WOW!

I think that is the only word that can really describe my Christmas Holiday, I can honestly say that I have had such an immense month and I don't want to really think about it being over just yet.

So the children left Otjikondo on the 1st December, leaving Catherine and I with a tone of jobs to get finished for the 9th December (which is when we left for). Well I say a tone of jobs, I spent the first few days cleaning the art room and am probably going to have to do it all over again when I get back in a few days! But you know what, the result of mopping the art room floor about five time does end witha pretty good result -I could actually see my reflection IN THE FLOOR! And did you know that there is a certain technique to mopping, and this is what I learnt in my last few days at Otjikondo.

Otjikondo was strangely quiet with no children, I really missed them being there: hearing the football games at night, the girls playing with the skipping ropes, taking about ten minutes for the noise to die down in the dinner que. I never really thought that I would miss these small things, but I suppose that they all add up to one big thing - Otjikondo. It just always has such a lively buzz and the people are what make it.

On the 7th December I was 18! In all honesty, it didn't at all feel like it was my birthday, not that I minded though! I got up early and then went and cleaned the car with Mr Nangolo for the trip down to Swakop. Then in the afternoon we went on a farm drive with the girls that had stayed behind for the music week. Oh and Gilly bought me a pretty amazing cake! - Thankyou.

Anyway, im not going to go on and on about what I did everyday. Emily, Jess, Stewart and Scott came to visit for the night of the 8th. It was so nice to see them and give them a tour of Otjikondo. I just hope that they will be able to make it up when the children are there. You can't really experience Otjikondo without the children. They left early the next morning to travel up North and me and Cat left for Swakopmund with Nangolo, Albertina and the six girls. It was such a long, hot and squished journey with eight of us in the back of the buckie and all our bags aswell. But finally we arrived in the beautifully cold Swakopmund and ran straight to the Sea! Some of the girls hadn't seen the sea before, it was amazing; their faces just lit up! After lots of sea and sand, Gilly took us to our bungalo. It was pretty basic, but clean!Now the six girls that came with us are just typical girls with all their fancy clothes and hair products! It was great! It felt like we were at a weeks long slumber party. That was at night. During the day, we were playing music from 8 till 5! It was a pretty intense week but it was really worth it. We met lots of really nice people and the concert at the end was amazing. It felt so good to be playing the violin again after so long, I have missed it. The music week went really quickly and soon enough it was over and we were on our wayto the beautiful Cape Town!

CAPE TOWN! The 24hour bus journey was definitely worth it. She is such a beautiful city, with the Ocean by its side and Table Mountain towering over her. Especially on a clear day when you can see the top of mountain. Though it is equally beautiful when the mist is pouring over the top of the mountain; its like a waterfall! When driving into Cape Town, you immediately realize why people keep coming back to visit, its stunning! We were seriously considering coming back in May to travel along the coast of South Africa, down to Cape Town. The thing is, Cape Town is so expensive! Also, we are living in Namibia and I think that we would regret it if we didn't travel our own country. Namibia is just beautiful; it was voted as one of the top ten places to visit in the world, which makes me realize just how lucky I am to have the opportunity to live there! But I will come back and travel South Africa in a few years time. I can't not come back!

Anyway, back to Cape Town. We ended up staying in the Blue Mountain Backpackers, on Long Street with the rest of the Namibian Volunteers. We were also just across the road from the South African Volunteers, which was really nice! Long street never sleeps, especially at Christmas and New Year! People just never seem to stop partying. I felt like I was at a massive festival; there are so many different people there, its so colourful and vibrant and I don't think it could ever get boring! I absolutely loved Long Street! The first few days we spent just getting to know the place and the South African Volunteers and recovering… Christmas day was different, but really nice. All the Namibians were in a room together so we hung our pillow cases on our beds and we bought each other a small present. SO on Christmas morning, we had our stalking's to open! Then we had pancakes! :D And then Emily cooked an amazing chicken dinner. So although I wasn't at home for Christmas, I still had an amazing day! For the days between Christmas and New Year we decided to venture out of Long Street. We spent a day at the water Front. IT IS HUGE and very, very touristy. Basically there are lots of cafes, restaurants and shops and they are all really expensive (so we didn't spend too long there). Though we did finally get to see Harry Potter! We also bought a two day open top bus ticket and visited Kirstenboch Gardens, The township, Camps Bay (which is like the African Miami), and Hout Bay. I really think it was money well spent as we got to see a lot of Cape Town and not spend a lot of money. The Gardens were beautiful, but I couldn't have spent a whole day walking around and looking at the plants! I really enjoyed the township. I suppose it is because I felt like I was back in Africa; I know I haven't left, but Cape Town is just so touristy, you kind of loose the real feeling of Africa! Hout Bay, which is where my Aunties sister has a house, is beautiful. It is a little harbor just off Cape Town, very windy and is also quite touristy and has some pretty good calamari! Then there is Camps bay, which is probably the complete opposite of Hout Bay! It is where the seriously rich people live: turquoise sea, white sand, cocktails, massive houses, restaurants, bars, cafes, expensive shops, skinny girls, muscly boys -Im sure you get the picture: Africa's Miami!Now, according to the newspaper, it should take two to three hours to climb Table Mountain. Well it took us Namibians one and a half hours! I think that deserves a round of applause. The path up the mountain was made out of lots and lots of rocks, so it was like steps (but big ones). Walking up the mountain was tiring, with people telling you, whilst they are on their way down that you are nearly there, only ten minutes - HA! But the climb is well worth it. Even though it was a misty day, the skies did clear for us and we got some beautiful views. And of course, a coffee at the top didn't go a miss. There was some deliberation about getting the gondola down, but some of us decided to walk back. The top ofthe mountain was freezing, and it was getting mistier so it was a fast walk back. Though it was harder walking down because of the wind and the balance so I think it took longer! When we got back to ground level though it was boiling. Its amazing how the temperatures are so different. Im so glad that we walked up and down, I know I would have regretted it if I hadn't. But as you can see, we had a good couple of touristy days in Cape Town. The only thing I regret is not doing Cape Point, the only reason I didn't do it was because we were going to come back in May… But we aren't anymore. Looks like Im just going to have to come back to Cape Town! :D

So we spent New Year in Cape Town as well. Im going to be honest with you though, New Year on Long Street didn't really live up to what people had said it was going to be like. Then again, New Year never really does. On New Years day, after about an hours sleep we went Shark Cage Diving. Unfortunately, we saw no sharks… We now have a voucher to use anytime in the next year, if anyone intends to go to Cape Town for shark cage diving, I have a voucher you can buy! Ha. And that was our last day in Cape Town. We went to the Irish Pub that night with some of the other volunteers and said goodbye. And that was it. The next day we were on our way to Knysna. Me and Cat stayed there for a few nights in the Island Vibe Backpackers (this is where we discovered Brutal Fruit). It was a really nice town. We went on the township tour, which was really good but made me miss the children back at Otjikondo! Then the next day we went canoeing down the Knysna lagoon. It was stunning! We went for 3km then had a swim, and then went back, even got some action shots of us. Our tour guide Orren was an absolute legend! After a few days there we made our way to Wilderness to the Beach House Backpackers. We had views looking right out onto the sea; beautiful. The other Namibians came and joined us here which was really nice. We just had beach days and then at night sat round the campfire! GO TO THE BEACHHOUSE! On the 8th we all headed back to Cape Town. I went with Emily, Jess and Stewart in the car, and Cat and Scott went on the bus. The car people, we went a different route from the bus because it was going straight back. Route 62 Is so beautiful, huge rolling hills, massive mountains and very green! We were driving a pretty rubbish car and guess what? Yeah, we broke down in a small village about an hour from where we were supposed to be. The people there were so lovely though and went out of their way to help us get water for the car and eventually we were back on the road! We arrived at the HOT SPRINGS at about six. Our caravan was so small and cozy, haha, like a gypsy caravan. So we went and swam in the springs and then had a braai - we also found a dog and named him Gerold, wethen found out that Gerold was a girl, so we changed it to Geroldine! Next day we had a leisurely drive back down Route 62 and the Wine Lands and got to Cape Town at about 7! Even though I had had such a nice few days on the road, it was nice to be back at Blue Mountain (it felt like out home in Cape Town). We had a day in Cape Town before our bus left. We had done pretty much everything we could afford to do, so we just lazed around! I wish I had done Cape Point though! Argh. But you can't dwell on these things. Im going to come back!

Our Bus left the next day at ten, (with Jess making it with seconds to spare (long story)). But we were all on the bus and soon fell asleep. Well half asleep, I don't think you can every properly sleep on the bus. I had a really sore neck after that journey! Finally, at seven in the morning we arrived in Windhoek! Me and Cat are staying with a very nice family, who have just taken us in! We met them in Swakop at the music week and they have just been so good to us! We are still here just now and I feel like I am at home. Yesterday we literally watched movies all day long and today we met up with some people we met in Swakop. Its been so nice. Im thinking tomorrow will be another lazy day and then its back to Otjikondo for athletics, new grade ones and LESSON PLANNING… I cant wait to see the children though and also the Stommels. Oh and congratulations to Sara and Paul who have just had a baby girl called Helena!

Well I guess that is it for the Christmas Holidays. I have had such a fantastic time these last few weeks and have met so many amazing people whom I really hope I can see again. The South African and Botswanan volunteers were a right laugh, lets hope we meet in Oban again! Then there is all the people we met it Swakop, who were great and also the other people we met in Cape Town and on travelling the Garden Route!I have had such an amazing time and could re-live every moment again!I will definitely be coming back to see more of South Africa, maybe not in may but in the next few years. Its just such a magical place to be!And fingers crossed I see everyone again.

There you have it, my Christmas Holidays. :D Bring on Namibia, Vic Falls and Botswana in May!

One Love,

Jordan X