howzit my bru (Cape Town)

On the 28th of September, I returned from a 9-day holiday in Cape Town. 28th Sept 2007, exactly a year ago, I left South Africa to join Emirates. Can you believe it, a year has gone - my first anniversary. How nice to land and find out your country is without a president, hehe.

Apologies for the people I didn't get to meet. I honestly didn't make an effort, as I wanted to see my Pookie and my mom and just needed a holiday. It was great seeing the ones I did though. So, Pookie and I zipped around town with our bikes (me on the Yammie this time:), ate out a lot, had a fabulous National Braai Day with a whole bunch of people we didn't know, he showed me a few new venues in gorgeous Cape Town (like Juleb), I did my usual shopping (things you don't find anywhere else - like All Gold tomato sauce) and we had the Rubik's Cube party (getting dressed in 3 different colours, then ending up in one colour by swapping with others). It was marvelous fun as usual - Cape Town is just absolutely the best there is out there:) As much as I love it, I'm not sure if I'll go live there again, or at least soon. It is lovely visiting.

That's that.
How are you all doing?

Loving life, grateful for everything and focusing on abundance
Hugs to y'all
A

Ps. no photos, didn't even take camera:)

Hakuna Matata (Dar E Salaam, Tanzania)

Jambo
and karibu my friends

I just returned from a short and very sweet trip - to Dar E Salaam, Tanzania. One of those experiences which showed me once again that you do get what you ask for and guidance is always around. Internet research didn't help me much on what to do there and the hotel concierge said everything is far:( But I was hungry to explore and didn't know where to go. So I just walked out of the hotel, to be swept off my feet by a cheery Rastafarian called Simba (which means Lion in Swahili by the way). He took me to a stinky, dingy fishmarket and I ended up sitting with him sharing dinner in a chaotic place (that they call a restaurant) while learning a bit of Swahili. I greeted everyone staring at me (as I was the only whitie ofcourse, hehe). The food was rather, well, unique. I got on REALLY well with Simba. He caught on to my sense of humour almost instantly and his English was superb!

With an allowance of 78500 shillings, I felt like I hit the jackpot (but just sounds a lot, heehee - although I only paid 100 shillings for a boatride)... Which lead me to the other side of the Peninsula (looked like an island from the view of the hotel) where I went to Sunrise Beach. A jampacked dala dala (minibus taxi as we know it, but this one is African style man) dropped me in the middle of somewhere, and I just followed my nose down to the seaside (1km walk) where I spent a glorious day with Jimmy (another Rasta that I met on the beach). We went for a dip in the gorgeous lukewarm ocean, a long walk along the beach (which we almost had to ourselves), fresh coconuts and playing with (few) days old little baby goats. It was wonderful!

I hope to go there again soon. Dar E Salaam has a lot to offer (apart from Kilimanjaro)... you just have to listen around. And it is really beautiful. Zanzibar is only 2hours away by boat...

I won't have any more news till next month... will be coming down to Cape Town soon..

Asante
You all take care now

Kwaheri,
A

Alta in Malta (Malta)

Bongu!!

Finally I got to go to Malta!!! (Malta is in the Mediterranean sea, near Italy) and at first it was everything I thought it would be (after meeting Maltese in Dubai, and doing a bit of internet research), but MAN, did this place blow me away! It is a strong mixture of Italian and Arabic (the language especially) and the buildings are built from limestone, which gives the cities this distinct colour (boring yellow, clay-brown) but not boring at all. To me it felt like Venice and Mauritius combined (and is now my favourite layover) The weather was gorgeous again! Summer, hot and sticky. No wind. Just perfect. The hotel we stayed in in Sliema was LEKKER! We had our own balconies and I spent mornings reading my book there (we had a two-day stay).

So off I went to the city called Valetta (on the bus I met 2 Afrikaners - WOOW) and just got lost in its identical streets. I was in awe that people live like that. Almost like Venice, just without the water. People sitting outside on the street chatting to neighbours, fat aunties gossiping the day away, a man talking out loud on his phone and gesturing aggresively, laundry hanging, even the streetlamps hang from a wire in the middle of the street above everything else. The buses and public transport are oldschool (Cuban style). It is amazing! I walked down to the harbour and watched the sunset. Men (as gorgeous as ever) flirt openly. Just like the Italians. I would go live there:)

The next day, another crew member (Swedish) and I took a boat cruise to the island Comino. At Blue Lagoon we swam and snorkeled the afternoon away in crystal blue water. Also took a speedboat to the stunning caves that surround these islands. It was something out of a movie. With these experiences, I simply am so grateful for having this job:)

I explored some more around the hotel's area in Sliema and St.Julians. There is actually a little beach just down the road (as in 30meters away). Ag, Malta is so cool.

I was going there again on the 8th (it's a rare flight to get, especially the 2day one), but someone was desperate to go home, so I swapped her flight for mine. So next I'm visiting a place in Africa. Keeping the news for later:)

Caw for now
A