Have a Great Day

Cedar Primary School Sports Day

It's been rather a long time since I last wrote, but I've returned from my mad dash to the other side of the world, 4 days travelling and 6 days in South Africa. My trip on the way out will go down as possibly Worst Trip Ever - and I've had a few.
With a tight connection between Atlanta and Johannesburg to make (and only one flight a day) somewhere over Florida we were cheerfully informed that we were being re-routed via Birmingham, Alabama to re-fuel. But Have-a-Great-Day. We were then even more cheerfully told "Do not ask us any questions as we do not know what is going on. Here's the Delta Customer Care number. We suggest you call them. Have-a-Great-Day". Things then started getting seriously surreal. Luckily I could get a connection - from the plane - and managed to call the 'care'  centre, which was situated in Salt Lake City -  who then cheerfully told me that I was going to miss my connecting flight in Atlanta as I'd been re-routed, and that there was nothing they could do. But Have-a-Great-Day.

I then called Tyler in the BVI, who also called Salt Lake City ( I thought he might have a magic password or something - in retrospect probably Have-a-Great- Day) but Tyler renamed the line the Delta Couldn't Care Line, which didn't bode well. I  was then told they could re-route me via Amsterdam - but only the following day - which required a day in Atlanta and a long lay-over in Amsterdam, arriving Joburg on Tuesday morning (this was Saturday afternoon). This would have been a FOUR day journey. When I slightly freaked out at this (I had 3 meetings on Monday and was only in Joburg for 4 days)  I was told there was nothing they could do, but Have-a-Great-Day.

At which point, I'm ashamed to say,  I exploded. I said I was having a really @#&* awful day, thanks to them and if one more person told me to Have-a- Great-Day, whilst being extremely unhelpful, I was going to implode. At which stage I was almost threatened with air marshalls. At which point I shut up.  Tyler found me another flight on Expedia and I arrived a day late in Joburg with no luggage. I really dont think I could live in the States. Talk about passive-aggressive.



Pre-Gala drinks on the balcony - dressed up as Flappers



Joburg & Cape Town were a blur. I barely got time to see anyone and felt sad about this. The upside is that I'm going to spend a good few weeks working in SA over July/August and bring the kids with me. Tyler also wants to join us in August for a holiday, which he desperately needs. He's still limping and pretty tired from working 7 days a week. It was wonderful to be back in the manicured sublimeness of Joburg Suburbia and the Gautrain absolutely ROCKS. Joburg as a lifestyle destination is a globally well kept secret, since the general perception is Mexico City in Africa. The truth is it's more like St George's Hill. With sun.

The past week on the island has been maniacally busy. The kids had their Sports Day today and break up for Spring Break on Friday. After a bad start on Saturday, firstly dropping T off at 5am and then getting a flat tire, the Cedar gala fundraiser (Roaring Twenties) was a great success and really good fun. Every online 'flapper' outfit must have been sold out  and for some reason all the chaps came dressed up as Al Capone. For a tiny community (200 kids) we raised $170,000 (R1.2m). All the classes had to put together themed baskets and I did the one for Williams class called 'Master Chef' (which included baking classes with T) which was auctioneed for $2500.

Dave, kids & supper!

On Sorry Sunday, I had to get up and start baking for a tea party we were having for Hillary, our neighbour and old friend of Tyler's parents. Tyler was meant to be on Scrub by 5am but I think got in about 8am. We had various 'island family' round for a very pleasant afternoon on the balcony and some friends dropped in with a crayfish/lobster they had caught that afternoon whilst diving.

Last night we were woken up with the house shaking and found out this morning that it was a 5.1 earthquake - which was border-line scary. But whatever...

....have a Great Day!