Howick update

If you get the chance perhaps you could send Alfie an e-card to coldcustard@live.com as he is feeling a little bit overlooked for his birthday which is on 28th May. However, we are trying to organise a session at a paintball place near here with a few of his school friends. His birthday is next Friday and it will be his last day at Howick prep as well as our almost last day in South Africa.

Tonight we are going to camp out in Umgeni game reserve - staying in a hut amongst giraffe, zebra, buck (no really dangerous animals)! The kids have half day on Friday till 12ish and seem to miss most Fridays because we are off doing other things but heh they are having a ball! Yesterday, after school, we went swimming/sliding in Umgeni valley where there is a natural slide in the rocks into a pool (and an assault course on the way so we clambered over that too). There were lots of super hairy black caterpillars on the rocks which was a bit off-putting for Alfie! In the morning I picked up 3 super-large pine cones and gave them to the boys only to find they had tiny lizards in them which have now escaped into the car much to Alfie's consternation!

The boys are enjoying school. It took Oscar a while, the turning point was a trip to a Zulu village with his class, thereafter he didn't get stomach ache every morning before school! We have to get up early every day (6am) to be ready for school at 0730 and we hope to keep up this habit when we leave here!

This weekend is quite busy. Patrick is giving a public lecture as part of national biodiversity day which is being celebrated here on Saturday morning. Then we are going to drive to Underburg to visit a world heritage site, Cobham, where we will meet up with the head guide and be shown san rock art/paintings. From there we will go to Khotso horse trails to stay with our friends Steve and Lulu. On Sunday we will all go out riding/running and then Patrick will bring the boys back for school and I will stay on to do more riding!

We leave South Africa Monday 31st so taking overnight train to Jburg next Saturday and hoping to stay with Italian friend we have made and see Patrick's nun aunt before we leave for Sydney...all go and so far...brilliant!

Looking forward to hosting Alex Copping from Bath when he arrives next Thursday in preparation for taking part in the comrades marathon. Sad to have to say goodbye to Liz, our host today as she is heading off to Botswana and won't be back until after we leave.

Glad to hear Art House is coming together well in Leicester and pleased to hear it is going from strength to strength now professionals like Kathy and Sue have taken it on! Might like to know that my sculpture website is now up and running at www.devinewright.com