Southern Africa Adventures – Abeo on the Move

I made it! Traveled to South Africa incident free – the Westcott gift for cock-ups did not manifest itself (maybe because I was traveling solo?) and all my luggage arrived intact, including the troublesome box of training materials (Ha ha Simon! Ye of little faith).
South African Airways did their best to make the long flight bearable. By the way – biggest plane I’ve ever been on. I was in row 74 at the very back of the plane. Tail end could have been in Canada; I had to walk at least a mile to my seat.
What does one do on a fifteen hour flight? Watch three movies, read, listen to iPod, watch two episodes of Vampire Diaries on iPad, people watch, fidget, sleep and become very, very restless. Brief excitement when the Afrikaaner family sitting opposite decided to have a full on family brawl. Highly entertaining and too short-lived. Things were just getting interesting when the eldest son broke down in tears and had to be physically restrained in his seat by the father.
Brooke Smith, ex-Grays Anatomy actress (remember her? She was Callie’s first lesbian lover?) was on my flight. She was very friendly and super nice to talk to. We were half way through our conversation before I realised who she was.
Arrived in cold, sunny Johannesburg tired and desperately in need of a shower. On my way to the hotel I drove past a sign boldly advertising penile enhancement. Curiously this was right next to a sign advertising plumbing repairs. Could the two services be related? The mobile numbers on the signs looked eerily similar. One stop shop? But I digress.
The hotel – well. It’s basic but clean and functional. From the state of the furnishings I’m guessing it hasn’t been renovated for some time. My bed was covered with ants; the maid stripped the bed and vacuumed the mattress. Just a few little visitors left.
I spent the weekend sleeping, acclimatizing, preparing my material and reacquainting myself with South African wine. (Nederburg Rose! How I’ve missed you!) Luckily the course is being held at my hotel so despite waking up two hours late this morning I just made it to the conference room in time.
The participants are a mixed group, all senior managers at a regulatory authority. An interesting bunch – very talkative and engaged; and seemingly enjoying our interaction thus far. I’m struggling a bit with the South African accent – and being half deaf doesn’t make it any easier – but I think I’m following the gist of what they are saying. God alone knows what they make of my Anglo-Trini twang.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow. This is going to be a good week.

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