Met an old friend

[derek]

Hello,

I am Derek, I was in Oranjemund during 1975/6 as the IBM onsite person.

This week in the Conwy Valley in Wales, I met Stef Coetzee who used to work in the DP department with Vic Nortier and the other DP guys.

Very good to see him again 40 years on from the mine and very happy memories.

Best regards everyone, Derek

[Michael Alexander]

Greetings from Oranjemund Derek,

Was the  meeting pre planned or just a coincidence?

[derek]

Hello,

I found him through Google, exchanged emails and discovered we were living only 30 miles apart, (Even though we have both travelled the world a fair bit). So we met up, and I think will continue to do so occasionally. I thought it might be difficult to reconnect after all this time, but we got along fine, with many happy memories of Oranjemund.

Derek

[Michael Alexander]

That's always nice to hear of Old Oranjemunders meeting up....

I always find that it matters not what decade you might have resided in the town, there is always a mutual "pillar" that we can all relate to ...

[derek]

Hello.

Yes I think you are correct. We were only there for two years forty years ago and worked for an outside company, but Oranjemund remains an important part of our lives. I remember so much. We lived in 2 8th street. Our first son was born in Oranjemund but shows little interest in his place of birth and its history.  I used to take my two dogs on the beach, and they also used to chase cape mole rats which lived in the sand hills on the north side of town I think, in some sand hills on the far side of the golf driving range. All round it was a very happy two years, a very special and I think unique experience which we still often talk about.

Derek