Looking on the bright side
A couple that emigrated to San Diego spent the day with us yesterday, and reminded us why we still live in South Africa, and more particularly Johannesburg – the 94.7 Cycle Challenge. And before you think this is a cycling blog, stop right there.
Because of the road closures, my primary school buddy spent close to three hours trying to get to our hom. We were in constant mobile phone contact and I didn’t detect a note or hint of frustration – why? Well simply because as he put it – he really enjoyed the confusion. His wife – who happens to be my wife’s high school buddy – was less positive.
She couldn’t get enough of highlighting the issues that lead to their delay. With all due respect, if you had planned your trip you would have arrived the day before and avoided the closures. There are events in most major cities and the planning and public announcements start weeks and months in advance. As was the case in Jozi. People simply plan their lives around the event.
Why should it be different in Jozi? My friend also made this point. If it wasn’t for the road closures and their valiant attempts to get to our home, he wouldn’t have driven through various suburbs and had a chance to see how they had changed over the past 10 years.
And to put the cherry on the cake, the couple and their 11 year-old were treated to a spectacular Highveld thunderstorm, lightening, thunder and a good half an hour or lovely rain. Living on the edge of the desert in California, this is something they seldom see. We spent the rest of the day sipping South African sparkling wine, standing in the rain (once the lightening had passed), swimming and enjoying watching the South African cricket team giving the English team a lesson in bowling and batting. What a perfect Sunday in sunny and stormy South Africa.
