I'm just flying out from the Windy City...

Written on Sunday 1st Nov

I'm sitting in the departure lounge of Cape Town airport. My time in the windy city has come to an end. It has been a surprising time actually... As I said in my last post it's a city of contrasts. As a visitor from a fellow Commonwealth country it feels like at times I'm in a very European/English city that despite being surrounded by a clipped accent is not that different from home. At other times, I feel like I'm in the text oc Out of Africa- Karen Blixen's masterpiece- surrounded by traditional African indigenous cultures, languages, communities. Cape Town is definielty a bilingual (at the least) city and it's not uncommon for me to have had no idea what is being said in the middle of a conversation as the locals flick from English to Afrikaans. (nothing more embarrassing than smiling and nodding and then the locals look at you because obviously you have never a word of Afrikaans in your life!!)
At work the mix of races is facinating. Oxford Sthn Africa publish in 10 languages and they have editors who are fluent in many languages. Very interesting combination of traditional cultures, a big muslim population & a big Christian influence.
It's been a fabulous time at Winchester. I've been treated like a princess and I've soaked in the sun. I sat opposite the beach with the doors open and the sea breeze brushing across my breakfast. I've been brought yummy food when I'm so tired I can barely move. I've had baths. Sat on my balcony. Had some good me time and proved to myself that I can do it.

Interruption. I had to stop the post so I could hop a flight to joberg. And so here I am opposite Wimpy the hamburger joint sitting in Mugg & Bean chowing down a toasted sandwich. It's 6 hours til my flight and I'm feeling ok. I'm gonna head to the gates sometime shortly so I can sit and try to get some work done. The airport feels like HQ of High Alert- definielty not the most relaxing place, but I'm glad my bags were checked the whole way through. Hope going through customs is alright and that my flight through to london goes smoothly and spaciously.... My flight from Perth to Joberg was barely full!!!
It was so lovely to have a home chat this morning. I hope it's easy to access those kind of connective comforts in Oxford.
I'm enjoying what I expect to be the last hurrah of summer for a while as I sit in just a tshirt. I hear that oxford is pretty chilly at the minute and I can feel some thermal underwear getting put to good use soon!!

This post has been saved on my phone for days now... Hurrah for free wifi!!

-- Post From My iPhone