Between a rock and a hard place.

Saturday 2 May 2009 - The damage caused in the 'bakkie incident', unfortunately was not just a little scrape, a full panel behind the drivers door was concaved with scratches so deep the paint was literally chipping off from the metal. Will no one coming forward with a confession, Bulelwa has no alternative to have her Inspector Clouseau hat on. Stood in reception Bulelwa starts to tell me the whole debacle, as I guiltily turn an unequivocal shade far deeper than that of the Pink Panther.

This is so difficult and to make matters worse I am spending the day with my friend Bulelwa, I can't tell her, this needs to come from Asanda. Much to my relief, the subject is changed and bizarrely turns all magical, since we are on our way to discover that fairies do exist, or at least they do in Swellendam.

Entering the mystical garden through a gated hole in shrubbery, we were welcomed into the Faerie Sanctuary and asked to turn cellphones off and not to take photographs, I assume so not to disturb the delicate inhabitants! I could see the magic of this place through the eyes of the children, but there was no lustre of fairy dust for me.

Best thing since sliced bread.

Till Friday 1 May 2009 - A short working week this week with two public holidays, one Monday and the other on Friday. The public holidays in South Africa wonderfully mark a special day within the countrys history, the downside being they are date specific and therefore not always attached to a weekend. Monday being Freedom Day and Friday Workers Day.

Couped in the office catching up on Monday, yes there is no rest for the wicked, I decide I have had enough and will take advantage of the sunshine breaking through the clouds this afternoon and explore the veld. Three quarters of the way to the Rest camp, I am joined by a Lycra clad cyclist, namely Ben, with a homemade freshly baked loaf of bread for me.

At home, I enjoy a couple of slices of the wholemeal loaf unspoilt with just a thin spread of marg. Keeping some for my tea, I say to Ruhan to help himself. Thinking it might be nice to take Cynthia at reception a slice, I turn to cut another piece to find the remainder of the loaf, smothered with butter, a virtual doorstop half eaten. How that lad remains as thin as a rake is beyond me!

So as my new boss covers the length and breadth of the Overberg with Bulelwa under the pretext of 'Public Relations', muggins here is left with only a Praying Mantis for company and the Kids in Parks budget to finalise, together with the aftermath of the Honorary Rangers Open Day.

Thursday morning finds a spectrum of colour descending from the clouds delicately touching the veld. Unlike any rainbow I have ever seen, I drag Phiebe from her desk and with arms wrapped around each other, the two of us share a magical moment looking at the distant horizon.

Bulelwa and Aldo, partners in crime and meddlers that they are, return with an organised 'date' for me with the teacher that had called me on Wednesday to ask me out for dinner. The four of us are going to the Faerie Sanctuary on Saturday! Gawd I hope they are pulling my leg!

Friday morning brings some ominous sms messages (texts to you English folk) from Asanda. Last night, she has driven the Rangers bakkie (without the proper papers or authorisation) to the gate for late comers, and bumped the bakkie whilst parking. What a predicament, she dare not tell management for fear of being dismissed.

Thankfully I can escape to Marloth for the evening, away from all the accusations and worry, for supper and movie 'Strange than Fiction'. Although a comedy, the film highlighting how fragile life really is, that its course can be changed in a heartbeat by the slightest of actions, or in the films case, an inanimate object.

At home in the UK, I have word from my tenant. The credit crunch must be hitting hard, someone has taken my front gate. Amanda optimistically thinks that some kind soul is hammeriting it for me. I like her style, but seriously fat chance!

To the rescue........

Till Sunday 26 April 2009 - The weekend brings the hopeful inauguration of the Bontebok Honorary Rangers, this being the fourth attempt to get this group of eager volunteers off the ground. Not realising I had already driven the Quantum, I grab the vehicle keys to Carlis' dismay and travel to Suurbraak to pick up a group of young people for todays meeting.

Driving through the Overberg, the sun shining across the fields of lush green, a contrast to the darkness of the pine tree covered mountains, the sprinkling of white fluffy clouds in pale blue sky completing a dramatic backdrop, I breath in its stillness.

Silently I reflect on the last few months, unable believe the things I have achieved in such a short time, on both a personal and professional level, yes some may be seen as quite simple, after all I am not changing the world, but slowly I am changing my world. I haven't felt so alive in such a long time, I feel happy and content just being.

The Honorary Rangers meeting proves very successful, if not a tad blustery, the only place available to hold the presentation and accommodate such a large group being the rough and ready Rangers workshop, thankfully roofed, but still open to the elements.

Sunday, I receive a call from Ben, he is heading up the mountain to rescue an injured hiker, 'Would I like to come with?' yes this is how the South Africans speak. Not would you like come with me, but would you like to come with!

Now where the hell did I put my Lycra pants and cape?

Heading toward the mountain we join a dirt track, suddenly finding ourselves chased by a motorbike, now I may not speak Afrikaans, but I do know an unhappy bunny when I see one, the guy, a farmer and owner of the track not recognising the bakkie or Ben without his uniform is not entirely enthralled with us trespassing on his land, after a sincere apology and alot of chin scratching we were finally allowed to proceed with our rescue mission.

We pass citrus plantations, line after line of trees in straight rows with lemon fruits amidst dark foliage. Starting our ascent up the mountain, the track suddenly becomes narrow and rugged. I find myself amidst mountain fynbos, a florists delight of proteas and leucadendrons, although out of flowering season for the majority, the mass of flora is remarkable. The panoramic view across the Overberg from this vantage point being equally spectacular.

All too soon we find the injured party, with one painfully swollen knee but thankfully nothing more serious, along with his six fellow hikers. All of them deciding it was time to call it a day, fully kitted out everyone squeezes in the back of the bakkie, joining our bewildered helper, we make our bumpy descent and journey back to Marloth.

If it wasn't for you meddling kids!

Till Friday 24 April 2009 - Not the most stimulating week, my computer isn't working to full capacity, frustrating to say the least and in true African style it takes till Wednesday for an engineer to arrive. Great, everything fixed it is full steam ahead with the mounting pile of work, the computer once again taking umbrance and fails on Thursday urrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh! It seems I need a new dongle, sounds painful!

Admin, admin and more admin follows including writing management notes for Aldo, starting a programme for National Bird Week, composing a written invitation to the local schools for Kids in Parks and correspondence with schools back in the UK about an International Pen Pal Project initiative I have dreamt up.

Wednesday 22 April 2009 is a Public Holiday for election day, the climax of a foregone conclusion to the campaigns which have been running now for several months. South Africas' new President becoming Jacob Zuma of the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC bringing the end of apartheid in 1994, the majority of SAs population voting for the party rather than the individual. Zuma previously being surrounded with allegations of dodgy dealing such as corruption and rape, nothing serious then!!!

The week brings some excitement at last, with the arrival of P&Cs new vehicle affectionately named 'The Scooby Mobile' in the shape of a 14 seater Toyota Quantum.

Friday finds me wearing my chauffeurs cap for three hours, christening the new Quantum, ferrying potential crash dummies Aldo and Phiebe around Swellendam! Everyone, including the cumbersome vehicle surprisingly return intact!

Praise the Lord, as a stern word is given in the afternoons staff meeting regarding the use of the new fleet vehicles, a couple having already been bumped!

The evening is spent at Marloth enjoying supper with Ben, Chris and Jane who are protea specialists from the US of A, having endured a couple of the days on CapeNatures mountainside collating protea seeds.

Daylight Robbery

Till Sunday 19 April 2009 - Saturday is spent with Sandra, who is on a definite quest to see Bontebok - well she is after all in the right place. Starting the day with a game drive around the tracks coursing the Parks 3500 hectares, Sandra is not disappointed!

By way of celebration we journey into town to The Old Gaol for pure indulgence, their Chocolate Mud Cake is calling!

With Sandras GVI expense account at our disposal, our glad rags on (by which I mean something that isn't khaki) full of anticipation we head to The Old Mill, the restaurants menu and ambiance coming highly recommended. Unsure whether they are open, we gingerly enter the restaurant, seated we pondered the menu, the prices a tad excessive for Sandras meagre budget.....oops!

Both splurging out on a Karoo lamb curry, but unfortunately not curry as I know it, looking forward to a true Indian delight, what arrived was more of a spicy stew with rice, poppadom and bizarrely vegetables! We left the restaurant having been joined by just one couple - ambiance equal to a morgue! Think we hit a bad night!

Sunday morning Sandra heads back to Cape Town and flight to Upington in search of Bonnie Lassey in the red desert of the Kalahari.

The day brings with it - rain, warm and heavy, the sort in which action heros take their leading ladies in their strong arms and they kiss in true Hollywood stylely..........sorry I digress! I use the weather as an excuse to catch up on the blog. Mid flow, Ruhan arrives back from Cape Town needing the key for the student house, I just can't put my finger on it, but something isn't quite right with him.

Hitchhiking back from CT - Ruhan has been robbed at knife point by three youths, taking his rucksack and with it his cellphone, CDs together with some sentimental items, along with his jacket. To add insult to injury, they had hit over the head with a bottle - he is really lucky to be alive. Thankfully he has finally seen sense and his hitchhiking days are over! Despite his obvious shock, he is full of his usual enthusiasm - for he has decided to buy a bassett hound later in the year - name Lula!

Fundraising for Mabunda Primary School

Baie dankie - Thank you for taking the time to visit my webpage, I extend a warm South African welcome to you all, especially readers from the News of the World and the Gazette and Herald.

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Tracy Brookshaw, I am a Global Vision International intern, volunteering within the People and Conservation Department for South African National Parks (SANParks). My placement, for six months, is at Bontebok National Park. Situated 240km from Cape Town, Bontebok the smallest of South Africas' Parks, and one of the most fragile.

During training at Kruger Park - we journeyed to the disadvantaged Mabunda Primary School, in the remote village of Phalaubeni. In each classroom we were greeted by 40 to 60 smiling little faces, some sitting three to a desk. The walls were bare of the usual hand drawn pictures found in any UK school, curtains hung only in the classrooms, where the sun was too bright for the children to work. Needless to say the school is unfunded.

Also apparent was the lack of space, with two classrooms being completely unusable due to damaged caused by a lightning storm some three years ago! The school is still waiting for the government to pull their finger out!

I want to raise 360 GBP (R5,000) to rebuild and furnish the damaged classrooms, with the help of you generous people, my target is a modest 500 GBP (Total R7,000), as I want also to supply much needed equipment such as books - the schools current library being near non existent. If there is any money spare, I'd like to provide the children with some visual stimulation, and buy an array of art supplies, so those bare walls can be covered in pictures of rainbow colours.

More information about the school can be found on posting Food, Glorious Food!

To make a donation, please see link - Donate to Mabunda Primary School on this webpage or alternatively sign on to site www.justgiving.com/tracybrookshaw

Thanks again for all your best wishes and support.

Say cheese!

Till Friday 17 April 2009 - You know that feeling, when you return to work after a holiday within an hour you feel you've never been away, well it is no different being volunteer!

Wednesday beginning with an interpretative walk for the Swellendam Image Society, twenty four amateur photographic enthusiasts (including a spattering of British Expats) and positive PR for the Park.

Friday brings plant monitoring with Flora from CREW and ten children from Suurbraak Primary School, the group scouring the veld for Red Data species (endangered) including a protea propagated by rodents.

A warm westerly wind, sees the arrival of Australian Sandra GVI co-ordinator for a casual catch up.