When I waved goodbye to my slightly truculent husband ( he was facing the prospect of nearly two weeks of lone parenting in temperatures of -5 deg C on the home front) I was inwardly beaming in anticipation of bright sunny skies and the heat of the African sun! Joining my younger brother ( plus wife G and two young kids) on board the plane, I realised that finally I would be able to indulge my newly found passion for writing.
The theme for my trip to Zimbabwe was Closure...for three main reasons: I had not managed to attend my mother's funeral, so the laying down of her grave stone in Harare, gave my younger brother LG and I another opportunity to gather extended family for a memorial service , in the city of our birth.
Secondly, I wanted to return back to face up to my ailing motherland, left behind for a new life here in Britain, all those years ago. Compelled not only by nostalgia but by the need to verify first hand, some of the negative press and mixed messages I'd been drip fed about Zimbabwe. By gauging the mood of the people who had stuck it out, I hoped to pick up clues about the future prospects of Africa's forgotten food basket which by all accounts now lies empty.
Lastly, there were questions about my own sense of identity that were still unanswered at this 'tender' age of 43...
Secondly, I wanted to return back to face up to my ailing motherland, left behind for a new life here in Britain, all those years ago. Compelled not only by nostalgia but by the need to verify first hand, some of the negative press and mixed messages I'd been drip fed about Zimbabwe. By gauging the mood of the people who had stuck it out, I hoped to pick up clues about the future prospects of Africa's forgotten food basket which by all accounts now lies empty.
Lastly, there were questions about my own sense of identity that were still unanswered at this 'tender' age of 43...
The Capetown trip (a first for me) was more of an afterthought , for which I had to extend my trip by 5 days (Hubby understandably seething at this point). I couldn't possibly turn down the kind invitation of my older brother, N, now resident there! It was birthday boy LG who decided that this was where our holiday would begin in earnest . Hey wenna (You know it) !
So blessed with excellent tour guides (relatives) and equipped with an inherent sense of adventure as well as a palpable connection to this culture, we set out to celebrate little brother's 40th birthday in style!
So blessed with excellent tour guides (relatives) and equipped with an inherent sense of adventure as well as a palpable connection to this culture, we set out to celebrate little brother's 40th birthday in style!
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Over the next few days and weeks I will be furnishing you with the details of my travels. It is envisaged that this blog will develop into a regular and delightful feature covering my cost effective yet inspiring trips, focusing on people, attitudes and culture. I hope you find my observations to be witty, informative, and thought provoking. Thank-you for your support and constructive comments.
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