mmilo

Today for the first time we went to Sun City. What a bizarre and mixed experience. When we were children we never visited because my parents called it Sin City instead of Sun City. The main area is typical of the aged casino look. Nothing inspiring here. But at least I managed to find a cute bag for my daughter. The highlight was when Karen & I dropped into the health spa and managed to get in for a massage. It is beautiful with large leather seats to wait in and water and apple juice on tap. The views across the valley are peaceful.... read more

We experienced the most wonderful re-introduction to Africa I could have imagined. Friends of our family from the time we lived here welcomed us into their home, and what a beautiful home it is. An understated lavender-coloured and surprisingly spacious colonial cottage is filled with elegant and beautiful rooms, each with it's own unique character. The building is not very old but it has been built using old material, the most stunning of which is the wood. The floor boards groan with age as we walk around. The old timber windows frame the beautiful views from every angle. Every room takes your breath away and every little nook has something to offer with small surprises everywhere like the miniature sheep in front of the fireplace and a small bookcase dedicated to the 'Grandkids'. Not one but ... read more

The last time I was in Johannesburg airport I felt like a fugitive escaping my country. In the dark of night we went to the airport, thinking all the way that something would happen to prevent us from leaving. As an 11 year old I was scared beyond imagination. This new land we had been told so much about was waiting but it was very difficult to leave. My father had to prove that he was the only person that the mine in Tasmania could hire for the SA government to allow us to leave. So now here we are again. It doesn't feel that different to any other airport. It is smaller than I had remembered and considerably smaller than my adult mind would have expected for the largest airport in the country. The service ... read more

I have two very funny extroverted sisters. I think they kept me sane when we were children. Laughter is, after all, the best medicine. I wonder if that's why I married the funny guy? I hang onto their optimism about what lies ahead. They were older, maybe their memories are clearer? As we leave they are pulling faces and being silly. I wouldn't be here without them. We have felt more than most people do in their entire lives. Optimism is a gift.... read more

What does it mean to call a country "home"? What if your childhood memories of your original home are mixed and fearful? How does that bear any relationship to a home? That is not what I would want for my children. So why would I call it home? My three sisters and I are returning to South Africa for the first time since we left in 1981. My sisters are all excited about returning so why am I so nervous? We had a wonderful time growing up filled with stories that could fill a romantic novel about a close-knit family. And yet my memories are laced with fear growing up in a country where I felt like a stranger in my father's beloved country. I don't really know what to feel... Will I feel the same? ... read more