I arrived back in Scottburgh last Friday having left Scotland warmly clad in winter gear in order to face up to a temperature of 2 degrees.
After a near sleepless night on the overnight flight from Heathrow to Durban, during which I tried, in vain, to find a comfortable position for my neck after about two hundred attempts, the plane landed at King Shaka.
I, still in my Scottish winter gear, stepped out into a boiling 32 degrees! What a shock that was to my system.
When I eventually reached Scottburgh, I was in a zombie-like state, but managed to greet my dogs and parrot before seeking the solace of my bed.
When I woke up hours later, I had not the faintest idea of where I was, that is, until the heat reminded me that I was home again. Early on Saturday morning I joined the weekly Saturday morning cycle through the Umdoni Park forest.
Here I revelled in the absolute privilege we have of enjoying a quiet bike ride through this sanctuary with only bird song to disturb the silence.
A day before, the thrumming of the Boeing 787’s twin Rolls Royce engines, was all I could hear and certainly not something I am hastening to hear again.
After my cycle I dropped my bike off at the Saddle Shack for a minor service and was delighted to see the amazing changes that has now enabled us to have a superb cycle shop right here on our doorstep.
Those cyclists who have not visited the Saddle Shack in recent times, do yourself a favour and drop in for a visit. You will be welcomed by the staff but look around and be amazed.
While window shopping (after a visit to the United Kingdom our exchange rate is such that it was only window shopping that I could indulge in) I compared prices of tyres on the shelves to those I had seen in a cycle shop in Edinburgh.
The 29-inch mountain bike tyres I saw would have set me back a whopping 59.99 British pounds (just over R1000 in our currency). Locally, these tyres can be purchased for about a third of the UK price.
The tyres on sale here in South Africa and those on sale in Edinburgh, do have something in common as they are manufactured in China. This brings me to something that astounds me.
I purchased a beard trimmer while in Scotland.
The name of the device is a Babyliss Beard Trimmer and the company name appearing on the packaging is The Conar Group Ltd in Hampshire but the device is made in China.
Over the Christmas period my nephew and his Canadian family spent a few days here with us in Scottburgh.
He gave me a little gift, a Stag Bottle Opener, complete with a stainless-steel attachment in the shape of a deer’s antlers.
The firm’s name, Foster & Rye, is found on the packaging.
Thinking that the opener was a genuine Canadian product, I was disappointed to see the “Made in China” sticker.
While in Scotland we decided that the only sure way to cope with the cold weather, was to buy the type of winter gear that the Scots wear.
So off to the outdoor shop we went where I bought a down-filled coat that has the boast that it would keep one warm in temperatures reaching minus 50!
Guess what? No, you have already guessed it – made in China!
The entire world seems to be contributing to the Chinese economy.
