Skip to main content

October in a flash!

Well… we’ve had what feels like a very busy month, spent with the following:

  • We moved houses a fortnight ago and have had builders coming & going all week trying to finalise small issues;
  • Pete’s parents arrived so we have resumed being tour guides;
  • The townhouse next door was broken into during the night a week ago (4th night we had spent in the new complex). Thankfully the owners were not too badly injured, however the incident felt a bit too close to home. Unfortunately it was Pete’s parents first night in South Africa so has not given the country a good first impression for them! (It should be noted that the owners had not yet installed an alarm system which would have potentially mitigated the incident – we do have one!);
  • Spent a weekend camping at Pilansberg with the Chandlers seeing excellent game; &
  • Last weekend we flew to Port Elizabeth and spent a few days driving the garden route, and then spent a relaxing night in Franschhoek.

Ian and Julie leave on Monday after spending two and a half weeks with us. It has been great sharing Africa with them and showing that we do live a somewhat 'normal' life!

We now feel settled into our home now after spending this weekend at home so life returns to normal!

Photo's from Pilansberg with Ian & Julie

Warthogs roaming

Gorgeous baby elephants within a herd of 20+ 



First siting of the Black rhino, endangered species



Camping with the Chandlers!


Ian & Julie in Africa!


Popular posts from this blog

Harrison James Chandler - born 9 June 2009

Harrison James Chandler arrived at 14:30, Tuesday, 9th June 2009. Weighing in at 3.86kg and 55cm long, he was delivered via c-section surgery. Both Mum and boy are in great health. Dad is besotted with them both even after changing the 1st nappie!! Amazing, Amazing, Amazing! Tipping the scales at 3.86kg (8,5lbs)

Luxury 'camping' at Toorfontein

The Little Karoo is a broad valley stretching east to west hemmed in by the Swartberg mountain range to the north and the Outeniqua mountains to the south. Whilst the environment appears very vast and arid, the windswept plains are broken by mountains with deep ravines and breathtaking passes. Jen put on her 'travel agent' hat and found stunning accommodation at Toorfontein tented camp which would offer a completely different African experience for Jackie & Stu. To break the drive we stayed at The Fernery on Friday night- the only hotel at the base of the Tsitsikamma Mountains which has views of the rugged coastline, deep gorges and surrounding forests. Our lodge was nestled against a small waterfall of the gorge which made for pleasant background noise as we braaied on our patio. On Saturday we meandered along the Garden Route, breaking for coffee at a French cafe in Plettenberg Bay and a picnic lunch in Knysna. We continued over the spectactular Outeniqua Pass from George...

Camping at Monks Cowl, hiking the 'Berg

Due to this weekend being a long weekend in SA (and also to celebrate our birthdays), Pete & I along with British expats Gareth & Sophie decided a weekend getaway trip was required and the Central Drakensberg Ranges was chosen as the destination. We camped at Monks Cowl which is nestled in the picturesque Champagne Valley at the base of the Central Drakensberg Ranges in Kwazulu-Natal. In training for the Mt Kilimanjaro hike that we all hope to hike whilst we are based in Africa, we ventured off on Sunday for a long and hilly hike. We first headed to Blindman's Corner, an 11km return route from the camp. This route takes you steeply up a berg to The Sphinx and then along a flat and meandering grassy plateau to the base of the summits. However, upon arriving there we felt like a further challenge so subsequently climbed 1/3 of the way up Sterkhorn Mt. And up we climbed... at times the hill we were climbing had a gradient of >55 degrees! We rested for lunch perched precari...