OUR SONS ARRIVE!!!

Happy Mum and  Dad!

Doctor Liam
Whilst waiting for the brothers to arrive,
we did THE RED BUS TOUR of Johannesburg,
rode to the top of the towers in SOWETO and visited
MANDELA'S HOME.

Aron the Medical Student
With Liam and Aron, we visited
THE CRADLE OF HUMANKIND where
the oldest human remains have been found! 

CRADLE OF HUMANKIND

Ryan the Mining Engineer and Court Jester

And so The O'Regans set off on their AFRICAN ADVENTURE!

LEARNING PORTUGUESE

One of my favourite activities was learning Portuguese with "Professor Arcenio" each week for two hours. We laughed a lot and I would be corrected for saying "how do you say?" or "so..." For 10 months, I persevered learning the language. I was determined to converse and understand the news on tv and the radio! I was so excited to be moving onto BOOK 2!!! Paulo often helped me as he drove me somewhere.

BUT... I had to leave without saying goodbye! Everyone at Escola Brumag were professional, friendly, diligent and encouraging, but there was no on who could top my teacher! I had so much fun with him. He even joined me on some cultural outings to explain the history and culture, and to help me converse with the locals. We sometimes had lunch after class to continue practising.

I still have some lessons to do because I want that second book! I hope that we can continue learning by internet. That or that he must come to Joburg and teach me.

I miss our lessons, our laughs, my faux pas  and your corrections, Arcenio! Thank you for everything! For teaching me AND for being my friend!

EVACUATION!!!!

Due to an increase in violence and kidnappings (involving AK47s) prior to the Mozambican elections, the company that Mr. O works for decided to evacuate all women and children. Many returned to their home countries. Many, sadly not being able to say goodbye to friends, employees and loved ones.

Thankfully, we were relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, as Mr. O could work from there and we were expecting the arrival of our three adult sons for a month long holiday! I did not get to say goodbye to my friends and their children or the children I taught as it was a very quick decision.

Things could be worse. At least we are in Johannesburg, known by the locals as "Jozi" where good food, good wine, good golf and good times are abundant!

Tutoring English and Making New Friends

During my time in Maputo, I was fortunate to tutor some gorgeous children, teaching them English. For many of these children, it was often their second, third or fourth language! Some of the children I taught only spoke Portuguese. I loved every minute  of it!

Unfortunately, I had to leave without saying goodbye. I hope I have made a difference to the children's learning and communication skills. They certainly left a memory in my heart!

We also, had to leave our driver, Paulo; embregada, Maria; and our dear friend, Sonia, and many friends, not all of whom are pictured here. We have internet and skype to maintain our friendships, but if we perchance do not meet again, we are lucky to have spent time together and create memories.

The children from PROJECT LIBERTY ORPHANAGE.

PROJECT LIBERTY 

Jane, Tour Guide extraordinaire!

Brigitte from the French School

Bernacio, our yoga guru and dear friend...

with Cristano, her boyfriend. xx

Farewell dear friends pictured and not pictured.
Until we meet again. Thank you for coming into our lives!

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.  When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.  They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  They may seem like a godsend, and they are.  They are there for the reason you need them to be.  Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.  Sometimes they die.  Sometimes they walk away.  Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.  What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled;  their work is done.  The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on. When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.  They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.  They may teach you something you have never done.  They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.  Believe it!  It is real!  But, only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.  Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway);  and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.  It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Borrowed from .... http://www.naute.com/love/reason.phtml

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.  When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.  They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  They may seem like a godsend, and they are.  They are there for the reason you need them to be.  Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.  Sometimes they die.  Sometimes they walk away.  Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.  What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled;  their work is done.  The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.  They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.  They may teach you something you have never done.  They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.  Believe it!  It is real!  But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.  Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway);  and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.  It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Borrowed from .... http://www.naute.com/love/reason.phtml

10 DAYS IN KRUGER PARK

In early Octobter 2013, we spent 10 days travelling through Kruger Park, with Mr. O's brother and his wife. We had a wonderful time together and were blessed to see so many animals. We even experienced "Walking with Rhinos"! We did not see the elusive male lion or leopards, but we were mesmerised with the wildlife that we did encounter and the experiences that we shared. We drove in from Malelane and drove north through Lower Sabie, Skukuza, Olifants, Mopani and Shinwingzig. What an experience!

I find it hard to cull the photos. Flick through and enjoy the safari with me!

Map of Kruger Park

We did a two walking safari in Kruger. We were literally within metres
of these two. Downwind, thankfully! What a heart racing buzz!

AARRRGGGHHHH! They are soooo close!!!

Up close and personal with a herd of water buffalo!!

5:30am departure on our "Walking with Rhinos" safari.

Tracking the "spoor" (footprints and poo droppings) with our ranger, Bernard.
Bernard was showing us the  lion spoor, amongst others, around the waterhole.

Look where we got to sleep! In a treehouse!
Up high so that we were safe from lions, leopards, elephants, hyenas and
nocturnal animals!

And this was my bed!

South Africans love barbecues, just like Australians.
They call it a "braai" (br-eye). They love meat, too! Lots of it!
We love it, too!

A baby hippo on a rock beside it's mother in the water.
Hippos are very interesting. They spend the day from sunrise to sunset in the water.
When the sun goes down, they come out in search of food.
They graze all night long on grasses, only to return to the water in the morning as the sun rises.
They are territorial and are known to kill people who get in the way of their path or territory !

Baboons are everywhere in Kruger! I am not a fan of them,
with their sharp test and red bums, but they are very sociable and can be funny to watch!

This is the "Greater Hornbill". They are endangered birds.
This was a rare sighting! This one was alone and just scratching around for food.
They are quite big, being about a metre tall! 

This lioness was taking a "kill" back to her pride.

Turtle Island! Or maybe it is s a turtle meeting.

I love the elephants!
This is a mummy with her baby (calf).

Can you spot the cheetah under the bush?

A glorious African sunset over a "rondaval". (thatched hut)

Visiting a Elephant Museum in Kruger Park.

Those tusks are so big! It is a crime that poachers kill elephants for their tusks!!!

Uh oh! Roadblock!

One of my favourite moments! Near Mopani, we witnessed 20 male elephants coming from all directions to
a waterhole, which was actually a big reservoir. We watched, transfixed for almost half an hour as they
came in, greeted each other, drank and drank and drank, and then sprayed themselves all over!!!
GLORIOUS!

Elephants are very social creatures. They are known to communicate through sending messages via
"foot-stampings", tummy rumblings and trumpettings. Fascinating to watch and read about!

Leaving the park at dawn, we saw a mother hyena with two cubs. The male hyena behind her,
wanted some love and attention!She chased him away, as her priority was her cubs. 

Later we went to the  Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
to see leopards. Leopards are the fastest animal on earth.
They hunt in pairs or threes called a "coalition".

This is a "King Leopard". He has an extra chromosome and that is why he is different.
This one is cared for in captivity. If born in the wild, he would be prey to others
as he stands out and is smaller and not as strong as his brothers.

 Leopard release

This is a Western Cape Wild Dog. They are endangered animals.

Wild Dogs of Africa

Some children in a village, dancing for donations!
They were cute, but needed more practise!

Me and my newest best friends, some Nbelele women renown for their beading .

Postscript  12/12/13- I did not get to finish this at the time of writing as we were evacuated on a precautionary measure from Mozambique. I will tell you more in the next post.