CATS -Everywhere Love Affair - From Scotland to Beijing

My life has been filled with 7 cats in my short life of living with these amazing creatures ! Unfortunately due to life circumstances they don't live with me anymore - but my love for them continues and I think about them often and wish for their company and soft cat purrs.
The last few days Ive been craving the company of cats - the gentleness of a cat curled up next to be .
My life with cats only started late in my 30's - my mother was petrified of cats so we never had them as pets and most of my friends well they had dogs ! My first cat - gloriously, beautiful Harvey - was a feral cat found in a shed in Scotland - barely 4 weeks old and tiny .His first few weeks of his life he was called Meg as we thought he was a girl , went a little crazy shopping at the pet store in Inverness - bought  everything in pink ! and Surprise little Meg soon grew into magnificent Harvey.

He loved the car and he loved the beach.On our days off in Gairloch , North West coast of Scotland we'd take him to the beach with us fishing , camping ( until he got his claws into the blow up mattress !) and in general just for walks on Firemore beach or our closest beach in Gairloch.
Others would look at us like we were crazy - but hey dogs are allowed on beaches why not cats ! He loved the sand , digging holes and exploring the rocks - he wasn't event that afraid of the water .
I miss him till this day - we flew him from Scotland ( after a 5 hour journey from Gairloch to Edinburgh - where he pissed all over my lap - nice when you about to board a 11 hour flight to South Africa) .He spent a week at a travel vet before he arrived in Cape Town via Amsterdam -in one piece.
His life was short in South Africa - he got run down in Greyton - a very grey , painful day .

Ruby joined us in our brief stay in Durbanville - a stray cat that one day turned up at our flat , hungry and crying - we took her in , fed her and she made herself at home on Harveys hello Kitty blanket - we advertised , tried to find her owner - but in the end she moved to Greyton with us. What a strange little cat she was, didn't liked to be touched only when she was eating , shakes her head like an old Indian man when you talk to her and would sometimes just stare at you with those big eyes.When I had to say goodbye to her a few years ago it tore my heart in two - but with so many blessings she now lives with Elizabeth in Pringle bay and I couldn't ask for a more beautiful, loving , serene home for her- and on visiting her I see how well she is cared for and loved ! Thanks Elizabeth - but Ruby still looks at me that way ! Like she knows everything and I know nothing !She is probably right !

One day in Greyton a friend arrived and said he had many kittens if we would be interested - Of course already having two cats I was a little concerned but who can resist a kitten - and there she was the most beautiful , adorable , feisty little ginger girl - Mackenzie soon settled into life with Harvey and Ruby in Caledon street. Not long after Harvey left us and there we were with a pregnant Mackenzie . She wasn't even 6 months old - but soon we had Fionn ( who sadly lived a short life on the Blue Hippo and disappeared into the mountain)  , Willow ( who lives with Lisa )
and two others who left Greyton . What a beautiful experience to see these kittens born - incense , a velvet blanket and some good music helped Mackenzie along to give birth . My first litter and last of kittens. I was in awe at nature. Mackenzie now lives a happy life with Malcolm - after some months of terrorising our poor neighbours Susan and Rupert and their cats.
Mackenzie moving out was due to the arrival of Cairo and Indiana. She point blankly refused to accept them and left - it broke my heart - I suppose it wasn't wise to get more cats - but then I was settled in my home and my life at the time and thought it a good idea. The two terrors crept deep into my heart and one of the saddest days of my entire life was when I had to say goodbye to them. Indi lives happily with Jill and Matt ( bless their loving hearts) and Cairo - well Cairo can have his own TV show. This magnificent boy after my divorce could not give up our old home in Greyton and would continuously go back to the house - somedays I would fetch him , whistle once and he would jump in the car and we would go back to the house. Other days he would basically just refuse. The saga continues till today, he is more settled and now called Jack - he lives in the kind heart space of Lilian and Im grateful to the amazing people of Greyton and Buitekant street who have supported him and helped him let go of his old life ! I miss him dearly and find even speaking about him hurts - MAYBE , just maybe one day he can live with me again.
When the opportunity to take care of someone 's cat in Beijing came up I jumped at the idea. Keeping cats indoor in Beijing is essential for many reasons - so there I was with a one year old Chinese cat called Mi - a cat who could defy gravity - leap like a matrix cat - who's personality wavered between Ghengis Khan and Hello Kitty in all about 3 seconds ! This cat was a handful but also a beautiful , crazy companion for 6 months . After his "visit" with me was done and his owner after a few visits had her baby - she decided not to take him back - as I was about to leave China - more than mild panic ensued as I was drawn back into the same panic I experienced with Cairo and Indi. But in less than a half hour I received a message from Pamela ( fellow south african in beijing ) wanting to know where her and her flatmates could get a cat ! He now Terrorizes them !
One most beautiful moment spent with Mi - the hutong cat - was when Marco came to visit for the first time and for his first time experienced cat energy and his amazement as the cat purred. They became good friends ( i must say i was a little jealous as the cat became a little more attached to him than me ! )  - That cat had magic - and for a brief moment of my life I was honoured to share the same hutong space !
for now - I befriend street cats, in china, nepal,tibet , cambodia, tahialnd,vietnam and now here in South America- until I have a home I have fond memories of all the feline friends from my life !Seriously in danger of becoming a cat woman !

 HARVEY - The Scottish Cat

 MACKENZIE

 CAIRO

 INDIANA

MI - The Chinese Cat

RUBY !

The Kindness of Strangers - And it sucks to be sick in a foreign country !

Well, my entry to Peru was nothing like I expected it to be. After realising my entry stamp as I crossed the border from Argentina to Bolivia was not a legal stamp ( obviously pre - organised scam !) and arriving at the Bolivian /Peru border - Im a $100 lighter and watched as the official tore one of my $20 notes in front of me telling me its fake - Not much you can say in a situation like that ! Keep your mouth closed and pay the fine, pay for a visa I never needed and walk out ! Of course after he tore the $20 note I did not have enough cash - Luckily a woman I was travelling with on the bus from Copacabana gave me the outstanding 30 Boliviano's - before I went into a complete panic ! Thank you as well to Liam - the british -Korean guy from Manchester who spoke fluent Spanish or I would probably would have kicked up a fuss and it would have ended in messy situation for me.

So , fine paid, passport stamped we walk across to the Peruvian border hoping that I don't need to pay any fee's at the border as I now have a total of one torn $20 note and a R50 south african note - both meaningless in this case. Once the official starts scratching his head when he sees a South African passport I go into a mild panic - but soon I hear the sweet sound of stamp -stamp and Im in ! Phew ! I feel close to tears just due to the anxiety - Damn border crossings ! Im so thankful for the money lent and the assistance from Liam !

But the kindness of strangers does not end there - In Puno I start feeing really bad - not sure , bad tummy, headache , general malaise and no appetite ( that never happens) ! Im glad I hopped off the bus as I feel exhausted and could do with a couple days rest and just chilling.Little did I know I would be flat on my back in severe pain , staring at the ceiling contemplating my life. Being sick in unfamiliar surroundings- no regular comfort zones, no family or friends - well - Basically it Sucks! And besides feeling really sorry for myself Im basically exhausted - nothing worse than having no energy - when your head wants to go outside and explore the world - the body says stop ! Ok , so the body says stop and then comes the thought patterns and the processing of being sick.But before I get into that - lets get to the second act of kindness .
Im walking down Lima street in Puno desperately seeking a pharmacy - rehearsed the spanish words for pharmacy talk when an elderly man ( who is trying to get people into their restaurant ) stops me and asks me if I am ok. I nearly burst into tears as the pain is so excruciating by now I can hardly see through my eyes. He takes me of to the pharmacy , orders some serious painkillers and 500mg of tetracycline , Im tempted to gobble them all at once - but he takes me back to his restaurant - gets me a bowl of soup - free of charge - and I take the antibiotics. I hate antibiotics at the best of times - but in cases like these - well there aint much option. Im amazed once I come out of my pain daze that a random stranger with broken English went to these extremes to help me. So much gratitude.

Its been 3 days of staring at the ceiling , eating hardly anything - just enough to allow medication to be absorbed and going into deep , dark spaces - seeing whats hiding there for me. I wouldn't say Im surprised , but Im surprised at my reaction . And it aint pretty - lets just say the light is shining today a little brighter - waiting to get on a bus to Cusco later today - relieved that Im feeling better - not a 100% but starting to feel ravenous , I could eat a guinea pig ( cuy - local delicacy mmmmm??)! Its a good sign.What will Cusco bring - Ive had a glimpse in the last few days what awaits for me on a deep healing level - I hope I have the courage and make the right choices to tread here in this space.
Lets see what happens ! First I need food !

Amazon basin - I love the smell of DEET in the morning !

Rurrenabaque is the portal here into the Bolvian Amazon - many tours operate from here and the town is whizzing with motorbikes , locals eating, eating and eating and foreigners waiting for their trips to begin !
Its hot, humid and rainy ! Don't forget a cheap B$ 5 rain coat - just in case ! I opted for the pampas instead of the jungle eco lodge tour as I was told Id be guaranteed more animals and less mosquitoes !
Well ------- ! Its also not rainy season yet - so lucky for me - more wildlife attracted to the river and less mosquitoes - but so so many other flying -into-your-hair bugs !
The ride from Rurrenabaque is bumpy - 3 hours of bumpy ! , our jeep was worse for wear - twice we had to stop as there was strange noises coming from the carriage of the car - which was ignored after a brief kick we were on the road again.
We had a basic lunch in Santa Rosa before we headed out on our boat - another 3 hours - far more interesting and comfortable than the jeep ride. Slather on the sunblock and then the DEET mosquito repellent - the beginning of a 3 day ritual !

This is definately the highlight - being on the river - getting up close and personal with the wildlife . Hundreds of crocodiles , entire families of  capybara ( giant semi-aquatic rodents - yes ---- The worlds largest rat ! with webbed feet ) , sunbathing chilling- out turtles on logs - little yellow squirrel monkeys chattering away , we saw one Toucan at our camp and a multitude of birds - herons, kingfishers,egrets,hawks, eagles,hoatzin(paradise birds) - all just going about their daily business at the riverside. Anacondas in the lake and piranha fishing in the river -quite an itinerary !
The dolphins came on day two - so elusive to capture on camera - greyish, pinkish dolphins , swimming and playing in the river. Beauty ! Swimming with the dolphins is recommended - really ? I see a black caiman croc over there and didn't we just fish here yesterday for piranhas ! And besides having studied Microbiology who knows what parasites abound here in these waters - I'm brave but not that brave !

The camp site - lodge was very basic but ok - riverside with good views to watch the animals . We all share in wooden huts with mosquito nets - a cook on hand to feed us - hammocks for relaxing , a generator for awhile at night to provide some electricity to charge all those damn phones and cameras! Giant I mean giant frogs - be careful where you walk . I had the privilege of   a small jumping frog in the shower- nearly made me  jump out of my skin ! The second night the bugs came - in full force - Stephen King like movie proportions - I itch now just thinking of it ! Luckily after a long days walk - I pass out no time to think of what is crawling about in the darkness outside. But just for a moment before I fall asleep I listen and hear a million sounds - beauty !

In the early evening we would take the boat up to the view point to watch the sunset - drink a beer - some travellers playing volleyball and soccer and most of us just lounging - taking the day in.
Tired , sunburnt but happy - a great experience -much seen and learnt - dark star filled skies and the coolness of the night air. Making memories !

 The Camp

 Finally at the river!

Anacondas and Psychedelic Mushrooms - all in a mornings walk

 NO ANACONDAS WERE HARMED - Six km's in wet, smelly pampas - knee deep in mud, toppling over , through shoulder high reeds - hiding at least 23 species of snake - we go off to " hunt " the Anaconda. The locals  talk about a 9 meter long snake - I shudder - But knowing that ours will be a touristy event - so no fear needed !
The walk is gruelling once the sun is high and the wellies are hot and sticky against your leg.
To no avail , we search one lake after the other , find a shady spot to rest and then continue.
One dead anaconda and we nearly give up - but still a 1km to walk back to camp.
We encounter crabs, huge snails, a small black snake , birds of all sorts and mushrooms - toxic - hallucinogenic mushrooms the guide explains. No one is up for it ! Damn !

Anyway soon , we hear another guide shout and there it is - Baby anaconda - damn you Hollywood ! ruining it for us ! One and a half meters of Anaconda - hmmmmm - back to the lake with you !

A shower and siesta in the camp before we hit the river for our night trip !

Those pesky Piranhas ! Eat them before they eat you.

This afternoon we went piranha fishing not something I quite thought to be on my bucket list- but alas - tick tis done ! The river here is filled with them - now and then you see them surface and we see two types - one with the orange belly - this one bites and can attack - usually in packs ( schools ? - packs sounds more ferocious) and the plain silver one . We fish with beef lol ! and Im even brave enough to remove the hook from the first baby Piranha I catch to put him back in the river.
The guide tells us a story of his finger being bitten to the bone is seconds by a bigger piranha and it took six weeks to heal. I try not to think of Sharknado ( cult movie and the multiple jokes of Piranado)
Even the thought of the recent piranha movie makes me feel cold, whilst the movie from my childhood is much clearer in my minds eye. All the while we fishing we are constantly watched by crocodile eyes - so well if the piranhas won't get you,if , by chance you fall into this river - those crocs are waiting - especially the black cayman crocs - vicious looking !

So in addition to dinner tonight we have piranha - taste like fish !

Dare I eat the fish ? Rurrenbaque

I finally venture from the hammock and take a stroll through the village , which after siesta has come alive again. Restaurants look inviting with low lamps - earlier I couldn't see one restaurant! The river here runs murky I suppose as most of the amazon does . I order a local dish called Dunucuabi , a white fleshed river fish - Cubed and  cooked with chilli, shallots, garlic wrapped in banana leaves over a hot BBQ! The restaurant here is owned by an Australian guy and it's fairly busy. I order a fresh watermelon juice ( my favorite ) it lives up to Thailand 's fresh juice ! Other juices on the menu are fresh peach , papaya , orange and homemade lemonade . The menu also features steaks : pepper steaks a 500 g steak at b$90. Also steak cooked in red wine , pork spare ribs and some other Bolivian meat dishes. Another feature on the menu is lasagne both featuring quinoa , creamy vegetables and one with chicken. 

It starts raining and the sound of the rain on a tin roof accompanied by bolivian music is perfect - also the smell coming from the kitchen adds to the moment. 

I'm hungry , it's humid I'm in the Amazon basin and it feels like I'm at a beach ! 

My hair looks lion like as the humidity plays havoc with it , thank God it's dark. 

The fish arrives  tightly wrapped in leaf , Smelling  sublime served with mashed potato and steamed vegetables. It's delicious ! The mashed potato rivals the ex's and the vegetables are perfectly cooked. The fish is white and chunky , flavored with garlic and chilli and juicy with a slight BBQ flavor! For the sticks it's pretty damn amazing! The owner takes time to come and show his customers the look of the fish we just ate.Weird looking and tastes nothing like a river fish ! 

Nothing like floating in water - alone !

One of my best feelings is floating in water - floating and looking at the sky. I recall fondly floating skies from Greece, Turkey, Dahab, Thailand - and most fondly the dam on the Blue Hippo farm ! Till those little pesky blue gills started to nibble at my legs - that was the end of my floating days in Greyton! 

In this moment there is nothing but me , hearing only my breath , and observing my thoughts as I observe the clouds! Many decisions are made this way for me ! If there is no ocean , river or dam to float in the bath will do ! 

Today I floated in the pool here in Rurrenabaque - it's a good place for making decisions. This space of only breath and sky ! When in doubt - FLOAT ! 

Leaving La Paz

Early morning Sunday and I'm excited to get out of the city !  Flight from LaPaz is only 35 min to Rurrenabaque and yet a bus takes 24 hours. Once we in the air I realize why looking at the landscape below - not easy roads to traverse. I'm glad I chose the flight for obvious reasons but more so for the view ! 

Below La Paz lies like a twisted brown pretzel , overlooked by majestic snow capped mountains. 

The plane is small with about 20 passengers but soon I forget all the horror plane crash movies I've seen as the city scape changes to jungle , mountains and winding, snaking rivers! Wow! Incredible , the clouds feel so low as if you can reach  out and touch them . 

Before we know it we are preparing to land - there is no airport just a landing strip with two guys traffic controlling. 

The humidity hits once we out the plane , full force and we are off on a little bus to a nearby building where the luggage will be deposited. Waiting for about ten minutes ,

 I meet up with a British couple and we share a taxi into the village to our accomodation. Well I'm here, it's hot , there's a pool and a hammock - that's where I am now ! 

A little luxury before we head off 3 hours by boat into the jungle tomorrow - outside the comfort zone. I'm strongly armed against Mosquitos but have heard that nothing can save you ! 

Mmmmmmm something to look forward too ? I better see that damn anaconda ! 

Everywhere But There - Travel my Teacher

Its been an eternal wandering and wondering the last 18 months through Asia.From the easy flow of Thailand , to the heart beat of Cambodia , the gentleness of Vietnam , the serenity of Tibet , madness of Kathmandu and the slow boat contemplation of China . Time spent working and living in Beijing was intense on so many levels. Beijing has been one of my biggest teachers -and I have been blessed to allow myself to be completely open to these teachings. Listening and integrating these teachings - well that is another story !

I lived successfully in the haze of Beijing , with remnants of uncontrolled fits of coughing  in the clean sea air of Cape Town , still bearing witness to this time.Some more on Beijing later.
So how does being back in Cape Town make me feel ? I love seeing everyone , drinking good wine , eating amazing food ,  having open hearted chats with friends , walking  and champagning on the beach , lazing in the afternoon sun , huge cups of Normalitea  and embracing the love of all the cats curled up on familiar sofa's.  The beautiful knowing that I am loved by such awesome amazing people !  And we like to laugh - a lot .
BUT for me  .........  Cape Town brings anxiety , a falling back into old patterns, a stalemate,  a  family role , boredom and a deep feeling of restlessness.This time home something has shifted , I feel a new connection point with those I love and Im hoping this will bring me peace and the ability to want to stay in one place.
ALAS I embrace the generosity of my friends to allow me spaces and circumstances to rest and recharge and wander in wonder what the hell next ? I say Thank you to you all for allowing me to flit in and out of your lives ! One day you won't get rid of me so easily !
Resting and recharging is a new activity for me and I must admit I'm really crap at it . This time around in Cape Town I managed to rest - Usually three days is my max and then I start being  scratchy, itchy and bitchy.
I like change but Im still figuring out if change likes me.It can be challenging at 46 to keep on changing , but then again I'm doing it now while I can , experiencing what I can , travelling whilst I'm able .I cannot count my blessings at this stage of my life there are so many !
Travelling has rekindled the fire in my belly - sparked my passions and expanded my opportunities for deep personal growth. This is the beauty , the fun and the hardship of travel.It brings a lot of solitude .The sightseeing is just a bonus - experiencing life first hand and faced with only yourself - homeless, jobless brings a whole new set of feelings to the fore.
So let travel be my teacher I said - Ive had so many others the last few years - through the plant medicines, people- especially the women in my life , children , nature and just the day to day ritual of life. So travel became my teacher once again - not the pretty blonde music teacher in the front of the class - nope - the mathematics teacher with his huge moustache and his furrowed brow.
Show me how to trust and surrender I asked - This is an ongoing process and jet when Im about to say life - look at this now you want me to trust and surrender its all a mess - and then there it is the result of trust and surrender .
Show me patience and tolerance - Lets learn this by putting you into a subway with 22 million Chines e people  everyday  commuting to work or a small van with 8 others on a gruelling trip overland Tibet to Nepal, throw in a car breakdown and a landslide.But will I change this right now ? No. What else will I do I ask myself ? What are the options right now, settle down, grow a garden ?
I want to be an observer of life , I want to feel alive , I want to marvel at the world and her beauty , I want to be a storyteller ,a listener , I want to admire the courage of strangers as they also walk their paths.

I don't regret the changes I made or the ones I'm about to change again..Im grateful for my courageous heart and my ability to leap. Till the moment I once again find a "home" , a place I want to be for awhile, a soft spot - I will leap again and anticipate the wonder of the journey.

Blessed Be

LA PAZ - IT's Hot !

It's hot out today so I stopped at San Francisco church for a reprieve from the heat.Its cool and calm inside and I spend a moment just sitting and gazing at the the amazing architecture inside. The outside is more phenomenal as it has the influence of Spanish architecture and the indigenous architecture. Quite unusual and very pleasing to the eye - Seeing coca leaves engraved into a church is a first !
Many vendors are selling ice cream outside on the square but I am intrigued by the small little pots of bright red ice ! They turn out to be Cinnamon sorbet - delicious , slightly spicy and very refreshing . I join a group of old men sitting on the church steps but my brain is far too overheated to make conversation in Spanish ( the limited amount I know anyway )
Vendors are also selling wagons filled with potato crisps but I am all carbed out for now.
So for dinner I opt for a steak - a small bottle of Malbec and its delicious ! Llama steak was an option - maybe soon !?

 This cinnamon sorbet is regional to La Paz. Love it !

 Steak with shrimp , a strong but sweet chilli sauce and BBQ potato

 Wine, wine, wine !

 San Francisco Church -Iglesia de San Francisco - 16th century mix of Spanish and Indigenous architecture- set on a plaza with the same name - local gathering place for Bolivians ! Artists, vendors and food sellers everywhere .Mime artists seem to be the flavour of the day ! Also many boot polishers wearing balaclava's - as they don't wish their faces to be seen as its considered a lowly job.

BOLIVIA -PASTRY LINKED TO CULTURE

Carb overload - but it had to be done ! Whilst waiting in Tupiza for the 4x4 jeep journey I made my way to the small market just down the road from where I was staying. As it was Day of the dead weekend  - Todos Santos ( 31st Oct -2 Nov ) stalls were filled with wreaths made of plastic and so many different pastries !
So my conclusion is that certain pastries are linked to certain celebrations and time of the year . This time of the year the most famous is the Tantawawas - meaning Breadbaby - these are baked as an essential element of the spirit of the deceased. They are mainly baked in the shape of a baby and some are baked in the shape of a ladder - symbolising the ascension to heaven of a soul.
I also saw meringue babies ! Egg white coloured various garish colours to symbolise the deceased.

I tried a range of pastries - some were sweet , some not sweet at all  - my favourite ones being - two crispy cookies filled with strawberry jam and then rolled in coconut. Another favourite was soft meringue wedged together with dulce de leche - A caramel.

Passankallas is also everywhere - white puffed corn in various forms - due to the high altitude corn puffs beautifully ! 

BOLIVIA - FOOD AND MORE FOOD !

 Llama chorizo sandwich with a salty cheese (almost like feta) ,mustard and salad - La Paz

 Tucuman - Thin , flaky pastry stuffed full with potato, chicken, beef,vegetables and egg -La Paz - so filling - not my favourite as the filling can be a little stodgy !

 Quinoa Beer - Delcious - Bolivia being the largest quinoa producer in the world

Saltena - The story of the saltena is that a woman from Salta , Argentina introduced the empanada to Bolivia - The saltena is a crispy pastry , Fried - unlike empanadas which are baked - filled with either meat ( carne) Chicken (pollo) or Vegetables- the sauce you smother them in has a nice bite alongside some fresh onion and tomato- Delciious ! Off the streets many little shops and street vendors are selling these - mostly around breakfast time !

18 months in Asia has left me speechless ! Well, not really , that's impossible teaching communication through Drama - So let me rephrase ! 18 months in Asia has taken my breath away at the possibilities of what life can offer - how many doors swing open in seconds making your head spin with opportunities .I've forgotten the ease of travelling , and blissfully let go of the life of domesticity in a flash ( there are still moments of desire !). Travelling through Cambodia , reuniting with Jaco in Thailand, hot humid days in Vietnam and eventually into the madness of Beijing - China ! Living and working in Beijing has been incredible, hard , hard work, rewarding work seeing all those beautiful little chinese dramatic faces, meeting great people and enjoying what Beijing had to offer. Just not the Pollution ! Beijing also gave me the opportunity to create a little home amongst the hutongs , spend time with the cat Mi and fall into the flow of the dynamic aspect of what Beijing is. In July I did an incredible journey through Tibet overland to Kathmandu in Nepal - a well earned break before returning back to South Africa to reconnect with friends and family before my next adventure. And here I am - finally writing this damn blog - Currently in Bolivia in South America after a few weeks travelling through Argentina. That bucket list is shrinking ! Soon there will have to be a new one !