Ok so I think I'm just going to stick with this picture for a while until I manage to get some pictures uploaded... Hopefully I'll manage to take some like this of my own when I go to Kruger on Saturday until Thursday - not that I'm excited of course...!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Friday night we went to this really bizarre ceremony at a worker from one of the creche's house. It was to welcome back a woman who had gone to become a spiritual healer. Firstly we had to wait 5 hours for them to arrive it was supposed to start at 8 so being keen, plus nothing else happens on a Friday night in Barberton, we got there at 7.15 and it didn't start until midnight! So it would seem that South African time works the same way as Ghanaian time - basically turn up whenever you like! By this point of course we'd had a few drink poo's... It was really interesting to see, they all had traditional zulu dress on and were singing and chanting, then they cut a live chicken's head off - argh, I knwo typically hypocritical as I love to eat chicken but still! Anyway we chose to ignore that bit and enjoy it for what it was. They 'contacted the ancestors' which I found fairly amusing to be honest as it was very strange to hear what appeared to be a man's voice come out of a woman, especially after a few ciders.... Yes they do have cider here and everywhere!!! Anyway we stayed until 2am and actually had a really good ngiht as we were spending time with actual African's and in their home as well watching their traditional ceremony.

Saturday we all went except Jenny (Melissa - American, Tao - Mexican, Tosca - Dutch) to Nelspruit which is the nearest big town. We went to Riverside Mall which is massive and so bizarre, you really could be anywhere in Europe or the States, definitely did not seem like we were in Africa. We all got a bit excited and got our tragus - the flappy bit of ear nearest to the cheek - pierced. It didn't hurt at the time at all and then absolutey killed for 3 days solid! Anyway, we stayed at a proper backpackers which was fun as it was basically a commune kind of atmosphere... I'll let you decide what you think happens in a commune! Next was a very welcome chinese meal and then more drinks and time to go out..... yey! We got one of the guys from the backpackers to take us which was great because he paid for pretty much everything for all 4 of us all night - bonus! We all had a really good ngiht and it was SO good to actually get out of Barberton (snooresville, very pretty and very nice but zzzzz......!) and have a good night of drinking (purely lemonade of course) and dancing.

Sunday was not so good it poured with rain all day! 2 of the girls wanted to get their hair braided so we went to see this woman who does it on the street and had to hang around for ages whilst they got it done - I've never been so happy to see 'Chicken Lickin' in my life (never mind the fact that I've never actually seen one before!) Just whilst I think of it - they have KFC here as well and in Barberton! Amazing!

Got home Sunday night and was prtty low key as hadn't got t bed until 4.30 ish on Saturday night. Monday I got up and went to school not sure if it was going to be on or not... I thought it was as the kids were outside in the playground and then the classroom was locked! I went to my teachers house which is next door to the school to see what was going on and whilst there I heard the most massive cheer and happy shouts - it was the kids, school was cancelled! So I went to Melissa's creche asnd spent the day there, it was fun the kids are cute. No multipurpose centre in teh afternoon because of school not being on. Tuesday I knew there wasn't going to be school so I went to Tao's creche for the day, again no MPC. Tao's creche was also a lot of fun but I felt really ill all day - my stupid ear! For nice it wasn't actually my stupid idea though! Tuesday night I did nothing except sleep as my ear was killing me. I had the day off work yesterday as well, not that I actually have school anyway as they're still on strike! Today I went back to Tao's creche and I'm doing the same tomorrow as no school but we are back at the multi purpose centre now which is good.

Hopefully school will be back on by next Frdiay when I return from Kruger but who knows... Also hopefully by then I wll have worked out a way to put pictures on here... Much love as always xx

P.s I've tried to make a special effort with my typing as my Mum has told me that last time I apologised for it and then did the same thing all over again...! x