There is no better way to bring in the New Year than with friends you have not seen for many many years.

I had the privilege of living and working in Brunei some years ago.  I was based in Bandar Seri Begawan.  Bandar Seri Begawan is home to one of the most beautiful Mosques I have ever seen.  I’m posting a pic of it but won’t elaborate too much more on Brunei as it is not really relative to this story.

Back to my story ……

We heard via a relative who lives in Dubai that an old friend who was with us in Brunei was in Dubai just before the New Year and he was on his way to South Africa.  (Wow that’s a mouth full)  So we contacted him via email to find out if he was indeed here.  He duly replied saying he was here in South Africa – spending a few weeks in Durban.  He also mentioned that another friend from Brunei was in South Africa – she became a close friend of mine while we were based there.

I managed to get a contact number for her and she was here for a few days and staying in a town not far from us.  So I gave her a call on Monday last week and we arranged to meet over the weekend as she was going away for a few days, leaving New Years Eve and back on Friday.  She was driving to Clarens and spending a few days in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park at the Golden Gate Hotel and Chalets with her kids.

Hubby and I thought it may be a good idea to fly down to Durban on Friday for the day and see our other friend there.  So we called him and he said he was also going to Clarens.  So we decided to be really spontaneous and also drive to Clarens on New Years Eve and join both friends and their families there and bring in the New Year together.

It is not often I get to see some of the remote parts of my beautiful country and I thought I would share some of the pics I took.

Hope you all had an equally rewarding New Year’s eve.