It has been the most glorious week in Cape Town. I know we're missing the best summer in England for a hundred years or whatever, but we have at least had clear blue skies, brilliant sunshine, and a freshness to the air that means it is lovely to be out and about.
Still chilly at night, but Neil and I did manage to sit outside one evening with a glass of wine, listening to the frogs. They make an extraordinary singsong sound - not at all like a British frogs croak.
Apparently porcupines come into the gardens in this area (we're a good way out of the city centre here, in the foothills of the Steenberg mountains). We haven't seen any though.

I started work with a vengance yesterday. Had to remind myself that this wasn't just one extended holiday and that I actually have to do something with my time. The office is located in quite a funky part of town, and as Cape Town is a small city, nothing is too far away. I got the train into town, a pretty simple act which has provoked much comment amongst my colleagues. One person summed up the attitude of the better off in the land where the car is king, for Whites at least: 'You used public transport? How European!'

Sadly, we had been warned off the train repeatedly. However we're operating with only one car and a school day that finishes far early than the working day. Unless Neil and the girls are going to spend their whole time collecting me from the city, we needed to find another solution. So, with a bit of encouragement from one apparently sane estate agent who told us which suburban stations to use and which to avoid, we decided to give it a go. And it was fine. The carriages are a bit grubby and run down, the train users 90% Black, but everyone was at best helpful, at worst indifferent to my presence. It is extraordinarily cheap (about 40p for a 40 minute journey). The man selling tickets asked me if I wanted a 1st or 3rd class ticket. As I have yet to see a train with a 1st class carriage I opted for 3rd. Just as well really - I'm not sure 1st class exists on these local services.

Lottie and Elizabeth start African Music lessons tomorrow. Elizabeth in particular can't wait. She has asked for an animal hide skirt of the type some tribes still wear for her birthday. Not sure I'm going to be able to rise to that particular challenge!

Hopefully we'll know where we're going to be living more permanently next time I add to this blog. House hunting is rather dominating our lives at the moment.
More soon....