Moooooooooorningsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide

We are in Morningside. Those of you who are Scottish will know exactly the accent to say that in, because it is a posh bit of Edinburgh. Basically extend the o and the second i. You also roll the r.

I am smelly and a bit tired.

It is about 11am in Joburg and a bit cloudy. Stormsacomin this afternoon, apparently as per usual.

Morningside is just north of Joburg and seems to consist of lots of massive gated communities chock full of flats. They look like big hotels in the Med, only bigger. We are in the exotic 'Vie Somethingorother'. It is huge and has walls about 12 foot high with razor wire on top. In that sense it differs from Morningside in Edinburgh, but the people are probably better craic here (rib punch to Edinburgh!).

It is great to be here but it is definately wierd, couldn't say it isn't. It is just going to be a very different way of life, especially in this infamous city. I am full to the brim with ignorance and fear, but determined to reverse both of those by learning stuff. I may even read the history of SA book that colleagues at the Dept for Transport kindly gave me.

Kim's friend Sarah is putting us up and came all the way from work between meetings to let us in, after getting us a 'Safe Taxi' to her place. The taxi driver, Baldwin, asked if we have safari in London. I said "sort of". Then we listend to Wackit Something on the radio. He does prank calls. From this I learned that South Africans swear a lot when under stress ("Wackit, you @~?t, man, I am gaa-ing to f@>?ing kill you bro"), and tabloid radio is the same all over the world. He did a pretty good joke interview with James Blunt which made me smile, because James Blunt is bad.

Sarah is very nice. Awesome of her to put us up like this and get us settled in. She is back off to work now so we get time to chill out BY HER SWIMMING POOL. Do not worry about me!

The flight was okay. We got an upgrade by taking my brother's name in vain and begging about volunteer work and stuff. Flight attendant was very discrete, walking us to our new seats and then casually pointing before walking off ignoring us. Our seats were together in Club and had a fully reclining bedwhatsit. Watched a Coen brothers' movie, drank a gorgeous chenin blanc and actually talked to Kim - a rare travelling treat for her. I love BA, there, I said it. The flight was not just okay, it was wonderful.

This is the start of our year in South Africa and what a lovely way to kick it off. Now to wash my sweaty body.