Day 2 21st Jan
Up and at ‘em. The children were up, breakfasted, washed and dressed and ready to go by 7am. I then tidied up, had a shower, ate my breakfast outside and drunk tea. Peter was gone for 90mins and I was starting to get a bit worried. Traffic here even on the side roads at rush hour is similar to a Friday evening at the M5/M6 or the Mall at Cribbs causeway on a bank holiday.
Kids already referring to ‘here’ as home, then correcting themselves, then adding well it will be home when we’ve got our own home.
Still not sorted the internet out, but now have local cell phones, this seems to be the only Americanised word we’ve come across to date. I was able to contact the agent for HSBC in the SA and armed with passwords, PINS and account details we are off to the Correspondence branch to organise it, without a local bank account we cannot get broadband connection, rent a home, and buy a car, even if we paid cash up front.
HR is coming to pick us up in an hour and is taking us on another whistle stop tour, this is the first time Peter and I have had anytime to ourselves just to sit, drink coffee and relax. We are very grateful to all the assistance we’ve received from the company, to date. I’m looking forward to next week with both kids in school and Peter at work. I plan to spend it in the local mall. We’re not tight but there’s a hell of a difference with food costs and toiletries, cleaning materials etc so I really need to spend some time familiarising myself with it all.
Just got one little task to sort out today and that’s Medical Cover and locating a dentist. I chipped my front tooth this morning trying to hang up a shirt, I put the coat hanger in my mouth…..idiot.
We’re shopping today for Picnic food for tonight at the school. It’s their family Braai night (Barbeque), stuff for pack lunches and equipment for Dan for next week as he’s on work experience in the community working with disabled children; they call them handicapped and retarded here which will take a little bit of getting used to. I shall use the words Learning Difficulties as will Dan when he’s there. Dan will also be on camp next week and away from ‘home’ for a night.
Well if you’re reading this now, it means WE HAVE INTERNET…no mean feat without proof of residency. I.e. utility bill or bank account. But hold your horses, don’t get carried away. We are on pay as you go, spent £70 on a dongle as mine wouldn’t work over here…again thanks (NOT) to Vodafone for not being worldwide, however I bought a Vodacom sim and a Vodafone dongle……either you’re connected or you’re not.
Med aid forms completed today and in operation with immediate effect, bank account sorted. The kids had a grand day at school, Dan even came home and did his homework, *faints* The journey there and back in the afternoon was just as time consuming so that will be the deciding factor on where we choose to live. Alex said there was so much rain that the pool flooded and the swimming gala was put on hold. I drove both ways, refused to go on my own for the first time, but have no problem with the journey next week when Peter is at work. I shall be stopping off, when I collect the kids at 2pm via the Mall, the farm shop and the dairy on a daily basis.
