South Africa: On Holiday

We are taking a break from the third world. Earlier in the fall we asked our missionary friends what they did during the long Christmas break, when the kids are out of school for four weeks. Most try to get away from Jos, since the kids get bored. The closest retreat is Miango and many families go there for Christmas. While Miango has comforts that are not available in Jos, it still has its draw backs. Our last extended family vacation was in August 2007, so we justified spending some savings for a REAL vacation and a chance to enjoy the privileges and luxuries of the developed world. We chose South Africa.
The airport outside of Jos was about as nice as any facility in the city, but as demonstrated by the sign, it was not first world. We flew to Lagos where we had a 7 hour layover that was extended to 9 hours due to a delay. We finally got on the plane after midnight and landed in Johannesburg at 7:30 am. We then had to go through immigrations and customs and buy tickets to Cape Town. We finally arrived in Cape Town at 2 pm, 22 hours after taking off from Jos.
Our stay so far has been pleasant. The only excitement has been my driving. We have rented (“hired”) a huge full size van to accommodate all six of us with our luggage. It has standard transmission and the driver’s seat is on the right, since one drives on the left side of the road. The controls are opposite American cars as well, so I am still turning on the windshield wipers every time I turn. We had a laugh last night after I frightened one poor teenage boy trying to cross the road. I made a sudden left turn into the appropriate lane and came to a sudden stop lest I run him over. His eyes were huge!
We have thoroughly enjoyed the conveniences of western civilization. We had a lovely seafood meal overlooking the Atlantic Ocean yesterday evening followed by a nice one mile stroll along the sea wall. We went to a grocery store in the evening. We were all frenzied with all the choices that we have not seen in 5 months. It is going to be a nice vacation.
Michael Mitchell, MD