Life Trove

I have always struggled with seasickness. Over the years, two specific voyages have etched themselves into my memory—not for the scenery, bu...

When I was seven years old, I underwent surgery on both of my Achilles tendons. The recovery required me to have both legs encased in plaste...

In South Africa, the Matric Dance is the undisputed peak of the school social calendar. It’s a night of high-stakes glamour, tuxedos, and fl...

Our family used to go round for dinner at Gran and Gramps on a regular basis. It remains one of my favorite memories. Gran was an absolutely...

When I was sixteen, I went on a school trip to the Okavango Delta in Botswana. It was a sensory-overloaded, extraordinary experience—gliding...

During my final years of school, I developed a consuming passion for bird watching. It was ignited by my close friend Tony Verboom, an exper...

Growing up, my mother was the silent, steady heartbeat of my rugby career. I have the most heart-warming memories of her standing in the pou...

Growing up, we had a beloved dog named Tina. I have never, in all my years, seen a dog who could wag her tail with such violent, sustained j...

When I was in prep school, I went to spend Christmas with my friend Greg Perks and his family at his grandparents' house in Plettenberg ...

In 1984, my school world shifted. We moved away from the dour, strict atmosphere of the previous headmaster and into the era of Mr. Cannon. ...

When I was in high school, our mathematical world was presided over by Mr. Norton. To our teenage eyes, he seemed ancient—at least eighty ye...

My friend Sean Peche had a father who was a true force of nature. He didn’t just participate in life; he commanded it. He ran a highly succe...

In my early school days, I was the quintessential nerd—more likely to be found in the library than on the rugby pitch. My athletic career st...

Before I was born, my parents engaged in a titanic struggle over my identity. My father was determined to name me Lambert, after his own fat...

When I was an early teen, I went on holiday to Plettenberg Bay with my school friend, Greg Perkes. We stayed with his grandparents, who were...

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at my friend Patrick’s house in Constantia. His family was incredibly wealthy and social, the kind o...

At school, some teachers—especially the formidable Miss Mallet—were legendary for their "clean plate" policy. This was no issue fo...

In high school, we were plagued by a phantom prankster whose commitment to the bit was truly terrifying. We never did find out who it was, b...

When I was seven, an operation left both my legs in heavy plaster casts. For six long weeks, I was confined to a wheelchair, which created a...

When I was six years old, I lived in constant fear of Mrs. Ford. She was a loud, formidable woman who taught the older children and was know...