*All images taken and story written by Nikita Booth Photography*

After years of being away, I returned to my childhood home, South Africa, with my partner Michael, who shared his own history with this incredible land. Our trip was a tapestry of joy, love, and adventure, woven together by friendships that feel like family.

We celebrated love at my best friend's wedding, where I proudly stood as Maid of Honour for the first time. The joy was tangible, and our hearts were full.

Next, we embarked on a journey to explore South Africa's breathtaking beauty - as surfers, nature lovers, and wanderers. One of our destinations was the Transkei, a remote paradise. We'd booked two nights' accommodation in a traditional Rondavel, and our host provided a safe route to the village. However, the roads were hazardous, with potholes, no street lights, and cattle in the road, making our arrival later than anticipated.

As the sun set, we approached a fork in the road and took a wrong turn. The GPS rerouted us, and a white vehicle passed on our left, taking the only other turn off and parking across the road, blocking our path. A Xhosa-speaking man appeared at the driver's door, acting as though he was in trouble. When Michael asked him to speak in English, he snatched our car keys straight from the ignition. Michael grabbed his wrist, demanding them back, but another man appeared, making as if he had a weapon, and they demanded we exit the vehicle.

Michael refused, fearing for our safety. The hijackers fled with our car keys, leaving us stranded in the dark. We ran to hide in the bushes, fearing for our lives. With barely any phone signal and having no idea where we were, we were desperate. I managed to contact our host via WhatsApp, and he walked me through sharing our live location with him. He told us to seek refuge in any nearby Rondavel that had lights on and that the owner of our accommodation had set off on foot to come and get us.

While we were anxiously waiting in a nearby Rondavel with two local Xhosa women and their small children, the owner arrived with other men, two of whom had vehicles to tow us by rope to the accommodation. The owner upgraded us to an apartment on the property I wasn’t aware was an option, ensuring our safety after the ordeal.

A few days later, we discovered that one of the men who’d helped tow us with his own vehicle, had been ambushed, kidnapped at gunpoint, and robbed by the same hijackers. He was threatened, tied up, and ditched on the side of the river but managed to untie himself and walk back to the village. We were shocked and felt vulnerable, stranded without a vehicle to leave and even if we’d had a vehicle, would we be safe to leave?

Our host assured us that replacement keys were on their way, but we later discovered they hadn't even left the car rental company. We began to mistrust everyone and felt in grave danger. As we prepared to leave, we found a man hiding behind the fence of the apartment, making us feel even more unsafe.

My family arranged for us to be escorted out of the village, and we abandoned the car rental. We were driven to safety by an armed family friend, who was incredibly kind. Eager to leave the country and get back to the safety of our home in Margaret River.

As I reflect on our journey, I'm overwhelmed with emotion. South Africa, you are a land of breathtaking beauty, wild and untamed. Your beauty and brutality have etched a mark on my heart.