Johannesburg Traffic

Well, I promised you a post on Johannesburg traffic, so I am not to let you down! Anybody who has lived in Johannesburg or has visited Johannesburg has experienced some form of our traffic. You do not need to drive 50km's on a highway to see what I am referring to- it is visible in the residential area's too.

My best is the way ladies think that they can put make up on while driving. Let me be up front- I have never put make up on- I am just not that type. However ever it does look challenging, specially when they start putting things near there eye's. I always worry that they are going to go over a bump and poke there eye out, I also imaging the lipstick ending up on there cheek. I have not witnessed it, but it must have happened.


Anyway, I am fortunate not to have to travel in to much peak hour traffic as I live 14 km's from my office. However take yesterday for instance (yes it was Saturday) and I managed to do 194.4 kilometres for work. So I can speak with some authority.

A good 10 years ago I was working in Woodmead and living in Benoni. We arranged a lift scheme and the meeting place was East Rand Value Mall at around 6h30. Now there were a few hangers on, but now now best mate Clint and I travelled together. A must was was that we had enough variety of music to get us to work and back. One of our famous ways we kept sane was that we would comment on other drivers and what they were either wearing, doing or thinking. Now earlier in the post, I mentioned about ladies doing make-up, I have seen men shave with electric razors.

One of the most memorable times was when we were driving through Edenvale and we saw a extremely good looking young lass. Now I think see realised what was going on and played us up. The next morning we left the same time and yes we saw her. I was driving and Clint said that I must bumper bash her as he wanted her number- I would not agree on that (how desperate was he??) Anyway the next morning he drove and had this determination to get her number, unfortunately for him and to my relief we did not see her. You can imagine what he was thinking.

I was driving back from work about a year ago and was driving along London Rd in Alexandra and the bakkie behind me pulled to the left and started passing us at a rate of knots. All I could imaging was somebody was going to be hurt. He had one side of the car on the road and the other on the pavement. Fortunately the pedestrians managed to flee in different directions and the only real damage was that a street stall was flattened and eventually the bakkie came to a stop wrapped around a light post. A lot of damage but thank goodness no one was injured.

I think traffic brings out the best and worse in people and I am sure that most of us have stories we can tell. From the way cars are "modified" to the safety of cars on the road to the people that drive in these cars. All I pray is that people get to there destinations SAFELY! This is not unique to Johannesburg and I am sure it happens in all area's.

So next time you in traffic, have a look at the people and cars and just think what is going on in there minds! I am sure you can all share a story with me.

My Big Brother

As you may have gathered in my previous posts, I have an older brother living in the UK. Allan is 4 and a half years older than me and lives in a lovely town called Hungerford. He is married to a special lady by the name of Rosalind, better known as Ros.

He has always been a big brother and has always been caring and supportive toward me. During our teenage years we were typical brothers, we had fun fun together, we also had our differences and often our opinions caused conflict. Anyway there was always brotherly love. However in recent years, we have become so close- Allan is one person I can call day and night and ask for a chat, advice or support.

I respect him tremendously and take his advice seriously- not because he is an accountant, just because is head is screwed in the right direction. The nice thing about Allan is he has never been bossy and respects my feelings and opinions.

I cannot wait for the 14th of December, when he arrives from the UK for a 3 week holiday. I have actually seen him 3 times already this year, but yet it feels like an eternity since we saw each other. The first 2 times were short and not under great circumstances- but we spent quality time together. The last was my holiday to the UK where I was spoilt from head to toe. Anyway I will be the first at the airport to welcome Allan and Ros home.

We have have 2 trips planned while he is here, the first is a day trip to Durban to say our finally farewells to our mom when we scatter her ashes on the 16th December. We want to do this before Christmas. The second is a weekend in Cape Town, this is just to do something different and spend time with friends. I am honoured to be invited on that trip as in fact his friends organised it, but never once forgot to invite me. A funny part about that trip is that I got a e-mail saying a ticket had been purchased for me to get to Cape Town, but they forgot to book my return flight. I go down a day after they do as I have Jody to sort out. Now to show how close we are, all Allan said is that they are flying back to JHB on the 29th, he mentioned no times and no airlines. I gathered they were flying 1 Time, because that's how we are getting to Cape Town.

I then booked my return flight and e-mailed Allan the times, it turns out that we are ALL flying back on the same flight. As I always maintain- great minds think a like.

There is no Christmas present in the world that I can give Allan as he means so much to me. Respect and love are one way I can say thank you. I am so looking forward to spending some more quality time with my BIG brother- he is the best.