it feels like a life time since I left Perth, but it has only been four days – so much has been packed into those days – more so with emotions. I was excited about my trip to SA and to date that excitment is still present. My trip – 7 days in Durban – 4 days Cape Town – 3 days Port Elizabeth – 2 days Johannesberg. I packed the lighest I have ever packed before – I must be learning after our trip to Europe last year I voved to pack light. This is the first holiday without a conference attached so I could pack comfy / day clothes and no high heal shoes…. just flats.

  
I set myself four goals for this trip: 1 – To obtain my mothers birth certificate; 2- find my grandparents grave; 3 – to evaluate my current career status and 4 – to have fun: setting four clear goals is good for me, usually it is a list a mile long, but I really wanted to set goals I felt I could achieve hence only setting four. 

The fun part is not as easy as you think, being a work-a-holic I have really tried not to be mentally ambushed with work, engage with email or two much technology – being over-connected digitally and yet under-connected with myself – its much easier when the internet service is lacking – it almost feels like I’m cheating because I don’t have a choice…….ha ha.

The flight from Perth to Joberg on South African Airways was OK, it is so hard for me to sleep on long flights – 10hrs: It was the Rugby World Cup semi final between South Africa and New Zealand – thankfully on Kiwis on the flight – the captain kept giving us updates and all I could think about was that he was concentrating on flying the plane and not the game. Sadly for SA they lost – good for me as it is a Aussie v Kiwi final – my allegiance will always be with Australia as this is home – my heart will always be in Africa.  

Arriving in Joberg was daunting as I didn’t know what to expect – it is a massive airport and I had an internal transfer to Durban (2hrs to spare). I quickly was reminded I was in Africa, nothing goes fast it is all on African time and with a smile. The cue for SA flights throught SA was long – made up of mostly Indians (50%) Europeans (10%)  & Africans (40%) – it was interesting listening to the people in the cue and the undercurrent of racial tensions – for me I did not need to be anywhere in a hurry I was on holiday so long as I made my flight I was happy – I smiled to myself and thought and so begins the journey.