When my dear wife won a prize of a cruise boat trip from Durban to Mozambique we were overjoyed. It was a wonderful experience! We were adorned with luxury, good cuisine and fine weather. During our visit to the Portuguese islands just off the east coast of Mozambique whilst the cruise ship was anchored, I noticed two young fisherman sailing past in their sailing boat called a Dhow (A traditional Arab style sailboat). As they manoeuvred past us with their boat laden with their nets a day of fishing lay ahead of them. Smiling they looked up at us and waved, they seemed happy and contented in their simple wooden Dhow and patchwork sail. The contrast and paradox of the different two boats spoke to me. The luxury of a five-story cruise ship and a simple traditional African Dhow sailing past. How I envied and admired them as I looked down from the comfort of my world. Sometimes the gifts of beauty, simplicity and enjoyment are free.
Some years ago, a friend told me of an experience he had at the dockyard in Cape Town. A dock worker was tying the ship to the quay with ropes and saw a man looking out of the porthole of the large ship that was being docked. He shouted at him, ”Hey jy met die skip round jou kop” (Hey you with the ship round your neck) Sometimes the life of comfort and ease, feels like the weight around our necks.
