Happy 2006 Everyone!!

I hope you all were able to usher in the New Year with excitement and joy. It’s January 3^rd so many of you should have by now shaken off your hangovers or already given up on that bold New Year’s resolution you announced on December 31^st. As is often the case with me, I create these elaborate lists of resolutions that I vow to keep in order to improve my life in the New Year. However, backing up my talk with some serious results…well that’s another matter entirely. Usually by mid February I’ve forsaken my buoyant commitments or thrown them into the great heap of “things I’ll get around to later.” This year was no different, as I compiled another long “to do” list for 2006.

Coming out of the gate strong, I started off with the classic: getting more exercise. Yesterday morning I woke up early for a jog along the Ocean side marginal. The morning sky was clear, the streets were quiet, the Indian Ocean was like a crystal sheet stretching out to the horizon and the weather was a ridiculous 32 degrees…at 7:45 AM!! By the time I got to the bottom of the Marginal I was utterly exhausted and my shirt was completely drenched with sweat. On numerous occasions, I seriously considered jumping into the Maputo Bay but the thought of garbage and industrial waste for breakfast allowed me to maintain my senses. I arrived back at my apartment an hour and a half later, cursing the African sun and my pathetic physical conditioning. I have a ways to go before I will be running in any African marathons I’ll tell you that!!

In between Christmas and New Years, I got the chance to visit some family friends in Pretoria. Going to South Africa is such an escape from Mozambique I can’t even begin to describe it. For four days I received the royal treatment and I almost forgot I was in Africa. I drove along pothole-less asphalted streets, I ate at gourmet restaurants, I drank expensive wines, I went golfing at a pristine country club and I wondered the shops at the largest mall on the continent. This is South Africa though, a country with first world luxuries in the midst of third world suffering. The political and social dynamics of the country are fascinating with the Afrikaner, British and numerous African cultures all culminating into one political society. I’ve always been intrigued by South African politics and I enjoyed the chance to witness the country firsthand, albeit from a heavily Afrikaner perspective. Perhaps I’ll write more on that at a later time. The family I stayed with undeniably showed me some true Afrikaner hospitality, introducing me to the finer points of biltong, brais and beer for breakfast. Buy a donkey you guys!!

I spent New Years here in Maputo at a party on a mashamba (farm) just outside the city. It was a great time but a full day of “merry making” left me rather tired by the wee hours of the morning and I ended up wondering off into the field for a little nap. Twice, actually. Many of you out there will know my history of taking such walks when I am in such a state of mind (although I don’t think anything will ever top my 23^rd birthday party!!) I then spent my final day of holidays up at Macaneta Beach about 45 minutes north of Maputo. Huge crashing waves, long stretches of deserted coastline and a chilled out beach bum community made for quite an enjoyable day!!

I would love to hear about all of your New Years escapades so if any of you have a good story to share please post it up. Also, if any of you would like to share new year’s resolution, which are not nearly as cliché as mine, please feel free to do so as well. I’ll leave you with some random pictures from the past week. Peace and love everyone!! Here’s hoping all your wildest dreams come true in 2006!!

Danicing it up on Christmas Day

Some Cute Kids

Christmas Dinner at our Apartment (left to right: Alex our security guard, Paulo Cathy's "namorado," Cathy the wonder cook and our friend Josie)

Mike Weir and Retief Goosen at the 7th hole of the Pretoria Open

A cute girl on Macaneca Beach