African Swansong - Chapter 2

Tuesday, March 19th (continued) 

Rob and Cher, enjoying their first
breakfast at Jan's house. 

Our 2 hour flight to PE was uneventful. We are now flying internally, within South Africa, so if you want a drink or snack on the planes you pay for it. My Scottish blood kicks in and I won’t pay for something that has been previously ordained as our natural right in the proper order of things. 

 We were met by our previously arranged shuttle. Our driver was a cheery fellow named Charl. He is the middle-aged son of the semi-retired owner of the shuttle business. When his Dad needs help he acts as a backup driver. Like so many of the white folk in SA and Zimbabwe, running one’s own business is often the easiest way to generate an income. Everyone makes a plan to keep the pennies coming in and somehow people survive. 

Charle and I chatted nonstop for the 90 kilometre trip to Saint Francis Bay, where we were to be staying with my niece Janine. He is about to move to East London, where we go next, to be with his fiancée and her daughter and to take up a new better-quality job. He told me his wife had just left him, unannounced, 3-4 years ago, taking his 18-month-old daughter with her. They have divorced now, but she has now gone underground, and he hasn’t seen either of them since then. He has tried tracing her with a private detective, but to no avail. Sad. 

It was a bit awkward when we arrived at our destination. Cher had got a clear quote that our shuttle cost was R1000 (one thousand Rand – about $70 Cnd) for both of us. Charl was under the impression that it was R1000 per person. Fortunately, my clever wife had a recording of the voice message, on WhatsApp, in which she had clearly been quoted R1000 for both of us. Charl left a bit dejected. I’m guessing he gets a percentage of whatever the price is. Thank goodness for my diligent wife. 

Jan on the left and Mau on the right, enjoying 
a moment at the Never Mind Cafe

We were staying with my niece Janine. She has just bought a five-bedroomed house with a spectacular view of the sea. She is in the throes of sorting furniture and household effects and getting some odd jobs done. She has been pleased to have our arrival as a deadline to force her to get much of the work done. In fact, as we arrived, a workman was busy exiting the house. It was good timing for us as he offered to carry our bags upstairs. Thank you, Lord, for the little things too. 

Jan’s son Daniel appeared to greet us. It was a surprise as we had been under the impression he was working on a cruise line somewhere as a photographer. Apparently, he has tried that and found it wanting as a lifestyle. He is now marking time while he waits for an ancestral visa to move to the UK where his dad will help him get going with a new life over there. 

L - R Kim, Mau and Doug, tucking in to the 
fatted calf meal they had laid on for us. 

We had no sooner arrived than we were whisked off to go and have supper with my nephew Doug, wife Kim, Jan, Daniel and Doug’s mom Maureen. My brother Neville passed away two years ago from melanoma, leaving Mau on her own in Johannesburg. Doug and Kim have opened their home to her in Saint Francis Bay, and Mau is now comfortably settled in this part of the world. Doug and Kim have a lovely home inside a gated golf community. They are perched atop a hill with a gorgeous view overlooking the interior, with a line of mountains on the horizon. Beautiful. 

L-R Jan, Cher, Doug, Kim, Mau and Daniel. 
Doug and Kim have two full length dining room 
tables. They believe in hospitality. 

Doug and Kim had laid on the fatted calf for supper. We had roast lamb and chicken along with all the extras to go with. It was great sitting around enjoying the comfortable familiarity of family swapping yarns and chewing the fat. It was a fitting end to a good day. 

Wednesday, March 20th 

Mau and Rob share a pensive moment
at Cape St. Francis

We had an easy morning at Jan’s house and then had arranged to go and have a coffee at the NeverMind restaurant alongside the lighthouse at the southernmost tip of South Africa at Cape St. Francis. The NeverMind restaurant was one of those upmarket places which charge twice as much money for a well decorated half plate of food. Never The Less we enjoyed our lunch and were soon headed home for a mandatory siesta, because it had been a stressful day. 

Jan and Cher sharing a beach time moment. 

Jan had a bee in her bonnet about going for a swim and in fact got quite insistent. Cher uncharacteristically was supportive of the idea. It was windy, felt chilly and I was resistant. Cher for some reason, became even more enthusiastic. I was bemused. I have known Cher since I was 14 and in all of those 58 years I have never found her to be insistent about swimming. Something was going on. I decided to persist in my reluctance and see what happened. Cher got keener. Finally, I agreed I would guard the towels while the two of them swam. I stood on the beach watching in amazement while Cher strode confidently into the water and the next thing she even ducked her head briefly under the water. What was she doing? Now she would have to wash her hair! I decided Cheryl had been abducted by aliens and her body invaded by a foreign being. Anyway, I now have a sneaking suspicion that all these years I have been too keen to encourage Cher waterwards. From here on, it will be “hard to get” all the way. At least I didn’t need to wash my hair that night. 

In Jan's lookout bar room, with a 180 degree
view of the sea. 

We had a Braai (short for braaivleis, which literally means “cook meat”) at Jan’s that night with the whole family. We sat in Jan’s bar area which sits perched at the top of the house with a magnificent outlook. As is traditional the men light the fire, cook the meat, and resolve the problems of the world. Doug and I made quite good progress on all fronts. The ladies wait patiently while this goes on and then we all feast until full to overflowing. Definitely one of life’s finer traditions. 

Thursday March 21st 

Cher, taking it easy on the deck outside
our  bedroom. Five star views. Wonderful. 

Cher and I had an easy morning, then a well-earned siesta after lunch. In the afternoon we took a stroll down to the beach and followed the path to the Port. It was high tide and almost a full moon that evening, so the water was very high. At times the waves were breaking close to our feet. It was a gorgeous day and a lovely walk, although parts of it were on ankle twisting terrain. The Port is home to quite a large chokka fishing fleet which supplies the local area. It is also quite picturesque, with lots of apartments and buildings overlooking the marina and Port. We stopped at a local pub for a cup of tea. It had the look of an authentic fisherman’s pub. I ordered my tea and was a bit perplexed when a cappuccino arrived. I realized that to the untrained ear a “cup of tea” and a “cappu cci no” don’t sound that different. South Africa really makes the best cappuccinos that I have ever come across. I was just happy for something to drink. 

Beautiful day. Beautiful coastline. Beautiful wife. 
Does life get any better? 

Jan, Doug and Kim had a church small group meeting that night at Jan’s house. We decided we would go and keep Mau company. We played “Golf” a card game that Cher and I had taught to the family a few years back. Mau, who had pretended not to remember the rules, craftily gave us the impression that she didn’t know what she was doing. We let our guard down, whereupon Mau leapt into action and wiped the floor with us. Just as well she hadn’t suggested we play for money. 

Friday, March 22nd 

Today is an all flags day. It’s my birthday, so all the stops are out. 

Rain, sleet or snow, these hardy folk dare to dip
every day. Amazing what people will do to
justify another cappuccino

Doug, Kim and Jan had been quite insistent about us joining them at the 7am Beach Cub which they are part of. The Club started about six months ago with a few brave souls. It happens in front of a coffee shop which is positioned right on the beach. There is a spot in front of the coffee shop where swimmers are sheltered from the breakers by rocks, and one can just get in the water, and bob up and down for the requisite 15 minutes. One can then emerge and legitimately claim that they have earned a cappuccino while taking in a beautiful early morning overlooking the sea. 

-

We did it. Duly initiated and cooking with gas. 

We were finally persuaded that seeing as it was my birthday we should participate. Once again Cher was showing perplexing signs of being keen to engage in this activity. I really must try and find out what they have done with the real Cher. Well, when we got there, we found at least forty people of all shapes, sizes and ages, preparing to risk life and limb and brave the cold waters. The power of peer pressure is immense. If all of these assorted characters could do it there were no ready excuses as to why we shouldn’t do likewise.

The reward. Sit in the sun and
enjoy the good life. 

We entered the water gingerly. It was freezing, but only until one’s nerve endings had given up the ghost, at which point, it started to feel quite comfortable. We bobbed with the best for the requisite 15 minutes and then headed out of the water for the club cappuccino. We were now fully initiated members of the inner circle. It was especially wonderful to spot a sea otter swimming in amongst the bobbers and even playing with them. That was special. 

My birthday was wonderful. I had all kinds of Facebook friends who sent their well wishes. We went to the Golf Club at Doug and Kim’s gated community for lunch. It was Fish Fryday, so we all tucked in. The dessert was a very large slice of cheesecake, which we decided to split seven ways. It proved difficult to cut one slice 7 ways. We then made the mistake of ordering a second slice, which we were too full to really enjoy. Ah. Such are the difficulties of life. 

Cape St. Francis to see the sun set. A long
standing tradition. 

Back home for another well-earned siesta. The final activity of the day was to watch the sun set over the point at Cape St. Francis. It was a gorgeous warm day and we arrived at our spot about half an hour ahead of sunset. We were just settling down with the cheese and crackers and breaking out a measure of wine, when there was a commotion alongside our vehicle. Someone had spotted a puff adder, an extremely venomous snake. They are lazy reptiles. They love to curl up and lie in the sun and keep warm. My snake phobia kicked in. It looked just like a dark brown cow turd. We had probably all walked right by it in getting out of our car. Ughhh! One of the other onlookers bravely picked it up on the end of a hiking pole and dropped it in the grass nearby. 

The sun sets on what had been a good day. 

By then, it was dark, fog had rolled in and the temperature had dropped by about 10 degrees. We packed up and were glad to get home to warm up and watch a movie to round off what had been a lovely birthday for me.

Saturday March 23rd 

Now that we are full fledged members of the 365 Beach Club. We decided to go and do it again at 7am. If once was good, twice is better. Right? Wrong!! This day, the temperature of the air was about the same, but the water had dropped down to about 13 degrees centigrade. Brisk would not be an adequate description. Doug’s advice was, “Get in up to your neck and stay there. After two minutes its’ great!” Well, I took his advice and plunged headlong in. Yazooka. Despite being a fully fledged member of the 365 Club I found it more than I could take. On seeing me head for shore, like a rocket, Cher decided discretion was the better part of valor and she never made it in. Doug and Kim both emerged after the requisite 15 minutes, although they were actually shaking uncontrollably. I felt my decision was wise and am taking comfort from that. The wise thing to do, considering my now advanced years. 

Puff Adder on a stick. Any takers??

 Doug and I had scheduled a Mano a Mano cup of coffee together without the ladies and duly connected at the Golf Club for the requisite cappuccino. We finished resolving the problems of the world we hadn’t dealt with at our braai two nights ago, so that was good. We then went to the local cycle shop and picked up Doug’s road bike which he has had converted to an exercise bike. It attaches to a clever base which does all the right stuff and then connects to the TV set on which one can emulate all of the famous bike rides around the world. Doug did an Iron Man triathlon race twelve years ago. The Iron Man consists of a 4km swim, 180km cycling and 42km running marathon. Now twelve years later, and closing in on 50, Doug is thinking about training for a Half Iron Man. The whippet thin guy at the cycle shop looked Doug up and down, sized him up and said, “A lot has happened in 12 years. Yes, I think you should start with the Half Iron Man”. All said with a straight face.

Mau and Rob trying to split one slice of 
cheesecake, seven ways

Cher is conducting a rusk making tutorial today for Jan and Mau. Cher learnt her rusk making technique on the internet, but since then she only shares this culinary secret on a “need to know” basis with inner core family members or best friends. She is developing quite a set of ardent followers, and limiting those “in the know” keeps standards up. 

In the evening we went over to Doug and Kim’s who were having some friends from their church small group over for a braai and to watch rugby. Once we arrived, we did the mandatory split – women to the left on the verandah and the men safely inside to watch the rugby undisturbed. We did eat together but of course men at the top of the table and the ladies in their own spots further down. Such is life lived back in the ex colonies. 

It was quite inspiring listening in to Doug and Kim’s lady friends. The local township consists mainly of a squatter camp. The conditions look bad. It has very weak educational standards. The government has not proved much good in this area as by and large the politicians are too busy lining their own nests with their ill-gotten gains. Some of the ladies were trying to figure out a way to improve the standard of the schooling. The level of motivation was high and the ideas were strong. This is how the church has changed the world in the last 2000 years, by being willing to go, and do, where no one else would.

Sunday March 24th 

Rob and Cher in front of the 
Cape St. Francis lighthouse. 

This is our last day in Saint Francis Bay. It has been great reconnecting with this side of the family. Cher and I accompanied Maureen to her united Anglican/Methodist church. We arrived 15 minutes early and the church was already almost full. It was sad to see so many grey heads filling the seats, but we were later pleasantly surprised to find about 15 kids who turned up in time to wave palm branches for the Palm Sunday celebration. The preacher was an old guy, who looked like he’d seen better days, but when he got up to lead and preach it turned out he had fire in his belly, and he delivered a good message. I needed to repent for sizing him up wrong. Sorry Lord. Never judge a book by its cover. How many times have I learned that? 

Jan had gone to Oxygen which is the church down the road for the trendy younger set. Who thinks of a name like that for a church? They too had a good crowd, but they also had a cool new coffee machine, so I guess that counts for something. 

After church, Doug and Kim came over to Jan’s house to say goodbye to us. We got the mandatory family photo done of course. Realizing we may not see them again for a while, things got a bit teary. I’m working on Doug and Kim to take on organizing a worldwide family reunion back in Saint Francis in the next couple of years. Our family is now spread between South Africa, Australia, UK, Canada and the USA. It’s quite an undertaking. So far Doug and Kim are not biting, but I’ve only just started my campaign.

Our shuttle driver, Charl arrived bright eyed and bushy tailed to pick us up. I had been planning to act like a customer and sit in the back seat and doze on the 1.5 hour trip into PE. However, his trunk was full of scuba diving gear belonging to his next customer and our luggage had to go on the back seat. Cher barely had room to squeeze in. I was back in the front seat, and I could see my plan for an afternoon snooze was on the endangered list. I put on my dark glasses and tried to pretend I was listening, but Charl was in full chat mode, and I had no choice but to make conversation. 

Cher at our restaurant before the show began

Charl dropped us at our overnight B ‘n B in Port Elizabeth. We walked down to a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat before it got dark and the bad guys come out. We had quite a chuckle at the restaurant. Two young women arrived all dressed up to the nines. Cher said, “don’t look”. Up until then I hadn’t even noticed them, but with an instruction like that, it was hard not to at least take a quick peek. They were popping out and bulging rather conspicuously in all directions. They proceeded to conduct a photo shoot of each other giving their best poses. Their food arrived and got cold while the show went on. I had grown bored by then and was busy memorizing the menu. 

And so ends the second chapter of our journey. Tomorrow our shuttle to East London arrives at 7am. We need an early night, so we can enjoy the company of our fellow travelers on the shuttle.