I need to slow down and smell the roses.

I know, that statement is becoming a bit of a chant on this blog, but yesterday was case in point.

I drove to Soweto for a newborn shoot, and the dear old GPS (a TomTom that I’m reviewing for GirlGuides, which until then had performed outstandingly) sent me on a long long round about trip to get there.  Now I’ve been to Dobsonville before, so I should probably have followed my nose in the general direction, and then used the GPS when I got into that area… but no… I decided in my wisdom to trust the GPS.

Anyhoo, instead of zooting me through Roodepoort, the damn machine took me via the N12, then R558, right around the outskirts of Soweto.  What it did do however, was show me a part of Soweto that I probably would never have seen otherwise.

If I was a little early, I would have undoubtably have stopped, and if the shoot hadn’t have taken so long, I would have stopped on the way home (but the shoot ended up finishing just before sunset).

The drive in, reminded me why I need another photo excursion into Soweto.  The light is just too amazing.  The vibe is just like nothing else in Johannesburg.  The people are too beautiful, and it’s just SO full of life!!

On the roads close to Protea Glen there were sheep, cattle and goats being sold in pens next to the road… gives a new meaning to street hawkers! And then on the next block, small cages with live chickens. On a few corners, there were magnificent informal veggie markets.

On the streets surrounding the house, kids filled the streets when we left… playing ball in the golden light… dancing at a house party set up in a driveway.

Aaawww man, even writing about it makes me yearn to get back there even for an hour… just to capture what I saw happening around me.

What a lost opportunity!