So random

A number of random things tickled my fancy whilst businessing in Johannesburg...


Walking out of the airport, I passed a woman breast feeding her child. Not an unusual sight in Africa except that the child was strapped vertically to her front, and feeding while his mother power walked to catch her flight. I did not know that it was possible...

Sunset was spectacular. A giant red disc slid down the sky and over the horizon, highlighting the city skyline, magnificent! Who says Johannesburg does not have anything of beauty? The fact that the awesomeness of the sunset was caused by air pollution is another matter entirely!

I took just 30 minutes to drive halfway across town. An unbelievable feat at the latter end of rush hour! Of course school holidays were to blame but happy to cash in on the traffic free road action!

Steering through the empty roads brought me face to face with a sign for a business called ‘Shady Deals’. On second glance and fits of laughter, realisation struck that it sold mature trees. A super cool name for a business!

Surprisingly there is much housing development in Johannesburg North. One massive complex, which will ultimately be comprised of thousands of houses, has an awesome advertising campaign. Massive signs on the side of the road boldly proclaimed, ‘if you lived here, you would already be home!’ Powerful considering I was sitting in traffic...

Then I arrived in Cape Town, and it was great to be home!

Home for a Visit

My other baby came home for the weekend!

That's right, my 56 Ford pickup is on the road although not in a legal sense. It has taken 16 months but the end is finally in sight. There are a number of parts still on order from the US, but all of them cosmetic. It also needs a further respray as the last job was terrible! I am hoping to have all of the relevant documentation in place in order to have the engine stamped and ultimately get this beast registered.

I did have a heart stopping moment when I went to see the South African Police Service department that deals with these issues. The officer in charge kindly explained that if I did not have an engine and chasis number, I could bring the car in, they would impound it and crush it for me. I thought he was joking but he was adament. Eventually we found a way to deal with the issue which will involve many sworn statements from all previous owners and a full photographic record of the restoration process.

I got to drive my baby the couple of blocks from the garage where all of the finishing work has been done. It was pretty cool to see other motorists heads whip around as they checked out my ride!! Needless to say it has been a hit with all of the neighbourhood kids!

My sons cannot wait to go to school in it...