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Saturday 31^st January

Would you believe it if I said it has been raining non-stop since we arrived?! Not quite what we hoped, for a number of reasons, but the mainly that its not the best weather to go game watching, or playing golf in! So I don’t know what is on the agenda as a result, for today. I would happily go and check out the new shopping centre, however I can’t see that Tim would love that!

Later in the afternoon, 31 Jan

We ended up going for a long walk this morning. The river was full, brown, wild and gushing. We were quite glad that we weren’t staying in one of the river-facing houses. Especially as the weather stills looks threatening. Luckily though, the sun did come out today – a little.

Tim and I both caught the sun a little while we were playing golf. We both have a red neck! We weren’t expecting to see the sun. As part of our walk, we ended up at the driving range. It cost R25 for 50 balls and another R5 each to hire a golf club. Incidentally, Tim has pointed out that they aren’t golf sticks, as I so often call them, but golf clubs! I was playing horrendously for the first 45 balls – I don’t know what happened. Our golf instructor would have been most disappointed in me. But luckily, just about as we were about to leave, I got the swing of it again … Let’s hope I improve again tomorrow, because we would like to give the golf course a go towards the end of the week!

We have just been talking about what to do tomorrow, and we think we might go into the Kruger. I have a feeling that Leon and Lorna (my parents) won’t want to come. My dad doesn’t like to go when it is very busy, and weekends are generally busy. But we feel we need to go. Both of us have missed the bush, and we don’t know when we’ll go again. Leon has suggested that we perhaps go into the game park and stay over for a night. That is a very good idea actually, because then you’re not rushing to get in and out in time. The Kruger is very strict about gate opening and closing times. If you’re late to leave the reserve, you get into pretty big trouble, they fine you, and can even ban you!

We had quite the ‘Africa’ experience at the shopping centre today. We went to go and buy a few bits of food, and the store (and centre) was heaving. And as it was the end of the month, it was busier still. It was almost impossible to get to the front of the store just to get into the queue to pay!

Included in our shopping was a bag full of grenadillas (R20), a whole beef fillet (R70) and lots of other yummy goodies. I think we will be feasting while we are here.

Tonight we are hoping to go out to dinner. The plan was to go out last night, but after the non-stop downpours, we decided to eat in. Unfortunately we didn’t have much to eat! We ended up having toast and omelettes with bacon, cheese and tomato. It was good though!

It is so nice to sit outside on the veranda. The humidity is definitely more bearable when you aren’t moving about too much. And we started off in the cool weather. I suspect that by the end of the week it is going to be a bit hotter than it is now.

Time for me to go and have a nice cold bath – clean up and cool down…