The first time I heard about Innibos when my former colleagues in Johannesburg bid me farewell on my last day.

“We’ll see you when we come to the festival,” they said, almost in an eerie unison.

“To the what,” I asked

“Innibos, don’t you know it? We go there every year,” they replied.

“Who is ‘we’?” I asked very confused.

*Crickets*

So it’s safe to say I had never heard of the festival until May 16 and was, as a member of Lowvelder, about to get a crash course on what it is.

In a Lemony Snicket-esque turn of events, I found myself having to relocate and over the past month, Mbombela has become my new home. Adapting has proved to be a challenge when you don’t know what to do or where to go.

I have family in Bushbuckridge, but after a long DMC (deep meaningful conversation) with a friend and a hard listen to Beyonce’s “Lemonade” I have come to the conclusion: How will I ever get acquainted with a place if I am hardly ever around? So, immerse myself I shall.

Innibos has been my first attempt to get acquainted with the town. As a journalist, it is never easy to enjoy festivals or shows because you are working. You are busy looking at people and their mannerisms because those provide the colour for your story. You critically watch the shows to get the story without giving away the story. You want to know the “what”, now, so you can write and get your story in before deadline.

That steals your moment to actually enjoy it because you are busy ensuring that everyone else enjoys it. Living vicariously through others is an art, ladies and gentlemen. It looked so much fun; I wish to actually attend it next year. Attend, I probably will, to write about it some more. Fun.

The boerewors rol and slushie on the first day were amazing. I would have loved to stare at Jak de Priester a bit longer, he’s such a beautiful man and sit through the end of Dozi’s performance at Meridian Karino.

From what I could see from the “proverbial” outside, it was exciting. I am now angry at my Johannesburg colleagues for never telling me about it, because I would have loved to have been acquainted.