1st April
The flight! So long long long what else to say – we had paid for exit row seats so at least were not crippled at the end. The 13 hours spent eating, watching a movie, stretching, walking around the plane, watching another movie, repeat four times. What movies? Umm can’t remember! What is it about watching movies on planes that means they are removed from memory as soon as stepping off the plane?
So finally finally we touched down to a grey and damp Jo’Burg about 4pm. Hilary met us at the airport and drove us to our accommodation with a stop at the local shops. Fruit and vegie shop and a Woolworths which is a small upmarket supermarket, to buy a few supplies for that night and Friday as we didn’t know if anything would be open.
The northern suburbs of Jo’Burg where we are staying are very like the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Think Mont Albert Rd through Canterbury and Camberwell. Large houses behind high brick walls – only difference is the razor wire and/or electrified fences, long wide streets lined with English trees dropping their autumn leaves.
So we arrived at Waterfall Cottages. As with most other houses apparently there is an electric gate and intercom system. A woman answered the intercom and expressed some surprise that we were expected guests, but promised to open the gate anyway. A couple of worried moments later and she came on the intercom again and said we were expected the next day but that we could come in anyway!!
The woman was Bosi, one of the housekeeping staff, who turned out to be our lifesaver over the next 48 hrs. A lovely, friendly woman who has given me more hugs over the last couple of days than I have had in the last six months:-). The cottage she showed us into was clean, large, and adequate. Great shower though, but the kitchen was a microwave, and a small portable stove/oven that was stored on a portable trolley underneath the TV that is mounted on the wall. The sink underneath a cupboard, so low that we almost needed to kneel to wash the dishes. So tired however, that we collapsed in bed and waited to sort out the situation the next day.
The flight! So long long long what else to say – we had paid for exit row seats so at least were not crippled at the end. The 13 hours spent eating, watching a movie, stretching, walking around the plane, watching another movie, repeat four times. What movies? Umm can’t remember! What is it about watching movies on planes that means they are removed from memory as soon as stepping off the plane?
So finally finally we touched down to a grey and damp Jo’Burg about 4pm. Hilary met us at the airport and drove us to our accommodation with a stop at the local shops. Fruit and vegie shop and a Woolworths which is a small upmarket supermarket, to buy a few supplies for that night and Friday as we didn’t know if anything would be open.
The northern suburbs of Jo’Burg where we are staying are very like the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Think Mont Albert Rd through Canterbury and Camberwell. Large houses behind high brick walls – only difference is the razor wire and/or electrified fences, long wide streets lined with English trees dropping their autumn leaves.
So we arrived at Waterfall Cottages. As with most other houses apparently there is an electric gate and intercom system. A woman answered the intercom and expressed some surprise that we were expected guests, but promised to open the gate anyway. A couple of worried moments later and she came on the intercom again and said we were expected the next day but that we could come in anyway!!
The woman was Bosi, one of the housekeeping staff, who turned out to be our lifesaver over the next 48 hrs. A lovely, friendly woman who has given me more hugs over the last couple of days than I have had in the last six months:-). The cottage she showed us into was clean, large, and adequate. Great shower though, but the kitchen was a microwave, and a small portable stove/oven that was stored on a portable trolley underneath the TV that is mounted on the wall. The sink underneath a cupboard, so low that we almost needed to kneel to wash the dishes. So tired however, that we collapsed in bed and waited to sort out the situation the next day.
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