From Andalouse to Zebra

 



My Andalouse sauce* is finished.

Yesterday, I scraped the very last bit from the jar. Not even a jar from one of the well-known sauce brands. After all, there is only so much you can fit into a suitcase when travelling from Belgium. And sooner or later, those supplies run out. That is when you start wondering: could I make this myself?

As it turns out, yes. Jeroen Meus has a recipe for that.

But my last batch is now gone and no, I am not going to make another one.

These days, every jar that gets emptied feels like a small victory. These are my last weeks in this flat, in this city, in this country. In a few weeks, I will pack up my belongings once again, just as I did before in Rwanda, Vietnam, South Africa and Zambia.


This weekend, I take some time off.

With the Ramblers, we go for a walk in Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, a small green oasis in Yellowwood Park, Durban. After all the rain, the vegetation is lush. Everything seems to be in bloom. On one of the embankments, we spot some Picasso bugs. With the striking, colourful patterns on their shells, they certainly live up to their name.


We come across impalas and zebras. A few shy duikers disappear into the greenery before I fully realise they are there. On one of the windows of the castle built by its Scottish owner in 1885, a trumpeter hornbill is perched. Quite remarkable.

We continue our walk. It starts to rain and, as we retreat into our rain jackets, everything becomes quieter. Fewer voices, only the soft rustling of rain falling on the greenery around us.

Meanwhile, I find myself saying goodbye to all of this in my thoughts. To nature in all its abundance. To the crickets. To those unexpected encounters along the way.

*Andalouse sauce is a popular Belgian condiment made with mayonnaise, tomato paste and peppers, creating a creamy, slightly sweet and tangy sauce. It is commonly served with fries

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