range of adventurous activities. Sani lodge is an ideal base for hiking the Drakensberg, exploring Lesotho, horse-riding, viewing bushman rock art, swimming in mountain rivers and pools, and enjoying the indigenous wildflowers, birds and animals unique to the area. Russell and Simone Suchet, who started the Lodge in 1992, are admirable leaders in the field of Responsible Tourism, both dedicated to environmental and wildlife conservation, sustainability and social upliftment. By supporting Sani lodge backpackers, you support a responsible travel destination which is committed to Fair trade tourism principles. The more people who know about what this means, the more people will have the knowledge to be discerning about where and how they choose to spend their holidays and to whom and how their money is distributed so that more people at grassroots level will benefit, alleviating poverty through job creation. Check them out here: https://www.sanilodge.co.za

I eagerly await my return to such a highly recommendable slice of paradise. In the meantime, Hello from the top of Zomba Plateau, MALAWI!

09/03/2020

Good morning Monday 🦋

We are the environment!

07/03/2020

THERE'S MAGIC IN MANA 🐘🦜🌳☀️🌈🐾🦓🐍🦋

I never thought I'd be returning to such special place so soon, and with an incredible friend to host me. After a 6 hour drive from Harare we finally began to make our way through denser and denser bush until we reached the Mopane forests at the entrance of the Mana Pools reserve. If I had to describe mana in one word, it would be WILD! We continued through majestic Baobabs and countless Fig trees, my favourites! (100% will you one day find me living in my treehouse in one of these stunners).

With the setting sun we arrived in Camp; open grassland sheltered with Natal mahogany trees, but RIGHT on the banks of the Zambezi. As night approached, Michelle would attend graciously to my G&T needs (best I've ever had) and we'd sit around the campfire, bush television, and get lost in conversations that you just couldn't escape from. And oh my God were the skies a sight. The milky way formed an glowing stroke across the sky consisting of millions of little sparkling diamonds. Definitely a highlight of the trip, although I may be biased as stargazing has always been an indescribably captivating activity for me (and we were usually stoned by this point in time). Then we'd scramble for our tents like maniacs, in fear of getting taken out by one of the lions that were definitely right there stalking us from the grass, and not at all just in our minds hehe. Every night the sounds were different and beautiful, a hyena calling right next to our tent, hippos grazing slowly and loudly in our camp, ellies ambling past.

Mornings were a treat of a routine. A cup of tea, then a cup of coffee, both accompanied with ginger biscuits and breakfast whereby one would risk their life protecting the food from the foolingly adorable monkeys.
During the sweltering days- this is far from a complaint- I'd pop into the shower fully dressed and climb above the cruiser for a full day of game viewing and rodeoing the car off-road. Ellies, impala, bobos, zebras, hyena, beeaters, vultures, fish eagles, monkeys and more, all in abundance. The rains had turned what I remembered as a dry and dusty african savannah into a lush semi-tropical paradise supporting millions of creatures and critters. Drive a bit, stop and admire a bit, drive a bit, pick a perfect spot for sundowners on the roof rack. Repeat daily.
We were missing around one day when I found my future home, Ficus Bussei. It brought tears to my eyes. Dear friends, you're all welcome to come and visit me when I've finished building my treehouse.

Of course, there were few wobblies along the way. A couple nights before the voyage Mich did me such a favour by saving me 200 bucks and piercing a couple holes in my ears with a safety pin. I thought I was being very diligent wiping my ears down every day with a weakly diluted salvon solution, I thought I'd have made those irritatingly paranoid people in my life proud (you know who you are). But airhead cath didn't think to read just how diluted this solution should be, and one night when we were cozy in our tent something didn't feel right and I asked Mich to check out my ears. I reckon her reaction as I sat there unaware of what she was looking at, was another highlight of the trip. My ears had blistered up like balloons, it was diagnosed as bing attributed to the strong salving concoction that may have caused a slight irritation... Update for the paranoid: My ears are back to normal xx. Apart from that, some serious sunburn, becoming the worlds largest walking fly attractant after being lathered in cooking oil that was sold as coconut oil, and losing my phone in camp which was then carried off by a hyena - the story I'm sticking with because it honestly went *p**f* into thin air and hyenas are notorious for carrying off shoes and things like a dog- the trip was an absolute breeze.

No no no, sorry it was the last day that was the ultimate highlight. Parking off for hours under a sacred sausage tree that overlooks the Zambezi with a stocked cooler box and a set of watercolour paints. We spent the day painting the surrounding scenery, watching elephants play in the water and bee-eaters do trick dives for insects within cm's around us. As soon as you become still in nature, the life around you begins to appear and bustle with business as usual, after sensing your calm presence.

Lastly, a comment on the company. Would reccomend! Thanks Michelle for being a best mate, my hairdresser and chopping off my locks, piercing my ears, making me G&T's, rolling me joints, and taking me on adventures of a lifetime. I am so excited for you and your year ahead of adventure and travels, I know our travelling paths will cross again soon (because I'll probably just follow you around South America or live with you in Belize, its not like I have anywhere else to be).

Check out the album for photos of the trip to accompany my little story 🌈🥰 Thinking of my friends and family elsewhere, and missing my special people. Constantly sending love out to you all xx.

07/03/2020