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Published: August 28th 2007
Hi everyone,
OK, know that I've been missing in action yet again for a fair while but yeat again, it has been due to unforseen difficulties with internet access on my part.
So where did I last leave off? The hospice function I think when I was to where my sari. Amazingly, I didn't trip over once and managed to actually behave semi-ladylike for the afternoon. I know, don't all have a heart attack at once!
The following week I was busy with the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa conference from the Tuesday through to the Friday. Unfortunately I actually ended up missing the first day due to a nasty 24 hour vommiting bug (lovely I know). It was just so blummin typical - one of the main focuses of my trip here was the conference and it's the one time I get sick!
The rest of the week was fantastic though. I learnt a lot and being around people from all the different hospices of the country was very inspirational. On the Thursday night we had a big gala dinner and I can officially report that hospice people certainly know how to party on this side of the water as well as back home.
Last week, I spent my time at Chatsworth Hospice which is a district of Durban approximately halp an hour from where I had been staying. Even thought the distance was relatively short, the differences were significant.
Chatsworth had been the area in which a good proportion of the Indian people had lived during the Apartheid era and it still remain very much a predominantly Indian area. I stayed with a Hindu Tamulian family and so really enjoyed learning more about their religion and culture. One of the evenings they took me to a blessing prayer service for their nephews upcoming wedding. When I questioned whether it was OK if I came, they explained that they belive that ultimately there is only one God and so it doesn't matter which route is taken to get to Him. For that reason, it wouldn't have mattered whether I was Muslim, Buddhist or Christian in terms of my presence there. My host family also gave me a beautiful punjabi that had come all the way from India, complete with decorative jewels and bangles to keep. I was so immensely touched. I also stayed one night with another lady who gave me a lovely engraved wooden box to keep that was filled with tea from India. My time in Durban has truly given me a multinational experience.
On the Friday evening, I was kidnapped back to Durban. When I dumped my bags, I was under the impression that I was just going for a quiet drink with some friends at the pub to say my goodbyes. Unbeknownst to me however, Russ had arranged for all my friends to be there to greet me and to say goodbye in style. We had a great night as a DJ was on in the pub and unfortunately/fortunately shooters were half price. So my friends really did give me a fantastic Durban send off....even if they did nearly kill me in the process!
Saturday was spent recovering for the main....and then the dreaded packing. Yes blog readers, my love for the dreaded P word has not improved one iota since I've been here. The diffinculty at this point was working out what I was going to leave behind to accomodate all the lovely things I've aquired during my trip so it was even more of a struggle.
In the evening, Rookie, my host Mum, made me my favourite curry for my Last Supper and I then went with Russ to a braii at a friend's house to watch the so-called rugby game between the Bocks and Scotland. I say so-called as it was a bit of an annihalation if we're being honest. I still cheered the Scots on however, despite being the only one in the room doing so. I also had to say my final goodbyes to Russ and my friends. I'm used to travelling and moving on but these goodbyes I found especially difficult so if any of you are reading this, thanks for making my summer/your winter better than I'd even considered possible in my wildest dreams.
Sunday morning, saw me leave on a jet plane for Cape Town. Ever since I have been in South Africa, I have been told that I must get to the Cape before I leave and I can now see why.
On my first night here I stayed on an olive farm right at the foot of the Drackensburgh mountains. Even the guarenteed-Cape rain only added to the what can I say, true beauty of the area. As I sat in the old farm house complete with wooden floors and shutters and looked out at the rain, I really did feel like I'd been taken back in time in to a Jane Austen novel or something. It really did just feel like another world.
Last night and tonight I have been spending my time in Stellenbosch with my friend Maria. Tonight we are going out to sample some of the winelands finest - hey, when in Rome and all that. It'll just be a quiet one however as tomorrow I am going in to Cape Town itself to spend a couple of nights with some University of Cape Town students. If what I've heard about Cape Town and my knowledge in general of university students is anything to go by, all I can say is God help me.
On Friday I shall fly to Bloemfontain for my final stop before flying home from Joberg in less than two weeks now! I can't believe where the time has gone. I'm looking forward to seeing all you home crew but my God I'm going to miss it here. I've said it a lot since I've been here but of all the countries I've been to, South Africa is probably the one that I've felt most at home at, most quickly. On that note, if any of you ever get the opportunity to come here, jump at it......or you might have me to contend with if you don't!
On that note, I will say my goodbyes for now. I apologise for yet another mammoth entry but I still live in hope that I will do better next time.
Lu.
xxxxx
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Aunty S
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Alex the Lion
Hi Luc shounds like you have been having the most amazing time, looking forward to hopefully seeing you before you go back to St.Andrews, we are still away when you come back. Your cousin want's to know if you have seen Alex the Lion yet? Take care and enjoy the rest of your trip. Lots of Love.xxxxx