The Crew, the Penguins & the Mad Ones

Today was the day when we got to see the CREW at Bush Radio in action. There were only 3 Bush Tots present (the under 12s, see above) but they seemed to just get on with things themselves and we were able to watch them doing a bit of their show live. We spent most of our time with the Bush teens most of whom were preparing for MKK next week as well as working on features for future radio shows. The issues they were addressing in their Away from Violence projects were pretty full-on – alcohol & substance abuse, child labour/trafficking, gender inequality etc. It was really great to meet the young people involved at Bush RAdio and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better and hearing their stories. One of the things that struck me was how we Westerners have a particular perception of Africa because we hear so much about it on the news – one of the young people, Nosi (sp?), commented on this to me as she had been involved in an online project with a group of Dutch young people – they were conversing online and the Dutch young people were asking her if they had the internet in Africa! As Nosi said, young people from Africa are like young people everywhere else.

After our time at Bush Radio we hit the road and went to see the penguins at Boulders Beach – very cute but I think we were slightly disappointed they were so passive, maybe if David Attenborough was around they’d do more flapping and squawking. We drove on round the coastline and the scenery was absolutely stunning, especially at Chapman’s Peak – picture postcard stuff, and actually the road was dramatic enough it’s bound to have been used in fancy car ads or else James Bond films. The mountains here really float my boat, I’d so love to come back some day and do lots of hiking.
View from Chapman's Peak

Today has also been the day when everyone has started to lose the plot slightly, Shiv had a ‘graveyard’ moment which I’m sure the girls will relate in detail, Una had a Westlife moment and ever since she hasn’t been quite the same (you always have to watch the quiet ones), and Caoimhe...well actually none of us are sure Caoimhe ever had the plot. But as she would say, it’s all good in the hood.

Until the next time – Debs

Whoaaaa… What a day and half, its only 22:30 and it feels like we were at Bush radio was yesterday morning! ! !
Anywho, Bush radio is a busy little place on a Saturday. It’s completely different compared to when we visited during the week. The young people were so enthusiastic and buzzing with energy throughout the day. I got some good chats with some of the young people about the issues they have in their community. The issues mainly base around drugs, muggings and teen pregnancy. The young people also told me how they would never walk the streets after dark, even in their own communities – this is something I find hard to get my head around as I would walk my dog after dark and take strolls to the shops in my area. It’s unbelievable to see the commitment these young people have for Bush radio. The young people are also putting a big effort into the planning of the MKK.

I hope to get more of an insight into the things the young people do on an average Saturday for their radio shows etc. At the moment they are so focussed on the MKK, which is inspiring.

At 14:30 we took a spin down to the penguins, where Shiv tried his hardest to get ate by one… tut tut tut! ☺ On the other hand he also tried to talk with the penguins in a high screech scream – the poor civilians didn’t know what hit them. We also had the ‘professional’ picture takers that looked down at me for not having a camera and just getting in the way to look at the Pingu’s (they don’t believe in mental pictures!) and poor Una with her 7.1 Mega pixel camera got dirty looks for even trying to take pictures. People these days eh?

After this of course I had to confuse poor waiters and sing songs of wisdom on our journey to the cliffs of Cape… and what a beautiful sight, I need not say! Again, like Debs said we all went slightly mental – Is it a full moon?

Una – getting more and more crazy everyday, with laughter at any random moment. She has even begun to hallucinate about galloping horses at the top of towering mountains. Who knows!

Shiv – well as Debs said… he saw a graveyard today! Haha… well not exactly… more like a garden centre full of large stone animals (elephants, giraffes etc.). Cant say I have seen many graveyards like that, but everyone to their own. Oh yes and not forgetting when Shiv started shouting random food types out the car window, whilst parked. The car beside us wasn’t sure whether he should see if he was ok and drive FAST outta there.

Debs – As for her… looks all cool with her chopsticks, but when congratulated ‘normal’ people don’t say, ‘seal of approval’ and then make really loud seal and clapping noises… NO! and with that laugh of hers that’s not NORMAL – As for her driving she’s getting more and more like the South Africans everyday ☺

Night my little cold friends…
Caoimhe x

Today at Bush Radio it was really good to see how all the young people have come together to work on the MKK and to get their presentations together. It was really inspiring to see how the Bush Tots just got on with preparing and producing their own radio show … We can’t even do that with WIMPS cast and look what age we are!! It was also good to talk to the young people about the problems they face in Cape Town…was actually quite surprised that they experience very similar problems to us like teenage pregnancy. Although I think that issues like violence is on a larger scale over here…it actually seems really scary at times!
Then we went to see the Penguins…they are the cutest things ever!!! I jut love how they waddle about and also how they tried to bite Shiv when he got too close for their comfort ☺. I now have an obsession with penguins: S Although the rude man and woman who had an SLR EACH…Is one not good enough between two any more…kind of annoyed me!! But that quickly passed when we went to get some pancakes and the waiter put on Westlife when he found out we were from Ireland…Loved it!!! Though I think Debs was a bit freaked by me singing along and having a wee ball all by myself :D Then as we drove on round towards Cape Point we had a few funny moments…mainly at Shiv’s expense :S First of all he actually thought I was being serious when I said there were galloping horses on the mountain and then he thought sculptures in a garden centre was actually grave stones in a graveyard :S However Caoimhe also had a few funny turns as she started to make up songs about being in South Africa and seeing penguins and the sun :S

But all in all I think the funniest thing about today was when Shiv and Caoimhe had a temporary lapse in their mental stability while waiting on Debs at a garage….The poor guy in the car next to us didn’t know what to do. First of all Caoimhe starts to shout about where the ATM is and waving at the guy next to us (in a creepy way) and then Shiv starts shouting about ice cream. But the weirdest part was when they both shouted about wanting salted, BBQ peanuts with no crusts :S…I’m still confused about that one!! The poor guy didn’t know whether to laugh or just drive away!! He finally decided that making a extremely quick get away was the way to go!!

I do not like the fact that every time I look at the apartment floor there is a black caterpillar creeping across it ☹

I am slowly but surely losing the plot…who knows what I will be like tomorrow :S
Una

Well as every one has said today was both long and a bit strange but it was good to finally do some sort of work. I interviewed some members of bush radio, hopefully there be more of that in the next days as people soon worked out I have answers for a lot of things but questions for even more. So if I git my way plenty more interviews on the way, anyone and everyone will do. Had some fun with the penguins as you will have learned and my side of the story is I was walking along just keeping it real and then I saw a penguin so I walked up all friendly like started talking and tried to pet it but the wee git tried to bit me. What an aggressive way to meet tourists! Not good manners at all so may be I over reacted and got angry and shouted a bit but it scared the c**p out of me. The little guy got all like I’m gonna take you down and I wasn’t up for that, they would have kicked my ass if they all jumped me. From there we had a snack which was alright, not so bad. (Oh and I saw two south African naval ships which looked like the new type 45 royal navy ships but obviously not.) So from there we took a drive down the coast - outstanding views - and in my defence it did look a bit like a graveyard. Well dinner was thai tonight, really good stuff, I couldn’t spell but tasted good anyway it was all good or was it ‘fairly good’ which apparently doesn’t mean it tasted good but means alright. Anyway that’s all folks.
Nathan AKA shiv

Finally, a photo from yesterday at the top of Table Mountain: