I was UCT second team goalie in my first year, and then gave up hockey as I had better use for my time than standing anxiously between the goal posts. Tennis was only for me a social sport - we played a lot at Glencairn and on friends� courts. Claremont Baths were boarded over, and we went there in groups for roller-skating. I enjoyed the fun and companionship, but hated the noise and the shattering sit-down falls, and I almost always ended the session with a headache. Swimming was still a high priority, and for one birthday present the parents, at my request, gave me a course of lessons at Long Street Baths. I played badminton regularly once a week in winter in the Gardens Hall, and one year the young church members put on a play - possibly �Diamonds are Forever� or some such title - in which Jim Coventry kissed me, both of us absolutely wooden in our parts.

In April 1929, for Mother and Dad�s silver wedding anniversary, all six of us had a picnic in the grounds of Lourensford Estate in Somerset West. Sir Lionel Phillips had lent Lourensford to the parents twenty-five years before for their honeymoon.

In 1929 Jim, now a fully-fledged advocate in Frank Reid�s office, taught me to drive on Green Point common and I got my licence. Dad had two Austins then, and we were allowed to use the older one on occasion. In my last year, with Russell also at UCT, we sometimes drove to varsity, giving Mary Groves a lift. Jim, aided and abetted by Russell, loved teasing me, particularly as I always rose to their gibes. They reckoned that I lacked a sense on humour and each week when �Punch� arrived Jim sat me down on the morning room sofa and tried to get me to explain the jokes. He and I became very close that year, sharing interests in sailing and climbing and going to many of the same dances. He managed to get to Matroosberg with friends one weekend for ski-ing - snow was not easily or often reached at the Cape.

I learned to sail, crewing for Eric Grindley, who lectured in Physics at UCT, in his 14 foot Redwing yacht, which we launched from the Rogge Bay docks site for afternoons on Table Bay, and later moved the yacht to Zeekoe Vlei where we had weekends of sailing and fun. Zeekoe Vlei was then completely undeveloped, and we camped in the bushes.

I also thoroughly enjoyed sailing on Table Bay in Dr Jameson's much larger yacht, Paragon II, with his son Robin, Hilda Wilson, Jean Laurie and other friends.

I loved climbing. I joined the Mountain Club, which met every Friday evening with lectures and interesting speakers, and had very happy days on Table Mountain. Sometimes they were purely �social� walks up the easier gorges, but gradually I did more rock climbing at which I became adept, and was encouraged by male friends to climb some of the most difficult routes with them.

For sailing and climbing I wore khaki shirt and shorts, and for travelling in bus and train I made myself a short khaki circular skirt to wear over my trousers. My hair was long again, and for outdoor activities I wore it in two plaits tied with brown ribbons. For ordinary day and evening wear I tried out various �up� styles for my hair.