We have officially been back in South Africa for 3 weeks! In case you're new around here, my husband (Farmboy) and I were living in South Korea for the past 3 years where we were teaching English. It was a wonderful 3 years, but we are very happy to be back home.  My husbands parents are dairy farmers in a small town called Creighton, about 2 hours inland from Pietermaritzburg and we have been here visiting them for the past week. It's been wonderful seeing family after such a long time of being away, and we plan to spend the rest of the year between the farm and my family in Joburg, until we decide where we want to settle.

Hopefully we will have figured that out by January!

Creighton Aloe Festival

We just missed the Creighton Aloe Festival which takes place once year here in Creighton. The aloes are absolutely beautiful, and this year there were four hot air balloons offering views of the gorgeous countryside.

The Creighton Aloe & Ballooning Festival, as it will be known from this year on, is in it's 11th year! The festival itself is organised by the local Creighton Sports Club, which has meant locals of all ages are able to get involved and helped their community. 

I was very sad to have just missed all the aloes in bloom and to find out that the steam train had been fully booked for months!

The festival offers all sorts of activities for the young and old alike (mountain biking & trail runs through the surrounding farmlands, potjje competitions, hot air balloon rides, helicopter flips, kids play zone, good food, craft beer and so much more). Besides the main attraction of the steam train rides which usually run twice a day on the Saturday & Sunday of the month, there is a special trail run; Race The Train. This fun filled race allows families to watch their loved ones racing the steam train to the finish. 

We are definitely going to book our seats on the train early next year, and I am dying to get out with my camera early for sunrise to capture the hot air balloons sailing over Creighton. Perhaps we will even start training to enter the Race the Train race!

My husbands family was in charge of helping cook breakfast for the train passengers this past weekend, and we went along to help. I took my camera and Farmboy took his new toy, a Phantom DJI3 drone which he used to create the video you'll see below.

Here are my photographs from Saturday morning, as well as Farmboy's latest drone footage. 

Enjoy!

x

The Creighton Steam Train

Some more info on the festival

When: around July every year

Where: Creighton, Kwazulu Natal

Things to do: 

• Ride the steam train
• Ride the hot air ballon
• Mountain biking
• Trail runs
• Food stalls & gifts
• Craft beer
• Helicopter flips
• Kids play-zone
• Cake stand filled with delicious locally made cakes

Have you been to any festivals here in South Africa lately? Leave me a comment below, I'm always looking for new festivals to visit and photograph!