Nicky's Space: Fragments

It feels like every place we go, every encounter, every memory, every moment is a fragment that either ads to my heart or breaks it a little.....its a strange feeling...... I still feel like I am living in the middle of two versions of myself.....although maybe, just maybe, feeling a little bit more like the South African me.....although unless I get a decent cup of coffee soon I might relinquish my birth right! ( I won't mention wifi or air con lest I sound like a whiny "American" tourist)

I am amazed at how much my Afrikaans has returned and also so interested in the children's interest in the language and their connections to French in the words they see. Lindsay has perfected the South African accent and says "Yo", "Ag", "Shame", "Eish" at every opportunity..... what have we done!

So many things still seem familiar although now that we are out of the Cape and into the Overberg, less so, but the landscapes still tug at my heart.

And the familiar discomfort of the juxtaposition of the poverty and the wealth has settled on my shoulders. How to explain it all to the children......they say they were mostly prepared for what they are seeing but they don't like it....they don't understand "why"...... how lucky are they that they have little reference for the scourge of Apartheid......that they have lived only in a democracy.....they have made me so proud with their reflections and questions....David is reading The Covenant as we travel.....what an experience for him.

South Africans are by in large super friendly and welcoming (except for our last B&B which will not be receiving a good review) and we found ourselves sometimes being Canadian and sometimes just dialing up the South African accent to avoid explaining how we are from "here" but not really.....

I miss home too...... I played Mumford and Sons in the car as we drove to the Southern Most tip of Africa today where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet because it reminded me of friends at home. I love the What's App messages and FB messages with news of home.....how much fun was the snow? How much I miss Starbucks - just kidding (sort of)....... It doesn't feel like Christmas here at all.

Tomorrow is a big day here - the official State Funeral for Madiba - this country has pulled out ALL the stops to make this an honouring and respectful moment.....there is no mistaking what is going on here....its on every radio station, every newspaper (I am sure on every TV but we have not seen any TV)....I have no idea what is going on in the rest of the world. We will pause tomorrow and stand with the people here and remember the man who changed this country.

And so here we are tonight in a little town, a mere dot on a map, far far away from home, in a totally charming and eccentric guest house.....we are off to have a lovely dinner after enjoying a beer in the beautiful gardens where the breeze was lovely..... eating out is SO cheap here it's crazy.....and the food generally good.....

We head on into the Karoo (or desert) tomorrow and some serious heat......we have had perfect weather every where we have been - so blessed.

Allan is definitely on the mend but has a hacking cough and terrible allergies in his eyes, Lindsay is battling through the cold but also on the mend and David is better.......I fought a valiant battle but now have a cough too.......thanks for the prayers - keep 'em coming! (JC - get the right saint ok!!)

Signing off with a few photos before we wander through this sleepy town to dinner.....