Last time I wrote I was just about to set off for a few days in Joburg to see if I could charm our donors into parting with a few more pennies. All I was given was the name of the designated driver to pick me up from the airport – trusting that he would know where I was going! So i arrived at Joburg airport late Sunday evening, surveyed the boards…no Kathryn there…..cue phone call to Godright (the drivers name – honest) ‘oh, i didn’t know what time you were arriving’ – hmmm, clearly a well organised donor. Fortunately the guesthouse I was deposited in was absolutely lovely & more than made up for the hour spent waiting at the airport – especially the electric blankets in freezing night temperatures. Not too sure about the complimentary sherry though….
Funny old trip all in all. The other donor partners spent about an hour debating what the agenda should be, and then proceeded to completely ignore it. When we arrived at Xenophobia, I was a little surprised to find them slagging Nigerians for a good half hour….I should point out they were all black Africans, bar one strange American lady who thought the San were rich ?! As I was there to find funding I felt the need to be extra specially pleasant…and this became exceedingly painfully difficult when one obnoxious Nigerian hating partner started trying to get his hands on me at every opportunity and thought it was ok to pass me notes telling me he was going to marry me! I’ve never been so glad to get out of a meeting in all my life – I felt sick after four hours of that creep. I really appreciated the opportunity for some tlc later when I managed to fit in a visit to the hairdressers…followed by a takeout of Thai Green Curry – bliss!!!
Was surprisingly glad to get back to Namibia – but sad to say goodbye to my co-volunteer, Rob, who left Gobabis the night I arrived back. Since then I’ve also said goodbye to Hattie who’s returned to the UK for three months. The three of us had good fun together for a month – which was especially nice for Hattie & I after the stresses we’ve both gone through with our work.
Still there’s a steady stream of Gobabis visitors to keep me entertained – Renee & Roque – Canadian anthropologists with plenty of interesting tales to tell, Silke from WIMSA, Belinda (the crafts trainer) and this weekend two other volunteers – one of which proved v useful after bumping into an acquaintance in Gobabis who happened to date one of the guides at Harnas wildlife farm, Angelina Jolie’s favourite animal rescue place 150kms from Gobabis. Cue a fantastic complimentary guided tour this last weekend involving cheetah petting & lion feeding – it was an amazing experience to see these beautiful animals close up. Little freaked out when stood between a 3 stranded electric fence and the biggest lion I’ve ever seen, with the lion giving a warning roar & the handler telling us ‘don’t get him angry cause if he wanted to he could go straight through the fence’. Cue slow back steps towards the van….
I now have a new friend to keep me company in Gobabis – another Killer like the big cats, except he’s about the size of my handbag…..my little kitten Killer. He’s providing me with hours of entertainment, switching my lamp on & off & jumping out at me as if he were about as threatening as a Rottweiler. Fortunately he knows when to snooze and concentrate on keeping my toes warm too.
What I learnt this month:
- Africa has Autumn & Winter….which birkenstocks are not appropriate for
- It’s possible to have an RTA in Joburg without getting mugged
- Torture is…. a one winged vulture kept in a rabbit enclosure at Harnas
- Life is sweet when….you enjoy your first haircut in 9 months at a place that doesn’t involve braids or weaves.
- Life is a bitch when…..the heavens open after you walk out the salon door.
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