The road was much longer than the fairy had expected, but it was more fun now when she had Hindsight by her side, and as they wandered he got more and more talkative. When they finally reached the Boulders and sighted the first penguins, once again it was dusk. “Hindsight! That wasn’t yesterday.” One of the penguins cried out and came jolting in their direction. “What brings you down here?” Hindsight told the fairy’s tale to the first penguin, and the story quickly spread like a wildfire among the chattering flightless birds. They all did their best to find a solution to the fairy’s predicament, but they all failed, and as the chattering calmed down, the first penguin announced: “On the behalf of our fine and honourable colony; we don’t know! But if it’s one ... read more

Long was the road that led to Llandudno, and as the fairy passed the shipwreck of Antipolis she was very tired, and she had still a long distance to cover. It was already dark as she looked down upon all the lights that shimmered out from the over-sized villas and lavish manors that clung to the steep mountain slopes of Llandudno. As she descended into Llandudno she was very tired. Many times had she considered leaving the pipe and the flute somewhere, and at one time she’d even thought about leaving her wings. Luckily she didn’t, since left or forgotten things have an exceptionally high probability of ending up in someone else’s pockets here in South Africa. Gate after gate she faced. Huge steel gates and high concrete walls was all she could see of ... read more

As we rushed down from Gaborone to celebrate New Years Eve in Cape Town, we had been arrested by Karma police a mere hours drive before the big city in the small town of Worcester - and sentenced to a 10-day meditation course. Therefore I sat in silence on my small meditation cushion, contemplating, focusing. Around me were 35 other meditators, all doing their best trying not to move, not to look, not to plan for the future, and not to drift into the past but to follow the teacher’s instructions and be in the present moment. Often I would catch my mind wandering far away from the meditation technique and I would then patiently try to bring my mind back on track - observing - not reacting - realising. At times I would allow my ... read more

One by one the big overland truck companies arrived. To the chorus of the Soft-Rock band Toto’s “Africa” the trucks would park, open their doors and - like if someone had opened a tap - emptying its content of party-longing-tourists in yet another place to spend their greenbacks. Some pitch their tents - others head straight to the bar. The Victoria Falls. A guaranteed stopover on every tour along the East- to South-African tourist trail. People come for the adrenaline sports, Vic Falls themselves and of course for the overlander-mandatory booze-cruise. The misfits you find in every overlander tourist group - that choose to save their sanity from the booze-cruise - are considered prude and stiff we learn, as the dribbling gossip returns with the evening cruise’s score: Two concussions, a sprain ankle and a fight. ... read more

Soon a boat came to our rescue, we boarded it and a few minutes later we arrived at Kinshasa’s harbour. First class, third world, hustle and bustle, just like we’d expected. Moneychangers carrying plastic bags full of currency and all sorts of police, guards and custom officials hurried around. Someone in a uniform took our passports and disappeared, and it was only with the help of a friendly priest that we finally got them back and could leave the confusing harbour area. The priest helped us to our guesthouse - another Christian mission - and then left us for his theological studies. The guesthouse had - just like the rest of the city - high walls draped in glittery razor-wire. Such a common feature in the capital that I think they should add some to the ... read more