Final Thoughts.

South African Subtleties
-"To Let" means the same as "For Rent." No one has inserted the obviously funny i to any of the signs we've seen, unfortunately.

-Servers in restaurants deliver the bill at a European speed--a suitable vacation speed, it's worth mentioning. They take your order and deliver and remove your plates very promptly, but it seems that they will never bring a check on their own volition. You just have to ask after you've been sitting at your table without plates for awhile. Sometimes, they will even come by to check on your empty table to see if you need anything, but they never ask if you want a check. Unlike in the states, the patron fills the tip out before the credit is charged, and the charge goes through a device at the table. If the patron decides to tip poorly, she gets to sit and watch the server go through the motions of typing it into the machine in front of her in an awkward silence.

-One must order a "filtered coffee" to get an familiar, American cuppa' joe. Servers ask you, however, if you'd like hot or cold milk, which I'm never prepared to answer.

-There is apparently no central heating and air in South Africa (some locals verified this fact for us, as we have obviously not inspected a lot of homes due to all the barriers surrounding them). This is due in some part to the good weather. The heating system in our room is basically giant square plates on the walls that one plugs in and turns on. If it was colder, the fact they don't heat up the room very well would be more of a problem.

-Not having a car means we haven't struggled with the fact that driving is done on the opposite side of the road. What's difficult, though, is overcoming the natural inclination to walk on a specific side of the street, of a walkway, or up a staircase, as the flow of foot traffic mirrors the road traffic.

-Green lights, of course, mean "Go" and yellow lights mean "Proceed with Caution." Red lights, at least when they change from yellow, do not really mean "Stop." Most drivers consider two or three seconds of red to mean something like "Get Your Ass Through the Intersection." Traffic laws seemingly permit this, as the opposing direction's light does not turn green immediately, apparently as a means to accommodate for this habit.

-South African soap operas on television include dialogue in a blend of both Afrikaans and English--something like our notion of Spanglish. What's funny, however, is how the network selectively subtitles this dialogue. Some of the programs have also had World Cup items in the background or being discussed as part of some strange product placement.

-Our motel, like any motel, provided us with a Do Not Disturb placard for our door. Having gone to bed near 5 a.m. after the knockout game, we hung the sign in hopes of getting sufficient rest. With the sign up, the staff knocked on the door at 9, called the room to get us to allow for breakfast delivery, and then called later to ask us to leave so the room could be tidied. My question: Why provide a Do Not Disturb sign?

A Land of Contrasts
The drives to and from Rustenburg really showed the contrast in the quality of life in South Africa. At a couple of points we skirted the edge of shanty communities. People walked along the road to and from major intersections, some spreading used clothes and goods along the route to sell. (Roadside window tinting, anyone?)



Less than 45 minutes away, we found ourselves near an upscale suburb surrounded by mini malls, car dealerships, and a luxurious golf community.


Inside 30 minutes from the previous spot, we found ourselves surrounded by nothing but typical, rugged African terrain.


Personal Records
-I've worn each pair of jeans I brought at least three times. Each pair of socks went 'round twice. T-shirts generally went a day or two, commonly layered over something long sleeve and reused as well.

-I now know why I own seventeen pairs of boxers.

-Stephanie has washed my team U.S.A. jersey and warm-up jacket in the sink. Ben has done some laundry in the room as well. Stephanie says I have to be careful not to make it seem as though this is a Chinese laundry joke. Regardless, they are very skilled with what soap we have and water.

-I, on the other hand, have made some dinners out of some truly non-standard items (tomato and cumin spread for pasta sauce?) and kitchen appliances that don't have specifics as to temperature or time anywhere on them.

-I painted my own face three times and decorated Steph's twice. I tied patriotic bandannas around my face, wrist, belt, and wife's hair. (I also dried her hair one night when she felt too feeble and ill to rub her hair vigorously.)

-I lost my glasses in a moment of exaltation at Ellis Park Stadium.

-My digital camera is haywire. It no longer zooms, the menu button has stopped registering, thereby making it impossible to change the settings or navigate through the photos.

-I have witnessed, captured, and experienced some the best football in the world in an expansive foreign country on the trip of a lifetime. Thank you for supporting, interacting, and joining us on our journey.