Christmas is over

You'll find holiday homes like this one in many South African seaside towns and villages. Once, or twice a year families drive down from up country cities like Johannesburg or Pretoria, to spend time "at the coast".

For the other 40-odd weeks, these homes are locked, barred and bolted. The alarm will be on, despite there being little to steal; owners bring TVs, bedding and whatever else they are likely to need with them.

It's a kind of modern day groot trek, excdept that today's transport is generally 4x4s and trailers and the travel is both there and back

Our village is typical; has about 200 homes, of which only about 30% are inhabited all year round. I quite like it; for most of the year tranquility reigns.

Canon PowerShot G10