Day 74 in South Africa. Husband wants to go to a local handicrafts shop & types the address into Google Maps. Fifteen minutes later we're in a sketchy neighborhood where skinny dogs roam the streets, buildings are made of corrugated metal, & people are cooking odd meats on sidewalk barbecues.

We hear a siren. A voice from the police car behind us tells us to pull over. We park & a policeman approaches the car. "You need to turn around," he says. "This is a very dangerous neighborhood."

Husband looks at the map on his cellphone. "We're going to a store just a few minutes away," he says.

The policeman shakes his head. "YOU NEED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY," he insists. "Follow my patrol car & we'll get you out of here."

We don't say anything. He looks at us & sees confused looks & gray hair. "JUST FOLLOW ME," he repeats.

Husband says okay & thanks him but as we pull back onto the road behind him & the shock wears off I find myself getting increasingly pissed. What the fuck just happened? What did Google Maps just try to do? Type an address into your cellphone & follow directions: Is it really that easy to get killed?

The exchange with the policeman, in particular, irritates me. In my head I'm still of the age where I date them. We go to dinner & a movie & kiss goodnight. They don't rescue me after explaining what's happening four times in case I'm hard of hearing or have dementia.

Feeling sad & annoyed & a little homesick, I text my friend Thomas. "It's dirty & crazy & absolutely crime-ridden here."

His reply pops up instantly. "You're already back in Berlin?"