MY FINAL BLOG – A WEEK IN ENGLAND AND WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY RTW TRIP

On returning from Egypt, I said goodbye to Janice and went to stay with my friends, Jackie and Tony Tuson in Woking, Surrey. It was a super base from which to tie up my loose ends in England before coming home. I relaxed on Monday and went into Woking to the NHS Clinic to get some help for my blocked nose and my sore coccyx – after a two-hour wait, I went home without even a panado!

On Tuesday, Claire Scheepers Watson (from Stirling Presby days) came to fetch me and I spent the day with her and her family. She has started her own sewing business and strangely enough, a lady called Tracy Rudolph, whom I had met up with in London in 2003 was in one of her classes that night. I delivered the coffee during the class and really enjoyed Tracy doing a double-take when she realized it was I (good grammar!) delivering it! Claire has done so well and I am sure her business, Eli B is going to flourish. Her husband, Mark, has done so many clever things around the house – all with the help of Youtube! And little Elizabeth is a real charmer!

Eli B - Claire's studio

Ladies at their lessons - Tracy is in front

And Elizabeth, the Monkeynut, poses

Mark and Elizabeth

On Wednesday, I went in to London and met Lana from Operation Europe, my tour operator, in Islington! I was treated to lunch at Jamie Oliver’s Italian Restaurant. My meal was superb butternut cannelloni – unfortunately, I had already eaten it before I remembered to take a photo1 I did photograph the gorgeous lemon meringue pudding though. We had a good chat and discussed some of the details for my next school Eurotour in March/April. I have been working with them for eleven years and I can honestly say they are wonderful tour operators. I wandered around London after that looking at the Christmas lights and just enjoying the atmosphere.

Lana from Operation Europe outside Jamie Oliver's Italian French Restaurant

Have a look at our puddings

Friends for eleven years - Lana and I

On Thursday, I took a train to Alton in Hampshire to meet an old friend and Hudson Park colleague, Jo Hardwick! We had tea in a quaint teashop in the village of Selborne – and so I enjoyed posing under the coat of arms of Lord Selborne – especially as I taught at Selborne College from 1983 – 1989. We drove to Jane Austen’s birthplace and then into Alton to see the museum and have lunch. It was a very calm day – wonderful to be in a car again – and Jo and I caught up on all the news.

With Jo in Selborne Village

Here's a cute old man on his mobility bike - with rain cover

How lovely to stand under the Palma Virtuti sign -
especially as I taught at Selborne College from 1983 -1989. 

Jo outside the tearoom

Jane Austen's birthplace

Downton Abbey is very popular

I spent Friday in Brighton visiting my sister, Maria, who is back from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and is working at a language school now where she is very happy. Her daughter, Angela, joined us for lunch. Luckily, it was too windy for seagulls and we didn’t go near the beach and I didn’t have an ice cream – so all safe there! We had a good walk and lots of chatting. Public transport in the UK is excellent, but oh so jolly expensive when you come from our poor battered rands!

With my sister, Maria in Brighton

Angela, my niece... the sound engineer

On Saturday, Jackie hosted a Thanksgiving Lunch and she invited me and four other ladies – three of us from Zimbabwe, two from South Africa and one from Armenia. What lovely ladies – we had a fantastic meal prepared by Jackie (gorgeous roast lamb) and melktert among the treats. It was also good to be with such lovely Christian ladies. I joined the Tusons at church on Sunday and then went to the train station to meet one of my old school friends, Helen Jones – whom I had not seen for 40 years! It is so amazing how that many years really do not mean much when you find you can just catch up so quickly and easily. We had lunch at Pret a Manger (you don’t want to hear how some Americans mangle that name!) and enjoyed a leisurely walk in town.

Thanksgiving lunch provided by Jackie Tuson - what lovely ladies!

Jackie and Tony Tuson

My friend, Helen Jones - 40 years on and "we haven't changed a bit!"

And so Monday 30 November arrived – home time! I said a sad goodbye to my very generous friends, the Tusons, packed my case AGAIN and set off for Heathrow via taxi and coach. I tried my luck at the SAA counter hoping for an upgrade for my 60^th flight with Star Alliance – but no luck! I did, however, end up with no-one next to me for my big flight home and so I could spread out over two seats! What bliss! It was great to be back on SAA – nothing beats South African friendliness! I forgot to take my Wendy Hartley super-strong sleeping tablets and so I tried wine instead – but didn’t sleep much. My poor hand luggage case wasn’t pulling properly and when I examined it, I found that one wheel was completely shredded! 

Shredded wheel - oh dear!

What a lovely surprise I got to be met by my daughter, Louise, when I arrive in Johannesburg. We had breakfast and then I got onto my final flight – for East London where my friends, Jaco and Jenny van der Merwe fetched me and took me home. Dear Clio my cat was very happy to see me! It did feel odd taking my big purple suitcase up the steps and realizing that there are other clothes in my cupboard! Unfortunately, I packed so quickly when I left that I still have to remember where most things are. The evening was spent with my house church friends at our end-of-year party and it was a most wonderful way to end my six-month escape! Now it’s back to reality….. and who knows what is next?

My lovely house church friends who welcomed me back so warmly

Clio, my cat, is happy I'm back

My house is fine - hydrangeas are looking good

And I'm back in my own lounge!

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY TRIP:

A middle-aged lady with a purple wheelie suitcase CAN make it right around the world!

The world is a beautiful place – not just in terms of beautiful sights, but also in terms of beautiful people. Wherever we are in the world, the human spirit is the same – we all need to reach out to one another. Everyone has his or her story to share and everyone needs encouragement. I met so many kind people on my travels.

There really is something new to learn every day – no matter how simple.

I have precious friends – lots of “old” ones and many “new” ones and in many places now!

Drink lots of water.

Rest when you feel tired or overwhelmed – nothing is ever that bad.

See airport days as rest days – dress up, enjoy flouncing around duty free shops and watching crowds of travellers. Be nice to airport security personnel and realise that they inhabit a very boring, airless and stressful world.

Learn to adapt – to different customs, different food, different transport…..

Offer to take photographs for other travellers – it’s a great way to make friends and to have your photo taken in return!

Realise how blessed you are to be on such a huge adventure! I certainly did.

Appreciate what you have – a lovely home to come back to, great daughters and family, friends, a new career?

Be grateful that you are cured from buying bits of colourful “stuff”! It is easier to shop with the eyes now.

Look after your feet – they are needed for walking and need care.

Talk about South Africa and let people know that South Africans are fabulous and friendly and that any foreign currency will go a long way in South Africa! Also that Cape Town and Kruger Park are not the only places worth visiting!

Thanks to so many friends who hosted me – this often included doing my laundry too:

UK – Janice Schultz, Grace and Howard Cooper, Gill Davies, Jackie and Tony Tuson, Claire and Mark Watson

AUSTRALIA – Merlene Mitchley and Wayne Bolito, Theresa and Brian Breetzke, Liane Kopke and Ben Mason

NEW ZEALAND – Val Morgan, Jurgen and Grace Muller, Pete and Megan Odgers, Penny and Tim Simpson

USA – Warren and Katie Tickner, Noddy and Rose Wampach, Linda and Duncan Moody

CANADA – Wendy and Mark Hartley, Louise Bedard

I stayed in Airbnbs x 22 – wow that is a lot! I now have many friends from Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, Thailand, Australia, USA, Mexico, Iceland….

Thanks to friends who joined me as travel buddies:

Jenny Cooper-Gillanders in Spain and France

Adrian Slaughter in Greece and Turkey

Fran Johansen and Eileen Shatz – two wonderful American ladies and my buddies on the Cook Islands

Janice Schultz in Iceland and Egypt

Jackie Acton – my great cruise buddy

Thanks to the friends with whom I renewed friendships: Helen Jones – after 40 years!, Sharon Swinfen – after 45 years!, Jo Hardwick and Trish Lavine. I hope and pray I haven't forgotten anyone!

WOULD I HAVE CHANGED ANYTHING?

Definitely not! Sometimes perhaps, I didn’t stay long enough with friends – that just means that I can visit again and hopefully, I didn’t go off like smelly old socks. I never felt nervous – because God was always before, behind and around me – it was good to have time on my own to pray, think, analyse and appreciate my situation. Even when I had to catch three consecutive flights and ended up not knowing exactly how to get to my accommodation, I always knew I’d finally end up in a nice warm bed – and I always did!

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO NOW?

Seeing my family, especially Natalie and Louise, and all my friends….

My own bed after sleeping in over 48 others!

My car AND independence! I am so over being a public transport person, even though I have enjoyed trains, buses, taxis of many varieties, ferries, boats, ships, tuktuks, big and small aeroplanes, a helicopter, a campervan, and lots of walking! I should really have taken a pedometer!

My new career – the next phase of my working life – more tours, some tutoring, editing and proof-reading – all under my new “brand” Purple Ferrari….

AND FINALLY, THANK YOU TO SO MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE ENCOURAGED ME ALONG MY WAY. RECEIVING MESSAGES AND HEARING NEWS HAS REALLY SUSTAINED ME. I KNOW THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

When I started this blog I headed it, “My Big Fat Greek Holiday or The Amazing Race around the World”. Well, I think it was BOTH! I know how privileged I am to have had such an incredible adventure and to have returned healthy and strong. I am excited to see what is in store for me now.

Au revoir for now from the Purple Ferrari. xxxx