A person once observed:

'Gaynor, when I look at you, I can almost hear your brain ticking over.  It is deciding whether you are happy or not where you are.  And when it comes to a decision, it is like a switch has been thrown, and if you decide you don't like where you are at that moment, you get up an go.  Just like that.  I admire that freedom.  It makes you happy.'

Not the answer for everyone, but a sense of freedom is what makes me happy and I was reminded of that recently.  This observation was made whilst I was still in my four years of 'honeymoon' paragliding. The 'honeymoon' is over, but I can be free again .... and who knows .... It is like a good cross country flight over unknown territory.  All that is certain is that I have land below me and sky above me.  What I do with the stuff in between, is My Journey .... destination unknown.

Selling much of what I have collected over the years, possessions that hinder freedom, has been a liberating experience and as I make ready to leave my home of ten years for the last time this week, I feel a release from all the shackles I put on myself, a release from the pressure to try and conform ... and I look ahead.... Destination Unknown .... with eagerness.

Devils Whore - a mini series shot entirely here in South Africa for the United Kingdom.  They wanted rain and wind and even had  special effects rain man, Anthony Stone on standby.  It is winter in Cape Town.  His services were superfluous.  We had a lot of rain... The problem was getting the off-switch to work between takes :-)

My role was to supply three period boats for the night scene in Hermanus Old Harbour to the Marine Coordinators for this shoot - Frog Squad .  Always a pleasure working with these ex-navy professionals.

Seeing as I enjoy taking photos on set, I have decided to create a new section dedicated to my work in the Film Industry for those who would like a peak behind the scenes.  Most of the commercials and occasional feature films I work on are for European  countries.

GALLERY 

Life is a tough playground where paragliding has offered some respite in the past.  The past few months have been hard though and last month I had to make some pretty serious decisions. 

Sponsorship for paragliding is not something I know how to procure for myself and to be fair, I am not the type of person someone would sponsor easily.  Although I did good last year, achieving some surprising results for me at least, my flying future is shaky and my emotions are a mess and pretty near the bottom rung.

My financial situation is critical and I have sold almost everything I own to keep my head above water, except my land, my car and my boats which I use to make a living in the film industry.  There is no-one I can turn to for relief and assistance, my family are in as much trouble as I am, but standing on my own two feet without having anyone to watch my back is something I have done all my life and is the only constant I know.

But it can always get worse, as they say :-)  In a weeks time I leave my home of ten years and house sit a paragliding buddies place for the month of July whilst they go sailing in Zanzibar - the bastards :-).  August is unplanned and uncertain, but I will be free of almost all my possessions and I will take that month as it comes.

Perhaps in the summer I will build that home of mine in Hout Bay as I get more regular work.  Dreams are dangerous things and hope can be cruel, but they are all necessary to get us to the next day.  I must admit that I do feel like disappearing off the planet for awhile whilst I clear my head, but the problem with that is my emotions keep following me around.  Flying and hiking in Europe would be a lovely distraction right now - this butterfly could do with sunshine, freedom and a little flower.  Perhaps I will follow the flower trail into the Namibian desert instead.  Never been as high as the Etosha Pan, or driven along the sand dunes of the Skeleton Coast.  August would be a good month to be alone in the wilds ...  Hmmm... I like this idea very much already :-)

My film work has been a surprise.  Who would have thought I would be working in winter - but the Universe always knows :-).  Two days last week for Shell and two days this week for Devil's Whore.  Where do they come up with names like this? :-)  Look out for the movie on the big screen or video.  The boating scenes are being shot in Hermanus on the beach and in the Old Harbour.  I have been contracted to supply Frog Squad, the Marine Coordinators for this shoot, with three period boats, so off to work I go....
 

www.iol.co.za and related 'We will kill for him' stories

FLYGIRL: The ANC Youth League would write the future of South Africa in blood. Democracy and Justice is not part of the script.  How familiar is this tale......

ANC Youth League (ANCYL) President Julius Malema has vowed that the youth of South Africa would die in supporting ANC President Jacob Zuma.

"We are prepared to die for Zuma," Malema told a Free State rally. "We are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma," Malema added at the end of his speech, while the crowd clapped hands and laughed.

Earlier, Malema said there was no question that the ANC president would be the country's next president. He added that those who did not respect the current ANC leadership should go.

Malema said those in the party who have indicated that they would not be available for positions in the new government, under Zuma, should not wait but leave now.

He also reiterated that the Scorpions case against Zuma, expected to begin later this year in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, should be dropped.

"The future belongs to us. We do not want a situation where the state prosecutes its own president," Malema said.

He said the ANCYL was planning to assemble a legal team to try to get the case against Zuma thrown out of court.
 

Father's Day breakfast at Arnold's at 60 Kloof Street.  Arnold's serves a great breakfast - R8 for Early Birds and R16 for the rest of the morning.

Two perfect eggs, two rashers of bacon, two slices of tomato, an ostrich sausage and toast.  The coffee of course is what is expensive - R16, but you don't have to have :-).

The atmosphere is warm, the service from Enoch and the Manager Paul was awesome and we had a lovely morning all cosy inside on such a winters day.... Highly recommended! 

We had to re-shoot sections of the Shell Commercial on Saturday.

Weather was better, but oh, so cold.  This little butterfly is taking strain  this winter ...

Good to be working though.  Images of Saturday re-shoot added to the Gallery

I don't often get jobs in winter, but yesterday I provided a boat for Velocity Films who were shooting a SHELL commercial.  Thankfully we were not on the sea, but still, the winter weather was hopeless in the morning and only a little better midday.  We lost a lot of time waiting for breaks in the clouds in order to film it and it was dusk when we tried to get the last boat scene at Shell.  Looks like we will have to re-shoot sections of the commercial on Saturday.  

Met fellow paraglider pilot, Nifty1 (Mark Smith) at Worcester Shell station.  He was providing a vehicle for the commercial.

More images in Gallery