Saturday, 9 February

It's been a while since I posted here.

This is the view from my window today. Overcast but warm.

I've started to settle back into life at home now, which hasn't been easy. The daily load shedding power cuts have sort of become nothing to be too concerned about and the public seems to be getting used to them, although this week there have been none, so obviously the demand for electricity has been less. Eskom and municipalities have started to install switching devices in homes which can shut off the geysers. A bit of an intrusion I feel, but they seem to think that will reduce the use of electricity. Eskom will be able to send a pulse down the line which the unit will receive and activate the geyser shut off switch. Big Brother???? I only switch my geyser on about an hour before I take a shower and switch it off again later. (Update: this scheme didn't seem to take off)

An interesting situation at Durban airport last week. The tow bar broke on the aircraft tow vehicle, and to get the plane out the parking bay, about 12 ground crew pushed the SAA Airbus back.

Someone sent me this the other day...
National Party = White Power
ANC = Black Power
NOW = NO POWER!!!!!!!!

(Credit to My Space Blog at Mweb)

Sunday, 20 January 2008

You know you're in Africa... .

...when electricity load shedding (I still don't understand the purpose) happens on a daily basis and will do so for about 8 years until new power stations are built. According to Durban City Manager if Eskom decided to cut the power for 2 weeks we won't have electricity for 2 weeks. I would have thought this would have a negative impact on the economy, but Durban Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Bonke Dumisa said "(power cuts) will not affect the economy substantially because Eskom has been pro-active in alerting the public as to when there will be power cuts. Business owners will have adequate time to prepare themselves..." (Quote from Forest Express newspaper, 18 January 2008) Hmmm.

...when your neighbour tells you the people next door who moved in about a month ago have had 2 burglaries. The first was about a week after they moved in, and they ran away when disturbed. The second was about 2 weeks ago when the wheels of both their luxury cars parked outside the garage were removed. They even propped the cars up on tree stumps from newly felled pine trees.

Oh Canada!

I must just add something funny from the same article in the Forest Express newspaper about the power cuts: "His (Eskom spokesperson) opinion was backed up by eThekweni electricity department which said ordinary faults sometimes occurred at the same time as the load shedding, as well as by the city's Municipal Manager, Mike Sutcliffe."(Sorry Express reporters, but this read as if Mike Sutcliffe was also a cause of power cuts.)

Anyway enough. I contacted my relations in Canada on Google Talk this afternoon. The wintry weather's returned with a vengeance. The view from the lounge window and a snow-covered tree. It does have a beauty all of its own though.

Saturday, 19 January 2008

The flight from Heathrow took off almost an hour late because of the crashed 777 at the end of one of the two runways. We had to slot in between landing aircraft on the north runway. Our pilot told us we'd probably catch up time en route because of the jet stream over Europe, and in fact we got to Johannesburg exactly on time the next morning.
I realised I couldn't waste time getting my connecting flight because I still had to go through passport control and check in. I managed to get to the plane door while people were still getting their bags and things. I raced ahead through the confusion at Jhb airport to passport control where the woman at the desk was a bit confused about the flight I was going on, she thought Canada... er... back in SA you know... After I explained I had COME from Canada and Heathrow in London she stamped my passport and told me I had come to the wrong section, and I should proceed to the correct section and pass through permit holders and diplomats entrance and not queue with the other passengers as she'd already stamped my book. Ok I was pleased about that as I could get moving again. Another passenger and his wife from Germany I think, was also concerned about his connecting flight to George which was boarding in about 15 minutes. He said he'd follow me. I explained I had already gone through the entry process and he had to queue with the other hundred or so passengers. I left him with a look of panic and despair on his face, and ran to the domestic terminal which is only accessible by leaving the international terminal and going outside for about 200 metres because of on-going build alterations. I ran! Then it was up about 3 floors to the check in desks. I got through fairly quickly and went to the departure gates and couldn't find my one as it wasn't clear on the boarding pass. I found what I thought was my gate which was actually the flight boarding to George and told the attendant there were people still in immigration wanting to catch the flight. He thanked me for informing him but didn't think the flight would be held that long. Well, I tried. The worst was they'd go on standby for a later one.

In the meantime my flight was about half an hour later at another gate upstairs.... aaaaaagh!

The approach to Durban was the most spectacular I'd ever had. Unfortunately my camera wasn't at hand to take a picture. We arrived at the coast way north of the Umgeni River and flew about 3 km out to sea, did a downwind leg at about 2000ft along the coast, still quite far out, then turned very low over part of Umbogintwini, I heard the throttle open quite a bit as we turned onto a rather short final, with the ground very close!!! Quite interesting!

I think my brown suitcases should go back to the Goodwill Store in Canada where they came from as I think they're jinxed. They didn't arrive on my flight. I wondered where on Earth they had gone. I found out from the Baggage Desk they were in Johannesburg because I never collected them there as I didn't go through customs!!! A woman at the desk piped up that we were told on the plane before we got out that we had to collect our luggage. I said this was not the case. Her next comment really p'd me off. She said there were signboards at the airport. I told her that Jhb airport is such a mess with building alterations and there was no such sign. That kept her quiet! In the mean time the guy attending to me gave me a form to fill in an said my bags would be on the 13:20 flight which was about 3 hours from when I arrived.

Leon took me home and I would return to the airport myself as they wouldn't deliver to my home because they didn't loose the baggage, I had not collected them. OK, OK! Well to cut a long story short I got my 2 suitcases later, and even complimented the old bat at the desk for remembering my name.

Friday, 18 January 2008

A different view from my window today...

Big Ben at just after 8:30 this morning.

We got to the airport at about 3:30 pm which gave me plenty of time to say a quick and tearless goodbye outside the airport and get settled in the departure lounge. Only after the plane was airborne did I shed a farewell tear or two, and I’m sure my sister did the same in the car leaving the airport. By the way I couldn't believe my luck, the seat next to me was not occupied so I could lie down across 2 seats, which is a first for me. The 6 hour flight across the Atlantic seemed shorter because they woke us up at about 4 am GMT for breakfast, so I only got about 2 hours of dozing, but better than nothing.

I arrived at Heathrow, London at about 6:25 am local time, checked one of my bags in for safe keeping and took the tube into the centre of London. I emerged at Westminster Pier to rain and temp of about 10°C. I took some pics of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, bought a ham roll and some coffee at a shop opposite the clock tower and stood out of the rain to eat it. It was too warm inside to sit there!

Because of the rain I felt there was no point in hanging around or going anywhere, so I caught the tube back to the airport. I read in one of the papers left on the tube that a British Airways aircraft had crashed at Heathrow last night. A Boeing 777 was on final approach and lost power about 500 feet above the ground. The plane crashed 16 metres inside the airport perimeter fence, ripping the underbelly open, damaging both wings and 2 wheel units were ripped off. None of the 136 passengers were seriously injured. Officials aren’t sure what caused the loss of power.

I’m sitting at the airport now entering this log. After lunch I found a place I could have 40 winks and now feel quite refreshed and ready for the next 12 hour flight to Joburg.
Not holding my breath about vacant seats though!

I don’t think there’s anything more to add here for the time being except to say thank you to my sister, her husband and two delightful boys for the wonderful time I spent with you. I love you all very much.XXXX

Thursday, 17 January 2008

The view from the lounge window on this my last day in Canada on this trip. As usual it's been a wonderful time, being with my family, meeting new people especially the Hiller's and the Hind's. We spoke about South Africa, and we gave the negative views but more importantly the positive ones. I found it quite amazing how many people I had spoken to knew someone or knew of someone who was either South African or had been to South Africa. Africa is too far away from Canada for Canadians to visit for a vacation, preferring the southern American states, particularly Florida and South Carolina and the Caribbean.

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go.

See you all again next time.

Wednesday, 16 January 2008

The view from the window today is pretty much like Monday. The snow is piling up as the temperature sits at -7ºC. Last night we took a short walk round to our neighbours parents for drinks at about 7pm. The sky was clear and the moon was shining. We left at about 10pm and it was still clear and around -1º, so there was some hope of blue skies today... I see on the Weather Network much more snow is forecast for tomorrow, the day I leave for home.

After the boys went off to school and my sister had done a bit of housekeeping, we set off for Tavistock about half an hour south east of Stratford to look at a furniture shop. We weren't going to buy anything, just look at a multimedia centre with built in electric fireplace. We saw some we liked, and have left it to my brother in law to go back to decide what he wants to replace the almost 18 year old TV cabinet they got when they got married in Scottburgh on the KZN south coast. Has it been that long? We had a Tim Horton's coffee and cookie and I bought a 12 pack of ground coffee to take back home. I hope it's allowed through customs. Just checked, coffee is not on the list.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and packing. I'm ready to go.

Tuesday, 15 January 2008

The dinner was an eat as much as you like noodle affair at Gene's Chinese Restaurant in town, and the restaurant had been closed to the public for 3 sittings - we were the last sitting at 7pm.

This morning it was snowing lightly when my sister and I went into town to visit her work and go for a walk along the T.J. Dolan Trail along the Avon river. Down near the river among the bare snow-covered trees it was quite pleasant and were almost unaware that we were near the centre of a small city, with a main road passing nearby. Not quite dead centre of town, although there was a cemetery on the other side of the river! :-)

We were dressed as usual for the weather in boots, coats, hats and gloves, and spent about half an hour walking along the path. We saw a squirrel and some small birds at a bird feeder. Kind folk put seed in the feeders for the birds. The squirrels aren't able to get to the seed because of cone-shaped barriers on the poles, but are able to eat seed which the birds spill onto the ground.

We drove into town for coffee at Balzac's which the neighbour said was the best coffee shop in Stratford. The coffee was very good, and we sat at the counter facing Ontario street hoping to people watch, but the window was fogged up. The seed cookie (biscuit) was also good and filling.

After sitting talking for a while we strolled through downtown Stratford, down the Avon River where it runs through town, took some photos and walked back to the car and went home.