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WINDOWS in the Kingdom of the Sky

Monday, 24 November 2025

FIRST TRIP

My nephew, Jimoh, and I touched down at O R Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, 28 February 2024. It was the first time either of us had been to South Africa; and we wanted to make the most of it. So, after week in Palmar Apartment Hotels in Johannesburg; during which we visited Pretoria and Soweto; we flew to Cape Town, where we met up with a distant cousin and his family; and climbed (I took the cable car) to the top of Table Mountain.

We flew back to Johannesburg on Monday, 11 March, to spend one night at Palmar Hotel, before flying out of OR International Airport on Tuesday, 12 March; arriving back at London Gatwick Airport on Wednesday, 13 March.

On getting back to Lincoln; I immediately had to busy myself with the organising of the funeral of a friend, who had sadly died just a couple of weeks before our departure. The funeral was on Monday, 18 March; and as promised, I played some of Maureen’s favourite songs during the service.

SECOND TRIP

As we flew back Johannesburg to London, I must have been planning my return; as less than 5 weeks later, on Monday 15 April 2024, I was on an Ethiopian airlines flight from Manchester Airport to Cape Town! This time I was coming back for 5 weeks (I’m not a wealthy man, but I had built up some savings, and I would need them all)!

From Tuesday, 23 April to Monday, 20 May 2024, I drove a Renault Kwid a total of 7775 km (4831 miles). I had now seen more of South Africa than most South Africans! On returning the vehicle, it transpired it had two dents; I worked out must have been acquired while parked in the secure lot of the Cairns’s apartment complex, where I spent my last 4 days in Somerset West; this was very costly, but fortunately, despite the inconvenience and weeks it took to process my claim, it was covered by my extended insurance cover.

Among the highlights of this second trip: being invited by Mr CHOKWE, a teacher at St Matthews Academy whom we met in Johannesburg on or first trip; to play at The All-White, First Gospel Festival at Sorole Park, in his village in Limpopo; and my 3 days in Maseru (all too short), where I met a business partner and friend of Shaun’s, Mr Jokey, and his farming assistant, Andile, who quickly became a friend and guide; and who made my short time in the beautiful mountain Kingdom of Lesotho so memorable and productive.

Andile hoped that I might return to Lesotho. Returning to Manchester Airport from Cape Town International, on Monday, 20 May 2024; having exhausted all my savings; I didn’t know, as I departed, if I would ever return to Africa again in my lifetime, let alone Lesotho!

soon after returning from Johannesburg after our first trip to South Africa; I had in March 2024 put in motion the sale of my flat (apartment), back to the Lincoln City Council, from whom I had purchased it in 2016. The property was never available on the open market; as I was keen to return my flat back to the Local Authority housing stock. I also reasoned; it would be the way to expedite the sale, by avoiding unpredictable selling chains. I was wrong about that!

It had always been in the back of my mind (and is still) that I might want to relocate to South Africa; or somewhere on the continent of my origins (notwithstanding the land and ties my family and I have in Jamaica). To my surprise, approaching 68, I found myself planning a house move I thought I would never make; believing that 108 Boundary Street, Lincoln in the UK would be the last address I would ever have!

THE THIRD TRIP

Now, with a little more disposable “income;” I thought I would be ready to travel in March this year; but not for the 3 months I had originally planned. I calculated, if I was frugal (as I generally am); and with modest income from my busking;taking into account my other financial commitments and responsibilities; I could afford another month in South Africa; but I would focus this time on visiting Johannesburg, Lesotho and Eswatini!

Ethiopian Airlines is becoming my carrier of choice (despite an excess charge of £30 to carry an extra 3 kg onto my flight from Manchester of my first trip); I flew with them in April 2024; and, being among the most competitively priced carriers with a generous baggage allowance, for me it was a “no brainer” to book with Ethiopian again (even if the stop in Geneva en-route before getting to Addis Ababa does extend the journey time by about 90 minutes).

Arriving about 1:30 pm on Monday, 3 March 2025; OR International Airport was beginning to seem familiar to me. However, there was an issue when picking up a Suzuki Swift rental car from FireFly, who didn’t provide me with my cross-border paperwork that I paid for and needed to enter Lesotho (this time for 12 days); and later, to Eswatini.

My first 3 days back at Palmar Apartment Hotels was settling, if more expensive than for previous stays. From Jo’burg I drove to the former capital of South Africa, Bloemfontein, still the capital of Free State, and largely Afrikaans. I stayed for there for 3 days; and purchased an A” harmonica at Brothners, as wells as a guitar stand; for my much anticipated recording session and performances in Lesotho arranged for me by Andile; who met me at the border crossing in Maseru on my arrival on Sunday, 9 March.

It was a packed 12 days, in which I met and recorded tracks for my new CD, Windows in the Kingdom of the Sky, with T-Man and Skebza on Wednesday 12 March. Andile and I visited Lesotho National University, and narrowly missed and appointment with King Letsie III on Mshoeshoe Day! We also visited Andile’s former school; where I played for pupil and staff who were dressed in their national costumes.

I then travelled 225 km to Qacha’s Nek near the southern border of Lesotho (to spend 2 nights); from which I visited the renowned Sehlabathebe National Park, 100 km to the East – What a drive – on a brand new Chinese built mountain road!

In a change of plans, I returned to Maseru; rather than driving the 327 km, an extra 2-3 hours, to get to Chocks Guest House in Ha Lajone, where I had booked in for 1 night. As luck would have it; I was able to move my book back a day, and spent my final day on Thursday 20 March in Ha Lejone, where I visited the Katse Dam and recorded many songs with the dam’s lakes as a backdrop.

It was a long, 560 km, drive from Ha Lajone, via Maseru to Partridge Place in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, where I spent 3 nights before my visit to Eswatini; arriving on Sunday 23 March. I stayed 4 nights at the rustic, Buhleni Farm Chalets in Esulwini. In this second landlocked country for my first time; I spent the afternoon on day 2 at the shopping mall (where I had hoped to find a busking pitch); but after doing a big shop, I raced back to the chalet to stow my goods, and hurry on to visit the Cultural Village, one of highlights of my trip.

On day 3 in the former British Colony, again I was hoping to busk; but I was also determined to explore as much of the terrain as I could; which I did by taking M3 and M9, about 120 km, south to Nhlangano; and from there(where I was tempted to busk outside the shopping precinct), I drove east, a further 90 km to Lavumisa; where I found little more than a petrol station and the southern border crossing back into South Africa! Then, it was 127 km on the east side of Eswatini, north on the M8 and north-west on the M3, back to Bhuleni Chalets in Ezulwini.

Leaving Eswatini on Thursday 27 March, I took my only opportunity to explore the capital, Mbabane (if only for a couple of hours); where I had hoped to pick up some souvenirs. Finding no indigenous craftwork, such as I’d passed often along the roadsides in my travels; I bought a few, inexpensive hats (only one of which made it back to England with me). Thinking I would need cash to possibly buy craftwork along my route out of Eswatini; I made the mistake of going into a bank to change £45 into Lilangeni (local currency) – I was the only customer in the branch; and it still took 40 minutes to make the exchange!

My tour was entering the home stretch: as I journeyed north from Eswatini to stay overnight in Neilspruit, South Africa; a city I had also visited in 2024. Hilat Hotel in Johannesburg did not have electricity when I arrived at noon the following day; a situation they were trying to fix. When at 5 pm, the power had come on and gone off again; I decided I’d had enough, and despite the proprietor’s refusal to refund my money (paid in cash on arrival), I booked into another hotel, also close to OR International airport. (But at Hilat, I had produce stolen from the communal fridge, and “lost” several hats I had bought as gifts; which I only discovered after arriving at my new hotel!)

I returned the car to the airport at about 11 am; this time without incident; and was safely on my flight back to Manchester on Ethiopian flight ET808, departing at 2:30 pm; which after stopping in Addis Ababa and Geneva again, put me back in Manchester at 8:15 am, on Monday 31 March. After 2 days at my brother Rick’s house in Manchester; I returned to Lincoln by train in the evening on Wednesday 2 April; the first day of Unleavened Bread.

THIS TRIP!

I am among thousands in the “diaspora” being drawn back home, to the African continent. But I am also here on a mission! It is the same mission I have been pursuing for the past 40 years; only now it is directed at the peoples YAHUAH wants to engage with the most – Who have been estranged from Him for the longest time; but whom He is now inviting back into a covenant relationship; in this time of restitution!

My purpose and intentions are best explained in my letter to the four heads of state of the Southern African countries I will be touring with my new album (Windows in the Kingdom of the Sky): Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.

I also sent a copy of the same letter to Captain Ibrahim Traore, President of Burkina Faso; because I believe if I am to make a fifth visit to Africa, my journey may well start in the Land of Upright People:

[As a minister of the Worldwide Church of God; the form, service and doctrinal positions reflect the culture of the church at that time, 39 years ago. The WCG “unravelled” in 1995 (3 years after I was disfellowshipped), under the leadership of Joseph W Tkach. However, the core message, THIS IS NOT GOD’S WORLD, was not “church doctrine;” but a revelation arising from personal study.]
PAIN AND THE SHAME – (1990) –Track 1
WINDOWS IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SKY, new album released in Cape Town South Africa; Mon. 24 Nov. 2025
AMERICAN DREAM – (Nov. 2021) – Track 20
PHIL GRAY (KING) TAG LINE – (Nov. 2001) – Track 14