I heard the Gayatri Mantra playing from a shop near Prema’s restaurant as we sauntered past. Nix mentioned she wanted to get hold of the music, so we went in to see if we could do so. The young guy running the shop obliged us and put the mantra and a few other songs from his laptop on our flash drive. I asked him about the music he had on his computer and he said “it is all God music” (in other words Bhajans, Chants and the like). I told him I like his style ;) Mangla also had “all God music” on her laptop in Omkareshwar. I have often wondered if traditions will die away as the yoot of India become increasingly Westernized. Seeing God music on their computers gives me hope that this won’t happen. Indians have a strong national identity (whereas all we have are corporate identities) and are strongly in touch with their roots (we are more in touch with root canals than our extinct heritage).
Still no luck on the train booking front, but there is always tomorrow ;) And Nix’s phone card that we bought a couple of days back is still not working. We had the same issue in Mumbai. Another trip into town is in order I think.... We are walking our arses off here - feels good. The only walking we tend to do regularly at home is from our house to the car (and back again if we’re feeling particularly energetic).
Nix has been getting annoyed by folk telling us that South Africa must be a scary place to live (“Oh, you live in South Africa? How do you do it? It’s so hardcore there! There’s so much crime, I’d be afraid to go. What’s going to happen now Nelson Mandela is dead?” blah blah blah) so I thought I’d write a little sumting about that. Whilst it is true that crime and the associated security counter measures in South Africa are unlike those in any other place I have been, it is also true that we don’t let it stop us living our lives. If you live in fear, you’re living on your knees (as an old No Fear t-shirt of mine once said). In a way it is life affirming to live in a place that has a rougher edge to it. I suppose it’s a bit like enjoying extreme sports ;) With a measure of acceptance, you can enjoy the uncertainty. I would argue that acceptance is a very strong and helpful attribute that we should all foster in ourselves. So everyone should come to South Africa for the experience ;) Further, if daily life is predictable it is inevitably monotonous, sterile and f’ing boring....The fact is that there are pros and cons to every country on the planet. There is no utopia.... Cape Town is perhaps the most beautiful city I have ever lived in – we have sun, blue skies, mountains, forest and beaches. We also have the privilege of space so that we don’t all have to live on top of each other. Eat that London, Berlin and Moscow. I’d also like to add that a life lived without risk is a life half-lived (I came up with that one myself – maybe I should sell it to No Fear). An additional plus point from high crime is that South Africans are a lot more streetwise than most (except when it comes to leaving front doors open in Gokarna – cough cough). Don’t sneak up on them or try to rip them off - they might unload an AK47 in your face. Joking.... It would most likely only be a pistol shot, or at most a machete chop. We are always tooled up don’t you know. Never leave home without ‘em.
Nix has decreed that henceforth it shall be her photos that are posted on the blog. Mine have been relegated to the 2nd division of Facebook and Twitter ;) So prepare yourselves for two thumbs fresh images! (Queue Bollywood dancing).
Still no luck on the train booking front, but there is always tomorrow ;) And Nix’s phone card that we bought a couple of days back is still not working. We had the same issue in Mumbai. Another trip into town is in order I think.... We are walking our arses off here - feels good. The only walking we tend to do regularly at home is from our house to the car (and back again if we’re feeling particularly energetic).
Nix has been getting annoyed by folk telling us that South Africa must be a scary place to live (“Oh, you live in South Africa? How do you do it? It’s so hardcore there! There’s so much crime, I’d be afraid to go. What’s going to happen now Nelson Mandela is dead?” blah blah blah) so I thought I’d write a little sumting about that. Whilst it is true that crime and the associated security counter measures in South Africa are unlike those in any other place I have been, it is also true that we don’t let it stop us living our lives. If you live in fear, you’re living on your knees (as an old No Fear t-shirt of mine once said). In a way it is life affirming to live in a place that has a rougher edge to it. I suppose it’s a bit like enjoying extreme sports ;) With a measure of acceptance, you can enjoy the uncertainty. I would argue that acceptance is a very strong and helpful attribute that we should all foster in ourselves. So everyone should come to South Africa for the experience ;) Further, if daily life is predictable it is inevitably monotonous, sterile and f’ing boring....The fact is that there are pros and cons to every country on the planet. There is no utopia.... Cape Town is perhaps the most beautiful city I have ever lived in – we have sun, blue skies, mountains, forest and beaches. We also have the privilege of space so that we don’t all have to live on top of each other. Eat that London, Berlin and Moscow. I’d also like to add that a life lived without risk is a life half-lived (I came up with that one myself – maybe I should sell it to No Fear). An additional plus point from high crime is that South Africans are a lot more streetwise than most (except when it comes to leaving front doors open in Gokarna – cough cough). Don’t sneak up on them or try to rip them off - they might unload an AK47 in your face. Joking.... It would most likely only be a pistol shot, or at most a machete chop. We are always tooled up don’t you know. Never leave home without ‘em.
Nix has decreed that henceforth it shall be her photos that are posted on the blog. Mine have been relegated to the 2nd division of Facebook and Twitter ;) So prepare yourselves for two thumbs fresh images! (Queue Bollywood dancing).