New Year, old Holiday thoughts..

Hello Friends,
I am so sorry to have kept you all so long awaiting news from this end.  Thank you for the various e mails asking that all was well.    It has been  it just seems that 2012 has already started to rush along at breakneck speed.  Perhaps also I should blame FB.  I just knew I should never have become involved with it....( I soon may not as there are things going on that I do not like...we will see)  Then I began to think about what I could actually write and tell you that might be new and fresh for a fresh new year and my old brain was blank..I could say my excuse is down to being another year older !!  Mary and I have had quite a few meals out with various friends celebrating said birthday...nothing new about that... I have been visiting my sister MMargaret who unfortunetly is still very very poorly...nothing new about that...then tonight I have been tryng to clear out some documents etc. and started to read some of the diaries I have kept from our various holidays and thought....well that might be "new news" to some of my friends so that is what I am going to do so you can stop right here if you like....you now know that I am alive and kicking...or you can read on about the first day of a holiday in South Africa...

After landing in South Africa there followed a 3 hour coach drive up to Bushlands Lodge Game Reserve, where the first 5 nights of our holiday was spent. We were a great group only 8 of us and we all got on so well. We were all very like-minded and so that was a bonus. Bushlands Lodge was WONDERFUL It is centrally situated in Zululand and surrounded by over 300,000 acres of national park that is rich in wildlife. It had it's own viewing hide close to a waterhole where we could go at any time The comfortable wooden lodges are set on stilts and connected by elevated walkways above a sand forest .This was the only thing that had worried me about the holiday as I hadn't a clue as to how the wheelchair could be got "up there" !!  Never fear Saga here..the walkway leading to our room instead of being up steps was actually ramped the first little bit was on the steep side but only for a yard or so and I hopped out of the chair and then jumped in again and drove it up the rest of the way. I can't adequately describe Bushlands it was in such a wonderful spot. We were surrounded by bush..lots of monkeys, deer, other animals to many to mention. We had only a short walk/trundle to the restaurant and the bar.  The Chef prepared succulent meals every day, the bar GREAT...prices fantastic a martini and lemonade for £1  !!   The bar was further enhanced when the fire was lit beneath the starry sky and drinks were served by the boma (bonfire)


On the way up from Durban Charmaine our young guide (who was lovely nothing was ever any trouble to her) had said she had good news and bad news for us...we asked for the good news first  she said our first Safari had been organised for next day...GREAT WE ALL SAID...bad news...we had to start at 5.30AM !!!!  we all groaned and she said..... well...we could make it 5.45am !!  we voted for the 5.45am start !!  We slept like logs that first night but all were up and ready for our early safari. We met our guide a great guy called Anton. He insisted that Mary got in the front up by him ( it was easier for her to get in the jeep that way) I was right behind, higher up and all the others were behind me, we all had a side seat..no windows..it took aprox. 35mins. to arrive at the Hluhuwe National Park....there the fun started. Anton had told us that sometimes nothing is seen other times a few animals all depended so we were not to be too disappointed if we didn't see much.   We were in the park about 5mins and turned a corner and we were confronted by a whole herd of GIRAFFE  (Mary's fav.) and ZEBRA (my fav.) words cannot describe the feelings at being so near to these magnificent creatures it was AWESOME as you can imagine the camera was hard at work..oh I do hope I can share some of them with you...after a wee while we went on and passed many many animals deer of all sorts/ I am afraid I will never remember which was which !! buffalo's Eland, Duiker, Impala, kudu and Nyala then around another corner...and...What should be right in front of us.... a HUGE bull elephant.  He got quite a surprise....as we did...started taking photo's at once the suddenly this big beast started to swing his trunk wave his ears and paw the ground...our driver Anton very quickly got into reverse and we reversed back round the corner by which time the elephant had started to walk rather quickly towards us !!! he rounded the corner..Anton reversed again...the Whew...old Nellie, or maybe as it was a male he should be called old Bill !!! decided we were not a threat and he shook his trunk at us, turned into the bush grabbing a branch on his way and disappeared into the bush...how an animal that size can disappear so quickly is a mystery.  but disappear he did.    Shortly afterwards Anton stopped and served us all tea/coffee and biscuits  before we eventually after about 3 hours  returned back to the lodge for breakfast.  What a start to the holiday... The food at the lodge was wonderful, well cooked, plain and plentiful. At breakfast we could help ourselves to all kinds of juices, cereals, yogurt (best we have ever tasted!) the waiters produced whatever cooked food we might want. Even cheese sausages !! yes cheese sausages we just had to try them they were ok. but a bit on the salty side as indeed was the ordinary sausages, eggs of any description, bacon etc. etc.  plenty tea/coffee.    It was a very lazy breakfast no hurry so it was almost lunch time by the time we were finished !!  the afternoon was spent unpacking and getting our breath back. Mary and I had a wander along the walkways to get the lay of the land, and arrived at the viewing hide. As it was mid afternoon there wasn't much to be seen. It is best there early morning or evening.   We had all arranged to meet up in the bar at 6.45.  Again it was easy for us to get there it was just behind the restaurant really and to get there we crossed an open area where the Boma (bonfire) was lit under the starry skies, it had the most wonderful atmosphere...and smoke !! (by the end of our 5 days visiting the bar! we were almost pickled !! by SMOKE !!!!)  The drinks were great and so cheap it was almost ridicules only a £1 for Martini and Lemonade...in fact all the drinks I think were £1 and the glasses of wine were huge..No fiddling about with measures in that bar.  When our dinner was ready we all trooped round and first three of nights sat outside (4th 5th nights the Germans arrived and grabbed OUR table !!!)  Dinner was again delicious at least 4/ 5 starters, Then as many different kinds of salads as you could imagine. Also every night there was a roast, beef, pork, ham, chicken, with all the hot vegetables.  We never managed to get to the puds. but the others did and said they were great again a huge variety.  So we certainly never went hungry.    After dinner some of our party went back to the bar and watched the TV there as the rugby matches were on. We usually didn't. As we were actually quite tired by that time. So strolled back to our cabin surrounded by all the sounds of the bush. During the night we could hear squabbling monkeys sometimes !! And the sound of the bullfrogs went on and on. Thankfully I am a bit deaf so didn't bother me...occasionally Mary threatened to do them an mischief .....
So there you are something different to read as a start to my new year....
Again thank you for your letters, e cards phone calls, etc.  You are all the bestest friends one could ask for and I thank God for you all each and every night.
Remember to thank God for your friends as well and to tell them that YOU LOVE THEM