24 May 2017

24 May 2017

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

Henk’s Little Travelogue: Australia/Tasmania/New Zealand - Part VI

Seeing some of Sidney’s most memorable landmarks Itinerant contributor HENK BOLHUIS is currently exploring the wonders of Down Under with his wife Rentia, and will entertain CXPRESS readers for the next five weeks with his travel tales and images - turn to page 2 of the previous five editions at www.cxpress.co.za to catch up E continue the story of our outing to Manley Beach - one of Sydney’s most popular tourist destinations.

One of the first things built in the new town of Sydney, as early as 1792, was a wharf on the Sydney Cove shore, initially called Hospital Wharf, later named King’s Wharf and renamed again as Queen’s Wharf.

Presently referred to as Circular Quay, it however comprises a much larger area since reconstruction of the southern section of Sydney Cove with an artificial shoreline in 1844.

This section of Sydney Harbour soon became the hub of the Sydney ferry network, but it also accommodates large passenger liners and cruise ships.

Before boarding the ferry I notice one of these enormous ships moored to a jetty, just a few hundred metres away from our ferry, the Radiance of the Seas. The flagship of the Royal Caribbean International Radiance Class, it is 293m long and over 10 storeys high.

This giant, carrying 2,501 passengers and a crew of 859, boats among many other unique features a rock-climbing wall, a mini-golf course, several swimming pools, and pool tables stabilised by a computer controlled gyroscope that constantly adjusts the table top so that, even at sea, it remains level.

One of the most popular of the many Sydney ferries, the Manley Ferry makes these trips regularly, 24/7, and offers the traveller spectacular harbour views, including the famous Sydney Opera House.

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UNIQUELY SHAPED: From our river vantage-point on the Manley Ferry we could see the impressive Sydney Opera House

In 1855, a certain Henry Gilbert Smith, a businessman of Sydney, had a pier constructed a little east of Manley Wharf from where excursions, including trips to Manley Island, were available. A year later, a regular ferry service was introduced.

The name Manley Island is obviously a misnomer as it is actually a peninsula, situated among Sydney’s northern beaches.

The origin of its name is quite interesting: Admiral Arthur Philip RN, the first Governor of NSW, who founded the British Penal Colony that later became the city of Sydney, after meeting the local indigenous people, wrote: “…whose confidence and manly behaviour made me give the name Manly Cove to this place”.

“7 Miles from Sydney and 1,000 Miles from care” was the slogan used in 1940 by the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company to advertise “Australia’s Premier Seaside Resort”.

Sydney Harbour, part of Port Jackson, is a large body of water

of more than 55km2 and an inlet of the Tasman Sea. Its most famous landmarks are Sydney Bridge and the opera house.

As we leave Wharf 3, we can see the massive Sydney Harbour Bridge on our left and the uniquely shaped Sydney Opera House, on our right.

The bridge, nicknamed The Coathanger because of its steel arch design, carries traffic between the CBD and Sydney’s North Shore; it includes a double railway track, six lanes for motor vehicles, bicycles tracks, and pedestrians walkways.

Built in the early 1900s, it has been in use since mid-March 1932 and is presently, with a length of 1,149m, the world’s sixth longest spanning arch bridge. Its 48.8m width makes it the world’s second widest long-span bridge, and it measures 134m from the top to the water level.

Not only is the bridge, carrying more than 200,000 vehicles daily, a vital link in Sydney’s infrastructure, but it’s also a popu-

lar tourist attraction, especially since 1998 when the structure was opened to bridge climbers.

A variety of guided climbs are available to the fit and healthy in small groups of 14, from The Express Climb (2 hours 15 minutes), to The Bridge Climb (3.5 hours), and even The Wedding Climb for those who wish to tie the knot at 134m above Sydney Harbour, and have managed to persuade a pastor to perform the service at that height.

Sydney Harbour Bridge is also the focus of one of the world’s most spectacular and dazzling annual fireworks displays, when on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight, fireworks erupt from the bridge, the Opera House and from a number of barges on the water.

The display is seen live by more than 100,000 people from every possible vantage point alongside the harbour banks and from hundreds of private boats in the harbour.

As the ferry proceeds east towards Manley Island, the famous opera house becomes visible close by to our right. This extraordinary building, designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, was opened in October 1973 and became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2007.

Travelling past Taronga Zoo on our left and later seeing Watson’s Bay on the right, we arrive at Manley Wharf about half an hour later. After cold drinks and ice cream and a walk taking in all the views, we are ready to take the ferry back to the CBD and to return home by train.

To be continued…

NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

CXPRESS

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Inaugural meeting of new Bitou council sees new mayco members elected without objection A shake-up took place within the Bitou council yesterday, following confirmation of a new coalition partnership between the Active United Front (AUF) and Democratic Alliance (DA) - YOLANDÉ STANDER reports special council meeting was held in Bitou Municipality’s council chambers on Tuesday May 23, which served as the inaugural meeting of the town’s newly-established council.

This meeting had not been concluded at the time of going to print, but municipal spokesman Dumisani Mnweba on Monday confirmed that changes would be in terms of executive positions.

These included the replacement of the ANC deputy mayor Euan Wildeman with the DA’s Jessica Kamkam an appointment loudly applauded by the majority of those present in the council chambers shortly after 9am yesterday morning.

On the eve of this historic occasion, Mnweba also advised that changes in the mayoral committee would include the DA’s Bill Nel and Nonphumelelo Ndayi.

DA constituency head in Bitou Donald Grant confirmed these changes earlier this week.

Bitou ANC sub-region

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chairman Howard Smith said in a statement that the party had given instruction to its councillors holding executive positions to vacate office for the purpose of allowing smooth transition.

This directive was heeded indeed, as no objections came forth from ANC officials when given the opportunity to counter the nomination of new deputy mayor Kamkam or newly-elected speaker Annelise Olivier.

AUF secretary and Bitou mayor Peter Lobese announced about a week ago that his party members had decided to enter into a “propoor” coalition agreement with the DA, after the relationship between the AUF and the ANC had deteriorated to such a degree that their coalition was ended.

Following the local government elections last year which left Bitou with a hung council when both the ANC and the DA obtained six seats in 13-seat council and the AUF the final position the AUF and ANC entered

OUT IN THE COLD: Occupants of the ANC bench, with former deputy mayor Euan Wildeman at right, were gracious in their acceptance of the new regime Photo: Lynette Mullins (showme.co.za/plett)

into a coalition agreement.

Last month, however, Lobese announced that the party was ending the agreement after a series of issues.

Lobese accused the ANC of only frustrating attempts to establish clean administration and to commit resources to address the difficulties faced by Bitou residents, but also failed to implement their coalition agreement.

The ANC has however remained adamant that it refused to be part to mismanagement of municipal resources and political interference in the administration and committed itself to clean governance.

Following the announcement, Lobese invited both the ANC and the DA to start coalition negotiations afresh, and on May 13 revealed that the DA had been successful.

Both Lobese and Grant said that the coalition was based on developing the Bitou community.

Lobese said that the agreement focused on growing the economy and bettering the lives of residents. Grant added that another important part of the agreement was the parties’ zero tolerance to corruption.

Grant said he was delighted about the new coalition, and that the negotiations took quite some time to be concluded. “And it should have - this is a very important decision, as it takes us to 2021,” Grant said.

Garden Route Media

Public tip-off leads to arrest of Plett pusher Plettenberg Bay security guard was arrested recently after police found a wide range of drugs at his home and workplace in Qolweni.

Police spokesman captain Marlene Pieterse said that Plettenberg Bay SAPS’s crime prevention unit had received a tip-off from the

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public about alleged drug abuse in the area.

When they searched the 22-year-old man’s home and workplace at about 9pm on May 13, they found 38 straws of Tik, 5g of uncut Tik, 22 full Mandrax tablets, six halves and 12 quarters of dagga, as well as one parcel of compressed dagga

and 10 stops of dagga.

Pieterse said the drugs were estimated to have a street value of R4,410. The suspect was arrested shortly after the search operations.

“We are very thankful for the community’s support through supplying us with the information,” she said.

-Yolandé Stander

NEW CREW: Bitou mayor Peter Lobese is flanked by his newly-elected deputy Jessica Kamkam, left, and speaker Annelise Olivier - Photo: Vinthi Neufeld

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

Join StreetSmart in recognising Child Protection Week Give a (little) man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a (little) man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime… society that cherishes its children is a healthy, happy one. Unfortunately, South Africa falls terribly short here.

Every child has the right to health, happiness and a life free from violence. Each year though, millions of children around the world are the victims of and witnesses to physical, sexual and emotional violence.

Our constitution specifically states that every child has the right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation. Despite the best efforts of the South African Government and civil society to protect these precious little ones, the ugly truth is that many of them are victimised.

Violence is a challenge in our society. South Africa, sadly, has been identified as having one of the highest incidents of violence and violence-related injury in the world.

Many children grow up in environments which could be described as ‘incubators of terror’ where they are exposed to all of this at an early age. Their safety is not only compromised at home, but also in their school and on the streets of their communities.

The violence, neglect and exploitation have a devastating and lasting effect on survivors.

Sexual abuse against children does not happen in a vacuum. The children served at Plett’s Masizame Drop-In Centre typically report experiencing several different forms of abuse.

All too frequently their ‘survivor’ instinct compels them to make the decision to avoid their domestic situation as much as possible, taking them to the streets. There another level of abuse is prolific.

Street children are exploited by adult criminal elements and easily fall into the shady world of petty crime, drug dealing and sexual exploitation.

It is crucial that the residents of Plett, business owners and tourists understand that giving money or food to children begging on the street is enabling the dysfunction by keeping them on the street. Tragically, many of these children die prematurely.

A better way is to engage with the child, establish a good rapport and encourage trust.

Find out, if you can, why this child is not at school, home, etc. and most importantly, entrust them to services such as Masizame Drop-In Centre or Child Welfare.

NGOs like Masizame work with vulnerable street children in Plettenberg Bay, and offer an alternative to life on the street while lavishing them with the love and care they so desperately need.

With the financial support of StreetSmart Plett, Masizame offers a range of programmes to strengthen the family and assist children in getting back into mainstream schooling. Positive Parenting training programmes teach parents that children need structure, positive discipline and consequences - not punishment. Protective Behaviour training strengthens the child’s resilience.

Masizame will be embarking on a mass awareness campaign during Child Protection Week (May 28 to June 4), entitled ‘Let us work together to keep the children of Plettenberg Bay safe’. Please email Brenda Wall at brenda.wall@mweb.co.za if you would like to volunteer to assist.

• Masizame is a local NGO and Child Protection Organisation. StreetSmart Plett is part of the StreetSmart SA Programme, a national fundraising initiative raising funds for street children’s education, skills training and family reunification programmes, in partnership with local restaurants, beneficiary organisations and sponsors.

Please support participating StreetSmart Plett restaurants Emily Moon, Ice Palazzo, Nguni, The Fat Fish, The Grand Café & Rooms, The Med Seafood Bistro, The Pie Shop, The Table - EatOutHelpOut.

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NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

CXPRESS

Texan tracking cyber outlaws shares tricks of his trade in George Words & photo: Bob Hopkin

OUD, confident opinionated? Yes and what else would you expect from a Texan… But from his standing in the fight against cyber criminals, his act as the cowboy with the white hat qualifies him as a sharp-shooting good guy.

Western parallels aside, a talk given by Jayson Street in George last Saturday was eye-opening to his audience, invited there by the recently established Eden Office of Cyber Security.

Proudly referring to himself as a “hacker” Street pointed out that, in spite of South Africa often considered to be a developing country, there were 8.8-million of us as potential victims of cybercrime to a value of

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R35-billion in 2016, according to Symantec company statistics.

He pointed out that there were, in general, two groups of hackers: those who do it with criminal intent and those, like him and his colleagues, who hack in a benevolent way in order to test computer and security systems for the benefit of identifying weaknesses that criminal hackers could exploit to acquire funds or information.

Street continued that, as money was the usual motivation for a cyber-attack, it was becoming the favoured way to steal as experts had determined the chances of detection and successful prosecution were less than one percent.

WHITE-HAT HACKER: Jayson E Street makes his point - this globallyrecognised author and speaker has graced the stages of some of the largest information security summits in the world, and was named TIME magazine’s Person of the Year in 2006

Cyber-attacks on the rise OVERNMENTS across the globe are scrambling to catch the culprits behind cyber-attacks disrupting operations at large organisations.

Cyber-security experts say the spread of the worm dubbed WannaCry locked up more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries.

Analysts seem to confirm that the attack was launched by a group of hackers known as the Shadow Brokers, using strong encryption on files such as documents, images, and videos.

One Channel CEO Bernard Ford says the attack has slowed but warns that new versions of the worm will strike soon. “Ransomware is the most serious malware threat of the 21st century, with criminals projected to extort billions from their victims in 2017.”

Visit www.onechannel.cloud for more.

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“The old way of robbing a bank was either to tunnel into the vault or to go in with a mask and shotgun, both of which required high levels of risk and effort.

These days the same thing can be achieved with a few clicks of a mouse,” he said.

Along with some of his colleagues, Street has been employed all over the world by various institutions to test their systems.

On Saturday he screened a documentary showing him and two other ‘white hat’ hackers successfully ‘conning’ their way into a major bank in Beirut, Lebanon, compromising all of the bank’s accounts and security systems undetected.

On the subject of the motives of malevolent hackers Street pointed out that, while money was the usual motivation, accessing private and sensitive information or planting false information had been a more recent trend, often traced to the Far East or the former USSR. “Ten years ago, hacking was in its infancy, with just relatively simple viruses to control. Those were the good old days.

Now, the attacks have become enormously complex and often with political implications such as a hack into the Iranian nuclear programme that destroyed the centrifuge controls,” he explained.

On a more personal level, Street recommended that users always create regular offline backups of their sensitive information, switch off wifi networks when not in use, and ensure that business employees are discouraged or prevented from using company hardware for private use or amusement, “as this leaves you wide open to attack”.

Est.1990

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CXPRESS

NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

Here’s how soul-midwife Diane plans to hone our death literacy XPRESS last week had the pleasure of meeting sister Diane Lawrie, who has recently launched a Non-Profit Company dedicated to increasing the emotional fitness of communities along the Garden Route and beyond.

They say there are but two sure things in life: death and taxes. And Harkerville resident Diane is an expert on one of these subjects…

“I’ve been a dedicated registered nurse for over 35 years and have, since the turn of the century, been specialising in the inevitable end-stage of human growth, more generally referred to as ‘death’,” says Diane.

“Unfortunately, we live in a death-denying society, which has made my work as soul-midwife increasingly difficult over the years. I hardly ever experience any ‘good deaths’ these days, as fewer families know what to do when the time comes for a loved one to pass.”

In an attempt to increase the “death literacy” in her community, Diane has designed a course of free Departure Lounge talks that she will be giving on a regular basis, kicking off in Plettenberg Bay next week and then presented at various venues from Sedgefield to Grahamstown.

“I am committed to creating a safe space where I will share my personal and professional knowledge about growing old about death and dying - a place where we can discuss death, find meaning, reflect on what’s important, and address profound issues,” explains Diane.

“I’m really excited to present these primary-health education talks to a variety of groups in a relaxed, fun, and meaningful way.”

A secondary objective of these presentations, she says, is for her to practise and perfect her public speaking and facilitating skills in order to best impart her decades of practical experience gathered in the line of duty.

Once satisfied with her

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NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE: Harkerville resident sister Diane Lawrie has been specialising in the end-stage of human growth since the turn of the century

performance, she plans to record it on YouTube before moving on to the next topic.

“Most people fear talking about death more than death itself, and I would really like to try and change this! When entertaining the prospect of one’s own death along with all the attachments and illusions that surface about that eventuality, then paradoxically the exercise greatly reduces one’s fears of life.”

Diane invites readers to come and explore your end of life choices in the comfort of the Departure Lounge, as none of us are going to get out of this life alive.

Most of our health expenses are in the last year of life; most of us would like to be sure that this expenditure and the associated time and discomfort during health interventions are not futile; most people prefer spending their last days at home.

With these facts in mind, Diane’s talks will encompass a vast range of death-related subjects while also introducing the One-slide Project, thanks to Dr Janet Stanford of Knysna Hospice.

“I will be motivating ‘Wright Brothers and Sis-

ters’ to climb on board, helping them to love, cherish and protect their frail, vulnerable elders. It’s how you finish a race that matters, so why not learn to rest in peace while still alive?”

Do not miss sister Diane Lawrie’s first Departure Lounge talk on Tuesday May 30 at Piesang Valley Community Hall in Plettenberg Bay at 9:30am.

The 45-minute talk will allow for questions and answers and with one of life’s two sure things in mind, it’s not an opportunity anyone should miss.

Future Departure Lounge talk topics may include…

• What’s the difference between prolonging life and prolonging death?

• Good grief.

• Pass with ease.

• Portal plan.

• Letting go of the one you love.

• Something’s gotta give.

• Give it up for…?

• How to become emotionally fit.

• How do we make death easier?

• When emotions run high, intelligence runs low…

See the advert below for contact details and visit www.dianelawrie.org for additional information.

NEWS & VIEWS

24 May 2017

CXPRESS

Catch Strauss & Co valuation roadshow at The Grand Café today TIETIESBAAI: This painting

by Stanley Faraday Pinker, from last year’s roadshow stop in Swellendam, sold for more than R1.25million in Cape Town

OLLOWING on its recordtopping March live sale in Cape Town, which generated a headline turnover of R70.6million on a solid 84% sellthrough rate, Strauss & Co this week embarked on a valuation roadshow through the Eastern Cape and Garden Route, before its final stop in Swellendam.

South Africa’s leading auction house, Strauss & Co was founded in 2009 by a consortium of business leaders and industry experts, including the late Stephan Welz, Elisabeth Bradley, Conrad Strauss, Vanessa Phillips, Ann Palmer, and Bina Genovese.

Excellent news for Plett locals is that Phillips, joined by colleagues Kirsty Colledge and Ian Hunter, will be in attendance at today’s event at The Grand in Plett’s Main Street to conduct obligationfree valuations of art, silver, and Oriental porcelain.

Joint managing director of Strauss & Co, Phillips is an expert in furniture, silver, ceramics, glass, and jewellery, while Colledge and Hunter both

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STILL LIFE WITH HIBISCUS: This Maggie Laubser floral beauty from last year’s Knysna stop sold for R431,984

specialise in the various disciplines of art.

“Our valuation roadshow is always much anticipated by collectors in the Eastern Cape and Garden Route, as indeed it is by our resident experts, who are always delighted and amazed by the wonderful things they are presented with,” says Phillips.

Last year’s road trip generated

some remarkable finds: a sunny landscape of Tietiesbaai by Stanley Pinker brought to the Swellendam valuation day was later sold for R1,250,480 at the Strauss & Co live sale in October in Cape Town - well above its high estimate of R700,000.

Other notable finds included an undated floral still life by Maggie Laubser that surfaced during a valuation day in Knysna and sold for R431,984, which was also above its high estimate.

Valuations are by appointment and cost R20 per item. Proceeds generated by the obligation-free valuations are always donated to host institutions or their specified charity which, in the case of Plettenberg Bay, is the Sabrina Love Foundation.

So bring along your art and collectables to The Grand Café and Rooms at 27 Main Street and who knows, you may well get the surprise of your life. All valuations are held between 9am and 2pm contact Gail on 021 683 6560 or at ct@straussart.co.za and visit www.straussart.co.za for additional information.

EXPERT COLLECTORS: From the top - Vanessa Phillips, Kirsty Colledge, and Ian Hunter are doing valuations in Plett at The Grand today

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Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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CXPRESS

INTERVAL

24 May 2017

Facts from long ago - Part I

UESTION: Why do X’s at the end of a letter signify kisses?

Answer: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfil obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink.

To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously.

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When a guest trusted his host, he would only touch or clink the host’s glass with his own.

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great ‘on cloud nine’?

A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud. If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called ‘passing the buck’?

A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility of dealing, he would ‘pass the buck’ to the next player.

Runner’s euphoria friend of mine had resisted efforts to get him to run with our jogging group until his doctor told him he had to exercise.

Soon thereafter, he reluctantly joined us for our 5:30am jogs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

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After a month of running, we decided my friend might be hooked, especially when he said he had discovered what “runner’s euphoria” was.

“Runner’s euphoria,” he explained, “is what I feel at 5:30am on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.”

The lemon remedy HERE once was a religious young woman who went to confession.

Upon entering the confessional, she said: “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”

The priest said: “Confess your sins and be forgiven.”

The young woman said: “Last night my new boyfriend kissed me seven

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times.”

The priest thought long and hard, and then replied: “Squeeze seven lemons into a glass and then drink the juice.”

“Will this cleanse me of my sins?” the young woman asked.

The priest said: “No, but it will wipe that smile off of your face.”

My sister explained to my nephew how his voice would eventually change as he grew up.

Tyler was exuberant at the prospect.

“Cool!” he said. “I hope I get a German accent.”

My darling son’s graduation speech HEN my son graduated from high school, he had to give a speech. He began by reading from his prepared text.

“I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she has had on my life,” he told the audience.

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“She is a shining example of parenthood, and I love her more than words could ever do justice.”

At this point he seemed to struggle for words.

After a pause, he looked up with a sly grin and said: “Sorry, but it’s really hard to read my mother’s handwriting.”

PROMOTION

24 May 2017

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

24 May 2017

CLASSIFIEDS

ON THE SOAPBOX

24 May 2017

Letters to the Editor

Email: editor@cxpress.co.za - Fax: 044 533 0852 - PO Box 1449, Plett 6600

The abandoned Choo-Tjoe track could still become our own Munda Biddi From your cover story in CXPRESS of May 17 [read it on page 5 of that edition at www.cxpress. co.za], I gather that minister Alan Winde is now a keen follower of crosscountry cycle routes.

This makes a refreshing change from his years of flying the flag for the Choo-Tjoe.

It’s a pity that he ignored all the hard work cycling veteran John Stegmann did, trying to convince him that the

abandoned rail corridor between George and Knysna would make the perfect cross-country, car-free cycle route.

Its gentle gradients would have attracted thousands of cycle-tourists.

There is no quick-fix. It took the Australians 10 years to build the Munda Biddi (www.mundabiddi. org.au) - a 900km dedicated cycleway between Mundaring and Albany in Western Australia.

Leisure Cyclist, Knysna

Ban all leaf blowers Please ask your garden service crews to stop using leaf blowers. Not only are they noisy air pollutants, but they blow away the top soil and leaves the best natural compost available - which are then

discarded.

Quicker is not necessarily better. Rakes and brooms are particularly effective. Let’s all become more conscientious gardeners.

Jean Sparg, Plett

(This edition nearly missed print deadline because of the time we spent on the Munda Biddi website - riveting stuff, and to imagine that we could have a South African version that traverses our marvellous Garden Route, with a vast part of the ‘track’ already in place! Here’s hoping that

the likes of Mr Stegmann, who was instrumental in the foundation of Cape Town’s world-famous cycle tour formerly known as the Argus, will not run out of energy before the ChooTjoe track is completely overgrown and lost to this very clever tourism cause.

- Eds.)

Bitou clinics service head and shoulders above the rest I just want to give a BIG compliment to the clinics in Plettenberg Bay and Wittedrift for their outstanding service, and they are so well organised. All the staff deserve a big thank you for their hard work.

I’ve been in Jeffrey’s Bay at their local clinic one day recently, sitting there from 2:45pm until 4:30pm and not one of the sisters there helped

me - that is after they wrote my name in the visitors’ book at reception.

I saw them one by one walking out and going home at 4:15pm without as much as a “sorry people, we cannot help anyone else today”…

I’ve been at the Riversdale clinic as well, but Plettenberg Bay and Wittedrift are simply TOPS. Thanks again!

Ina Pauling, Jeffrey’s Bay

What the hell has happened to real food?

The other day I heard from a friend who shares my interest in food, but if you called her a ‘foodie’ she would brain you pretty sharpish.

The call went like this: “Paulie, what the hell has happened to real food why is it now a fashion accessory and not a basic reality and need? I know that you feel the same way, so why not write about it.

Well, here it is…

Every couple of years, a new food fashion hits the scene. Pomegranates became the rage; you couldn’t get anything from salads to fish that was not smothered in those dreadful pips, or an extract of it.

For years they have been left happily growing in the garden, to be used as a table decoration or,

thankfully, forgotten. But suddenly there they were: removed from medieval paintings and served on every plate, a must have.

Then pomegranates disappeared to be replaced by ‘smoke’. Now I love smoked salmon, kippers, haddock, a chicken, and turkey.

And I love smokers - the best people a restaurateur can hope for. They are happy people, relaxed people, the type of people who built South Africa on the back of packs of thirty.

But smoked salt, smoked pepper, smoked foam and everything that a gloryhunting chef could find?

There it was: bad for the lungs, but indispensable on every plate.

Then came the tower food, built up to be de-

molished before you could eat it… Enter the hand pranced picture plate that is placed in front of you from a line of seating cooks shouting “Right Chef!” as they stick their grubby fingers into your food to create a picture that leaves you starving, desperate for the homeward hamburger.

God alone knows what’s next and as our communication lines are a bit frayed at the moment, I can’t tell you.

But despair not, I say, hope is on its way and not out of Pandora’s Box. It is in the slow return of the personal bistro by people who know the guts of food and every other type of offal; cooks digging into their cultural heritage, who serve good

basic grub, recognisable from where it came, the only additive coming straight from the soul.

Go out there and find them, knowing that the total number of ingredients probably total more than eight - including unsmoked pepper and salt.

Sit in the corner, have a smoke and don’t feel like a member of the criminal classes, but one who knows the joy of true contentment.

Give the large chains a duck, find the true geniuses of food, the best ingredient being the people around the table and a cook, not a chef, who puts himself on the plate and care more about the food than about fashion or the recipe book.

Paul Deans, Plett

Join in nationwide prayer initiative from May 25 SA Pray, a nationwide initiative supported by concerned Christians in South Africa, is launching a national call to prayer.

We live in turbulent and challenging times, and Christians have a vital role to play in times like these.

The state of our nation compels us to join hands as we look to God for healing and restoration.

Currently too many challenges are to be negotiated - corruption, crime and violence, poverty and unemployment, prejudice such as racism, drug abuse, disintegration of families, to name just a few.

These issues are causing an inordinate amount of

worry and stress to South Africans.

SA Pray trusts God to bring about meaningful change in our time through the obedience and service of God’s people. Christians generally do two things: they read their bible and they pray.

God calls His children to prayer especially in times of distress (2 Cron 7:14).

The period from May 25 to June 4 is significant because of Ascension Day and Pentecost.

Even though these religious festivals are not public holidays, it is still celebrated by millions of believers in South Africa.

Ascension celebrates the complete and successful sacrifice of Jesus and

His ascension to heaven where He is seated in a position of authority.

Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to equip believers for their calling on earth.

Christians, and the nation, are called upon to take time out of their daily schedule to pray wherever they are, and especially with people not particularly known to them.

I suggest that your readers take advantage of the two golden hours of prayer from 12 noon to 2pm for prayer to either be initiated, facilitated or supported at work, home, with friends, in the classroom, on sports fields, in gymnasiums, at

churches, etc.

The SA Pray initiative is supported by various faith-based organisations and churches - in fact, millions of concerned Christians in South Africa are backing this project. The SA Council of Churches has also echoed our call to prayer.

Churches are encouraged to open their doors all over cities, towns and villages of South Africa for people to withdraw in prayer.

Ideally, 55-million people, South Africa’s total population, need to pray for better days for our nation.

Reverend Jannie Pelser: SA Pray initiator, by email

CXPRESS

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CXPRESS

SPORT & ADVENTURE

24 May 2017

Plett adventure racers wrap up Expedition Africa 2017 as part of impressive top 10 Read CXPRESS online at www.cxpress.co.za

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ATCHING up on hours of lost sleep and stuffing themselves to replenish and refuel - these thoughts may well have been first and foremost on the minds of finishers of this year’s Expedition Africa adventure race, which came to a close last Thursday at Cape St Francis.

Ninth and 10th respectively out of the 39 teams to tackle 514km of bundubashing were BUCO Adventurers James ‘Lettuce’ Stewart, Jeanette ‘Netski’ Wylie, Andrew van Blommenstein and Steph le Roux (who finished in 103 hours and 38 minutes), with the Plett Tourism-backed outfit of Drew Scott, Kate Southey, Andrew Damp and Petrus Maree hot on their heels.

It was the second consecutive year that Plett Tourism supported the intrepid Plett Adventure Racing Team, who this time round completed the challenge in 105 hours of trekking, navigating, paddling and cycling their way through the Eastern Cape wilderness, including Baviaanskloof, to finish in the top 10.

The 39 teams competing in Expedition Africa 2017 represented countries from as far afield as Australia, Japan and Ireland. Both Plett’s top 10 teams had an unbelievable race, pushing exceptionally hard from the first day and powering through the Buffalo region of the Baviaans to avoid staying stationary for hours.

This fate befell the third local outfit, Three Dutchmen and a Lady, consisting of Meyer van Rooyen, Hanlie Sinclair, Johan Jansen van Vuuren and Mario Hildebrand. (It was erroneously reported before that Stewart was part of this team.)

Managing to conquer this area in daylight meant teams could avoid the enforced ‘dark zone’ where no night movement was allowed, while teams outside of this zone could continue

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VICTORIOUS VETERANS: From left are BUCO Adventurers ‘Netski’ Wylie with young Amber, Steph le Roux, James Stewart and Andrew van Blommenstein after attaining an incredible ninth place - Photo: Nicholas van den Handel

AWESOME FOURSOME: The Plett Adventure Racing team with Petrus Maree in front cross the finish line at Cape St Francis Resort after more than 100 hours of hard-core racing

forging ahead.

BUCO and Plett AR kept up a gruelling pace, completing over of 65km of paddling, 160km of trekking, and 300 km of cycling during the five days of Expedition Africa 2017.

Said Plett AR navigator Drew Scott: “This year, our team was a lot more focussed and better prepared going into the race.

“We raced harder and kept the mistakes to a minimum.

Navigation was always going to be key in staying ahead and we managed to keep it down to small errors. We surprised even ourselves with the result!”

Teams are only given information about the next leg of the route at each transition, so are expected to navigate from check point to check point along the route; combined with physical exhaustion and lack of sleep, this makes for a very challenging race.

Adventure racing is a physically and mentally demanding sport combining

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two or more endurance disciplines and navigation to traverse an unmarked wilderness course. Expedition Africa is particularly engaging due to teams wearing tracking devices, allowing spectators from all over the world to track their progress live throughout the race.

Called “dot watchers”, these spectators spend hours tracking their team’s progress and viewing photos and videos from the race on social media.

“As always, our wonderful supporters and media kept us going. Knowing that they were following us, my motivation for the team was ‘Come on guys, let’s make our dot watchers proud’,” said Scott.

Plett Tourism is a proud sponsor of these adventure icons as a symbol of the nature of beautiful Bitou, and congratulate the Plett Adventure Racing Team as well as BUCO Adventurers on their completion and placing in Expedition Africa 2017.

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