The last few weeks buzzed past in a blur of reports, end of term dramas and bouts of acute coughing fits. I'd like to state categorically that I hate coughing. This cough that attacked me is one of the most annoying ever. I just wish it would respond to medication and disappear. Where is Harry Potter when I need him? With a wave of his magic wand he'll make my cough go with a poof!
Despite the cough the term still managed to wind to an end with a few great barbecues as highlights. The sad part of the end of any school year is saying goodbye to colleagues who are moving on. It's one of the negative parts of international school teaching. Saying goodbye always means that things are going to change, new people are going to come in and things won't be the same. But different isn't bad and is often better. Change is hard though and as I get older, it becomes more difficult to cope with.
Like today when I decided to visit my favourite shopping centre in Cape Town, Tygervalley. All I wanted was a haircut. But they are revamping, you can't get where you want to go, shops have been temporarily closed, construction is everywhere. And I was miffed to put it mildly and just wanted to go home. This is when I thinks change sucks and I can't cope with it anymore. I know the finished product is going to make it a better shopping experience than it was before. Well, that's what all the billboards tell me. But that doesn't placate me. My hairdresser has disappeared and I'm disappointed. When I'm disappointed, then I'm not in the right frame of mind to handle change. I don't think I'll return to Tygervalley this holiday.
We're lucky we managed to arrive in Cape Town. The travel agent cocked up Siobhan's flight which I hadn't picked up. For our Joburg to Cape Town connection, instead of the 18 June, the agent had 28 June. After buying a new ticket for her it was sorted. Then while waiting for the plane to take-off, the pilot informs us that the plane is delayed while technicians quickly perform some repairs. Very motivating that was. Especially when he says the repairs are necessary as they have our safety at heart. While we were waiting the cabin crew escorted the three young drunk girls sitting behind us to the galley for a lecture on decorum on a plane. They were told to pull themselves together or leave the plane. Entertainment for the rest of us sitting waiting for an hour before the plane was fixed. Because of the technical problem, the plane had to low-fly below the clouds instead of above them.
As we arrived in Cape Town, the pilot announced we were the last flight to leave or arrive for the night as all other flights were cancelled because of the volcanic ash cloud that had arrived from Chile. So we were lucky we'd just escaped that.
So here we are in Cape Town and we have power. I can't describe how wonderful that is. The last few months in Tanzania the power has been the pits with daily power cuts. Despite the power cuts, or should I say - in spite of the power cuts, I managed to finish the first draft of How to say no to sex and other survival tips for the suddenly single. Now the editing and rewriting process begins.
If you're on holiday now then I hope you have a fantastic relaxing stress-free break. If you're at work, as they say in Swahili, "Pole sane!"
love
Cindy
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