One Daily Positive - Week 50 Leaving South Africa and mum comes to Dubai

With me flying home on the 10th and arriving on the 11th and mum flying over on the 11th and arriving on the 12th, I've got a little confused with what is actually going on.

An emotional week, I really didn't want to leave South Africa, it was the first time Peter and I had been back there together since we left 4 years ago next week. It is also my first Christmas with my mum for 9 years. She came to Dubai in December 2016 for 2 weeks but couldn't leave my dad for Christmas itself.

343 Sunday We went on a safari drive after breakfast. Didn't see any of the Big 5 (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Cape Buffalo and Leopard) but we did see plenty of Giraffe, Zebras, Impala and a Jackal, only the 2nd time I've seen one of those. We lazed around in the afternoon, there was an amazing thunder storm and in the evening we went out to another lodge to eat as the restaurant where we were staying closed at 5pm and they didn't think to tell us until 3pm.

344 Monday Left before breakfast, called in at my friend to collect my police clearance certificate I'd being trying to get processed for 4 years. We spent the day at the Mall of Africa, had lunch and called in at Peter's old office on the way to the airport. A night flight, didn't get much sleep. Peter is staying on for a week, delivering a training course and seeing friends on the weekend.

345 Tuesday I got home at 7am, I had a bath and went to bed for an hour and slept, unpacked, washed, did a food shop, had coffee out and cleaned the house through for Mum's visit. Caught up with TV recordings, lazed around and left for the airport at midnight to collect my mum. Was pleased to see how well the new grass is growing.

346 Wednesday Mum was up early and we collected the cat and dog from boarding and dropped off a couple of gifts, grabbing a coffee on our way. A lazy afternoon and pub quiz in the evening.
Mum arrived at 1.30am, looking fresh and relaxed.

347 Thursday Took mum to the Marina Mall, she has lost her bearings, on her last visit we were the other side of the city. We ran out of gas so had beans on toast for dinner and walked Bob round the estate. I was in bed and asleep by 8pm (4pm UK time)

348 Friday Up early to walk Bob as he's had a dodgy tummy after having a bone 2 days ago and has had a few accidents in the house. We then went to Oasis Mall for some shopping, coffee and to look at the Christmas decorations. Home late afternoon, watched TV, had dinner and walked Bob again. Mum has no concept of the size of the mall she is in and is insisting the Christmas tree is small.

349 Saturday Went to the beach in the morning and Ibn Battuta Mall in the afternoon, had a lazy evening watching Christmas movies.

On the blog this week:

Christmas Jumper Day
Preparing the Garden for Winter
Colourful shacks in South Africa
You don't need to survive Christmas

John's Giraffe

 Meet Raffy I never met John, but he was my son's friend, who sadly lost his battle in life with cancer last year, aged 18. 

Raffy was donated to the school where John was head boy in his memory. 

I had to look twice to work out what I was seeing as nothing surprises me anymore. 

 

Groenkloof – where I walk with the giraffes

This was the first nature reserve in Africa, founded in 1895 by Paul Kruger to protect a species of antelope. In 1998 Zebra were introduced to the reserve and Giraffes in 2002.
There’s the usual Braai areas and picnic sites, a camp site, mountain bike hire and horse riding. A wonderful restaurant and bar and a miniature steam train that runs in the summer on a Sunday.

This place is beautiful and with so little public outdoor spaces, other than malls and the golf course we live on, it’s wonderful to be able to go for a walk on marked footpaths, with a variety of terrains and be at one with the wildlife.
Ok I don’t like the snakes and there aren’t any dangerous animals there, other than Ostrich, Wildebeest, Giraffes and Zebras and it is up to you to exercise some common sense and not walk too closely to the animals.