// HOME JEROME//

So I’m sitting in London Heathrow airport, waiting for my next flight which will take me HOME and I can’t help but think back to the last 7 months, and even further year, of my travels. It seems a little surreal to be returning. What started as a mission to loose my mind and find myself became a sort of pilgrimage for me within which questions were answered and new questions were formed.  I can honestly say this was one experience I will never forget. And I am more myself than ever. And I am ready to start the next step with my one hand clasped around some money in my pocket and the other holding time – a feat I have never been able to accomplish simultaneously until now. 

It’s time to make. And it’s time to change. Here’s to the next risky steps to which only the universe knows the foot-holes.

I will leave you with a poem/track I wrote a while ago but sums up my trip and my reason for having a blog. If ever you needed some push to go in search of happiness or whatever, this could be it. WALK.

THE SOUL OF THE LAND 
WEARS THE SOLES OF MY SHOES
UNTIL I’M WALKING SOUL TO SOIL, BAREFOOT.
LIKE A FOOTLOOSE SOLDIER
UPON BATTLE FIELDS WON AND LOST,
I’M FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM,
AND MY LAST BREATHE 
IT MAY cost.

SO YOU CAN BURY ME ABOVE
SKELETONS OF THE PAST TO BE LOVED.
AND WALK ON ME,
A PATH I’LL BE,
TO RETURN WITH A LEAF LIKE A DOVE –
DON’T FALL TO YOUR KNEES WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE.

FROM A SHADOW ON THE WATER
I’M HIGH ABOVE THE SANDS,
SEEING ANCIENT SPACES, WITH LOOSE LACES,
NOW IN FOREIGN HANDS.
AS THE SUN RISES ON ONE CHEEK 
AND SETS ON THE NEXT;
THE ROAD IS LONG BUT YET TO begin,
MY FRIEND.

BURY ME BETWEEN
DUG UP GRAVES OF OLD DAYS TO BE SEEN,
BY PASSERS BY,
AS THAT GUY,
WHO STOOD FOR SOMETHING HE BELIEVED –
WHO DIED FOR A LIFE HE WOULDN’T LIVE TO SEE.

MET A MAN ON THE STREET NOT SO LONG AGO;
HE TURNED OUT TO BE BOTH MY FRIEND AND MY FOE.
LOOKED INTO HIS EYES, SURPRISED TO FIND;
STARING BACK AT ME WEREN’T HIS EYES –
BUT MINE.

FOREVER CHANGING DIRECTION 
ON FEET LIKE THE WIND,
I PASS A HOUSE LEFT IN RUINS
BEFORE BUILDING EVEN BEGINS.
AND I MAY TRIP AND I MAY FALL
BUT I’LL GET UP AND CARRY ON.
MY SOLID SOUL OF SOIL UNDER THE GROUND
TURNS TO STONE.

AND BURY ME BELOW
THE GOOD SEEDS OF THE FUTURE TO SOW
BETTER YIELDS 
OF GREENER FIELDS
AND WATCH AS THE GRASS BENEATH YOUR FEET STARTS TO GROW –
NOW I TAUGHT YOU TO WALK; THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

// Look What the Chef Dragged In//

Big joe caught this on the way back from Antigua to St Maarten. Epic White Marlin.

// Dickinson Bay, Antigua//

YO. 

So some of you may know, I have decided to return home to South Africa at the end of the month. I get picked up from the airport on 1 May and make my way to Afrikaburn for a few days, before officially making my way to Cape Town. It’s time to start making again. I’ll be looking for a place somewhere outside the city to rent; think Betty’s Bay, Scarbourough, etc. Somewhere to paint and make music. So if for some reason there is someone reading this who can hook me up with something. Let me know!

Otherwise these are some photos from a mission to a new beach with crazy white-blue water and dudes playing cricket.

SEE YOU ALL SOON.

Lastly, how rad is this shell I found. 

// Sounds of the Studio//

My cabin, where I lock myself in and record stuff in the dark and into the early hours of the morning.

I’ve also been jamming up on stage with a few new mates here at a place called The Blues Shack, in Antigua. It’s literally been the best place for me on the island. When I heard they were struggling to make ends meet, I helped the owner by making, handing out and sticking up flyers and posters prior to the gig. The place was packed on the night. We had a jam. And they made their rent plus a bunch more cash. 

// The Goat Trail//

Photos from a hike in Antigua

// “WALK” - Writing I Wrote//

WALK

The soul of the land 
wears the soles of my shoes
until I’m walking Soul to soil, barefoot.
Like a footloose soldier
upon battle fields won and lost,
I’m fighting for freedom,
and my last breathe 
it may cost.

So you can bury me above
skeletons of the past to be loved.
And walk on me,
a path I’ll be,
to return with a leaf like a dove –
don’t fall to your knees when push comes to shove.

From a shadow on the water
I’m high above the sands,
seeing ancient spaces, with loose laces,
now in foreign hands.
As the sun rises on one cheek 
and sets on the next;
the road is long but yet to begin, 
my friend.

Bury me between
dug up graves of old days to be seen,
by passers by,
as that guy,
who stood for something he believed –
who died for a life he wouldn’t live to see.

Met a man on the street not so long ago;
he turned out to be both my friend and my foe.
Looked into his eyes, surprised to find;
staring back at me weren’t his eyes –
but mine.

Forever changing direction 
on feet like the wind,
I pass a house left in ruins
before building even begins.
And I may trip and I may fall
but I’ll get up and carry on.
My solid soul of soil under the ground
turns to stone.

And bury me below
the good seeds of the future to sow
better yields 
of greener fields
and watch as the grass beneath your feet starts to grow –
Now I taught you to walk; that is all you need to know.

// Sunday//

Hike up the hill to some old forts from the 1700’s. Followed by beach, bikes and stray dogs.

Hello.

News from the Caribbean is good! We just finished a week with the owner onboard with his daughter and wife which was pretty chilled. A little bit of work, a little bit of chillin’. We spent a few cool nights in a few nice bays around St Lucia; one in particular with an old volcano which was rad. Now we’re back in the marina further north of the island and heading back to Antigua in a couple of days.

While the boss was on the boat, I managed to go on a day trip with them around the island. We went to the botanical gardens, the Soufriere volcano springs and a waterfall which were pretty amazing. I took a lot of photos and a video I’m trying to upload. 

And then today we had a rad time of hiking the hills with old forts and drinking home made rum on the beach until sundown. So all in all, a good weekend. Below are a few pictures.

Other than that, I think it’s almost decided that I get off my boat at the end of April when they head back to Europe and I finally return home to South Africa. But not to settle down! To actually travel in my own country and continent rather than someone else’s. I’m pretty amped to return and bring back what I’ve learnt. The way I get back is still undecided, whether I join the boat across the Atlantic again or just fly. So we’ll see. But it’s not long now, which is a crazy thought.

Anyway I hope to chat to some of you soon. Much love

c

// Exploring St Lucia//

This place is amazing. Hills like pyramids made of the most dense jungle I’ve ever seen. Some photos from a trip around the west coast:

// Words of Wisdoms//

Ahoy ahoy bored and yet still appreciated reader!

I’m writing now from a bar called Cloggies. Been stranded on the boat out on anchor since I had my wisdom teeth taken from me on Wednesday. The operation went pretty well, considering I had all 4 extracted. I’ve been, yet again, pretty lucky with little swelling and pain but I’m just taking it easy until I have the stitches taken out on the 14th. Until then I’m pretty much cabin bound;  making music, reading and taking my hard drive for the occasional stroll.

I was lucky enough to join another boat for a few days last weekend. The captain and stewardess are friends of ours and I joined them for a 3 day sail up to St Martin and back on a boat a lot smaller than the one I’m on currently. We left Saturday morning, arriving and anchoring outside the entrance to the Dutch side around midnight. We then went under the bridge in the morning and I got to spend the day on the beach with some good company before we had dinner back on the boat and left for a night sail back here to Antigua. All in all a pretty good sail, minus the pain from my tooth which had to be sorted out when I returned. The boats name was Lion King. 

Now, we’re here until I go back to the dentist and then the plan, which usually seems to change almost immediately as it’s made, is to head to St Lucia for 2 weeks and do some island exploring before the owners come on board again in March for a week, which will be rad. Also starting to plan the next adventure which involves South America; all of it. Feel free to send me some ideas. 

// Full Moon at Windward Beach//

My Sunday night. Still jamming in Antigua.

// The Shack & The 21st January//

So I am now enjoying a week off the boat, staying in a little pink house with Stef and Mike. So rad. Had a good party last night for my coming of age 25. Started off with rum on the beach at midday and ended up on a couch self-time photo shoot in the early hours of the morning. 

I can also tell you I’m still in Antigua. We’re heading back to St Martin at the beginning of February. Then most likely heading to the British Virgin Islands around the beginning of March. I’m back to work on Monday so, for now, I’ll be seeing some of this island with some amigos, sleeping in late and doing some future traveling plans, which I’m super amped for. Hope you all are styling into the new year!

Some photos of the house and the birthday:

2-Tone Goat:

Beach:

Jacko and his rum-drinking mode of transport:

3 Amigos:

Happy.