This week I have been pre-occupied with everything Mandela! From Facebook to twitter, CNN, eNCA and Sky news.

I took my 10 year old son to see “Long walk to freedom” on Monday. He kept asking me where I was when “those things were happening”. Well I was in Bophuthatswana, one of the homelands created by the apartheid government.

But I can clearly remember some of the things from the radio- some and not all, I guess because of censorships. And I can clearly remember visiting relatives in Soweto, and seeing graffiti and burnt up buildings, but I did not connect the dots until I was older.

Tuesday I watched the Mandela memorial on eNCA. If truth be told I was more interested in the ordinary people’s stories, those who braved the wet weather to pay their last respects. Did we really need the BRICs leaders? But Obama’s speech was very good, as expected (albeit ironic), and Castro.

And OMG! From rainbow nation to rainboo nation?

And the fake interpreter who is “a champion of sign language”! Comedians have enough material for the next couple of years! And if they make a Mandela movie, who do you think should play the fake interpreter? Lol

Wednesday was my chance to say goodbye to the father of the nation. We waited for five hours at LC de Villiers Sport Ground, cooler box, camping chair and food. Fortunately the Pretoria weather was kind. Around 14h30 when I was beginning to lose, we finally boarded the bus to the Union Buildings.

It was a sobering moment when I saw Madiba, lying there, lifeless. The end of an era.

And I was able to comment about my Madiba moment on radio 702 during Xolani Gwala’s show! That just made my day even more special!

Rest in peace Madiba

There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

- N Mandela