
Unique Exploration

Michelle Dateling
After coming back from an “Inventure” in the Karoo – or as Julie puts it, your “re-integration” into “normal” life – you’ll be hit with the inevitable question: “So, how was it?!” If I’m honest, I still can’t quite put into words what it was really like. A week after my return, I’ve realised that’s exactly the point – the whole experience defies tidy explanations. An “Inventure” isn’t a one-size-fits-all adventure; it’s as unique as the questions you’re grappling with, your reasons for saying yes, and the circumstances that led you there.
Those who know me might look at you sideways if you tell them I willingly agreed to camp for four nights – and no, I wasn’t coerced. But this wasn’t about camping itself. It was about what camping by a river, on a rocky riverbed deep in the raw, beautiful Karoo, allows you to do. No watch, no phone – just time. Time to really breathe again.
It’s the sharp freshness of the Karoo air filling your lungs. It’s the kind of stillness that makes your ears strain because they’re not used to silence. It’s the sun’s soft kiss on your cheek, the sharp bite of a cold river water plunge that shocks you awake, or the joy of sun-drying on a giant riverbed rock like a lazy lizard. It’s perching on a mountaintop to catch the sunrise or sunset and meandering up and down mountains (though let’s be real, we were full on hiking – so pack comfortable shoes with a good grip!) It’s meeting five other female strangers and somehow easing into a comforting, familiar rhythm with them. It’s the chance to finally journal your thoughts or sketch with charcoal, capturing moments and emotions in ways words sometimes can’t.
And then there’s Julie – an intuitive and calming presence, and a cornerstone of the experience. She has a way of gently nudging you in the direction you need to go, with activities thoughtfully designed and meticulously crafted. Julie taught us breathwork to change our state of being, guiding us to slow down and reconnect with ourselves in ways we’d forgotten. She introduced movement to wake up our bodies, stretching us beyond our comfort zones both physically and mentally. Her quiet wisdom and gentle encouragement became the steady beat of our days, making every moment feel intentional, yet effortlessly natural.
“So, how was it? How was the “Inventure?””
Inner Adventure.
Introspective Adventure.
Inspired Adventure.
For me – It was an experience of Inner Joy, wrapped up in an Adventure…