With this Flag...

Necessity is the mother of invention and nowhere is this more apparent than in South Africa when it comes to job creation. There’s no social welfare here, so if you don’t have money or any means of earning it, you don’t eat. The downside is, that with high unemployment, many turn to crime through desperation.

But not everyone. The more enterprising create jobs for themselves. Hence the large number of vendors at each and every traffic light intersection here, selling you everything from clothes-hangers to intricately hand-made children’s toys, such as hanging baby mobiles. Most however, have created jobs for themselves in the fastest growing industry in this crime-ridden country - protection. No matter where you park your car, someone will be on hand to look after it in exchange for a tip. At the beach, outside a restaurant and even in public car parks, you will find these self-appointed car guardians, who for a modest five rand (50 cents) will keep an eye on your vehicle. With hundreds of cars coming and going during the day, this I imagine can be quite lucrative if not boring.

Best prize however goes to the enterprising young woman on Hout Bay beach who picks up your dog poo in exchange for a donation, removing the need for carrying a plastic bag and doing it yourself. She does this by handing you a green flag on arrival which you plant in the sand beside your doggy do. This has a two-fold benefit, in that it not only clearly marks the spot for her to clean up but warns other barefoot beachcombers where not to tread. A service, that most agree is worth every cent!

Foot Fetish

I have decided I have a latent foot fetish. Ever since I don’t know when, I’ve enjoyed running around bare foot. I have had to deny myself this pleasure for the most part living in Ireland because the ground is inevitably wet or cold or both. Like most people at home, I only dispense with my socks and shoes when walking on the beach or going to bed. (Although, I’ve been known to wake still wearing my shoes…) I also like driving barefoot. (Try it some time, it’s very liberating…)

Africa is the perfect place to come out of the closet on this one. No-one bats an eyelid if you wonder around sans chaussures. Even in the cities. The other day, I did my shopping in upmarket Woolworth’s (which is South Africa’s M&S) au pied naturel. No-one even looked at my feet. (Imagine if I tried that in M&S in Belfast or Dublin? I would be thrown out or at least escorted to the shoe department).

I've just been notified today that I may have to appear in court as a witness to an assault. It happened on Halloween night while attending a birthday party in Long Street, Cape Town. Suffice to say, I was chatting to one woman when another woman appeared from nowhere, shouted something and punched her in the face. (Nothing to do with me, I might add!) My contribution to this event was to pull the attacker off. Unfortunately, I know both the women and the issues involved which puts me in the awkward position of testifying against one of them in favour of the other. It's a no win situation for me but I will tell the truth if asked.

Writer's Blog

I’ve been trying to sit down now for over a week to write this. I’ve done everything to avoid it. Not because I haven’t had anything to write (so much has happened in last ten days!) but because I’ve lost my narrative train of thought. That’s the problem with writing a blog which is basically a journal. You miss a few days entries and it becomes increasingly hard to pick up from where you left off. Anyway, I will try.

Just to recap, Elle and I had to leave Bulawayo for Cape Town earlier than scheduled because her step-father Brian had a heart attack two weeks ago. (Just out of interest, Brian’s family comes originally from Sligo, so the Irish already have a flag planted in Elle’s family!) Fortunately, Brian, 72, has since made a full recovery and now describes himself as ‘embarrassingly well’. He is a very interesting and cultured man, what we Irish would call a true ‘gentlemen and a scholar’ and the dash to Cape Town was worth it, just to make his acquaintance. Elle’s Mum is lovely too and it’s great to meet an older, happy couple who seem to complement each other so well.

Elle and I are staying with friends in a place called Hout Bay on the western seaboard of Cape Town. It’s a stunningly beautiful part of Cape Town, a valley surrounded by ragged, high mountains, leading down to a pristine, aquamarine bay and harbour. It’s really picture postcard stuff and trying to describe it in words doesn’t do it justice.

It’s strange being back in a modern city again with nice restaurants, traffic lights that work and ATMs that give you cash. I have to say that my first cappucino in months was an 'Ice Cold in Alex' moment.