Getting used to a new country, or adjusting to a place I used to know but is now new to me, is a challenging proposition.

Instead of being bombarded with Trump mania, mass shootings and political horrors in the US, I’m dealing with “load shedding” and school violence, local government whinging, plus the ongoing Zuma saga. I’ve tried to keep up with some of the political stuff over the years, but it’s so convoluted, trying to make heads or tails of it is making my head spin!

This is the BIG Problem This Week

Never having really experienced load shedding, and because this week’s schedule came as a surprise to everyone yesterday, it’s been a bit of an eye-opener. We forget how reliant we are on having electricity and our electronic devices, so there is a mad rush to charge everything that can be charged up, including those extra power banks!

It’s all because of the power grid’s poor maintenance and lack of planning. Plus politics and corruption. And cheap and dirty coal that has caused issues with the boilers as it produces so much Sulphur.

It blows my mind at the lack of logical thinking and planning within this government. I could hark back to “the good old days,” when everything worked, but that doesn’t do any good. Besides, I’d probably be called the “R” word.

One of the things that really strikes me in this power issue is that more people haven’t switched to, or added solar backup to their homes. I understand that it is expensive to do (but getting cheaper) and that would have been the first thing I would have done if I owned a home and had the funds, which a lot of people don’t have. And according to Mick, any excess power can’t be sold back to the government, which is a big deterrent to homeowners considering installing panels.

But hand in hand with that, there are smaller, private power producers who are not allowed to provide power to the municipalities that “go dark” every time there is load shedding, shutting down business and utilities. It’s a vicious circle that, from the outside looking in, appears to have a logical solution.

Allow these providers to supply power, the lights in business come on, traffic lights work and people can continue to run their business.

As economically fragile as this country is, it would behoove the government to facilitate this type of solution which can only increase business and keep the economy going. My take is probably way too simplistic. I’m sure there all kinds of roadblocks in the way of implementing anything like this, like politics and money but we can dream!

Probably nothing will improve and this will be a continuing annoyance that one has to accommodate when living here.

Probably fresh from California, where generally everything works (as long as you don’t live in a high fire danger area) this failing infrastructure is what really is making an impression on me.

Flat for a Granny

On a more positive note, it looks like I have found “granny flat” in Westville, starting in November. As is often the case, it’s now what you know, but who you know. This belongs to Sam and Jonathon, Rosemary’s daughter and husband. I’m able to get it on a month-to-month basis, so I will be able see how it is, actually living here again. The place is fully furnished, right down to having a maid come once a week! Good internet and pool and three dogs, so I will be very comfortable. And it’s close to town, rather than being way out here in Ashburton, where I sometimes feel quite isolated.

Now it’s a matter of getting a car at a reasonable rate, so that’s my next project.

Below are some the images from the Shongweni Farmers Market and Durban Botanic Gardens.