After twenty four hours ‘on the road’ we have arrived in East London, South Africa. It was very windy but not cold. We left Manchester under similar weather conditions but not typical for this time of year.
We received a warm welcome from my cousin and her husband, followed by a superb meal. My cousin’s son, daughter-in-law and two beautiful little grandchildren joined us and it was so good catching up on all the family news.
My husband and I had an early night so were refreshed and ready for our visit to a local shopping centre. I have seen some disturbing Facebook postings about the violence and general decline of this once much loved city where I was born and spent the first fifteen years of my life. So, despite all the negative press, I was surprised to see the number of new motorways and bypasses built to link suburbs and improve travel links between schools, businesses and shops.
We arrived, albeit with some trepidation on my part, at the shopping centre. I expected to see the place in varying degrees of disrepair. I was also concerned about the safety aspect and clung onto my bag for dear life as we walked towards the entrance.
I was not expecting a state of the art shopping mall fit for the twenty first century! Designer shops, windows filled with the very latest fashions, dotted the arcade. I became very nostalgic seeing the names of departments stores still trading and Checkers’ and ‘Pick and Pay’ well stocked with groceries and obviously doing very well!
It made me wonder why there is so much negativity. I fully understand that there is an escalated violence in certain areas. Houses do have high walls, burglar bars and security companies patrolling the streets. But these are safety precautions, justified, but not debilitating.
We walked to the beach, which was almost empty. I didn’t bring jewellery and probably wouldn’t have gone on my own during the day outside of school holidays. By 4:30 pm the beach fills with surfers and dog walkers so safety in numbers always brings extra security. But I was still able to go for a walk on the beach! I remembered the pathway leading to the mouth of the river where my father used to fish. I saw the sand dunes we clamboured up and slid down on toboggans well lubricated in candle wax.
There is still a good quality of life if you stay aware. My cousin regularly walks her dog around her neighbourhood. She goes to the beach in the early evening when she knows she won’t be on her own. Shopping is a pleasure. There are a number of good restaurants if you want to meet friends or treat yourself to breakfast, lunch or an evening meal. Coffee shops are in abundance and there is a delicious array of mouthwatering cakes to chose from.
So it is with pleasure that I write this blog. My old home town still flourishes. Life definitely goes on. There is still a good quality of life. I live in hope that one day this beautiful country will be the jewel in the African crown!👠
My cousin is an optimist and makes the most of every day. Living in East London isn’t perfect but could be a lot worse. Dwelling on the problems won’t fix them but getting out and doing what you want to will go a long way to making you feel a whole lot better! 👠
Jenny Burrell 