2nd Island before the desert Our time in Phuket was at an end apart from a one night sleep over before we were flying to Dubai. We had spent four days with our eldest son, had a great time seeing him and a bit of Phuket and were now going to spend four days on our own on Phi Phi. The previous time we came to Phuket we only spent a couple of hours on Phi Phi and wanted to spend a bit more time on it and were hoping to dive and snorkel. At Phuket we couldn’t snorkel because the sea was too rough and dirty. Another difference from the last time we were in Phuket, because we spent hours snorkelling around the rocks at the ends of the beaches because the sea was so ... read more

Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach. Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land.” ― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass Just in case my travelblog followers have thought I have disappeared in preparation for a trip to the outer galaxy with a one way ticket to Mars, sorry to disappoint you, I am still on the Blue Planet. Ok, I could start a few crops in a hothouse to help establish the settlement while singing Space Oddity by David Bowie, but I think the lyrics of this well known song will eventually drive me scatty as much as I enjoy listening ... read more

It’s mid December. By then if you haven't left already, you were about to leave for an annual pilgrimage either to the coast or the bush and for some even an international destination. Either way, Johannesburg is less busy as vehicles are packed, swimming attire, bush clobber or fancy feathers. So where are we going? Nowhere actually. This year is completely different to our normal December holidays. Our eldest son, Jacques is visiting us from Australia, so we are spending Christmas at home. Philip, our youngest son will then also be able to spend Christmas with us as he usually house sits for us when we go away. Mom is still with us, recuperating from her back operation of three months ago. This will be her first Christmas at one of her children's homes, although she ... read more

Mom's 80th birthday bash.....it was a bit touch and go, not sure if we were going to fulfil her birthday wishes, as mom had to undergo a spinal fusion with a bone graft, plates and screws just 8 weeks before her birthday due to two fractured vertebrae. A couple of days in ICU because of cardiac arrest and vital signs going for a loop, we were all in a spin, because we were very concerned about her. In the background we were still planning her birthday, but we thought it would never materialise and at the most we would all have to fly down to Cape Town and have a subdued celebration either at her home or next to a hospital bed. We didn’t even want to think of anything worse than that. Mom's birthday wish: ... read more

'Southern Africa, Land of Beauty and Splendour'by Thomas Victor Bulpin, a Readers Digested edition. Many years ago I bought this book with it's dramatic pictures of storms approaching and breathtaking scenic photography. It ignited the fire in me to see more of South Africa, one of the catalysts that drew me towards the Drakensberg in the late 1970's for a holiday. South Africa was a land of contrasts then and is even more so today. Paul's mom visited us from Cape Town for a few weeks in June this year and we decided to take her on a short trip to one of our favourite places for a weekend, because we knew she would enjoy it there. At the age of 79, we love to give her the opportunity to go away with us while she ... read more