Flying off into space for a moment ...

Molweni umfuwethu ("Good morning my brother" in isiXhosa),

And the same to the sisters out there!,

Today on International Happy Day (there seems to be one for every mood or occasion doesn't there!), I will take you off the chronological chart to somewhere in between my travelling past and recent present. To the Big Bang Theory TV Series followers (especially the Sheldons), I acknowledge that to say "flying" for spacecraft is technically incorrect. The correct term is "orbiting". However, all will acknowledge that both terms get really hazy when dealing with the launch!!! Enough of Sheldon ...

First I want the creators of all these international celebratory days to consider an "International Nappy Day". Yeah, for all those who have to dig into the human processed food side of things to show their co-responsibility for the bundle of joy in their households. No wonder they warn us against processed food - just the smell alone from human processed foods is enough to fully believe the whole food brigade.

Back to space. In 2009, I was privileged to attend the launch of South Africa's second satellite in space.

This personal video I took off the video screen in the viewing room about 1km from the launch site in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The shaking of the viewing room after the launch was due to the sound waves created by the Soyuz rocket. The video quality, as with many amateur is rather authentic for want of a more positive description

One of the things that fascinated me the most at Baikonur, apart from seeing the rock at which all cosmonauts/astronauts are required to relieve themselves of bodily fluids, was being in close proximity to the 'spare' SPUTNIK. The actual flight model of the alternative Sputnik (in case the original failed!) satellite hangs from the roof in the Baikonur Space Museum. Being next to this primary satellite technology was just WOW! In case you accuse me of sounding like Big Bang Theory characters at this point, carry on - no offence taken!!! 

Sputnik 'Alt' suspended from the roof in the background. I'm 2nd from left ...

To get to Baikonur we had to fly via Domodedovo International, Moscow, and at some stage I'll tell you of my visit to Red Square to get a matruschka for my wife - she still calls it a babuschka :-). The other tale from Moscow did not happen to me but to two South African Broadcasting Corporation journalists, who came to cover the launch. This one I'm also keeping in abeyance for another day.

Russia and its enclave in Kazakhstan, is a fascinating travel destination. I really want to return there and sample more of the architecture, interact with Russian people and see the vast expanse of land that connect Europe, the Middle East and Asia. BTW, Lake Baikal in Russia (the oldest freshwater lake on the globe)  is said to contain as much fresh water as the 7 great North American lakes together.

Our after- launch toast (with copious amounts of vodka) was blessed by a Russian Orthodox Church Bishop 

Oh, and their Vodka is really tasty in 9th month (I can only speak for that month!). You can try the other months for yourself.

I promise to return to saner posts just as soon as I'm released from this technology mental institution. Maybe tomorrow? What about International Happiness Day? This event was one of the happiest days in my space career!

Keep well, ya'll! (The latter form of addressing is commonly used in certain parts of Durban!)