We arrived in Joburg(sak en pak) and I worked in Dunestea' s practice in the first week in February. It is a private GP practice ala Spa with an emphasis on cosmetic medicine and hormone testing. Words like peeling, rejuvination and adrenal burnout are used on a daily basis and the practice has a seperate therapy section and a coffee shoppe. I am very impressed with what Dunestea has done here. So, no patients with mucky feet, poor hygiene or long fingers found here(which is nice)!
After a week in Jozies(I don't like this word) we left for a holiday trip to Hoedspruit. We spent 2 nights in Susan's (family member)guesthouse in Hoedspruit. We were treated like kings with english breakfast and nice dinners and lots of family interaction. Lien was there and I helped her with the 1000 pieces puzzles!(One of those type of puzzles that seem to have only one colour, one pattern or theme; for example a sea view or a very large bush or a forest with one colour green or as in this case a castle wall)
Lien is still the same, just as busy as ever! She has a plastic gun in her haberdashery bag(for just in case) and still pokes you on the shoulder when she talks and still pushes her hair back with a hairbrush in a SHANANA fashion. She is the only person in my family who maintains eye contact despite distractions from the kids.
We went to the Moholoholo rehabilitation centre for animals next to the Kruger National Park. The game ranger was very serious and very anti-Kruger. Talked about TB, poachers and insecticides and showed us video footage of amputated leopard paws and cut leopard neck from poacher traps. We then went to the cages to view the bruised animals...most of the animals were in excellent condition and were only in captivity because they wouldn't cope out in the wild.
This is one of the very few places in the world where you can feed vultures. I had a go and when Ceri and Louis had a turn an unexpected other cape vulture flew accros to get the food. He/she landed on the nape of Ceri's neck and slashed the skin! You can get pretty paranoid about diseases such as anthrax, rabies and tetanus... The guide just ignored the blood pouring down Ceri's neck. Some sympathy/ reassurance would have been useful but we got none. Ceri survived but still has a scar, not to be forgotten!
Ralphie had an interesting birthday. We spent it initially at Susan and Skippies game farm - it started with a game drive(looking for the lions) and then an English breakfast on the deck overlooking the Kruger. Susan had a little present for the boys . There is a splash pool(pictured) and the accomodation is situated within the Kruger. Anyone interested please let me know. I can get a good family deal.
Ceri heard grunting in the night which is relevant as there are no gates or barriers apart from the tent canvas cloth...The lions are often spotted nearby and the hyenas are also active. We spent 2 nights here and Ralphie's birthday was on the day of departure.
We left and travelled to Tzaneen(King Walden Garden) for a swim and picnic. I used to be friendly with the lady who owns this amazing spot(pictured), but due to no contact and a bit of memory loss I didn't actually see her. We did however have a good picnic with very expensive, but delicious gammon. Cecily has been here(on a previous visit to SA) and I have photographs of her wandering in the same garden at Louis' age. The gardens are rather amazing, set on a flat but high hill overlooking the mountains(can't remember the name -but bits of the Northern part of the Drakensberg -annex).
We visited a rather gigantic baobab tree and Ralphie looked so young(now 3) compared to this very old tree. The picture of him sitting in front of this tree is just so fantastic.
We arrived in Polokwane for an overnight rest and this was quite interesting. We went to a kiddies type steakhouse and Ralphie thought he was on top of the world with his plate of food and lemonade(lots of singing and cheering.) Oh, and the owner of the steakhouse franchise was in my university hostel!
The guest house was interesting. Ceri thought it was the equivalent of a brothel with the open suitcase (with a hat inside) on top of a cupboard for decoration and the condom wrapper on the mantel piece! This made for quite an interesting evening (memorable) and we sneaked away in the middle of the night, with no wash, not much sleep and a slight uneasy feeling.
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