Sunday 12th September
Met up with a few of the GVI volunteers on Friday – the ones that I have become good friends with over the last 5 weeks: Monica (Brit, 20 something, at uni studying oceanography); Jade (South African, 20, talented artist about to go to uni); Sami (South African, [female], 20 something, helicopter pilot, wants to come and work in Seychelles); Andy (Brit, 20 something, going to uni to study marine biology, now boyfriend of Jade; Tristan (South African, the ‘baby’ at just 18, and off to uni to study business [not in photo]). So my affinity with South Africa continues, even more people to visit there now…as if I needed any more reasons to keep going there!
Other than that, been out and about and seen all the local sights: tropical spice gardens (located at the top of a hill that was even more scary to drive up and down than café on beach experience, but wheels stayed firmly on road this time); craft village, creole house etc, and generally got quite proficient at negotiating the roads here, driving mostly using first and second gears only with foot permanently either riding the clutch or on the brakes (glad I don’t own this car!) apart from the one short stretch of dual carriageway on the whole island near Victoria where I strayed into fourth.
Started taking my malaria tablets yesterday which have rather upset my stomach, but I am assuming they can’t possibly do that for the whole year I have to take them? Have (sadly) enjoyed re-packing all my clean and freshly ironed clothes and forgotten just how heavy my rucksack and dive bag are to lug around (mind you, not as heavy as scuba tank on back and dragging spare tank 150metres out to boat each day). But am now so excited about getting to Mombasa. This part of my ‘year’ is the one that I have dreamt of doing for the last 20 years and I really can’t wait to be on African soil and get to know the kids at the orphanage and school.
Managed to speak to Jono on Friday as he goes off to Sandhurst today and will be out of reach for the first gruelling five weeks of his year. He’s had to buy so much kit it’s unreal…when I say kit, brogues (brown and black); shirts, ties, chinos, (no jeans allowed), blazer, ironing board, and ha, ha…speedo swimming trunks (bet we never get to see a photo of him in those!). Thankfully he’s been staying at his Dad’s this summer (as Mum went AWOL) who’s footed a bill that ran into 4 figures! Megs had her first day at junior school on Wednesday, and I have some gorgeous photos of her looking so proud and excited – apparently she woke up at 6am on her first day wanting to put her uniform on….oh bless!
Meant to put this on earlier, but thanks for the comments that are coming through on the blog – the only trouble is that unless I know you and already have your email address I cannot reply to you directly as they come through to me as anonymous, so if anyone wants to directly email me, my email address is nicky_williams1@yahoo.co.uk (that’s an underscore between nicky and williams)
Got to go …..off to catch my plane xx
Met up with a few of the GVI volunteers on Friday – the ones that I have become good friends with over the last 5 weeks: Monica (Brit, 20 something, at uni studying oceanography); Jade (South African, 20, talented artist about to go to uni); Sami (South African, [female], 20 something, helicopter pilot, wants to come and work in Seychelles); Andy (Brit, 20 something, going to uni to study marine biology, now boyfriend of Jade; Tristan (South African, the ‘baby’ at just 18, and off to uni to study business [not in photo]). So my affinity with South Africa continues, even more people to visit there now…as if I needed any more reasons to keep going there!
Other than that, been out and about and seen all the local sights: tropical spice gardens (located at the top of a hill that was even more scary to drive up and down than café on beach experience, but wheels stayed firmly on road this time); craft village, creole house etc, and generally got quite proficient at negotiating the roads here, driving mostly using first and second gears only with foot permanently either riding the clutch or on the brakes (glad I don’t own this car!) apart from the one short stretch of dual carriageway on the whole island near Victoria where I strayed into fourth.
Started taking my malaria tablets yesterday which have rather upset my stomach, but I am assuming they can’t possibly do that for the whole year I have to take them? Have (sadly) enjoyed re-packing all my clean and freshly ironed clothes and forgotten just how heavy my rucksack and dive bag are to lug around (mind you, not as heavy as scuba tank on back and dragging spare tank 150metres out to boat each day). But am now so excited about getting to Mombasa. This part of my ‘year’ is the one that I have dreamt of doing for the last 20 years and I really can’t wait to be on African soil and get to know the kids at the orphanage and school.
Managed to speak to Jono on Friday as he goes off to Sandhurst today and will be out of reach for the first gruelling five weeks of his year. He’s had to buy so much kit it’s unreal…when I say kit, brogues (brown and black); shirts, ties, chinos, (no jeans allowed), blazer, ironing board, and ha, ha…speedo swimming trunks (bet we never get to see a photo of him in those!). Thankfully he’s been staying at his Dad’s this summer (as Mum went AWOL) who’s footed a bill that ran into 4 figures! Megs had her first day at junior school on Wednesday, and I have some gorgeous photos of her looking so proud and excited – apparently she woke up at 6am on her first day wanting to put her uniform on….oh bless!
Meant to put this on earlier, but thanks for the comments that are coming through on the blog – the only trouble is that unless I know you and already have your email address I cannot reply to you directly as they come through to me as anonymous, so if anyone wants to directly email me, my email address is nicky_williams1@yahoo.co.uk (that’s an underscore between nicky and williams)
Got to go …..off to catch my plane xx
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