summertime and the livin' is easy

Friends from afar

Special friends visit us in this beautiful country.

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas

Eight dry months ended with a clap of thunder, a rush of wind and an indescribable smell of rain.  The children will never forget their first storm in Africa.

The Mother City in Spring

A windy, wet week in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.  The Mother City opened her arms and warmed us with old friends, mountains and beachs, fresh seafood and great wine, and memories.

St James to Simonstown

Finding Nemo at the stunning Two Oceans Aquarium http://www.aquarium.co.za/

We are the Champions!

Going up Table Mountain

Spot the cable car

View from the top: Robin Island

View from the top: south west

View from the top: Cape Town

Birthday in the Bush

We continue our tradition of a weekend away in a beautiful place in leau of presents - thank you Okambara Elephant Lodge for a wonderful weekend. http://okambara.de/die-lodge/

First Game Drive

C3 and C4's first game drive.  Shivering with excitement.  Thanks to http://www.thekangaroo-traveller.com/ for organising our trip to Düsternbrook http://www.duesternbrook.net/de/

Home

We are happily ensconced in a lovely and quirky house on a rocky slope in the hills of Windhoek.  When we arrived early on Monday morning, we were greeted by raucous Grey Louries.  C3 said, "The neighbours have sheep".  I pointed out that it was the birds!  This was the first of many new experiences for them .... 

On our first expedition to buy groceries, C4 started tugging urgently on my shirt as I was paying.  "Mum!  Mummy!  That lady is packing OUR stuff!".  She was horrified until I told her that it was the lady's job to pack our groceries.

Yesterday morning I was in the bathroom when I heard C3 and C4 screaming at the top of their lungs - I came charging out just as they were running into the bedroom. C4 ran straight past me without pausing and up the stairs of the mezzanine floor (still screaming).  C3 yells "There's a BIG ANIMAL in the garden.  It's a dog, it's a monkey, it's a RACOON!".  I arrived on the deck just in time to see a very large baboon jump lazily up on the railings.  He looked quite cool, as if to say "What IS all the fuss about?" and then quietly disappeared over the side.

I'm not sure they will ever quite recover from their first sighting of a 'racoon'!