Saturday, September 5, 2009

South Africa is the leading act on the world stage at the moment. Every newspaper and magazine has something about the World Cup in it. I'm basking in the positivity for once. It is about time I say...

Anyway, times are tough on the employment side of things. It is my last day at the National Pandemic Flu Service tomorrow. They are shutting down our Call Centre. My 'efficient and reliable' agency did not inform me of this and so I had to piece together the pieces of the jigsaw myself. Will miss my fellow Swine Flu Agents. We have such a nice bank of people; good banter and laughter and quiz mornings, etc. Will be so very good to have my weekends back but need the money desperately to keep going so that I can eventually save and pay back a little debt. The other agency, that I do the probation office work for, still hasn't processed my tax forms so I am still paying emergency (highest rates) tax. Infuriating! The tax office will owe me a big rebate at the end of it all I hope.

Something very exciting happens on Wednesday next week though. I am off to Paris, France for a night with a friend from Piggy Flu Services. We disagree on everything about South Africa but get along very well otherwise. We're heading off on the Eurostar train with packed lunches and maps in hand. Neither of us have any money to spend so should be fun. We're staying at a hotel called the Armstrong (Hehe Tristan, thought of you when I booked). It's not far from all the sights and sounds of the "city of love". As you can imagine, France is another of my dream experiences so a little taste for the night will do just fine. We shall have to splash out on some good rooi wyn and a little bistro cuisine in the evening. So very lucky. The story is not so simple though...

It all started late one evening when Megan Mills arrived home from her pub job and I returned from some or other engagement. A wise man once told me that if there is one trip I make, it should be a journey to Munich for the Oktoberfest. I haven't asked him why it was so good but huge jugs of beer makes any situation fantastic. I haven't the money to do any travelling this year actually but I thought if I could see one little bit of Europe in the eight months I'm here, it should be a beer festival (yummy) in Germany. Mills and I sat at out miniature kitchen table amongst the washing up and bread crumbs and researched (in all fairness, Mills did most of the work) our cheapest flight and accommodation options. Three nights in a tent, breakfast, shuttles to and from the festival and flights to Munich and back is costing us about 170 pounds. Ridiculously reasonable. We were just so lucky. We even found an Oktoberfest hat (in the shape of a keg) in our cupboard in the lounge. If that isn't a sign, then I don't know.

It was too late to book an appointment with the German embassy, so I needed to get a multi-entry through France or Portugal. France seemed the obvious choice. Then the real drama of acquiring a Schengen visa began. I wrote French letters to the embassy, asked for a three month visa instead of six, and 150 pounds for a night in Paris and 115 pounds for a visa later, I am permitted to enter the country of Germany. A reasonably inexpensive trip becomes exorbitant! Broke as anything but extremely happy and grateful as that is why I am here, right?

It is officially Autumn here. The wind has become chilling to the bone and it is getting dark much earlier than it used to. Runs before or after work are unbearable, just can't wait for Winter. It's going to be awesome. Hehe.

Went to the Notting Hill festival on the bank holiday (public holiday) on 31/08/09. We arrived too late so had missed most of the action. There was a delightful little Jamaican girl dancing on the street though. Definitely my highlight of the afternoon. She could hardly stand but boy, could she dance. Warms my heart when I see a dancer, born with rhythm in her bones. She loved the cameras and everyone who passed, everyone, took a photo of her. She's clasp her hands together ans show off her perfect white teeth. Never seen a Daddy so proud.