Up Up and Away To The Land of the Big 5

Arrived in Singapore - love love love Changi airport, my god I could go on holiday in that airport, free internet loads of duty free shopping, spa's resturants, live game shows, live music and best of all a hotel where mum and I could rest our head on our 6hr stop over, so after scrambling to buy a new digital camera raced to the room, clean, modern ,big wide screen wall tv lge, granite bathroom, fell asleep for what seemed like minutes, up and running to dept gate, onto the lovely Singapore Airlines where I managed to score a row of seats in the middle section of the plane all to myself felt a bit guilty for mum, she had a space between her and the gentleman sitting with her. Landed in Johanesburg - SA - easy arrival no forms to fill out , a guy waiting to pick us up to take us to the Amadwahla Lodge where we stayed for 3 days prior to the start of our intrepid tour, mum and I had had separate cottages made of timber with high grass ceilings very African looking ,big spa baths and gas fire place inside wooden floored interior with masks and african designed linens on the beds - very cold - slept like the dead woke up in time for traditional dinner out of a clay pot on hot coals like a curry stew sat around the fire chatting to the staff, gay Africans chef very chatty - Gran the matriarc of the family business sat chatting too, early night. Next day off to new Virgin Active gym with mum super modern - free internet,tons of great equipment - all glass two storey building 2nd floor looking over the indoor lap pool so while running on my machine - I watched people doing their laps, whole place very well laid out, saunas,spas, cafe, etc... went to lunch outside at a lge resturant/bakering very modern tons of staff,good food. Next day caught up with my mate from the BVI Nicki and her son Tyler - went off to the Rhino and Lion park, got to hold a baby white lion in my arms, saw lots of animals while we drove around in Nicki's car, Nic seems really happing to be back in SA and doing really well as director of a ton of high end resturants scattered all over SA, although one of her resturants had gone on strike and were singing acapela outside a shopping centre we were visiting - thats how they strike there, their voices were stunning like listening to Lady Smith Black Mamboza.

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Hmmm....where do I start, probably at the beginning, I left the BVI at the end August 08 hugging goodbye my beloved Carlton, what a sweet man. Flew onto the US for the pilgramage home to the land of Oz, did my usual stop of a day in LA booked into my LAX Holiday Inn, found out that I still had phone reception from my BVI phone so was able to chat to Carlton with ease so nice to hear his voice. Flew out of LA at 11.20pm for that lovely 14hr flight home to Brisvegas, where I was greeted by my wonderful mum and dad waiting at the arrival gate . Home to the Gap - there was Elle our adorable Cairn Terrier ( a save from the pound) and at the age of 15 looking as sprightly as always. Had 2 weeks to hang in Brisbane with Dad, Elle and meet with Sara and my beautiful God Kids ( Josie, Stuart, and Zali) before heading off to the Continent of Africa - South Africa to be exact but not before discovering that my uterus had been growing some nice little thybroids, of course these things always seem to happen at the last minute, in for day surgery and out days before the long 18hr trip to South Africa......