Surprise Visitors

The funniest thing happened last week... a friend of a friend from Auburn was headed to South African on vacation and my friend told her friend that she had a friend living here. So, we corresponded and we set up a time to meet. The woman visiting was Gina Layton, an Alaska Airlines employee from Auburn, and she was traveling with her two daughters and her mother.

We agreed to meet for dinner at a jazz club on the Victoria and Albert Waterfront in Cape Town, kind of the main hang out where all the chic restaurants, bars and tourist shops are located. This particular place, the Green Dolphin is the longest running bar in South Africa with live music played 7 days a week. It was a wonderful choice that Gina had made, and I'm the local one!

We had a wonderful evening talking about different things when the conversation turned to tennis. Gina is an avid player at the Boeing Club in Kent, and I know one of the pros there. In addition, she was visiting with another friend of a friend here who used to be the assistant women's coach at WSU back when son, Clay, was at the school. The funny thing was that I knew the girl (now woman) as I had placed a Brazilian player on the team there and knew the head coach, Cari. So, the next day Gina was meeting with her and her new husband meaning I had another friend here in Cape Town!

I love getting together with folks like that from home, so if you ever get close to this part of the world, let me know and we can meet up for some tourist activities or dinner or something. There is a lot to offer in these parts! The only thing I request is that you bring something from home for me...