And the winner is ...... South Africa !!

I cannot help feeling like a small child right now after Christmas has come and gone. There is always such a big build up and a point where you even start to wonder if it will ever arrive at all.... and then before you know, it is gone in a flash!
I am of course referring to the World cup and that even though the final curtain has not yet come down,when I drove through Cape Town yesterday, I could not help feeling a twinge of sadness .... similar to when the festive decorations come down in the new year. Although part of you is happy to get back to 'normal' ...there is also a huge part of you that wished you could have carried on forever. In this case though, I do not mean the football so much, but rather the 'Ubuntu' that embraced the whole of South Africa and inevitably, the world. I have been very vocal in my past blogs about my dreams and aspirations for this world cup and the legacy that it would hopefully leave the country, but even I did not expect to be as blown away as I have been, at not just how the whole country came to the party .. (literally!!) to make it the success it was, but also as to how we were received by the visitors. Once again, my thoughts on the overseas media have been made very clear in the past. Whilst I knew that they would enjoy it as much as anyone, I still expected them to go digging up negative stories, but even the Journalists it seems got sucked in ... infectious is really the best word I can find to explain the incredible feeling that was swept over everyone like a huge big mexican wave!

Like many Capetonians last week ,having heard on the radio almost daily about the 'great vibe' that existed on the fan walk that goes 2.4 Km from Cape Town Station to the stadium, it suddenly struck me, that unless I wanted to bunk work on Tuesday for the final Cape Town Match, Netherlands V Uruguay, Saturday was going to be my last chance to enjoy this unique experience. So myself and a couple of friends, decided go the whole hog and take the public transport and all! It sounds dramtic when I say I will remember that day for the rest of my life ... but it really is true. Every race, colour, religion and culture was amongst the tsunami like crowd that ebbed its way through the city... and as crazy as it sounds, for just a few moments that afternoon, it felt like all the problems in the world had disappeared! Some how though, I do not think Maradona would agree with me! :O)

Before I sign off, I wanted to share with you just two of the many heart warming articles that have been written following visits to The World cup . They tell the story much better than I ever could ... Enjoy!
Shari Cohen - Huffington Post

Boris Johnson - Daily Telegraph

Who does he think he is?

The fact that some careers or jobs pay obscene amounts more than others is something that I have sometimes had great difficulty accepting. I mean how do you justify paying a heart surgeon, a person that saves lives every day, half the amount of a TV Newsreader for example? But guess that is just one of those perverted facts about life, you can do nothing about. However, one issue that I do take serious question with is that whether you earn R1000 a week as a waiter or R100,000 a week as a Politician.... One needs to show a passion for what one is paid to do at all times and offer one's clients or cutomers the best value they can, for the hard earned money they pay for services rendered. If they do not do this, regardless of whether they are a waiter, Politician, top banker, Oil Company CEO or Premier league Football player - they should then be held responsible for their actions.

Having my own business now, I can use myself as a perfect example ... If I suddenly decided to stay in bed until lunchtime every day, not respond to emails and just generally not give a damn about my clients needs - could I honestly expect to remain in business? Would it be right for me to then get irritated, if my clients showed their displeasure at my performance? Of course not, but why then, does this not apply to the elitest group of people I mentioned earlier ? We could be here all day and discuss those responsible for last years bank collapses, or how Tony Hayward CEO of BP should have already resigned in my mind, following the recent Oil spill, but instead he is out sailing with his buddies. Having personally witnessed the now notorius England V Algeria Match though - the person's whos head I REALLY want to get into,is that of Mr Rooney!

Who does this arrogant 24 year old prima donna really think he is? He gets paid around R1 Million a week, lives the luxury lifestyle of a king, and all for kicking a ball around on a field and hopefully scoring a few goals. Once again, I could really get wound up about this fact on it's own and say that even if he scored 10 goals each match - could it still really justify such a ridiculous pay packet? Digressing for a moment, to put things in perspective - I heard a snippet on the news the other day about how many British Soldiers are now moving to Australia to serve in their military as there they get paid the equivalient of 26,000 GBP a year. Although they did not say how much the UK paid their soldiers,one can assume it is a lot less than that if people are prepared to uproot their lives for this salary. You do not even have to get the calculator out to work out that a weekly wage for any soldier who risk their lives for their country is less than a pittance compared to that of his royal highness Wayne Rooney. However, believe it or not ... I do not actually even blame him for this. There is not a 24 year old in the world that would turn down a chance to have his lifestyle.

What has truly got me on my soap box this morning though, is his offensive attitude. That is something he DOES have full control over. On the field on Friday evening it was obvious to everyone that he and all his team mates to be fair were not at all passionate about their task at hand ..... and therefore they did not deliver as expected, despite many many loyal fans paying huge amounts of money to follow their national football team to the other side of the world! As if this was not bad enough - He then throws a temper tantrum when those very fans dare to show their displeasure! Sure, an apology has been issued, but with zero sincerity and more than likely a direct order from the England Team's PR Manager. Part of me almost feels sorry for him, he has been given too much too soon and now seems to have lost a complete grip on reality and what is expected of someone in their job. Perhaps if like the Algerian team, Rooney and his colleagues had taken the time to come and say hello to the fans from the pitch just before the match ... or perhaps at the end even, when again the Algerian team thanked their fans for their support, there would not be so much bitterness amongst the supporters? One thing is for sure - win or lose next Wednesday, he has been fired in my book for good!

Hands off our Vuvuzelas !!

Perhaps it is purely coincidental that this morning I listened with interest to Eamonn Holmes on Sky News Sunrise discussing with various people as to whether Britain has perhaps taken the health and Safety thing a step too far and then this evening when sitting down for my evening dose of media intelligence, I happened to interupt a debate that was on a par with those seen during the general election, on whether the African Vuvuzela should be banned during the world cup? Have people really got nothing better to talk about? They had even gone as far to invite a hearing specialist on to the show, who seemed to speak with such authority that there would categorically be many deaf english fans returning from South Africa in a couple of weeks time. The fact that she has probably never set foot in the country, nor been to an African football match or probably even held a vuvuzela is in my mind, what puts her and many other people in the same category as the idiots that banned conkers and who insisted kids wear goggles when using blutac (that's Prestick to South Africans!). They make these rules ... or suggestions as in this case based purely on worse case scenarios. Sure, if every person in a stadium blew their vuvuzela at the same time and into each others ears, we (or should I say they) would have a problem ... But this expert along with many others, seem to forget there is a common sense factor too. To her and everyone else that has apparently joined the 100,000 strong facebook group to ban the instrument, incase you did not realise by now - South Africans love Soccer almost as much at the Brits! More to the point, they have been blowing their vuvuzelas for years and to my knowledge, whilst the country still has it's fair share of challenges, an over population of deaf people is not one of them.

So, please - keep your health and safetly rules to yourself for a change and respect something that is literally part of a culture. Africa has waited a long time for this world cup, let them have their moment - Vuvuzelas and all!!

Media take note !!

The following open letter to foreign Journalists written by SA Journalist Peter Davies was like music to my ears .... It put all of my sometimes clumsily put thoughts into the right context ... I just really hope the right people read it !



Dear World Cup visitors,

Now that you are safely in our country you are no doubt happily realising you are not in a war zone. This may be in stark contrast to what you have been bracing yourself for should you have listened to Uli Hoeness or are an avid reader of English tabloids, which as we all know are only good for wrapping fish ‘n chips and advancing the careers of large-chested teens on page three.
As you emerge blinking from your luxury hotel room into our big blue winter skies, you will surely realise you are far more likely to be killed by kindness than by a stray bullet. Remember that most of the media reports you have read, which have informed your views on South Africa, will have been penned by your colleagues. And you know what journos are like, what with their earnest two thousand word opuses on the op-ed pages designed to fix this country’s ills in a heartbeat. Based on exhaustive research over a three-day visit.
Funnily enough, we are well aware of the challenges we face as a nation and you will find that 95% of the population is singing from the same song-sheet in order to ensure we can live up to our own exacting expectations.
We are also here to look after you and show you a good time. Prepare to have your preconceived notions well and truly shattered.
For instance, you will find precious few rhinos loitering on street corners, we don’t know a guy in Cairo named Dave just because we live in Johannesburg, and our stadiums are magnificent, world-class works of art.
Which is obviously news to the Sky TV sports anchor who this week remarked that Soccer City looked ‘ a bit of a mess’. She didn’t realize the gaps in the calabash exterior are to allow in natural light and for illumination at night, and not the result of vandalism or negligence.
The fact that England, the nation which safely delivered Wembley Stadium two years past its due date, is prepared to offer us South Africans advice on stadium-readiness should not be surprising. The steadiest stream of World Cup misinformation has emanated from our mates the Brits over the past couple of years.
If it’s not man-eating snakes lurking in Rooney’s closet at the team’s (allegedly half-built) Royal Bafokeng training base, then it’s machete-wielding gangs roaming the suburbs in search of tattooed, overweight Dagenham dole-queuers to ransack and leave gurgling on the pavement.
In fact what you are entering is the world’s most fascinating country, in my opinion. I’m pretty sure you will find that it functions far more smoothly, is heaps more friendly and offers plenty more diversions than you could possibly have imagined.
In addition to which, the population actually acts like human beings, and not like they are being controlled by sinister forces from above which turns them into bureaucratically-manipulated robots.
Plus we have world’s most beautiful women. The best weather. Eight channels of SuperSport. Food and wine from the gods themselves. Wildlife galore. (Love the Dutch team’s bus slogan: “Don’t fear the Big 5; fear the Orange 11”).
Having said all that, Jo’burg is undoubtedly one of the world’s most dangerous cities. Just ask those Taiwanese tourists who got out of their hire car to take close-up snaps of tawny beasts at the Lion Park a few years back. Actually, ask what’s left of them. And did you know the chances of being felled by cardiac arrest from devouring a mountain of meat at one of our world class restaurants has been statistically proven to be 33.3% higher in Jozi than in any other major urban centre not built upon a significant waterway? It’s true. I swear. I read it in a British tabloid.
Having recently spent two years comfortably cocooned in small town America, I’m only too aware of how little much of the outside world knows about this country. The American channel I used to work for has a massive battalion of employees descending on World Cup country. It has also apparently issued a recommendation to its staff to stay in their hotels when not working.
Given that said corporation is headquartered in a small town which many say is “best viewed through the rear-view mirror”, I find the recommendation, if it’s true, to be utterly astounding. In fact I don’t believe it is true. Contrary to the global stereotype, the best Americans are some of the sharpest people in the world. The fact they have bought most tickets in this World Cup proves the point.
Of course I have only lived in Johannesburg, city of terror and dread, virtually all my life, so don’t have the in-depth knowledge of say, an English broadsheet journalist who has been in the country for the weekend, but nevertheless I will share some of my observations gleaned over the years.
Any foreign tourist or media representative who is worried about his safety in South Africa should have a word with the Lions rugby fans from last year, or the Barmy Army cricket supporters (lilywhite hecklers by day, slurring, lager-fuelled lobsters by night). They managed just fine, just like the hundreds of thousands of fans who have streamed into the country over the past fifteen years for various World Cups, Super 14 matches, TriNations tests and other international events. Negligible crime incidents involving said fans over said period of time.
Trivia question: which country has hosted the most global sporting events over the past decade and a half? You don’t need me to answer that, do you?
In addition. Don’t fret when you see a gaggle of freelance salesmen converge on your car at the traffic lights (or robots as we like to call them) festooned with products. You are not about to be hijacked. Here in Mzansi (nickname for SA) we do a lot of our purchasing at robots. Here you can stock up on flags, coat hangers, batteries, roses for the wife you forgot to kiss goodbye this morning and a whole host of useful merchandise.
Similarly, that guy who runs up as you park the rental car outside the pub intends no malice. He’s your car guard. Give him a buck or two and your vehicle will be safe while you refuel for hours on our cheap, splendid beer. Unless someone breaks into it, of course.
We drive on the left in this country. Exercise caution when crossing the road at a jog-trot with 15 kilograms of camera gear on your back. Exercise common sense full stop. Nothing more. Nothing less. If you want to leave wads of cash in your hotel room like our Colombian friends, don’t be surprised if it grows wings.
Bottomline. Get out there and breathe in great lusty lungfuls of this amazing nation. Tuck into our world-class food and wines. Disprove the adage that white men can’t dance at our throbbing, vibrant night-clubs. Learn to say hello in all eleven official languages. Watch at least one game in a township. You will not be robbed and shot. You will be welcomed like a lost family member and looked after as if you are royalty. Ask those Bulls rugby fans who journeyed to Soweto recently.
With a dollop of the right attitude, this country will change your life.
It’s Africa’s time. Vacate your hotel room. Join the party.
Waka waka eh eh.

Jo'burg Goes Bananas For Bafana Bafana - Video

Jo'burg Goes Bananas For Bafana Bafana
00:03:00

Its not about the football .....

'They' say that good things come to those who wait ... and never was there a more true saying this week in South Africa! I am not talking about my long awaited blog post by the way.... but am of course referring to the Fifa World cup. It seems like just a couple of months ago that Sepp Blatter opened his envelope revealing that South Africa was to be the host city for the biggest show on earth in 2010 , which back then was to be in just over 6 years time. It seemed like a life time away and yet here it is -within touching distance!

I remember at the time in 2004 feeling extremely excited and have referred back several times since to my hopes that it would be a replica of 1995 in terms of reconciliation value, but have to admit though, that the last 6 years have been a long journey and I would be lying if I said I have not had my doubts occasionally that this day would ever arrive !

Whilst most of the country appeared to be celebrating from the off set - there were many that refused to see the benefits of hosting such a prestigious event. Every question and obstacle one can imagine was raised .... from under budgeting and stadium location protests, you name it, it happened ! It did not help of course, that we also had a change of President along the way, a man with a fair few question marks of his own! There was also the Zimbabwe situation, which although officially nothing to do with South Africa, as it's immediate neighbour, in the eyes of the rest of the world, we will always be tarred with the same brush. Then came those rumours .... "Australia is on stand by" as South Africa will not be ready in time. Although Sepp Blatter denied it, the news cut like a knife. Perhaps it is Psychological ... but I am sure this was the turning point. Almost over night, the stadiums began to appear and people seemed to have a new energy about them, despite the overseas media being more negative than ever. Then again Mr Malema had now entered the game and apart from telling BBC journalists to get lost, he was not exactly making himself many friends in SA either. Then just when we thought we had faced it all ....Eugene Terreblanche was murdered in his sleep, which with the help of the media once again - helped scare off many people that were still on the fence about whether to come. Meanwhile , back at the ranch, many guest house and hotel owners that were hoping to score over the world cup had been heavily let down by MATCH the body appointed by FIFA to coordinate all accommodation bookings. Not only have they not recived the world cup bookings they had hoped, due to the rolls of red tape, but many people who would perhaps have normally visited South Africa at other times during the year have crossed the destination off their calendar completely this year - just subconsciously believing it is not the right time to be there. They were not the only ones to lose out ... the many street vendors that were hoping to sell Football shirts etc were told that only FIFA branded shirts were allowed. So guess you could say there are always going to be winners and losers in everything in life, except that I still believe there WILL be many many more winners and that many people I speak to still seem to be missing the point completely. As Lance Armstrong once said "its not about the bike" .... and once again in this case, it is not about the football ... or the 6 weeks during whether we have more or less tourists here than we thought we would. The POINT is this. It is the single biggest opportunity South Africa will ever have to show the world what they are truly about as a country, as people and as a united nation - PR does not get better than this!! If I had received one rand for every time I have had to listen to or read a negative story on Sky news about SA, I would be very rich by now, with my main frustration being that they never report the 'other side of the coin' . Well now it is their chance and I am pleased to say that I can already see the tide turning and how the reporters are being enchanted and humbled by the people they meet and the scenes of the same reconcilliation as 1995. I guess in a way, they have done us a favour, as most of the fans visiting SA at the moment have arrived here expecting anything from "Blood baths" to "Worldcup Violence" and god knows what else, so anything less than that ... and they are very happy! Once again though - the POINT is that they will go back home and tell all of their friends about the fantastic time they had in SA ensuring that the world cup leaves a lasting legacy afterall.

If only we could bottle it ....

On Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting the Riebeck Kasteel Olive festival ... which that in itself is quite amazing, considering I cannot stand the things! But knowing South Africa as I surely do by now, I knew there would be plenty of other things on the menu and that I certainly would not go hungry or thirsty for that matter! Whilst , as expected I was not disappointed in this department, I was however pleasantly surprised by another ....

Often referred to as 'The valley of a thousand paintings' Riebeck Kasteel, an almost storybook style town, is one of the oldest in South Africa. Definitely one of the best kept secrets of the Western Cape, there a population of around just 2700 and is located 75km from Cape Town. Having visited this stunningly beautiful, but rather sleepy little place before, I knew not to expect a repeat of the previous weekend's Franschhoek Cheese Festival that welcomes over 10,000 visitors a day. However, I had not taken into account the eclectic mix of people that call Riebeck Kasteel their home, and that subsequently resulted in a 'vibe' and 'community feeling' second to none. There are the European ex pats, who have come to retire in this tiny piece of paradise ... then there are the Gauteng rat race escapees, every kind of craftsman you can imagine, including artists and writers in abundance, Wine and Olive farmers and of course their workers ... the true locals who were born and bred here. Everybody regardless of age, colour, nationality or breeding came together to put on a show to be proud of ..... there was a tractor and trailer running a 'park and ride' system .... children running barefoot all over the place, the village square was pumping to the sound of two local bands, the restaurants spilled out onto the pavements, oh yes , did I not mention that the weather was a warm 29 degrees!

As I caught a ride on the tractor back to our car and enjoyed the somewhat ariel view of the village festivities..... I found myself wishing for the impossible. If only all of our visitors to South Africa, during the world cup or otherwise could be fortunate enough to experience just five minutes of the incredible atmosphere that I had been able to witness that day .... what a difference it would make to the world perception of SA.

Julius Malema ... Robert Mugabe mark II ?

For a while now, Julius Malema, South Africa's infamous ANC Youth leader, loud mouth clown and occasional bully has kept us all entertained with regular public outbursts,appearing to almost seek controversy where ever he goes. He is the butt of a thousand jokes & cartoons and was even the subject of one of Nandos now famous series of adverts. However, with barely 60 days to go until this country hosts the biggest show on earth, Mr Malema, (who some Senior ANC members have dared to suggest could perhaps one day follow in the steps of Mr Mandela, a youth leader turned president), has now moved into a different league completely... a league where those such as Robert Mugabe exist.

Firstly during a recent visit to Zimbabwe, Malema did not try to hide his support for the notorius Zanu PF leader, openly criticising opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and even suggesting that South Africa emulate Mugabe's policy of seizing white owned land and farms. As if this were not enough, less than a week later when talking at a press conference, he again criticised the MDC party for working from air conditioned offices in affluent Sandton,in Johannesburg. When a BBC journalist dared to comment that Malema himself lived in Sandton. Mr Malema once again showed his true colours with an outburst that resulted in him throwing the guilty Journalist out of the conference.



I have been shouting the loudest this last week about the irresponsible British media on the manner in which they have been reporting on the Eugene Terreblanche murder, accusing them of only telling a one sided story and spreading unnecessary panic amongst world cup visitors. However, even I would not blame Jonah Fisher the BBC Journalist at the moment for having a less than positive outlook following his experience, lets hope he is a forgiving man. The man who's head I would really like to get inside of though, is that of Mr Mandela himself .... having gone through everything he did fighting for the day when blacks and whites could share a democracy and achieving his goal and indeed so much more, I cannot help wonder what his thoughts are on our Mr Malema!? I think I have a pretty good idea though!

To all the football supporters coming this way ... you have nothing to worry about and I apologise on behalf of South Africa for this idiot.

On this very subject, I was alerted to an interesting website & blog by Neal Collins http://www.nealcollins.co.uk/ a rare journalist that for once tells the story from both sides.

There's been a lot going on !

I know, I know, it's been a while! When one of my most loyal followers mentions the word blog to me or rather lack of it ... I cringe and find myself defensively explaining that I do not want to talk for the sake of it (Many people would disagree with this statement!)and that when I feel like there is something worth commenting on I will! Except that this theory has fallen by the wayside this last month or two despite there having been many moments, where I wanted to whip out my computer for an impromtu rant ... or rave! My excuse can be summed up in one word "inbox"! The weird thing is, that emails and cell phones etc were originally invented to make our lives easier? but they have simply made the world a more demanding place. What ever happened to the days when you would call someone if you had a query and if they weren't in, you left a message, assuming they even had an answering machine of course and if they called you back in a day or two, it was perfectly acceptable, life still went on! Nowadays if you have not replied to an email within the hour, you somehow feel totally inefficient! I used to choose coffee shops based on their cappucinos, but now it is whether they offer free wireless! A blackberry was something my mum used to make jam with ... I am now counting the days until my new one arrives! (The electronic version that is!) The jury is still out as to whether this will improve or only exasperate the situation! The worst thing for me though to come out of all this advancement, is that people don't talk to each other anymore ...face to face that is.They rather send an email or a text... or facebook each other perhaps!? Don't even get me started on that one, I swore I would never touch it ... and now I have friends in places I did not know existed! In todays world, there are of course advantages too ... I am able to speak to and SEE friends ,family and business colleagues on the other side of the world via skype almost as if they were in the next room and it does not cost a cent! This has of course put an end though to working in my pajamas!! (joke!!)

The truth remains though, that I have spent the majority of my Easter Weekend catching up on admin, so I still have to wonder .... with all this fancy technology, when will someone find a way to add more hours to a day!!

Oh by the way, at the risk of sounding a hypocrite - take a look at my new company facebook page, or better still become a friend .. or should that be fan!?

The Fish Stinks from the head down ....

I have never been one to discuss politics, it is not my favourite or my most knowledgeable subject. However, you do not have to have a degree to know that when a country is battling with the biggest Aids problem in the world, one needs the leader of that country to be pulling out all the stops to combat the problem and above all setting an example himself! However ... as if the scandal almost five years ago where Zuma was accused of raping a family friend was not enough, or the fact that whilst he denied rape (and has since been found not guilty) he took the aids problem back ten years when he admited to having unprotected sexual relations with the lady in question, knowing full well that she was infected with Aids!! He unashamedly told the nation that he had taken simply taken a shower immediately afterwards!! What made the issue even more incredulous was that he was the Head of the national Aids council at the time!!

And now ... Barely even a month has passed since Jacob Zuma married for the fifth time, that saw his current number of wives become three, not fogetting another fiancee in the wings .... along with a total of nineteen children. It appears though, that this were not enough for him, as he has now admitted to repeating history again, in that 13 months ago,he slept with the daughter of a family friend, resulting in yet another Zuma off spring! This weekend, for the second time in five years, he gave into to pressure and unconvincingly apologised to the country. Zuma said he could "acknowledge and understand the reaction of many South Africans," who have accused him of making South Africa the butt of jokes because of his sexual philandering and of undermining the fight against HIV/AIDS by evidently failing to practise safe sex. Well Mr Zuma, with one in every nine people in SA suffering from the Aids virus, that is usually passed on during unprotected sex,I would say your apology comes a little too late ....

Slightly mad ? This is why .............

Anyone that knows me, will tell you that on the 1 to 10 scale of being an animal lover, I am about a 15! I am the one when hearing a story on the news about a man that drowned rescuing his dog, that asks the unthinkable ..."But what happened to the dog?" .... I would give my last cent to animal rescue, even though ,there are people starving just down the road from me. And when all my girlfriends are planning their next pregnancy .... I am busy visualising a day when I can hopefully afford to add more to my four legged brood! All of the above often results in some of my closest friends ,colleagues and even family thinking I am .. Well, slightly mad! A sandwich short of a picnic would be another way to perhaps put it kindly ...to the point where I even agree with them at times.

However, it is days like today when I read of an absolute HORRIFIC and APPALLING story of animal abuse that I know why I feel like I do ..... because they have no voice of their own! At the risk of sounding over emotional, I am unable to even talk about this story, except to say that I cannot get the vision of the person doing what they did to this poor helpless dog, out of my mind, when there were really so many other options. Click here to read what I am referring to and then make up your own mind as to who is the mad one in this equasion?

Peace in Heaven or Hell on earth ....

I had the sudden need to dust off my soapbox this afternoon, when watching a breaking news story on Sky News ,But before I go on, let me first refer back to a story in the news last week. A loving mother, namely Frances Inglis was sentenced to 9 years in prison for having had the courage to end her brain damaged son's pain and suffering, by injecting him with a lethal does of Heroin. She was prepared to sacrifice her own freedom to put Thomas, 22 out of his misery. It was what some might say, the ulitmate gift of love. There was and will always be people that believe murder is murder, but any one who bothered to read all the facts, will know that this lady, was as about as normal as they come. What could possibly be achieved by locking her up behind bars for 9 years? I have known real criminals get far less than this ... for gods sake, by doing what she did, she already has a life sentence of her own. In the end, the only conclusion I could come to, was that if they let her off ,it would open the flood gates for more people to do the same.

But then, back to this afternoon's breaking news .... Kay Gilderdale has been found not guilty for assisting her daughter with her own suicide, by helping her to inject lethal doses of morphine. When that did not work ,she went around the house looking for various bits of medication, with the main aim of finishing the job in hand. Her daughter, Lynn died a couple of hours later. Again a brave, brave thing to do for a loved one that had known nothing but suffering for 17 years, as she fought with the disease M.E. There are of course minor differences to the two situations ... Lynn, although in pain and with a body that had given up a long time ago, by all accounts, her brain was still functioning and she had made it clear with a living will, that it was her wish to leave the world, with perhaps just a small shread of dignity still in tact. Thomas on the other hand, Frances' son could not speak for himself ... he had been totally brain dead for 18 months. Does this really add up to 9 years worth of difference though? In my mind, these two stories could not be more alike, They are about two mothers, who loved their children more than life itself and not only would have done ANYTHING for them ... they did!

And so the question on my lips tonight is why the huge inconsistency in the justice system? Kay Gilderdale, appears to have survived purely due to a technicality in my mind. It could not be proven in the end, whether Lynn died from the morphine she injected herself or the tablets that the mother gave her and so a murder charge was not even valid. Whilst I am over the moon for her and back her all the way ... surely it is the intent that matters? Was that really any different to Frances' intent... to simply see their child at peace? I could not help wondering if Frances has access to news? I hope not for her sake ... I am sure she would have a question or two?!!

Passion should be the fashion !

I could write about how I feel I have been flung from the refrigerator into the fire ... what with less than a week ago having to cope with sub zero temperatures and now back in Cape Town, where there is a 40 degree heat wave in town .... which even by our standards is HOT! But I shall not bore you with any more weather talk at the moment... but rather some promised thoughts on service issues during my recent trip to the UK.

Anyone that knows me, will tell you I have always been an extremely passionate person when it comes to my job ... or in fact most things I believe in I suppose, and find myself expecting or sometimes even demanding this from other personnel that I come into contact with. (This does not always make me popular!) Not only that of my own staff in my previous job, but those elsewhere too. There is nothing worse than being served by somebody that so blatently does not give a damn or want to be there. We all have our bad days ... but do you have to show it? People often ask me what the biggest differences are between SA and the UK? Well if you take the lack of Baked bean varieties, no Coronation Street and absoultely no chance of a white christmas out of the equasion ... when I first started working in SA, I remember answering this question to a new work colleague and referred to the hospitality industry mainly as that was what I knew best. In 1994, it was clear as daylight in the UK, that approx 80% of people working in a hotel from my experience, were there because it was their passion to do that job, they got a thrill out of going to work each day. The other 20% were there because it was simply a job, it was their best offer! I could not help notice though that in SA at that time, it appeared to be the exact opposite - ie: 80% of people were there just for a job ... and there was the odd 20% that showed some sparkle, but in general the service was quite shocking and the staff really hard work. I also took into account though, that poverty and lack of education played a big role in this.

Well 15 years later, I get the distinct feeling that the tables have turned again. The exact details are not really relevant, but while in the UK, there were several incidents where it was indeed obvious that the educated person serving us at the time, whether it be at a hotel reception, a train, coffee shop, restaurant or wine bar had better things to do with their time and they did the absolute minimal required.

Whilst in SA, although there is still a major skills gap in many industries including hospitality ... it was only during these two weeks, that I realised how far they have come since my arrival in 1994 (I am not suggesting I take the credit by the way!!). What they lack in know how, they make up for in passion and to me, It should always be in that order. Needless to say,I have done alot of thinking about this on my many flights and train journeys and the reasons as to why it should be so apparent? My first theory is that the UK's work force appears to have been taken over by Europeans, Polish in particular. Which whether this is right or wrong is a topic for another discussion - but it is definitely the reason for there being a distinct lack of passion. NOT because they are Polish, but because to them it is a job to pay the bills ...the route to a better life. Nothing more, nothing less, whilst I cannot blame them for wanting to earn a better living - it comes across in the service that this is their only goal. My other theory is that although the above scenario was and still is to a certain extent the case in SA - Poverty very much remains, the clear difference since 1994, is that the workers although still needing just a job, apart from learning new skills, they seem to have made the connection that a friendly attitude, is often rewarded financially in the form of a tip perhaps and seem to have genuinely bought into the tourism philosophy that every 8 tourists = 1 job. They are excited about how far the country has come and where it is is going, 2010 is their year and they want to make a difference!

I realise that in many ways, it is unfair to make the direct comparison ... it is not exactly apples with apples and it is very difficult to generalise from a just a few incidents. I also do not want to give the impression that I am slating the UK. Not at all ... apart from the fact that my roots and my family are there - I spent many happy years there and will continue to enjoy my visits. Likewise, I know that SA still has a long way to go in many respects ... I guess I just find it interesting and fascinating really as to what makes a person motivated in their job, where does the passion come from ....are some people just born with it? and if people don't enjoy their job, how on earth do they get through each day? I will let you know if I ever find the answer to this one!

It's Snow fun !

Back safely in the South African sun, where I now realise I truly belong and trying to get back into the swing of things in general ... including my slightly neglected blog! When I just saw that my last entry was December 30th, last year in fact! I found myself wondering why I had not updated it more often when away? I was not exactly BUSY ... stuck up there in the North Pole ... er, sorry Scottish Highlands! Before I got too overcome with guilt for my lack of blog content, I remembered that I had indeed signed in a couple of times with the full intention of entering an update - but there lay the problem, there wasn't one! An update I mean - it had simply snowed and snowed and then snowed again, off and on in fact for the whole two weeks I was visiting, end of story! I think I speak for everyone in the UK at present, except perhaps for the children off school - that snow can be really wonderful, beautiful in fact ....god, I was hoping for a white Christmas more than anyone - but after more than a week of it, the novelty well and truly wears off! I think Bing Crosby's "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" is about to be replaced with "I'm dreading a white Easter!" At least I knew I would be heading for some sun at the end ... Everyone else does not have an end in sight at the moment, well not one that isn't covered in cold, white fluffy stuff anyway! Good luck to you all...and hang in there. I really am thinking of you!(it is amazing how insincere one feels when sending such messages from a sun lounger... but really ...My thoughts are genuinely with you!) I will be back again very soon though with my thoughts and viewpoint on some recent service related experiences while in the UK and where I think things differ in general from SA, until then .... More sun tan lotion please!

More Snow !

Still in Scotland and enjoying the snow, with yet more on the way!! Very hard to imagine Cape Town sun right now,but not complaining as who knows when I will see it again!


A snowy sunset


Mum and Dad's scotties enjoying the snow

Snow good to be home!!

Having finally finished my errands, Christmas gift deliveries and final bits of festive shopping,it was late evening on December 21st when I headed back home from the city rather exhausted to say the least, but with the thought, that I must now start packing and preparing for my trip to UK the following day .... more importantly, my first Christmas with my parents in 24 years! With all these thoughts on my mind, I had completely forgotten, it was infact the longest day of the year in South Africa and was only reminded of this when hearing the radio presenter talking about the subject. Knowing that in a couple of days time, I would be thrusted into a long forgotten winter wonderland ,I decided to grab a takeaway and head for the Blouberg seafront to enjoy a table mountain sunset and view that I would not see for a couple of weeks - it did not disappoint. When I eventually retired that Monday night, it did not occur to me, it would be the last time I would sleep in a bed until early Thursday morning!!

My journey did not start well .... Having been glued to sky news for the last couple of days, about the transport and weather problems in the UK, it did not cross my mind to check if my KLM flight from Cape Town was leaving on time or not and simply headed to the airport at around 9.30pm, thinking this would give ample time to check out the new Cape Town International departures terminal, before flying at 00.50. As it happened, I had more time than I needed to browse, as my flight only left Cape Town at 03.00am! I just hoped this was not the start of things to come!. As it happened, I landed in Amsterdam to a white blanket of snow at 13.30 the following afternoon, just in time to catch my connecting flight to Edinburgh at 15.05, which surprisingly, actually left ten minutes early!! Once up in the air, it became clear how lucky we indeed were, apparently it had been snowing very heavily in Edinburgh all morning and ours, was infact the first flight of the day to even depart for the Scottish Capital ... wonderful, what could possibly go wrong now?

As we landed, I kicked myself for not having my camera handy - it was around 15.30 Uk time and the sun was just setting ,over a city that looked liked it had just been freshly iced ... all it needed was a cherry! As we flew over the famous Forth railway bridge, the scene below was truly spectacular one I knew I would want to share. Although not taken by me - this picture gives a idea of the view below. I was in Edinburgh at last ... I would soon be home!

Inverness is a three & ahalf hour train journey away, so had to first catch a link bus from the airport to the city centre. When stepping out of the airport to the bus, I received my first taster of the cruel Scottish weather, the cold literally took my breath away. Before I knew it, thirty minutes later I had arrived at Waverly station in the centre of Edinburgh, which despite the chill, was the hype of activity.Unfortunately my train was not for another couple of hours, as I had, had to leave enough time to allow for my flight being late. A quick glance at the departures board told me all appeared to be running well and more or less on time - great news. I phoned my parents to tell them I had arrived - the relief in their voice was clearly evident, following what had been a worrying morning for them, knowing that Edinburgh airport was closed! They confirmed they would see me just after 11pm, when my train was due into inverness - 22 hours after having left home, the final finish line was now in sight!

My two hours waiting in the station actually felt like 7 hours ,I had not expected the station to be so open. Any eateries or coffee shops opened directly onto the main station, where there was a brutal draught permanently flowing through ... I knew I was bordering on desperate when I asked in Boots pharmacy as to whether they sold gloves!! Having read about five mgazines & two newspapers ... I was soon relieved when I saw Platform 16 flash up on the departures board, advising me where I should now go to catch my train.

Although it was running very slightly behind time the sheer thought of a warm carriage and an opportunity to snooze was worth a few more minutes wait. I eventually climbed aboard,hauling my 26kg case behind me .... we were on our way! The first thing I noticed was how surprisingly slow the train was going, but not being a regular on this form of travel, I assumed it must be the norm. I then noticed I was not getting any warmer, infact I could feel direct freezing air blowing from somewhere! I looked around at my fellow passengers, wondering if it was just me feeling this way having been basking in 30 degrees sunshine just the day before? However, they all looked pretty chilly too!

We then got our first of what were to be several 'Passenger Announcements'! It appeared the train's middle engine had broken down. By the time we got to the next station, it was announced that the first engine was also on the way out and that this was the main reason why the heating was not working! We trundled on through a couple more stations, but it became obvious that the train was not coping at all meanwhile, we as passengers were starting to resemble snowmen!! Although I thankfully did not know it at the time ... it was apprently minus 16 degrees!! It was then announced that another train was on its way to meet us, that would pull us back to Inverness. Unfortunately though, by the time we reached Avimore, the train had stopped completely and so we waited for our new train to arrive. Yet another announcement told us, the train would be here in ten minutes and that they would like to offer complimentary drinks from the trolley ...except for alcohol, oh yes and they apologise that they are also out of hot water!! Big deal!!

The train did indeed soon arrive, but they then could not appear to attach to our train due to a problem with the electrics! All of this was debated with the doors wide open too! I was actually not sure of how much more I could take ... it had now been about 7 hours since I first arrived on Waverly station!! Eventually, one of the train management came up with the bright idea to transfer us all to the new train and leave the other one behind, why we had not done this an hour earlier, was beyond us all! At 01.30am, we crept into Inverness Station, where the few very patient relatives were waiting for some of the passengers including of course my parents. What a journey ... but home at last!

Despite not much sleep - the next morning I could not wait to venture into the garden, not having seen real snow now for about 15 years !! As I hurled a snow ball or two ... my takeaway on Blouberg beachfront somehow felt like a lifetime ago! Merry Christmas !!

Windy days and lazy dogs !

These days especially, there are very few things that we can be certain about. For example, We know the sun will rise and set each day, even if we cannot always see it.Table Mountain, in our lifetime at least, will continue to dominate the Cape Town landscape ... even when covered in cloud and we also know that Robert Mugabe is not going to win President of the year, not now ... or ever! Likewise, one certainty in my life is that my two scotties wake me up demanding their daily walk, at first sign of light EVERY morning,which for the record is 05.29 at the moment!!

A couple of days ago though, I awoke at about 6am, to hear the sounds of swirling wind outside .... nothing too strange really, just sounded a bit windier than usual. The thing that was strange, was that the two scotties were still sleeping soundly. Not wanting to waste any more time questioning this, I decided to simply take advantage and continue my snooze, half expecting them to suddently realise the time and pounce on me. To my absolute pleasure though, I slept through until about 07.50am, unheard of in my house!! The scotties were STILL sleeping!
I started to feel anxious,as this was so not the norm ... They normally howl and whine the place down until I give in! I decided to give them their breakfast early,to ascertain whether they were feeling ill. Not at all, they gratefully accepted it and when finished went back to bed!! . It was only a while later when reading the morning news on line that I realised the extent of how bad the wind had been .... 172 km winds to be precise, taking roofs off buildings, uprooting trees and causing damage all over the city. It was as if, a mini tornado had swept into town in the middle of the night! When chatting with a friend later about the wind, she happened to mention that even her dogs had not wanted to go out ..It was then that we made the connection.Our conclusion? Not only do dogs obviously not like strong wind, but they must have a built in dectection of it, as they knew about it long before I did! The bit I am still trying to work out though, is why they are happy to hang their heads out the car window!!

And the Oscar goes to ......

A week or so ago, I wrote about my concern as to whether 'INVICTUS' the new movie based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup would live up to everyone's expectations and hoped that it would not spoil what has come to be a very precious memory, not just in my life, but in that of 40 odd million South Africans.

What I did not expect though, was to actually learn so many more details of how that famous miracle came to be and unlike when you watch a film based on a true story from a previous era perhaps, one often walks away wondering which bits really happened and which were made up? But in this case, everybody knows, we are not only talking about something that happened in all of our life times, but also that Francois Pinnear and many others have been very involved with this film from the beginning and one feels immediately that it is a story being told exactly as it happened ... nuts, bolts and all, which of course, makes it all the more special and inspirational.
I for one am not ashamed to say that I wish I had taken tissues in with me ... especially when seeing the scenes of jubilation at the end in the Ferrymans pub at the V&A Waterfront ... just a few minutes around the corner really, from where I had been celebrating myself on June 24th 1995 in the exact same manner. There was a big difference though between me and them, which I only realised fully today having watched the film and the best way I can explain it is this... When I arrived in December 1994, although I did not realise it at the time .... it was as if I had picked up a book and started reading a novel, but instead of starting from the beginning, I had joined it in the last chapter ...thus reading the happy ending before, I had read the beginning. Since then, slowly but surely over the last 15 years, I have read the remaining chapters learning more each day about what this country and it's people have been through, to be where they are today. The film for me today, filled in all the pages of 'the book' that I may have skipped and made me realise that although that night in 1995 was certainly 'special' for me ... it could not have come close to the feeling of triumph and elation that every South African must have felt and deservedly so.
As I sat there watching the credits go up from one of the best films I have seen in a longtime - I smiled realising that the forthcoming 2010 FIFA Soccer world cup, was really the sequel to this amazing piece of history, except that this time I had had the privilidge of reading it from the beginning and with hopefully another happy ending on the horizon!

Its time ...

The last fews days, whilst caught up in the festivities of the FIFA World Cup draw, I have experienced many thoughts and emotions ... That of frustration when listening to Sky news on Friday morning still going on about the negatives of the country ...how it takes 11 hours to get to PE from Cape Town and the constant big question mark as to whether SA will cope!? Then,the sheer excitement when feeling the vibe and energy as I drove through the centre of the city on Friday lunchtime. That of harmony when enjoying a braai on Friday evening with friends and then turning the music off while we all crowded around the TV to watch the draw result ...The feeling of pride, when I opened the news papers the next day to hear that there had been 50,000 people partying in Long street the night before and NOT ONE arrest had been made ... and then pondering whether English football fans would be quite so well behaved? My point is ... I had no idea how I was going to sum all of this up for my now over due blog entry. But then whilst scanning the online copies of the British newspapers this morning - I came across an article from a British Journalist reporting from SA, who like many media people, had now seen a taste of what South Africa was capable of . I really could not have said it better myself ....

By Oliver Holt - Chief Sports writer for Sunday Mirror reporting from Cape Town

The 32 nations are in their groups, Fifa president Sepp Blatter has finished flirting with the TV presenter and everyone seems to think England have an easy draw. But the image that remains in the memory from last night’s World Cup draw here is not the expressions on the faces of men like Fabio Capello when they discovered their team’s fate. It is the sight of Nelson Mandela, old and frail now, but still the personification of all that is dignified and fine in humanity, staring out at the star-studded audience in the Cape Town Convention Centre through a camera. His message to a sporting world salivating about who was going to play who, where and when was beautifully simple. “It’s time,” he said. It’s time for football and its supporters finally to embrace the prospect of Africa staging the biggest event in sport. Time to realise that this is going to be an event heavy with significance and symbolism, a tournament that is about more than a series of football matches. It’s about Africa taking centre stage at last, about changing perceptions of South Africa and, at least in some small ways, improving the lot of some of the people who live here. Time to stop worrying about perceived problems and start realising that this is going to be one of the greatest and most joyous celebrations of the sport there has ever been. Time to start thinking about the residents of Soweto who are so desperate to transform negative perceptions of their country that they are inviting supporters to stay with them in their homes during the tournament. That way, they can see that life in the townships is not all about murder, rape and drunkenness. That way, they can see life there can be vibrant and full of warmth and hospitality.

“You have been to Soweto,” Bareng-Bartho Kortjaas, a senior writer for the Sunday Times in South Africa told me yesterday. “Did you need a police escort? Did a black man come running after you with a machete? “Even this morning, I saw a television report from Britain saying that our stadiums are all ready but that it doesn’t matter because some of our people don’t have running water. But we never said that the World Cup would bring everybody water. We never said it would cure everything. Come on, what crime have we committed that people should say these things about us?” BBK’s right. Ever since South Africa won the right to host this tournament, there has been fear and scepticism about what would happen. Fear about crime and security. Fear about whether the stadia would be ready. Fear about whether the roads would be roadworthy. Fear born largely out of ignorance.

A few weeks ago, there were even stories that the Germany players had been told to wear bullet-proof vests. Those kinds of precautions represent a preposterous overreaction to the dangers here. So do the plans by some travel companies to put armed guards on buses carrying tourists and supporters? There is violent crime here but there will probably never be a safer time to visit South Africa than next summer. That’s why Danny Jordaan, the man who inspired South Africa’s bid, said that this week had witnessed the “death of doubt” about the country’s ability to stage a fine tournament. He has a point. Some of the new stadia, particularly the ones in Cape Town and Durban, are stunningly beautiful and ready ahead of time. The Royal Bafokeng Stadium in the village of Phokeng, where England will play their opening game against the USA, is a striking new stadium too, built on the huge profits the area earns from its platinum mines. The Stadium is two hours from Johannesburg by car. Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, where their second and third games will be played, not only have no shortage of accommodation but are close to one of the most beautiful parts of the country, The Garden Route. But however the South African team fares in the competition, this will always be their World Cup, their chance to take another step away from the pain and the division that tore it apart for such a large chunk of the 20th century.

“In years to come,” Jacob Zuma, the South African president said last night, “people in this country and on this continent will talk about ‘before 2010’ and ‘after 2010’. That’s how important it can be for us. At long last, we can welcome the world to our soil.”

Lets dance ....

With not much more than 6 months to go until South Africa host the World's biggest event...I have to admit to feeling slightly disappointed about the lack of Football fever. I have written before about how the country was united by the 1995 Rugby Worldcup fairytale .... perhaps I have been hoping for a repeat? Once again it is not about winning... good god, there would need to be a miracle for Bafana Bafana to get any where near the final! I am talking more about the same camaraderie etc.

The last few days though have made me put all my doubts aside, what with all the preparation for the World cup draw that takes place in Cape Town tomorrow, the city is finally in the mood! It has been just a tiny taste of what we have to come next year .... street parties, VIPS in town, the world's media looking down on us and not forgetting the dancing of course!! Yes, incase you did not know, there is even a special South African World cup dance - The Diski dance .....

Forget the macarena. Forget the moon walk. South Africa's own diski dance is set to get the world jiving to an African rhythm when the football World Cup arrives on the continent for the first time. Click on arrow to play the video.



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