Waves in Winter 2021

Almost a full year since our last newsletter and loads to catch up on!

All in all it has been a good few months for us, knowing how tough it has been for so many, but with the ability to get back into nature, safely connecting with like-minded individuals, being of service to others and finding a bit of serenity and peace when we can, working on our recoveries and helping others build upon theirs, Beans Bus has  been navigating the new world we live in.

One in which the lessons of old become new again. Simple words like Gratitude, Motivation and Hope, suddenly have become increasingly relevant to so many, not just those in recovery, but to everyone as we reassess what we hold dear, what’s important and what we truly need to make us feel whole.

The last 10 months we have been reasonably busy, from camping at our regular spots such as Petervale and Rivierplaas to finding some incredible new venues and exciting new adventures. We have completed some challenging world-renowned bucket list hikes (Wolfberg Cracks) and an overnight stay in a cave at the top of a mountain (Silwerfontein) to escaping on a picture-perfect Garden Route trip, beach volleyball competitions and other day events such as the family friendly hiking Sundays.

To facilitating kids’ camps, a movie premier for an old age home and rubbing sunscreen on pigs’ ears at an animal sanctuary (thanks to the Christmas Drive 2020, which is still ongoing) …it’s been good, for us and for others.

Some other highlights that come to mind are: jumping off bridges, waterfalls, bergs and boats, nappy runs and paddles down the Breede, discovering Mcbains, 22 Waterfalls, Silwerfontein and Boesmanskloof.

Also taking time to focus on the core of what we at Beans Bus believe in, what we are in search of, why do we do these things, and ways to do them better. Working on understanding the theory of Wilderness Therapy and Outdoor Adventure Recovery more. Why does it work so well?  Why is it that it feels so good? How can we share it with others? These are the fundamental questions we have been finding answers too.

Beans Bus is also now proud to be working with a new treatment center called Hillhouse Clinic and providing trips specifically designed for primary care patients. The first was a very successful outing to Mcbain’s up at Bainskloof, offering an incredible setting and venue to facilitate such a trip.

Beans has also been lucky enough to have a few new guides join the team and bring something to Beans Bus as a whole…
Jenna who has been helping with some of our camps and is incredibly passionate about hiking and nature, and also makes a great Quiz master at games nights, now facilitates the weekly Sunday hikes, not too tough, usually dog and family friendly, always enjoyable! Shanon who used to facilitate the bowling nights now runs the weekly games nights at Liberty Home and also is a great help on some of the overnight camps. Another new member of the team is Alex H, our resident counsellor in training, who has helped out on numerous camps, facilitating the campfire shares and the recovery power hour. Also, to Ali who has been helping give some of our posters a fresh new coat of paint. So, thanks so much guys and girls! Beans Bus is proud to call you part of the team.

Some more thanks are also in order to some amazing people and places who have helped Beans the last few months…

To Harmony, The Livinghouse and Kyle Collins, for sponsoring an all new camping rig and equipment after the Beans Bus garage was raided and all our gear was stolen last year. Without your support it would have been a very quiet last few months!

To Liberty, Baker House, The Livinghouse, Harmony, Cape Recovery, The Pieber Family, Paul Robins of PNP, Mika and Jaco, Kyle and Simona, Conchita Garcia, Rivierplaas Campsite, Jules, Dasher, Prancer and all the other unmentioned individuals for the incredible support for last years Christmas Drive. A huge thank you for helping make it such a success. One More camp still to go, so watch this space!

To Liberty Home and Morgane Vercruse, for allowing Shanon and Beans Bus to host the games evenings on a Thursday night and also for your amazing sponsorship in Dec that helped push us beyond what we had hoped for.

To Linda Coetzee and Associates for sponsoring our prizes for the quiz night, much appreciated.

​To everyone above and those that I might have forgotten to mention, a massive thank you for your support over the last few months.

The storms not over yet, the clouds of COVID-19 are slowly clearing but they are still here, hopefully the next year we will start to see the light…but we are all in this together, and with a commitment to each other we will come out the other side stronger than we ever were going in.

Hopefully once all this is over, there will be a new found appreciation about getting out into the wilderness, expanding our horizons, connecting with others, appreciating the power of nature as a whole and better understanding our role as guardians of this incredible planet we call home.