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Tue May 27 2003 (Johannesburg)

Much warmer thanks to proper sleeping bag. Up early, cold start, ice on windscreen, take Leila to school, stress with cross-country! Call in at work to find out where Tanzanian embassy is. Into Pretoria with Rob, found way to embassy area, and eventually to Tanz embassy around 8.30. First one in queue for visas, fill in two forms, R405, then wait for passport to come back. Unusual to get visa same day without express fee, also nice waiting area with toilets and tourist brochures of Tanzania, staff fetching extra chairs to make sure everyone was comfortable. Lady behind counter working v hard running up and down the stairs to sort things out. Turned up around 10am, I waited to see if chap born in Austria gets his soon as has offered me a lift to Kenyan embassy. Still nothing doing by 10.30, so set off down towards main road, now quite hot, speak to a security guard on way who tells me which road is best to find a taxi on. Saw no taxis, walked for 45 mins, stopped at petrol station for flapjack and water, shop assistant showed me map and suggested I get a taxi. Seemed to be half-way so thought I'd carry on. Road works on pavement which made things a bt tricky. Eventually found Brooks Street, number 150 at cross roads, I need 302. Got to end of road and numbers had only got to 297, then there was a 90 degree right and it became another road. Walked around other side and Brooks St continued and found High Consulate after 1hr 30 walk! Have to surrender passport to get through security gate, then they give passport back as I need it for the visa(!). Fill in visitor's pass, bag checked and through metal detector. Filled in form, R550, left passport with them, can collect tomorrow. One of staff gave me number for a taxi who turned up after 15 mins. Took me on freeway, meter running up fast. R200 taxi fare! Said he would see me tomorrow for return leg, don't think so. Went to News Cafe near Rob's work, sat outside, waitress thought that I was mad as it is winter (but blue skies and 20C+). Cafe very nice, newspaper theme, original copies from important events framed on walls (Sept 12, 2001 USA Today in gents toilet). Tables montages of various worldwide newspaper cuttings. Sat drinking pints of beer, eating sandwiches and chips and updating diary. Realised I was drunk and wandered across to Rob's work, spent a little more time on diary then back to house. Mama Vic, who looks after house still there. Then Jenny and girls returned, Leila survived cross-country. Then neighbour came round who works for SABC on sports side of things. Rob fetched Nando's and we drank wine and had good discussion about South African football, TV coverage, debate about whether Radebe is any good, first SA cricket tour to India. Then popcorn and rest of Nando's stuff. When should sex education start for kids (school meeting for parents of first grade upwards). Rob telling stories of valiant attempts to get himself killed in Antarctic (walking from hut to hut in whiteout and driving caterpillar down 6 metre newly dug trench to main entrance). Set more photos uploading overnight. Photos from today