English blog entry - I know!!!

Oh dear...it’s been a while, I guess...

Well, my name is Nick, in case you’d forgotten – and my girl Silvia and I are currently exploring, I’d say even conquering South Africa, the most beautiful country down South (...if you are up North).

What happened since my last entry? One hell of a lot! (If my mother wasn’t reading this I would have added some strong language here, so please do so yourselves where appropriate...).

Last time you heard from me was before Christmas, right? Jeeez, I just checked – whilst we were in Swakopmund! I apologize profusely.

Allow me to recap, but I will do that in several entries, in order to keep you keen reader awake 

From Swakopmund we flew with our favourite airline Scenic Air to Sossusvlei, famous for its desert dunes, apparently some of biggest worldwide.

Our camp Sossusvlei Desert Lodge was just magnificent! Placed totally remote in the middle of bloody nowhere (sorry, Mum!), imbedded into the mountains, overlooking the vast prairie, reaching as far as to the dunes. So very remote, so very stunning!
The lodge consists of 8 large, strangely modern, in its surrounding almost alien-looking bungalows, offering of course all the luxury and pampering one can possibly dream of! Further to those there is a central building, open to the elements, very scarcely furnished and with beautifully modern, though still truly African interior. Lastly the lodge also offers a huge, terrifyingly sophisticated telescope – the sky is so big in Namibia that stargazing is compulsory there, apparently.

Our next three days were superhot and action-packed, filled with game viewing (never seen so many Oryx – what magnificent animals!), dune walking, quadbiking, stargazing, feasting on delicious Namibian cuisine, sunbathing at the pool, and being thoroughly spoilt by the excellent &beyond-service!

Hiking up Big Daddy, the biggest dune in the Southern Hemisphere, was just unforgettable! Nature can be so breathtakingly beautiful. That is certainly something one should do before he or she moves on to a better life – my humble advice.

The highlight for me and the 8year old in me however was the quad biking. SO much fun!!! Silvia was just shaking her head, when I risked my life over and over again, getting increasingly more courageous by the minute by racing up and down the dunes, often on 2 wheels!!! SO so much fun, again in this very unique environment!

Very quickly our days in Namibia flew by, and we once more with Scenic Air – this time to Windhoek. From there we caught another flight back to Joburg , where we picked up our maroon rental Audi, and drove off to Neil and Caroline’s new estate in Randpark Ridge.

No more flying for 3 weeks!!! Yeah!

Quick introduction: Neil “Stiffy” Syrett and I met at Krugersdorp High School during my Youth Exchange year back in 1995, and became close friends. Unfortunately we lost touch after school, busying ourselves with education, relationships, careers and all the other mischief one goes through on ones’ journey to adulthood. We got in back in contact about 4 years ago, resulting in a wonderful holiday to Zansibar / Tansania, together with his wife Caroline and her family. It was there Neil and Caroline introduced me to diving, and somehow those two made me fall in love with it! So it basically is their fault that Silvia and I went to Mauritius 

Since our last visit to SA two years ago, and a highly successful and enjoyable skiing trip together to Austria last winter the Syretts have been blessed with some wonderful changes in their live, having moved to a wonderful new house, having been joined by a Rottweiler puppy named Milla, and finally having fallen pregnant with baby X, due at the end of May. I am so very excited for them!

The Syretts had invited us to celebrate Christmas with them at their house, followed by a week in the Drakensberg mountains in Natal. There we would be joined again by Cal’s family, minus brother Bruce who is currently jollying in Oz.

But firstly we stormed into Clearwater mall, a huge shopping centre nearby, to compensate ourselves for having worn the same, numbered pieces of clothing for 9 weeks – with some well-deserved retail therapy!

Christmas Eve was wonderfully relaxed, exactly how I hoped it would be! Neil and Cal are so amazingly hospitable and generous, and made us feel welcome and at home. We had a lovely braai in shorts and t-shirts, whilst our families back home in contrast were having their very traditional, formal Christmas dinners in cold and wintery Germany. I somehow do prefer the relaxed and informal South African way...

On Christmas day we got up early, were joined by Cal’s mom Nicky for breakfast, and went to church (Mother Esser so proud!), to baptize Neil’s new-born nephew Joshua. Well done, Allison and Ian – what a beautiful baby boy! After post-christening brunch at the Sigerson’s house we went home to prepare ourselves for the big Christmas braai! How’s that!

For the Christmas braai we were joined by Nicky, Cal’s sister Katy and her boyfriend Warren, who completed this round. A very nice evening, filled with amazing food, beer, presents and lots of laughter. Silvia and I received a wonderfully wild African cook book and some stylish salad spoons, thanks guys!

On the 26th we went to the gym, back to the mall – and had another braai, I love this country!!! This time we were joined by Mark Turner, another friend back from High School, with his lovely wife Sandy and adorable daughter, toddler Jamie-Lee! Well done on the recent first steps, J-L!!!

But centre of attention was and is that crazy Rottweiler Milla that keeps everyone entertained and busy! What a handful! 32kgs at 8months, insatiable thirst for play and attention - but as harmless and cuddly as a kitten! After spending a few minutes with that huge bundle of joy one is to dump prejudices against Rottweilers – at least that one is the very best! I miss her thoroughly.

Early start the next morning, on to the Drakensberg! Again a region I had not been to in 14 years! Very exciting! Beautiful drive from Joburg to Natal, curving higher and higher into the breathtaking mountains.

Our wooden mountain chalet was in Underberg, a nice little town beneath the Southern Drakensberg Mountains, situated on a big, green plot, complete with lovely splash pool, guinea pigs, trampoline and amazing view! Silvia and I were given the nicest room, with ensuite and mountain view, for which we were very grateful. The chalet was very cozy, with open plan kitchen, dining and lounge, with open fireplace, big sofas, TV etc – just perfect!

Katy and Warren taught us Canasta, which is a beautiful game I hope to play more often in the future! We also played 6 nimmt, a game Neil and Cal imported into SA from our skiing trip, and which apparently has caused quite a stir amongst their circle of friends! Me likes! And lastly some good ol’ Arschloch / Asshole...lovely and memorable moments with my amazing friends.

Cape Town

Knysna