"Paris Hilton wannabees? Don't think so!!!"

Ok, this was just us being silly, quite some time ago now, but I'm trying to catch up on my pics and things.........

Linzi models the 'Bella' bag!

Justin joins in the fun with the 'Tali' bag!

Mum & Dad celebrate 50 years of marriage!

My Mum & Dad celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 11th May this year and were generous enough to treat us all to a trip to Livingstone!
This entailed flying Gaz & Kathryn out from the UK to arrive in Zambia 5th May and spend four nights at our spot in Chingola first of all (for general orientation I think.....which mainly meant
orienting Gaz with a big bottle of whisky!)
Then Mum & Dad got to Livingstone on 8th May and we four joined them the next day where we visited Vic Falls and got drenched as usual!
We spent the first night at The Zambezi Sun and dined up at The Royal Livingstone before transferring to The Islands of Siankaba up river for three nights.
Anyone who's read my blog before will know how much we love Siankaba and it's still wonderful and we'll still always love to go back there! check it out at: http://www.siankaba.net/
Anyway, the idea at Siankaba is to basically become completely relaxed, be completely spoilt, eat loads of delicious food, drink lots of very healthy fruit juices.......hmm, well, ok I was kidding! more like........wine, beer, whisky, you name it..... and to enjoy the odd activity when you're in the mood, plus, of course, enjoy each other's company and conversation!
Our big extra treat from Mum & Dad was to go on the elephant ride which the four of us did early one morning and it was amazing and also humbling to be on these massive creatures who are so powerful yet so gentle and, sadly, with only one enemy.
We did the sundowner cruise on a couple of nights where the main activity was lifting your arm to sip your drink and craning your neck to look at the amazing sunset on the river - totally beautiful.
On the 11th, the actual anniversary, we had a special meal set up down at Mum & Dad's honeymoon suite deck!
Justin & I bade farewell to the 'Nokes' party on Sunday 13th May as they flew off home via Johannesburg and we then later caught a flight to Lusaka where we overnighted at the Taj Pamodzi before flying back to Chingola the next morning early.
We knew that the next time we'd see them all would be when we got to the UK in July for Gaz & Kathryn's wedding!
So, it was a lovely trip, short but sweet and very generous of our parents and we all really enjoyed it! Thanks Mum & Dad!

the boat transfer to the islands!

Gaz & Kathryn drinking it all in!

Gaz & Kathryn on their elephant beside the zambezi river

Justin & Linzi on Marula!

Justin giving Marula a treat to say thank you!

Linzi & Marula have a chat

the brothers-in-law after the elephant ride!

the 'soon to be sisters-in-law' tired after the early morning!

the happy golden couple welcome us back from their lovely honeymoon suite deck!

Doctors and birthday parties!

At the beginning of March we shot to South for four nights - "short breaks rule!"
Actually it was mainly for doctors, which we crammed in back to back in order to utilise our time fully. ie. to allow time for some shopping!!!
We actually had a ball, we stayed at the Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino, at Fourways, for three nights and had the coolest room - beautiful large windows opening right up with a view of the 'old' clocktower and entrance to Montecasino, etc.
It was a great place to stay, nice room (except for the 'American' mini-bar), easy access with our own key, along a walkway to Montecasino where you can dine and shop at all hours undercover, even though it feels like you're outside!
We lunched there (at the hotel, on the terrace) with Rex & Prue too before moving on to Dekuilen Cottages where we treated Prue (& Rex!) to an overnight stay, including a luxury, private five course gourmet meal set up for the four of us in the private dining room.
This was in honour of Prue's 70th birthday! She had no idea where we were taking her for the night so it was a bit of fun!
We gave Prue her gifts and flowers and basically had a really nice time together.
Ann-Marie organised a splendid meal and did her utmost to look after us. Sadly Charles had been ill so things were not quite up to the standard they had been the last two times we had stayed there. The grounds are also smaller so unfortunately it does not have the same feel as before. Nonetheless all the stops were pulled out for Prue!

Prue & Linzi deciding what to have for lunch!
Justin & his Mom & Dad at the Palazzo.
the private dining room at Dekuilen!





The Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino is part of the Southern Sun group:
http://www.southernsun.com/SSH/VHB/25383cf8de46a010VgnVCM100000650114acRCRD/74/72

Last Crimbo!

Right, on with the catch up of months past!
Okay, as soon as Justin & I got back from our trip, Mum and Dad arrived, about four days later! So I wasn't very organised!
Anyway, it worked out very well for them as their apartment wasn't ready for them to move into so as they came out for a month it helped them with the whole situation.
At this point - a mention of Uncle John and Aunty Hils who have been absolutely magnificent with Mum & Dad - they basically gave them a key to their house and told them to feel at home and have a bed for the night whenever they needed - without their kind help Mum & Dad would really have been stuck. (They sold their house in Dickens Close and ended up with delays of about a year before they had a home again -apart from the caravan at Pluck's Gutter for the summer months - not easy) So, thanks Guys!!!
Anyway, we basically went into christmas prep mode which was quite fun for us as we're normally on our lonesome!
The weather was the usual rainy season but we did manage some swimming - even got Dad in the pool on Christmas morning with a glass of champers!!


It was really just about relaxing and spending time together......here are a few pics of Christmas day!

me & mum!

Tali & Bella playing with their new toys!

Christmas lunch

a pooped out Pooch with his new toy (note he's nicked his sisters' toys too!)

too much excitment for Dad & Satchel!

Holiday Makers flock to new Leisure Resort in Chingola!

The Carlisle Hotel in Chingola, Zambia, recently opened it's doors to guests again after extensive refurbishment to the pool area.

Last year a major refurbishment programme was undertaken which included the addition of a new honeymoon suite.

"We've been coming here for a number of years now", said Mr Rex Carlisle, (yes! same name as the hotel!) "we find it a really relaxing place!"

Fellow guest Mrs Prue Carlisle commented "The food is excellent!"

When asked which room they were staying in they told our reporter that they were in the 'Honeymoon Suite' and both said they found it extremely comfortable.

"The nicest aspect is the double door opening onto a private courtyard" said Mr Carlisle.

Mrs Carlisle added "We can make our way straight out to the delightful new pool and jump straight onto the floating lilos, it's great!"

Mr & Mrs Carlisle having fun on the floating lilos

Vegas Wedding!

A quick snippet here! My cousin Stef is getting married in Vegas next Tuesday! (5th September) She's marrying Darren. My Mum & Dad are going out there together with Peter & Margaret (Stef's Mum & Dad) & Andrew & Zoe (brother & fiancee).
So, wishing Stef all the best for a great day! Wishing everyone a great trip!
Apparently it'll be live online but I don't have any details............
Stef, if you send me a photo of the wedding I'll post it on here for you!

Happy Birthday Gaz!

It's my brother Gary's birthday today, 42!
Last night he & Kathryn (his fiancee) went out to dinner with Mum & Dad in Ma & Pa's new silver Toyota Rav4! Oooooeeee! Mum & dad are getting rather cool in their old age!!
Hope they had a nice time anyway!
Gary & Kathryn are actually getting married next year, 2007, on July 28th at Eilean Donan Castle on the beautiful Isle of Skye!
So, here's my little experiment..............sharp-eyed readers of my blog may have noticed the adverts at the top of the page..............they tend to be travel ads for Zambia due to my constant ramblings about our trips in Africa.
Suddenly they became a veritable feast of swimming pool construction ads - wonder why?!
So now, in one posting, I've mentioned: birthdays, the Toyota Rav 4, weddings and Eilean Donan Castle - wonder what turn the ads will take.....? It will be interesting to see.........................
Maybe I should just start blogging about the most odd things I can think about (shouldn't be hard I know!) just for the fun of seeing which ads come up!
Well at least if I start ranting about odd stuff at some point you'll know why!

Photos of Rex's 70th

Rex is pleased with his surprise!

Say "cheese"!

The magnificent man in his flying machine!

Lunch at the Westcliff!

Justin's Dad's 70th!

'Tis the time for turning 70 it appears..................Justin's Dad, Rex, also turned 70 on April 24th but we couldn't actually get down to South Africa right then.
We flew down on Sunday 7th May and stayed at The Melrose Arch Hotel (www.africanpridehotels.com/melrosearch) where we stayed on Justin's 40th. We decided to treat ourselves to three nights there as it's so cool! (plus I got a great rate through my prokard -
www.prokard.co.za - worth getting and paying R300 for if you want even one night there plus you get discounts at loads of protea hotels and with Budget car rental!
So, on the Monday we picked up Rex & Prue and took Rex on a little magical mystery tour!
All he knew was that we were going to Rand Airport so he was pretty nonplussed!
Justin had arranged for Rex to be taken up in an old Boeing Stearman Biplane and he was absolutely thrilled when we told him! (Prue was actually a bit fed-up that she wasn't going too!)
He had a de-briefing, was kitted out in flight overalls, biggles helmet, the whole toot and up he went!!!
He had a great time, flew the plane himself a bit and experienced some 'mid-air acrobatics', all of which he thoroughly enjoyed!
After all the excitement we moved on to the Westcliff Hotel for a 'posh lunch'! www.westcliff.co.za
They have fantastic views from La Belle Terrasse!
So, it was a great success and we met up again the next day for lunch at Hyde Park before Justin & I headed off to The Drakensberg Mountains and Rex & Prue headed off to Plettenburg Bay!
We stayed in Gallery Suite at Acorn Cottages in the central 'berg area www.acornsinchampagne.co.za for just four nights and we had an excellent little holiday!
The view from our verandah was amazing, the weather was beautiful during the day and we went on two really long hikes. It got freezing as soon as the sun went down so we had to have strict planning in place: Get back from hike, light braai, shower, put on all warm clothes including thermals, light fire inside, eat on verandah, go inside as sun drops, close doors and sit as close to fire as possible! It was lovely and cosy and we just really enjoyed ourselves.
In addition we visited Baz, Justin's great friend who owns Thokozisa and went round for dinner to his & Tracy's house where we had a great evening!
We felt as if we'd been away a lot longer than we actually were - that's the amazing power of the 'berg - or any mountain I suppose.
We ended up at The Indaba Hotel for our last night in Jo'burg itself - near Fourways Mall - for last minute shopping - www.indabahotel.co.za - we find it a very handy hotel for the Fourways area and although it's large and geared for conferences it's very efficient on the whole, food's good, rooms are pretty nice - we had a room with a verandah by the dam and the grounds are large so you can really have a wander around.
We spent our last night at the airport at Southern Sun Garden Court (the old Holiday Inn Garden Court) and flew back home on Tuesday 16th May to our babies!

Some photos of Dad's 70th

The start of the adventure - on the boat crossing to Siankaba!

Justin & Linzi having sundowners during mokoro trip!

Mum & Dad on sundowner cruise!

Enjoying!

Dad's 70th - 30th March 2006

Well, my dear Dad turned 70 on 3oth March this year so Mum & Dad came out to us for a nice long visit.

Mum & I came up with a nice trip as a surpise for Dad: A two day drive, with an overnight at the Chisamba Safari Lodge, to Livingstone. Two nights at the Islands of Siankaba http://siankaba.net/ followed by a night at the Royal Livingstone Hotel then two days drive back, overnighting at the same lodge again.

We had a wonderful time, the best of all being Siankaba - we would recommend it to anyone as the place to go for absolute relaxation. The setting is superb, amazing views, delicious food, excellent staff, extremely tasteful decor in the tented chalets and the view from your bed in the morning is one that you will not easily forget.................the river flowing past your verandah.......sights and sounds of Africa right under your nose - nothing better!

We truly felt that we'd been on a much longer break, that's how brilliant it was!

In addition to the trip we also hooked up with the indomitable twosome "Pat & Amy" who were staying with Mel! We saw them round at Donald & Michelle's where Michelle aka 'superwoman' dished up enormous platters of finger snacks and the like for a great crowd of us! Also again when superwoman dished up a three courser for us all so we were spoiled well and truly!

Other than that we all just lazed around an awful lot, went out for plenty of meals - always nice - and did lots of planning for Mum & Dad's new apartment that they should be moving into soon!

All in all a very relaxing time and very enjoyable.

We also did research into caravan parks for Mum & Dad as they also planned to buy a caravan so that they can spend some time there when the weather's nice.

we settled on www.dogandduck.co.uk it's lovely apparently - as I type they are living there in their new caravan until their apartment's finished!!! They moved in last Friday.

Well, I'm struggling to type anything that makes any sense as there's this woman in England called Julie Haywood who won't stop messaging me!!!!!!! I obviously have to reply each time so my blog is suffering..........

Justin's 40th & a surprise trip to awesome Namibia!

Justin turned 40 on October 27th 2005! We had agreed that I'd plan a surprise trip for him so I had the pleasure of spending many happy hours online perusing travel sites, accommodation, flights, etc! So, here is what we did..... (the good and the bad!)

("whoops! photos appear to be completely and utterly back to front regarding the order of the trip!" sorry about that!)
I ended up using Tshokwane Safaris for the Namibian part of the trip and Johann was fantastic, so helpful, I'd recommend him any day! www.tshokwane.co.za He basically took all my requests and put a perfect itinerary together, right down to getting the dates right so that we were in the right place at the right time for Justin's birthday!
First we stayed in Melville, South Africa, for the weekend http://www.saffronhousebnb.com/ which was nice but they gave us the wrong room for the first night, something about a leak in the roof....but there were other people in there so I was a fed up as I'd already paid in advance and it was the most expensive and the guy had even recommended it to me! They moved us the next day for the last two nights but we found it wasn't very private, it was very arty decor but the doors had loads of coloured glass in and you could actually see into the rooms! So it was a bit embarrassing getting dressed and stuff! To finish off, on our last night there was an awful fight outside our room! It was over the wall in a car park but we laid in bed flinching as we heard all this shouting and punching, we could 'feel' the punches, hear the people falling over and smacking into the ground and everything, they were really shouting aggressively so it wasn't great! (It turns out that Saffron House has been taken over by a company with various properties - it used to be personally owned by a lady and was probably more thoughtfully run) Nonetheless while we were in Melville we met up with Justin's folks for lunch and also went to his sister Jane and Tracy's for lunch in their new townhouse on the Sunday for lunch which was really nice. We had a couple of meals out and did some shopping.
Then on the Monday we went to the airport and Justin assumed we were flying to Cape Town or something so it was a great surprise to go to International Departures! We managed to check in without him seeing where we were going and I finally told him as we had something to eat about half an hour before we boarded that we were off to Namibia!
So we were in great moods and had a good flight but when we arrived at Windhoek my bag didn't arrive, only Justin's!
This really knocked us flat! Anyway, we transferred to the guesthouse for the night www.tourism-africa.co.za/namibia-accommodation/hilltop-house which was really nice. I had to wash out my clothes as all I had was what I was wearing - t-shirt, cargo pants and slip-slops. The guy there made us some toasted cheese sarnies and got us a big bottle of wine (there was also a mini bar which we pretty much emptied in our stress!!!) so we had a nice evening on the verandah outside our room and it was ok except for the worry about my bag. Next morning we had breakfast in our room but instead of it being leisurely as was my plan, we had to get up early and cab it into Windhoek town centre to get me some clothes and toiletries!
Luckily it's like Jo'burg so there were normal shops (I'd been a bit worried thinking it might be like Chingola!!!!) So I got a few basics.
One of my worries was that we were about to board the Desert Express and you're supposed to dress up quite nicely for dinner on the train, you know how it is, and I'd had nice clothes in my bag so that we could enjoy the opportunity of getting dressed up.
When we got back to the guesthouse with about ten minutes to spare before we left there was a message that they'd found my bag and it would arrive a couple of nights later!
So, we transferred to Windhoek station and checked in for the train http://www.desertexpress.com.na/ and it was great! We had SUCH a laugh! The cabin was gorgeous and it was just so surreal to be slowly chugging along watching the scenery change out of the window. The food was great, the drinks were great, we had to walk along to the end of the train for a smoke and sit in the conference room which had a little dance floor even and some chairs and tables arranged for us smokers!! There were only 15 of us on the train so it was quite empty which was also nice. We stopped for sundowners and got taken on a drive and saw white rhino and then had drinks laid on. The train pulled into a siding after dinner and we could get off and stretch our legs then go to bed. It started moving about 3am and I remember waking at about 5am and looking out of the curtains to see the desert passing slowly by! It was just too amazing for words! It was all like some adventure -Enid Blyton famous five or something!!!! We had breakfast in the dining car and then the train stopped in the middle of the desert and we walked across the sand to "Rand Rifles Dune" and climbed up it - pretty high! Quite hard walking up a dune as you keep sliding and sinking!! Apparently they filmed there, Dennis Quaid I think? Flight of the phoenix maybe? Knowing me I've got that all wrong, but something like that! IF YOU DO ONE SPECIAL THING IN YOUR LIFE, TAKE A TRIP ON THE DESERT EXPRESS!!!! We will never forget it!
We arrived in Swakopmund and had an hour or two to walk around and have a drink then we transferred to the airport there and boarded our light aircraft! We were the only two passengers so it was extra cool! The flight over the desert was amazing and we landed after about an hour and transferred to "Little Kulala Desert Camp" www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps (then click on Namibia camps and you'll see it).
This was beautiful, your own star-gazing deck, front deck and plunge pool (so hot there you needed it to cool down) lovely room, outdoor shower, brilliant view and very private, only nine 'kulalas'.
The first night we had dinner on our private star-gazing deck and also slept up there in the special beds they put out for us! Duvets and everything! It was great! Fab! (oh, my bag arrived that night, someone drove it there all through the desert from Windhoek, about five hours drive!) My bag had been broken into and straps cut and locks wrenched open so we did panic but found that they only nicked our small 'emergency' whisky bottle. They had put other people's stuff in my bag though so had obviously been rummaging through loads of people's bags. We have now heard that this happens quite a lot so advise anyone flying via Jo'burg airport to get luggage security wrapped - R50 per item of luggage - worth it for peace of mind). So the next morning we got up at 5am and went hot air ballooning! Yay! It was Justin's actual birthday 'day' so perfect! It was a bit windy and we nearly couldn't 'take off' but then we were ok! A great experience, surreal again!
We landed after an hour and had champagne brekkie in the middle of the desert! Surreal yet again!!! A long table laid up beautifully just sitting there waiting for us all to arrive! Weird! But brilliant! So we can never forget Justin's 40th that's for sure!
Back at the camp we chilled out for the rest of the day, lunched, had dinner on our little front deck that night, relaxed the next morning and transferred by game-viewing vehicle to our last camp for one night - Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp - website as above, you'll see it there as well.
We had lunch there and then spent the afternoon dipping in and out of our little plunge pool, drinking wine and drinking in the view! Amazing! It got really windy in the afternoon and was actually hectic, like a hurricane, apparently the wind gets up every afternoon and everything has to be closed up. It made us realise that the desert is not actually meant for man to live in, we can visit and see it's beauty but it's not ours. Yeah, ok, I'm sounding a bit poetic here or something I know!!!! It makes you feel that way though!
So the next day we had to hang around until about 3pm for our flight back to Windhoek by light aircraft again - just the two of us again! There was a storm coming - the first! The pilot pretended not to be scared -French guy, young, scruffy, long hair, with his chick in tow!!!! It was a hair raising flight for an hour or more! We flew into the storm, through thick clouds with no visibility, through rain, bumped all over the show, had lightening flashing all around us! At one point we were so low and so close to a rocky outcrop that I really thought the wing was going to smash into it and we were going to crash! I was not exactly the most happiest of bunnies at that point! I felt pretty grotty too I must admit! Was very relieved to land in Windhoek! Then when we boarded the 'big' plane for our flight to Jo'burg the pilot announced "there will be turbulence all the way due to storms"!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaargh!
That night we stayed at African Dreams Guest House near the airport which was ok. We were pretty tired as it was getting late by then. We went to bed quite quickly.
The next morning Justin's sister phoned to say she was sick and her and Tracy wouldn't be joining us for lunch. I was devastated! I felt like it was all going wrong! I'd got a limo arriving (www.limohire.co.za) to pick us up and then we were on to pick up Justin's parents and Jane & Tracy! He kept saying 'what is it babe? Tell me', so I had to tell him and he'd kind of guessed he said! Anyway, it was all fine, the limo was BRILLIANT! We just ended up the four of us but had a great laugh in the limo and had an amazing lunch at Bellgables Country Restaurant. www.bellgables.co.za The food was gorgeous and the restaurant was just beautiful - owned by two gay guys and had lots of glamourous diners (including us of course!!!).
The limo took me and Justin to Melrose Arch Hotel after dropping Rex & Prue home. http://www.africanpridehotels.com/ (then select melrose arch) which is the most hip and trendy hotel in South Africa (so they say!) I got a discount because I have a protea hotel prokard (www.prokard.co.za) which helped with the price! (I also got a discount at Budget car hire with the card!) It was excellent! The room was so cool! M & Ms in a bowl on the desk for you to munch on! A mini bar stocked like you wouldn't believe with even lots of chocolate and in the cupboard pringles and nuts and stuff! The tea tray had proper milk and even packets of biscuits! Under the TV was a drawer with five DVDs in it for you to watch! It was a very cool place, the decor was fab, very modern and funky, a nice change from the 'traditional african look'. We didn't go there but outside they have a bar with giant flowerpots in a shallow swimming pool and tables and chairs so you take off your shoes and paddle out!
We hung out in the lounge and had a few drinks - a real smoking lounge - funniest thing was - all smoking - nowhere for non-smoking which makes a change!
So that was a really cool night!
The next day we flew to Cape Town and the apartment was nice but the website had made it look much nicer that it actually was. (I think it had just seen better days)
http://www.campsbayapartments.com/ (then click on Rutland Place). We were having a great laugh and in high spirits, planning to go out for dinner all three nights. We had some bread, cheese & salami which the girl there had organised for me and I had a glass of wine, Justin had a couple of beers. Then we walked into Camps Bay, about five minutes, stopped for a sundowner (I had a whisky sour, hadn't had one in years and saw it on the menu). We decided to walk back and then checked out the video/dvd store on the way. While in there I felt odd, hot and uncomfortable and we had to hurry home. I had a dodgy stomach and wasn't feeling hundreds so we decided to drive back down, pick up Nando's and a dvd for the evening.
So something made me really sick. Justin was fine. He ended up having to go out to a late night pharmacy in Sea Point - dodgy area - and get me medicine as I was feeling so terrible.
So that was the end of that! Our short stay in Cape Town never amounted to much thanks to me! Or maybe thanks to the whisky sour! I never really got back on my feet properly. We had a couple of drives out but that was all.
On our last night, having flown back to Jo'burg, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Garden Court (about ten minutes from the airport by shuttle and our favoured place to stay for an 'airport overnight') and had the afternoon so that was quite leisurely and I was feeling much better. We had a couple of drinks at McGinty's Bar and some food, then went to our room where we watched Mr & Mrs Smith and thought it was pretty good!
And that was it!
We arrived home on the Friday 4th November afternoon to be welcomed by six absolutely gorgeous babies going mad with excitement!
I then gave Justin his forty presents which I'd been slowly buying, some online, some in England when I was there! He couldn't believe it!
The 'piece de resistance' being a cd that I'd had made for him, totally personalised with basically the 'story of us' with lyrics including all our 'babies' and their foibles! Alan, the guy who made it, had incorporated lines from poetry that I'd sent him as well as words from our favourite songs, all adapted to fit in but with great meaning. www.give-a-song.com
So all I can say in closing is....."roll on my 40th!" hmmmm, wonder where Justin'll take me.....?!

My lovely Grandma

Well, as I've previously written, I was in the UK and part of that trip was to spend time with Grandma. My Grandma is very important to me, she's my last surviving grandparent and my earliest memories include her. She's been a part of my life always, she's been there for the fun times and also for the hard times, never judgemental, always supportive and understanding, a true friend in every sense and I miss her terribly every day and wish that I was able to see her more often. She lived through the second world war with Grandad 'in the army', raised three kids and didn't have the easiest of lives. She looked after Grandad for many years and after he died she coped brilliantly and always loved to have people drop in on her at '230' (230 Watling St) a.k.a. "Aud's Caff" (she cooked up a mean egg and chips!). She hung in there, kept house, cooked healthy meals, lost her son Mike to cancer, looked after dear little Aunty Sylvia (her sister) until she had to go into Beth Ezra but eventually her age and health caught up with her and she is now in Beth Ezra (sadly without Aunty Sylvia anymore). So Grandma is now the star of Beth Ezra, she's 'carpet bowls champ'!!, loves every minute of every day, joins in everything, really enjoys being 'pampered' and having her meals made for her, her hair done, etc. She's enjoying life! These photos are of Grandma, me and Mum on Grandma's 90th! So, to finish, "Carpe Diem", 'sieze the day', you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. Appreciate loved ones and life now!

Mum & Dad visit!

Mum & Dad were out for a long time recently, over three weeks!
We had a good time, went to Lusaka and stayed at the Chisamba Safari Lodge, always a pleasure.
Also went out for loads of meals, did lots of gym, swimming, sunning, talking non stop (of course), had both our wedding anniversaries (!!!) and generally a great time.......
until Justin got 'giardia'......"AAAAAAARGHG! WHAT THE HELL'S GIARDIA?" I hear you scream!
Well, Justin is now the expert (wouldn't you be if you found you had little nasty things living in your gut?!)
Anyway, it's like this..... apparently it's rampant all over the Copperbelt, so we're told by anyone we mention it to, and is a waterborne parasite, picked up from water contaminated by wildlife.............EEEEEK! Could it have been from our dead snake in the well? Seems likely but then again I've been fine and how would thousands (?) of people on the Copperbelt have got it then?
Long and short of it is...Justin took the pills, I took the pills (as precaution) and now our night guard appears to have it so he's on the pills and now our other two staff are also on the pills as a precaution.
So there you have it, but for the record, you need a 5 day course of metronidazole - 30 tablets 200mg - take 2 every 8 hours.
If that doesn't kill it (and it didn't Justin's) then take Tinidazole 2grm - 4 x 500mg tabs in one go and they should be well and truly dead and buried.

public snog! 

Dinner at The Protea in Chingola 

Cyril? At a curry night at the Shalux? Are you mad? 

Justin has a chat with the gorgeous "Mphamvu"