A footnote on South Africa.

It deserves more than a footnote, but in this squeezed out time a flash of a footnote is all I can muster.

A brief, bright spell in a country of sizzling contrasts.

A diploma in humanitarian assistance in the midst of a national park of lions, giraffes and elephants.

And an emotional cacophony that comes from a mixing of worlds, the ominous loom of goodbyes and a daily dose of humanitarian chat.

We ate mushy banana and avocado salads or bad vegetarian sausages. We drank wine in enormous drams. And occasionally we sat by the fire or yoga-d in the sun and forgot ourselves.

And finally we said goodbye while the ground dropped beneath our feet.