Helllooooooooooooo everyone, hope you are all well?? Once again just wanna thank all for your lovely messages on the message board, absolutely love reading them xxx

Day off today, gonna try and load some pics in a min, but remembered that I missed the whole of last weekend out, how could I???!!!! Vanessa and I are in Fish Hoek, buying lots of little bits and bobs to go in 22 little party bags for Group C on Friday, we are throwing them a little party....bit of face painting action (not quite like when we went to the african restaurant!!), and nail painting for the girls...reckon they will love it!!!

So.....last Friday night we went to the local pub, safety in numbers and we have made friends with a mini-van driver called Rafiq.....so he joined us.....I have discovered a cider called Savannah Dry - YUMMY!!! So had a few of those to unwind from the day......it's so funny, we stand out like a sore thumb!!! Everyone knows that 136 Kommetjie Road houses the volunteers....a cheeky local called Steve (for those of you that know, the irony will be amusing about this!!!), said "oh here they come, week 3 and they are all fed up...week 1 so full of promise at changing the world but now realise it's not that easy!!!" God he was right!!!! We are clearly just one of a long line!!! Anyway, we had a great laugh with them and went to bed at about 3ish!!.....

Got up Saturday morning and decided to go to the Winelands...so Susan, Anj, Vanessa, Aimee and I set off in Susan's car......(see Anj is still here with me!!! lol!!!)......Well the scenery is breathtaking, and the vineyards, stunning......oh and the wine was pretty good too!!! lol!!!! We did some tasting at the Boshendal Estate....although I have to say after the amazing wine at Muyu on the Spier Estate last weekend it had a lot to live up to......we had lunch in Franschoek which was a really pretty little town....full of beautiful people....so obviuosly we fitted in very well!!! lol!!! Susan then decided we should see half of SA in one afternoon.....haha....we went through deserts, forests, alongside reservoirs!!! I would like to say it was intentional but not really....we got a little lost hehe!!! It was 34 degrees with 5 of us in the car....a little sticky!!!!! But between Susan and Aimee we found our way back!!! Via Gordons Bay no less and paddled in the sea to cool us off.....much needed!!!! Completely shattered Saturday night so caught some z's early.....

Got up refreshed from a good nights sleep.....Dale Minney - you gave me the best piece of advice for this trip - and that was earplugs....there is a member of my dorm that shall remain nameless that snores....alot!!!! So my earplugs are essential - Rob, you are the 2nd best person in this story as you actually gave them to me!!!! So cheers lads!!!!!

Anyway 5 of us went for a lovely walk along Kommetjie beach which was good for the soul, so beautiful, Susan then said, "let's call the seal guy and go to seal Island", the weather was quite windy and David said he wouldn't take the boat out, but to call him back nearer half 2, anyway when we called back, he said it was ok, just prepare for it to be a bit choppy!!!!!

By the time we arrived in Simons Town at 2.30, it had turned in to the most amazing day......perfect for Seal Island......so 10 of us went on what looked to me like a dinghy/speedboat (clearly I am a master of the sea!!!!).......well we had the most ammazing, exhilerating afternoon......as we left the harbour....a school (think thats the technical term???), of dolphins joined us for the whole ride to the island....now this I really can't put into words, they are so greaceful.....they loved playing in the waves from the boat, and David, clearly an expert, managed to keep them interested.....the pics are so funny, about 200 of just the sea as I kept missing them, but I have one where you can just see them going back into the water, so I will try and post that one......so that would have made the afternoon worthwhile in itself, but then we approached seal island......with 74,000....yes 74,0000 seals on it.....big ones, little ones, babies, furry ones.....oh my goodness......the smell not so nice but the sight......completely unbelieveable.....oh and it sounded like a herd of sheep!!!!! David circled the island, they are proper little show offs!!!! Full on performances in the sea for us......... Never seen such an amazing sight in my whole life!!!!! So David then burned (I am sure thats a technical term for speed in the boat world), back to the harbour........well Susan, Francesca and I were in complete shock....we truly could not get our heads around what we had seen...........

So then back home for an evening of fun in the house!!!!!!

Now I feel much better that I have updated you fully!!!!! We are heading off from the house to Cape Town on Saturday (after a leaving party at the house on Friday night!!!), we then fly to Jo'burg on Tuesday morning and fly to Perth on Tuesday evening....where we will be house guests of Mr Fuller.....very much appreciated ;-)....so will be in touch as soon as we get the chance......

Hope the snow is not so awful for everyone.........see you soon xxxxxxxxxxxxx