Dear Person Reading This,

I got into Port Elizabeth yesterday afternoon after a less-than-an-hour flight from Cape Town. Our drive from PE to Grahamstown took about two hours. The bulk of it was through a game reserve, and even though it feels almost normal to have seen giraffes, wildebeest and antelope in the wild, I still cannot believe it.

There is so much to say, so much to process, SO MUCH that I am taking in through all my senses and most importantly, through my heart, and there is not enough time to communicate it all. My internet access is sporadic, but I’m writing it all down as much as possible in my notebook so that in a few weeks time I can share more with you.For now, here’s a short little nugget.

South Africa is every stereotype you’ve ever heard and then it is none. Before I left Melbourne, I had a PIN put on my credit card. Supposedly it means that every time I use the card I should be asked to enter a number for added security. I have not been asked for my PIN anywhere since – not in Australia, New Zealand, the United States or Canada.

Yesterday, I was asked for it for the first time at Edgars in the Green Acres Shopping Centre in Port Elizabeth. Fifteen minutes later I was asked for it in the food court at Steers.

A few hours later we found out that someone broke into Nicole’s fiancee’s house while two of his housemates were there and stole a DVD player. This morning his car was broken into while he and Nicole were trying to get programs printed.A few hours later, my waitress asked me for my credit card PIN to process my payment for lunch.

Love,
Devi