Tuesday 13 May 2014

People love to talk.

When travelling there are lots of conversations to be had. Everyone I meet on my travels wants to talk about where I'm from, where I'm going and why I'm travelling.

I'm a friendly person and I love to chat, to anyone, anywhere, at anytime, through social media and face to face.

It's one of those things that rarely happens in South Africa, people don't just chat to you for the sake of it. If the cafe is full, they will wait for a table rather than join the one you're sat on.

I spent a lot of time comparing South Africa to the UK and South Africa comes up top every time I think about it. With an up coming move looming, no idea where or when and a recent trip to the UK, I've been doing quite a bit of thinking and although we are 6000 miles away from our children and families, I'm uncertain about leaving this beautiful country behind. I have many friends here that I don't want to leave behind also, but thinking about a move and the recent UK trip I've realised that I miss chatting to people, strangers on the bus/train (can't use public transport here) joining someone at a cafe and saying 'hello'

Whilst travelling around the UK with my 15yo son between Leeds and Bath, via Gloucestershire and South Wales, dragging cases and using public transport we've met so many people eager to chat with us about where we are from, where we are going and what we are doing. We've been asked numerous questions about the death of Nelson Mandela and whether we think Oscar Pistorius is guilty or not. Is it safe? Can I drive there? Can I go out at night? How many other British people live there? Do we live in an expat community? Is it nice having 24/7 sunshine? I tell them what I can and about my voluntary work and how we camped one night in a township. Yes it is safe, the sun is nice, I don't know many British people here and that I have no opinion of Oscar Pistorius.

I spend a lot of time in South Africa alone,with hubby working away and since the children moved back to the UK. We have visitors lined up, the 19yo is currently visiting, the 15yo is here for the school holidays in July and August and the 22yo is out in September with his girlfriend for a holiday. I have my volunteer work with my friends and I have valuable time with my hubby. The dog and the cat keep me company when I'm on my own, but it's quite lonely when I pop to the shops, I'm not used to shopping and drinking coffee in silence.

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