Reading and Reflection

After absorbing the lyrically beautiful and profound but chilling “Human Acts” and “At Night All Blood is Black“, I...

Mad Men's 2024 Double Century Tale

Through Swellendam’s early morning hue, Eleven friends, a daring crew. The “Mad Men” set out to conquer the race,...

Snowing Nowhere Slowly

Adorned with layers upon unsuitable summer layers, sleep came in spurts, interrupted by biting cold. My feet, despite double...

"Can't Stop Till You Get Enough" - - MOAT 2023

Words, using rhythm and rhyme evoking senses and scenes, is the form I used to depict our recent cycle...

A Fish Called Fazel

Nervously I entered the mall, walking purposefully but slowly. In the center, between restaurants and the escalator, were two...
Books
Reading and Reflection
Cycling
Mad Men's 2024 Double Century Tale
Travel
Snowing Nowhere Slowly
Poems
"Can't Stop Till You Get Enough" - - MOAT 2023
Art
A Fish Called Fazel
day6

Travel category

The concept of travel makes us culturally tolerant and exposes us to all the beauty and warts that the world offers.

Fazel
About me

Hi, my name is Fazel!

Exactly Redefined is a blog about travel, sports, family, books and moments of magic that inspire me.

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Sports

Sports category

Cycling and hiking 
have become an
integral part of
what I do and how
I de-stress.

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202104_cradock
Travel

Lingering Lingelihle

After Passing through Bethulie, we stopped on Southern Africa’s longest rail and road bridge, taking pictures of the confluence of the Caledon and Orange Rivers. We found the road south in good condition to open, as they say, the throttle. The scenery, as we raced through, comprised of a dry grassy terrain with a multitude of surrounding hills. Some were flat, some jagged, others were single or multi-capped. We bounded on, drunk with history, towards our next destination. We passed interesting small towns, each with its own history, waiting for its stories to be told.
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202104_bethulie
Travel

Passing Through Bethulie

On our trip to the Eastern Cape in April 2021, we booked an overnight stay in a town called Bethulie, to break the long journey. Bethulie, on the eastern side of the Gariep Dam, on the Southern-most tip of the Free State and close to the Eastern Cape border, is largely a sheep and cattle farming town established in 1829. It has the longest combined road and rail bridge in Southern Africa, which was completed in 1901. Bethulie also contains the site of  one of the largest Boer concentration camps. The town came to some prominence when screen writer and actor Patrick Mynhardt, it’s most famous son, published his book called, “A Boy from Bethulie”.

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on grieving image
Tributes

On Grieving

I started writing this post last August, a year after my mum passed away and it is now a year since my dad’s passing. It is surreal to reflect and write when you always think that people will live forever. It has taken me some time to appreciate that they do. This post is dedicated to so many friends and family who have lost loved ones particularly in the last year, and not just from this awful pandemic.

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202001 dinokeng
Travel

A Road Runs Through It

This feels like Botswana, I said to Kanti as we slowly drove north-east on the tarred main road. He in the back seat, me behind the wheel, windows open, guarding against the lurking Covid-19. Cutting through the Dinokeng Game Reserve, about 50km north of Pretoria, with unfenced bush on either side, the road was like that out from the Chobe reserve in Botswana. Big game like elephant were just as likely to step out from the bush, though at about 21 000 hectares, the carrying capacity of the reserve requires their active management. Impala and zebra however made their crossings with familiarity. I wondered if the lions of the reserve ever lolled on the edges of the road or crossed it. There is an incongruity of tarred main road and wild animal that at first is confusing, then seamless – like that in northern Botswana.

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afzel moolla
Poems

Struggle Exile Love

Afzal Moola, a prolific poet recently had his book of poetry and prose called Struggle, Exile & Love: Prose and Poems published. I met Afzal when he first returned from exile in the early 90s. Together with his friends they house sat when we went away on holiday. We had to budget at least half a day cleaning up after they had left. The scoundrel still remains apologetic to this day. He has matured into a remarkable and well-recognised poet. This is the best way I could pay tribute to his profound poetry.

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Poems

Summitting Swartberg

My family gave me the mandate to arrange our December holiday in 2005. Since I had recently acquired an off road vehicle, long distance travel and camping in a different place every 2 days was my choice. They were anxious but excited as we travelled more than 5000kms navigating through 8 provinces. It was truly an adventure as my journal, our pictures but mostly our memories recall. This poem was written shortly after we descended the Swartberg and camped on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn.

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Tributes

In Memory of Joe Bulbulia

Yousuf Mahomed Ismail (Joe) Bulbulia passed away at 10:40 pm on Saturday 22nd August aged 67.  This post provides a brief biography, tributes from friends and family, a gallery of pictures collected and access to a recording of his memorial. It is dedicated in memory of Joe who will sadly be missed by his family and many friends across the world.

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Jeremy Karodia
Poems

Sureness of Age

I wrote this poem in tribute to a great friend and comrade who has been an encouraging support for the years I have known him. I had the privilege of reading this out to him on his 50th birthday celebration in 2011. To Jeremy 🙏.

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covid-19
Cycling

“Free, Free At Last”

“Free, free at last”, my body insignificantly exclaimed as I finally braved the lockdown and the cold for an early morning cycle. My mind though kept on questioning my body, ‘Free, while millions are but free?”. I momentarily cringed as the cool morning breeze kissed my face. After 2 months isolated at home, I did feel free.

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