The picnic I remember most clearly was at Victoria Park in my hometown, Stellenbosch, in South Africa, when I'd just finished my final school exams. That makes it about six years ago now.
There were eight of us, all from the same class, and we'd agreed that everyone would bring one thing. I was given the drinks, so I lugged two big bottles of homemade ginger beer that my mum had made. My friend Thandi brought a pile of sandwiches, someone else brought a watermelon, and Pieter turned up with a portable braai, which is our word for a barbecue, so we ended up grilling sausages as well. We found a spot under a huge oak tree near the river, spread out a couple of old blankets and stayed there from late morning until the sun went down. We played cards, someone had a guitar, and we just talked endlessly about what we were going to do next.
The reason it sticks in my mind is the timing. It was the last day we were all together before everyone scattered. Some went to university in Cape Town, one went to work in Johannesburg, and I left to study in the UK, where I now work as a physiotherapist. At the time, it just felt like a relaxed day off, but I've realised since then that it was a sort of farewell. There was this strong feeling of freedom, because exams were over, mixed with a bit of nervousness about the future. Whenever I smell ginger beer now, I'm right back under that tree.