Thursday, December 5, 2013

Not dead

Hi

I am busy trying to sort this blog out. I promise I am not dead or stopping blogging I am just doing some editing:)

Normal (actually hopefully impoved) service will resume shortly. If there are any changes you would like to see please comment on this post.

Monday, October 21, 2013

The weekend that was

Yes I know have been absent again.... All the usual excuses about time, babies, studying and work:) There are going to be some major changes coming to this blog in November with help from some IT friends and some people I have met in the blogosphere. Hope you like them as they come along.

So this weekend...

We had the Oktobertanz at my son's school. I don't really like beer but I still consumed a fair amount( the bar was under the stage on the other side of the hall so it was easier to drink the jugs of beer then to walk there). Andrew put a lavender flower in his hair and the night went steadily downhill. We left before 11(night without baby means we want to sleep) but I am told the party only ended at 4am.



Zoey discovered biltong... just like every good SA baby should. So far it's a hit.



On Saturday I took my Mom, Alena and Ewan to watch my father take part in the re-enactment of the Battle of Talana in Dundee. The weather was freezing cold and drizzly. However Ewan loved every minute of it. My Dad belongs to a group called the Dundee Die Hards.  The idea is to keep history alive for the younger generation. They have taken part in movies and a number of big events all over the country. Here he is in uniform with Ewan.



All Ewan could talk about was how Papa had shot the bad guys. It's a great day out and if you ever see an advert for one of their re-enactments or even drills you should really go along and watch. Poor Alena was at first frightened as the noise of the thunder flashes and rifles(firing blanks) is very loud. The battle is as realistic as they can make it. The Boers even had a few young boys on their side. The ambulance men are all Indian and they have women as camp followers.

Afterwards Ewan had great fun playing on the old mining equipment at the museum.



Sunday was spent at home trying to keep warm.



Ewan is so sweet with Zoey that it just breaks my heart. He says that he is her superhero that will always look after her.

On a work note I am writing a book for children aged about 6-9 years old. I am just stuck on giving the little rhino who is the lead character a name. Any thoughts? The book is an adventure story and involves the young rhino setting out with his friends to find the one animal who can help after the rhinos mother is hurt by poachers.

After years working in conservation I can't quite let go of that part of my life. I am hoping to be able to give part of the proceeds to anti-poaching operations in Kruger.

 

 

 

 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Reality Check

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in our lounge feeding Zoey and relaxing. Our gate intercom and I glanced out the window to see a light coloured Kia Picanto. I assumed it was my SIL Becks so I opened the gate and went to the door. Zoey was in my arms cuddled up to me.  As I opened the door I saw that it was a white not silver car and that it had GP plates. There was a large black man getting out of the car and his three companions were busy opening there doors.

I slammed the door shut and ran with Zoey to me bedroom. I couldn't remember in my fear how to activate the panic button on the keypad so I armed the alarm and left Zoey on the bed. I ran through the house setting off the alarm and pushed the lounge panic several times.

Luckily the alarm scared them away and by the time reaction arrived they had skipped town.

I had nightmares all night about what might have been.

Andrew has told me I did everything right after my mistake of opening the gate but I still feel guilt that I put our daughters life in danger.

I was feeling safe in my little world but yesterday really brought home the reality of what happens to so many people in this country.

We were lucky but I am still shaking and looking everywhere for that white car.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Farewell old friend

Today has been a day filled with bursting into tears. My darling dog Mcduff(Duffy) had to be put down. He had made almost fifteen years and I do understand that he really did have a long life.

Duffy was the spaniel-mongrel that I got as a teenager. He was my first dog and I adored him.I got him from the local pet store as a squirming little puppy because he was the dog that fell in his food bowl.Clumsy from the very first day.

I used to carry him around under my school jersey in the afternoon to keep him warm. He slept on the floor next to me in a little white shawl while I studied for exams.

He travelled with us to our beach cottage on the South Coast. That was a disaster of a trip. Duffy was terrified of the sea and hated the sand in his fur.

The next year my Grandfather moved in with us and Duffy decided that he was the next best thing when I was away at school. They went for long walks together everyday. Sometimes they got completely lost. This was a frequent occurence as my Grandfather became more senile with the passing years.

The year I spent in Oz my Mother had to send frequent updates and photos to let me know what my beloved Duffy was doing.

Six months after my return my Grandfather died and Duffy's walking partner was gone. My Mom took over but I think Duff thought things were never the same.

Two years later he was attacked by a Rottweiler while out walking. He survived with minor injuries but he shook with fear if you even showed him the lead so he never went walkies again.

He was a sweet old dog when my son was born and put up with everything Ewan did to him when he visited my parents.

However last year he started getting really old. He was in pain. If you went near him he would bite and growl. My parents didn't put him down as they knew it would upset me. Somedays he would be full of life and run around the garden at high speed but others he spent in his room all day.

In two weeks time my sister in law is arriving from overseas and she is 22 weeks pregnant. My folks can't take the risk of Duffy biting her. Lately he has being going for Ewan and it was just a matter of weeks till he really hurt my little boy. Sadly Zoey has never been allowed near him.

It was his time. He was given a sedative and then taken to the vets to be put downon Friday. He didn't suffer at all. My Dad buried him in the back garden next to all the plants he loved to dig  up. My Mom only told me today as she didn't want me crying in front of Ewan the whole weekend. Soon I will have to explain death to my boy when he asks about Duffy.

Until I picked up that puppy in the pet shop I was terrified of dogs and animals in general. Duffy changed all that.

Today all I can think about is the past and my sweet little puppy.

Farewell McDuff and enjoy your walks with Grandpa.

Monday, August 5, 2013

AWOL

The past few weeks I have really ducked out of life. I have spent my days cuddling and feeding Zoey. A few hours work but mostly just baby watching. They really are incredible time wasters.

I thought today would be the perfect day to go back to reality. Zoey will be 9 weeks old on Wednesday. She is much easier to handle and willing to spend time on her play which frees my hands.

So to celebrate little miss has picked up her brothers cold and hardly slept last night. Poor little mite. So most of todays plans are out the window.She still smiles though, in between coughing fits and snot, she really is a tough little one.



Happily my photo upload is working again. Isn't he the cutest big brother. Ewan really does seem to adore her.

Right now it's time for a very strong cup of coffee.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

The arrival of Zoey

So today little Zoey has been with us for 23 days. It really is amazing how quickly they wiggle themselves into your hearts and lives. Four weeks ago all I was worrying about was how this would affect Ewan and was having a second child the right choice for us. Now we can't imagine life without her and Ewan adores her.

This whole story started a few more then 23 days ago. 28 days ago I went into labour. My contractions where very irregular but they were finally happening. I didn't go into labour with Ewan so it was all very exciting and nerve wracking. I was going to get my chance at a natural birth.

The next day they contractions where a steady 10 mins apart so I phoned Andrew at work in Vryheid and told him it was time to make the trip to Ballito as baby was coming.

By evening the contractions had progressed to around 6 min apart and lasting for about 45 seconds. I gave Ewan a very tearful goodnight hug and went to bed t0 try get some rest.

During the night they slowed down to 10 min apart again.

In the morning Andrew and I went for a very long walk along the boardwalk to get things started again. It really worked and by the time we got back I had reached the 4 min apart mark my gynae wanted. So we packed up and headed for the hospital.

A few hours and lots of monitored contractions later I was told to go home. My cervix still hadn't opened at all. I was still booked into the hospital as the staff reckoned I would be back in a few hours. The gynae suggested we wait until the contractions were over a minute long and that I should look like a deer caught in the headlights.

I was frustrated and upset but A got me hopeful again as everybody at the hospital believed it would happen soon and that a slow labour was better for a VBAC.

Three days of contractions later I still hadn't reached that point. Some moments I would get so close but then everything would slow down again.

I think everybody in Ballito who walks on the boardwalk got used to the sight of the giant pregnant woman walking and stopping every few minutes with a husband trying to calm her down.

On Monday the 3rd I woke up with no contractions. Three hours later the baby still hadn't moved. Andrew and I went to the hospital both filled with fear that she was dead. It was one of the worst feelings I have ever had in my life.

The heart monitor was quickly set up and hearing her little heartbeat a few seconds later was a huge rush of relief. She wasn't in distress either which was amazing considering the long labour.

My gynae checked my cervix and there was still no progress.

She suggested we keep up the long walks and spicy diet. I was lucky to have somebody who really believed in me and my desire to have a natural birth. Sadly a switch flicked on for me as we left the hospital. I was exhausted from 5 nights with very little sleep and I was no longer sure my body could cope with labour. Then there was the fact that after all this time there was no progress at all. I didn't know how much more I could take.

On Tuesday A and I went for a very long walk and talk. In the ended we decided to book a c-section for the next theatre day which happened to be the next day.

I was nervous because the pain from the previous time kept jumping back into my head but I knew in my heart it was the right choice. The only bad thing for me was that the date would be the 5 June which meant my children would share a birthday.

On the day I was far calmer then with Ewan but that was in part because this was my choice. Everybody at the hospital was so nice to me. The midwife who had orginally booked me in was on theatre duty that day. She told me that not many women would have lasted as long as I did and that sometimes we just have to accept how things turn out.

I had Dr's I didn't even know coming up to me and talking to me with excitement about the upcoming birth. The hospital has a great vibe that everybody is really happy to work there.

The actual c-sec didn't go that well. The spinal was painful, I vomited and my blood pressure dropped. Zoey didn't want to come out so there was a lot of tugging. However the surgical team was brilliant. They managed to calm me down when I started screaming that I wanted to sit up to vomit. The powerful anti-vomit drugs kicked in quickly and while it felt like a long time to me Andrew told me it was only a minute at most. I know I cried and I sweated from the drugs. I was a mess. There wasn't a second though that someone wasn't holding my hand and comforting me.

In the end Zoey was very high up and a c-sec would have been the only possible solution. It would have just meant an extra week of pain and possible complications. She weighed in at a very healthy 3.965kg.

Everybody joked that I wouldn't have wanted to push that out anyway.

She was put straight on my chest. I can't say I fell in love straight away. I felt way too sick and I kept fading in out of reality.

In the end I asked Andrew to take her and he was more then happy with that.

She was put back on my chest to be wheeled to recovery. I got so many congratulations on the way that it felt like a mini party.

In recovery she started to feed. It was a magically different experience to the one I had with Ewan.

I was in a private room which apart from the bed looked more like a hotel suite and the post-op drugs where wonderful. I was in a very happy place.

Andrew put a nappy on Zoey and thats all the hospital would allow. We had to hold her skin to skin with blankets over her. That for me was when I really fell for my baby daughter. Kangaroo care really is a very good idea. All this made it feel more like I had the natural birth I wanted. This was the natural c-section I had read about.

Ewan got to see her just two hours after her birth. He was so excited and held her while sitting on Andrews lap. The only issue for him was seeing me with a hospital gown on and tubes coming out of me. I think it frightened him that I couldn't get out of the bed. In hindsight I should have tried a bit harder to prepare him for that part of the experience.

My parents where wonderful taking him to the beach and Gateway afterwards to distract him. Luckily he still doesn't understand calendars so his birthday was just moved by a week.

Since Zoey's arrival I have dealt with PND, Mastitis, no sleep and a thousand breast feeding issues. Recovering from the C-section has been fairly easy and painless this time.Well at least there is that silver lining. Right now I am just trying to get through each day and hoping that everything comes right soon.

I really want to upload some pics but my website is giving problems. Hopefully I will get them sorted this week and upload a number of photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, June 17, 2013

Quick Post

I will be back soon and there will be lots of posts about the birth, the awesomeness of Alberlito Hospital and the cuteness that is our darling daughter. However, at the moment I am still in the world of feeding and cuddling. After 4 years its strange but wonderful to be back in the world of newborn baby.

Photos will be uploaded soon but for now here is a link to the hospital photos on the netcare site... welcome to the world Zoey Mia Taylor.

 

Friday, May 17, 2013

Ewan's birth story

So as I prepare(freak out) for the arrival of baby number 2 here is the story of how Ewan arrived in the world.

In April 2008 we arrived back from an overseas trip with the idea that it was time to add a baby to our little world. We were in a good place financially and as a couple. In my naive world I thought that it would just happen. In fact every month I would convince myself I was late despite the fact that I have never had a regular cycle.

In September I went to our local GP who put me on meds to force an ovulation. So on the 10 September(otherwise known as our wedding anniversary) I fell pregnant. This was also the first time since I had met Andrew five years earlier that I had known him to turn off his cellphone for a trip away. He was under stict orders to relax after a very stressful time at work. So I don't know if it was the meds or the fact that we were both relaxed but 4 weeks later when I peed on a stick two blue lines appeared.

I made an appointment with a Doctor in Umhlanga in the middle of October. Due to my cycle issues he decided to send me for a few tests. Turns out that I had low progesterone and multiple growths on my ovaries. The Dr reckoned that even with the meds it was a miracle that I had managed to concieve. In fact he called my husband a stud... I do wish I hadn't told him that as he still likes to talk about it.

I was warned that due to the low progestrone there was a good chance there wouldn't be a heartbeat. I was terrified going into that scan.

The heartbeat was strong and everything looked perfect. I was still worried and until I got to the point that I could feel him kicking everyday I was constantly scared he was gone.

This Dr was big on getting lots of money out of his patients. I had an appointment and a scan every 4 weeks till 28 weeks then every 2 weeks till 35 weeks followed by every week. It nearly broke us having to drive to Durban every few weeks.

I had multiple tests done most of which I have forgotten. All I know is that they haven't been repeated this time around. I felt like a human pin cushion at times.

He insisted I move down to Umhlanga at 36.5 weeks as the baby would be arriving early. All the talk was of natural birth and I even attended two birth classes at his offices.

The first clue that things wouldn't go as planned was the hospital tour that week. The delivery rooms are tiny and taken up by a bed out of a horror movie that broke aprt. I swear Ewan crawled up a few inches at the site. I asked about using water for pain relief and about using different postions for birth. The staff just looked confused.

At 37 weeks my gynae decided to check my pelvic size. A nasty invasive procedure. He told me the baby was big and pelvis small therefore I had to have a c- sec. I asked for more time.

I went back to the flat and started drinking raspberry leaf tea and eating spicy food.

I know now that fear had already taken over. I was frightened of the hospital and I knew that my gynae didn't care but it felt too late to change. I cried a lot!!

At my 38 and 39 weeks appointment he kept up his rant that I would end up having a c-sec so I might as well give in now.

The next week I asked if I could possibly be induced and at least try for natural. He basically told me that I was being stupid and that an induction would just result in the c-sec but I would be in pain before.

At this stage my left hip had given out and I was in so much pain all the time. I knew I had lost the fight so I gave in and signed the papers to have the procedure done on Friday June 5.

On the morning we arrived at the hospital at 5:30am. I was shaking with fear and clutching my pillow like a lifeline. I was put in a 4 bed ward but luckily there was only one other woman in the ward.

The next few hours slipped by in a blur of fear and forms.

Andrew was sent to change into scrubs and I was put in a backless blue gown.

The maternity theatre was freezing cold.

I had to lean forward over the massive bump and hold onto Andrew while the spinal was put in. That part was done really well. I felt a slight prick of the needle but nothing else.

I was placed on the table and my gynae and his assistant arrived.

It felt surreal to be lying there while all the medical staff talked about the latest car my gynae had bought.

All I could feel was a tugging sensation then a pop. Ewan was born at 8:05am. He was lifted over the curtain so I could see him. I fell instantly and totally in love. I couldn't believe this little person was mine.

He was whisked away to be cleaned and tested.

Ten minutes later he was brought to me and I held him for a few seconds before he was taken away again.

Andrew left with Ewan to the nursery and I was grateful he at least had his Daddy. I on the other hand felt alone. Nothing felt real.

I was taken to recovery and left by myself shaking from the meds.

At 9am I was taken back to my room. I wanted my baby so badly but nobody would bring him to me. It was hospital policy that he spend two hours in an incubator.

Just after ten I nurse walked into the room asked me for a baby grow and informed me that Ewan was being used as the bath demo baby that day. I didn't argue. The whole thing already felt out of my hands.

The lady sharing my room went to check on him for me. At 11:30 she went and yelled at the nurses to bring him to me. I was so grateful to her. As first time parents Andrew and I just let the hospital staff dictate to us instead of standing up to them.

I finally saw my baby boy again almost 4 hours after his birth. Of course the latching instinct was long gone. He tried to feed but it really didn't work.

We did however both fall asleep gazing lovingly at each other.

Andrew and I spent lots of time holding Ewan and getting told off by staff that we were just making life difficult for ourselves. They advocated him spending as much time as possible in his crib.

That night they took him away to sleep in the nursery. He cried every hour or so and they would bring him back and we would try the feeding thing again.

In the morning my IV and catheter were removed. That was when the real pain started. Trying to get up off a hospital bed with a wound like that hurts like crazy.

At least I could sort of move and was able to have a shower.

The matron fetched a giant electric breast pump for me but nothing came out. Not one drop. That afternoon I caved and let them prepare a bottle for Ewan. Andrew fed him and I sat and cried watching how fast he drank the bottle. His little lips had been dry with thirst.

It turns out that low progestrone can cause breast feeding issues. Combine that with how long it took for me to be able to try and feed him. It was disaster from the start.

I did keep trying though.

During the day Andrew could help me up from a chair or the bed but at night I was alone with the staff. My room was near the nurses station. All through the night you could hear them talking loudly. Twice I had to push the button for help getting out of bed. They would take ages to arrive and complain constantly. I hated every minute of it.

On the Monday my gynae was away playing gold but his partner Dr Roberts was there. She checked me out of the hospital and prescribed meds to help with the breastfeeding. Thanks to her I was able to combine feed for six months.

So guess who I am going to for baby number 2? Yep Dr Roberts.

It turns out my previous gynae had an 85% c-sec rate so my chances of natural where very small.

Candice is very pro natural so I am trying to believe things will work out.

However even if I do have to have a c-sec things will be very different.

Babies are placed skin-to-skin on the Mom while she is being stitched to help with bonding and breast feeding.

Babies will room in with the Mother and are only taken to the Nursery for peads visits or to be bathed by a parent.

The biggest rooms at Alberlito are semi-private and there are lots of private rooms.

If I do manage to have a VBAC labour and delivery suites are huge rooms with birthing balls and showers for pain relief. They have windows and feel light, airy and welcoming.

Moms are treated to a mini facial, pedicure and manicure on the second day.

Parents are given a dinner together on the second night. They call it a romantic candlelight dinner but really it will still be hospital food:)

Parents are encouraged to hold and love baby.

Breastfeeding is encouraged but they do understand my situation. Hopefully I will be able to feed her but small top ups of formula will not make me feel like a failure this time.

Ewan's birth was one of the best days of my life but thanks to the hospital and my gynae it was also one of the worst.

All I can do is hope and believe that this time will be different.


The first time I really held him.



In the nursery on the day he was born.


One final point. Ten babies were born there that day and all  by c-sec. Everyone to their own choice but I think that is a bit messed up.



 

 

 

37 weeks

On Wednesday baby girl offically hit the full term mark. Yesterday I had a major nesting day and cleaned everything. Today I am shattered. Please just all hope she doesn't arrive this weekend. Hubby dearest decided this weekend was perfect timing for a management/team building weekend in Mozambique. So while I sit here anxious and pregnant he is having fun. He was not at all popular this morning.

The suckiest part of all this is we don't have a decent private hospital nearby. Ballito where I am heading to have the baby is a three hour drive away. The joy of living in the middle of nowhere. I am moving down there next week Friday to wait for the baby. Guess where husband will be? Not in Ballito!!! He  is at his school reunion weekend. Can you just feel the love?

When Ewan was born he organised things to spend as much time as possible with me but that won't be happening this time. I didn't actually go into labour with Ewan as ex-gynae forced me to have a c-sec at 40 weeks. This time I am with a different gynae and hoping for a VBAC. I am freaking out now at the thought of going through something I have no experience of and having to wait for 3- 4 hours for husband to be at my side. I don't forgive the weekends but I do understand he has to work during the week.Still......

So any advice from women who have been through labour would be great.

I am not allowed to have an epidural because of the previous c-sec and the risk of the scar tearing so any ideas to help with the pain would be great.

Apologies for the disjointed post but my head is not in a great place at the moment.

 

 

Monday, May 6, 2013

It's been awhile

So life has been pretty hectic in my little part of the world. Here in bullet points is what is going on right now.

*I am trying to get my career as a freelance writer off the ground. I have had a few good offers but if anybody in this industry has any advice please let me know.

*We seem to be spending our lives sorting through baby stuff and wondering who we lent things to. It has been chaotic but I think we are finally good to go. My bag is packed and the babies bag is packed. I am 35 weeks now and the fact that with Ewan my bag was packed by 25 weeks shows you the difference between baby number 1 and baby number 2.

*I am spending as much time as possible with Ewan. I am still so worried about how he will feel about no longer being the only child.I really don't want his feelings to be hurt. Even at four years old he is still very much my baby.

*My brother had the most incredible wedding celebration in Ithala on the 20 April. The whole event was stunning and the ceremony brought me to tears. Yes he has actually been married since January but this was the moment for the family to come together and it was perfect. I just wish I hadn't been so pregnant. I felt like the whale bridesmaid and I really couldn't dance and party the night away with old friends.

*To follow on with that my brother and Alena announced on Wednesday last week that a new little one will be joining the family in Jan. I am so excited. They have sadly been assigned different ships for this contract but all fingers and thumbs crossed they will be able to be together soon.

* I am at the tired of carrying the bump point now. I am sleepy and in pain all the time. In fact it has got to the point where I have started thinking constantly of having my normal body back without the giant bump. I want my baby and normality:) Yes I know that normality is months away and things will never be quite the same but I can dream right?

*I do plan to finish the blogger A-Z challenge even though it has taken me much longer then planned. The K post on Kruger is a long post but I am working on it in my spare time.

So what is happening in your world? Any advice from Mom's with two kids:)

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Today

This idea of A-Z blogging may have been a bad one this month. I will try to ctach up the days but time is running away from me. Friday was Andrew's 40th birthday party, Saturday morning was my baby shower and the afternoon was spent at a spa with my future sister in law. Sunday I had Ewan at home all day by myself as the guys only got back from the bachelors in Joburg after 5. It was a lovely weekend but a long one. These last two days I have been battling to sit at my desk as the darling pregnancy pains get worse and worse. I will be changing to my laptop tomorrow and hopefully I can find a more comfy spot to write.

However todays blog is also about what happened in the world today. I don't want to concentrate on the bad and by now we all know the story. Lets rather talk about the good people who did not just stand by and watch things happen.

People actually ran towards the explosions to help those who had been injured.

This was a major international event so the first responders from the police and medics were already there so help was available in seconds.

The hundreds of runners who ran on to the nearest hospitals after just finishing a marathon to donate blood. So many arrived they had to turn some people away.

The people who within minutes of the event where offering free accomodation for runners and families of those injured.

The restaurants offering to feed people for free and even deliver food to the hospitals.



There will always be more good people in the world then evil. We just need to stand up and fight.

 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

J is for Johannesburg

Hmm generally not my favourite city... no offense to all the wonderful readers who live there. It's just not a very pretty city and I honestly battle to give advice to visiting friends as to what they should see in Joburg.

I think it is lacking a focal beauty point such as a river or the ocean.There isn't a relaxing nature spot that makes everybody in the city proud.

So what can you expect on a visit to Joburg..

TRAFFIC- You will encounter traffic jams at any time of the day. Some roads are better then others but if you need to access a freeway chances are you will be stuck in traffic. You need to allow plenty of time to reach your destination. I learnt this the hard way when I nearly missed a flight to the US thanks to a two hour traffic jam on the way to the airport.

Noise- my new sister in law recently remarked on how noisy our cities are. When I stopped to think about it she is right. NYC doesn't even compare to downtown Joburg. Smile and understand that this is part of the chaos of Africa.

Great restaurants- it ain't Cape Town by any means but there are some fantastic spots to eat in Joburg. A few of my favourite are:

Kong Roast

Moyo at Melrose Arch

Saigon

Nice hotels:

City Lodge Fourways

Garden Court Sandton

The Square Montecasino

 

Joburg is not generally kid friendly. It is a fast paced city and to be honest most peoples visits here will be for work not play.

However Ewan has enjoyed Joburg the few times we have taken him there.

We try to hit an adventure golf course which he loves and then catch a movie. Montecasino is also a hit with a few kid friendly attractions such as the bird park.

If any of my Joburg friends have a few ideas of great kid friendly spots then please tell me about them and I will check them out on our next trip.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I is for Ixopo

"There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it." Alan Paton

I haven't ever spent a holiday in Ixopo but I have run cross country all over it's hills and for a few years driving through the village meant that I was almost home.

I spent 9 years of my life in a little town called Harding about 1 hour from Ixopo. I was five years old when we moved there and to me those green rolling hills still mean home. I can't get used to the brown northern interior and I doubt I ever will.

During the time I lived there our country was going through a great change. The area is the border between the Xhosa and the Zulu tribal lands. There was a lot of violence and bloodshed as the whole country struggled towards a new tomorrow. This area saw a large amount of that blood for such a small place. One year there where five people dead before breakfast on Christmas morning.

We had to drive past Ixopo on our way home from boarding school and for many years all the vehicles had to travel in convoy with an armed military presence. I had to travel with a child's ID book to be allowed to travel along that road. We passed through the border of the old Transkei. Everybody had to leave their cars and be stamped through.

I will have to try and explain to my son one day what a different world we lived in. The old border buildings still exist but are now market places.

The house we lived in was burnt to the ground and broken into a number of times. Luckily as a family we were never home when it happened. Once they did try to break in while we slept but couldn't get through the burglar bars.

I guess for all those reasons I have a love hate relationship with the area.

It is undeniably lovely. The area is forested or green rolling pasture. Old churches make fantastic spots to visit and it is now becoming a popular spot for Durbanites to head to for a break.

The Buddhist Retreat which does cater for all religions has been a popular place to get away from the world and listen to your inner voice for many years. I do still want to go on a yoga retreat there and maybe next year I will finally get my butt into gear and get there. It really looks so relaxing.

If you would just like to stay in the area for a weekend and explore then the best spot is the Kings Grant. Some of the buildings used to form a Catholic Mission and they really are magnificent. Great place to call home for the weekend. It is also really popular for country weddings.

A popular activity is the Paton Express a train that runs from Ixopo to Caribrook that was immortalised in Paton's book Cry the Beloved Country.

Oh and it is compulsory that you read the book to get a better understanding of the area before you arrive.





The area has a turbulent past but it has moved forward and now plays host to a lovely weekend retreat. I still hated running up and down all those hills though:)

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

H is for Howick and the Natal Midlands Part 1

The post for G should also have contained an apology for the late posting so here goes... I only got home at 6:30 from our trip to the Doctor in Ballito and I was shattered. I really did want to post but it just didn't happen. In future I will prepost for days like that.

So here goes H

We spent this past weekend in the Midlands and it was lovely and relaxing as always. I don't think I could live there but it really is a great spot to escape too.

This time I found a lovely spot to stay in that you just have to try. Sheltered Vale is about 6km away from the town of Rossetta on the Kamberg Road. Its just a few minutes drive to the main Midlans attractions but a wonderful peaceful spot to stay. The cottages are nicely spaced so that you feel you have the view all to yourself. Each cottage has two bedrooms, a nice bathroom, patio with a braai, fully equipped kitchen and a lounge with a fireplace and TV. All this for just R600 per night makes it the bargain of the Midlands. You have complete run of the farm to go for long walks. They have a few super friendly dogs that Ewan loved... don't worry the dogs are not allowed in the cottages( I hate staying at places with dog hair on the bed). There is a huge amount of space in the gardens for kids to run and just be kids. The manager Doug was friendly without being intrusive so we had a wonderful quite weekend without being disturbed.

We tried to have a really child friendly weekend for Ewan's sake as the Midlands is generally a place that Andrew and I visit as a couple. So here are our finds of the weekend.

The Junction- great food although the portions can be huge.. nice kids menu although it did lack any real breakfast items. The playground is surrounded by tables and it's huge. Children can have fun while the parents relax and enjoy their meal.  It gets very busy on Sunday mornings with bike runs from Durban. The shops in the complex are interesting and I had the great find of a dress for my brothers wedding that isn't a maternity dress:) The same complex hosts a candle dipping shop and an archery arena called Robin Hoods. RH is only open on weekends and it can be booked for parties. A kids meal gets you three free shots at Robin Hoods. Lovely idea for older kids.

Piggly- Wigglys: This is another shopping spot with a playground. The playground isn't as nice as the junction but there is a really sweet mini-golf course that charges R20 a player. Ewan really had a blast with that. We didn't try the wood fired pizza at the restaurant but apparently it is really good.

Swissland Cheese: A really nice spot for cheese tasting up in the forests. Ask for a cheese board and knives when you purchase your cheese then move to their lovely picnic spot for a relaxing afternoon. You can stay as long as you want and bring other food as long as you buy some of their cheese and don't want to braai. For R2 you can buy a small pack of goat food to hand feed the goats. This is a huge hit with kids and kept Ewan happy for about 20 min. He is still talking about it. Take a picnic blanket and enjoy the afternoon.

A spot for adults

The Wine Cellar- this spot is just North of Rossetta and stocks the most amazing wines. You can even find bottles from obscure little vineyards in the Cape. Another find is the Calitzdorp Port. This is the only spot outside of Calitzdorp that I have ever found this port. Spend a good hour searching through the bottles and you will be rewarded with some truly great finds.

Places to eat:

Our favourite spot is Caversham Mill. I have never had a bad meal here. The menu is fairly small but the specials board is huge. The restaurant overlooks a small waterfall. Lovely sight at lunch time and a wonderful background sound at night. The childrens menu is small but kids are very welcome here. It's also a great spot for a romantic evening out. Staff are very friendly and will go out of their way to help you. The duck spring rolls on the main menu are heavenly. This is also a great spot to stay.

Now I need to go put small people to bed so I will post a series of photos from the weekend plus a few other restaurants and places to stay in the morning. Just putting this up so I stay on track.

 

G- is for Golden Gate Highlands National Park

If you want spectacular scenery this is the place to go. It will take your breath away watching the sunset on the rocks of this small reserve.

After sunset head to nearby Clarens for dinner in one of the foodie centers of the country. It's so famous Brad Pitt even owns a house here(sorry I don't know which one). Otherwise light the braai and watch the night sky fill with stars.

It snows here almost every winter turning the landscape into a chilly white wonderland. Snow is a very unusual experience for us South Africans

There are a number of lovely hikes and 4x4 trails in the reserve. You have a really good chance of seeing jackal and eland. A highlight is the Vulture Restaurant for spotting bearded vultures.

If you arrive in the summer there is a lovely natural rock pool a short walk from the main camp which is perfect for a swim and a drink as the sunset changes the colour of the surrounding rocks.

One note is the weather here is epic. The thunderstorms last for hours and are very loud, particulary if you are in a small tent. The weather also changes very quickly from bright sunshine to a massive storm so be prepared.

Places to stay

A camp site will set you back R175 for two adults R62 per extra adult and R31 per extra child. Lovely shady campsite near a little stream. Nice open land for the kids to play and ride bikes.

A rondawel is R690 for two. Children are R93 extra. These are great for familes with older kids. The parents sleep downstairs and the kids can sleep in the loft upstairs. Just beware the ladder is very steep so this is not suitable for small children or adults who have  had a few too many beers in town.

A family log cabin for four at the remote Mountain Retreat will cost R1805. If you really want to get away from it all this is the spot for you. Great hiking and spectacular views.

Location

Golden Gate is between KZN and the Free State with the mountains of Lesotho as a backdrop. You are about a 45min drive from Bethlehem and about 4 hours from Johannesburg.

Some pics now


The vulture restaurant



The golden rocks from which the park gets its name



Snow!!



Highlands mountain retreat.

Friday, April 5, 2013

F is for Franschhoek

I am posting this a day in advance as tomorrow I will be in the Natal Midlands celebrating my husband's 40th birthday. I really can't wait.This and the next post will be short.. as I ahem still need to pack for everybody and we are leaving in two hours.

So Franschhoek was one of the suggestions for F. Well my experience of the area has mainly involved wine and food. I would say that is the experience of most people. It really is the perfect romantic getaway.

It is has some lovely historical buildings and is great for long evening strolls before or after dinner.

This is a list of family friendly places and activities to try in the area. If you want the romantic weekend just search on the internet:) Sorry time constraints.

Places to stay

Vrede en Lust- I am a huge fan of staying in the estates especially if you have kids. There will always be space to run around and they often have activities for kids.

Otherwise there are a number of apartments and cottages for rent in town. Check out Franschhoek for some ideas.

Activities

Picnics at one of the wine estates. Places that offer this include - Solms Delta and Ricketty Bridge. A great idea for romance or a day out with the kids.

Chocolate Tour of Hugenot Fine chocolates- always popular with kids and adults alike.

Hiking or cycling on the many nature trails in the area.

There are also a number of museums explaining the history of the area. Can be a bit boring for kids but a possible activity for a rainy day.

Places to eat

There are so many places to eat in the area that it would take me all day to go through them. Again I would recommend the wine estates. In my experience having space for a kid to run around can make all the difference to a meal.

Check out Child Friendly for some ideas.

 

E is for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife

This is a different kind of travel post. I wanted to talk about my favourite parks that Ezemvelo runs and the ones that could do with some work.

Ezemvelo used to be known as the Natal Parks Board and a number of famous conservation leaders such as Ian Player worked for them. They ran a tough and very military style system. They got results. The work of NPB in the Hluhluwe game reserve brought the white and black rhino back from the edge of extinction. One day I will talk about the plight of rhinos in South Africa today but that is a sad story for another post.

Ezemvelo now faces many new tough fights as well as trying to save the rhino again. Poaching of animals for traditional healing is rife in some parks, they have to find funds to help local communities at a time when the government has pulled a large amount of funding and they have to provide for the new style of eco-tourist. People used to be happy with a piece of dirt on which to pitch their tent and a day spent swimming at the beach or driving around the park. Now there is big demand for eco-walks, 4x4 experiences and cultural experiences. This is all a good thing and will provide much needed funds. However the start infrastructure needs to be put in place and that in itself is causing many issues.

A section of the land owned by Ezemvelo was given over to a tribal authority known as Isimangaliso. In a first for SA Ezemvelo still manages the Wildlife side on a 90 year lease but the tribal authority runs the camps, the gates and general state of the park. It has worked to a degree and will certainly be a basis for land redistribution or land claims for other parks in this country.

 

Favourite Parks Top 3


1. Hluhluwe - Imfolozi: I love this park. Okay the main reason is that the side entrance to the park is just over an hours drive from my house. You can use a Wild Card or Rhino Card(currently being phased out but a new one should take it's place) and I highly recommend that you do. Entrance to HI was R85 per adult and R40 per child on our last visit. A family Wild Card is now R725  for all clusters for the year. This is currently one of the most expensive parks in the country. If you are going to stay over the Imfolozi side is much cheaper. A two bed safari tent starts at R770 per night. They are really very nice. NOTE: Ezemvelo charges per person generally there is no base rate as is found in SANPARKS.  A bush lodge in Hluhluwe starts at R4800 per night for two people but will cost around R550 more with each extra person. There is no camping in this reserve. Lunch at Hilltop looking out over the vally is a great experience.

2. Didma- I have a soft spot for this place as this is where Andrew and I tied the knot 7 years ago. Spectacular surroundings and buildings that really blend into the mountains. It really is a lovely wedding spot as proved by the numbers of couples that get married there. It's best to wait until a few weeks before you want to go with this resort as they will release rooms held for weddings two or three weeks before the date. There are some fantastic hikes in the area with incredible views of the Drakensberg. Rooms are R800 for two and there are family rooms available. Cathedral Peak Hotel is next door and you can feel smug about how much better your room and view are and that you are paying a lot less then the guests at the hotel. Camping is available.

3. Royal Natal - this place has the most incredible hiking in the Drakensberg. You can take a one hour gentle stroll to a serious multi-day hike all starting from this spot. The hotel was abandoned many years ago which is really sad. You can see the beauty of the buildings in the ruins. I still hope that one day they will bring it back to its former glories. Until then this is a reserve where you need to bring everything along. No restaurant and the gates close at 6pm in summer and earlier in winter. However this park has the number 1 campsite in the country according to Go magazine readers and I totally agree. Lush green grass, huge stands, lovely braai spots at each site, towering trees for shade, spotless ablutions and of course you are surrounded by the mountains. It really doesn't get any better. I just wish they had a pool in the camp but you can of course swim in the nearby streams if you can brave the cold.  Camping starts at R285 for two people. A bargain by Ezemvelo standards.

The not so great 3

1. Sodwana- hell on earth is this campsite in season. They always overbook it to try and make as much money as possible. Campsites are not allocated. You end up in tent city with a group of drunk people singing at the tops of their voices nearby and a major hike to the nearest crowded and dirty ablutions. Every school holiday is in season for this spot. Every public holiday is the same. Don't do it. I promise you will regret every minute. If you have to stay here take a few days off work and pull the kids from school. The queue just to get in the gate takes upwards of an hour. A large part of this is thanks to the park being run by Isimangaliso. Your card might get you in for free but every person in the car has to pay a R5 community levy per day. Sorting this out and filling in their very long forms takes ages in a normal day. The website no longer lists a price for camping so you would have to phone and enquire.

2. Cape Vidal- don't get me wrong I love the beach here and the camp sites are lovely( as long you ignore the monkeys trying to constantly steal your food and the hot water issues if the site is even vaguely full). Game drives will reward you with wonderful birding and sightings of rhino. However I can't look past the R420 starting cost for camping. If you want one of the bigger and nicer sites the prices start at R840 for two people....TO CAMP. I am sorry but that is just a rip off.

3. uMkhuze- I should probably go back to this reserve at some point and give it another try. My last visit was four years ago and I hated the place. The bush was empty. The animals we did see were very easily spooked ( a sign of possible hunting in the area). The chalets needed updating and cleaning. The guy staying in the chalet next to ours had been brought in to try and resolve staff issues in the reserve. They all really had a F^%& you type of attitude. Picnic tables in the reserve were broken and the whole place had an air of neglect.  Hopefully things have changed but I have read a number of articles about poaching in the reserve with the help of staff recently so I am not sure I want to go back. Two bed rest hut with communal ablutions start at R410.

Years ago I read a book that stated that people who work in conservation will never be rich but they will have experiences beyond the dreams of others. Sadly I think a number of people are trying to get as much money as possible out of our natural heritage now. They are no longer in the game for the love of the bush. Personally I think that is very sad.

Some pics:)


A stream near Didima



The chalets at Didima



Ewan chasing Guinea Fowl at Royal Natal. He was 8 months old and determine to catch one.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

D is for Durban

Durban is a used to be city. As in it used to be much better then the reality of the moment. The Golden Mile was once the holiday destination of the East Coast. Nowdays most of the hotels are falling apart and the area is rife with crime.

I still have the memories of Durban when I was kid. People still shopped in the inner city, The Wheel was the place to be seen and Thirsty's on the Point  was an institution that everybody thought would last forever.

The likes of The Pavillion and Gateway mean that people avoid the inner city as far as possible. I had to go there three years ago for a US visa. It was an eye opener to be back after so many years. The Wheel is now the place to be mugged and it doesn't even have a wheel on the side of the building anymore. Thirsty's was torn down years ago so that the harbour could be widened. Point Rd is now Mahatma Gahndi Road although some things don't change. Point Road is still full of drug pushers and prostitutes despites the municipal efforts to clean up the area.

Durban is a sad place now. A friend from the US remarked that it looked like Detroit. Another city that has passed its golden heyday.

Still if you move away from the inner city there are still some good points.

Florida Road is filled with great restaurants and pubs.

Ushaka Marine World is a really nice place to take the kids for day out and it truly is an impressive aquarium.

Moyo on the Pier at Ushaka is a romantic spot for sundowner drinks.

9th Avenue Bistro in Morningside is one of the best restaurants in the country and continuely wins awards.

There are also a few great spots to stay.

I can highly recommend The Concierge Bungalows. Fun, quirky spot with great breakfasts. Ideal for a romantic weekend away.

If you are going with kids I would stay further North in Umhlangha or Ballito and just head into Durban for the day. The beaches up North are much better and the places to stay far more child friendly.

I still enjoy going to Durban but there are areas that break my heart now and I can't help it. This is the city I spent my childhood in and perhaps the saying that you can never go back rings true here. Sometimes it's better to hold onto memories then see the reality.

So on that depressing note:)



Wednesday, April 3, 2013

C is for Cape Town

The tourism capital of South Africa and with very good reason. CT is beautiful. A thousand postcard worthy views and always someting to do. I would love to live there but hubby dearest hates the wind so I make do with a nice long visit every couple of years.

My first visit to CT was in 1988. Wow it really has changed since then....mind you I have too:) Every trip is so different and each one filled with amazing memories. In 2003 my brother and I travelled down to Cape Town on a very small budget to spend the week with some friends of his. We stopped over for the night on the way down and the way back. I had to sleep curled up in the passenger seat as I wasn't allowed in the tent. That trip is why I bought a tent with my first salary check. The time in Cape Town was great fun. Driving around in a car that you had to hold the door closed when you went around corners and that had a block of wood as a handbrake. We went out drinking at beer and wine festivals and hit the vineyards a couple of times. On the third day we faced diving in the cold waters of the Cape. Never again. That put me off Scuba for a couple of years. The water was 11 degrees on the surface and dark and freezing at 18m. The rest of the trip was fantastic and the time that I really fell in love with the Cape.

Last year we travelled around the border of this country and spent a week in Cape Town. Seeing it through the excitement in Ewan's eyes made me fall for the Cape all over again. He was permanently bouncing. We stayed in an RCI flat in Seapoint. It was great to be a few blocks from the V&A waterfront and to be able to go for long walks along the boardwalk.Cape Town is great family destination, romantic spot and place to party. It really does have everything. Just a pity about the weather....

Places to Stay

I love Allandale Cottages. They are very central with a great play area for kids and nice roomy, budget friendly cottages. I also stay there for sentimental reasons. It's the place my parents always stayed in when I was a kid. Don't worry they have updated the cottages since then:)Their rates range from R440 for two people to R1265 for six.

Of course you could stay on the luxury end of the kid friendly spots although personally I would save this for a romantoc getaway. The One &Only Cape Town currently has a special running for South Africans at R1499.50 per person sharing per night. They do have a really fancy kids club and one of the most amazing views in Cape Town.

There are hundreds of options in between including some really nice campgrounds. Whatever your budget Cape Town will have a place to suit you.

Places to Eat

One of our favourite spots is The Brass Bell in Kalk Bay. It really doesn't look like much from the outside but inside the views are spectacular and the food is worth trying to find a parking spot. It really doesn't get much better then an ocean view with prawns and white wine.

You have to go for lunch at least once in your life at Snoekies in Hout Bay. The place is a South African institution. There is no ambiance or decor and the place is really rustic BUT the food is cheap and finger licking good. You will not get better down to earth fish and chips anywhere. Cover the chips in bright red tomato sauce and lashings of vinegar, then make a total pig of yourself.

There are of course hundreds of places to eat in Cape Town as it really is the foodie capital of South Africa. I was really amazed during our last trip how many places where very kid friendly. The very fancy Thai restaurant we went to at the V&A found a cushion to make Ewan comfortable at the table and brought him extra Dim Sum after he had polished off Andrew's.

Activities

Boulders Beach- to see one of the few land accessible penguin colonies in the world. Yes it is crowded with hundreds of tourists now but the spot is still special. Plus the walkway itself is free and you will see lots of penguins far away from the tourist buses. When you get to the main centre go right along the path instead of going through the pay area to the main beach.

The Ferris wheel at the V&A waterfront. Yes it is pricey but the views are spectacular.The wheel is R80 for adults, R40 for kids 4- 11 and free under 4. It really is great for kids. Ewan loved it. Next time I want to see the views at night.

Cable Car- we skipped this on our last trip as Andrew and I have both been a couple of times and it really is very expensieve. I will take Ewan on our next trip when he will remember it. Buy your tickets online here for a significant saving plus you don't have to queue. Adults R185 return, Children under 18 R90 return and under 4's are free. The new cable car really is amazing with it's 360 degree views.

SAS Assegai - this was the highlight of Ewan's trip and he still talks about it a year later. At R40 per adult and R20 per child it also one of the best value trips you can do in Cape Town. The submarine was saved from being turned into scrap by a recently retired admiral of the fleet. Your visit really does help save this wonderful part of our history. Our tour was about an hour long and very interesting. The admiral is a personal friend of mine but even if that wasn't the case I would still feel strongly about saving our past. Please support them:)

Seal trips from Hout Bay- if the weather is looking good then a seal trip can be a wonderful experience but check the weather carefully. The seas around Cape Point are very rough and you can truly seasick and have a miserable trip.

The Winelands- I will talk more about this on my Western Cape post but you really need to spend a day or two seeing all the vineyards around Cape Town. Some of them like Fairview and Spier are really kid friendly. A picnic at Spier makes a wonderful day out. The goats at Fairview provide hours of entertainment for kids while the adults enjoy the wine and cheese.

Of course I have missed out many places so I think there may be  a Cape Town 2.0 post at some point. There are just so many things to do and places to see that one week is never enough.


Postcard perfect



The Brass Bell



Ewan and Andrew at Boulders Beach



SAS Assegai - climbing down the ladder, a highlight for Ewan



 

 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

B is for Ballito

Ballito is a small holiday town about 40 min North of Durban. To be honest being a good Southern Natal girl I had never heard of the place growing up. At the age of 15 I moved with my family to Northern Natal. It was a bit of a shock to discover that life existed beyond the rolling hills of the Natal Midlands. On a coastal holiday with friends a few years later I discovered Ballito. Ever since then I have been finding every possible excuse to be there. I really do mean every excuse. I spent a month there four years ago awaiting the birth of my son and in a few weeks I will be back waiting for our daughter to make her arrival.

Yes the place has it's problems. A taxi rank in the centre of town that was recently the scene of a violent shooting incident and yes I have been fast asleep when some $%$^%$&% criminals broke in and stole my laptop.

I still love the place. Crime for the most part is a lot less violent then in the rest of this country. It still has the air of a sleepy holiday town while being close to the action of Umhlanga and Durban. There are a number of great places to stay and eat. Best part of all though has to be the wooden boardwalk running next to the ocean. I love going for walks and feeling the sea breeze while looking at the amazing views.

As a family holiday spot it really takes some beating. You can hire a two bedroom flat for around R500 per night to a luxury house at around R2800 per night. So it really is cheap. I know some camping spots that cost more then R500 per night..I am giving you the evil eye Cape Vidal. The flats all have kitchens and most have braais for self-catering if you would like a really budget friendly holiday.

In general the weather is sunny and much warmer then it is for all of us living up country.The beaches are beautiful. The main beach has a life guard and you can always find a sheltered rock pool for little ones to play in.

So to the nitty gritty.

Places to stay:

I have booked with Ocean and Earth for the last three years. Kim is very helpful and friendly. The places are of a high standard and they cater to every budget. Our favourite spot is anywhere at Ballito Manor. Amazing seaviews, high security, undercover parking, direct beach access, a lovely pool and across the road from Ballito's best restaurant. A three bedroom flat is around R1200 per night out of season. They really are very luxurious and most importantly every room is air conditioned. I can also recommend Pebble Beach( lovely flat but difficult beach access).

You can also book through Ballito Accomodation although I do find their prices a bit higher and Cyberview. Cyberview only take week long bookings and the flats are on the cheaper scale. We were staying in one of their flats when we got broken into. The Grange has terrible security and Cyberview were not at all helpful through the whole fiasco. If you want to take your chances though I will not judge you.

There are also a number of hotels and B&B's in Ballito but they do tend to be further back from the beach and not nearly such great value for money.

Places to eat

My favourite spot is Mozambik. This is the orginal Mozambik. The food is fantastic. The venue has a great laid back beach vibe and it really is very child friendly without annoying adults there for a drink. My son loves the kids prawns and will happily demolish the plate every time we go there. If you are brave you can try the man size beer. At 1.5lts it really is a huge amount of beer. I have two of the glasses in my cupboard after a big donation to their malaria campaign and way too many drinks. The owner is super friendly and they will go out of their way to make sure you have a great night. If you are lucky you may see the great Kingsley Holgate. This is his favourite local drinking spot. The large dhow on the roof parking is from one of his great adventures.

Other spots to try:

Waterberry Tea Garden- great kids play area and lovely forest walk. The best milkshakes in SA. Don't go here on diet everything they do is full cream and very yummy.

Al Pescatore - nice spot for an adults night out. The bar downstairs can get noisy but the ocean views are amazing. Very yummy and diverse menu.

At the Lifestyle center you will find the standard offering of John Dory's, Mugg and Bean, Spur, Primi Plantation and Wimpy.

So you really don't have to cook if you want a relaxing weekend away.

Activities

BEACH!!!! Well that is pretty much what you are there for...

If you get bored of the beach or if it rains.

You can try Flag Animal Farm which is a great little petting zoo/farm just outside Salt Rock so about 10 min from Ballito.

Gateway shopping complex is about 25min drive South towards Durban.

There are also a number of golf courses in the area.

Here are a few pics to get you excited.


The boardwalk



Just makes you want to be there



The second floor of Mozambik with Kingsley's Dhow



Ewan and Andrew watching the sea at Ballito



Ewan playing in a large rock pool.


 

Monday, April 1, 2013

A is for Addo

My first trip to Addo was not a great one. I was 20 years old and living in Port Elizabeth. Andrew and I were doing the long distance dating thing. So one weekend he flew down to PE and we decided on the Saturday to go and explore Addo.

We went in my little student car named Squishy( Long explanation but think of Finding Nemo and Bad Squishy). Squishy was a 1996 Mazda Midge that had been driven by a boy racer in a previous life. It made a great noise wherever it went.

At this stage in my life I was studying Quantity Surveying and I was more interested in paving Africa then saving Africa. I couldn't tell an impala from a kudu.

Nevermind we would still have fun..... ahem. After 8 hours of driving around Addo we still had not seen a thing. I decided I hated game parks and we went home.

Fast forward a number of years and I was now working in conservation and had spent many happy weeks in parks all over the country.

So it was finally time to return to Addo.

In a Toyota Hilux so we could actually see the animals and although it is a diesel it hasn't yet scared away any animals.

Addo is amazing and I really mean it. I have now returned to Addo many times and I have yet to have another dissapointing visit. So I will just blame that first one on my car and general lack of knowledge.

So onto the nitty gritty of visiting Addo

Places to stay

Budget:

Camping is the best budget option at Addo. I have stayed in their campsite twice and it really is very nice. Clean ablutions and level campsites with small thorn hedges dividing the camp to give you some privacy.

The best tip I can give you is to book a caravan site a the tent sites are very, very small.

COST: R190 for two adults then R62 per extra adult and R32 per child. Campsites sleep up to six people.

Middle of the Road:

Family Chalet at the main camp. The cost is for four people and they are fairly well equipped for for people.

Cost: R1280

Luxury:

Sanparks does not really have luxury accomodation but Addo does have a number of Concessions operating inside the park to cater for the luxury market. Riverbend Lodge is the most family friendly as they allow children of all ages. I personally have never experienced as I am not that wealthy but I have heard great things so please go and check them out.

Cost: R2800 per adult per night and R1600 per child between 3- 11. Kids under 3 are free. Includes all meals, entrance fees and game drives. Children are welcome on game drives and families are often allocated their own vehicle. That is a huge bonus if you have small children. Riverbend Lodge

Activities

Game Drives

You can take your own vehicle through most of the park from sunrise to sunset. You can see hundreds of elephants as well as lion, buffalo, black rhino, hyenas, jackal, kudu and eland. Numerous other species occur here as well as some truly fantastic birding.

Hiking

The Alexandria Trail is 32km two day circular trail that currently costs R120 per person.

Location



Addo is situtated in the Eastern Cape about 1 hours drive from Port Elizabeth.

Should you go?

Yes!!! If you want to see elephants in giant herds like this:



Or for magical moments of standing on a hill looking down on an elephant that is close you can smell its breath:



So go on and spend some time in one of our most incredible parks.

Go to Addo Elephant to book.

 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The A-Z of blogging

Stephen Tremp issued a blog challenge to blog everyday in April using the alphabet. So A is on the 1 April, B on the 2 April and so on. You skip Sundays and there are 26 days in April.

I decided to use a theme of travelling South Africa. So here is my list so far. Let me know what you think and please provide ideas for the missing letters. There is every chance I have been to the place but my brain is just having a pregnant moment.

A-Addo

B- Ballito

C - Cape Town

D- Durban... or perhaps the Drakensberg

E- East London

F- ...

G- Giants Castle... or Grahamnstown

H- Harding...  or Howick and the Midlands

I- Imfolozi Game Park

J- Johannesburg ..... Or Jefferys Bay

K- Kruger

L- Lesotho

M- Mapungubwe

N- Northern Cape... would include Augrabies and Kalagadi

O...

P - Port Elizabeth

Q-....

R- Rorkesdrift and the battlesfields

S- Sodwana

T-... um maybe a list of the best tented camps in SA

U- Utrecht but I am open to other ideas.

V- Vryheid

W- Western Cape.... places like Knysna and Mossel Bay

X-... no idea... maybe a section on the Transkei

Y-... Youth Hostels or else give me an idea

Z- Mountain Zebra National Park

 

I will be away two days because of my brothers wedding... hmm maybe I should do Ithala for I as that is where they are getting married. I may also be away for scans in Ballito but I will always post ahead.

So what do you think? I hope this pushes me to become a more regular blogger.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The rest of the holiday

Honestly the rest of our holiday was a bit tainted by the start. I wanted to enjoy it but between the financial strain, family relations and being pregnant I found a large portion of the holiday very trying.

However the bright light of it all was Ewan. He loved pretty much every moment of the holiday and seeing his little face light up with excitment made the whole thing worthwhile. I don't have any pics of Disney as my camera was sitting on the ship with my brother for that week. Bitter dissapointment for me. There are some photo's from my parents camera but I haven't downloaded them yet and of course having Andrew's camera stolen meant we had nothing till we boarded the ship.

Ewan loved Disney. He loved the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, seeing Mickey Mouse at breakfast (he postively shook with excitement), going on the Buzz Lightyear, Nemo and Tomorrowland Raceway multiple times, his first big rollercoaster and numerous other rides. He was on a high all week. The Florida sun was shining and he loved playing in the hotel pool for a few hours each day. I certainly managed to keep fit that week. The Disney parks are huge. At some point in the future I will post some Disney tips for people from outside the USA.

So onto the two weeks on the ship.

The Carnival Glory was very nice. Much smaller then the last ship that we cruised on but I found that to be a good thing. We did pretty much the same cruise as last time with the addition of Grand Cayman which has the most spectacular snorkeling I have ever seen. I nearly cried that I couldn't dive this time and Grand Turk which was a little boring. Small island with an okay beach. So here are few pics of our holiday.


Ewan on the beach in Nassua. I love the smile.



Ewan and Andrew swimming at one of the top 10 beaches in the world.. St Thomas.



My brother and a very pregnant me in San Juan.



San Juan has to be one of the prettiest places I have ever seen. That wall is older then any structure in SA.



Ewan beating us all to the top of the hill in San Juan



Kissing a towel animal while holding my carnation on Valentines Day



My two favourite people... taken inside our cabin on Ewan's bed.



Ewan and my Mom climbing around the Mayan ruins at Costa Maya. Spectacular everybody should see these at least once in their lives.



The incredible view of Isle Roatan. Lovely beach.


So that was our holiday. I will be posting over this coming week about our SA trip last year. I am sure you are all more interested in places you are likely to visit soon. This was after all supposed to be a travel with kids blog and I have neglected that bit.


Have a wonderful Easter with your family and friends. I need to go make a cheesecake now for Ewan's school Easter Sale then it's holidays for them tomorrow.



 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Ballito

This morning the news is full of stories about shootings at the taxi rank in Ballito. In the case of that lovely little town the taxi rank is right next to a major shopping center and the junction of the two main routes into Ballito. Residents have requested for the rank to be moved to a more appropriate area but government officials will not anger the taxi bosses. Last night two of the taxi associations had a stand off. The area was tense but apparently a few police had the situation under control.

Not so much...

People were stranded in the shopping mall and patrons in two restaurants that have windows in the vicinty of the taxi rank had to dive under the tables for safety as bullets flew through the air.

This whole thing shook me as we eat at John Dory's in Ballito quite often. I pretty much only shop at the Lifestyle Center which was the shop involved.

Somebody at John Dory's took a video during the incident.

The kids crying in the video made me cry. You can hear their terror and it could so easily have been us.

In a few weeks I will be moving down to Ballito for a month or so as we wait for our baby girl to arrive as she will be born at Alberlito.

I think I may avoid the Lifestyle Centre this time around.

Here is the link to the VIDEO

Watch it. We can't just become immune to the violence in this country.

 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Flights, hospitals and drama

It's taken me awhile to get round to posting this blogpost. Two weeks have passed since we arrived back but I am only now getting back into the normal swing of things. There has been a huge amount of catching up to do and I had to go to Durban two days after arriving home to check on Little Bean.

Now to the drama of the holiday.....

It all started on Friday the 1 Feb. Ewan had a slight sniffle but was bouncy enough to head off to school full of talk about the big plane he was going on that night. We had a long 6 hour drive to the airport thanks to roadworks but all was well. Everyone was in a good mood as we checked in our bags and Ewan was so excited. He wanted a ticket of his own so the kind lady gave him a luggage tag.

We had a light supper and I bought some cough medicine at the pharmacy.

At 9pm we boarded the plane. Ewan was super happy and settled down to watch a movie. The plane was fairly empty and about an hour after take off we had all spread out a bit to try and get some rest.

Three hours into the flight Ewan has a massive coughing fit. The kind that ends in screams and tears. Everything went downhill from there.

It took ages to calm him down. I managed to get some medicine in but it didn't help. An hour latter he was running a massive temp. He then vomited all over my mother. The air hostess managed to find a first class sleep suit for her to wear.

We got some Calpol from the planes medi kit and he finally fell asleep.

Somewhere over North Africa the screaming, tears and coughing started again. We gave medicine again but this time he was having trouble breathing. Yes the kid gets viral asthma but no I did not see this coming from a slight sniffle. We didn't have his nebulizer as its huge and needs a 220volt plug so we don't fly with it.

Luckily for us the crew on the Virgin Atlantic flight were amazing. The one steward had medical training and although he was meant to be serving First Class he spent most of his flight in Economy helping us.

The pilot was informed and we had to keep an eye on Ewan as we could now land in Europe if he got worse. I did feel sorry for all the people around us they didn't get much sleep but mostly I was worried about Ewan. I just wanted to get to London so I could get to Boots Pharmacy at the airport and get the medicine we needed.

That wasn't how things worked out though....

This was an incident on board and as such we would need medical clearance to fly on to Miami.

On arrival in Heathrow we were met by paramedics, Virgin Atlantic ground crew and immigration.

They decided to send Ewan to the nearest hospital as he was still wheezing. After a nebulizer at the airport, sorting out emergency visas with very helpful immigration staff Andrew, Ewan and I were bundled into an ambulance.

My frantic parents had to go through to fly onto Miami without us.

The weather in London was freezing. I had a thin jersey for the flight with me and that was it. I didn't even have long pants for Ewan. VA gaves us the red blanket the Ewan had been sleeping with on the flight and that was a lifesaver and a source of comfort along with his stuffed Mickey.

Hillingdon NHS hospital has to be one of the most depressing places on the planet.

We were seen by a Doctor after two hours waiting which is apparently quite fast. Ewan was given an inhaler and we were told to wait for three hours to see if he improved. We still had hope of making our flight at this point.

He started coughing again just before the three hour mark.

I phoned Virgin Atlantic and organised for us to be moved to the next days Miami flight.

The next Doctor moved us into another section of the A&E. Ewan was given another inhaler and we waited out another three hours. This time he slept a bit of the time. Mostly though he was feeling better so he was super chirpy. In fact he was sitting on the floor trying to fix broken toys from the waiting room.

He was still a bit chesty but nothing drastic when they checked again. We were looking at hotel rooms for the night in the Heathrow area. Luckily we didn't book anything because when the next Doctor arrived he booked us into the hospital for the night. The arrogant young guy also wanted us to stay in London for the week. He kept saying that he didn't understand the problem as London has lots of hotels and he would be happy for Ewan to fly out in a week. I was yelling and seeing red by this stage.

Ewan has had viral asthma since he was a year old. He takes the meds and then he is fine. The only reason he ever had to stay in hospital was because it turned to pneumonia. We are his parents and know how this works after many episodes.

The Doctor did not get that this would cost us thousands of rands and that  we would just have to throw away all the money we had spent booking a hotel in the States, Disney tickets and a host of other fun things for Ewan.

I just wanted to cry. We had to fly via a Nanny State like the UK.

We were told we could have a family room... what that actually was.. ahem... was a small pull out chair next to Ewan's bed in a huge ward with other kids and a tiny waiting room that I was allowed to sleep in.

At this stage Ewan had gone 5 hours without an inhaler and was fine. So the next Doctor put him back on a three hour schedule. We had to go fours before we could be released. So we got to spend a night in a cold, damp and dingy little hospital.

Andrew and I were at our wits end. We couldn't get past the Doctors and they wanted us to stay. My poor parents were sitting in a hotel in Miami having to book an extra night there and not able to go anywhere as my Dad is no longer willing to try driving on the wrong side of the road.

I hardly slept that night.

The next day I suggested to the Doctor that instead of waiting another day to fly to Miami only on Monday... the cost of staying in London for us and another night in Miami for my parents plus all the money we were throwing away with our prebooked and paid for accomodation was filling my mind.... that we take a late night flight out of London to NYC instead of Miami. It's a shorter flight and they fly pretty close to land the whole way.

Amazingly the Doctor agreed. By the time they let us go however we had missed the Miami flight...curses!!!

So I phoned Virgin Atlantic and they put us on the next flight to NYC. No extra charges. I was constantly amazed by how friendly and helpful the VA staff were. They could have charged us 585GBP for that.

So we got into a taxi with Ewan still wrapped in his little red blanket and high tailed it to the airport.

We booked in on the NYC flight leaving in two hours. We had gotten away from the Doctors and we would be in NYC 6 hours earlier then we had told them. I felt like a fugative.

Now we had to find a way from NYC to Miami. The only flight leaving after 7:30pm when we would be landing was a JetBlue flight to Fort Lauderdale which is 70km from Miami but we did not want to spend the night in snow filled New York so we booked the flight. It left at 9pm so we did not have a huge amount of time to clear customs.

To add to our misery the flight cost $850. Ouch.

Our flight from Heathrow left twenty miuntes late and we flew into a strong headwind. We now would only have 30 min to make the flight or our money would be lost.

Ewan meanwhile fell asleep as the plane took off and was totally fine. He didn't even cough once.

I spoke to the head steward and twenty minutes before landing we got moved to seats in business class to be closer to the exit.

We had made up some time on the flight and we now had just under an hour to make the flight.

When we landed we got off the plane first and a member of the ground crew helped us through the terminal and even helped fill in forms.

We got through customs in ten minutes. My parents luggage which was sent with us was first off the plane.

I ran pushing the cart while Andrew ran holding Ewan. We got to terminal 5 as they were shutting the check in desk.

Luckily we had all the paperwork ready and we got checked in and made it to the gate just before they shut the airside door. It was -4 degrees but we were sweating like pigs. The air hostess brought us cold bottled water. I don't think in my life I have ever felt so relieved.

Ewan slept and played through the three hour flight quite happily.

We arrived in Miami after an $80 taxi ride from the airport just after 1am. It took about an hour for me to stop shaking and calm down enough to pass out.

It was a complete nightmare of a trip.

The next day we discovered Andrew's old passport that holds his US visa was missing. We had dropped it in JFK. They lady at the hotel reception told us to phone JFK lost and found. Typical jaded South Africans we had given up the passport as permanetly lost so we spent the morning phoning the South African Consulate - no help at all- and they told us Andrew needed to fly back to Durban to have his visa reissued. Everything was going downhill again. In the end Andrew tried JFK and guess what... they had his passport and it was couried to us three days later. First world!!

Poor Andrew's bag was still missing thanks to all the mess with our flights. It was found three days later and sent to us in Orlando. Sadly his camera had been stolen but the thief did leave his memory card.

So that was a long post I know. It was a truly horrible start to the trip. We are currently waiting for our travel insurance to pay out for all the money we had to fork out on this trip. Ewan's hospital stay was close to R20000.

Its taken me awhile to get that post out as its filled with very mixed emotions.

In the next post I will put up the fun part of the holiday Disney and the Cruise.

However when we got home I still felt drained and the world is only slowly starting to come together.