About this blog

Dear Reader,

In 1981 I was a 24 year old dentist from Melbourne. I lived near Melbourne airport and one day I hopped on a plane.   The plane was going to South Africa. I didn’t personally know one person in the whole of Africa. I had absolutely no contacts in South Africa. I had no list of names; nobody to visit; nobody to ring. I knew almost nothing about South Africa.

When I in arrived in South Africa I began writing to my family.  And my family began writing to me. A few years ago I was given back the letters that I had written from South Africa. I had simultaneously kept all the letters that I had received.  That is where this blog begins. A copy of letters written between Australia and South Africa in the 1980s.

I have accurately transcribed all these letters. They are an incredible accurate record of something. Of what I don’t know. What I do know is that nothing has been changed, altered, added, deleted or explained. The posts are just accurate copies of the letters. I have also added some original relevant photos where possible.

Regards Alan Carlton