South Africa

For the last couple of weeks I have been in this here house staying with my friends Angela and Josh in South Africa - in Baardskeersderbos which is near Gansbaai which is near nowhere exactly. Somewhere east of Cape Town and then east of Hermanus. I have been reading (Paul Theroux’s Dark Star Safari – Cairo to Cape Town over land), cooking, pottering in the garden, learning to crochet, playing with lego and living the life that Angela and Josh normally lead. A lovely life with a wonderful home at its centre.

For the last couple of days we have been in Stellenbosch for the opening of Josh’s art exhibition at an old winery there, Delheim. For the price of one of Josh’s woodcuts we are staying in a nearby lodge and so I have the luxury of wireless internet when the cafe is open.

So for a few minutes I have the chance of a quick blog. I've been thinking about what to say as my initial impression and I am sorry that it is negative rather than positive, when my friends have made me so welcome and I am so enjoying spending time with them

South Africa feels foreign, unfamiliar and uncomfortable when we are out and about in it. I can think of lots of things that are unfamiliar and unsettling but mostly I am uncomfortable being white in a place where that puts me in the small minority of people who have, rather than the majority of people who have next to nothing. I feel responsible here, simply for being white.

It's taken me half an hour to get that far with how I feel and here is my breakfast. A glass layered with yoghurt and muesli and fruit and honey with a frothy coffee on the side.

Next time I'll be better organised and have more to say about the beautiful places we've seen and the animals and the rest.

On Saturday we head off on a road trip to the Eastern Cape and the Great Karoo. More from there.