O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works thy hand has made...

How do you sum up 3 months + of experiences? With great difficulty!

Over 30,000 miles by air, more than 5000 on the ground; 94 days of exploring using most types of transport (except rockets!)

The title for this blog was easy – it came to me about a month into the holiday – probably because I’d used the word “awesome” rather too often by then! But you see, awe and wonder were very much the emotions that filled us as we saw so many beautiful, rare and wild aspects of God’s incredible creation.
Our main aim had been to spend a good amount of time in New Zealand – and we certainly did that. However, there are still things we’d love to have seen that we didn’t get to – so we have the excuse (and the invitations) to return. We’ll have to start saving up again! But we were blessed with so many sights, sounds and smells, so many friends along the way that it’s probably the people we met, whose lives touched ours, that will stay with us longest.
We’d always intended to camp a reasonable amount of our time in NZ – we were fortunate to have such good weather that it meant we could camp far longer than we intended. In turn this meant, of course, that we had more opportunities to meet people than we would otherwise have had.
There are, of course, scenes that will stay with us too – Mt Cook in a crystal clear blue sky – the deep turquoise of the hanging glaciers, the peace and stillness of Doubtful Sound, the diving of a whale, and dolphins swimming with us and only inches below. But how can you forget Langa Township and the harshness of Robben Island? I think the brain will be in “overload mode” for a good few weeks yet.
What will we take out of the experience? Hopefully a wider, more understanding view of the way the worldand it's people work, and a deeper appreciation of the relative luxury and comfort in which we are privileged to live. Also, the feeling that we may have “lost something” when it comes to spiritual connection with the Creator and His creation. Those with nothing seemed to have a better connection no matter which country they called home. It is the antithesis of the issues we had with the internet in New Zealand. We had everything we needed but couldn’t always make the man made things work!
Finally, read Psalm 104 written in the 3rd century BC or before. The psalmist had so much to say about the world in which we live. Let us all open our eyes and our minds to what a blessing we have been given in this fragile earth. We are stewards of His Kingdom and we , as the school teacher has need to say “could do better”. Nuf Sed!

The Mother and child reunion is only a motion away

Hi everyone Philias speaking, for our penultimate blog of this trip.

Yesterday we went to Robben Island and had a facinating insight into the lives that prisoners especially political one had. The conditions are very difficult and to see and touch what they had to endure along with original video footage before the release, makes everything that Nelson Mandela said in his book "Long walk to freedom" all the more meaningful. It was a cool 31 degrees when we were there and the limestone was so white it was a good job that I had my sun glasses on otherwise I think I would have been suffering with "snow blindness" after only one afternoon let alone 25 years!

We are now in London at Heathrow waiting to be picked up by our friends Val and Daisy and then we will all be reunited with Simba. Of course I will have to introduce Wattlie, my Aussie girl friend to the family, although she has not been seen in the person they should recognise her from the photos which have been taken by Mum and Dad.
On the way back I got to ride with the pilot and co-pilot at the front of the A300 Airbus we fly from Cape Town on. All those dials and things. It really made me giddy just sitting with my back to them. Think I'll stay as couch bear!
We said good bye to Keith and Gill at the airport who have been real bricks in putting up with not only Dad and Mum but us two as well. 4 extra mouths to feed is no joke when you live on your own. It was great to see their children and grandchildren on Sunday. There was a great deal of chocolate around, or should I say round shaped. I don't like chocolate, so I'm not sure why humans seem to like it and in such HUGE quantities. I'll eat the odd coco beans and leaves if there is nothing else to eat, but it makes my head spin and my eyes cross - not very pleasant!

The flight was re-scheduled from 23:15 to 20:45 and so it was a good job that the humans decided to get to the airport around 18:45 as I could still be in South Africa writing this blog and that would never do. We had a nice smooth flight and the overhead seat we had was spacious and nice and cool. We bears don't like it too hot; well would you with a fur coat?

We arrived in London having flown up across Africa (Johannesburg, and then the western coast), across the Sahara and Morroco and then Marseilles, Paris and Biggin Hill. As we hit (not really) the London traffic into Heathrow we were required to circle in a stacking pattern over North West Kent and so we waved to those below singing the song I have used today. Well, my Mum is seeing her Mum, and later my Mum is seeing her child David, and then tomorrow she will be seeing her other child Jenny. Of course I haven't left Sim's out. But he is Mums adopted child and that is why I left him until last, but certainly not least.

We were expecting to have to dress up in warm clothes, but it is promising to be a warm 16-17 degrees today. You see there aer advantages to having your own fur coat!

So many things I could have done, but clouds got in the way...

Today was our one chance to go up Table Mountain before we fly home tomorrow evening..and guess what? The “Tablecloth” was spread over the whole of the top of the mountain  Oh well, we never have been “fair-weather campers” or “fair-weather tourists” for that matter, so up we go regardless. There is always a chance that the warm sun we’re experiencing in Pinelands will burn the cloud off the top while we’re up there.
We go up in the circular cable car which rotates as it climbs to make sure everyone gets as good a view as possible. Sadly from about 2500 feet we’re in thick cloud which swirls around the top, masking the view in sogginess! At 3500 feet it’s not too cold, but still rather damp and with no views to speak of, we decided to join a guided walk around the table top. Two lovely black girls take us round, full of knowledge about the Fynbos (fine bush) vegetation and animals. They apologised for the weather, but made the walk interesting none the less. We could have seen Dassies (rock rabbits), tsar antelope, Cape Cobra, puff and rock adders, spiders, etc. Sadly most of them were taking shelter from the cold and/or the wet! We did, however find 1 locust and a black Verreaux’s eagle. So it wasn’t a totally wasted journey! Philias and Wattlie were thrilled to be on top of Table Mountain and amused the locals and tourists by posing mercilessly at the top!
Table Mountain is supposed to be 6 times older than the Himalayas – no wonder it’s a National monument, and being nominated for one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.
Having warmed up with a coffee, we decide that the cloud isn’t going to lift, so we make our way back down – no views, but at least we’ve been up there!
On the way home, Keith takes us along the contour road around the mountain at 363m above the sea. The views both up and down are spectacular, but we can’t go all the way that he intended, as there is a rock fall across the road and it’s been closed off. So instead we cut back through the upper part of the city, through what is known as Malay City. Here , lining very steep cobbled streets (the first we’ve seen) are the gaudily painted houses of the Malay community – including 3 Mosques within about a mile.
Then it’s home for supper – tomorrow is, as they say, another day. Apart from flying home (we’re on our way back Sims, honest! ) we’re doing one of the things we’ve both been looking forward to – a visit to Robben Island. Keith and Gill are coming with us as they’ve never been either. So it’s early to bed tonight, as it will be a very long day tomorrow! Night night!

Where have all the flowers gone.....

Today we are visiting Kirstenbosch, which is a world heritage site very close to Cape Town. We slip in as “pensioners” as it is free on Tuesdays. (Yes, we know M doesn’t qualify...but Keith had sorted the tickets before we realised!!) The Cape Floral Kingdom covers an area smaller than the size of Greater London and has many micro-climates which suit the 2600 species of plants grow here. Many of the species have been introduced as exotics or hybrids into the UK and so and known to us but to see these in their natural habitats is amazing, because not only do they look so much healthier, but are so big!
Unfortunately, the best season to see the gardens is in spring which of course will be September to November in the southern hemisphere and the fynbos in summer. It is probably just as well as we spent a full day taking photographs and we could have spent a few days here, rather than the 6 hours we actually walked around the gardens. Hopefully the pictures of the proteas and heathers will give you a feel for what we were able to feed on with our eyes and olfactory nerves.
Talking of food, the garden has a number of options for eating. We chose the cafe option which was very good value and exceptionally large meals. I had an open BLT with two slices, which I really struggled with. It was enormous!! Margery had a closed sandwich which had probably half the amount of filling and was probably a better bet for lunch! Our hosts insisted in paying – naughty things.
We returned to Pinelands as we are going out to a restaurant called Panama Jacks which comes recommended by Tricia and Jacques. It is deep in the docklands on Quay 500 and you would never expect to find anything like it. But as Keith our host said “It was incongruous. The quality of the food inside was in complete contrast to the outward appearance.”
We had all eaten so much for lunch that we weren’t that hungry, to be frank. The fare was very extensive on the fish front and very good quality. I overheard on person two tables away say to the waitress he had travelled 9000 miles to visit the restaurant! I think I can say that the tuna I had was probably the best I have experienced except in Raratonga on the beach BBQ. Thanks for the recommendation T & J!

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy...

Our adventures today are taking us to a place I never dreamed I’d get to..ok, I know I’ve said that before, but it’s true! Who ever thought that Ron and I would be standing at the Cape of Good Hope? Or Cape Point (which is further south still)? It’s not quite the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas – that’s about 2 hours drive south east of us, but it is the most south westerly part, and it is where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet.
Keith and Gill are coming with us – bless them, they want to do the driving so we can see the scenery – I think that, after a busy Holy Week, it’s a good excuse for a day out too! And there’s so much to see..we go out through little towns, whose names we know, but we know very little about them, apart from Simons town, which we knew was a British Naval base for many years. We’re able to stop and take more photos (!) of beautiful coastal scenery – somehow two coasts never look the same . Our route goes out through Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, GlenCairn and Simons Town before entering the Table Mountain National Part. This isn’t a game reserve as such, but being a protected area, we may see Baboons (a local nuisance!), Zebra, Ostrich etc.
On the way we stop at a local semi precious stone factory known as the “Scratch Patch”. Apart from all the beautiful pictures, models, jewellery etc that we’ve seen before, the “scratch Patch” is a concreted area, designed to look like a rock cave. The floor of this is covered inches deep in polished semi precious stones! You take you little plastic bag in, root around on the floor to find your special choice, and fill the bag with as many as you can cram in! Tigers eye, amethyst, turquoise and many, many others. Great fun! When Harry and Mia are a bit bigger, Grandad’s and Grandma’s “pretty stones” may be fun to play with!
The National Park (19140 acres) is home to more plant species than are indigenous to Great Britain. Phew! We see proteas among many others that M usually pays a fortune for back home!!
The Zebra prove elusive, but we do have “close encounters” with the baboons – doors and windows locked of course as the big males are quite capable of opening the doors and getting inside your car to look for food! We also saw ostrich, Cape Lizards and red winged starlings. These are amazing birds – not to mention the fact that they too are a nuisance, being quite capable of removing your sandwich from your hands if you let them! They look like small, rather boring black birds, until they take to the wing, when you get these incredible flashes of livid scarlet, as all bar the top edge of their wings is this colour. Cape Point is very dramatic – crashing seas from both sides on the rocks below being the graveyard for many a ship – including the Lusitania in 1911. It is now protected by two lighthouses, one at the top of the cliff and one lower down. The Cape of Good Hope is less dramatic, being further north and not so exposed to the two oceans maelstrom. It’s interesting that different sea explorers have given it other names – Cape of storms being one of them; you suspect that the name has something to do with the sea conditions at the time of arrival!
The bay to the east of Cape Point is known as “False Bay” because sailors went into it, thinking it was the tip of Africa and that they were now on their way to India! Sadly they had to brave the seas for some distance further to round Cape Agulhas to be in that happy position.
Having explored the east coast of Cape Point on the way down, we return by the West Coast through Scarborough, Kommetjie, and cross Chapman Peak to Hout Bay and then via Llandudno and Clifton to Signal Hill above Cape Town .It’s amazing how many British names we’ve seen all round the world – we’re not too sure if that’s lack of imagination or pride in your homeland! Hopefully the latter!
The road across Chapman’s Peak is supposed to be one of the world’s most scenic drives, being carved out of a sheer rock face 600 metres above the crashing waves. It has been in existence for some 70 years as it was originally made by Italian prisoners of war. Recently the road has been closed for 18 months while reinforcing work is done, and rock guards are put on the hillsides above the roadway to protect the cars from rock fall. You’re told that you “travel this road at your own risk” Oooo..er...perhaps you can see why in the picture above!
Arriving at Signal Hill, we get a really good view across Cape Town, and we’re also looking straight down at the new Soccer Stadium that’s been built for the World Cup. Sadly they’ve built it way out of the city, far from the townships. Who are the greatest soccer fans? - the black people. Will the planners never learn? Local concerns are as to how these folk will find the money to get there with the unemployment as high as it is, there is a worry that crime will increase still further.

Josephs face was as black as the night and he lived all his days under African skies.

He has risen! He has risen indeed, alleluia!
We set our alarms for 5 am today so that we could help Keith, our host prepare for the 7am sunrise service at Pinelands Methodist Church. Being southern hemisphere this is autumn and so the weather is warmer than back home in the UK. We are having an outdoor morning service with the novelty of chairs and a full PA, with Keith playing the Clavinova.
The service is for around 100 people from the church and we are not the only visitors from England, as there is a minister and his family from York as well. Their church is twinned with Pinelands and they also support the same missionary project and so it was very interesting to meet them. The sunrise service was very similar to ours back in the UK, and it was great to share with this church and our hosts, who remember Dick and Meryl with fondness and love. After the service there was the traditional Methodist welcome in the guise of Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and of course Hot Cross Buns! Ron in seventh heaven!
After the service we were being escorted by Keith to Langa (Sun) township where we are privileged to spend time with the congregation of the large Methodist Church which was bursting at the seams. We have to sit in the choir stalls at the front of the church as that was the only room. The singing and rhythm was so powerful it was humbling, and the harmonies were amazing. But the contrast between the two services was quite marked, as was the township to Pinelands. I’m actually finding it difficult to express the many mixed emotions that the experience gave me. When you see how people are living and the pride with which they wear their Sunday best for church it makes you realise what a spiritual people the black Africans are, despite everything that has been metered out to them over the last 60 years, they are true believers and truly a rainbow people of God.
We didn’t take too many photographs because we almost felt this would be voyeuristic. I hope you all understand what we mean by this.
Yesterday, we travelled around Cape Town on the open top Red Bus as an orientation experience. We walked through part of the main city shopping area and also a local craft market. Later we explored the Waterfront which was very reminiscent of Auckland and San Francisco in some ways. Like San Francisco there is an island in the bay which was used as a prison –Robben Island. This is where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. The trip to visit there was fully booked until next Thursday, (the day we fly out of Cape Town) and this trip was certainly very high on our personal itinerary. We managed to book 4 places so we hope the weather is fine and that the trip isn’t cancelled due to rough sea conditions.
The work in preparation for the Football World Cup 2010 is we underway, but still incomplete. New roads and access bridges have been surveyed and built and the tourist facilities are going into overdrive. There are big screens being installed on the main city streets for non ticket holders to get to see the games at the big new stadium. Hopefully this will eliminate any anti-social behaviour on the part of “fans”.
Finally, until you arrive in Cape Town it is difficult to comprehend just how much Table Mountain and the associated mountains dominate this city. This is even more impressive when you look at the extent of land reclamation which has transformed the city. Once again similarities exist to Wellington (NZ) and of course the work done by the Dutch engineers mirrors their endeavours in the Nederland’s.
Finally, we mustn’t forget the pioneering work done in Dr Christian Barnard’s operating theatre in the mid 60’s. This, of course was where the first successful heart transplant was performed. The original hospital has been extended and is very close to where we are staying.

Packed our bags today, pre-flight. Zero hour 2 am and I’m gonna be......

We had a fantastic last day in Singapore. This morning we went to church (Maundy Thursday) and then we packed our bags and got them down to the porters store, all labelled up and tied together with bright green “string”. We had a long discussion with the concierge and the cashier about our anniversary breakfast, which we thought was a little on the expensive side. This was after we saw that the Room Service price was $5 cheaper than what we had been charged for eating in the restaurant!
We eventually got the hotel management to reduce the charge to that of the room service price, being gracious enough to admit that they needed to do something about this in future.
We went on a harbour cruise this afternoon and landed on a small island that has a number of shrines which the Chinese visit in October. The vessel was called the Cheng Ho ll and was very much artistically decorated in oriental style, and with twin dragon heads on its prow.
Our taxi ride to the airport was supposed to cost $20 but in fact cost $30 as it was rush hour. The driver changed the meter as we got near the airport, and would have been the stated amount if he hadn’t! Well, we’ll let it go as we don’t want to appear un-gracious British people!
We get to the airport in good time, and just as well. We find that despite having written confirmation from Virgin Atlantic that we have a Business Class flight, Singapore Airlines have us down for an economy flight! We are no not very happy bunny’s, Easter or not! Despite protestations we get now where, although it is accepted that we have paid the full business class fare! So, we are on Standby for Business Class. This means we still get our flight to Cape Town, but it probably will be less comfortable for me and very uncomfortable for Margery. We hope that she can sleep and control the pain over the next few days otherwise we won’t be doing too much sight seeing in South Africa!
Not certain if anything else can go wrong, but I have already contacted Virgin Atlantic about the problem and will see what the outcome is. The problem is that travelling business class you get a better luggage allowance, and you are also able to relax more on the flights. We’re not so fussed about complimentary drinks etc, but if you’ve paid for it already then you are entitled to it if you want it!
Margery is getting anxious about the flight and so we will see what transpires Que Sera sera, what ever will be will be. Oh! Tom Jones has just walked through on the same flight. I bet he’s not in economy class. His Singapore concert was rescheduled to tonight,and so it might have a bearing on why we appear to have been” bumped”. Apparently he is performing on Wednesday in Cape Town so hopefully no repeat performance!
Well, We didn’t get our correct seats and as a result we didn’t get much sleep between Singapore and Johannesburg. We did manage to get up into our rightful seats for the “Joburg” to Cape Town flight and we did get some rest, but nowhere near enough (2 hrs rather than 12).