Five Stars

September 6, 2005

Pictures: a starling in our yard, the playground at our school

This place is just like a resort sometimes. I know that seems weird, a resort in one of the most impoverished nations in the world. In order to continue with our day to day though, it becomes necessary to forget that there are starving people just down the road. To dwell on them is to invite depression.

So how is it like a resort? The club is amazing. There is a movie room with at least 500 titles. You get the key from the bartender and pick whatever movies you want, marking them down in the book. They are about $2 each. Ellen (the club manager) uses the funds to purchase more movies. In the same room is a good sized collection of books. Lots of trash novels, a bunch of kid’s books, and a few reference books. The books are free for the taking although they assume you will return them eventually. There is a gym with Nautilus equipment (we keep swearing we’re going to spend time there), two computers with internet, a squash court, and a large toy box for the younger set.

The dining room is open till late at night and features fresh bread, pizza, and an assortment of tasty treats including chocolate éclairs and milk shakes! There is a full bar with a billiards table, darts, and a big screen TV that always seems to be playing the latest South African sporting event. It also has a view of the Escarpment that is unparalleled. All purchases are signed for and we are billed at the end of the month. Children are welcome in any portion of the place. Ellen is most happy to provide food for whatever event there happens to be. She is also willing to order extra meat, veggies, etc if you plan on having a party.

Outside is the pool, volleyball court, tennis courts, and speed cricket (?) field. There are regular sporting events and games that take place every week. Many of these games won’t begin until after the rainy season (October), but there are some that are happening now. There are women’s events, men’s events and coed events. All of these things are coordinated and run by the club. It’s really quite amazing.

We are great fans of the swimming pool. We try to go there at least three times a week. Wimpie (Voompie) is the only person that uses it with any regularity and usually it is just Carrie, Zachary, and I. It’s less than a two minute walk from our house. When we arrive in the late afternoon, we get the key and a beer from the bartender and dive in. When the beer is empty, I have only to step up to the door and signal for another. Segou (Say-goo) smiles and brings it right out. Zachary loves to order and Segou knows us all pretty well. We are treated like family. It is truly an oasis in the desert that is our home.

We bumped into Wimpie today at the club. He told us that he ventured back out the road to the reservoir and got stuck in the mud for four hours. His Land Rover just sank into a puddle and wouldn’t budge. I thought that was funny, but he wasn’t laughing.