Strawberry Festival Monologue

I thought about your letter - of course we must ask questions. All the time. And a person like Melody would have a totally different take on things, which must be interesting. I even ask people that I know I’d disagree with, just to get another perspective.
Strawberry festival? Sounds great! I love cherries too, and have never managed to go to our cherry festival in Clarens - a beautiful Free State town deep into the inland, surrounded by sandstone mountains and caves. It’s the area where my grandfather was hiding with his mother during the Anglo Boer War.
I was just thinking about us - I think we have another big something in common: We have an obvious streak of type-A personality. We take pride in what we do, and if we fail, it bothers us. We work to satisfy our own standards, not those of people around us.
BUT… we love the unexpected, we love being challenged, we’re not afraid to question our own views on life, and we delight in beautiful things like music, flowers, water, mountains, new places, food, drink, objects like cars or musical instruments, wood, light, etc. And there has to be a surprise-element to make it even more enjoyable. Having anything planned to the minutest detail is just killing that vibrant side of things.

But I want to discover the streets, the street food, the vibe, the history, and I want locals to tell me where to go. I want to see and experience a bit of the life that they do. I used to do long hiking trails, slept in caves and tents, carried backpacks and tents and all that, but I don’t think I’d travel that way again, even though it provides even more freedom. I’ve realized that a comfortable bed and warm bath or shower makes for a good night’s sleep, and the next day can be enjoyed to the fullest. That’s where I’m at now. Not that I get to travel much, but that’s how I’d do