How Lucky am I

Fire Night

Last night we were at a friends house for a little party (birthday and St Patrick's day), when we left, there was a bank of smoke moving over the mountain towards the city. We all still speculated about it being a fire and not fog or cloud. At around 03:00am this morning I woke up feeling like I was choking to death. I felt like I was sitting in an ashtray. My eyes were burning, my lungs were burning, my throat was closed. I felt horrible. I soon realised it was because of a pending fire somewhere very close. Tristan asked me if I heard them evacuating people out of their houses, or if he had dreamt that. I didn't hear it so I thought he had dreamt it, but my father phoned me around 06:00am to ask if we were ok and if we had been evacuated as most people in Walmer Estate (our suburb) had been evacuated. I then realise Tristan had not dreamt it. This morning there is black soot all over our house, the mountain is singed, and the park where we walk our dogs is completely burned down. The fire came really close to our hood, and it was scary waking up in that smoke. This morning everything smells like smoke and I feel very sick from the smoke.

The Cape Town fire season goes on.

The root of my evil

I have finally realised why people are so late in Cape Town and are so oblivious to the fact that they are always late for meetings. They drive like idiots. Driving to work this morning, at 07:53, there are people who are on a Sunday afternoon drive. People driving at 40km/h in a 60km/h zone and hooting at me for overtaking them. Then there are the pedestrians who stroll over the road, against a red light, and still shouts at you for driving at them with a speed.

I get very pissed off with time keeping in Cape Town, as people are never on time. I had a meeting with an international client this week, who actually remarked on how Capetonians cancel meetings made, the morning of the meeting, and he came from Italy to see them. This is the way Cape Town does business. They are constantly late, and blame it on traffic, which they add to by driving miss daisy.

WAKE UP CAPE TOWN!!!!!!

Roll on Winter

This is the view on my way to work today in Cape Town...I cant wait for winter to arrive. I am done with this summer heat crap!!!

Joburg still the best

If anybody ever tells me that Cape Town has the best weather, I will spit in their eye and call them a liar. To give you an idea. Joburg winters are perfect. It is very cold from about 16:00 to about 22:00 and then it gets sub zero from 22:00 to 09:00, but from 10:00 to 16:00 the sun is shining, you can wear just a jersey and sometimes not even a jersey. So when you are sleeping and can cuddle and warm yourself up, the weather is perfect for that, but during the day you are warm enough to survive. Cape Town winters are rainy, cold, wet, windy and unpleasant. For days on end. I hear you screaming SUMMER SUMMER!!! Yes then there are summers. Joburg summers are hot. About 30 degrees and up from about 09:00 to 14:00, then you get the most spectacular thunderstorms, followed by a cooling rain storm, so you can sleep at night. It is true that sometimes the rain doesn't come, but you can still sleep because for about 4 hours, there was cloud cover and no sun. In Cape Town the summers are extremely hot and smokey. There is no rain or cloud to calm the heat down. There is a gail force wind, but that just blows hot air at high speeds and destroys your hair. Then we have the fires. Every summer, without fail, some part of the big mountain burns down and pollutes the whole of Cape Town for days on end. We had another huge fire in GORDONS BAY, about 50km from Cape Town, and for two days, Cape Town was covered in smoke. Its a joke. This province should be clumped with Durban in terms of weather, coz as we know, Durban just has crap, hot, sticky weather all the time. A clear indication that Joburg weather is the best for all types, all year round.

The weather and school

On my way to work today I saw the most heart wrenching thing ever. Stoped at a red light in Adderley street, next to Die Groote Kerk (its in Adderley street), I saw a little girl between 8 and 10 years old, dressed in her school clothes with an umbrella, as it is pelting down, walking to school. The problem is, along with this heavy rain in mid November, there are gale force winds blowing all over Cape Town leaving the streets full of tree left overs. So as this girl walks over the red light (behaviour she sees from grown ups), and barely misses getting killed, she gets to the other side, and tries to turn the corner, but a gust of wind blows and blows her umbrella inside out. So there she is, standing on the corner, a little girl in her maroon tracksuit with a hoody, getting drenched, with an inside out umbrella, still smiling and making her way to school. Even I got a little lump in my throat after seeing that!

First day back

Today is the first day back at work in Cape Town, after I have been in Joburg for business the last week. I had such excitement in my veins while in Joburg, as business went so well, and I was out and busy the entire time and never really had any time to sit or do anything. In my car all the time and driving around from meeting to meeting. Now back in the Cape Town office, I have lost all of that enthusiasm, and want to go home and sleep. I really need to get myself motivated to work here in Cape Town, and just go balls to the wall and start phoning everybody i can get my hands on.

Problem is in Cape Town, people are already busy going into Christmas mode, and want to only see me in next year.

What to do...

A day In Cape Town

This is more of an update as to what is happening.  Its a grey and dreary day in Cape Town, but I am feeling quite good.  My head has stopped pounding from the sign post, I have signed and sealed a new job starting on Monday (now I think I should have taken another week off),  I have an amazing boyfriend that makes me feel really good and has so much faith in me, and I live in Cape Town!!!!  Of course there are a few things that are still not fixed properly.  Lucca's ear is still very bad, both actually, and he might need to be drugged for a few days.  I have put on weight, and need to get motivated to go to gym again.  I constantly think about a looming house hunt and move (which, if you know me, you know puts me in an instant depression).  I think the best thing to do is to go shopping.  Shoes maybe... actually I HAVE to go shopping for shoes, but for work, so its not even fun!!! 

Sunset

Over another strange day in Cape Town. Sleep well city, sleep well streets, sleep well love. It will start all over again tomorrow but then it will be pleasant.

Good Bye

Its always so difficult for me to leave Joburg and go home, even if I don't like it here anymore. Its difficult because I have to leave my family behind again. Its difficult because I only get one night in about 6 months with my family. I miss them so much and its like loosing a family member or a loved one every time I leave. I feel sad because I think about how my folks are getting older and how they are stuck here in this crime ridden invested city, and I fear for their safety. I get sad because my sister, who cant fend for herself, drives around alone and is vulnerable, and has a daughter who has to grow up in this horrible place.

Every time I leave Joburg to go home, I feel like I am leaving another piece of me behind. Will I ever be ok to leave my family and return home? Saying good bye is the saddest thing at the best of times, but when I say good bye to my family, its like I die a little inside.

Saturday Morning

Woke up this morning, opened the blinds, well got the blinds opened for me, and looked out on the mountain with the sun shining and blue skies. Its almost impossible to believe that yesterday you could not see the mountain because of the low mist and rain. Woke up, after a hard talk, and lied in bed while watching the rugby, while eating muffins and drinking coffee. Nice start to a nice Saturday.

Long weekend

This has been an amazing long weekend. I took a drive through a very nice part of the Western Cape (Route 62). I stayed over in two wonderful places. I made a new friend. I met a new person. I felt good about myself. I felt wanted. I learnt something about myself. I had green curry. Its been a roller coaster of a ride but I loved it. Now what is left. Work, travel away from home, missing my dogs, missing time spent with friends, but at least when I come back, there will be someone waiting for me....I hope so.

Blue Train

Blue Train yesterday. Went from Cape Town to Worcester. It was great being on that luxurious train and getting treated like a rock star. Had lunch in the dining cart and sat in the observation cart looking out at the Cape country side. It was a great experience with great people.

Table of Peace and Unity

So I have been wondering and pondering about how I could get myself invited to the Table of Peace and Unity on 27 April 2008, when Michelle phones me and asks me if I want to be her partner at the event. Thanks Mich!

Lazy days of Summer

Its the last few days of summer, and the earth is already beginning to turn. Leaves are changing colour to yellow, grass is turning brown, there is a chill in the air, and even the sun is dimming. Sunsets change the air into a bright band of orange, red and purple layers. Went for a walk on the promenade today and there was an icy wind that blew as soon as the sun started to set. The ocean was restless and waves crashed all the way up onto the promenade. Winter is on its way. I can not wait. Summer is so overrated. Sun, sand, heat, sweat...its not nice.

Then to top it all...Leche ate a dead, rotting mouse...Nice!!!!

Bruce is back!!!

My friend is here from Jozi, Bruce, and I am so glad he is back. We took the dogs, Leche and Lucca, for a walk on the promenade yesterday and saw the most impressive sunset...again...

Yesterday was a day for friends old and new. Saw many of my regular promenade walking friends, and one I haven't seen in a long time. Welcome back Jen!!!! Chutney has forgotten who I am....All my old friends were also there. Kitty and Steye-guy, Bruce and then I got a call from London...

Thursday 3 April 2008. Good day.

The art of driving

It truly is an art to drive in this city. Having to navigate the streets where people decide to get into their cars, but forget to take their IQ's with them. They drive as slow as they can on a one lane road, so you get stuck behind them when you are at your latest, but the minute you go onto a two lane road, they charge ahead so fast, that you cant even change gears fast enough to pass them. Or those individuals who feel they were given the right to just stop in the middle of the road, and turn their hazards on.

But my ultimate favorite are those special individuals who dart over the intersection to go and stop behind the last car, and doing so blocks the intersection, because the light is now red for them, but they cant move. And then they just stare at the car in front of them hoping the car would disappear so they could move forward. But then, when you actually hoot at them, they start to swear at you and ask you what they are supposed to do!!!! I will tell you what to do, wait behind the line.....

Salt River circle....the freaks going to the N2 coming from town, always backs up but still keeps on driving around the circle and block the traffic going up to main road. A Muslim guy once did that and when I hooted, he got out of the car and started walking towards my car. He was about 50, fat, and very out of shape. I was ready. But then all the other cars stated hooting at him, and I got out my car. His eyes grew about 5 times the size they were, and he got back into his car and drove off.

But don't all you Joburg freaks think you are great drivers....at least here in Cape Town, we acknowledge other drivers on the road.

Hey, what would you rather want....me ranting and raving on here, or me getting out and actually killing someone on the road....

Drive safe please...I am out there

How lucky am I....

So what can be better.... Went for a walk with Lucca on the Promenade after speaking to my spiritual brother ;-) and the sun is setting. So I take a minute and stand there to watch the sun set, plating the sea in a golden layer of pure sunshine goodness. In the background the sky is turning into an orange glow of fire and sky, behind me the sun reflects a layer of purple and pink haze framing the city and everything in it. On my mp3 player I am listening to the Rent soundtrack and I think of good friends all over the world, who made my life a fantastic musical to live in. And I cant help but think......How lucky am I.

NO DAY BUT TODAY