Our journey home

I am writing this on the plane, sitting in Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, the final leg of our journey. We have been travelling for 24 hours as I write this and it has been eventful but not terribly exciting. We said goodbye to jane and the geurinks who were off to semonKong ( one of the most beautiful and unspoilt places in the world, deep in the heart of Lesotho) for the day. Filling the car up with petrol with the armed guard patrolling us was a new experience  for the boys but because we paid for our fuel, we didn't need his services. We approached the border and stopped, way back further than I had ever stopped before and we had an experience of african inefficiency. It took us a full hour to get through the Lesotho side and that, we discovered was because there was a hold up on he South African side. This was not really surprising as there were only 2 custom people on duty and the car park was full so the policeman at the border was stopping cars coming through. We queued in an English manner, nearly got to the desk when the guy closed and moved us over the other side to the other queue. He then took people from the back of their queue to his queue as he said they had been waiting longer!!! Even the locals were questioning his logic and there were a few exchanges of words but everyone complied. Before we had been served and processed through, he did it again. It would have been quicker for him to keep stamping passports than to keep swapping queues but as I explained to Josh and Fred there are some things which cannot be explained in our western logic (which I must add is it always correct ).. It is just a matter of TIA (this is Africa).

 Having been to the post office for me to post a parcel to cape town  and the wine shop for Josh, who suddenly decided he wanted some wine for his dad, we got to 'living life' for breakfast over 2 hours after leaving our house. Fortunately living life lived up to expectations and we enjoyed a very pleasant breakfast and a play on the rope swing. Fred then decided he wanted to buy something for his friend from Spar so we did a quick detour back into ladybrand before hitting the road. I located to drive the first it as I was feeling quite tired and knew that If I sat for an hour I would feel even worse so so took us through the first bit of them our ey, through the. arrow roads which had been repaired quite recently and fortunately most of the pot holes have been filled in. Steve took over as we got to the main N1 and we found our van went pretty well.we made good time on the empty straight roads. Having had a snooze  I took over again and headed I towards Johannesburg. I slowed down when I saw a man in the road wondering what he was doing standing in the fast line. As I approached I discovered he was a policeman with a speed gun. Great!  He pulled me over and I wound down my window, doubting on my best smile. He was very chatty and friendly and pointed out that madam had been speeding...147 in a 120 zone. I explained I was going to the airport and had been delayed so was trying to make up time. He asked what time y flight was  a question that I avoided answering as we had loads of time.  To cut a long story short, I saw on his clipboard the fine due was 1000 rand (about £50) and was gearing myself to cough up the cash when he said drive on madam but please drive in the speed limit.  The rest of our journey was co pelted within the speed limit which did seem horribly slow. Steve no the boys found it highly amusing, especially as it could easily have been Steve driving, he had not kept to the speed limit either.

We finally arrived at the import having navigated our way round the joburg ring road and returned the car, checked in and installed ourself in the Mugg and Bean cafe for a bite to eat . An extensive menu was set befor is and I thought a chicken, pineapple and avocado salad would be just the right thing. It duly arrived and I ate one piece of chicken and is I cut into the second piece i found it was uncooked in the middle. Now I a adventurous water, am not fussy or anything but uncooked chicken is not my thing so I sent it back. 10 minutes later when everyone else had finished their meals, a whole new bowl of salad comeback to me.there is a limit to how ,cub lettuce I can eat so I once again made my way through the chicken and avocado before admitting defeat.a bit of duty free shopping and we were ready to board. 

The flight was long  but ok. None of us slept very much, I could not get comfortable and after watching a film I ended up listening to the news over and over in an attempt to bore me to sleep. It worked and I must have drifted off about 2 to be woken at 5 for breakfast. We had an easy transition in Paris and are now on the next plane for the 40 minute trip to London. However, we have just been informed there is fog in London so we are delayed for 30 minutes (at present). Who know how long that will be. I cannot post this now as I have no wife but I will post it once I get home. Fred wants to get back to Brighton for a family lunch, Josh I think will want to have. Good sleep, Steve has to bet into London to work where he will be for the rest of the week and I would love to shower and have an hour or so sleep before going to lunch with my lovely friend Pam.

I think we can Honestly say that we have had a fab week.  We have experienced some of the frustrations, the joys,  the beauty, the poverty, the bounty of the diverse continent of Africa. We have held children who are HIV + who without the continual advance of modern medicine would not be alive. We have seen children reunited with their parents and witnessed the joy of adoptive parents meeting their child. We have shared in the hard work of the house mothers who care daily for these children , I personally don't know how they do it, and Steve has enabled more efficiency in the office with the IT systems as well as delivering some new computers to the staff at the school and helping them set them up.

Comments from the boys.....'a life changing experience ' (Fred) and from Josh 'an experience I will treasure. ' I have loved every minute and it has been privilege to share Lesotho and beautiful gatewith new people especially Josh and Fred who as I have said before have been amazing.

I know they will be back. Africa has touched their hearts, I know. As we say goodbye to the adventure of October 2015 we say Sala Hantle (stay well) to all our African friends and hope that Lesotho continues to prosper and advance in all the good ways it so needs. 

Thank you for reading. We are due to depart imminently so until my next adventure, God bless and goodbye.

Love

Jenny X