Arrival in Port Elizabeth

We arrived in Johannesburg for a brief stop over before boarding our final flight to Port Elizabeth. I remember meeting a family from America by the last name of Tope. Their youngest child was barely 2 years old and kept repeating the words "Ank". My brother Jeff was quite upset by this term because he interpreted her words as calling him a "Yank". He, being born in West Virginia, was quite insulted by this reference. He informed her quite sternly, or as sternly as a small boy could muster, "I'm not a Yank", he declared "I'm a hillbillie".
We shared refreshments with this family and got aquainted with them while we waited for our flight. Then, once again, the butterflies appeared in the stomach and we boarded our final flight to take us to the destination of our journey to this foreign land.
We landed in Port Elizabeth and climbed down the stairs from the aircraft, to the tarmac below. There waiting at the fence near the door, was a crowd of people. All saying hello. Some we knew, some we did not. We knew one family in particular, the Chaffins. Ron, Rosemarie, Kim, Tanya, Jamie and Jonathan. We had visited with them many a time in their home in America before they moved to South Africa. This was quite the reunion for us. So lovely to see old friends and get reaquainted.
There was a bit of confusion for us though. There was another family there to greet us, the Cass family. These people were very eager to meet us and spoke very quickly, so quickly in fact that I glanced up at my mother at one point and told her I had no idea what these other children were saying. I did not realize they were speaking english but spoke so fast that I could not interpret their speech.
This did not last long. I soon became accustomed to their dialect and words they used soon became my own. Their accent of a gutteral dutch sound soon also became my own accent. So amazing the way children adapt to their surroundings.
The Cass family soon became firm friends of ours. Basil, Gloria, Beverley, Colleen, Jeanette, Raymond, Basil Jon, and last but not least (seeing as he was born after we arrived), Phillip. This family was and still is a very important part of my life. The have been my other family who helped to mold me into what I am today.

1973 - On our way

We began our trip to move to South Africa in the summer of 1973. In order to travel to South Africa, we had to make a stop in England. There were no straight flights in those days.
My parents chose to stay a few extra days and visit with some folks who lived in Tonbridge Wells, just outside of London.
As a child, this was very exciting. We rode in funny looking cars from the airport to their country home.
While we were there, they took us on an adventure ride on the train into London. The train started out above ground, and went underground as it neared London. One of our stops in London, featured feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square. That was fascinating to a 7 year old, a 6 year old and a 4 year old.