The Common Cold

Just a quick post to say dang and blast the common cold. It has knocked me out for the day. However, it only caught up with me after my friend's cool 30th birthday party (with excellent chocolate cake!) Luckily the children have been very sweet about me being off colour and have stayed well away from me and my germs!

Some of my favourite places around Canterbury. I do wonder why it is we don't live there!
If you ever visit. Cafe St Pierre is the best experience of French cafe culture this side of the channel. Plus they have the best tarte aux pommes.

Half Term holidays!

It is here! This is my favourite part of half term - the Sunday evening knowing you can stay up a little later and there is no school tomorrow.
We are heading to Canterbury for a couple of days to go to some old haunts and just relax away from Sevenoaks (mainly without the temptation to do any work)
Look out for some classic photos when we get back.

Cheesecake

My promise as I left Namibia has finally been achieved: I have made cheesecake! It was not the most delicious I have ever tasted admittedly - I think I found some kind of healthy version. Next time there will be far more fat in it!!

Still the sense of satisfaction is good!

My favourite season of the year is definitely here. I have just been in the garden doing some theraputic hedge cutting with a great electric hedge cutter. The remains of which are going to form part of our road's bonfire night bonfire. Just the thought of it is lovely. Crisp air, smokey smell, warm scarf round your neck. However, the mornings in the run up to this time are not going so well. I can feel it getting darker and is is without a doubt colder on my toes as I come downstairs and feed the cats.

Breakfasts

Life back at school is great and manic all at the same time. It is interesting how quickly I have got used to working late and quick breakfasts. I have decided that breakfasts are now my favourite part of holidays. Long, tea drinking, 3 course breakfasts. Especially if you eat them outdoors. I had a particularly good breakfast when I was in Windhoek, Namibia at a place called 'Fresh and Wild'. If only I could recreate this place which had a beautiful garden, funky glasses and yummy food in my own town. When thinking about this dining experience it makes me wish for teleporting! The only consolation is now autumn is on the horizon my husband and I will return to our morning porridge ritual at the dinner table before a hetic school day. Porridge is a wonder food that keeps me going until lunchtime without any need to resort to the biscuit tin!

Lake District

Swakopmund

Gobabeb

Gobabeb was a unique experience. A desert research station in the Namib desert with a riverbed barrier which prevents nature's force of the sand dunes from encroaching any further. The sand dunes which have a rich colour and strange properties. Finally the remote community of people investigating more about our wonderful world.

Soaking it all up

Had a few busy days. On Wednesday night I went to the Franco-Namibian Cultural centre and saw a film about the Himba indigneous population - really fantastic. Thursday contiunued in this vain of culture. I went to the lovely - if some what small- national gallery and saw some super lino prints and paintings. The best part of my day was yet to come. I went to Katatura and helped at a children's after school centre. They were just gorgeous and smiley with an excessive amount of energy!
Today we went for a walk around Avis dam, the reservoir which supplies Windhoek's water. Lots of rock scrabbling and skirting around baboons!!

Family

As i found the photos on my camera of the trip I also found those of my lovely family - Jon, Amelie and Scampi

The Campers

Beautiful

Etosha wildlife

Ongava Game Reserve

It is amazing how old friends and new friends can make a trip much more than I imagined in my office when I booked my flight to Namibia as the rain just poured down for hours. All the marking of maths SATs papers was completely worth it! In fact, this morning we went for coffee at a craft centre and as I ate the carrot cake and cheesecake (shared) I thought of it more as 3 papers rather than N$50.
The road trip to Etosha national park was amazing. Firstly, everything we saw was backdropt by a blue sky and brightly lit by the african sun. Each time we saw any animals I felt very much like I was watching a nature programme on TV. They were strangely unaware of us sitting in our car so closley watching and commenting on their every move. My favourite had to be the giraffes as they struggle to get down to the water at the waterhole by almost doing the splits.
We started the trip in the best way by staying with T's friends at Ongava Lodge meaning my first experience of the African bush was at a full moon watch of the Rhinos on the nature reserve. Stu was so knowledgeable about all the animals and his passion for his work was impressive. Whilst here I realised how close we were to the animals as we fell asleep in our room listening to the very close roaring of lions.

Have just returned to Windhoek from Etosha National Park. Just amazing scenery, animals and road trip fun!

The beginnings

Time to start I thought even though I have had most of my exciting travels already!