When I was 18 and moved to Cape Town, one of my early wake-up noises outside Somerset Hospital nurses’ home was that of a helicopter. In the early 1980s, cargo ships saved money by not coming into port, choosing rather to hire helicopters to bring cargo out to them. These helicopters would do this from 5am and I well remember waking up to the sound of the whirring blades launching into the air to drag tonnes of cargo out to waiting ships. I wanted to go on one. I wanted to see what it would be like to get into a chopper and rise into the air and fly over the sea.
Yesterday, after 30 years of waiting, I did it!
Today is Julian’s birthday so I decided to hire a 3 person helicopter ride as a gift for his birthday. He has spoiled us too many times and it was a bit of pay back time. Mike chose not to come, so to fill the third spot, David happily joined us and bought along his ‘go-pro’. He is putting together a short video and I’ll put that up when it’s done.
So here is the little bird we used…
And here Julian and I are in the back…
Lifting off and within moments we enjoyed one of the most iconic pictures of Table Mountain…
We flew over the sea and out towards Camps Bay….the views were just unbelievable…
Clifton and Camps Bay…
Twelve Apostles…
And round to Fish Hoek…
We flew over Elsie’s Peak and the tower up there looked like a matchstick. Fish Hoek looked stunning…
And over the bay looking back towards Noordhoek – our magnificent valley…
And soon it was back to the city…
I was so excited and grateful.
Now you know why #71 of my 1000 thanks yesterday was that the wind had dropped!
#72 of my 1000 thanks is for that memorable helicopter trip. What a blessing.
#73 of my 1000 thanks is for the friendship I share with my brother Julian. So glad I could spend his birthday with him. He flew back to Johannesburg this afternoon, but after brunch, we took a walk to the foundation of the forester’s hut overlooking Noordhoek. This view never gets old…and you don’t need a helicopter to enjoy it! 🙂
One of the things I sometimes think about is what the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ are doing.
Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”
One day I will be among them. I wonder if they get to fly across the world to any place they wish and enjoy God’s marvellous creation. I think God puts dreams and desires in our hearts. He has made us all different. I want to fly! Â I don’t want to sound morbid, but when I am dead, I imagine my soul soaring! Eternal life is real and I look forward to the ‘post earthly body’ part of it!
These are the days!
Keep the smile going!
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂