Making every moment count..

I'm exhausted. But happy.  Happily exhausted.  Is that a thing?

Reality is beginning to sink in that I will be back at home before I know it.  I'm trying to take complete advantage of the time I have left and do everything I possibly can and spend as much time with my ZA friends as possible.  Which means I've been go. go. go and have had  little sleep.

Friday, I think someone try to steal my ATM card.  The machine suddenly jammed when I tried to use and then there were all these people that suddenly wanted to "help" me.  I planted myself in front of the machine and called the bank.  Everything was sorted pretty painlessly.   My bank is at the mall, so now I have an excuse to go shopping next week when I have to pick up the new card :P   I have a second debit card so I was still able to get my drinkin' money.    Which was necessary, because it was off to Sandton for a coworkers birthday party at Taboo.   I think 30 people came out and I was able to meet and network with people in departments I usually don't interact with.   Phil and I were planning on going there in a couple of week to see Black Coffee (house DJ), so it was nice to check out the place before hand. Its pretty swanky.  There's an outdoor pool on the first floor, although I didn't see anyone actually use it.  Now I have people to drag with us in a couple of weeks.

Saturday, a co-worker invited me to her friend's party so that I could "get out of my flat and experience real African culture".    It was a potluck/pool party with families and plenty of little kids running around.  My friend's daughter proudly stated "I watch a lot of movies, so I can speak in American accent just like you".   She was pretty good.   The food was very traditional.   I think every part of the chicken was represented- feets, necks, giblets, liver.  Also chicken curry, ox liver and tripe.   I made caprese pasta salad.   It looked extremely funny perched in the middle of the table.   The kids liked it at least.    I was able to try some samp, a maize dish that is sort of like a thick porridge or a corn congee, with beans and mushrooms and a lentil/cabbage dish. Very yummy.   And there was plenty of amazing house music.   

Yummy food and dirnk!

Chicken feet!  Yummy!

Not my plate.

My plate

1,2,3 Jump!

Lunch really meant all day/ all night party, so I didn't get home until late and we were the first to leave.    I was so tired and really really did not want to get out of bed, which is unusual for me.  I almost bailed on the Earth Adventures Meetup rafting trip I had signed up for.    I'm glad I forced myself to go.    It gave me an opportunity to see another province and another part of the country.  The trip was down the Vaal River in Parys (pronounced Paris) a quirky little town in the Free State.  The weather was beautiful and about midway we were treated to rolling thunder, while the sky stay bright and sunny. The  river was running a little low, but  there were still some class 3 rapids, along with the added challenge of avoiding getting stuck on the rocks.  Yes, I got us stuck on a lot of rocks.  All the birds and flowers and thunder and mansions along the river were very distracting to my special ADD brain.  The rafts were two person, which required much more work and a lot more focus than the 5 person rafts I've done previously.   When there's 4 other people, no one really notices that I spend most of time paddling air.   When there's only one other person, they definitely notice- "PULL, GIRL, PULL!" "OTHER LEFT" "ROCK!!!!" "PADDLE IN THE WATER!!!"   My partner also suggested some strengthening exercises for the upper body at the end.  I guess I should get more serious about cross-training days.   The trip was about 4 hours long, with a little lunch break in the middle.   I am sore today!  Surprisingly, mostly my ass, from sitting on the little seat hammock and bumping along.  I don't think we got an action shot, because while we were waiting our turn to go down the last rapid, I lost control went flying down and landed on top of the raft in front of us that was stuck, running over the guide who was trying to unstick them in the process.  Ooops.   I do have one of us being launched in. And one of me sitting in my raft in the middle of the river looking confused or maybe I was just reflecting on how awesome the day was.  

Pre-trip group shot.  Yay! Meetup.  Another great activity!

Here we go!!!(I'm on the right in pink, with a yellow helmet)

Lunch break with new friends..

I'm in the back right... looking like I'm not exactly sure where I am or how I got there.

Pre-launch safety lecture.  Rule 1: Don't fall out.   This is a good rule.  We practiced falling out...I couldn't get back in.

After such an fantastic, action pack weekend, I can't tell you how great if felt to finally get home Sunday night and light the candles, pour the wine and jump in the bubble bath with a good book.  A perfect end to a perfect weekend.

That's it for me, have a fantastic week!