Advertisement
Published: February 3rd 2016
Edit Blog Post
Interesting to see that a few sharks, a little white ball and some amazing wine can change the destiny of a family!!!
Do you blog from your home town? This is a question that is coming back pretty often on Travelblog. I have been coming back at least twice a year to Shelly Beach....this place will be my home from 2018...but not yet. And for once, I'm not doing the first move, Tiffany is doing it!
The young lady is now 13 years old, and in 4 years time, she will be entering University...times fly! Few months ago....while speaking with Leslie about boarding school, Tiffany said...this sounds cool! And today, it's Tiffany big move. She is entering a cool boarding school, an hour drive North-West of Durban, short of 2 hours drive from where I plan to move in mid-2018...for more than few years!
We have spent nearly a month in South Africa last July and Tiffany loved it. In many aspects, the place remind us a lot of the lifestyle we had back in Argentina while living there for a year in 2012. Don't tell me wrong, I love living in Asia...but there are few
things that really make us happy here.
We spent 4 days in Shelly beach before going to school. So this time, it's a one way ticket from Bangkok to Joburg, and I drive all the way down. From now one, I will buy all our flights from South Africa...way cheaper!
We spent three days diving on Protea Banks. If we are doing multiple days diving, I still keep it to one a day. After all, Tiff is for now the youngest regular diver ever here. First day was pretty boring...one ray, two bull sharks, amazing visibility...but not much else. Next two days were epic! Sharks and sharks. We had up to 7 bull sharks on us....at a single time. And yes, I have to admit, I'm not the only one enjoying this. Few hammerheads also...but these guys are shy, so no good pictures on this long week-end. No self-catering this time, but a stay at our little B&B of Tropical beach. Play golf twice, once at Margate, the next at gorgeous Umdoni.
Went down to South Africa with few kilos....but had also to buy a full list of items to settle
Tiffany properly in her new room. Fun to think I did the same thing when I was 12....of my own initiative too! No lobster season...well, a least not in our plates, but great time for nice food and nice wine also. I have to admit, I just need to wait for Leslie to graduate from his International Baccalaureate, and we are moving to the land of diving, golfing, great wine and amazing products to cook with!
Over the coming months...and years, I will keep blogging about Shelly Beach. First goal, will be to bring few of you to dive with my friend Kym at Aquaplanet...and just for this, it worths it! Second, we love the sharks..the dolphins, the whales....so why stop posting pics of them.
Tiffany has a no communication rule for two weeks with the outside world. I'm writing this entry on a Wednesday...awaiting to pick up her at school this Saturday morning...to go back to do some diving...and some more shopping for the few things we forgot to buy. So this entry will be in two parts....before the start of the school...and second part...how is it after two weeks.
We spent our last evening together having dinner at Oyster Box in Durban. Same place where Tiffany had her birthday back in July, the day we visited school for the first time. The staff remembered her...this time no stress, she was more than ready for the adventure. We arrived at school at 10am. Had to do the fitting for the uniforms...tagged her name everywhere...do some more paperworks....lunch at school with the staff and all the new students....set up Tiffany room....and sooner than I thought, she told me, Papa it's time to go, I have new friends to do!
Can't wait for my little chatterbox on Saturday morning...and some more diving ahead!
---------------------------------
Just short of two weeks, and I'm back to Durban at 7pm. Tomorrow morning, I'm driving at 7am to go to pick up Tiffany a Saturday morning, for a wonderful daughter-father week-end. You can't imagine the smile I had from the little girl when I arrived. Not that she ever missed me, she was busy, she was happy...she is already pretty well settled in her new environment...and I need her to translate me few words while we drive to
Shelly Beach. South Africa it is! My little lady is settling very well in South Africa, and I'm just happy we seem to have made a very good choice for Tiffany education.
The years to come will be a challenge. Tiffany is turning 14 in July, but most of her classmates will turn 15, or even 16 years old this year...yes, that's Leslie age...and yes, Tiff is a smart young lady! She is making friends, she likes the food...and is running full speed already in math and science. Being the youngest and smallest in her year group, she will probably never make it to any school sport teams...who cares....she is the youngest one to dive Protea Bank, ever!
Sadly for us, the wind is out there this week end. Gorgeous sun...but winds mean huge waves, and we couldn't launch the boat either on Saturday or Sunday. So Tiffany went back to the longest zip-line in Africa, I spent some time with her on the golf course too. We ate great food, did some shopping to complete everything that was missing for her to be comfortable at school. Even went to cinema in the evening...a
first for me!
Sunday night dinner at Oyster Box...woke up at 5.20am on Monday to drive to school. I left Tiff at 7am...and will not see her for the next 6 weeks....but I'm sure she'll have a great time, and internet is now on at school! On my side, I started my Monday by playing the gorgeous course of Kloof in the hills...went to buy some great wine, and one more round of golf at Zimbali, this time with a buggy...Zimbali is a top 10 course in South Africa....a true challenge, and for once, didn't hit the little ball that bad! Imagine, a round of golf at Kloof carrying my own bag, plus a round at Zimabli with buggy, that's a whopping 33usd...for the day! Why am I not moving in tomorrow??
So this is it...first big step to South Africa done...who thought that would be the path...just over 5 years ago, when I visited Shelly Beach for the first time! And Leslie just got some serious exams....ended with four As and 3 Bs....seems I don't have to worry too much!
Next entry, coming soon!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.062s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 14; qc: 26; dbt: 0.037s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Congratulations, proud papa!
Tiffany seems to be really happy at her new school. That's great you are able to see her so often.