Helllllooooo everyone!!! Firstly thanks to everyone for their messages.....it really is cool to hear from everyone at home xxx

Ok, have uploaded some pics today.....a very nice guy in the internet cafe helped me but it was a little traumatic (hehe), so I have selected a few that I think sum up the story so far, I hope you enjoy :-) I have a load from the orphanage and they are gorgeous, but I have become immensely protective of these children over the last few days and following a bit of a conversation with myself, I don't want to put them on here for the whole world to see.....I will of course show you when I get home....hope everyone understands......

So...I left you last Thursday......Friday Taylor, Anj and I rented a car and drove around to Simons Town - the next town from Fish Hoek...here we ate seafood, tried to go to seal island (not enough of us to run the boat) and went to Boulders - Lou, you would be so proud....it costs 30r to go in to see them but we went to a different bit of the beach - for FREE and saw just as many and got up close to them....!!!!

We then drove to Cape Point....paid 60r each to get in (remember about 14r to the pound), by the time we had got to the tram.....it just closed hehe!!!! Regardless the views were absolutley breathtaking......I have never felt so insignificant looking at the vast expanse of ocean........amazing....

We then took a gorgeous drive along the coast to Cape Town, where we went to our very first Backpackers......we had a bbq with some of the friends Taylor had met along the Garden Route.....Victoria (crazy lady!) and her boyf Ian, Gareth, Scott and Pete....we then went out onto Long Street - I can only describe this as Broad Street in Brum, but warmer!!! We went to a bar called Zula and then onto a pub called Dubliner........it was here that "touch your toes, feed the cickens and climb the ladder" went global....!!! We had a ball, stole the poor band players towel!! Watched a fight!!! Just like being at home really!!! Great night though!!!

Got up Saturday and went on a proper tourist mission.....got the sightseeing double decker and drove round Cape Town.....for me, it truly is the most beautiful city I have ever been to...the mixture of Table and all the scenery, coupled with the history and culture and modern development is amazing....I am still really struggling with the divide and the fact that in my opinion it is still very evident just not said out loud like it has been in days gone by.....

We tried to go up Table Mountain but the clouds made visibility poor so we went to Robben Island instead......gosh, where do I start.....the island housed Nelson Mandela for 18 of his 27 years that he was imprisoned.....the guide was imprisoned with him and described what life was like.....unthinkable that this happened in our life times.....and that their spirit and courage means that they are alive to tell the tale today......The cells they lived in were tiny and the work they undertook gruelling.....they used to mine for limestone - with their bare hands - and in the quarry there is a cave where the educated men would secretly educate all the other "comrades". There was a real sense of taking care of eachother.....the coloureds were given "better" food than the black comrades but they shared it amongst them all......again a display of true decency.....I could go on forever here but will move on....

Saturday evening we went out for dinner on Long Street and ate at Mama Africa.....it had real African music and an english guy randomly jamming with them....so cool......

It was an early one for me, but at 2.30 I heard the door go (thought it was Anj), no, it was a random guy going to bed in the room adjoining ours.....so surreal introducing yourself to a stranger in your own room - that you are already sharing with 2 other people - and it being completely normal!!! lol!!!!

Sunday morning - there was some commotion with the lads....Gareth had upset the manager of the Backpackers and they got thrown out!!! This still cracks me up......it takes some doing to get thrown out of a backpackers!!! lol!!!!

I then got to tick off one of my "to do's", I went to a Rugby match with the lads (Anj went home to bed!!!)...Saracens played the Stormers from Cape Town.....great experience even though we lost 43-33 but a memory to keep as you are watching the match with Table Mountain in the background!!!

Then back to work on Monday.......I now have 2 children that I will work with while I am here - Luci and Adi - they are both 3 years old and we will be learning colours and shapes and to count to 10........we played outside in the afternoon as usual.....Matilda is our teacher and she has asked us to prepare a banner promoting their bazaar (fete) in March - we did this yesterday with the help from one of the children (we painted her hands and feet and got here to walk on the material - she loved it :-). The more time I am spending here, the more normal it feels, but yesterday they all sang some nursery rhymes for the younger groups.....first tears moment.....they are so little and have to do so much for themselves....Taylor and I discussed it on the way home and he put the logical perspective on it - they need to be able to look after themselves - but I can't help but just want to love them all........

On the way home last night, Taylor, Francesca and I went to the internet cafe, as we were trying to get the taxi home, a man apporached me and held my hand very tightly and proposed marriage....he held my hand the whole way to the taxi.....Taylor - just walked off and left Franceasca and I to try and remove him!!!! A useless bodyguard I feel....very funny for everyone else not so funny for me!!!! Just kidding mum, it was all good!!!!

So.......today is our day off and we are going to just chill....then we are taking the children swimming in Cape Town tomorrow......bet they will love it.......

Off to the winelands this weekend so will update when poss next week......

See you soon xxxx