Admit it, we're fabulous!

Call me a nauseating optimist if you want, but I like to always look at the brighter side of things.  There is nothing more depressing than people barking on about corrupt politicians, bad taxi driving, how everything is always everyone else’s fault and yada yada yada.

So I thought I’d pick just 10 of the lesser known things that make this country greater than what most people may realize.  They may be useless facts, but either way, there’s no denying we’re an awesome nation. 

You may know some of these, you  may not. But consider yourself trivially enriched once you’ve finished reading this – (and maybe, a little less pessimistic about the place we call home).

1.   South Africa is ranked nr 1 in the world for its floral kingdom.  (oh yeah!!!), and 70% of the cape floral kingdom is not found anywhere else in the world. (We don’t win that Chelsea flower show every year for nothing you know)

2.  South Africa is home to:

· The largest bird – ostrich · The largest land mammal – elephant · The tallest creature – giraffe · The largest reptile – leatherback turtle · The largest fish – whale shark · The heaviest flying bird – khori bustard · The largest antelope – eland · The fastest land mammal – cheetah · The smallest mammal – least dwarf shrew · Four of the five fastest land animals live in South Africa – the cheetah, wildebeest, lion, and Thomson's gazelle.

3.  South Africa has the longest wine route in the world, the R62 wine route. (Calm yourselves…..it’ll still be there next year)

4.  Ranked third best overall in the world, South Africa is one of only 12 countries supplying tap water that is fit to drink.

5.  South Africans are natural inventors, giving the world those breakwater dolosse and the automatic pool cleaner, the Kreepy Krauly.

6.  Cape Town has the 5th best blue sky in the world, according to the UK’s National Physical Laboratory. (who knew...)

7.  The only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace prizewinners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.

8.  South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure

9.  South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class, right-hand drive vehicles.

10.  The Southern African Large  Telescope (SALT) - built at Sutherland, is the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere and amongt the largest 5 telescopes in the world.

OK, and just because its almost summer, I’ll mention this:  South Africa is one of the most generously endowed geographic solar hotspots in the world, soaking up just over half of the world's highest category of solar wattage per square yard of land.

I think that qualifies us to be a tad fantastic, and, entitles me to say....

Happy Blue Sky Day everyone!!!