Norman Wilkinson -Razzle Dazzler

The latest addition to the Famous Wilkinsons page is Norman Wilkinson. Norman invented dazzle camouflage (also known as Razzle Dazzle by the Americans) for use in World War II. Ships were painted with crazy colors and lines to make it more difficult for the enemy to determine their distance and direction of travel. Fascinating!

South Africa, Day 6

The story so far:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
• Day 5 (part 2)
  

Waking up at 3am is starting to be a bad habit. About 5 hours of sleep a night plus a nap in the middle of the day seems to be the new norm for my body. This should be interesting on my return to the US, especially since I don’t arrive with a weekend buffer to aid in the recovery. A day starting at 3am that is expected to not end for well more than 24 hours is probably not the best idea, either. In any case, I had time to get most of my belongings repacked into my suitcases before time for the morning 5:30am safari.

The last safari was an eventful one. We came upon a young male elephant at a watering hole, and he felt necessary to stand in front of us and demonstrate – flapping his ears and lifting his trunk into the air - for a moment. There was no danger, but it was exciting. We later came into a family of elephants (including a very cute little baby elephant) walking down the road towards us. They weren’t planning to go around us, so we had to reverse to get out of their way. The big mother made a few nervous moves toward us, but nothing enough to alarm the guides. It was just exciting enough to be fun and a terrific and unique experience. We also got a call that the lone cheetah on the reservation had been sighted and got a chance to get a close look at him, too.

At the coffee break, Lazarus picked us some wild mint to smell and told us about some of the native medicines that his mother had used from the bush. We stopped a few more times so that he could show us other wild herbs and plants. We even got to try a sour fig direct from the plant. It was ok, a bit tart, and with a nut in the middle that tasted a lot like an almond.

After breakfast, I finished packing and the staff (Lazarus, actually) came and took my luggage to the car and brought the car around to the front. It was with a sense of sadness that Roelf and I left Etali to return back to the industrial world. In reality, 2 full days / 4 safaris was about the right amount to avoid too much repetition. I suppose if I’d been into the wines and spa experiences, it might have been worth another day, but the amount of time that I was gifted with was perfect.

The ride back to Johannesburg was much like the ride up, with crushing poverty and awe-inspiring natural beauty. We passed platinum and chromium mines, people walking the streets in the Sunday best, innumerable signs for car washes and hair stylists, tons of construction in preparation for the 2010 World Cup, and a surprising amount of traffic for an early Sunday drive.

We arrived back in Johannesburg about 7 hours before my flight, and Roelf #2 graciously took me to his home and let me fall asleep in his guest room for a few hours. Roelf’s house also serves as his wife’s veterinary practice, and the dogs greeted me warmly. The amount of security required at private residences and business is depressing, even for (or especially for) those that experience it every day.

For anyone planning to visit South Africa, it is good to know that the airport has a huge variety of native artwork for sale, as well as a big selection of duty-free diamonds. Too bad I’d already bought my limit of gifts for this trip, but I’ll remember for next time.

The plane had some problems with weight and wind and, apparently, the inability of anyone at Delta to perform some basic math, resulting in us taking off well after midnight. The plane sang happy birthday to one passenger who turned 11 while we sat and waited on the tarmac. Eventually, however, the plane took off and I left Africa behind.

Until next time.


The rest of the story:

• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments

XChange Blog #2

It was mangled a bit in editing (although the "mbps" instead of "megabytes" error is my own), and it's about 2 months late in being published (which makes the "last week at Cable-Tec" line a bit stale), but my latest XChange Blog entry is now published for my reader(s)'s pleasure.

Enjoy, comment, and disparage as you see fit.

South Africa, Day 5 (part 2)

The story so far:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
  

After awaking in a quiet and dark room, it was marvelous to be able to relax, write, and read at my leisure. After a rushed week so far, it was refreshing and rejuvenating and prepared me for the next safari, which started around 4:30pm.

The evening safari was highlighted by a gorgeous sunset with storms forming on the horizon and lightning flashing in the distance. There is nothing more beautiful in the world than the sight of an African sunset seen from the bushveld. Words cannot do it justice, and the pictures only tell part of the story. As we neared the end of the safari, the rain started coming down and we had to don ponchos for the final sprint back to the lodge. The rain didn’t keep it up for very long, and did not affect any roads the next day, so it was just another adventure to add to the memory bank.

It was quite windy, so there is a lot of wind noise in the video. I apologize in advance and recommend you adjust the volume accordingly.

After the safari, the lodge had a special dinner with multiple courses and a wine tasting/pairing. Since all of us guests now knew each other from the safaris, we all sat together at one table, which was very entertaining – especially as the night wore on and the wine glasses were repeatedly refilled. Everyone got along swimmingly, it was fascinating hearing the different life experiences and views, and we laughed late into the evening.


The rest of the story:

• Day 6
  
• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments

South Africa, Day 5 (part 1)

The story so far:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)

An elephant at the watering hole trumpeted around 3am, extending my series of five-hour nights. I spent an hour writing and managed to shower before the morning safari, which probably made the safari experience better for everyone else. Plus, as the first stand-up shower in several days, it was a memorable experience for me, too.

The morning safari was shared with a young couple (she was at the lodge writing an article on wine and the wine tasting planned for the evening) and an older woman with a very interesting past as a physician and world traveler. This safari was heavy on the lions, as we spent some time up close and personal with the couple from the previous evening and some juveniles playing near us. There were elephants and zebra, wildebeest, dung beetles, and more. Again, the pictures tell the story better than words.


In each safari, we stopped at some point for drinks and snacks, and our guides Eugene and Lazarus set up a little table on the front of the jeep. It was nice to get a chance to walk around in the bush a bit and get the feel of the land. There was some worry about ticks, but bug repellent was always available.

The way that Etali runs the safaris, our guide (Eugene) drives the car and our tracker (Lazarus) sits on a chair bolted to the front of the jeep. Lazarus was actually born in the Madikwe area and knew all sorts of interesting things about the plants and animals. He also had amazing eyesight and was able to see animals and tracks long before the rest of us could. Eugene was an encyclopedia of interesting facts about the flora and fauna and made the safaris a terrific overall experience.

We returned from the safari in time for a big breakfast with one of the best omelets I ever ate. Thinking it must be close to noon, we agreed to meet back at 4pm after a short nap. Upon returning to the room, I discovered that it was only 9:30am. It’s amazing how much can be done before 9:30 in the morning when the day starts at 3. With all of the extra time, I spent some time soaking in the outdoor tub and enjoying the view and then I slept for at least 4 hours straight. I’m starting to get a little worried that I’ve turned into a cat.

The rest of the story:

• Day 5 (part 2)
• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments

South Africa, Day 4 (part 2)

The story so far:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)

At the gate to the Madikwe Reserve, there is a small guardhouse and a manually operated lift gate. The ranger checked our names on his list and called up to the Etali Lodge where we would be staying, had us fill out a few forms, and gave us general directions to the lodge.

A few notes about the Madikwe Game Reserve. It was formed by the government of the Northwest Province from land that had been used for farming. The farm income had been around 400,000 Rand per year. The game preserve income is well into the multiple millions and employs many more people. Since it used to be farmland, much of the reserve is still relatively cleared out, and the reserve management is slowly getting the land back into its original shape. The animals on the reserve are all indigenous to the area, but were almost entirely relocated from other areas in the largest mass relocation of animals in history. The reserve seems enormous and is the 4th largest reserve in South America, but is dwarfed by the more popular Kruger reserve. Unlike other reserves, no vehicles are allowed off of the few major roads except for park vehicles. Within the park are about 11 private resorts like the Etali Safari Lodge where we stayed. The guides from each of the lodges communicate over radios, which ensures a much higher probability of seeing spectacular wildlife in a short visit.

The true size of the Madikwe Reserve became obvious as we drive through the gate and started on our way to the lodge. It took over 30 minutes to get there on dirt roads that twisted and turned for over 20km. Along the way, we spotted zebra, warthogs, and impala along the sides of the road. At one point, we were sure that we’d made a wrong turn and would just pop out on the other side of the reserve at any point (not necessarily a good thing, as the other side of the reserve was the border with Botswana). Eventually, we found the one sign in the reserve that pointed to our lodge and pulled up to the front reception where the staff was waiting for us with wet towels and glasses of fresh fruit juice.

The Etali Safari Lodge is set up on the edge of a man-made watering hole that attracts wildlife all hours of the day and night. Inside, the Lodge is gloriously luxurious, with all the services of a world-class resort and spa. The staff took our bags while we signed in, and we were given a brief tour of the main areas and escorted to our rooms.

My room was built into the side of the hill, with natural stone actually part of the room. It had a mini-bar (no charge), an enormous bed, a very secluded deck with a private whirlpool, a bath/shower combination like in the hotel, and an indoor and outdoor standup shower (hallelujah!). The rooms are air-conditioned and mosquito treated (although there have never been any mosquito problems reported in the area), and mine had a spectacular view of the bushveld and part of the watering hole.


We arrived with only about an hour to spare before the evening safari, so I changed into shorts (it’s hot in the summer in Madikwe) and my new safari hat. Roelf and I were the only ones on this safari, so it was like having a private reserve to ourselves. On this first safari, we saw elephant, rhinoceros, giraffe, lions, impala, and more, including a pair of lions in the distance roaring. The descriptions don’t do it justice so I’ll have to rely on pictures.

We returned from safari in time for drinks while watching the sun set followed by a magnificent dinner down next to the fire pit. The food was all served in bowls and platters sitting in hot coals, and while I did not recognize everything, I did eat some of everything. In the middle of dinner, the black African staff sang a set of traditional songs that perfectly set the mood for the day. The bugs were a little persistent, but every glass was provided with two coasters – one for under the glass and one for on top of the glass. We even had a praying mantis on our table for a little while.

By what seemed like midnight but was actually closer to 10, it was time for a well-deserved night’s sleep in preparation for a 5am wakeup call and 5:30 safari the next morning.


The rest of the story:

• Day 5 (part 1)
• Day 5 (part 2)
• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments

South Africa, Day 4 (part 1)

A long night’s sleep is about 5 hours, apparently, and I was wide awake with plenty of time to get ready and start packing before breakfast at 7am.

Pieter arrived just before 9am, and we went directly to the curio shop. On the way, we passed the American embassy, which is built like a fortress and mostly underground. It doesn’t exactly scream “welcome friends”, but I suppose it was a product of its time. Still, I had to cringe a little at the sight.

The curio shop drained my financial reserves completely, as the variety and quality made it impossible to settle on one (or two, or three, …) item. Plus, I had permission from my lovely wife to buy African art, so there was implied permission. Handmade baskets made of telephone wires are particularly spectacular, as is the beadwork, carvings, batiks, masks, and much more. I will need an extra suitcase to bring everything home, and fortunately I brought one (stuffed into my other bag so I didn’t have to check luggage).

After the curio shop, Pieter and I stopped next door at a pancake franchise. While not hungry enough to order food, I did enjoy a fruit juice while perusing the menu. The pancakes are more like crepes, filled with a variety of savory or sweet options. I wished that I hadn’t eaten breakfast at the lodge and had waited until the pancake house instead, as the options were mouthwatering.

During our conversation, I mentioned to Pieter my inability on the previous day to find a hat that fit, and Pieter took that as a challenge. He took me to another branch of the same store nearer to campus where, to my surprise, they actually had an XXL in stock. So I now was completely kitted for the bush and, likely, would stand out as an obvious tourist. Perhaps not as an American tourist, though, but more as a native tourist.

Pieter returned me to the hotel in time to leisurely pack all of my belongings into two now very stuffed suitcases. The duffel bag got all of the art, cushioned lovingly by wads of dirty laundry, so that I would not have to subject those beautiful objects to the vagaries of airport luggage manglers. Now all I have to do in ensure that my fellow travelers don’t crush everything trying to fit their own, lesser, souvenirs and dirty laundry into the overhead bins next to mine.

Roelf #2, who just happens to be the dean of the college of engineering at the University of Pretoria, volunteered to be my traveling and safari companion for the remainder of the trip and turned out to be a fabulous companion at that. I enjoyed our conversation on the 3 ½ hour drive up to the Madikwe park and, indeed, throughout the weekend. Again, I felt very welcomed and at home throughout the trip – above and beyond what would be expected of a traditional business trip.
The drive up to Madikwe was enlightening in many, many ways. I got to see parts of Pretoria that I had not seen before, filled with people going about their business; and I got to see the “real Africa” outside of the cities, something unlike anything I have seen before.

We had some trouble with the GPS to start, as it led us on a winding route through the city (so some things are the same in the US and in South Africa). At one point, as we were crossing an intersection, the traffic came to a stop completely. Moments later, a police van came screaming onto the scene, stopped just in front of us, and police began pouring out. Roelf #2 very wisely decided to turn onto the cross street so that I did not have a very different Africa story to tell upon my return.

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, and most of the downtown buildings appear to be government related. The city is crowded, but not New York City crowded. There are bus taxis everywhere, and they all seem to either be crowded with people or sitting idle in parks on the side of the road. Women carrying suitcases and other parcels balanced on their heads mingle with men in business dress (not suits, though). People trying to sell you something or asking for money or offering to take your trash for a donation are at nearly every intersection. (One memorable young man had a cardboard sign reading “I would rather die of hunger than steal to live.” Another had a handwritten sign that said “support our cricket team”. Both seemed very innovative to me, but maybe that’s through the eyes of a visitor.)

Eventually we left the city and started northwest on the highway. In many places, the highway was wide open and looked generally like any other highway in the world except for the lack of ubiquitous McDonald’s signs (not necessarily a bad thing). Eventually, however, the road started having stop signs at intersections and slower speed limits as we passed through towns, which gave me a chance to see more of Africa outside of the cities.

What Americans would consider shanty towns are everywhere by the roads. Houses not more than 10 feet by 10 feet (if that) made of corrugated metal comprised entire towns with the occasional shipping container thrown in as a store or larger home. Sometimes there were larger homes with fences and gates (and sometimes there were smaller homes with fences and gates), but even the large homes were small and surrounded by dirt. It was a scene that would be soul crushing in most of the western world, but is the best that South Africa can do at this time. The government gives people a house if they ask for one, which is better than (for example) the slums outside of Mexico City, but the government cannot possibly afford anything substantial for the huge and growing population immigrants and refugees flowing into the country.

Everywhere there are people walking on the side of the road, waiting for buses, and trying to sell something or ask for money at every intersection. Cows and goats wander into the road and can be a hazard especially in the higher speed areas of the highway. The scenery is achingly beautiful thanks to recent rains and contrasts starkly with the poverty.

Along the way to the reserve, we crossed a significant dam. The road is only one lane wide on top of the dam, so traffic is stopped in the other direction while cars past. Of course, there are people selling goods along the side of the road while traffic is stopped. I imagine they change sides when the traffic goes the other way. The spillway of the dam was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, even when rushing past (nowhere good to stop and we had a deadline to meet). The water cascades over a series of rocks and into an iconic African river with a waterfall cascading in the distance. Words cannot convey the captivating beauty of the place.

The last place to stop for gasoline on the way to the reserve is outside of Sun City – a relatively famous resort and casino. My personal experience with Sun City is from the Little Steven song “I Ain’t Gonna Play Sun City” in the anti-apartheid cassette that I played incessantly in college. It was surreal to actually be at the place in person, although we didn’t actually enter the gates. Sun City is now open to all races, and there was a major international golf tournament starting that weekend. Life under apartheid must have been surreal, and the changes since the switch to democracy overwhelming for many South Africans.

As predicted by the directions to Madikwe Game Reserve, the paved road ended many kilometers before reaching the reserve. Roelf #2 did a masterful job of speeding over the road and around the occasional ruts and dips. Fortunately, it had not rained in several days and the dirt was hard packed. We encountered almost no traffic on this last leg of the drive.

About three and a half hours after leaving Pretoria, we arrived at the gates to the Madikwe Game Reserve.

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The rest of the story:

• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments
• Day 1
  
• Day 2
  
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
  

South Africa, Day 3

It gets bright very early in South Africa in the summertime. No amount of curtains can keep out the blazing sun, which rises before 5am and wakes up the very noisy birds and other animals. My expected 7 hours of sleep became about 5 hours of sleep when I eventually gave up and stumbled into the shower/bath to spray the bathroom walls again (although less than the day before, as I am starting to get a hang of these things).

This was a working day in the morning, and one that required a suit, a species of clothing that I usually reserve for weddings and funerals. Although more formal, this day’s meetings were also very productive and generated a sense of excitement about the future that just cannot be communicated over remote teleconferences. These are some very dedicated and very smart folks, and I am very lucky that they allow me to associate with them and even listen to my opinions on occasion. It is quite stimulating, and reminds me very much of early days at the startups I’ve worked for – although the pace is a bit slower since the “products” are relying on progress in some basic research.

Following the meetings and a light dinner, Roelf #1 (the acting CEO as opposed to Roelf #2, the dean of the engineering school) took me shopping in preparation for my trip to the game preserve. I picked up some UP colors for the kids at the university store and some more traditional gear at a mall neat Roelf #1’s home.

We went to the mall near Roelf #1’s home because he was worried about us leaving our computers and other equipment in the back of his car while we were shopping. Crime is indeed a serious problem here, but leaving a computer in your car isn’t smart even in Dunwoody, so I couldn’t criticize that decision. Plus, it gave me time to see Roelf #1’s house and gated community prior to returning with a crowd for dinner.

Roelf #1 lives in a gated and fenced community on the other side of Pretoria that hold about 1500 houses (don’t hold me to that, as I have been told many more new and interesting facts that my aging brain can accurately recall). Roelf’s house is open and very large with a thatched roof and open beams throughout. I’ve never seen anything like it, although it is apparently common here. Roelf’s lovely wife apologized that they had just had the roof combed and some dirt and dust was still filtering down on occasion. That’s not a sentence I ever expected to write, certainly not about such an amazing home.

Inside the walls, Roelf’s community has an area reserved for wildlife, and there are waterbok and springbok and other animals wandering about. We saw a springbok eating one resident’s newly planted flowering tree in their front yard. The rules are that you either put up a fence or live with the consequences – no other alternative allowed. People who live there are willing to put up with the inconvenience of munched shrubbery to live so close to nature and I would certainly make the same decision given the choice.

At the malls, there is tight security in the fenced-in parking lots which are not free parking. The norm is two hours free on weekdays and no hours free on weekends. Inside, the mall looked very much like any other western mall, albeit with store names that I did not recognize. At the South African equivalent of an REI, I picked up some appropriate clothing with generous and very friendly help from the staff who worked long and hard – and in vain – to find a hat that would fit my head. (This is, of course, not an indictment of the store as 99% of US stores don’t have hats that fit me either.) While normally frugal, I probably am going to max out a credit card during this trip, and I probably bought more than I should have. However, everything was unique and did not look like something I could buy at a local Atlanta venue, so perhaps I can be forgiven the indulgence.

After a quick stop at his home to pick up my things, Roelf dropped me back at the hotel for a few hours of rest and the chance to change out of suit-based clothing. I used the time to finally spend some time on the internet catching up on email and Tiger Woods and a long call home for the first time this trip. The lack of internet and cell service is still unnerving. One feels very cut off from home base and the world outside of the few people around oneself. The fact that one is having a marvelous time does tend to take the sting out a bit.

Roelf #1 picked me up in time to get back to his house before guests started arriving. I mentioned to him that my lovely wife has asked me to pick up some African art while here, but that I’m not sure what to look for. In response, Roelf had his wife lead me on a tour of their personal collection, pointing out items that native Africans consider to be collectable and making recommendations. The variety, quality, and ingenuity represented in African art is overwhelming and like nothing I have encountered anywhere else in the world. She suggested a few places for shopping, assuming that I could find the time and the transportation. For these suggestions, I am eternally grateful.

Dinner at Roelf #1’s home was fabulous. There were three couples and me, so I completely set off the boy/girl ratio. Conversation flowed easily between languages, and I honestly believe that most people forgot that I couldn’t understand the Afrikaans part. When I later mentioned how impressed I was that everyone speaks two languages, Pieter’s wife responded “four, dear”.

Before the meal, everyone held hands and Roelf #1 said a blessing. It was a small thing, but unexpected in a largely business setting, and it made me feel very much an accepted part of the group even if it was in Afrikaans and I have no idea what was said. (Upon reflection, I just assumed that it was a blessing. Maybe it was a traditional South African prayer that the American at the table wouldn’t do something crass and embarrassing.)

The meal included a salad covered with a South African jerky that is made by drying only (not curing) and is something that South Africans are very proud of. I did explain that Texas jerky was different from the sugar-infused stuff sold in stores, so at least part of the US can arguably claim their jerky is competitive with the South African variety. Several other times on the trip I was offered the South African variety, and always with the same sense of pride. Meat was lamb, and vegetables included a variety that I mostly recognized, and all of it was very, very good. As I declined alcohol, fruit juice was offered as a tasty alternative.

A side note on fruit juice. When I meet with my South African colleagues in the US, they invariably ask for fruit juice at the meal. The waiter is invariably surprised by the request. I now understand why the request is made. With the quality and variety of juices available here, I would get used to having fruit juices at every meal, too. From orange to strawberry to intoxicating cocktail blends, the juices have been delicious. I even enjoyed a strawberry-based juice cocktail, something I would not normally drink in the US. With my inability to drink alcohol or caffeine, I would love to have the juice alternatives that are available here in South Africa to be available in the restaurants of Atlanta.

Conversation over dinner was interesting and stimulating, and ranged from family genealogy to South African history to technology and back again, taking wonderful side trips along the way. It is interesting how no one shies away from the topic of apartheid, both before and after the transition to democracy. In the US, we tend to avoid talking about the civil rights movement because most people consider it an embarrassment – especially with non-US colleagues in the room. Here, it is an open topic which is refreshing, although I wonder if the conversation would be different with blacks and whites both in the room together.

For the ride home, Pieter and his wife apparently lost the toss and were designated the latest losers in the chauffer-the-American contest. On the way home, I mentioned that my wife wants me to pick up some African art, but that I wasn’t sure when I would get a chance. I mentioned what Roelf #1’s wife had suggested, including shopping at the airport on the way out. In response, Pieter immediately volunteered to pick me up the following morning and take me to a local curio shop. He would not consider any objections and planned to meet me at 9 the next morning after a long night’s sleep.

This is a group of people that I feel very comfortable with and would be pleased to be associated with for a long and hopefully successful future.

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The rest of the story:

• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments
• Day 1
  
• Day 2
  
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
  

South Africa, Day 2

Ten hours later, the lovely chirping birds had morphed into the annoying loud birds that could wake up anyone not ensconced in a soundproof chamber. A quick shower/bath resulted in a generally soaked bathroom, but a sense of humanity had mostly returned.

I turned on my computer to check on the world’s happenings only to be prompted for a password. A quick visit to the front desk resulted in a password that allowed up to 5Mbytes of data transfer – about half the size of a normal work email. So, any Hitachi people reading this, that is why I did not download or read any of your email this week – all of the internet plans are based on usage, not time. That is also why there are no photos posted yet.

By the time I returned to my room, however, the wireless connection was completely hosed up. Another call to the front desk revealed that, yes indeed, the routers were hosed up – and the IT guy is in Europe. The entire time that I spent in the hotel, I had a reasonable wireless connection for a total of 30 seconds. Having no cell or internet access feels very isolating. I don’t know how the pioneers survived without them. Fortunately, a colleague let me borrow his 3G modem for most of the week and I was at least able to connect to the world and read about the latest Tiger Woods scandal.

Breakfast was quite nice and very European with muesli and grilled meats. There are, apparently, only two other people staying in the lodge, so the service was impeccable.
The day started auspiciously when I received a call that “my ride is here” and I went to the lobby and promptly attempted to give my room key to Gerrie, my contact from the University. He looks a lot like the hotel staff that I had been dealing with trying to get the internet working, something that Gerrie did not believe as the staff had turned over and the desk attendant was now about 18 years old. It’s important to make a good first impression, no? This was followed by the first of many times that I tried to enter on the wrong side of a vehicle.

Firmly established as an ignorant American, Gerrie (pronounced closer to Harry than to Jerry, yet another gaffe) drove me to the UP campus and was very nice and never mentioned the fact that I not only mistook him for hotel staff, but that I also had called him by the wrong name on numerous occasions.

The University of Pretoria campus is beautiful. There are gardens and green spaces all over the campus, and most of the buildings look perfectly designed for an natural African university setting. The room where we met had air conditioning, but we turned it off in favor of opening the windows. Throughout the meeting, beautiful little birds flitted outside the window (not nearly as raucously as the hotel denizens).


I won’t bore my blog reader(s) with details of the business meeting. Suffice it to say that it was very productive and interesting and certainly worth the trip. The people that I am dealing with a brilliant, talented, dedicated, and very friendly and I hope to work with them more in the future.
After the meeting ended and a light lunch (chicken pot pie) was served, I was given a campus tour. It’s a very large campus with very few students during the summer break. However, it was easy to envision students lying about in all of the green spaces and under the many trees. Unlike, say, Georgia Tech, UP has departments ranging from botany to drama to music to engineering – and facilities for all of them. I can imagine that it is a very stimulating place to study for three years (they don’t do the US standard 4 years). The campus is expanding and there are building sites all over, which is exciting for the faculty. For some reason, there wasn’t a large football stadium, although there were many fields where something called “rugby” is played.

I was dropped back at the lodge around 5 and promptly fell asleep until time for my dinner pickup around 6:30. Mid-afternoon naps should be mandated by law.

For dinner, Gerrie generously volunteered to take me to a traditional South African restaurant on the other side of Pretoria, close to his home. Driving out, we could see storms building in the distance and impressive bolts of lightning streaking across the African sky. It was beautiful, as if nature herself was intentionally trying to impress me with the wonders of this country.

A note about “traditional South African” food. “Traditional South African” means meat and lots of it. As I was told, chicken is considered a vegetable (although apparently the blacks eat it more often). Beef, springbok, and other hoofed species are served, and in large quantities at every meal. Lamb is probably the most popular meat, and South Africans – even South Africans living in the US – don’t understand why we don’t eat lamb outside of the occasional lamb chop or Moroccan restaurant. South Africans talk of coming to the US and being served a meal without meat and not understanding when the real meal will begin. This carnivorous lifestyle was not objectionable to me in any way, and I’m sure to have gained multiple kilograms during the visit.

The restaurant was in a private enclosure and looked like an old farmhouse from the inside. I understand that they operate a bit like a B&B as well as a restaurant, and people can rent rooms inside. The service was impeccable, or at least I assume so since most conversations were in Afrikaans. At least they seemed polite. While the menu was intriguing, Gerrie suggested that we go for the specials instead, which was a terrific idea except that our waiter didn’t appear to know what the specials were and had to find someone else to explain them to us (in English!). Despite the initial confusion, the meal was wonderful, with a very flavorful springbok carpaccio to start and a blue-cheese stuffed steak main dish. Sides included beetroot and a starch made of corn whose name I cannot remember but which is a staple of South African meals. They also let me sample a traditional side of wheat, served like rice, and were surprised that in the US wheat is only served in bread or as a shredded cereal choice for breakfast.

Just as we were finishing the appetizers, a huge thunderstorm came up, rattling the restaurant. No one else seemed to notice, as apparently this was a minor thunderstorm in South African terms. When the power went off, however, everyone noticed but no one paused for long in their conversations. Power outages are not common, but can occur probably just slightly more often than in Atlanta in the summertime. The candles at the tables were quickly supplemented with lanterns placed around the restaurant and service continued unabated. They even placed lanterns leading the way around the outside of the restaurant to the bathrooms (in the bar area, not outhouses) and in front of every “wet floor” warning.

For dessert, a traditional South African pudding with cream was suggested, but unfortunately could not be prepared without electricity (the ovens were needed for baking), so a fabulous second alternative meringue and chocolate mousse dessert was substitutes. Fortunately, no one else could see the pieces of meringue shooting across the room when I attempted to cut into the first bite. Or at least no one mentioned it.

The power came on just as we were ready to leave, which made credit card processing much easier (we had been warned that tallying up manually was going to take a while), and Gerrie returned me to the hotel around 11:30pm. After another 30 minutes or so getting ready for the next day’s meeting – and finally downloading some email thanks to Gerrie’s loan of a 3G USB modem, I crashed around 12:30 expecting to sleep well until time to awaken at 7 the next day.

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The rest of the story:

• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments
• Day 1
  
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
  

South Africa, Day 1

It takes a long time to get from Atlanta to South Africa. Not as much time as in the 1700s or anything like that, but 15 hours on a plane is painful. 15 hours in a seat that is bludgeoned by passing carts and flight attendants every 30 minutes is excruciating. The medical emergency did add a bit of excitement.

Winds were favorable, and we arrived almost an hour early. Surprisingly (unlike many other airports), Johannesburg’s airport (Tambo) was ready for us and immigration and customs was a breeze. Unfortunately, that meant that I was in the lobby before my driver arrived, but not too much before. I had time to change ugly green pieces of paper for lovely brightly colored pieces of paper before embarking on the drive to the hotel.

I sat in front with the driver, the better to view the surroundings and listen to the odd driver stories (“did you know that when you assign numbers to “Sun City” and add them together you get “666”?). Some impressions from the drive and conversation:

• Nearly everything that I’ve ever pronounced from an Africa map, I have been pronouncing it wrong. For example, Lesotho is pronounced Lesootoo. Also, a “q” is pronounced as a tongue click. (I’m still waiting to find something with a q in it so I can try that one out.)
• There were people walking everywhere on the sides of the roads. In some areas, where there were large grassy fields on the side of the road, I would see five or six people walking through the veld. The driver explained (and this was confirmed later) that most of these people are illegal immigrants who live in “the bush” as squatters. It’s a significant problem in South Africa.
• I was initially somewhat offended as the driver referred to people as “blacks” and “whites”. Apparently those are accepted terms and even codified in law (along with “coloreds” – people from India, etc.). Upon reflection, “African-American” wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?
• Traffic was bad, but not China bad. People generally follow the rules, although driving off the road into grassy areas (e.g. to point out some interesting sight) is not unusual.
• Everyone speaks at least two languages. Everyone (or close to it) speaks English. A large majority of whites and some blacks speak Afrikaans. Most blacks speak one of the other “native” African languages. People flow into and out of languages with ease.
• South Africans consider rodeos to be barbaric. Bull riding in particular is seen as extremely cruel. Defending the Texas position on this topic in a South African bar would not be a good idea.
• For those (like me) who never understood what the Boer war (pronounced something like Booorr) was about, it was the English trying to take over the Transvaal, which was the area in the north of South Africa where the Dutch/Afrikaaners moved to get away from British rule. It was an atrocious war, and some still refer to “the English” with disdain. (In some places, merely speaking English was considered treasonous.)
• There are no Starbucks in South Africa. Really. None.
• South Africans are ambivalent or worse to the US in general. Many believe that the US did not do enough in the apartheid era, plus there’s the usual rich country envy going on. These feelings are directed much more towards the nation than the people, however, and I was treated very well.
• In general, South Africans like President Obama.
• There are fences everywhere, many of them electric. Nearly every home, business, school, etc. has a spiked, razor-wired, or electric fence. Private security outnumbers police. Crime is a ubiquitous problem, although most people said that being street smart (don’t walk alone at night, don’t leave things in view in your car, etc.) generally ensures safety. Much of this, I was told by others, has to do with a swing away from the police state that existed under apartheid. It will take a while to swing back towards the center.
• This is an emerging country with significant infrastructure and political problems to be solved. It is also beautiful and friendly.

I have no cell phone coverage here, so all of the “call us when you get in” instructions were useless. This was confusing, since Verizon claims coverage in South Africa. Apparently, however, Verizon does not have a roaming agreement with any carrier here, so “coverage” means that you have to call them in advance so they can send you another phone and port over your number. Like that helps me now.

The lodge where I am staying is “The Whistletree”. It was recommended as an alternative to boring, usual hotel accommodations. It is in a beautiful setting (behind a fence) and feels more like a home or B&B than a hotel.

I was greeted by a very friendly staff who helped carry my luggage to my quaint little room and showed me all of the amenities, including the European style bath with hand shower and no shower curtain. The balcony off of my room looks onto part of a garden and the tennis courts. There are a huge variety of birds chirping and laughing at all times of the day, and I left the doors open during the day to enjoy the lovely breeze.

Unfortunately, after traveling extensively in Asia recently, I didn’t even think to tip the staff. I may find reptiles in my bed later.

Dinner was served in the well apportioned dining room (no dress code, fortunately). The ostrich was quite good. After a shower and dinner, the big fluffy bed beckoned and by 8pm I was unconscious.

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The rest of the story:

• GPS track of the trip
• All of the pictures, without editing or comments
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Day 4 (part 1)
• Day 4 (part 2)
• Day 5 (part 1)
  

Thanks for Distractions

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we can all be thankful for the distractions offered by office internet connections.

• The Muppets do Bohemian Rhapsody
• The Amazing Randi claims the 23 year coma patient story is too good to be true
• Shrinking coins with magnetic fields for fun and profit
• Change we can all believe in
• Things you think you can do, but you can't: jump rope, shuffle cards
  

A little history lesson about Alexander Hamilton

History taught as a series of spirit-crushing dates and names should be unlawful. History is vibrant and exciting and the stories of real people with fascinating lives.

Professional Blogging

Yep. I am now publishing on the XChange blog occasionally. Honestly, I hadn't heard from them in a while and thought the whole thing was off. Then someone pointed out to me that an article of mine was there.

And here it is, for your reading pleasure.

Brief horn tooting

A few places where I've been seen on the web lately. I'm just recording them for posterity. Really.

Hitachi Revives N. American Optics Play with New Packet/Optical Transport Platform
TMCNet

Hitachi Enters Packet Optical Space
Telephony

Hitachi Intros 100G Optical Transport Platform
CED Magazine

Hitachi Intros 100G Optical Platform
Light Reading

Hitachi Intros AMN6400 100-Gbps Packet Optical Transport Platform
Lightwave

Hitachi Preps P-OTS Box
Light Reading

And here's some nifty video about RFOG and DOCSIS.

And I'll be speaking here next week (scroll down). I don't know why they didn't publish my picture. Probably a local values thing.

The 21-Word Review: Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink

You will love the anecdotes about soup and popcorn, but it’s the conclusions about human nature and eating that will stick.

The 21-Word Review: Next by Michael Crichton

Not one of Crichton’s better works, and one that won’t translate well into a blockbuster movie or tedious never-ending television series.

The 21-Word Review: Body of Lies (DVD)

Do not watch this movie with your wife and her friend as they catch up for the first time in months.

The 21-Word Review: Wanted (In-Flight Movie)

A triumph of style over substance and a guilty pleasure, but Angelina needs to eat a sandwich and fill out more.

The 21-Word Review: Changeling (In-Flight Movie)

Some of the most horrifying movies don’t involve chainsaws or machetes, but the true evil that men do to retain power.

The 21-Word Review: Quantum of Solace (In-Flight Movie)

On a large screen, this installment is probably difficult to follow. On a tiny airplane screen, it’s impossible. Try again later.

The 21-Word Review: Eagle Eye (In-Flight Movie)

At least the writers of paranoid technology movies know a little bit more about computing than the writers of 24. Barely.

The 21-Word Review: Righteous Kill (In-Flight Movie)

It’s hard to believe there was any scenery left on the sets after it was chewed so thoroughly by these godfathers.

The 21-Word Review: Rachel Getting Married (In-Flight Movie)

Not your typical light in-flight fare, but very interesting to watch. Princess Anne can go slumming with the best of them.

The 21-Word Review: As You Like It (In-Flight Movie)

I had forgotten the awesome power and beauty of Shakespeare’s words in the hands of true masters. Took my breath away.

The 21-Word Review: Taken (In-Flight Movie)

Fathers in the audience will want Liam to kill ‘em, bring ‘em back, and kill ‘em all again. Just for starters.