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My eyes opened and gold poured in. Then my lungs opened too, and I took in the chill fresh morning air.  Sunrise at the Wide Horizons Mountain Retreat This was 9th July 1973. Sunrise. My very first visit to Wide Horizons. I kept a diary in those days, so have an accurate contemporaneous record of the fact as well as my enriched memory of the moment. For every visitor to this hidden jewel in Africa, there will be a special something: a sound, a sight, a smell. It will be for a moment and that special moment will grow. You have to be there to drink in the place with all your senses to sow that memory seed. A lovely website photo will offer only a taste of what awaits you.  Wide Horizons Mountain Retreat aerial view. The colors of my first visit five decades ago have been enhanced by three more visits, each to celebrate significant birthdays, mine and of my dear lifelong friend, Rose Roques. As well as the celebrations, each has laid down new memories. The night sounds, the smell of abundant flowers and sometimes damp earth, the enticing horizon beneath the big blue skies. With all this as the canvas, I have painted never to be forgotten experiences: whitewater rafting (a single day, on and often in the river, was vivid enough to last me and my family a lifetime), trips exploring the magical Eswatini using Wide Horizons as a base, walks along the local trails and more.  Martin Farrell at Wide Horizon Mountain Retreat As a young man I adventured through Africa working and traveling, discovering its ways. Each time I have returned, I have found changes – ATM's, tar roads, telephones. But what draws me back is not only the special nature of Africa, but the vast stillness of this place. And also I know that every day I wake, wherever I am on earth, that same sun will be rising, waiting to pour gold into the eyes of those who are lucky or wise enough to open their eyes to it. Written by Martin Farrell
Martin Farrell is a certified professional facilitator, accredited by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) Tipping points in life Live Well Die Wise group starting 27th May  Wide Horizons in 1973 Rose and Giles Roques arrived at Wide Horizons in Swaziland in1973 and in Rose's words this is how it happened: The winding, rough dirt road from Malkerns eventually led us to an impossibly steep and stony hillside. The track appeared almost suspended between encroaching dongas, which bled deep and red into the verdant valley below. We stopped for a few minutes to drink in the vista below us. The view spread out from the saddle of the craggy hillside and stretched as far as we could see to the distant hazy blue mountains of Mozambique. Far in the distance we could make out a cluster of thatched buildings nestled into the hillside like an eagle's eyrie. Was that it? The place we were searching for? We drove on over several more river crossings and reached a faint track leading off to the right up the mountain. A small, faded and crooked wooden board declared "Wide Horizons". It was barely legible. Our hearts leapt as we began the last leg of our long journey between the mealie fields and Swazi kraals with curious children peering at us around bushes and shyly smiling and waving. Coaxing Rufus (our trusty Land Rover that Giles had driven overland from England to South Africa in 1972) up the steep track that snaked up the steep and boulder strewn hillside, we felt a real flutter of excitement and anticipation. What would we find? How long before had a vehicle braved this almost nonexistent road? Had they had to spend a while digging a way through the bank of the river to make it fordable? Had they one day, locked the door, and driven down the hill, leaving their beloved home, never to return again? Had they glanced backwards with regret?  Giles and Rose Roques Deserted Wide Horizons - Our Dream House Driving through the leaning wooden gateposts, the gate hanging off its rusty hinges, we found what seem to be a ghost house. Deserted for more than 8 years we felt a sense of awe and wonder. Built in the shape of a straggling horse shoe, quartz stone rondavels joined together to take advantage of the 360 degree view. The tatty thatched roof, holed in many places by years of rain and neglect, gaped where the shaggy grass allowed the evening to shine through. The garden was bizarre. Neatly laid out and edged paths in patterns led to a terraced stone walled flowerbed with the odd surviving rose bush bravely still flowering. Drunken latticed arches festooned in draping grapevines, an empty lily pond and a small stone statue completed the picture of stumbling into a scene from a book.  Wide Horizons Kitchen 1974 Wandering around the outside of the house, we gazed in through the surprisingly unbroken windows at the empty echoing rooms full of unseen ghosts. A mulberry tree stood sentinel in the middle of what had once been a well tended lawn. Hardy geranium bushes with brilliant splashes of pink and scarlet blooms framed the house. Wide Horizons Hopes and Dreams That night, as the full moon bathed the ghostly scene in brilliantly shadowed light, we made a small fire outside the kitchen door (firmly locked against intruders like us) lay out our sleeping bags and spent the evening gazing out over the aptly named "Wide Horizons" of farm 375, Manzini. Listening to the nightjars calling from one side of the hill to the other, we chatted long into the night about our plans, projects and dreams and how we could make them happen on this 1500 acres of mountainside paradise bush in the heart of Swaziland. I felt a thrill of excitement tinged with nervousness at the though. Isolated, far from tar roads, people, civilization so incredibly different from the life I have just left in the middle of the bustling city of Johannesburg. It was daunting to me. But I was soon swept up by Giles' incredible enthusiasm and conviction that this could be our idyllic home and launch site for so many rural schemes that were running through his energetic mind.  Wide Horizons East View in 1974 with Rose Roques and Kim Roques at 1 week old Wide Horizons Farm For two days we walked the boundaries of the farm. Exploring the mountain sides, dongas, boulder hopping down the cascading stream, which was the central artery and lifeblood of the farm. We discovered deep, cool pools overhung with shady trees. Stripping off our clothes we splashed and cavorted delighting in washing off the dust and stickiness from our long hours of walking through thick bush. We dug soil samples from each arable area and collected different grass species for identification. As we did so, we visualised the open spaces of gently waving grasslands teaming with herds of our own cattle. At night, as we lay exhausted from all our activities by the dying fireside and listened to the night sounds and watched the moon's shadows eerily moving over the landscape, my thoughts ran back to my past, as I lived the dream I had had for so long of being here in Africa. Written by Rose Roques
Home away from home is what Wide Horizons Retreat has become for me. I am sure if you ask a dozen people what a home is, you will get different responses. The most common definition is; home is where you and your family live - but I have a different view of a home, it is a secure place, filled with so much love, cheer and respect.  Breathtaking view at the Aloe Camp.    Are you dreaming of your next weekend or holiday in beautiful, serene spaces? A retreat where you can ponder the past year, and recalibrate your future ? To plan & brainstorm, to set goals and get fired up about the exciting opportunities and possibilities that could be a single decision away. Or do you desire to simply escape for a bit to share meaningful experiences with the people you truly love and care for the most? Well, dear friends, Eswatini certainly fits that bill - and more. She will not disappoint you! Our Nation is alive with colourful, soulful offerings which we will share with you over the course of our Blogs. For now we will focus on how to get you here safely.
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Great to connect! Our Blog & Latest News is crafted by several team members who are passionate about Travel. We love sharing advice on where to go, places to visit & things to do. Adventure activities including hiking & mountain biking are also high on our priority list. 
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