Life's Little (South African ) Pleasures

Pic: (Early Saturday morning) I got a large package from home. The wonderful thing is, Sarah doesn't eat Biltong, Pronutro or Maltabella! Mine, all mine...

Wrestling for the TV Remote!

I am very far from being an expert on women (or men for that matter), but the longer I'm married, the more interesting little discoveries I make regarding the differences between the sexes.

Take something simple, like using the TV remote:

When men use the remote, they skip channels until they find something that tickles their fancy. If not, they'll just keep on skipping channels: A soap opera! Duh. Skip. Economic news. Nope. Skip. Horse racing. Not in the mood. Skip. A police story.....uhm....nope, no exciting gunfights or car chases. Skip. Etc. Etc.
Women switch on the TV, find a channel and think: "What's this? Uhm, well, ok, let's work with it, let's grow with it, let's be patient. Maybe it goes somewhere..."

Men are hunters. Women are gatherers!

President's Day Safari

February 20th is President's Day in the United States and a public holiday for the weary. Sarah took me to West Palm Beach to experience a true American drive-thru zoo.
It was exciting enough getting out of Miami, and the Safari Lite we embarked upon was well worth the money and the ride North. The 350 acre+ park is divided into different sections, each serving as the 'hood for animals of different famous national parks from all over the world. This included, the Kalahari, as well as parks in India, Zimbabwe (The animals got outta there in time.), Kenya etc.

Halfway through our Corolla's aircon died on us and we had a taste of the animals' experience of Florida's humidity, with our windows rolled up!
Some beautiful specimens of rhino's, zebra, gazelle, Kudu, gemsbok, waterbuffalo etc. were strutting their stuff. There was some great photo opportunities and I included a few pics.

Unfortunately the lions went on their smoke break just as we arrived at their camp and only a lone sentry was there to entertain us. The sentry of course was a lioness for the males don't work. The lion king and his buddies sleep an average of 20 hours a day. This leaves only 4 hours/day to mark their territory, mate and eat. An awesome life and mindset in my opinion, although Sarah had serious issues accepting these males' attitudes towards their women.
Pic (above): Looking at these Waterbucks' expressions, they didn't try and hide their irritation at being inconvenienced when I asked them to pose for this group photo. Quite unprofessional behaviour, I'd say.

In the tourist recreation area, there was an elevated gazebo where you could feed the giraffe's. A few less exposed characters tried to attract these grceful animals by calling them like you'd call a dog. Obviously the giraffe in question did not respond and his "facial" expression was classic. "You talking to me? You must be joking lady!"

Here is a link to

The Lion Country Safari.

The Powerpuff Dragonboat Paddlers

Sarah and I were both selected for the Miami Dragonboat Racing Team after competing in the trials at the Miami Rowing Club on Sunday.

It was a pretty enjoyable experience, very different from normal rowing and fantastic to hear Chinese again! The rest of the team, mostly "old hands", seemed real nice. I'm sure we are going to enjoy this experience. The backdrop was the Downtown Miami skyline, a pretty sight.

Practice sessions are held twice a week, with the first official race in the middle of March.
Click here to check out their website:

Miami Dragonboat Racing

Ontvlugting van Valentynsdag

Valentynsdag is waarlik die versinnebeelding van kapitalistiese opportunisme. Nerens is dit meer waar as hier in Florida nie. 'n Wonderlike geleentheid nie net vir restaurant-eienaars en verkopers van verbruikersprodukte nie, maar ook vir die flinke middelklas entrepeneur om sy beursie te vul.

Desondanks is dit moeilik om nie deur die soms oorweldigende vlaag advertensies meegesleur te word nie. Ek probeer steeds vir Sarah oorreed dat ons 'n eie datum vir Valentynsdag moet kies en so die beurende, drommende kopersfanatiese gepeupel kan vermy.
Makliker gesê as gedaan. Of is dit?

Behoeftig aan 'n uitkomkans beraam ek en vrint James Fox toe gis'traand vir die twee vroue 'n piekniek langs die meer. Onder die skitterende skemerblou, by kerslig, glimmende water, die oerkop van 'n waterskilpad wat loer, keurig bereide disse uitgepak op die tafel, rooiwyn, samesyn.
Nie 'n siel in sig nie.
Stilte.

Diep dankbaarheid gisternag tydens gebed vir 'n eenvoudige gawe soos Liefde.

Pic: Our friends Jess and James Fox, Valentine's dinner, 2006.

Cold Front Hits the East Coast

The biggest Winter storm in New York City history buried the region, and much of the Northeast, in blowing thigh-high snow that disrupted life for millions of Americans in the affected states yesterday.

It has already been dubbed the Blizzard of 06, with temperatures dropping to the minus's (Centigrade). The transportation and commerce is momentarily crippled - a truly Calvin & Hobbes dream Monday for children, who awoke to a extra day of play in a fairytale world of sledding and skiing.

This freezing weather moved South across Florida as well and we're experiencing temperatures in the 40's. Being born and bred in Cape Town, I'm thrilled with the temporary weather change. It's a first for me having to wear a jersey here!

Talking about snow, the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, is in full swing. Once again, being raised in Cape Town, I've never skied in my life - not taking into account the skiing down the back of Wolf mountain in Franschoek, Stellenbosch on cardboards once, many moons ago. As such, I lack the appreciation of the skills involved in the events Sarah and I watch every night on Channel 9.
Gotta go skiing sometime...

News that Sell

A few nights ago we watched the news on one of the local news channels.
The main bulletin consisted of further news on the Egyptian ferry that sank and the hundreds that drowned, a known criminal that was caught in a Southern Maimi suburb, football, Britney Spears had some trouble with her sportscar and had to be pushed for nearly a block by local Beverly hills teenagers and commentary on Bush's State of the Union address.

Further airtime was dedicated to the Iraq war, new Florida legislature, the passing away of a local celebrity, a forecast on the property market in Southern Florida for 2006 and governor Jeb Bush's anouncement on new Education incentives for teachers....

Spot the news item that clearly doesn't fit, but (sadly) propably sells the best!

Anniversary Time!

It was exactly 365 short day's ago that Sarah and I stood on Llandudno's beach in Cape Town and promised our eternal love to each other, before men and God.

It's been a heckova year! The so-called three big stress-factors have been involved: Marriage (Try TWO wedding ceremonies!). Moving (How about accross continents and cultures!). Changing jobs (Still changing!). And add some more unsettling experiences to the mix, for example a Xmas spent in a Taiwanese hospital bed, and it becomes an unforgettable year!

It's certainly not a year we'd like to have over again, thank you. But nonetheless an unforgetable year in which we've both growed and learned much. As a young married couple, we have plenty of tales to tell.
So many memories, emotions, blessings, experiences, laughter, tears - I'd rather leave it at that. And of course the frustrations experienced adapting from our life in Asia to American society.

Given Sarah's very stressful job, I took her for a massage terapy session on Saturday afternoon. Afterwards we hit South Beach and had a memorable dinner and some quality "us"-time in the trendy Lincoln Road cobblestone-shopping area.