Afscheid van de Sploep

This is not a script for the Sopranos, this is the real thing, thing, thing....

We met on the airport. Two days after I arrived in South Africa, i was supposed to meet a certain Joshua Zebedee Rosenberg from England, who was also going to work at Isilimela Hospital. We had been briefly in contact over the e-mail but I had no idea who this Zebedee was and how he would look like. Suddenly i heard "Jaaaaaan" and I said "Josh?" and we gave each other a big hug. I knew immediately: this is a toffe peer, it will be an awesome year!

The first weekend was actually one of the best, or at least in the top 5, as every weekend is new adventure. After a warm welcome from Bregje at Isilimela, we went to Khululeka, which is Zulu for relax, and indeed it was a very relaxing weekend. The owner Armin is the South African braaimaster, who braais his steak straight on the wood-coals, and we went canoeing to the beach-beach-let's go get it on. The first springphotos and Castles were a fact.

On the first day at Isilimela Hospital we were welcomed by all the nurses with some incredible singing. I stand here in big shoes, said the headnurse. The funny thing is that for a lot of nurses it was difficult to see the difference between us, not that we particually look alike, but we started on the same day and a lot of them just called us dr Rosenbeeke. In OPD our consulting rooms were also next door, so there was a low threshold to bump into each other room for advice (for Josh: kids+medical things, for me: pregnant women and penises), a cup of coffee or just a social talk.

After 3 months in South Africa we finally bought a car. Not just a car... a LANDROVER! From Steven Proudfood, a second-hand car dealer from Pietermaritzburg, who showed us the fine art of 4x4ing by driving up and down a 90 degree slope in his backgarden. A day later we conquered the Sani Pass and had a very rewarding beer in the highest pub of Africa. We called her -after some discussion- Dusty, after Dusty Springfield and also because she can get quite dusty.. Having a car makes such a difference, from that weekend on, the whole of South Africa opened up to explore, or at least as Dusty didn't break down...

New Year's eve was planned to be celebrated in Cape Town, only 1250 km from Isilimela, and went there for a long weekend. It was the perfect road trip with amazing weather and nice stops along the way, until Josh drove the tank empty. And you shouldn't do that with a diesel engine, as it runs dry. He he, it was maybe actually my fault as i had been driving the few hours before -never looking at the fuel meter- and just when Josh took over he discovered the red light burning. How long has that been on? O well, we finally made it to Cape Town just in time for an ultrahippe New Years party at Camps Bay with the most expensive champagne everrr..

A year goes by too fast, Josh. That's probably why they call you like that. It has been amazing. In and around Isilimela: working in the hospital, playing football at the local FC Isilimela, the Mpande Olympic beach+ball and bouncing ball sessions, outside fires at the Beer bungalow,baking pizzas at the Kraal, fishing in the river, watching Lund, and of course the daily routine of an afterwork beer and pool. And where to start with all those weekends away? We'll just have to read it back on the Sploop. http://thesploop.tumblr.com

Although it was yesterday, but that's because of the time difference with Africa...:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARTELIJK GEFELICITEEEERD + IMINI AMANDI KUWE!!!
and I think I can speak for everybody who had been in Isilimela: we miss you and it was a baie gezellige year.

Hamba kakuhle my African brother and tot ziens!