Darkest Africa « the other side of the mountain

Darkest Africa

23 February 2006 at 8:17 am | In Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Cape Town continues to be bedevilled by power cuts. It certainly gives a gritty edge to the work environment, because you’re never 100% sure whether your carefully worded report will survive the next power surge or will be converted into electronic shrapnel.

Rehearsals in the pitch dark have been interesting, too.

Scene: darkened stage
VOICE: Is this a dagger I see before me?
SECOND VOICE: Could be, could be. About the only thing we know for sure is that it’s not an Oscar.
VOICE: Very funny. When I find you, I’m kicking your ass!
[Loud crash. Muted cursing. Sound of something rolling across stage]
Curtain

The thing that bothers me the most about the situation is that the clowns responsible for this mess are in charge of a fucking nuclear reactor. One which is only a few miles north of me as the neutron flies. Then again – if we are ever faced with a ‘worst case scenario’, it will solve at least two problems: there won’t be any more congestion on Koeberg Road and we won’t need lights, because everyone will glow in the dark.

20 Comments »

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A glow in the dark Kyknoord… now that could be interesting in a starwars kind of way.

Comment by Just Me — 23 February 2006 #

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Ever thought of writing for the stage?

Comment by anne — 23 February 2006 #

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Haha, very well put. Imagine glow in the dark great whites. We could swim at any beach, at any time, and not worry about them lurking up behind us. That would be cool.

Comment by Mark Forrester — 23 February 2006 #

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Do I sense the seeds of an innovative new style of theatre?

I’m just glad I got to read this post before we go down at the scheduled 12:30.

But that could be 2:30. Just don’t phone and ask Eskom, they’ll tell you it’s not their department…..

Comment by forgottenmachine — 23 February 2006 #

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Sounds like a lot of fun is being had in all that dark despite the grumbling!

You worry about the incompetents running Koeberg but did you hear the story about the company that transported deadly radioactive material 300 miles across the UK a while ago with a safety cap off? No one was injured because the stuff was being beamed at the road. Had anyone come into contact with it, they’d have been ill within 10 minutes and dead within 2 hours.

Comment by Reluctant Nomad — 23 February 2006 #

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just me: That’s exactly the kind of ‘interesting’ I can live without.

anne: The Other Side of the Mountain – The Musical!

mark:Radioactive sharks? Very Doctor Evil, don’t you think? Now if only we could find some way of attaching the laser beams…

forgottenmachine: Definitely. Now what should we call it? Hmmmm…. ‘Radio’ has a nice ring to it.

nomad: I hope the transport company doesn’t have a branch office in Cape Town.

Comment by kyknoord — 23 February 2006 #

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Hmm gotta love them power cuts. On Sunday we decided to braai due to no power. Sadly God made it rain and the power came back on – don’t know who did that ‘cos it clearly wasn’t Eskom. I had my first glass of wine at 10.20am due to severe stress. I’d like to thank Eskom for turning me into an alkie. Har har.

Comment by Bee — 23 February 2006 #

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Haha. If that monkey blows… the whole of the Western Cape will become Koeberg Road, if you know what I mean.
The idea of a luminous Table Mountain appeals to me… it would justify price one has to pay for ride up that mountain.

Comment by ChittyChittyBangBang! — 23 February 2006 #

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Well, despite living and working in Cape Town, I have been entirely unaffected by the power cuts. Either I’m just very lucky, or someone up there is smiling down on *CLICK*

Comment by Flo — 23 February 2006 #

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Congratulations on your Nominations btw.

Comment by Just Me — 23 February 2006 #

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HEY SNAP!!!! YOU LINKED ME! I feel very honoured to have my name on your blog!! TOTALLY HONOURED! Thanks!!

Comment by Just Me — 23 February 2006 #

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> the clowns responsible for this mess are in charge of a fucking nuclear reactor

And don’t they want to build another one (or two)? I despair (even more)!

Comment by Mandy J Watson — 23 February 2006 #

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Now THAT’s a scary thought. The farm in the middle of the Karroo is starting to sound better and better. Anyone want to join me (with your tin hats)?

Comment by Michelle — 23 February 2006 #

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You make it all sound so mysterious and romantic.

Comment by andrea — 23 February 2006 #

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You need APC power protection! Back up all your work http://www.apc.com

Comment by Melissa — 23 February 2006 #

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Whoa…that really is a very scary thought. I don’t even want to think of a “worst case scenario” of a fight scene in the dark.

Actually, that would be kinda funny.

Comment by The Phoenix — 23 February 2006 #

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Hahaha! Thank you for the laugh. The Scene cracked me up!

Comment by Zube Girl — 23 February 2006 #

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Bee: Ja, it’s the Eskom/KWV/Weather Bureau conspiracy I’ve been warning people about.

ChittyChittyBangBang: And you’ll have unparalleled views of the giant crater.

Flo: It could just be a coincidence, but guess where the City’s electricity department head office is?

Spookie: Thanks and my pleasure

Mandy J Watson: What makes it even more fun is the justification for building a new one is because they can’t maintain the old one.

Michelle: I’m there. I only have a tinfoil hat, though.

andrea: I do? Damn, the whine-o-matic is obviously malfunctioning.

Melissa: What? And ruin a perfectly good excuse for skiving off?

The Phoenix It was, but my shins hurt like buggery the next morning.

Zube Girl: Me too. My shins, at any rate.

Comment by kyknoord — 24 February 2006 #

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Ah yes… the lack of “foil” in my comment bugged me just as I was falling asleep last night. But a blonde can’t be expected to get an entire sentance right, right???

Comment by Michelle — 24 February 2006 #

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Scene: darkened stage
VOICE: Is this a dagger I see before me?
SECOND VOICE: Could be, could be. About the only thing we know for sure is that it’s not an Oscar.
VOICE: Very funny. When I find you, I’m kicking your ass!
[Loud crash. Muted cursing. Sound of something rolling across stage]
Curtain

OMG That cracked me up completely!!! I can’t stop laughing. My sister lives in Muizenberg and was telling me how hectic it has been with the power outages!! Hang in there.

Comment by Tammy — 24 February 2006 #

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