On June 11th 2011, a wish came true. Last year I found out about an agency that offers special Badger meets. But due to circumstances it never came to an actual date setting. I was planning to go with a friend of mine, but she is so very busy, barely has any time left for me. For me it was a intuitive choice to just go by myself, to make sure it will happen. The only suitable date however, was this day. Which came in not so handy due to money restrictions. But... the Voice told me, it is ok to go now. So I went off.
I left my home in very very intense thunderstorms, hail, huge rainfall, and darkness. It felt all so familiar, this disturbed dark past, with so much rumbling and chaos. Lightning stroke all around me, followed by this roar of thunder that made me gaze in amazement of this moment, but also gave me the shivers of the impact and energy it generated. The rain counting for all the tears that I cried, just to get out of this darkness and get my life back. It is amazing how sometimes the most simple things can be a reflection to your own life.
And to complete it, it was a long journey, taking the risks to drive in Belgium, because I know that if I loose the way, it always is in Belgium because their roadsigns are a mess, to difficult to read from a distance, and they have weird no where else excisting crossings and transitions. So, in Liege, suddenly I noticed there were no more trucks around me. And I simply had no clue what road I was on, still appearing to me a highway. I ended up in the center of Liege, following signs to Luxembourg/Highway. But unfortunately road constructions... And after half an hour I was back at the point the mistake was made. Also a reflection to my life, moving in circles, making some wrong decisions that will in the end always take me to the place I have to go to, but just in a little more time. While learning some more lessons only to be given during this circles.
A strange, scary roundabout where also was possibility to cross as there was a road going one side to another (notice it looks a bit like a Vesica Piscis from Chalice Well). I was so scared, had to join this circus where you are allowed to drive 100 and instantly change lanes from in to out. Complicated, like I try to describe it, but I made it again to the road I had to follow. Just like I lost my lifes Highway a bit and had to take risky decisions to get back on.
I didnt feel to comfortable to leave the road now to go to Weris. I decided to let this be for another day, when I do have access to my navigation (my freshly load up mobile decided to take holidays just this day... how I dislike the phone... really... arrghhh). Because I arrived early I made a ride out to the direction of Houffalize. I deciced to take one of the many outback tracks looking for a place where I can take a walk. The bad weather I started the day with changed for wonderfull mixed weather, sun and a few friendly clouds. I saw two birds of prey soaring the sky, and I put my car offside the best I could to make some pictures. But as usual my camera was set on the wrong mode... They didn't turn out very clear, while I had the chance to archieve an airstrike attack. How I wish to have better equipment, the birds kept flying in the distance or very high up in the sky. They were a couple of red kites (I have to laugh now, because I didn't know the English name of these birds, but by chance I thought it to be red kites.... and they actually are named red kites!)
It was time to go back to the meeting point. Have some food first. Waiting for the guide, a guy my age in a safaribus stuffed with pieces of animals, cages, junk and whatever. He is also a wildlife rescuer. What a job... it was wonderfull to see how someone could fit in the job, absolutely no doubt he found his life task in wildlife management. But he shouldn't drive so fast, because my car really has failed his mountain test for sure. I cannot make it possible to drive a 6% highway faster than 90km/h.... is that a mistake of me, or just bad quality of my car... I don't know but I really felt a snail on a highway :-( And the guide was driving like an idiot over the outback ways. It was only a short drive (well in his terms yes, 5 minutes what I would have taken 15 for...). On the site we passed first a beaver set. They were sound asleep at this moment. In the distance there was a male roe deer watching us. So tiny, so beautifull! Now I know I either never saw one back home, or these are just smaller and more beautifull. Too far away to capture in a perfect picture.
Then we entered the Badger territories. Requested to not make noises, we followed the guide, still in terrible speed, up to the top of a very steep hill. When reaching the observation post, the first badger allready was there, awaken. So beautifull to see, this gorgeous creature in the green landscape. But as soon as the whole group joined in to see, it ran off. The group was quite disturbing. Could not make up to keep quiet. So in the lodge we waited patiently, for the Badgers to arrive. 3 Did. One young female stayed quite long. All pictures I have are from her. But the group lost concentration, and after 20 minutes she ran off after they started to rumble, talk, telling jokes, and someone left the hut.
What a shame, the guide gave us an option to go to the beavers instead. Because it would take some time for the Badgers to return. I was not amused, I took two 3 1/2 hour drives just to see Badgers, and half of the group has been on Beaver excursion the same day. Just for some noisy 'can't sit still' people we had to leave :-( and instead we waited 45 minutes around a mosquito infested pond for the beavers to wake up. It is not that I don't like beavers, but I came for the Badgers. So it disappointed me sort of... But thankfull for the experience to at least see 2 (one just a glimpse) and taking some pictures made my day. I did not came here for nothing.
It is up to me now to give it some time to find out what this creature has told me. Usually it takes some time. One thing is sure though, I will go for a more intensive Badger observation next year. Hoping then there will be more Badger time, because really I could have sit there quietly in the hut for hours. I was the only one not making noises, not talk, not laugh. Just to sit quietly, patiently, just me and my Badger spirit. Despite of Badgers poor eyesight on the look out to see movement in the ferns or see something black and white. I guess the only one who truely wanted to seek this connection. And I know it is the wrong setting. I have to observe them one time all alone. After finding a place where I can do so first. I guess I just have to find the courage to go to the Glastonbury Tor Badgerset. But, in September you see Badgers in the darkness, and it is so tough to picture them. Well, I now have my pictures. I will keep that moment just to connect with them. :-) Can't wait!
