The Statue of Limitations on Happy Days

The inevitable has happened. The statute of limitations on too many perfect, wonderfully blissful days in a row ran out. This afternoon at Jo'burg airport, the guide who was supposed to meet all four Plotniks to then drive them through the outer reaches of Swaziland for the next four days, never showed up. Johannesburg is a city where, when you ask someone if you should go to a certain neighborhood, or certain hotel, or certain restaurant, always answers: THERE? GOD NO! NOT IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE! THEY'LL SLIT YOUR THROAT AND EAT YOUR LIVERS!

Fortunately The Great PunkyDunky can manage driving a huge rented boat of a car on the wrong side of the road. Fortunately all four are seasoned travelers. Fortunately dollars go a long way in the land of curry and bobootie. Fortunately the three days at Victoria Falls will leave plenty of sweet, sweet memories, enough to eclipse a temporary glitch. All the stone and wooden carvings, earrings and bracelets are packed away. More happy days are ahead, Plotnik insists, starting right...now.