Back in Sandland

So here we are, back in Chrome Crescent, after a two week trip home in SA. I took a week off after our return journey to get Mieke settled into her routine, get the fridge stocked up, and just generally settling in and recovering from the long journey. We had left our house in Pretoria at 6am on Friday the 2nd of March, and walked in the door at Seder Village at 5am on saturday the 3rd. We sleapt for a few hours and Rean went right to work that same day. It's not the sort of adventure I'd like to repeat often!

During our time in South Africa we spent a week at Marakele Nature Reserve. I got various family members and poor Rudi roped into counting grass in the vlei for my research project. I'm quite sure they're also glad that adventure isn't a regular, it was hot and the terrain is really rough in patches, not to mention the lioness and cub that we saw at the top of the vlei on the second day! That sure did add some spice to fieldwork!

Lioness at Marakele

Apart from the hard work it was great to spend some time with our family in such a beautiful place. Mieke discovered the joy of swimming while we were there. If not in the pool then in any recepticle that could hold water. She's a real little water baby!

Mieke in a tub

Abug in the road

Landy Girl!

We also had some big birthdays while we were in SA. We started with my granny's 90th birthday. Family from all over the country gathered for that and it was a truly special time. I'm so glad we were able to include it in our trip. Then we had Mieke's first birthday. Ouma Susan arranged for a butterfly cake and picnic things at the Botanical Gardens and we had a party with all our firiends. It was just what I had wished for her. I look forward to showing her the photos one day! Of course I think she was the prettiest one year old there ever was!

All the Oumas

While we were away, a huge sandstorm hit Rijadh. Everyone has stories of where they where or what they were doing when it came over the compound. It sounds amazing and I thought it must have been quite spectacular until I saw this videoclip. Spectacular is just not the right word for it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WuVBFyxIEU&feature=related. It makes me think that the arabic dress code that we love to hate, veils and all, have their origin, maybe not in the religious context, but in a desert context, where dust certainly is an entity to contend with!

In about two weeks time we have to get our passports stamped again since our work permits aren't yet finalised. Michelle called it 'forced tourism' and I think it's quite an apt term! We definitely would never have packed Mieke for weekend trips to Oman and Dubai if we didn't have to, and although I don't look forward to the night flights, and the hassles with getting back into a sensible routine after such a trip, it definitely forces us to see this part of the world. We thought of ging to Oman again, but this time to Salala, and maybe drive along the frankinsense route and see some more old forts, or even go to Turkey, oh that's always been on my wish list! Two of our colleagues got their work permits, or Iquamas, after a mere six months wait. We have been promised that ours are prioritised and that they will be processed soon. Whatever that may mean! It is possibe that our forced tourism may soon come to an end, so we'd better enjoy the trip ahead!