Hello hello hello!!!! Right, we have just arrived at the biggest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere....I kid you not!!!! It's called Canal Walk in Cape Town, it is absolutely massive.....and my god what a contrast to the real world outside it...as we drove into the car park a child of about 8 was barefoot begging for money at the traffic lights....where is the justice.....so as I am now a penny pinching traveller, I decided to take some time to update you all, while the others spend some serious rand (I know don't all fall off your chairs at once!!!! me not spend any money!!!!????)

I feel like I want to tell you about the orphanage first this week..... Adi has been away since Friday with his host family (most of the children spend time away from the orphanage at one time or another with local host families....what a kind thing to do) so it's just been Luci and I.....he arrived home today and it was his 4th birthday.....he was so happy, he had new clothes on and the other children were treating him like a god!!! He was playing this game in the bedroom this afternoon where he was a monster and chasing the others with his badge!!!! They were squealing with delight..... I love it that that's how they respond when one of them come home...instead of with resentment that it wasn't them that had a good time - just shows their true spirit.....

The doctor visits on a Tuesday, as she arrived they all shouted with excitement??? Didn't quite understand why??? Anyway, one of the children came to me as she had fallen and grazed her knee, as we are told to treat all the children as if they are HIV positive I immediately took her in to Matilda to clean her up....Matilda gave her this look and then said to me "oh Sarah as soon as the doctor arrives they all do this, just take her to Rowena," I am still confused at this point, but as we walk past the door to the doctors, Matilda was of course right, she tried to get in to see her!!! Anyway after dinner today, some of the children came in late as they had been seeing the doctor, guess what they had????............SWEETS!!!! My goodness, you all know I love my sweets but to injure yourself on purpose to get them...even for me...a step too far!!!! Bless them :-)

We were warned at the beginning about when the children call you Mama that you must tell them your name and that they must call you by it....so hard, as the more time you spend with them the more often the mama incidents occur....Delecia is always saying it to me.....cannot explain the heart strings, the innocence and those little eyes as we and the staff are the closest thing they have but must keep our distance.... Calvin is 6 and has a brother Jon and remember Daniel from the clinic run, so all 3 of them are there, Calvin is so good with Daniel, and even with his "I am the big brother and I look after everyone" persona, he said to me today, "please can I sit on your lap?" Even as I type it....ouch.....I so much want to say "of course you can" but know that I can't....although have to admit I am sneaking cuddles and kisses whenever anyone isn't looking, I know, I know, it won't help when I leave but I feel like thats the real bit that I can give.....

It's so hard to try and put into words what it is like.....the independence of them, their determination.....little Josh today who is so tiny, trying to lug a big tractor toy over a gulley....no looking around for help or even attempting to ask for it......he knows not to bother...he just knew he wanted it over that gulley and he did it.......so hard to watch but I guess this will prepare them for the big wide world????????

We have arranged to take a few of them to the Aquarium next week......everyone is so excited about it.......they absolutely loved their swimming trip so this should put a few smiles on their faces too......

So....thats the orphanage for this week........I have been eaten by mosquitos (for a change eh!!!??), the children counted 14!!!! 2 horrid ones too!!! And then used last years factor 15 on my legs when we went swimming and got completely crisped.....3rd degree burns I am sure!!! Seriously they were bad and I had to come home from the orphanage on Friday and get some calomine lotion on them (even the old aloe vera hadn't fixed it!!!!)....full on swolen feet and everything.....anyway....all sorted now thankfully!!!!

The plans changed for the weekend so it ended up being a chilled one, a few of us went to Simons Town again on Saturday day, and then on Saturday night nearly the whole house went to a restaurant called MUYU which is just outside Stellenbosch....it was a traditional African restaurant.....what an awesome night......the pics will tell it all.....I decided we should play a game of "let's gather souvenirs".....well everyone surpassed all expectations......waiters tops, waitresses hats, the chefs hat and apron, a duck (and yes a real one!!!), a FREE bottle of wine - Amy and Gry obviously won with this contribution!!!! Taylor and I went last and with those kinds of acts to follow.....we just opted for buying tequila shots lol!!!!!! We had our faces painted.....which after the tequila, they decided to let us have our own paint and paint ourselves.....all I have to say is "Mum, these will not be the pics you will be most proud of me in!!!!" lol!!!!! Very funny, and WOW the wine was gorgeous and the winelands are equally so......

Sunday we literally chilled which was good......we are not doing much but it we just feel drained all the time......

So, day off tomorrow and we are determined to climb Table Mountain and do the full Cape Peninsular tour......we have booked our flights to Joburg and the plans are starting to come together for Oz, can't believe we leave in 2 weeks........

Thanks again everyone for all your lovely messages.......if there is anything you feel you wanna know that I don't tell you just ask......I could go on for hours but just trying to give you a snippit!!!

Loadsa love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx