Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the cool cabin below. I put the copper kettle on the blackened stove for a cuppa. I loved this
kettle. It had been my constant companion through thick and thin. What tales it could tell,
what tales could any of my battered old possessions tell if they could?
I thought philosophically about my journey back from Australia, and why I had chosen
this return trip to Hawaii, rather than continuing on after New Zealand to South Africa,
and thus completing my round the world sailing dream. I sank down wearily onto the worn
bunk cushion of my settee. With my chin resting on my gnarled, prematurely aged hands,
I watched as wisps of steam slowly spired out of the kettle's spout. I knew in my heart of
hearts that to have continued back to South Africa would have been pure folly. My won-
derful, young son Dylan was waiting for me back in California, and while I had proved to
myself that I just was not able to live there, I could compromise and live in Hawaii, which
was basically the U.S.A. I was a short flight away from him, or him me, as it turned out.
Had I have gone back to South Africa, I would have lost my one and only chance of im-
migrating to another country, my green card would have (almost did!) expired, and I would
have squandered a lot of my time, Judi's time, energy, and youth on undertaking this huge
project. Back in South Africa, we had a government now newly elected and looking out for
the rights of her black people this time around. Things would be tough for white people.
The whistle of the kettle brought me back with a jolt, and I poured bubbling, hot water onto
a tea bag in my trusty, old, non-tip tea mug, tannin-stained from hundreds of cups of hot
tea and coffee. I let it draw.
No, the huge, rambling, and wealthy country of America had opened her shapely arms in
warm welcome, had been extraordinarily generous to me, giving me an incredible experi-
ence with one of her lovely gems in the form of a certain young lady, Judi, who in turn had
given me a son that most men only dream about. America had given me wealth, opportun-
ities, and security beyond my silly ken. I had begun to realize what a huge gift and a chance
she had given me in her steady, safe, and cupped hands. I would have been a complete and
utter fool had I not reached this decision, albeit slowly!
Now, as I blew into my tea mug and poured a large mouthful of sweet, condensed milk from
the jagged, little openings on top of the can, I stirred it slowly, scraping the sides of my hot
mug with a bent teaspoon. I took a long, satisfying gulp of this precious, sweet, brown and
hugely satisfying, scalding, hot liquid, I was contentedly happy to the pit of my soul that I
had decided to return here to Hawaii. She had provided the magnet to my bewildered and
wildly swinging compass, had given me purpose, strength, and courage to face the long,
solitary and, sometimes, extremely dangerous voyage. I took another gulp of burning hot,
sweet tea and my satisfaction knew no bounds....
