Introduction

Welcome to the endless safari.

We'll be trekking your way from between the toes, at the foot of Africa. The alternative adventure. The jocular journey. This is the text version of the morning jog, the afternoon ramble, the evening sundowner. It’s a personal, unabashedly subjective journal that strives to inform, enlighten, and entertain, to observe. To recap, to delve, and, if need be, to lie in order to tell you the story of our little transition adventure from the World of Work to the Wider World. And that wider world, for now, is the continent of Africa, particularly the Republic of South Africa.

Africa.
Mysterious and troubled.
The cradle of mankind.
Colonial pasts colliding with today’s corruption.
Gold, oil, diamonds.
Slaves, disease, starvation.
First World/Third World.
Bushveld meets high rise.
Birthplace of the rhythms of jazz and blues.
Rainbow Nation.
Kalahari Desert.
Topless beaches.
Townships.
Apartheid.
AIDS.
Gary Player.
Ernie Els.
Bishop Tutu.
Charlize Theron.
Nelson Mandela.
Zulu.
Xhosa.
Khoisan.
Afrikaans.
English.
Rugby.
Cricket.
Springbok.
Zebra.
Hippo.
Shark.
Elephant.
Giraffe.

Whale.

Yes, it’s quite a stew, or potjiekos, as they say here. So, follow us now as we tread into...

The Heart of Dorkness.