There are things that most people wouldn’t consider being part of a job description; taking your clothes off probably being one of them. So what would you say if I told you that that is exactly what I had to do? One of my clients — the largest diamond miner in the world — invited […]

Although I admire people who fold their clothes and meticulously pamper every item until the edges line up, I personally don’t have the time, patience and usually the desire. Home-maker magazines do make a romantically neat statement of what the ideal wardrobe should look like but the reality is that most closets are anything but […]

Some family, friends and colleagues can be incredibly demanding and in this case completely clueless of where it is I work or the conditions I work under on a daily basis. The only thing I can say is “Guy’s I’m in Africa” — that should in one way or another form an educated guess on […]

You would think that a simple trip to the airport would be nothing out of the ordinary — right? I’m packed and waiting for the taxi, two last things on the to-do list: switch off the electricity and turn off the water Almost done, the taxi is waiting just outside the front door. I flip […]

Electricity is somewhat of a scarcity in parts of Africa, and as road-warriors — irrespective of how large the batteries are — we’re on a constant quest to find that next charging station to power our phones, laptops and other sanity-aiding devices. On this particular day the power had been out since 10:30am and it […]

When it comes to subtle complexities in relationships, sex, love, dating or friendship, nowhere have I found a descriptive vocabulary so intricate as in Botswana. As is the case with many African countries, the moral high-ground plays little in the way of monogamy. In fact, many cultures have thrived on a rich diet of promiscuity […]

Emirates is quite possibly one of the best airlines I’ve had the pleasure of flying, but a large number of bad-mannered, impatient, illogical and uncultured people can make the whole experience less than perfect. As with anything, if you spend enough time doing it, irrespective how refined or dignified the experience, sooner or later unpleasantness […]

My mailbox fills up with all sorts of job offers on a daily basis but from time to time the search algorithms used to scan through CV repositories get it completely wrong; on this occasion I couldn’t resist replying. Dear Recruiting Officer, Oh most definitely, I’d be perfect for the job of Administrative Assistant at […]

While wandering all over the world it is inevitable that someone will enquire as to your country-of-birth. The vast majority of these new encounters follow a relatively easy path; where you’re from, what you’re doing, how old you are or if you’re married – but some take you by surprise and lead you to completely […]

Finding a reliable taxi driver who can arrive on time and move you from place to place without any of the typical hassles can stave off the impending borderline insanity for a few more days. But if you happen to get a crackpot driver, remember to roll with the punches, keep smiling and stick to […]