Monday 18 June 2012

Home sweet home!


Since my last blog I have said goodbye to many friends made in the US for the season. Some I’ll see again, some are moving on to new things. It is the worst part of the end of the season.

Anyway, the day came to finally start the groot trek home. There was much repacking and organizing, as you can’t believe how much stuff you generate over just 6-months. Thank goodness I was able to store some stuff that I can make use of next season.

It was an early start… 3am to be exact when the bus picked us up to take us to Ft. Lauderdale airport. Upon arrival we ran into some of the other participants on their way home and some heading up to NY for the summer season. It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who had issues on what to take and what to leave. Everyone was taking a chance to weigh their suitcases and tossing out more stuff to get it to the right weight. Overweight baggage is VERY expensive and some just opted to pay.

Eventually we all made it to NY, a chance to regroup and board the long 16 hour flight to Johannesburg. I have done this trip many times, which I think makes it worse as you know what you are going to have to endure for that time. I watched in anticipation the inflight navigation map detailing our flight over the vast Atlantic Ocean and eventually making its way across Namibia. I knew that we were close and just a few more hours to endure.

Arriving on home soil was greeted by sigh of relief from all of us and then we made our separate ways to catch connecting flights… two flights down and one to go.

There is no better feeling than looking up at Table Mountain and knowing that you’ve made and back home. It is something that only a Capetonian would understand.

The past few weeks since being home have kept me busy with work and travelling around the country meeting all the new applicants for the upcoming season. I have also made time to catch up with some of my friends and family. The best part is enjoying Rugby and Braai’s… something only South Africans would understand.






Author: Andre Smith