I’m playing hooky today, so no blog. I’ve no speaking engagements, all I need to do is follow my feet and explore Franschhoek.Tomorrow is the big, big day.Can’t tell you the result yet even though I know who the winners are.

It’s day one of the Franschhoek literary festival and we started with a trip to Drakenstein prison. This is where Mandela had spent the last 18 months of his captivity. We met some of the inmates who had taken part in the Franschhoek literary outreach program run by Margie Orford. Unfortunately due to some reason we were never appraised of, they didn’t get to read their own poems or stories. However Margie spoke on their behalf. They were all members of the notorious Cape Flats Numbers gangs, the 26s, 27s and 28s. Everything was quite civilized and sedate, we had a man singing about an aardvak and bees that started ‘I love honey,’ I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. Needless to say I couldn’t adequately express my thoughts because I was sitting next to his wife. They had a spread for after the readings and I can now say [...]

It’s 5pm and I’m about to dash off for another reception with the hosts of the Franschhoek literary festival.The day started with a trip to Robben Island, the Judges had finished their deliberations, and could finally come out to play. They were all giddy with excitement and glad their task was over, but still pretty tight lipped about their choices though, which is when I wished for the power of Matt Parkman. Heroes fans know whom I’m referring to. ☺ This is the quarry where Mandela and his fellow prisoners worked.The trip to the Island – which in my ignorance, I thought was another Alcatraz – has been an emotional one. All I can say about the excursion, is that I’m truly humbled by the human spirit. Our guides were former inmates and this added poignancy to the tour. One of them admitted to blowing up a building and injuring [...]