In October and November 2010 I was privileged to spend several weeks with South African Rotarians in their homes, visiting their Rotary projects and working with them as well as enjoying Rotary Fellowship with their clubs and families. This is my brief account and heartfelt thank you to all who made this adventure totally enjoyable and interesting. I have learned so much and been so well looked after by Rotary friends all around South Africa.

September 16 saw me fly into Johannesburg to be met by Cheryl and Richard Phillips, Rotary friends from the Rotary Club of Rustenberg Kloof, who whisked me off for a weekend in Cape Town. We saw the sights and took the cable car up Table Mountain. I took the opportunity to visit Robben Island where all the guides were previous detainees who could give a real appreciation of the impact of long term imprisonment. This was my homage to Nelson Mandela, a personal and international hero. After a wine tasting tour through Stellenbosch and Franshoek, we stayed over at Hermannus. Here the whales were inshore for calving and were close enough to give a fantastic show.

Returning to Rustenburg, I was transported the next day to Dayspring Children's Village, where The Rotary Club of Yea had helped finance a water project initiated by Sacred Heart Primary School in Yea. This had started out with making improvements to the bore water system and extended to the installation of guttering, downspouts, water tanks and taps around the school. This money has been well spent and ensures a supply of water fit for drinking and also sufficient to maintain an extended vegetable garden. It was pleasing to see staff, students, local Rotarians and church groups all working to get the most out of this project.

Dayspring has developed a reputation for excellence in education, as well as in the implementation of Christian ethics. Parents are queuing up to apply for places for their children. The strong, sequential curriculum with self paced learning and student responsibility for their own work, results in a high standard, comparing well with other local schools. There will also be a growing need to look after students affected by and infected with HIV, in residential facilities which provide extended care for these vulnerable children. Dayspring has developed a vision for the future backed by a strong business plan. I am happy to present more detail as a guest speaker. I plan to return and teach there and hope to raise further support for this project.

My time spent here was enlightening and enriching.

Rustenburg Kloof welcomed me to their Rotary meeting and as an assistant at their fundraising 'Donkey Derby'. This is a good fundraiser and fun too. So if you want details, let me know.

October 31, the Aussie contingent was reunited at the Airport Grand hotel in Johannesburg. We were welcomed next morning by Ken Stonestreet and Melodene with our hosts from RC Potschefstroom. This was the start of a whirlwind of cultural activities, Rotary projects and wonderful parties and 'Brais' (SA for barbecue). Each club had arranged activities and I will mention the highlights. In Potchefstroom, we visited a breeding facility for cheetas, which are highly endangered. We were given a fascinating tour of the 'Dome', a huge meteor collision site, responsible for some of the rich mineral deposits being forced to the surface. The Rotary meeting here was in the club's own facility, a converted fire station in the old style with the 'slippery pole' for descent from the upper storey.

Our next hosts were Klerksdorp and Orkney. Here we visited some striking Rotary projects in schools and homes for the homeless. The game park at Boma Boma provided an opportunity to take part in a drive where we saw some of the game. We were treated to a lecture and tour of early native sites which included a tasting of the native beer, an 'interesting drop' brewed by a Zulu man who clearly enjoyed the genuine article himself. The evening was spent with the Orkney club at a great party.

Kimberly is famous for its diamonds and for the 'Big Hole'. This is an historical reconstruction around one of the large diamond mines and the museum provided an excellent outline of the whole timeline of South African history, linking the strands of European settlement and the impact of mining on both the economy and politics of the nation. One lunch meeting was at the Kimberly Club, an historical club along the lines of Raffles. We were very fortunate here to visit a flamingo breeding project on private property. This was spectacular as we saw the thousands of birds take off for evening flight. The Boer War became more real to us as we visited several battle sites and memorials.

In Welkom, we visited several schools and projects supported by the Rotary Club. The most striking excursion here was a trip down the Target gold mine - one kilometer down!! This was absolutely fantastic as we saw the real day to day work and were able to ask endless questions of our knowledgeable Rotary hosts who had been involved in the industry for many years.

Fiksburg was our next billet and here we were taken into Lesotho for the day. This included a border crossing and enabled us to see the ancient cave art of the area. We were also introduced to the old traditional culture of the country. Even this brief visit made it clear that Lesotho merited a much more extensive visit. The Golden Gate national park was coupled with a visit to the historical town of Clarens.

Our final destination was Bloemfontein. This marked the end of our Friendship Exchange; Bloemfontein is the Administrative capital of the country and is remarkable for the many beautiful historic buildings. The group toured the Women's museum dedicated to the thousands of women and children who died in prison camps in the Boer War. As I had a spare day or two I was able to explore this city more extensively. My Rotary hosts looked after me and I was able to enjoy the fellowship of their club meeting as a fitting end to my African visit.

I was left with a lasting impression of warmth and hospitality, a feeling that Australians and South Africans have much in common and a huge admiration for the number and variety of Rotary projects being undertaken, particularly in the areas of education and health. The whole team is looking forward to the return visit next February giving us the opportunity to share our culture and fellowship.

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