I'm here

After the usual hoo-ha (arriving at the wrong terminal, not being able to check in because they thought Jeremy's credit card was stolen, did they - didn't they - did they have any rands at the currency exchange - oh yes they did) the flight was uneventful, and the limo ride to the hotel very smooth. Do I have to tell you about the blue skies, the blazing sunshine, and the fabulous food? Nah - OK then.

Last night we found ourselves in - how to describe it? I think if you looked from the outside you would see a gigantic warehouse. Inside, you were transported into a little corner of Venice. Somewhere in the back streets in the bend of the Grand Canal. The roof was painted to look like a late afternoon sky, until you went under a certain bridge and it was magically night time. The 'houses' have lit-up windows, some sporting Italian football scarves, and the wall-to-wall restaurants are mostly Italian. Julia said it reminded her of Las Vegas (only not so classy). And casinos, of course. Hordes and hordes of teenagers strutting their stuff.

Today was the - I dunno, I've been describing it as a 'family thing', and that seems to satisfy anyone who asks. Fact is, my cousin Mark, whose wedding we celebrated today, died five days ago. For the last three months he hadn't responded well to his chemotherapy, then he had a stroke, and died. We didn't know he had already married Felicity in May. We convened in a lovely hall for a meal, and speeches, and music, and Felicity looked lovely in her wedding dress.

Just no groom.

I met Mark's sons for the first time, who are both charming, clever, courteous young men. We caught up with one of our cousins - very disappointingly, the other was trapped by flooding in the Eastern Cape and couldn't join us - and enjoyed meeting a roomful of total strangers. I've got some pictures, I'll show you when I get back.