Miles away…

A couple of weeks ago over a Parkhurst lunch, A, J and K all started discussing plans to flee the country (or at least Joburg) in the not too distant future. As the only one at the table, with absolutely no plans to leave the country at all, I was quite put out.

The more I thought about it, the more I realised that not a single one of my dearest friends plans to stay in SA for much longer.

And the same goes for family – with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew living thousands of miles away in the land of the unfortunate accent, vegemite and Kylie Minogue.

I wonder if it’s the same everywhere else in the world, or if it’s particularly pronounced in SA, but it seems like I constantly have to bid farewell to the most beloved of friends as they head off for distant shores, where the sun rarely shines. Although the world keeps getting smaller and smaller, and emailing my far-away friends is a great way to kill time at work, nothing can quite replace having them a 10-minute drive away.

This was felt the most severely with the departure of one of my best friends, also known as The Fugitive, when she packed up and moved across to Hamburg, Germany about two years ago. This was the result of some time she spent in Germany for a dancing tournament where she met a German sailor, fell head over heels in love, and off she went to start a new life. Luckily, she’s been back to visit quite a few times, not always under good circumstances, but it’s made the transition a little easier for all of us that she left behind in SA.

I suppose the one bonus is a vast array of holiday destinations to choose from with free accommodation on offer… but I’d really prefer it if all my friends stopped moving to Europe and rather chose somewhere a little more sunny… maybe with an ocean-view – Zanzibar, Seychelles or Mozambique…. just putting some suggestions out there.