Family reunions

So I promised my cousins, that this post would be about them, but it's actually gonna be about how good it was seeing them again after so long.

A little while ago I went up to Johannesburg to see family and friends that I've not seen in a long time. It was absolutely brilliant spending time with them. We reminisced and laughed and basically had a good time. It's amazing how a few hours of drink over the idea of a braai can do wonders for the soul. I say the idea of a braai, because by the time we'd all arrived there, all the braaing was done. Not because we didn't want to be there in time or that some of us were fashionably late but because it took us 3 and a half fucking hours to get there by car in what should have been a 45 minute drive at the most.

Johannesburg's road systems have always, in humble opinion, been terribly but this last visit was absolutely nightmarish. I had only been out once the entire week I was there but the time spent in the car on that one trip was enough for the entire time I was there and perhaps the next visit as well. Some say that this is all due to the FIFA World Cup 2010 preparations that are underway but these "upgrades" have been in the works since even before we won the lottery to host this soccer sensational event but I say irrespective, this momentous period in South African history is going to be an event that pushes peoples sanity to the limit. I'm sure that most, if not all, South Africans will put up with this schlep of note just to be a part of history in the making but what about the foreigners who are supposed to be arriving in hoards to experience and support a sport that they are extremely passionate about. Regardless of the crime rate, HIV rate and all the other deterring facets that hinder foreigners from visiting our beautiful country, I believe that those who do visit this event will have a bitter taste left in their mouths well after this momentous gathering is over.

But alas, I digress. Even though I had to put up with the 3 and a half hours of bumper to bumper, stop every three minutes, and promise-blowjobs-in-order-to-get-a-gap-in-the-next-lane torture, the reunion of friends and family was well worth it. It was interesting to see how the paths of my peers had turned out for them . Some had gotten married, some are getting married and some I fear will never marry (sorry cuz). But regardless of the marital status it's comforting to see how they have grown into adults with responsibilities etc, and how they've survived their own hardships and deal with their current dilemas.

Being with my family and friends for these special few hours have kind of put my life into perspective and I'd wish for all those that are in a quandary to spend a few productive hours with family and friends. It's amazing at what you walk away with. Mind you, not all that you walk away with is pleasant, some may be downright disgusting, example: having your female cousin imply that she is "very good" at certain bedroom antics. WTF! Talk about TMI! If possible I'd wash my memory with soap and disinfective but unfortunately this will be a memory that haunts me till I die... which at this point, after hearing it, might just be a plausible solution to eradicate this memory from cognitive thoughts.

Anyway, I would like to thank my family and friends for an awesome time spent with them and hope that we can do it again in the near future on a happy note and not at funerals or weddings that we somehow always do. Thanks guys.

On this note, I'd also like to highlight my appreciation to 3 of my cousins that accompanied me home on the return trip. Your non-stop arguing and bickering with each other over the most trivial shit ever, was very amusing and interesting indeed. If ever given the option to choose between accompanying you guys on a long trip again or having a root canal performed by blood thirsty student dentist with the passion of a clown at a funeral... let's just say that it would be a hard decision to make.

Oh by the way, here's a tip if ever you are stuck in a passenger seat of a vehicle that is unfortunately a prisoner of Jozzie's roads: Have at least a dozen Klippies & Colas along for the ride.... and NOT the cans but rather the bottles 'coz all that Klippies & Colas gotta go somewhere and I seriously doubt pulling over to the side of the roady during traffic congestion is going to be a viable option, unless of course you'd prefer one of your more intimate bathroom moments, that no one should ever see, be uploaded to YouTube.

So, until my next post, take it easy. And if you get it easy, take it again.