Safe and Sound

Thanda Game Reserve Day 1-Monday (pronounced like Tanda)

Well after a long and tiring 24 hours + of travelling, I arrived safe and sound in Durban late Sunday morning. Unfortunately I didn’t sleep much on the plane so I was pretty darn tired.

I had a wonderful whirl wind tour and time spent in London. It is so full and rich with history. There is so much to learn and see and do there although the loads of people and the busyness is not quite for me. I took lots of photos from the hop-on-hop-off tour bus as I was told some interesting facts. Although I already forget what some of those are. I did hop off the bus to check out Buckingham palace which was great. The queen did not come and waive at me but I didn’t take it personally as I understand she is away for a short while. Some heads up would have been appreciated though.

Me in front of Buckingham Palace

Big Ben

Yesterday was a hot hot day which I was not dressed for so it was a sweaty sweaty day for me. The people from my project all arrived one at a time as we waited at a patio café at the airport in Durban. So we got time to get acquainted as each person came along. There is a wide range of age and experience so it will be interesting getting to know everyone.

It was a 3 hour sweaty drive to the game reserve (which for me, included a lot of head bobbing. I tried to stay awake to take it all in, but my body had other plans from the lack of sleep). The drive was interesting. I saw a lady doing her laundry in a creek alongside the road. I saw a lady carrying something on her head as she walked down the highway. Of course being a farm kid, I had loads of questions about the land, the farming, the cattle breeds, etc.. I am hoping to get some of those questions answered over time.

I had envisioned the game reserve to be in a very remote locations at the end of the pavement, at the end of a gravel road, at the end of a dirt road. However it is only about a 10 minute drive off of the pavement. But the nearest town is 1.5 hours away I believe, so it is isolated enough. It is a lovely little set up here. There is a big common building where the offices, kitchen, eating area and common lounging area are. The main hall is ‘open’ to the outside so there are birds flying around, eating up breakfast crumbs and pooping on the floors. There is a balcony that overlooks the watering hole that I was so excited about. Unfortunately, with the terrible drought, it is simply and dirt whole and not many animals come along. There is also a swimming pool that I was also quite excited about. Unfortunately, with the terrible drought, they used the swimming pool water for showering and have yet to fill the pool back up.

I am rooming with a gal, Robyn form Australia and her accent makes me miss all my Aussie family. So far we are getting along quite well. Out little cabins are nice (not fancy) with our own bathroom, single beds and chairs. Along with our own geckos who poop on everything. So nothing is safe. Even your bedding, pillow, clothes, etc.. Robyn had some poop drop on her as we were first getting acquainted with our room. In some aspects, the accommodations are nice, but there is still an element with roughing it which I believe will be more difficult for some people to be okay with then others.

Our hut

The dark nights and beautiful star filled sky is something most people have never experienced so it is interesting. I was explaining last night that it is common for us to have a fire and to sit out and enjoy the night sky, so I am thankful that I get to enjoy that.

There are a few rules at Thanda:
• Stay on the paths as there are snakes and scorpions that are tough to see in the grass
• Never walk alone at the night, always take a buddy with you
• Always take a flashlight or torch with you while walking at night
• Keep a keen eye for animals in the camp area. Although there is a fence, animals to get in, including impala, warthogs, hyenas, lions, etc..
• If you come across an animal of the scary kind, stand still and make lots of noise so someone can come and find you and help you (hopefully). I doubted impala fit into this category so I wasn’t too worried when I saw some of them on our walk to our cabin last night. However I was reminded to be worried about what eats impalas. That they could be nearby as well.
• Water is in short supply so use it sparingly. The good old saying ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow - if its brown, flush it down’ applies here. As well as 2 minute showers.
• Electricity is also in short supply and there are times when we might be completely without power. So it is also to be used sparingly.

We are having our first photography session this afternoon followed by our first game drive which I can’t wait for. We saw 3 giraffe’s on our drive in that we had to wait patiently for them to move off the road and they are magnificent!! I can’t wait for more close encounters and from what I’ve been told, there will be plenty. Nothing like getting a look into the eyes of a lion or having an elephant run its trunk through your hair.

Eye on Africa

Well, my dream of going to Africa is now one step closer to becoming reality; I’m sharing my goal with my friends and family.

I have always wanted to go to Africa, for as long as I can remember and as the years went on, that desire grew and grew. I knew I needed to experience the life, culture, animals and nature that Africa has to offer and, and to give of myself and to make a difference in someone’s life. I’ve realized now is the time in my life to make this dream a reality before we begin a family, so I have officially started my journey. I am registered for 2 volunteer projects in South Africa and will be spending a total of 6 weeks immersing myself in everything the projects, land and people have to offer, while providing education and care for the people, land and animals in need.

The first 4 weeks will be spent on a photography and conservation project on a game reserve. I will spend 4 weeks doing bush walks photographing the plants, animals (including the Big 5) and insects of the game reserve, helping researchers collect animal identification information, create a photographic database, and help raise awareness in the local Zulu community about the importance of conservation. It was THIS project that made me realize that this is something I HAVE to do. This project speaks to my soul. For anyone that knows me, I am an outdoor girl who loves to get out, get dirty and experience what God has created. I have always had a love for animals, and lately I feel myself being pulled towards photographing nature’s wonders, so this is a perfect fit for me. I love the fact that I won’t just be experiencing Africa from a vehicle on some 4 day safari. I will be submerged in the land and culture and will actually get to feel and understand what this area has to offer, and will help make a difference.

The remaining 2 weeks I will be spending in an Orphan Day Care Center near a town on the coast where I get to interact with and educate children who have been infected with AIDS as well working alongside other exciting community outreach initiatives which include: HIV awareness in the community, farming to encourage positive living, refurbishment of community buildings and helping at an after-school reading club with high school students. I have heard that spending time with these children who are so innocent and have so little yet beam happiness and wonder can really bring a sense of awareness and gratitude to your own life; an experience that could change anyone’s life. Not only do I get to give back to nature, but I will also get to give back to the people; another big motivation for this trip.

So where am I at with this process? I have registered and paid my deposit for the 2 volunteer projects. Now I am working at earning the rest of the funds for my trip. My goal is to make $10,000. This will cover the expenses of my trip and will also allow me extra money to be able to give to the project as a donation and to purchase some additional photography equipment.

This is where you, my friends and family come in. With this goal in mind, I plan to expand my airbrushing business and book as many parties as I can so I can make my financial goal for this trip a reality. I have registered to be leaving in September 2011, therefore I have the next 4 months to make $10,000. So if you are looking for a fun get together with your friends where you get your toes fancied up for summer, I’m your gal. Also, I’d appreciate any referrals you can give me. Do you know someone that might enjoy hosting a ladies night in toe party? I’d love to meet your friends and family and to expand my business. I welcome you to check out my Facebook PAGE "Beauty in Balance Airbrushing' and click LIKE to check out all the fun options to fancy up your feet.

If you’re not interested in a toe party, that’s okay. I am open and willing to earn my goal doing other odd jobs so please consider me when you have some work that needs to be done.

Thanks so much for your time and support. It is greatly appreciated!!

Ngiyabonga

(Thank you in Zulu)

Live An Amazing Life

A friend and fellow (and much more avid) blogger is celebrating the 2 year anniversary of her blog 'Live An Amazing Life'. She is also a motivational speaker and has published a book so her ideas, thoughts and insights are always an uplifting read. So check out her blog and her giveaways and enjoy a read while you are there! Just click on the linked picture below

Therapy with the Judds

I recently watch an Oprah show that had Wynonna and Niomi Judd on it. The Judd's were my absolute favorite singers when I was younger. I love love love them!

Over the years they have spent many hours in therapy as their relationship has always been very strained. They shared a few of their learned communication keys that work with any relationship in your life with Oprah and I really liked what they had to say so figured I’d pass them along.

1. ‘Is this a good time for you’. Whether it’s wanting to have a discussion with someone, or simply phoning a friend to chat, being considerate of their time is important and asking if this is a good time for them shows that.

2. ‘What I hear you saying is’. I like this one as I know all too often I come out of a conversation with my husband, mom, boss or just a friend and I think I’ve understood the outcome. And so have they, yet we each have different ideas of what that outcome is. By repeating back to someone it gives you a chance to confirm that you are both on the same track.

3. ‘Do over’. I think this one is great, especially for moms. If you ever snap or react to someone quickly without thinking and don’t like your response after you’ve thought about it, ask for a do-over. Perhaps it would come with an apology, depending on how bad your reaction was.

4. ‘That doesn’t work for me’. I know we all have a tough time saying no. Either you can’t turn down someone needing you or you don’t want to sound rude. Well this is a better way to respond to someone especially if it’s followed by what does work for you. Example: “Wednesday night does not work for me. But Thursday morning works very well for me”.

I love all this ideas and am trying to implement them into my life which will hopefully increase and open the communication which will in turn create a better relationships.

Our vows

Dustin and I felt it was important to write our own vows for our wedding. Generic words just weren't going to be enough. We wanted to tell eachother how we felt, in our own words. I had mine figured out several months before the wedding and thought they were very touching and couldn't wait to say them to Dustin.

About a week before the wedding Dustin still didn't have his vows done and he was stuck! He asked for direction and I said that this was the time to tell me exactly how he feels, as it might never get said again.

Well for a guy that was having troubles, he did an amazing job. He made me a charm bracelet and his vows explained what each charm represented:

Heart – This heart represents my love for you, and I give it to you from this day forward
Key – This key represents honesty and trust, the ability for each of us to be honest with each other about anything, and the trust I hold in you with all of my dreams and fears
R – This R symbolizes respect and understanding, the respect that I have for you as a person, as a woman, and the respect we have for each other, and understanding that in times when we don’t agree we can still respect each others differences
Cross – This cross represents my faith in you, in us, and the faithfulness we will share in our lives together
Moon & Stars – These moon & stars represents guidance and our ability to lead each other through even our hardest times, and to share the direction of our lives, wherever it may take us
Leaves – Theses leaves represent our tree, growth and support, we will both continue to grow as individuals but we will also grow together, and as we grow I will support you and us in whatever life brings our way
Lock – This lock represents strength, we are stronger together than we are separately, and together we can take on any challenge that life throws our way, and I look forward to facing those challenges with you
Smiley Face – This represents your smile, there is nothing I enjoy more than seeing your smiling face, every time it makes me realize just how much I love you

WOW was all I was thinking! It was so personal, touching and simply amazing. There wasn't a dry eye there when he was done, as you can tell by the photo of me and the girls behind me doing the ugly cry.

Everyone was congratulating me on picking such an amazing man to do such a beautiful thing for our wedding. And all the guys were giving Dustin a hard time, saying he set the bar too high!

Once we got into the motorhome to tour around to take photos, Dustin gave me his wedding gift to me. It was a shadow box with his vows printed out and a spot to hang the bracelet to display it!

I am one lucky woman!!! But I knew that long before the wedding day!

The Old Married Couple

So, another Halloween has come and gone and we did our best to enjoy the most of it.

Dustin bought 2 pumpkins with good intentions of carving them.....but that didn't happen! Next year!!

We did do a little decorating this year. I clean-sweeped Canadian Tire and took advantage of a gift certificate I had from Christmas and updated my Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving decorations. I got rid of the old and outdated decorations I had from when I first moved out when I was 18.

And....best of all this year, we got dressed up. Now last year we were fortunate enough to dress up twice. This year it was just the once, but we had a lot of fun and the costumes ended up looking great. We went to the NCC community family dance which was great to see everyone and watch the kids dance and enjoy the haunted house!

It wasn't until a few days before Halloween that I decided I was going to quite waiting for Dustin to decide what he wanted to be and went ahead with picking a costume. My initial thought was to go as an old housewife, the 1950's kind that would be in a home economics book. With a perfect dress and apron, perfect hair, and rubber gloves.

Well this idea got my wheels turning on a different type idea. So in the end, Dustin and I ended up dressing up as ourselves.....an Old Married Couple. We thought this was a great spin to take considering we've not been married for almost 2 months now!! ha ha

It was the easiest costumes. We used our own housecoats and slippers. I borrowed my grandma's curlers and scarf and I found a quick tutorial online on how to make our faces look aged. Add some glasses, coffee mugs and a newspaper for Dustin and we were set.
Some people joked that we were old Mr. and Mrs. Farr and some even went as far to say we were Lloyd and Laurangel. Guess we each can see what we have to look forward to. It'll be neat to look back on these pics and see just how true it comes.

The Proper Sneeze

Okay, so with all the viruses, germs and diseases that are flying around, threatening our livelihood, (you know the ones; the new viruses that are sure to wipe us out each year) they are teaching us to be more germ aware.

I will not lie, I am not a ‘germ-o-phobe’ so being germ conscious isn't always the first thing I think of (after all, I'll be out moving cattle, riding, and branding and then will break for lunch and probably not wash my hands).

But....I AM aware that other people are ‘germ-o-phobe’, so I try to be thoughtful of them. 'They' tell us that if we have to sneeze in public, to do so into our elbows.

MY question is.....what do you do when you are wearing short sleeves??? The other day I was trying to be conscious of my germ spreading so I sneezed into my elbow, which happened to be bare. Afterwards I realized my elbow, forearm and upper arm were all slobbery wet. So I wiped it all off with my other hand and proceeded on my way. ha ha. Realizing later that all my germs were then transferred onto my other hand and onto everything else I touched.

So, what is the proper way to sneeze with bare arms?!?!?!