Friday 14 June 2013

Frivolous Friday: Things I love about Africa 14 June 2013


It’s Friday! Yah!
Time to kick back and relax – with a book. Talk about being predictable.
For this week’s Frivolous Friday, I’m focusing on an African positive. 

It’s always a laugh when travelling overseas because the first question people ask when they hear I come from Africa is: “Do you have lions and elephants roaming the streets?” I immediately picture the grass hut they think I live in.

So, to answer your question . . . no, I don’t live in a grass hut. Neither do I have wild animals trawling through my neighbourhood. Unless you can call the tsotsis (a local word for criminals) armed with stolen weapons and homemade knives predators. Actually, come to think of it, we do call them predators. Amongst a lot of other derogatory terms.

We have to go to game reserves and national parks to see these magnificant creatures.

Another conversation that always raises a smile goes something like this . . . 

Ignorant foreigner: “So, you’re from South Africa. That’s just awesome.”
Me: “Yeah. I guess it’s pretty cool.”
Ignorant foreigner: “So tell me, where in Africa is South Africa?
Me: *stares blankly*
Ignorant foreigner: “Is it near Kenya?”
Me: “Er . . . Kenya is in East Africa, about three thousand miles from us.”
Ignorant Foreigner: *undeterred* “Oh, is it? Then are you close to Ghana?”
Me: *trying hard not to roll eyes* “Not exactly. Ghana is in West Africa. About three thousand miles away in the opposite direction.”
Ignorant foreigner: “Right. I knew that.” *long pause* “So where is South Africa exactly?”
Me: *smiling now* “In the south. Southern tip of the continent actually . . . “

I hope you like my lion pic. Andrew took it on one of his many travels. And talking about travels, some months ago I posted a Frivolous Friday on my brother Tom’s ride across Africa on a bicycle. See link here. Well, he and Andrew (my husband) are making a TV series about the adventure. Andrew is driving his 4x4 vehicle and Tom is on his bicycle.

They’ve put together a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production. If you are interested in helping two crazy guys make an amazing adventure travel, internet-based TV series, then please click on this link. If you like what you see, don’t be shy to share the news.

Have an awesome weekend.

Cheers
Gwynn

PS. I did live in a grass hut once for about a year, and I did have wild animals raiding the kitchen, but I’ll share more about that adventure in a future post.

PPS: Don't forget to drop into Elisa to see her Frivolous Friday.

Disqus for Gwynneth White