Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
Today we're staying in the hotel that was built for the Span national football team when they played here in the 2010 World Cup - which they won. I'd like to see that as a good omen for our time here! It's certainly an eye-opening experience, for contrasting reasons; the natural beauty is phenomenal but, with that, has come an irritation for me personally in the form of tree pollen allergy. Apparently, Potchefstroom is the allergy capital of South Africa, and as soon as our attentive hosts discovered my affliction they whisked me off to a local medical centre where a needle was unceremoniously plonked into my rear end and a cortisone injection duly delivered. Two hours later, I feel on top of the world...My last (and only previous) visit to South Africa was with the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate in 1998. The country was then only four years our of the old regime, and changes were happening rapidly. At first glance, things seem to have slowed down, and much has developed. I look forward to seeing how over the next ten days or so.Being a wine lover, this country is something of a Mecca for me (is one allowed to use Mecca when discussing alcohol? Possibly not...) and as well as the concerts, audiences and landscape I can't wait to sample local wine from a few wineries at the end of the trip - we'll deserve it by then! Our genial hosts were kind enough to invite significant others to come along with us, so four of us await our loved ones on the early-morning 'plane tomorrow. For my little Bella, accompanying Stephanie alone, it promises to be an eye-opening experience. We live in rather a bubble in south-east England, so the chance for her to experience a completely different culture and lifestyle was one that we as parents didn't feel able to pass up. Tomorrow we have a cultural exchange at which we'll teach some Western Classical Music to a local choir and, in return, will be taught some African music. I can't wait!
