Mid-term Report I left South Africa – soon to be Azania I thought, after an extremely bloody revolution in which everybody died – in 1970. And now officially a Brit I am back in the loving arms of my son…
Dear Rich Foreigner Four billion years ago the Mediterranean set up a franchise on the southern tip of Africa. Probably by mistake, as there were few tourists then who were prepared to make the long journey down Gondwana, which was…
A Fairy Story “Once upon a time in a land called Zumania, there lived a family of bears. They were mummy bear, Daddy Bear and twenty two baby bears, aged between 38 and 5 years old. Most of the…
Key: When you see the letters FT, it means Factoid. Small facts and figures you may find useful at your next dinner party. Begin the conversation with “Did you know that in South Africa…” Richard called G at 6…
Help! It is not often that one gets that golden opportunity, the long- hoped for chance to be somebody’s hero. It usually starts with a cry for help. Help! She cried, and despite the danger of walking nose-first into a…
…The Angry Birds did not attack on the flight! Safe, sound, gone to ground. Cape Town grins under a gentlemanly sun while the Mountain sits above like a giant ogre’s brow, seemingly protecting this sprawl of a city. A vast…
To Zumania or Bust! Heathrow again! This time Terminal 3. My last flight 3 weeks ago was from Terminal 5 and the walk from terminal entrance to plane totalled 1.9 km. So far I have walked 1 Km in T3….
Behind me, my nephew listens to bluegrass music and taps away at his iPad, working from home. Or rather, his parents’ home – he lives in LA. On the floor below mom looks around her from her bed, and…
Reasons for Thanksgiving In Madaya Syria Omar, a fifteen year old boy, threw himself off a balcony a few days ago. Separated from his mother, suffering daily horrendous bombardment, he saw no alternative. He survived, and people from all over…
Want a SHORT easy route to having an opinion on Trump’s effect on Climate Change? Here is a summary for your convenience to give you the essential information for that next dinner party or coffee-break conversation. In 2009 BO was…