Holi Colour Festival

Following Pia’s visit , the Barefoot Bellas had another sister visit for a weekend. Bossy Bella’s sister, Serenity was coming up to attend the Holi Colour Festival with the Bellas as a birthday present. 
Bubbly Bella found the tickets for the Festival at a discounted price on Groupon (Score!!).
Holi is a Indian traditional Spring festival celebrating colour and love.
It has become an international craze, with events cropping up all over the world in springtime.
During the celebration people throw coloured chalk powder at each other, like. everyone, all the colour- all of it. It is a general free-for-all fun party day thing.

Brainy Bella and Serenity do the selfie thing :p

The day of the Festival arrived we all got dressed in our white clothes, put on some make-up (because we knew there would be tons of photos taken on that day) and made our way to Wanderers Cricket stadium in Rosebank. since Bubbly Bella was working she was going to meet us at the stadium. Just before we left the house, Bubbly called in a  panic because she couldn’t locate her tickets, our departure was delayed while we searched at home and she searched the mine field she calls her car. Bossy Bella enquired on the events Facebook page if we could purchase another ticket at the door and we were impressed at the organisers’ quick affirmative response . As with all good stories, the ticket was found in the nick of time (with our hair still looking fantastic).

The sunglasses squad

Naturally our first photo opportunity arose in the parking lot :p. We moved speedily through the queue despite the hordes of people herding into the event. Entering was like walking into a different world, there were screeching scantily clad women covered in dust, beer wielding men behaving like 5 year olds and the general feeling of elation pervaded the air. The food was stock standard festival grub. We went off to purchase our powder, which was vibrant yellow, orange, pink, blue, green and purple (and rather expensive). 

The main party was happening in front of the stage area. The organisers had set up a huge screen with a count down timer for each colour throw(which happened on the hour). Every hour the DJ playing would give his farewell and do the count down, resulting in a sudden rush of people to the stage area (mosh pit). We braved the throng, and weaving our way to the centre of the crowd, eagerly joined in the screaming anticipation and gyrating bodies. 

Gangsatlicious

ten - we pulled up our bandannas
nine - the sunglasses were lowered
eight - chalk packets ripped
seven - jumping intensifies
six - bandanna's lowered to allow for air intake
five 
four - half a packet of colour lost
three - bandanna's raised. again
two 
one... And there was coloured powder everywhere!  

A rainbow cloud of chalk

 It was like dancing inside a rainbow. Hunger motivated our departure from the colourful crowd. The fascinating activity of people watching was enhanced by the purchase of a hookah and food. 

DJ Fresh, one of the most popular DJ's in SA, was to play in the evening. As Serenity loves DJ Fresh and Bossy also goes a little crazy for him, we stayed until the temperature dropped and the sun disappeared. While Bossy and Serenity moved their bodies to the beat, Bubbly and Brainy treated themselves to mini doughnuts (Yum!).

And now the Bellas are a rainbow too :p

One last colour throw - with our remaining colour packet and frozen extremities - preceded our departure to The Colony Arms. 

Much love and light
The Barefoot Bellas

Road Rage - Taxis

Having grown up in a family that owned taxis* not much surprises me - not the way they are driven, the attitudes of the drivers, or the general state of taxi disrepair (well, occasionally there is one so broken down that even I have to wonder how the owner could put the vehicle on the road in good conscience), the sliding door operators (yes this is a thing), the owners, and even the passengers. Until I started commuting regularly with the Bubbly and Brainy Bellas, none of that stuff would make me blink. They, however, have a tendency to lose their minds when taxis perform illegal manoeuvres, like driving over an island to overtake, driving over or in a yellow line, taking off while the robot** is red, and Bubbly's personal favourite, their tendency to stop in the middle of the road to pick up passengers. These are just a few examples, however the last one still elicits honking, pointing, and a few choice words from Bubbly Bella.

A taxi reversing down a road in Johannesburg

I found that using taxis in Durban and in Johannesburg is very different. Some of the differences that I struggled to get my head around were that Johannesburg does not have local taxis or local taxi fare. You have to pay the full fare unless you want to walk. The other thing that really bothered me is that you have to catch a taxi to the centre of Johannesburg if you want to get to the surrounding towns. For example when I had to travel from Roodepoort to Randburg which is approximately 16km away, I had to take a taxi going all the way to the centre of Johannesburg in order to catch a different one to Randburg. Twenty five Rand and an hour and a half later I couldn't help but shake my head at the ridiculousness of this whole situation. One can only think that there are not enough taxis to cover the direct routes. I am grateful this isn't the situation in Durban where the local taxis and local fares are most convenient.




This taxi was trying to dodge traffic by driving off road. The brave lady in front refused to let it pass

Despite these complaints, we cannot dispute that taxis are a vital part of the transportation system in South Africa. If only they would follow the rules of the road...

Much love and light
Bossy Bella

*For our readers not native to South Africa, taxis are minivans that serve as the main form of public transport in our beautiful country. They are designed to carry up to 20 passengers, but are frequently observed with closer to 30 people squished inside. There are multiple owners of taxi companies that service different routes. Unfortunately these routes are sometimes in dispute which often results in violent conflict.

**Traffic lights in all other countries.

Walking out of 2014...Smiling

‘Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,’

-Alfred Tennyson

Goodbye 2014

The excitement for the upcoming year, 2015 has filled the air with a tangible sense of anticipation for a new beginning and a clean slate in all our lives. The ending of 2014 has provided the perfect time to write a commemorative blog post.

In case you were wondering, the recent oodles of posts is due to the fact that we are on vacation, all together, with somewhat endless time to tidy up and finalise posts that we have been sitting on for far too long.

The Bellas have had one very busy year, we’ve - moved in together, been scammed for thousands of Rands, had many international visitors, been in disastrous romances, made the most spectacular mistakes, gotten promotions, forged new friendships, learned new skills, gone on some adventures, lost one among us to the sunny shores of Durban, and in some way we’ve managed to write a few articles that all of you wonderful people have taken the time to read. 

Such pretty blossoms :)

Today we read a post on Facebook that says “I’m going to be doing the same thing in 2015, that I did this year and in 2013.” We guess for some people this may be a good thing. A safe outlook to have - after all change is not for everyone and it is very scary. However, change is inevitable. We are pleased that 2014 wasn’t the same as 2013. Otherwise we would not have had all the experiences we did. Most importantly we would not have learnt so much about each other. We have had a year filled with change. We are not the same people who walked into 2013 and thank goodness for that.

Bubbly Bella

Writing this blog together has helped forge our friendship into something even stronger - accepting criticism, exulting in praise, and coming to agreement on what to include - it's amazing what we can achieve with team work.

Summer time in Africa

With all the ups and downs of everyday life, work pressure, family dynamics etc. this blog has become a safe space for us, to laugh about and reminisce over. (Thanks Internet!)

Peek-a-boo!

It has been a wild ride from start to finish and we wouldn't have had nearly as much fun without this space to agonise about and rejoice over.  Heading into 2015 we take with us the knowledge that we have friendship, love and support from our families <3, and a renewed appreciation and love for ourselves. Through it all, we wouldn’t know what to do without each other - to giggle with until 3 am and do the bubble-snot-tragedy-sobbing on top of… We somehow have found this precious gift that is friendship and in every way we are different it makes us stronger and closer. We are calmly and gratefully walking out of 2014 and jumping into 2015.

Please continue to join us on our adventure because 2015 is going to be one for the blogs ;)

To make that easier, “follow” us either here on the blog, on Facebook (barefoot.bellas.7), twitter (@BarefootBellas3), or Tumblr (thebarefootbellas.tumblr.com). Also don't hesitate to leave comments on our blogs - we want to hear from you.

Happy 2015 everyone!
Thank you for your love.
The Barefoot Bellas.



And Hello 2015!!! (We can't jump :p)

South African Adventures - The Cradle of Humankind

Brainy Bellas birthday arrived and (as per the trend set by Bossy and Bubbly) she decided that the Bellas should head out to the Cradle of Humankind to celebrate. Work deadlines, cracked ribs, and visitors conspired to delay the expedition by almost two months. However, eventually, the long awaited morning arrived.

The Barefoot Bellas (feat. Archbishop Tutu)

Ensuring the camera was fully charged and walking shoes were tightly laced up, the Bellas departed in high spirits. First order of the day was to drive the 20 or so kilometres to Maropeng - one of nine sites (along with the Sterkfontein Caves) that form the Cradle of Humankind. The recently constructed heritage museum is situated near Hekpoort on a large farm dedicated to archaeological explorations.

Thought provoking quote at Maropeng

The entrance to the museum is a long curving corridor that descends from the currently known beginning of the Universe, past the formation of our Solar System, and through a brief history of life on Earth. At the bottom of the corridor the Bellas hesitantly got into a boat – dreading a turbulent water park ride. Despite a few splashes, the ride is peaceful and moves from ice, through volcanoes, fossils in rocks, to jungle foliage. Next comes a vertiginous walkway through spinning pinpoints of light - Brainy Bella’s favourite part of the museum.

The Tumulus - which holds the museum

The museum proper is a large concrete hall filled with interactive exhibits ranging from a dodo’s answering machine, to the genetic lottery, and evolutionary pathways. Replicas of fossils found around the world that provide the story of human evolution hang in Perspex spheres from the ceiling, and life size models of hominids accompany stories of their discovery. The back wall is covered in quotes and facts about modern times.

The Genetic Lottery!

Bubbly Bella contemplates an ancestor :p

The Bellas exited, blinking in the sunlight, after spending nearly three hours inside. On the way to the restaurant above the museum for lunch, we discovered the footprints of many notable dignitaries, including the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu and Thabo Mbeki. A fruitless search for Nelson Mandela’s footprint and delicious lunch later, we headed to the Sterkfontein Caves. Brainy Bella had last visited the Caves more than ten years previously and was looking forward to seeing them again.

Archbishop Tutu's footprint

The tour of the Caves starts in a small museum, refreshing the information presented at Maropeng. Then, equipped with hard hats, the short walk to the Cave entrance began. We were informed at the start that there are about 300 steps down and almost 500 steps back up at the end. For most of the descent there was a crack of bright blue sky high above us, an almost disconcerting contrast to the darkness. Within a few steps the temperature drops (to a near constant 15°C) and the only light comes from the lanterns strung up at irregular intervals.

Surprisingly this does nothing to alleviate the darkness

We walk (or stumble) through caverns of limestone sculptures – an elephant, the three kings, broken pillars – until we come to the edge of a vast underground lake. This stretches under most of Johannesburg and is treacherously deep in some places. Swimming is strictly forbidden.

The limestone elephant

From the lake we crawl and slide through a narrow passageway before passing the site of the latest excavation (an antelope) and beginning the long climb back to daylight. Out of breath and relieved to be above ground again, yet strangely reluctantly, the Bellas leave the cool darkness behind. The strange timelessness of being underground dissipated and the Bellas headed home tired, but happy.

Much love and light

The Bellas

Bossy moves to Durban for now............

It’s the end of an amazing year, tomorrow will be New Years Eve (Party!!!) and we had an amazing Christmas day, Barefoot Bella Christmas, which was memorable and fun (story to follow soon…….) we were all excited about Christmas, we spent it with our families. Bubbly Bella chose to spend it alone with a book and wine and to be honest I was a bit envious of the quiet day she had, however it’s been a long time since Bossy Bella had spent more than a week with her family this year so she was looking forward to the chaotic fun of cooking Christmas lunch and having relatives over for the day.

It has been three weeks now since Bossy has been home, settling in, adjusting to a different pace, hiding out at home before finally making contact with Durban friends again. She is realising that the best part of growing up apart from being able to choose ‘your people’  and I love all my people they all have a special place in my heart but the best part is finding a home and a harmony with those people. It takes a special connection, perhaps  planned by the great big universe.

Night before departure just toiletries left

The shelves are looking empty :(

 It’s been a year of immense growth and I believe that to be true for all the Bellas, we grew stronger together and individually, our friendship and love for each other blossomed and will continue to blossom no matter how far apart we are from each other.

Even though being home is great and probably where I need to be right now for whatever reason. I miss having my special people with me, staying up til the wee hours of the morning is not fun anymore. I have to blog alone sans vegetarian Nachos a la Brainy Bella and no-one to attack me with hugs and kisses a la Bubbly Bella :).

Bossy Bella before boarding

 I moved to Durban but my heart is still with my Bellas and maybe one day after traveling we will flip a coin pick a country settle into a three storey house (shot gun top floor ;p) with a garden, a trampoline, a pool and a porch swing.

Much love and light

Bossy Bella <3

The Goblet of Smoothicide

We are part of the 21^st century’s 20-somethings that spend their lives reading about and following other people’s lives. Online, we find recipes, memes, fanfiction and great tips on how to feel awesome heading into summer!, it was on such a discovery that Bubbly Bella disrupted the household functioning early one Saturday morning.

She proposed the already carefully thought out and planned menu for the week and subsequent shopping list be binned in favour of a plan on how to feel awesome heading into Summer! . The idea was to do a smoothie detox…nothing but smoothies and water for 10 days. Brainy Bella stomped her feet and crumpled up her shopping list, Bossy Bella shrugged.

We went out and bought 5 bunches of spinach, bananas for the whole of Africa, lemons, natural yoghurt, coconut water, coconut milk, coconut cream, carrots, apples, pears, broccoli, strawberries, pineapples and various flavours of the Tipco organic fruit and vegetable juices.

We thought this was full!

The Bellas are getting healthy.
Let’s go through the rules of the detox.
No Alcohol, no meat, no egg, no wheat(gluten), no alcohol, no cooked food, no sweeteners (incl. honey), oh, did we mention no alcohol?
Being sensible Bellas we had added that we would have a salad for lunch every day, you know, to avoid starvation.
In conjunction with the smoothie detox we had started The Most Amazing Exercise Program.

The week started well.

Morning                                                                      Evening                      
1 cup greek yoghurt                                           1 cup coconut water
1 banana                                                            1 banana
1 cup spinach                                                     1/2 pineapple
1/2 lemon                                                           1/2 apple
1/2 grapefruit                                                     1 carrot

Breakfast smoothie

We got home from work astounded by the quantity of smoothie we had, how we didn’t even eat the salad prepared due to the fact that the smoothie wasn't finished by lunch time. Still relatively full from the morning’s smoothies the Bellas whipped up the evenings smoothie and chugged it down. Everything was great, apart from the actual taste of the goop we were swallowing.

Dinner smoothie - in a pretty glass :)

After the second day spirits were still high, albeit we were a tad hungrier that night. As the days progressed on the hungrier we got towards evening, what was worse, Bubbly Bella and Bossy Bella begun to get sick. They were committing Smoothicide.

By the time the tenth morning rolled around the two of them were down with upset tummies, fever, and sinusitis.

In retrospect, how did we not foresee the fall of our Rome? We lived on comfort food and mulled wine through winter, albeit homemade comfort food and glühwein.

Due to the fact that the Bellas had lost two thirds of its able bodied force The Most Amazing Exercise Program fell to the wayside until the recovery a few WEEKS later.

For your consideration: Brainy Bella has some sort of alien constitution and therefore actually enjoys the taste of smoothicide in a cup and doesn't get sick from healthy living. In fact she was full of energy and her skin looked great and it appeared she was becoming quite God-like towards the end. More investigation required.

Here for your perusal is a table of our Most Amazing Exercise Program which works, 100% tested, when it is actually implemented.
N.B. NONE OF US ARE ACTUALLY TRAINED COACHES OR ANYTHING, SO TAKE IT AS IT'S MEANT :) 


Much love and light!
The Bellas

The Most Amazing ‘Get Sexy’ Plan

(In however many days you can muster yourself to do it in)

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Sit ups	15	20	25	30		35	40
Crunches	5	8	10	12		15	20
Leg Raises	5	8	10	12		15	20
Plank (seconds)	10	15	20	23		25	30
Push Ups	5	8	10	12		15	18
Squats	50	55	60	65		75	80
Bicep Curls	10	15	20	30		40	50
Punches (seconds)	10	15	20	25		30	35
Dips	5	8	10	15		20	25
Walk/Run	Walk 30 minutes non stop

Day	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Sit ups	45	50		55	60	65	70
Crunches	30	50		65	75	85	90
Leg Raises	30	30		33	40	42	42
Plank (seconds)	35	38		42	50	55	60
Push Ups	20	22		25	28	29	30
Squats	85	90		110	115	120	125
Bicep Curls	55	60		65	75	80	85
Punches (seconds)	40	45		50	60	60	60
Dips	30	35		40	50	55	60
Walk/Run	Walk 4 mins; Run 1 min x4

Day	15	16	17	18	19	20	21
Sit ups		75	80	85	90		95
Crunches		100	110	120	130		140
Leg Raises		45	48	50	52		55
Plank (seconds)		65	70	75	80		85
Push Ups		35	36	38	40		42
Squats		145	150	155	160		180
Bicep Curls		90	95	100	110		115
Punches (seconds)		90	90	90	90		120
Dips		65	70	75	80		85
Walk/Run	Walk 4 mins; Run 2 mins x4

Day	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Sit ups	100	105	110		115	120	125
Crunches	150	160	170		180	190	200
Leg Raises	58	60	60		62	62	65
Plank (seconds)	90	95	100		110	115	120
Push Ups	44	45	46		47	48	49
Squats	185	190	195		215	220	225
Bicep Curls	120	125	130		135	140	135
Punches (seconds)	120	120	150		150	150	150
Dips	90	95	100		105	110	115
Walk/Run	Walk 3 mins; Run 3 mins x 4

Week	Walk/Run
5	Walk 2:30; Run 5 mins x 3
6	Walk 3 mins; Run 7 mins x 3
7	Walk 2 mins; Run 8 mins x 3
8	Walk 2 mins; Run 9 mins x 2
9	Walk 1 min; Run 9 mins x 3
10	Walk 2 mins; Run 13 mins x 2
11	Walk 2 mins; Run 14 mins; Walk 1 min; Run 14 mins
Maintence	Walk 3 mins; Run 30 mins