Helloooooo from South Africa..... well we are here....sooooo much has happened since Sunday and we are only in the internet cafe for a limited time so I will just tell you everything I can fit in.....pics to follow, have just got off the train from work and you definitely DO NOT carry your camera around with you so will do that another day....

We arrived at about 6.45am on Monday after a pretty cool flight (after we had managed to swap seats with a nice american student as they hadn't sat us together!!!) and we were met by temperatures of 16 degrees c, gorgoeus sunshine and the sight of table mountain - WOW!!! The i-to-i co-ordinator, Tanya met us at the airport and took us on a mini tour of where we would be staying - 136 Kommetijie Road, Fish Hoek - my new gaff for a month :-) The local area is a suburb of Cape Town - about 30 mins drive away, The house is massive, got loads of pics that I will put up rather than try and describe it, but it is comfy so thats cool...and the views from the balcony - stunning.....

There are 12 of us staying there ranging in age and travel experience and is so far a great mix....We are sharing with a lovely lady called Susan who is here as her 2 sons have flown the nest. There is then Hanne and Gry from Norway, Lisa from Sweden, Phillipe from Switzerland, Taylor from Canada, Vanessa from Oz, Francesca from the Caribbean & Aimee, John and us from the UK,

So Monday, we chilled out, got our bearings and had some orientation from the co-ordinators. They then prepared us a traditional Malay curry which was yum... we all arrived on Monday so it was a "getting to know everyone" session.

Tuesday...the fun began!!! The journey to the orphanage which is in Athlone, is about 1.5 hours. We have to get in a taxi just outside the house - I can best describe it as a mini-bus, it costs 5r (approx 14 rand to the pound so you guys can do the maths - it's not much!!!), and you can go anywhere.....we then arrived at the train station....safe is not a word I would use to describe how I felt (don't worry Mum, all is OK!!! was just all new!! Hardly getting into the BMW let's put it that way!!!). We then had to take the train to a town called Heathfield and change to get to Athlone, then it's about a 10 minute walk to the home.....It was harrowing I can't lie, but when we did it yesterday and today, it just becomes second nature...you take nothing of value, look confident and stay together - there are 8 of us at the same project so all is good......

The Home - Christine Revelll - where do I start?? The emotions are a complete mixture....we walked in and saw little faces with big brown eyes staring at us.....we were ushered into a room and given a 7 page document that gave the rules - no picking the children up, no favourites, to name a couple (as if!!!)...a full run down of the HIV policy and their own rules in terms of discipline....we then had a tour of the home - up to 6 little beds in a room, a row of 22 little toothbrushes on the wall, and the same with the towels....a great creche room for them and loads of outside space....so I went from ahhhh to actually this is a really good place for children....very clean and well kept, as are the children......

We were immediately asked to choose our groups - for me - age 2 to 5 (no nappies!!! not that that was the reason and those of you who know me well will know that!!!) - we were then asked to take 7 children to the local clinic for immunisations - I took Daniel - a 19 month old baby who just slept on me the whole time - that was it, the heart is stolen already - he is so gorgeous!!! And hardly no tears when he had his polio, measles and diptheria....bless him,

Then back to the home...they sleep between 12 and 2, we then wake them up for a wee, they have a snack which consists of juice and fruit or biscuits and then we entertain them outside for an hour....then in for supper followed by bathtime - we dry them and put some aqueous cream on them all and get them into their pj's - yet again....soooo cute!!!!!

Ok....have to leave as everyone is going back to the house.....and you don't hang out here by yourself....very strange not to have the freedom to do exactly as you please when you please.....

For my F&F - I am completely cool...love and miss you loads....until the next installment xxxxxx