PROFILE

I was born in Johannesburg, one of the generation that was supposed to benefit from Apartheid, and who worked to end it. Always an outsider, I did what I had to do: went to school, did compulsory military service, went to University (Economics and International Relations) then opted out and went to work on a game reserve. In 1976 I joined the Civil Service in order to do something to change my country for the better, and percolated into the Diplomatic service. Here I learnt the joys of travel, of learning foreign languages, getting to know different cultures and cuisines, and of meeting fascinating people. But after 37 years, having lived in Africa, Europe and, briefly, the USA diplomacy was not fun any more. I shook hands with Presidents reputed to be mass murderers and had to be polite to dictators and hit-men, now I could meet with villagers, ordinary people, visit the places I always dreamt of, and go diving instead of enduring dreary receptions. I give in easily to the call of the open road, and love driving, writing about it, meeting interesting people, eating interesting food (on the waterfront of Raiateia you can eat vanilla-flavored fish in coconut milk that is absolutely fantastic) and doing things I could not do before. My hobbies include photography, building a sailboat, and spoiling my grandchildren.