Imagine if modern supermarkets still used cash registers like this one. Imagine how slow the queue would be and long you'd have to wait while dozens of items in large shopping trolleys are rung up by the careful moving of sliders.

We have it much simpler these days, but still, perhaps some day we'll look back at the days of having cashiers ring up event item and think how incredibly inconvenient and time-consuming the process was. :)

These are the keys from the typewriter shown in yesterday's photo. I'm so use to using my laptop's low-profile, easy-touch keyboard that I get solidly frustrated using a regular computer keyboard. Imagine how difficult it is typing on this one! I've tried, and believe me it's certainly no fun.

Do you think that some day we'll look back at our then-antiquated laptop keyboards and wonder how we ever managed?

Did you immediately recognise the item in the photo? Better yet, have you used one of these before?

Actually, I never had the privilege of using a manual typewriter - instead I recall the day's of typing school projects out on my mother's electric typewriter... but that sure was a long long time ago - I must have been about three at the time. :)

All over South Africa you'll find little gems like this used as decoration. I found this particular typewriter on the patio of the Royal Hotel in Riebeek Kasteel.