Travel Review - "The Rock" - Editors favourite Travel Story - Submitted by Pat Nieh from California, USA / Travel Reviews

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"THE ROCK"

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Submitted by: Pat Nieh., 28 November, 2007
Portola Valley, California, USA
"Everything I said it would be?" Karl asked me, smiling.

"Everything. And more." I replied. Actually I wanted to go on and on but I didn't quite know how to put our week in South Africa into mere words. How to describe the vastness of the plains? The beauty of the beaches? The friendliness of the people?

"You're kinda quiet, Cyn. Not getting cold feet are you? My mom's spot on when it comes to people. She's going to love you." He shifted one hand from the steering wheel and adjusted his sunglasses.

"Never," I said, and meant it. My eyes went to the diamond on my left hand. At least three carats. We were both students at Oxford and I still hadn't been able to get Karl to tell me how he could afford such a ring. The jewel glittered in the strong late-afternoon sun.

"Next stop Alldays," Karl said with a grin. "We're here at my favorite time of year. Summer brings out the best in South Africa."

We turned onto a side road guarded by a cluster of baobab trees and passed the sign that proclaimed in black letters on a white-painted board, "Alldays". The commercial district was compact but well organized and people clustered at the open air market for one last conversation before they went home for the evening meal.

Karl had hardly stopped the Land Rover when a short, plump woman with wildly curly grey hair burst from the door of a tidy white clapboard house surrounded by a profusion of colorfully blooming freesia. Down the dusty path she ran and somehow Karl and i were caught up in her wide embrace.

"Well, come on then. We'll just have a cuppa before we get your bags inside." She took each of us lightly by the hand and led us through the still-open front door.

The house was shuttered against the summer sun. My eyes adjusted to the dim light of the rooms as Karl's mother led us into the cozy kitchen. Something baking in the oven reminded me that I was hungry.

"I'm Deborah. Welcome to South Africa. You're even more beautiful than Karl told me." I felt the heat of blood rushing to my face.

Karl noticed and spoke up. "Mom, why not tell Cyn the story of the diamond in her engagement ring?"

"It's a lovely story." Deborah bustled around busily and soon we were sipping hot, fragrant tea.

She launched into her story. "I work at the DeBeers Venetia Diamond Mine not far from here." She nodded her head to indicate the direction of the mine. "One of my favorite salesmen would stop by my desk every time he came to Venetia. I'd joke with him and ask him when he was going to leave me a sample. He'd always laugh and tell me that before he retired I'd get my diamond."

Karl poured more tea into our cups. Deborah looked pensive as she continued her story. "Well, I never got to tell him goodbye when he retired. I just went into work one morning and he had already left. But on my desk was a little box and inside was the most beautiful diamond I'd ever seen. I gave it to Karl to have it set into an engagement ring for you."

"Oh, but you shouldn't have!" My face was getting red again. "Your friend meant for you to enjoy the diamond."

She patted my left hand and the ring I wore. "Now what would an old lady do with such a rock? I want you to have it. After all, I have you two, maybe some grandkids in the future, and all of South Africa!"

Thank you for reading my story and happy holidays!

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Travel Review - "The Rock" - Editors favourite Travel Story - Submitted by Pat Nieh from California, USA / Travel Reviews

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