Part 3 of our holiday in South Africa

On Saturday morning we sorted out the bed linen etc. and did a quick clean up. Roger, Kelly and family came down to spend the day with us. Roger was immediately roped into the fishing scene and he and the boys had a wonderful time catching little fish from the rocks. A little later Kerry, Aldo and kids arrived to spend Saturday night with us. It was so nice seeing everyone again and Lara was in her element having her friend Luke with her. We had a braai (mid afternoon) and then went back to the beach for a while. Roger and family left and we all settled down to have a catch up session with Kerry and Aldo. Emma is such a sweet, happy little girl and Luke has lost a lot of his puppy fat and is becoming a little man. It started raining in the early evening.
Sunday morning was overcast and raining, so the kids couldn’t go to the beach as usual. I had asked the maid to come in, so she did a clean up for me which was great. The Etheridge family arrived and brought half of Woolies with them too. Then Alana, Miguel and the girls arrived also with a load of stuff. Our little house was getting fuller and fuller and I saw Kerry start packing her things together. She did however, convince me that her father in law was arriving in Empangeni for a visit, and that they would have to head on home. After they left, Gerard got the braai going and Alana and I made some salads. It was nice to catch up with all our friends and family.
On Monday we woke up to a lovely day so decided that we should take the kids to Ushaka. We got there at about 10am and found a nice grassy spot next to the main pool. We hired an umbrella and were set for the day. Even though we all had sunscreen on, we all got rather burnt from being in and out the water. Gerard and I took Lara on the tube ride which was great fun. We noticed that from about midday the people were just pouring in and by the time we left, there was no space to be found. We left there just on 4pm and as we drove through Durban I suggested that we call in and see Aunty Liz. Oh boy, what a state she was in so we did not stay long.
On Tuesday we drove up to Pmburg. Our first stop was at Bell where we asked them to courier some stuff to Aldo in Richards Bay. We then went on to Meadow Feeds (my old work place) and got to see quite a few of the old hanger onners. Quite amazing to think that my friend Dalena has been working as receptionist there for 18 years. Carol, the O.H. Sister has been there even longer.
We then went to the Liberty Mall which is where the old Corobrik used to be. What a lovely shopping centre. I had contacted some of my friends and they said they would meet up with us there. We met Carol and Alf and went to the Mug and Bean. A while later, Brenda arrived and Pierre came to give us a quick hello and said that Monica couldn’t make it. As we were leaving the Mall my friend Ann smsed me to say that they were at Fegos, so we joined her and Pierre there. So we had managed to see quite a few people by then but Richard had asked us to go down to his office, which we then did.
He has got his own business in Greyling street and he proudly showed us around his premises. He has done very well for himself. He then asked us to meet us back at his house, so on the way there, we called in to see Monica and Pierre and their family. Our day had become very long and we found ourselves leaving Pmburg at 8.30pm.
The next morning, Gerard went off to Toti golf club for a game. The kids and I walked to the beach. My friend Norman and his daughter Laura met us on the beach. It was really nice to see him again – he was my flatmate for a good few years and we worked together. At 7pm Liesel and Klaus paid us a visit. It was so sweet of them to make the effort to come to us. She is a friend of Norma’s and was living in Germany. We became telephone friends and we visited them once in Emsdetten (on the border of Holland) and she came to see me last year just before she left Germany. We had quite a lot to talk about and our evening flew by.
On Thursday, we had the day to ourselves to chill out on the beach. It was nice and relaxing but we felt our holiday was coming to an end. Unfortunately, Robert was stung by a bluebottle and this brought our day at the beach to an end. I bathed his sting on his arm in Vinegar and it helped. I think had it happened earlier on in the holiday, he would have been very reluctant to swim in the sea.
On Friday, we were up early. Gerard took all the sheets, towels etc. to the laundry and the maid’s daughter arrived. She was so young and inexperienced but eventually got everything we wanted done, done. We left Warner Beach at 11.00am and drove to the airport. Our flight to Johannesburg was quick and Mom was waiting for us at the airport.
We drove to her house and quickly sorted out the suitcases. Michelle, Richard and Brandon arrived and we swopped gifts. Michelle treated me to a French manicure and we had loads to talk about. They had just been in England for 2 weeks. Karen, Eddie and the kids arrived with Mo. Mo being a little 6 week old Jack Russell. What a highlight for our kids. They couldn’t leave the little thing alone.
Saturday morning, we had our last shop to do. At this stage the stomach bug that I had, had been worsening and it was the last thing that I felt like doing. Went to East Rand Mall and did the shop at Diskem and then went into Pick and Pay Hyper. Got the basics but stomach cramps got the better of me and we went back home. We got all packed up and sorted out. Gerard took Lara and myself to O.R. Tambo International and dropped us off with two suitcases. He then went back for the others while Lara and I headed towards the Lufthansa departures. There was a huge storm going on and the rain poured down.
Gerard and the rest of the family arrived back and we booked ourselves through. Mom decided to leave straight away as she did not want to drive in the dark.
We went through to the departure lounges and had something to drink.
Our flight was delayed slightly due to the weather conditions and when we took off, the plane was very shaky. We were sitting in the very last row in the plane and we watched everyone’s heads shaking in front of us. This went on for a good half an hour and then again over central Africa. When we came into land, we had the same shakiness.
The guy from Park and Ride was there to collect us and take us to our car. Gerard gets into our car and the battery is flat, flat, flat. He had left the Navigation system on for the whole 3 weeks. A quick jump start and we were off. Got back to Alsfeld at about 7.00am. Our holiday was officially over!!!!!!!