(original photo: my sister and I)
Mostly, I was outdoors. That was my childhood. I climbed trees, explored storm water drains, walked to my friend, roller-skated and cycled. The avocado trees lined one side of the long steep road we lived in. The mango trees were in the bush. I still love avocados and mangoes, but now I have to pay an unfortunate fortune for them!
Speed wobbles and scars
The road we lived on was very steep. My friend, sister an I used to go up as high as we dared and either cycle or roller-skate down to the bottom, with our speed carrying us far up the road where it sloped upwards again. The trick was to go up as high as we dared without developing a disastrous speed wobble. We would painstakingly draw lines to measure our starting point, inching higher each time. After one fall I scraped all the skin on one side of my leg, from the ankle to the knee. I wore the scars for years.
Storm water drains were disgusting and fulled with litter, but also fascinating. I discovered later that children had died in them, when water from high lying areas unexpectedly rushed through them.
Monkeys and strange bugs
(image: pixabay - vervet monkey)
The monkeys used to sit on the washing line and I always felt a little threatened by them. My mom would bang a broom against the wall of the balcony and they would disperse. We lived in a house on a steeply sloping property overlooking a densely bushy ravine which a large troop of monkeys called home. I used to go into the bush, climb the trees and pick mangoes when they were in season. Somehow I found the jungle-like bush at the bottom of our garden unwelcoming and never had a good feeling exploring it. We didn't have daytime TV in those days, so we had to keep ourselves amused. Every now and then, when bored with other activities, I would venture back into the bush despite my feelings. One day, upon returning home after being in the bush, I found black worm like things burrowed completely under the skin of my leg. I dug them out with a pin myself, after experiencing a disgust induced panic attack.
Meerkats and cat pooh
(image: pixabay - meerkats)
Meerkats used favour the property next door, and we would always see rows of them looking out over the bush below. The people who lived in that property never cleaned their house and it was disgusting. They would occasionally pay my sister and I to do their dishes, but only after every imaginable surface was covered in unwashed crockery. They had about a million cats, and one day when they were away we had to feed them. I found a pooh on the dining room table. Ugh.
A tree swing and a tarantula
I often used to walk to my friend. It was a long walk, but there was a scary shortcut that I sometimes used through the bush. Vagrants would use the area to drink and I wasn't allowed to go that way. But it was a lot shorter! My friend had a massive tyre swing hanging from a tall tree in her yard. We used to both sit on it and her brother would twist and twist the rope it hung from until it could not be twisted any longer, and then let it go. It would spin crazily and it was the most thrilling fun ever. The same brother had a pet tarantula and he fed it mice. I was beyond petrified.
Melmoth and Donkey Kong
(original photo: Melmoth)
(original photo: Melmoth)
During those times my dad had a sideline business where he supplied jukeboxes and arcade games to cafes in the rural area of Melmoth. He would have to collect the takings and service the machines that were not working. Often I went with him. On rainy days I would go to our garage and play donkey kong and other games on these repaired machines.
I look at my children today, and am amazed at the different world they find themselves in. I can't really say that it was better in my time. I was happy in my environment, and my children look happy in theirs. I know that their memories will last a lifetime.
(image: pixabay - avocado tree)
i was just curious where is Durban because of the mango tree. Googled a bit and found South Africa. Is that the right Durban?
You are right!
thanks for your reply. never know South Africa can grow mangoes. :-)
Yes, the south coastal tegions are tropical. There are mango trees everywhere. Also bannanas and litchis. The monkeys eat them.
Where are you from?
From Singapore. There some mango trees around the island but there's no plantation or orchard of any kind. The birds will likely get to them. The ones we get in the fruit stalls or supermarkets are mostly imported from different places. Malaysia and Thailand. Sometimes India but recently I saw coming from as as Israel.
Thanks for sharing these memories. I've been curious about South Africa for a while and I also love avocados, mangos, and weird wildlife! Things were sounding good and fun until this:
o.O
Ya well. (Oh "ya"is south african for yes!) hahaha, it was disgusting. Imagine being 10 and poking yourself open, with no cares, only to get rid of that stuff, whatever it was.
Ask me anything you want about SA (I don't offend easily and I'll be happy to write a blog about it.
I would've had a panic attack too. Actually I may have fainted, because I tended to panic pretty easily at 10! Which one is you in the picture?
More blog posts about South Africa would be great. I'd love to know more about the economy, crime and the govt., the food, and experiences you've had.
I've heard that the traffic and drivers are horrible, and (you probably get this a lot) that it's an especially dangerous place for women. Are these things true? A mathematician from Johannesburg told me he feels like it's easier to have a noticeable impact on society there than in the U.S. because it's a smaller country.
https://steemit.com/food/@onetree/food-glorious-food-why-south-africa-might-have-some-of-the-worlds-luckiest-stomachs
I'm the older girl on the right. Good questions, I will answer them in a blog. I have written a few other blogs on South Africa, mostly the history, if you care to scroll through my profile. :)
Thanks! I followed and will scroll through your earlier posts.
Love the post @onetree. My parents in-law stay in Port Edward. They have an avo tree in their garden that give these huge butter avos. To die for!
Voted and followed!
Thanks @naomi-louise, followed you too. I saw your post that @jacor featured. I have an uncle in Port Edward, we used to go their on holiday when I was a child.
Born in Cape Town, Pretoria till 12 and thereafter West Rand , Also did a lot of wandering in the Veld, Apies River etc , Great Read , Thank You.
It's a pleasure, and thank you!