We were at a luncheon the other day and among other things, the conversation turned to Christmas presents. Being of the same generation, all of us expressed horror at what parents of today are expected to spend on such presents – thousands of rands at a time seems to be the order of the day.
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We all agreed that when we were children, our presents tended to be home-made by our parents and siblings, but we were all quite happy with that. How things have changed. Here are a couple of Christmas present ideas for next week.
There was a time when a bicycle was considered excellent alternative transport and good exercise at the same time. At one time, long ago, we all aspired to own first our‘grown up’ bicycle, one that would speed down a hill and then be pushed up the other side, hence the term pushbike.
Not any more. Electric bikes are now available, powered by a battery and not the peddles – They cost about R60 000.
Never mind bikes, you can now buy an electric scooter for your favourite youngster. Again, I always thought scooters were foot-powered, but apparently no longer.
The scooter, with battery, will set you back R3 000, but then of course you need to equip the youngster with a crash helmet and other protective gear – that’s another R250.
But let’s get practical. For very much less than all of this you can buy a really good book and I would recommend a new birdy book ‘Featherings: True Stories in Search of Birds’ (more details in a moment).
It’s a collection of stories by some very well-known birders and some not so well-known, but they all have a couple of things in common, a great love of birds and an ability to tell a good story. There are 26 stories told by 20 storytellers, so it’s a very ‘dippable’ book, you can drop in for a quick story or spend an hour or two at it.
These adventurous birders take us all over South Africa, quite naturally, but then to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and further north to Uganda, the Central African Republic, the Congo, Cameroon and Ghana.
Before leaving the continent they go to São Tomé and Principe. And then abroad, we are taken to Thailand, Borneo, Sri Lanka, New Zealand (in search of the kiwi, naturally) and finally Inaccessible Island (you might want to Google that one). We meet lots of wonderful birds including the extraordinary shoebill, the rare Angola pitta, a Congo peacock, a pygmy falcon, the rhino hornbill and many others.
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It’s a delightful book and if you’re not already a birder then it might just get you going. Remember: ‘Featherings: True Stories in Search of Birds’, edited by Vernon RL Head, published by Jacana at a cost of just R250 (but it doesn’t come with batteries). Buy it for yourself, read it quickly and then pass it on as a Christmas present, two birds with one stone, as birders would probably not say.
Whatever you choose, have a wonderful Christmas and take care.
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