Sweaty, hot Leo post packing struggles to think clearly. His thoughts loop around small items that seem to have gone missing. Once everything is in the car we go down to the idyllic beach and dive into the calm ocean.
Body surfing is just the best. I feel like a child. I spend a significant amount of time underwater watching waves break overhead, their tendrils of bubbles throwing vortexes into the tropical water.
This is called an Infra thin, as I dicovered by Rob Walker. Originally attributed to Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp defined "infra thin" as a poetic notion of sensations or qualities that fall outside the traditional five senses, or “states between states,” as Kenneth Goldsmith phrased it. I see them as experiences that seem to have a little magic, or a story behind them.
On the drive I see two oranges break away from their stack at a side of the road vendor, dislodged by some wind. Unseen by anyone else they roll to their freedom. Another Infra thin.
We arrive at Nhambavale Lodge, which was picked on the map at random - as just a convenient place to stop to break up our drive - we weren’t expecting much from it. While telling the receptionist how much I hate crocodiles, we spot the house we’re staying in. Although it resembles a Weavers nest more than a house. An organic mound of grass with a front door, we’ve arrived at Casa Grande (they gave us the “big house” as the whole place was empty).
Two kayaks and the African Sunset bring out a sense of peace that I must say is truly unrivalled. Lying back in the boat and looking up at the postal blue sky, my arms overhead; stretching into the water. My thoughts are quiet, far away voices - like the sound of children from over a hill. Colours, sensations and sounds abound.
On the deck later the sounds of voices come bouncing over the lake. ChatGPT explains the science behind how this happens. If only the AI could have seen the sunset too.
