The world at their feet

A bevy of beauties come stilting into view at the Miss World press junket in Gallagher Estate.  You could say they are freaks of nature, but I’m not complaining.  Reigning Miss World, Russian Ksenia Sukhinova is a beautiful blonde wrapped in a fairytale, pearly white dress. I overhear her saying that she’d like to appear in a Bond film. 

I most want to meet Miss Mexico, Perla Beltran Acosta, and it has nothing to do with what she looks like.  Well, not only with what she looks like.  She has won that Top Model contest. 

But she also said something interesting: "If I win the Miss World title, I want to make people aware of how much technology is affecting our climate. I want to discover a method to make the world a better place by alleviating global warming." Turns out Miss Mexico has a degree in engineering.  Impressive.

These girls have been on the road for weeks, and some of them are missing home. Miss Hong Kong lost her father while abroad. Miss Zimbabwe is a picture of colourful felicity; she even has a pink flower in her hair.  She tells me she’s from Harare.  “Do you miss it?  Do you wish you were back home?” “Not at all,” she says firmly.

I am looking for Miss England. See, the real Miss England got booted out for being in a brawl.  I want to ask the new Miss England what she thinks about the wheel of fortune.  Instead I have to make do with Miss Croatia.  She has a fairytale prettiness that is utterly charming.  There’s also Miss Ireland - another blonde with enormous lips and beautiful and dark blue eyes, who came the way from Dublin. Some of these ladies may just be too gorgeous and too sexy to be taken seriously.

My favourites?  Miss Puerto Rico, a budding architect with classical style and sweetness in her deep indigo eyes behind ultra-long eyelashes.  Miss China, Yu Sheng is friendly and sociable, and she wants to go into broadcasting. 

But my final pick?  Miss Russia, Kseniya Shipilova. A lovely girl, with beautiful lilting accent, and stunning features, but also a very natural way about her. She’s a great ping pong player, she parachutes, she knows something about economics. ‘People must start saving,’ she says in English. But don’t discount stunners like Miss Venezuela and Miss Hungary.  Oh what are you asking me for? Watch the show and see them for yourself.

Miss World will air live on Saturday 12 December at 5pm on SABC 3.