Day 2--5/30/09
(click on pictures to enlarge)
(click on pictures to enlarge)
Jim had a room mate in collage from South Africa he had not seen for 25 years. They both played on the Quincy ILL. college soccer team and were good friends but lost contact with each other after school. Jim called and his friend (Eddie Oliver) and Eddie invited us over for the day.
Eddie has two sons (6 & 9) and his youngest (Richard) was having a soccer match at 1:00PM, so Eddie picked us up at the hotel and we had a ball. Watching those little guys run their hearts out and kicking the soccer ball was a real treat. I wished the school had soccer where Tiff and Nicole were going. I thing both of them would enjoy playing. Richard's team won 3 to 1. Thomas the 9 year old changled me to a match. I was the goalie and I had to stop his kicks. I think he got 25 out of 30 balls pass me.
After the match we went to Eddie's house for a bry (cook out). He had his parents, sister and friends over to watch South Africa play New Zealand for the finals (on the same scale as the Super Bowl) for rugby. The people really get into the game. It was being played in a suburbs of Johannesburg, the stadium was full (110,000) according to Eddie. South Africa killed New Zealand 52-13. I enjoyed talking to his friends and relatives and I asked if this a special occasion. They said no they get together about once a month to have dinner and relax. The security risk going down town after dark in South Africa is high, so they go to each others houses. Eddie's house is in a gated sub division with gate guards. He has a strong steel gate into his house and high walls. Some of his neighbors have 30,000 volt electric fences or razor wire on top of their walls. Linda (Eddie's wife) and his sons were mugged by 3 men armed with machine guns last week when they were shopping. Richard has been having nightmares ever since, they are sending him and Thomas to crisis management. Eddie's father (73) and I had a long talk about problems in general. Last year all South Africans had to turn any guns into the government and a private citizen can not own a gun, he told me he did not turn his in "What are they going to do to a 73 year old man?" He said. "Only the crooks have guns now and can do what the did to Linda and the boys in broad day light". Don't you let that ----- president of yours take your guns. We finished off the day with BI DAUNK A (thank you very much).
I'll fly to Indola Zambia (3-4 hour flight) and drive 4-5 hours to Solwezi tomorrow. The Internet is not working at the hotel so I will send this out first chance I get.
Eddie has two sons (6 & 9) and his youngest (Richard) was having a soccer match at 1:00PM, so Eddie picked us up at the hotel and we had a ball. Watching those little guys run their hearts out and kicking the soccer ball was a real treat. I wished the school had soccer where Tiff and Nicole were going. I thing both of them would enjoy playing. Richard's team won 3 to 1. Thomas the 9 year old changled me to a match. I was the goalie and I had to stop his kicks. I think he got 25 out of 30 balls pass me.
After the match we went to Eddie's house for a bry (cook out). He had his parents, sister and friends over to watch South Africa play New Zealand for the finals (on the same scale as the Super Bowl) for rugby. The people really get into the game. It was being played in a suburbs of Johannesburg, the stadium was full (110,000) according to Eddie. South Africa killed New Zealand 52-13. I enjoyed talking to his friends and relatives and I asked if this a special occasion. They said no they get together about once a month to have dinner and relax. The security risk going down town after dark in South Africa is high, so they go to each others houses. Eddie's house is in a gated sub division with gate guards. He has a strong steel gate into his house and high walls. Some of his neighbors have 30,000 volt electric fences or razor wire on top of their walls. Linda (Eddie's wife) and his sons were mugged by 3 men armed with machine guns last week when they were shopping. Richard has been having nightmares ever since, they are sending him and Thomas to crisis management. Eddie's father (73) and I had a long talk about problems in general. Last year all South Africans had to turn any guns into the government and a private citizen can not own a gun, he told me he did not turn his in "What are they going to do to a 73 year old man?" He said. "Only the crooks have guns now and can do what the did to Linda and the boys in broad day light". Don't you let that ----- president of yours take your guns. We finished off the day with BI DAUNK A (thank you very much).
I'll fly to Indola Zambia (3-4 hour flight) and drive 4-5 hours to Solwezi tomorrow. The Internet is not working at the hotel so I will send this out first chance I get.
This the family I spend the day with. We are at their youngest son ,Richard soccer match.
Left to Right :
Jim Sandercock (the other trainer), Eddie, Thomas, Richard, and Linda Oliver. Linda is a runner and has had a hip replacement. They all asked me several times if I need a coat. The temperature here is 23C (46F). Of course I drove all of them nuts thru out the day.
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