Taking the adventure Aslan sends
‘It’s OK, I’m with the AA’ – tag line for The Automobile Association I had planned to write this blog about the wonderful writer’s retreat in Wales that I attended last week but it’s been somewhat eclipsed since then by the epic journey that finally brought me back to Surrey. Perhaps I’ll return to it … More Adventures with the AA – ‘the fourth emergency service’
“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.” – Winston Churchill (speech 10th June 1941) So, while everyone was frantically casting their vote in South Africa, we left them to it and boarded a … More Ready for Lift Off
Nkosi sikelel’ Afrika – South African National Anthem and translation Nkosi sikelel’ Afrika (God bless Africa), Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo (Let its horn be lifted up), Yizwa imithandazo yethu (Hear our prayers), Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo (God bless, we are His family). Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso (Lord, save our people), O fedise dintwa le … More ‘The Call To Come Together’
‘The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.’ – Albert Camus Congratulations are currently pinging around, which is rather wonderful. It’s all because I have a new book baby making it’s way into the world this week. ‘Haven’t you just had one of those?’ I hear you ask . Well … More Congratulations: it’s a Book!
‘From one citizen you gather idea that Mauritius was made first, and then heaven, and that heaven was copied afterMauritius’ – Mark Twain; from ‘Following the Equator’ I am back, safe and sound from my two week holiday on the island where the last Dodos died. Mauritius has been a wonderful early celebration of a … More Island Life
‘Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly.’ – Van Morrison It’s been a long time coming, but clear on the horizon I see the glimmer of a two-week holiday. I’m not complaining – trust me – I’m fully aware that we get to do great things, see fabulous places … More Leaving on a jet plane
‘Just like any other chaotic African country’ – a local So said our friend as we ground our tentative way over gravel roads, in and out of spine-jangling potholes, past the incongruously shiny Chinese and American embassies of the capital, Maseru, and back into South Africa from Lesotho. He’s travelled all over Africa, so he … More Lesotho
‘The mountains are calling and I must go’ – John Muir (1838-1914) naturalist and environmentalist This past week or so has seen us travelling to the Free State province of South Africa to visit friends who used to live in Cape Town. Flying into Bloemfontein we had a bird’s eye view of the vast spaces … More Mountains and scars
‘Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.’ – JK Rowling Happy Birthday, to my blog! This is my 100th posting, so it seems the perfect time to celebrate the wonder and power of words which are, after all, the life and soul … More CENTENARY CELEBRATION
‘Praise be to God, the first wine was made from Cape grapes’ – Jan van Riebeeck from his diary entry on 2nd February 1659 It’s a birthday month for the South African wine industry, and with hundreds of wineries there are plenty of opportunities for people to join the celebrations, propose a toast or two … More Cheers!
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