My first course!!

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...it was SUCH FUN!! :D:D:D and we're in Grabouw, but there's no option for Grabouw above, nearest is Cape Town.

So after last time (25th) I helped folk kayak - helped Chloe get her roll, and tried to figure out what was wrong with Nadia's. Me and Iona went for a nice run, was kool to run and chat!! Went to the beach, was lovely. Chatted to David and his sister, who had stopped by in Sedgefield, and saw Chris's parents - they were upset, as Lisa, his sister, got mugged 😞 she was ok though!! Chatted to Rebecca, Dave's sis, for ages about her gap year in Uganda - sounds like she was totally remote!!

Sun - woke up late, and hoyed it to George with Chris and Pieter and Chris's mum, got some stuff, and met Pieter's grandparents, they were lovely and bought me a hot chocolate!! Was kool to chat to them, bumped in to Candi and her maw as well. We went to see '17 Again', it was awesome!! Good fun. Hoyed it back to base, and got a letter from Aunty Fiona 😊 gunna reply to that soon. Had a stressful time packing!!

Mon - we left at 5 in the morning to go to Grabouw, it was an alright journey, met Maricelle for the first time, she is an awesome chick. Had ice-cream for breakfast :p helped Lulu sort her pod, and we decided what we were supporting - basically, me and Iona and Natasha were supporting Abs, Rox and Raft Building, alternating each day. Had a hardcore game of football in crocs, where I nearly dislocated my knee!! Chatted to Jeff for the first time, sound guy, we had a fire on the go, it was so nice and warm!!

Tue - course started, didn't run as it was too dark still!! We all headed to Breeches Boy to make sure we could build it - I was the tester and went across (its like a mini flying fox) hehe. Hoyed lunch, then the group arrived - grade 11 private girls school, very motivated and hard working but act like princesses!! I helped Iona with her Rox set-upa, then I was on Abseil support, but the set-up was already done as there's another course running alongside this one, so I just had to check it and take it down - was good fun though, nice to feel responsible for people, even if all I was really doing was encouraging, shouting 'safe' and 'off belay' and helping tie and untie people!! Had a lovely dinner - the food in Grabouw is sooo much better than in Sedgefield!! We even got desert - peaches and custard :D

Wed - I was on water support alllllll day, I was at the dam for 9 hours!! Had time to do some washing in the morning though, was kool. Didn't have much sleep tho - we're sleeping in the info centre, and someone had left the door locked, but open - we had to stick a gas canister behind the door, but it was still blowing open sometimes!! Sucked. Its not too bad though, being back on matresses on the floor. Could be worse, could be in a tent!! :p so I wandered down at half 8 and supported Jeff's group, they built their raft then went in the water - doing float tests was freezing!! We have to go waist-deep in the water and make sure everyone can float, incase they fall off the raft :p then we kayak alongside them. The dam is shallow, but choppy, we nearly capsized at one point!! Would have been bad, as prolly too shallow to roll out :p waited for like an hour for the next group, chilled, read my book and wandered round the dam (nearly sank in the clay-like ground) :p then the other 4 groups came - all good fun, only 2 of them actually rtested out their rafts though. Enjoyed working with Henk's group, he pretty much let me co-iinstruct, was awesome to give the group my ideas and give them stuff to think about. Was sooo hungry when I got back!! Chatted to the teachers as well, they're pretty kool, one English and one Accounts&various other subjects - lots to talk about. Spoke to my Roy :D makes me so happy chatting to him.

And today in Thuuuuuursday - had to get up before 6 as I was supporting Rox at half 6!! Me and James hoyed it down in Archie's buckie, he dropped us off thankfully, and did the set-up in the dark :p the whole group just stood and watched me abseil down and do the set-up!! I like the rox site in Grabouw, you have to dangle there and put on the cordilette (sp?!) great fun. It was raining though, I think I need to buy a good rain jacket, realised that mine isn't actually waterproof in heavy rain :p I actually did the climb at the end while it was wet, its so much harder in the rain!! James tried as well, then we hoyed the set-up down and went back to base, started cleaning ropes and the kayaks then had lunch with everyone, was kool. Had de-brief, no complaints on our part, then did safety checks on the rox and abs gear (which is ongoing...) :p and Archie kindly took us in to town - Iona and Natasha have to sort out visa stuff, and me and James tagged along :p going to Potch tomorrow, not sure how, it keeps changing, at the moment its my bus, 17 hours, should be intreresting!! :S

I've really enjoyed actually working, training school was getting incredibly frustrating. Working with groups and actually having input is amazing. Hopefully speak to you guys again soon, lovelovelove xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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