Dispatches from the sunburned wastelands

We've bitten the bullet (only figuratively speaking, I hope), and bought plane tickets to visit the relatives in South Africa...We wanted to go for Christmas, but the LM only got his first passport in late December. Hopefully, we'll get his Oz visa sorted out before we leave, otherwise he'll have to live in the airport for the rest of his life (mmmm...).

I'm feeling a bit apprehensive about the visit, not only because of the country's high violent crime rate, but also because we'll have to hold a family conference about my Mum & Dad's future - they're way past retirement age, but still running their little business,because they can't afford to stop. High monthly medial costs don't help (there;s no Medicare in good old SA). I'm also not looking forward to experiencing the country's continuing electricity crisis, with almost daily blackouts and a new power rationing scheme underway...

We haven't had a decent, long holiday for almost a decade, and once again, this month-long trip won't be a holiday either. Going back "home" usually means rushing around to meet family and friends, leaving us exhausted and emotional at the end of it. This will also be the first time we'll be traveling on a plane with the Little Monster, and all I can say in advance to our fellow passengers-to-be, is "sorry!" (he-he).

Posted by HannesB at 11:22 AM Comments