peter S farley
In the mid-1970s England experienced industrial action on a huge scale. For the first time in almost half a century, the coal miners went on strike. The government declared a state of emergency. All non-essential businesses were limited to three days of electricity per week. Later, when the nation’s fire fighters took action, the government brought in the troops to replace them. During this upheaval, a young English family sought after a brighter future in South Africa. Within weeks of arriving in Johannesburg, they buy a campervan and take a road trip of five thousand kilometres. Charged with adventure, the route takes them to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Zululand’s Isandhlwana and Rorke’s drift. Later in their adventure the reader is taken to a working gold mine and to the largest colliery in the southern hemisphere. When the family encounter Spike Milligan - Richard Todd and Jack Hedley - Niki Lauda and Mario Andretti - laughter follows. But tears are shed when the family move to a new home. A series of calamities upset their well being. They discover an unexpected fire, which destroys an out-building. Their pet dog is injured by a rogue motorist and later dies. One day, a snake appears and threatens their safety. The children’s two pet sheep meet their death in odd ways. A neighbour’s guard-dog bites the children, leaving a daughter’s face noticeably scarred. Little hope of a successful outcome is offered by a European plastic surgeon. But a chance meeting with a Zulu sangoma achieves a spectacular result! Sadly, following the theft of their newly bought car, the family’s adventure culminates in the parting of husband and wife.
