First Impressions

DAY 2- June 22^nd FRIDAY:  First full “alert” day in Pretoria, South Africa.  I’m not counting yesterday as I mostly slept in between chatting with Olga, the housekeeper.  It seems I’ve left the sun somewhere, as both yesterday and today have been overcast, cloudy and windy and very cool, almost cold.  Seems cold enough to be around the high 40’s!  Since the house is very large, with high ceilings and large tile floors, it “feels “even colder.  I’m sitting here in 3 layers just to keep warm!  Today I went for a walk to the main entrance gate of the “estates”, about a 40 minute walk past the golf course & country club.  We’re in a gated community with so far a total of 3 gates that I can see.  C. has to use his fingerprint to enter.  I’m not sure I can actually get out, and I can’t get back in unless they call him and ask him for approval!  The houses are ALL magnificent; no two seem alike and most give the aura of a palatial dwelling.  Awoke to unfamiliar bird sounds and saw some on the walk.   Also saw what I later found out was a flock of about 20 Guinea Fowl on the golf course and later saw Meerkats running wild on the golf course when I went for a walk with C.

Day 6 – June 26^th TUESDAY: Days have warmed up and become sunny!  So far, I’ve not seen much of the city… just the big freeway to the house from the very modern airport, at night and on the weekend C. took me to 3 malls!  Great food and they are easily comparable to those found in Phoenix and more as the last one we went to was a 5 story mall  with a bird aviary in it!   The mall near the house has an Internet Café, called the Mugg & Bean (a coffee themed restaurant franchise) which I am at now.  Someone gave me a lift out of the housing estates and C. is picking me up after work as he’s going to stop by and organize a trip for me to Cape Town next week!   The food is great and the supermarkets enormous… guess I’ve lived in a small town too long!  I’ve not tasted the BILTONG yet (jerky of ALL sorts).  Did “manage” to do a little shopping today (my credit card works!!). I do tend to get a bit confused with the pricing -  as things are priced in 200R and 300R (Rand) range.  I finally figured out that 200Rand is equal to about $35.50 USD so I actually didn’t spend that much!  It’s been REALLY cold in the mornings but found out how to work the heater in the office at the house so I hold up there until the sun comes out and warms things up.  My sleep pattern is all wonky and I was up at 2:30 am this morning and read a book until I heard C. get up and knew I could then unlock the door to the hallway to go downstairs (big safety precautions everywhere - extra locked doors in houses by the bedrooms).  Driving is on the LEFT side of the road which I guess is logical since the British we’re here for ages.   As soon as I arrived at the airport, C. made sure I was also aware of certain “sensible safety precautions” such as putting all bags in the boot, out of sight (even when driving not just when parked) and keeping the car windows up, especially at traffic lights, as there are lots of street vendors at the stop lights.  These vendors walk up and down between the waiting cars  at the lights to try and sell their wares (everything from shirts to phone cords) and there have been instances where they break a window to get at something inside the car as one sits there (called SMASH & GRABS).  I’m not to walk alone out of the “compound” either.  Since I want to go to the gym that is across the street from the main gate, this should prove interesting.  I hear a lot of Afrikaans being spoken… a bit like Dutch but of course I can’t understand a thing.  Olga the housekeeper speaks her own language  (Venda I think) and while she's been trying to teach me a bit I've just given her her first computer lesson today!   Apparently there are 9 major languages here in South Africa.  Ok, must dash as my laptop is losing power and the plug here apparently doesn’t work and all the other tables with plugs are taken.  Will try to post when I'm in Cape Town as hotel surely will have internet access!  Have a tour or the town set up along with one to the Wine Country, the Botanical Gardens and Robben Island which is famous for Nelson Mandela being imprisoned there. 

One of many lovely big homes on estate

On My Way

ONE more day before leaving for South Africa.  Stopped in South Carolina for a flying visit with my sister and my almost 94 yr old Dad.   It's been lovely weather and I managed to take him out to dinner for Father's Day.  The trees here are so beautiful and as you can see by the sign, they have their own wild animals around!  Catch you all again in a few days after I land, recover and get my bearings.  Bear with me as I am still getting the hang of this blogging...  very proud of myself that I managed to add pictures!!  I'll be an old hand at this by the end I hope!

Only 3 days left until I take off to begin the start of my new adventure -  to visit South Africa for 40 days.  Of course, once I get my bag packed and caught up with all my work, I intend to get REALLY excited.  I've also set up to stop and have a flying 3 day visit to see my sister and my Dad on the East coast before I leave.  He will be 94 in August!  Not sure just what kind of Internet Access I will have once I get there, so will try to post every few days depending on circumstances.  I'll be staying with a friend who's rented a lovely house.  It has a swimming pool but.... it's now WINTER there and I've been told to pack "my woolies".  Darn... missing a large part of summer again, but think I can "weather" it just fine for the experience!  Guess I never thought of Africa as being cold!