I wish I could say that life has returned to “normal” since Nigeria... but perhaps this is the new normal...

I’ve been working very hard at maintaining a balance of work and play since my return – and ended up working long hours (no play) to finish daily, weekly and monthly reports to enable me some free time to join Bob in Cape Town over the last weekend.

I must admit that I am envious of the lifestyle that Capetonians are able to enjoy with mountains and sea virtually on the door step... currently wondering what the pitfalls are – as Bob has serious Capetitis on his return back to a humid and sticky Durban (ugh).

Friday – I met Bob’s old martial arts teacher Denis Hanchi and his wife Merelle and student Gary, then we settled into our B&B (my insistence, or it would have been the dojo floor) where Bob had a catch-up sleep while I unpacked and finished off some outstanding work, then it was back to the dojo to give a talk on the Shikoku pilgrimage. (Shaz made a slideshow DVD for the first time!)

Saturday was the start of a taster sword course, with the benefits going to Denis Hanchi’s dojo as a tribute, and I spent most of the day assisting. This was followed by a short drive around to see the sights and then a supper out.

On Sunday, Bob was teaching suburi and iai and did not really need assistance so I decided to skip breakfast and embark on an early adventure up Table Mountain. I asked Bob which route to follow – and he didn’t go easy on me (again)... See pic...

But I got to the top, although this did surprise some of the locals ... it took just over 2 hours to reach the top, where I bumped into two professors (who I had heard talking non-stop on the same ascent just a little behind me) who advised purchasing a ticket before 9.30 as that was half price.

It was a strange feeling to be back at the bottom of the mountain within 2 and a half hours. Also humbling as I was passed in the early stages by a lone lady hiker who closed the gap and passed me with amazing speed, leaving me panting while she barely breathed.

Bob also managed to time a phone call... I had been climbing (in some places literally) slowly but consistently and was just about to commit to a route up a slab about twice my height – in a fairly precarious spot – when the phone goes to find out how I’m doing... I resisted saying hanging on by my fingernails, why do you ask?

It took a while to pluck up courage to move again – but nothing someone about to pass me on the route couldn’t help muster.

Walked down into town to the dojo just in time for the tea break. I settled on the floor with some magazines (and an unintended nap), visited Bob’s sister Norma in the lunch break and then assisted with the iai after lunch... and back home on Monday.

Flying in over the mountains was enough to excite a decision to plan another ‘berg hike, reinforced by the Table Mountain walk – and I came back determined to do the grand traverse, but am slowly modifying this to doing it in shorter spurts as 12 days off is quite a long time ... so revised plans for this stage = walking from the chain ladder to Cathedral (or about as far as 5 days would take us)...

Otherwise, I’m very busy – with a media trip to Knysna next weekend and a probably media trip to Uganda the week after...

Bob is well – in good humour, but missing Cape Town.