Musical interlude

Wednesday, 30th November 2011

The peace and quiet at Hlalanathi was refreshing. The silence was a tonic and helped us to relax.

I woke early in the hope of climbing a nearby hill, that would give panoramic views of the Tugela River. It was a short walk to the resort perimeter, but I was foiled by high, electrified security fences. It was another reminder not to expect things to be as they are in Australia. Already the day was hot at 7.00am. The walk to circumvent the fence was about 2km. Because of the heat and limited time, I abandoned the idea of the climb. Besides, I discovered a pain in my back, probably from the previous night's gymnastics.

Outside the chalet, is a small thatched pagoda with a braai, or barbeque. I brewed a cuppa rooibos and sat outside to have a quiet devotion. Weaver birds and another yellow bird visited me as I sat quietly, overlooking the Tugela River plain. It was very peaceful and lent itself to quiet reflection. As I sat reading, I heard a sound and turned to see Urshla wearing her gown, looking across the scenery with a brew in her hand. I called her over to sit with me. She stood next to me and I put my arm around her hips. I felt her body beneath her gown, arousing desire to hold and embrace her. She seemed unaware of her charm, so I allowed the moment to linger. My thoughts roamed to my desire for her and I held her in my heart and mind, cherishing the moment in the cool, quiet morning.

She sat next to me for a while and we talked about the passage I was reading. It seemed strangely at odds, chatting about spiritual subjects and at the same time, desiring her embrace and feeling her body next to mine. Life is sometimes complicated.

After a time, we went inside and prepared breakfast. We enjoyed fruit, yoghurt and cereal. It was relaxed and happy meal for the four of us. Little did the young women suspect how the mature couple had spent the last 12 hours.

Our plan that day was to enjoy a concert by the world famous Drakensburg Boys Choir. From there we would visit with Kelly and Shan, Urshla's sister and her family.

Thokozisa Lifestyle Center

We set out from Hlalanathi, with directions from reception to the Drakensburg School. The road turned south from Winterton and we stopped for a break at Thokozisa Lifestyle Center. Why a lifestyle center I couldn't determine. It's a cluster of tourist shops. Urshla wandered around and looked in the stores. Michele and Ntsali went their own way. I held Urshla's hand and kept her close. Interestingly, the only people visiting the center were white folk. The stores were mostly staffed by blacks. Urshla was always friendly and deferred nicely to all the staff.

We entered one store full of Africana and she asked what Sue would like as a gift. Sue is impossibly difficult to buy for. Her tastes are simple and she wears no jewellery or make-up. I remembered that many years ago, Mary and I bought her a Grecian vase in Corinth, Greece. She appreciated it at the time, so I gambled that her tastes had not changed in nearly 30 years. I suggested to Urshla that she purchase a plate with an African scene carved into it. The shop attendant wanted to sell me an animal skin and went on about the efforts that the tanner went to, to make it safe to take to Australia. She and her colleague were talking about the truth of UFOs and other weird topics. She looked a hard case and didn't impress me much. The skin stayed on the rack.
The plate was turned from soap stone and I hoped it would survive a ride in my luggage, back to Australia. I was relieved to find it in one piece when I unpacked my bags at home.

Drakensburg peaks

Having satisfied our interest at the center, we moved onto Dragon's Peak restaurant, right by the Drakensburg school. Dragon sounds suspiciously like Draken. I'll check it out when I have a chance. Looking at the Drakensburg mountains, there is a range that has the profile and peaks of a scaled dragon, silhouetted against the sky. It would make sense that our view from the restaurant grounds, would be named after the mountain range. I asked a staff member but they could not confirm the origin of the name.

At the restaurant grounds, there a was a group of blacks, with their van parked next to a bri and tables. The van pumped out Zulu music with a very strong beat. Urshla laughed when she saw a couple of ladies of traditional build, moving to the rhythm. She mentioned that it was a typically African thing to do. As we walked past the group, I showed them a few of my own moves and the girls in the group laughed at me. Maybe they recognized that the white guy, didn't have a rhythmic bone in his body. Urshla thought it was a bit of fun.

The restaurant grounds are well kept and surround a peaceful dam. A boardwalk led to thatched rooms in the center of the dam. It was very pretty with the Dragon's Peak backdrop and I snapped a few good photos.

The four of us had lunch at the restaurant. We were the only patrons and it was quite warm inside. Urshla asked if the air conditioning could be turned on, but the staff said it was broken. I wondered whether if it really was, or that the expense of running the aircon for so few patrons would eat up any profit from the meals we bought. So we sat in the heat and soon forgot the discomfort by enjoying the company and the meal. We ordered our meals, which were more than ample. The left-overs were put into doggy containers and later added to the already full boot of luggage.

Soon it was time for the choir concert. We found our way to the auditorium and waited in the sun for the doors to open. There was shade at the side of the building and Urshla and I sat there and chatted while the girls explored the school complex. School boys manned the few entrances to the auditorium. They were neatly dressed in school uniform, smiled and were welcoming; a nice advertisement for the school. The doors opened, our tickets taken and we were ushered to our seats. The auditorium had capacity for three times the number of people that day. It was to be the last performance of the year, before the choir went on national tour.

Drakensburg Boys Choir

What followed was an outstanding display of talent. I was anticipating this part of my visit to South Africa very much. We were not disappointed.

The first half of the performance was traditional and contemporary religious music, with great harmony, key changes, rhythm riffs, colour and a range of male voices. There were black and white faces in the choir, all very talented and competently led by Icelandic choirmaster, Bragi Þór Valsson. A very charismatic man, his leadership and connection with the boys was obvious. They responded to him enthusiastically and sang with gusto. The boys were clearly having a great time.

They sang a song titled "Weeping". It was banned in South Africa in the 1980's because it was a song of protest, exposing the fallacy of apartheid. The overhead displayed the words of the song. Included were concepts of a demon, a wall of steel and guns and the sound of weeping. At first, I couldn't grasp the message. I turned to Urshla to ask what it was about. In the moment of asking, the meaning suddenly came to me. I looked at Urshla and she was weeping herself. I put my arm around her and knew something of the poignancy of the words.
The song told a very powerful, allegorical story of suppression by a white government, on a population (the demon) that they feared would rise up against it. The government built a wall of steel and guns (apartheid) to keep the demon in. It told everyone that the demon would drop bombs and shoot bullets and asked other countries to stay away. Whenever anyone went to listen for the anger of the monster, all they could hear was weeping.

At intermission, the school supplied afternoon tea, served by helpers and boys from the school. CDs were on sale and I'm sorry I lost the chance to buy one or two. It would've been an excellent memento of my visit to South Africa as well as good music to enjoy later.

Next: Mannings after a second half

Mountain treats

Tuesday, 29th November 2011

Our destination today was the Drakensburg mountains, a region about 200km inland from PMB.

Urshla picked me up from the Jason's about 8am. We had breakfast at her home. Urshla's taste in breakfast was remarkably similar to my own. Michele and Ntsali were sleeping in Michele's bed and having a fine time of being with each other.

It worked out so well in God's provision for us, that Michele was not left spare while she accompanied her mother and me on our several road trips. She had the fun company of Ntsali and they are good friends. I hardly know what they talked about, because so much of my conversation and attention was for Urshla.

While washing the breakfast dishes, Urshla mentioned that the doors of her overhead cupboard irritated her because they didn't quite close together. I inspected the doors and found the hinges were out of adjustment and offered to fix them if Urshla could find me a screw driver. She insisted that I not think about it because I was on holidays and wasn't there to repair her house. I argued that it was easy to fix and no hardship. She wasn't  having any of it, but I found a toolbox with the screwdriver I needed. The cupboard hinge was adjusted in a few seconds. When I checked the rest of the kitchen, all the doors were in need of adjustment. It took about 20 minutes to go around the whole kitchen and adjust all the hinges.

I also noticed the edge trim on the steps to the second level were cracked and broken. Urshla had already bought the necessary replacement trim. It just needed a saw and contact glue to finish the job. I knew it wasn't a big job either and would find a chance to buy the necessary items. Urshla said she had a man who did those jobs for her. Perhaps this time, I was the man.

I went with Urshla to the mall because she wanted to stock a few items. It was very satisfying just doing everyday ordinary things together. Urshla was lovely the way she asked me what I liked and what I would eat. As the guest, I would've eaten anything put in front of me, although it was nice to be given a choice. I can't quite remember what we purchased but we bundled it back into the car and went back to her place.

From there, we packed the car and set off for the Drakensburg mountain region. Our destination that night was the Hlalanathi Resort, overlooking the Tugela River. The road from PMB rises quite sharply onto the high plains towards Howick, Estcourt and Ladysmith. The road passes through a cleft in the hills, clothed with stands of eucalyptus and English trees. It's quite a pretty drive up, before leveling out onto the open plains of Mooi River.

We called in at Howick to visit Urshla's cousin for lunch. Even with the GPS, it took some finding. They live on an estate with a golf course. Entry was via a guard house and boom gate. Every car entering the estate is signed in and the driver issued a visitor's pass. Many places needed guard entry where ever we went in South Africa.

Some of the Bukus family

Nella Bukus and her daughters Chantal, her husband Dustin and Stacey greeted us warmly in their magnificent home, surrounded by open and green rolling countryside. We feasted on a delicious spread of salad and cold meats laid out ready.

We dined around their extensive dining table and Nella caught up with Urshla about many things. Again, I was occasionally lost with the conversation. They laughed at things that I couldn't catch onto because I didn't have the background details. That's to be expected and they made me feel very welcome nonetheless. Nella was very interested in how we met and to meet the man that Urshla had spoken so much about. They seemed like a lovely, hospitable Christian family, who are no strangers to hard work. After lunch, we snapped photos as reminders of our visit. We pointed again for the mountains.

Typical S African rural scene

We swept passed Mooi River and by Estcourt. We paid tolls at Mooi River, because this was the main, double-laned motorway to Johannesburg; very busy with trucks. At the R74 intersection, we swung west toward Winterton, stopping for photos here and there. The flat country with its many thorn trees, are iconic of the Africa seen in books and on TV. With different vegetation, they could've been scenes lifted from Australia.

One point of interest not seen at home are mud huts, home to the black workers of the landowners. We stopped at a cluster of huts to ask if we could capture a photo. Because there was no one home, we took photos. I thought if some stranger rocked up to my place, walked into my yard and wandered into my house, I'd probably call the police.

The huts are circular, with a painted earthen floor, adobe walls and thatched roof. They appeared very well built and inside, warm and embracing. There was a cooking pot in the centre of the hut, with sitting or sleeping mats around the perimeter. I saw no water or power connections. The tongue and groove door swung loosely on a frame. Air could easily pass around the edges and under the door. There was a strong wind streaking across the open countryside. I wondered how the occupants kept warm during the winter months. There are no dividing walls or curtains, no cupboards, no furniture, just a large open space. Windows on opposite sides provided the only light and ventilation openings. All the fittings looked as if they'd been gathered from used building material lots.

There was an animal enclosure outside, made of corrugated iron and wire. It was a small enclosure so could only assume it was for chickens. There were no animals around though. The wind may have transported them away like Dorothy to the Land of Oz.

We passed through Winterton, a very small town with homes and shops lined either side of the road. There is a cluster of shops, petrol station and not much else. Again there is black skin going about its business. A couple of Kombis were stopped at the edge of the town with a few blacks waiting around. It struck me as strange for a small town to be here in the middle of nowhere. A number of large non-indigenous trees indicated that the town is well established and had existed for a long time. I wondered who lived there and who owned the shops.

A short drive further on, we passed a roadside shop advertising vetkoek. Urshla wanted me to sample some because it was a South African delicacy. We u-turned, but there was no vetkoek in supply. Urshla instead bought some golden syrup honey-comb and nut-crackle. Vetkoek is like ollibollen that I knew from the Dutch immigrants in Tasmania. It's a ball of dough that's been deep-fried. Olliebollen includes diced orange peel and raisins. The honey-comb and nut-crackle did almost as well.

We continued on towards Hlalanathi Resort. As we neared our destination, black hawkers appeared at intersections and culverts, brandishing wooden carvings of African animals. We waved and drove straight past. Urshla would not come into this remote region by herself and Michele. She felt the risk of women on their own would be too great.

We eventually turned into Hlalanathi, again only allowed entry via a guard house and boom gate. We collected our chalet key from reception. The desk was staffed by a very friendly, smiling dark woman of traditional build. We unpacked the Polo and settled into the chalet.

The chalet felt very rustic, with exposed pine beams, floor boards that creaked and a thatched roof. With the Tugela River basin and plains as a backdrop, the chalets looked very much a part of the scenery and had a quaint appeal.

When ever you settle into a new surrounding, it helps to enjoy a cuppa tea or beverage. It seemed like a long drive and it was good to stop and let road noise subside. The weather was overcast and cool. What struck us almost immediately, was the quiet. There was no sound of traffic or city noises. Even the birds and other creatures were silent. It was a contrast to the bustle of Durban and we began to relax.

Urshla and I soon after began to prepare for supper. I helped to chop meat and vegetables and Urshla put the meal together. All I wanted to do was take her by the waist and waltz her around the kitchen. We were chaperoned by Michele and I know Urshla was conscious of behaving appropriately in front of her daughter.

She made me laugh trying to light the gas cooktop. To light the burners required pressing the gas button and ignition button at the same time. When pressed together, the gas lit with a poof and Urshla jumped back in fright. It took a few presses and backward jumps before the gas ignited in the burners.

We ate supper and chatted over the meal table. Michele and Ntsali retired upstairs to continue the fun they were enjoying in each others' company. I washed the dishes and pots and pans. Urshla made us a drink and we sat on the couch and chatted to each other for a long time. We could hear the happy sounds from upstairs subside later in the evening. We heard the noises of getting ready for bed. It was pleasant to have the lounge to ourselves. Being with Urshla and enjoying being with each other, stirred up my love and fondness for her.

I don't know how it began, but we were again kissing each other longingly. Tonight, there was a willingness after our tentativeness last night. Urshla held me close and I relished her closeness and love she showed me. I kissed her neck, her ears, eyes and below her neck. I caressed her neck and back of her head. I swept her hair away from her face. I felt her tongue searching my lips and opened myself to her. It was so, so long since I'd enjoyed such pleasures and I lost myself in her lips and hunger for affection. I tenderly drew her tongue into my mouth and explored her wetness and warmth with mine, again and again. Waves of pleasure ran through me as I gently caught her tongue between my teeth and lips. I never imagined we would be enjoying intimacy like this.

Urshla gave herself willingly to my attention and held me tight. She laid back into the couch and I knelt on the floor next to her. I kissed her shoulders and upper chest. The effect was intoxicating. She pulled me into herself  and squeezed her breasts against me as if craving for more. Coming up for air, I said "Our chaperon should be sacked for allowing such behaviour." Urshla smiled and pulled me to her again. She was flushed with pleasure and desire. Her face glowed and her lips blushed with colour. I asked what she wanted me to do? She smiled and drew me to her and held me tightly again.

I didn't know where this outflow of desire was going. I said that we should probably call it a night and go to bed. There was no answer for a long while. I took Urshla's hand and led her up the stairs and pointed into her room. She took me around the neck at the top of the stairs and gave me a long, loving kiss, said goodnight and retired to bed.

As delightful as it was to enjoy her love and attention, the thought that maybe she was not for me, sobered me. I could not let myself pollute this loving and tender woman for the man who may become her husband.

I'd come 11,000km to find out if there was a connection between Urshla and me. If last night wasn't enough, tonight I had my answer .

Next: Musical interlude

Swimming to a dinner party

28th November 2011

I woke early determined to have a swim. The pool yesterday and Saturday was cold because of the weather. This morning the sun was out and the breeze had died down significantly. I was the first to the pool and I tested the water. It was cool and dirty because of all the trash blown into it yesterday. The water level was overflowing the sides because of the rain. I looked up to level 11 and waved at Urshla who was watching out her window. I slipped into the water and sucked in my breath at the water's freshness. It wasn't long before I was accustomed to the temperature and enjoyed a 40 minute frolic.

As I watched the pool during breakfast, the pool maintenance man was busy cleaning the bottom and skimming the surface. Pity he wasn't a couple of hours earlier. The swim was very refreshing and worth the effort. I did think about a dip in the ocean but the waves were still quite high and the water churned.  Urshla mentioned that we would go further south and see if we could swim at a better beach.

Breakfast was light with cereal and juice, just the first meal of the day I enjoy. As I came to breakfast, I stole a good morning kiss by the sink. Urshla seemed a little shy at that, probably because Michele was in the same room.

Umphlanga reserve

While Michele and Ntsali went to the beach, Urshla and I took a walk in a reserve immediately north of Breakers. I'd seen the walking tracks from our room and they were loudly calling my name. I was drawn to walk into the reserve because it looked inviting. And it proved to be so.
The reserve keepers labelled many of the trees with their botanical and local names. I found the names very interesting. We saw monkeys, guinea fowl, butterflies, red millipedes, berries and flowers plus other flora and fauna. It was very pleasant walking with my sweetheart; it was something new for her I think and an activity we could enjoy together, even though amongst the trees it was very humid. May there be many more adventures to come. Urshla is a little apprehensive about animals and insects but found the walk stimulating all the same. She looked very much in a beach mood, in her bright pink 3/4 jeans and black strap top. The walk was even a little romantic.

We burst out of the reserve, down a sand dune and onto the Umphlanga Beach. We walked along the beach barefoot, skipped stones on the surf back wash, collected assorted shells for Michele and chatted and laughed like lovers. It was wonderful with Urshla, to be at a place that she liked.

We packed up our rooms, put everything in the car and drove south to look at more of Durban. The storms and rain caused sand to wash onto the major roads, creating traffic delays. The same hold up occurred the previous night when Urshla and Michele went to pick up Ntsali.

By now, it was close to lunch time and we stopped at North Beach, Central Durban for a wander and looked for a place to eat. The area is popular and even for a Monday it was buzzing with people.
A man took people for rides in a rickshaw. A sand sculptor repaired sculptures after the rain. Street performers juggled and walked on stilts. The esplanade felt festive! And it put us in a good mood too.

The same weekend was a convention in Durban, on climate change, with delegates from all over the world. I met a few on the flight from Australia; in my humble opinion, sausages in a machine that is churning out information that the media is soaking up. Real doomsdayers. I offered to read one of the speeches for the New Zealand delegate but she declined. It was rather cheeky but she told me she would rather be elsewhere! Her boss sent her to South Africa. Nice junket if you like that sort of thing.

Lunch at Wimpys

We walked the esplanade for a short way then decided to eat. Wimpys has a comfortable cafe facing the water and the service was good.  You can see how relaxed we'd become with each other. Look where Urshla has her arm! We enjoyed a relaxed meal while Urshla tried to arrange a visit to her mother-in-law for later that day. After lunch we did the thing that every mother knows shouldn't be done, ie. went swimming.

The Indian Ocean was settled after the previous days' winds with a slight swell, making ideal breakers for body surfing. Urshla minded the clothes while Michele, Ntsali and I plunged into the water. The day was warm and the water perfect although a little murky. The beach's sand texture was finer than at Umphlanga. Must've come from a different rock in the region. Umphlanga Beach's sand is coarse and almost sharp in comparison.

We walked back to the car and I changed out of my wet clothes on the street, while the ladies looked the other way. Urshla was still trying to arrange a time to visit Ma Ellis, but it wasn't going to work out, so we headed back for PMB.

Dr Pixley Kaseme Street, Durban

We turned into Dr Pixley Kaseme Street, a street that took us the length of downtown Durban. It gave me a better picture of life for South Africans. It appeared to be wall to wall black people. I don't think I spotted white skin anywhere. Car and Kombis headed in our direction and the scene was busy if not a little chaotic.

Further toward PMB, we passed fresh fruit and vegetable markets filling the footpaths. Street stalls and small shops were busy with people and trade. Yet the buildings looked modern and well kept. There seemed to be a clash of rich and poor but it appeared to work OK. The people looked happy and generally going about a normal life. We had a dinner party to prepare for, so we were keen to keep moving. Otherwise I would've liked to spend time walking the streets. Some might advise me to go cautiously. It was still South Africa.

The trip to PMB was mercifully uneventful but a time to be in the car together. Michele and Ntsali chatted happily in the back seat. Urshla kept the car pointing in the right direction and we talked about different things, as we always did.

To my horror, I noticed that Urshla did not wear a safety belt. I gently chastised her for being so remiss. Michele reminded her that AJ was killed because she was thrown from a car while not wearing a seat belt. From that point, it was a constant source of reminder to get into the habit of wearing that belt. It gave me the shudders to think of her driving at 140kph in the rain, without a belt.

We arrived safely at Woodlands and unpacked the car. It's great to go away for a weekend, but it's always good to get back to base. Urshla doesn't have a shower in her bathroom (that's why it's called a bathroom) so I had a bath, something I haven't had in a long, long time. It was actually good to relax suspended in water and let the warmth overtake my weary body. Walks in a reserve, swimming in the pool and a plunge in the sea, runs down the reserves of an old man. It had been a most satisfying day but now we had to prepare to go out again. I had a brief nap in the spare bed and felt much refreshed on top of a bath.

We travelled across town to Hugh and Helene's and arrived politely late. Helene greeted us enthusiastically and had a very attractive spread prepared for four couples. Soon after Axel and Annin arrived followed by Bertie and Phyllis. It was just terrific to meet the people who were so important in Urshla's life and who I'd heard so much about. I had been really looking forward to meeting them. As the odd man out, I didn't always connect to some of the conversation threads and there were subjects that didn't make sense at all. There was too much background information that I didn't know.

Urshla described our circumstances and how we met. I felt a little uncomfortable when they knew I'd only been widowed for such a short time. But Annin was lovely and touched my hand as a condolence for the loss of Mary. She is still grieving the loss of her own daughter and it appeared evident that Axel was not coping so well. Annin could talk about it but Axel didn't have much to say and was bottling much emotion inside. Axel was the funny man, with his dry sense of humour and corny jokes.

Bertie looked quite unhappy, like a man with a great weight on his shoulders. Urshla told me about his circumstances at work and I could understand why. He talked about a change of occupation with his brother or brother-in-law. It sounded like a good plan to me. There were little prospects for Bertie in the job that was currently causing him so much stress.

Hugh arrived late but fitted into the group easily and the party flowed smoothly. They are not people who see each other often, but pick up where they left off, no matter how long ago it might have been. Almost as soon as the party started, it seemed to be over. South Africans are early risers and work very hard. A Monday night party is difficult to fit into a busy week. I hope they gave Urshla the nod of approval. "Philip's OK for you." Maybe I'll never know. Everyone dispersed quickly once they were on their feet. A few man hugs, some lady's kisses and they were gone. Urshla wasn't far behind and I offered to see her safely to the security gate.

As Urshla climbed into her car, I thought to sit in the passenger's seat and talk with her for a while. I thanked her for organizing the party and said how much I enjoyed it and what lovely friends she has. I was so filled with affection and love. I so wanted to hold her and show her my love and affection. I began to stroke the back of her neck and caress her scalp. She responded with love words and stroked my arm. And then I kissed her on the lips. It was not a long kiss, just a quick peck. There was no resistance and I gave her love words in return.
"Oh my darling, you don't know how much I've wanted to do that."
She reached behind my head and pulled me to her and returned my kiss. It was a series of pecks and I knew she felt the same. What had become of our resolution!?

From there we hugged and kissed and it was wonderful to have release for our love for each other. I kissed her neck, behind her ears and many times on the lips, long lingering kisses of pleasure. We forgot conversation as we revelled in the outbreak of affection and fondness. It was raining gently outside and the car windows were frosting up, more from the humidity than desire. We wound the window down a crack and spoke fondly and affectionately to one another and Urshla felt like butter in my arms. She was so compliant and willing to pour out pent up love and desire for me. We clung to each other and embraced passionately. In the half light, she looked beautiful and young and her skin and lips glowed. She smiled sublimely and with great satisfaction. It was fantastic to see the effect our intimacy had on my darling.

It had been so long for her, the dam had sprung a leak. It was many months for me too and the pleasure of physical intimacy was truly marvelous. If I felt love for this woman before, I certainly knew the sheer joy of showing it in those precious moments.

Our relationship had reached a new height. How satisfying the outpouring of emotion was! It surprised me. For me at least, there was only a moderate rise in passion. I felt no need for more. The dam had burst for me too but it was enough. The freshness, scent and taste of Urshla was all I needed in those moments.

The many minutes passed quickly but it was time to call it a night, as difficult as it was. We kissed again and I felt the years roll away. Could this really be happening in my fifties? "Live with it my boy" I found myself saying. "This is the real thing."

Next: Mountain treats

Church, with a foot massage

27th November 2011

Today was Sunday. Our plan was to attend church together, not far from Breakers Resort. I'd searched the Internet for churches that would be similar to what I was familiar with. Being Presbyterian, it seemed like a good place to start but there seemed to be no churches that were faithful to the Presbyterian tradition. I found Christ Church at Umphlanga so chose to go there. It made the claims I was looking for on their website. It mentioned that the church was affiliated with the Anglican tradition.

We began the day with a delicious breakfast of cereals and fruit with juice, coffee and tea. The girls did a great job of preparing for our weekend away. I was happy to be the hands and feet, hauling and packing things into the Polo's tiny boot. It all fitted remarkably well.

We set the GPS for the Christ Church address and followed the woman's voice. Christ Church was close by Gateway and located next to a Hindu temple and across a creek from a large mosque. The first thing I noticed was the quality of the cars in the car park and the number of whites. It seemed to be an affluent church membership.

We were a few minutes later than the 9.30am start, but easily found an empty row. The singing was led by a band and overhead slides. A woman read sections from the Bible. Grant Retief is the pastor and preached a sermon as part of a series about Knowing God. His sermon was based on the doctrine of the Trinity and what it meant to be in a relationship with God. It was Calvinistic and exegetical and he handled the topic very well. The order of service was familiar to me but quite foreign to Urshla and Michele.

Afterwards, we stayed for coffee and a biscuit. I was a little disappointed that an effort to welcome us was a little slow in coming, but someone eventually said hello. Michele commented that the preaching was lifted out of the Word without any extraneous thought, but it wasn't a place where she would like to worship long term. I understood what she meant. If you're not accustomed to that style or have not grown up with it, it would seem foreign.

We returned to Breakers and relaxed before enjoying a light lunch. The day had turned very windy and cool, with the clouds scudding across the sky and light rain falling at times. It was a good day to be inside, listening to the wind trying to blow the windows in. Being on the 11th floor, we had a great view of the beach and waves whipped up by the sea gales. The water looked brown and murky. There was a distinct line of brown, beyond which ships lay at anchor in Durban harbour, all with their bows facing the wind. Roger yesterday commented, that if the ships are lined up, the wind is steady. If they are randomly facing the water, the weather is unsettled. It looked like rain was on the way.

After lunch, we sat and relaxed in the unit and Josh visited Michele again. They chatted for a long time and seemed to have plenty to catch up on. Urshla and I sat on the couch and talked quietly about different things. She is so easy to talk with and she tells me about her family and friends and little incidents that happen and comments about people's lives. Her interest in all her network connections, is a constant source of fascination to me. Urshla paints such word pictures that it's easy to visualize her relationships and contacts, so that when I meet the people, I feel I know quite a bit about them already. She contacted her sister-in-law who we hoped to visit later.

I had a rest in the afternoon, and caught up on some much needed sleep. Since stepping off the plane, the time in South Africa was full of activity. It seemed we'd hardly had a chance for a good rest, but as I said to Urshla, I didn't go to Africa to sleep. Sleep could wait till I returned home.

The afternoon slipped by effortlessly and I can't really remember doing much. It was the kind of sleepy Sunday afternoon I enjoy. I liked being with Urshla and her family, and I was made to feel very comfortable. Michele was always inclusive of me and deferred to me on many occasions. She is a gracious young woman, very down to earth and humble.

We had dinner and then Urshla and I went to see Linda, her sister-in-law. It was now raining quite heavily. Thunder and lightning flashed and crashed at intervals.

Linda and Urshla are very close and good friends. Urshla's brother Stewart, Linda's late husband, died of cancer 10 years earlier. Linda, as well as being a widow, is a carrier of HIV. It was delightful to meet her and her son Kurt. Linda gave me a warm welcoming kiss. We sat in the lounge of their 100 year old rented cottage and enjoyed some relaxed and pleasant conversation. Linda is very excited for Urshla that she has found a new friendship in me.

All the people that Urshla introduced me to, assumed that Urshla had found the man she would marry. We had to remind them that we were still finding our way in our relationship.
I personally felt, that God had led me to a lovely lady who I could love and marry. But I was constantly cautious and reminded myself, that there was more to be considered than simply following my feelings.

Linda mentioned how happy she was for Urshla. Urshla sat next to me, her arm wrapped in mine and looked very happy to be enjoying the company of her friend and sitting with me. Linda said that seeing Urshla so happy, gave her hope that she too might find love again. Urshla told our story of how we met on Chrsitian Cafe and the events that led to me travelling to South Africa. I nearly opened my mouth to suggest that Linda join Cafe, but thought better of it. A lady with HIV has more factors to weigh up when putting herself on an online dating site, than someone without a disease. It would take the right man to accept a lady with a disease so stigmatised, and the consequences for him. I thought Linda a beautiful Christian lady, humble and sensible with a great trust in the faithfulness of God, despite what God had given her to bear.

Visiting Linda, was one of the many highlights of the week. Linda hugged and kissed us warmly goodbye and we dashed to the car in the midst of a very heavy downpour. Urshla asked me to drive back to Breakers and we reflected on our visit as we drove in the pouring rain. I so loved this woman who had opened herself so willingly to me. Urshla had already generously shared so much, that my heart swelled with affection for her.

Later Urshla and Michele went to the bus terminal to collect Ntsali, a university friend of Michele's. They were so happy to see each other again and quickly fell into the ways of a good friendship.

While they caught up and reconnected, I asked Urshla to come and sit with me in my room. I was full of fondness for her that night and wanted to spend time alone with her. I was glad that Michele and Ntsali had each other. It was a chance to spend time with my love. We sat on the couch together, with our feet on the table and talked and laughed and reflected on the weekend so far. We both agreed that it had turned out a lovely couple of days and already we knew that our connection was something special.

I asked Urshla to put her feet on my lap so that I could caress and massage her feet. She told me that no one had ever massaged her feet before. She said how nice it felt and enjoyed the attention and the soothing sensation it gave. For me, it was as close as I could allow myself to show her my affection and love. I'm not 20 years old anymore, but I felt young again.

As she settled, the last couple of days activity overtook her and she began to feel cold. I took a towel from the bathroom and laid it over her, to provide some warmth. It wasn't too long and she drifted into a doze. I felt like dozing too but for some reason Urshla did not feel comfortable sleeping while I was present. The warmth, the soothing massage, the weariness took her away and she slept, despite herself. After a few moments she woke with a start.
I escorted her back to her room, all 10 meters of passageway and stole a goodnight kiss. It was the most natural gesture and came automatically and something I'd wanted to do for a long time. She looked a little surprised but welcomed the kiss nonetheless. "How did that happen?" she wearily asked. "It just felt natural" I replied and she disappeared into her room.

Next: Leaving Durban

Monkeys with a trampoline

26th November 2011

Kathryn and Roger are an English couple who own and operate the Rising Sun guest house. Both are very good hosts. They provided a wonderful English breakfast of juice, bacon, eggs and other niceties. They set a table on the rear verandah, and as the only guests we had the place to ourselves.

Urshla, Michele and I enjoyed a very relaxed meal that took an hour an a half to complete. The verandah overlooked a neat attractive garden and pond, beyond which were the sights of Durban harbour. The weather was warm with a gentle sea breeze, although overcast. After breakfast, Urshla and I chatted some more while Michele explored the garden and lower area where there is a pool and trampoline. We had a devotion together from Ephesians which was a little uncomfortable for me, because I wasn't sure what they were used to.

Kathryn feeding monkeys

Kathryn has a practice of feeding a troop of monkeys with left overs from the guest house. There were about 20 monkeys that lived in a reserve to the north of the guest house. They were quite bold but for me, it was an authentic African experience.

Urshla and I went down to the lower garden to the inground trampoline. We bounced on the trampoline, holding hands to steady ourselves. We laughed and bounced till we were both hot and breathless. Urshla was self conscious because she was dressed in a long skirt and a revealing top. We stopped for a break to catch our breath and sat together on the trampoline mat in the warm sun. Urshla stroked my foot with hers and I very much enjoyed her affection. It was wonderful to be so close, to smell her perfume and feel the warmth of her closeness. All I wanted to do was hold her and show her my love with kisses. But I refrained and simply enjoyed her sweet company. We talked and laughed and delighted in each other's presence. I felt that our friendship really rose to a new height on that trampoline. My fondness for her grew and I could feel it growing.

The lower garden was surrounded by trees and hedges and we were very private. I called it our walled garden of love, a reference to Song of Solomon. It was a very intimate and affectionate couple of hours. I was sorry to leave but we had to vacate the guest house, and move on to our Breakers Resort accommodation.

Shirlyn Cooper with Glenn (late)

An Ellis family friend Josh, phoned Urshla because he'd heard that she would be in Durban. He wanted to visit her and Michele at Breakers and asked if he could bring a friend. Mostly Michele I sensed because they were like brother and sister. With Josh was Shirlyn, a church friend, who had recently lost her husband after being married for only two months. He died as a result of an epileptic seizure, a chronic condition he suffered. When I was introduced to Shirlyn, she was very depressed and visibly distraught. It was a warm afternoon, but she wore a heavy coat and looked cold. Urshla and I took Shirlyn into my apartment. We learned that only that morning, Shirlyn had considered suicide, such was the depth of her despair. A young Christian, her unbelieving parents had told her that her pain would never leave her. The advice only added to her broken heartedness. In his infinite wisdom, God led this needy young widow to two mature Christian widows, both of whom had recently experienced the heartache of losing a loved one.

We talked with Shirlyn for an hour or more and encouraged her to trust God and remember the love she gave to her husband and what an asset she was to their marriage. Shirlyn later hugged us both and we prayed together. She said she felt so much happier and encouraged after talking with us. I watched admiringly at the lovely, gentle manner that Urshla dealt with this desperate young woman. She has beautiful gifts that she is always sharing with someone.

In Urshla's room Michele had prepared salad and rolls that we shared with Josh and Shirlyn. They left after dinner. As I sat on the couch in Urshla's room, she began to stoke my arm as part of conversational expression. She is a very affectionate woman and I quietly enjoyed it very much. Urshla mentioned in one of our many Skype sessions, that she'd like to touch my hairy arms. She unconsciously combed my arm hairs through her fingers. It was my secret to enjoy the moment because I sure was not going to embarrass her by preventing the attention!

Umphlanga Beach walk

Earlier, Urshla, Michele and I took a walk along the beach to Umphlanga Rocks. It was a balmy, humid evening with a steady sea breeze. It was very pleasant and a time for the simple joy of sand, sea and wind. Security staff was present all along the other resorts, with electric fences on resort walls between the resort and the beach. Everywhere in South Africa, there is the constant reminder of the risks of other humans with evil intentions. At the other end of our walk, we bought ice-creams to refresh us after the sticky sea-air clung to our clothers and hair.

Urshla and Michele had a room and I had a room to myself. While Michele watched videos in Urshla's room, Urshla and I spent time in mine. We sat on the couch with our feet on the coffee table and chatted about the day's events and prayed again for Shirlyn.  I marvelled that God would bring me from so far to meet with Urshla, to help a young friend in desperate need. Had he used us to save her life? Only God knows. Shirlyn will recover in time and once more find love. She is a loving young woman with so much to give.

Today had been a remarkable day.

Next: Durban, day two

Piet Retief and Gert Maritz

25th November 2011

I rose too early and showered, hoping that some freshening up would help me sleep again. I sat in my room and read and prayed but no success. I heard Helene in the kitchen so went out and chatted with her and Hugh for a while. They are a genuine down-to-earth Christian couple, both very busy and hard working.

Helene was preparing a beautiful breakfast of cereal, fruit salad and croissants. It looked very appealing and was especially laid out for Urshla and me. What a hospitable introduction to South Africa!

Urshla arrived, looking casual in denim; denim because it was Friday relaxed dress day at work. We enjoyed breakfast together, still a little nervous but talked and discussed how the day would unfold. We planned a visit to her office to meet her colleagues. They already knew something about me from the things Urshla told them. I wondered what they knew. I would then take Urshla's car to her house, pick up her daughter Michele and view the town of Pietermaritzburg (PMB). It would include visits to the museum or art gallery and town hall.

During breakfast, a maid arrived to care for the house. It was only then I remembered that many South African homes employ a black worker for domestic duties. I'd heard about it, but I found it somewhat unusual to be in the presence of a maid. Having someone in your home to perform house duties is such a foreign concept to most Australians.

Urshla took me to her office after the delicious breakfast.There was great excitement at seeing Urshla and me together. We enjoyed a cup of rooibos and bantered with Lynne Orr, Krista and Jade. I used an office computer to quickly check email and search for directions to Urshla's house. While at the computer, I emailed Urshla.
I wrote "Get your work done and let's go away and forget that I have to go home in a few days."
It was another reminder that I was only a few steps away from the woman I loved.

I was somewhat amazed that Urshla would so generously loan her car to a foreign driver. I determined to take special care of the privilege. She owns a VW Polo, 1.6l manual. I found Urshla's home. It was a fairly straightforward drive from her office and I found her home easily. I'd already viewed it on street view in Google Maps. I knocked on the door and introduced myself to Michele.

Michele is very tall,  a centimeter or two taller than me. She is a very pretty girl and generous with her smiles, very friendly and warm hearted. Michele walked me around their home. I was fascinated about rooms that I had only seen on Skype were now in a complete mental picture.

After another cup of tea, we headed into town. We had no set plan. Our initial intention was to find the art gallery, have a look through, then look over the town hall, reputed to be the largest red-brick building in the southern hemisphere. Michele was home from university after her second year of study. While PMB is the town she grew up in, Grahamstown had become her home. PMB had become slightly unfamiliar to her while growing accustomed to a new life in Grahamstown. We cruised into the city and looked at the main streets and passed by the art gallery. We moved on looking for a park. We travelled several blocks and turned into Church St, the main street. It was congested with cars, because of an incident on the street. We passed one or two police cars and an ambulance buried in a curious crowd, trying to see the incident. There were too many people for us to see, so we went a couple more blocks and parked the car. On the streets, are attendants who make a supplementary income locating empty parking bays and beckoning drivers to the spot. Once parked, the attendant can be tipped for his/her efforts. I gave the attendant 1 or 2 rand. It's a handy service, especially in a busy street with many cars.

Michele and I walked back into Church Street because it was bustling with people and street activity. I seemed to be the only white man, but oddly, did not feel out of place. Michele chatted to me and gave her thoughts and impressions of the scenes. Because she was relaxed and cheerful, it put me at ease. We walked the length of Church St mall, looking at street stalls and hawkers. What was once a pretty English style street, is now retail outlets and street stalls that is now a typical African scene.

There loitered any number of people. We were not accosted or approached by anyone, although a tall white man and a tall dark-skinned girl attracted many stares. I felt the street was full of eyes. I took a photo of a group of girls on a corner. They asked me R10 for the photo which I thought was a cheek. Then me thought turned, that if I was unemployed with few prospects of a job, I might ask remuneration for having my photo taken too. We looked at a couple of war monuments and commented on the English victories, took more photos of people, talked with random people and then walked across the road to the town hall.

The town hall is an impressive red brick building that extends from the street corner in both directions, with a high clock tower on the corner. It's certainly an imposing structure on the streetscape. Inside, there are beautiful staircases, with dark timber balustrades, marble steps and columns. The main auditorium can seat hundreds around a central platform and balcony. The balcony facade is ornate carvings and mouldings. In all, an impressive building that speaks of a prosperous past. Well worth a visit!

In the park across the road, stands a memorial to the fallen English in the Zulu wars. I wondered to Michele, why there wasn't a monument to the fallen Zulu? The English I guessed from things I read, felt a great superiority over the natives and probably viewed themselves as the benefactors of the black people. Michele noticed wall paintings in the town hall that depicted whites walking the streets around the town hall. The paintings were dated 1983 and didn't reflect what was outside in the street in 2011. South Africa is certainly a country of contrasts and is changing demographically to black control, not always visibly for the better.

The time advanced to midday, so we phoned Urshla to check her schedule for lunch. Then we drove to Hilltops Office Park to join her. We sat on the balcony and arranged benches around a table to eat biscuits and crackers. I so enjoyed seeing Urshla and having lunch was such a pleasant thing to do together. We were still a little unsure around each other, but it was delightful to be with her. She mentioned how little work she was achieving, knowing I was close by. We chatted over lunch and recalled the morning's events. Lynn and Krista later joined us with their own Indian style lunch.

After lunch, Michele and I went to buy some munching food for Urshla's sister, Shan. Shan had been in hospital for three weeks after the birth of her daughter Ciorstaidh. The mall is typical of a western style shopping center, with a major grocery store and surrounded by many small retail businesses. To my surprise, there was a store selling hand guns and semi-automatic weapons. I was unaware that carrying weapons was permissible in South Africa.

Outside the mall, I spotted tree full of weaver bird's nests. The weaver bird apparently doesn't nest in the woven basket, but uses its weaving skills in a mating ritual to attract a female. The bird enters the basket through a hole in the bottom. No egg could possibly be laid because it would fall out through the hole. The bird has beautiful yellow plumage with a black face and lives quite happily near humans.

Michele pointed out various places related to her growing up in PMB, while heading to the hospital. It was good to meet Shan because Urshla had told me so many things about her. Her new baby is a beautiful little girl. She was born by cesarean section, but the incision had become infected and delayed Shan's release. The maternity ward is kept at a warm temperature for the babies. It's effect on my tiredness though, almost put me to sleep several times. I just wanted to get to Durban.

The hospital is government operated and I found it in less than premium condition. Zulu women were in beds in other rooms, completely topless and exposed to the world. I remembered that Urshla had mentioned it to me previously.

It was great to meet Shan, but it was good to collect Urshla and prepare for a few days in Durban. We went to Urshla's house where I had a catch up nap then helped to pack the car. It was slightly awkward being in her house with her, working in her kitchen, but a chance too, to see how she lived her home life.

Since arriving in South Africa, I was experiencing an undercurrent of dislike for the country. It was the disrepair, dirtiness and tension I felt, that was probably the likely cause and the feeling persisted the whole time I was visiting South Africa. (If you're a South African reading this, please dont' think this is disrespectful. It comes from an Australian perspective.)

We headed to Durban after sundown and I drove. Urshla seemed comfortable with that, even though I drove in my usual assertive, got-to-get-ahead-of-the-traffic style. The highway to Durban is double and triple-laned and easy enough to negotiate. We were following directions from the GPS. I missed a turn near our destination. We were guided up a hill that was single lane. No lights, thick grass to the verges and it appeared like we were headed into risky territory. It was only a short detour and brought us nearly to the front door of the guest house Urshla had booked.

We unpacked and went to the Gateway shopping center, an extensive and modern sprawl. We bought pizza for dinner and enjoyed coffee and a relaxing time.

Later we returned to the guest house. I so desperately wanted to talk with Urshla, so I suggested the lounge. I so longed to hold her and feel her next to me, but restrained and enjoyed a couple hours of good conversation, while Michele went to bed.
We were beginning to lose our initial nervousness and fell into a comfortableness with each other. She is lovely company and Urshla seems to enjoy mine too.

I wondered how our relationship would develop in the following days and at the same time, concerned that our Christian journeys would clash at some point. But I always get concerned about things over which I have no control. It's a common human trait I'm sure.

I'm not sure why we stopped talking, but likely because we were both dog-tired and Urshla tends to fall asleep when she's warm and comfortable.

Next: Monkeys with a trampoline

Nervous rendezvous

24th November 2011
My sister picked me up from home at 4.30am.
We prayed together before heading to the airport and committed my trip to South Africa to God. We chatted happily on the way and I felt so eager, it seemed my skin would split under the tension of excitement.
I checked into domestic for the flight to Sydney, checking my bag to Johannesburg. Passing into International, security confiscated my specially selected toothpaste because is was 110ml. 100ml is the limit. I offered to squeeze out 10ml but the suggestion fell flat with security. A minor irritation but it took the edge off the excitement. A little sobering wasn't harmful. I searched around quickly for a chemist to buy more toothpaste. Trying to find a toiletry in a foreign country may have proved a little difficult so I used local currency to make the purchase. 75ml this time, not enough C4 to blow a hole in the side of the plane. I only just made the flight to J'burg, but a man's teeth need to be white and his breath fresh when meeting a new lady for the first time.
During the flight, I began this journal and wrote several pages into a notebook. I recalled the loss of Mary and felt the pain in the midst of my excitement at meeting Urshla. Strange mix of feelings. It was quite cathartic all the same.
Mine was a window seat so I squeezed into a corner and attempted some sleep. I think I managed to doze for a couple of hours.
Next to me was a woman from Sydney with her crippled daughter. They were returning to South Africa to visit family. I listened as she described changes to South Africa since her family moved to Australia in the early 90's. A nice family.
I watched a foreign language film, Japanese I think, about a policeman who became personally interested in the death of a homeless man. The story paralleled aspects of his own life and had a happy/sad ending. Quite a satisfying plot. It passed the time and after more dozing and a meal and snacks, the 14 hour flight was now down to 6 to go. 6 hours! It seemed like we would never arrive.
Even with a window seat, the view was Indian Ocean or clouds. It was daylight the whole flight because we were chasing the sun. Cloud covered the African continent. I was hoping to experience crossing the shoreline but the cloud only cleared for the last several kilometers into J'burg. There had been rain and the countryside was a carpet of green. I tried to match the countryside with what I imagined Africa to be like. It was a fruitless exercise. God is good and I'd arrived safely in South Africa, for the first time.
J'burg airport is like any other I've visited in the world. The staff are predominantly black though and are sitting, standing and doing whatever throughout the airport.
My first purchase was a SIM card for my Blackberry. Urshla's mobile network is Cell-C so I tried to buy a R50 SIM. To buy a SIM was not straightforward. I needed personal ID and proof of the address I was staying in South Africa. But I had no proof of address. Urshla had arranged my accommodation and I didn't know where I was staying. To complete the purchase, I needed an affidavit from the police as a substitute document. There is a police presence everywhere in the airport and a police station on site. I thought about giving the SIM a miss, but the affidavit was surprisingly easy to obtain. All I needed was the address where I was staying. I didn't have an address and couldn't remember Urshla's from memory so just wrote down something that sounded close enough. Isaac Jacobs Street or something like that. It did the job and I bought the SIM.
With a new South African phone number, I called Urshla. It was now about 3pm SA time and Urshla was clearing her desk in readiness for the run to Durban. She was happy to know I was in the country and very excited. I was certainly glad and excited to be there, in the same time zone. Our first communication without an 8 hours time difference! We were both nervous and excited.
From J'burg to Durban was a flight in a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, a plane that I though was out of service. It was well maintained and very neat and clean inside. The attendants were black apart from a very heavy set Afrikaans man. He could've broken into YMCA with the Village People and looked at home. I was growing accustomed to dark skinned people in every occupation.
By now, I was preparing myself to meet Urshla. I planned to walk into the visitor arrival area confidently and very cool. In a J'burg men's room, I washed, shaved, brushed and changed into a dressy shirt, so that I'd look fresher than 25 hours of travel had left me feeling.
At Durban, I collected my bag, strode shoulders-up, chest out into the waiting area. I scanned the faces in the crowd but couldn't see one I recognized.. Somewhat disconcerted but mainly amused to myself, I circled the crowd, double-checking I hadn't missed Urshla. I walked to the main exit, hoping to meet her there, but no sign. I decided the best thing was to go back to the waiting area. As I waited, I amused myself with pictures of why Urshla could be late. How long should I wait? There was no reason to be annoyed, because I'd put her out by arriving a day earlier than planned.
I didn't have long to wait. I recognized her immediately. We'd spent so many hours on Skype that there was no mistaking her. Wearing a black thigh length coat, dress and gold high heeled shoes, my heart gasped with surprise. She looked quite lovely and very attractive. Part of my surprise was my expectation of a taller, bigger woman. Urshla looked younger than I'd expected as well.
We'd previously agreed to greet each other with a handshake.
"Hello sweetheart" I said. "It's wonderful to finally meet you".
"Oh my darling" she replied, "I'm so sorry" and put her arm around my waist.
It was a special moment.
We also agreed to sit for a while and take opportunity to get used to our being together. We were both very nervous, she more than me I think.
Urshla asked if I was disappointed with what I saw of her. I assured her, it was very much the opposite. She likewise, was pleasantly surprised, mainly because I looked younger than she expected. Our initial meeting was off to a flying start!
Even though we were nervous, we chatted easily and fell into our already established communication. Meeting face to face though, after so many Skype hours took some adjusting to. We had a prayer time and thanked God for his care and travelling mercies. I learned later, that Urshla had travelled at speeds up 140km/hr, in the rain, without a seat belt in the rush to be on time, so I was indeed thankful to God for his care of her.
There was some awkwardness and nerves, but Urshla said that I made her feel comfortable. We had a coffee and shared ice-cream and waffles and maple syrup. Then we left for the return trip to Pietermaritzburg (PMB). Rain drizzled steadily. The roads were very wet.
I quickly learned that Urshla is a good driver, and I felt at ease as a passenger. She told me she'd left work, gone home to freshen up, then tore off  to pick me up in Durban. Our return though was relaxed and within speed limits. 120kph is the motorway limit in South Africa. We talked and laughed as we travelled and began to relax with each other. I saw a sign that indicated 73km to PMB. I wished there was a 3 or 4 in front of the number. It was very pleasant to finally be with her and I could've travelled all night, just to stay close to her.
Urshla had arranged for me to stay at the home of her friends Hugh and Helene Jason. They have a well appointed and lovely home. We arrived safely and made introductions. Soon afterward, I showered and went straight to bed. Helene planned for Urshla to come the following morning for breakfast. Urshla thought 7.30am a good time. I slept till around 3.30am and woke with many thoughts on my mind. I think it was mostly adjusting to finally being in South Africa and my first impressions of Urshla. I was very happy that on our first meeting, despite her rush, we'd hit it off so well.
Next: Piet Retief and Gert Maritz