Protea Hotel Parktonian All Suite Braamfontein

You could hear the music spilling into the street. Parishioners milling around - children everywhere. Powerful singers and raucous praise - and the service hadn't even started!

We unloaded our donations to the church, and headed in for worship. No idea what we were in for. We took our place among the congregation and only one word came to mind. Joy. Unbridled, overflowing, completely insatiable joy. The people that attend St Thomas's (and that partner ...

... a brother. No offense to my sister, but I think having a brother to grow up with would have been something great. At the end of the trip Seb told me that I was the person he wanted to be like in a couple of years. His comment moved me in a unexpected way, and I don't think anyone has ever given me such a powerful complement. I wish both Kate and Seb the best of luck in Dubai and Sydney, respectively. I hope to see them both again someday.

The Johannesburg airport is ...

... Voortrekkers ( a combination of Dutch who named it after his father Andries Pretorius.I can not talk about South Africa without saying something about the Boer wars, there were two the first 1880-1881 and the second 1899 to 1902 which really sealed South Africa's fate and put it in British hands. Interestingly enough ...

... Elizabeth. We learned how the English, led by Cecil Rhodes, conspired to overthrow the Boer rulers in order to control the incipient mining industry. Gold was discovered here in 1886 and within 20 years more than 25% of the world's gold was being supplied from South Africa. Johannesburg became a boomtown where people from all over the world came to make their fortune. As South Africa's first major diverse city, Joburg had ...

I woke up early and had breakfast with the family. I took a drive to visit my dad in the shop since he had left early to work. I went to a friends place for a barbeque (braai), it was good. In the afternoon I met up with J's parents for tea. They both liked their presents and had a nice time chatting over tea. Time to check-in at the Hotel and prepare for the conference.

... with arrangements for a rent a car, and transport back and forth. We stayed for 2 nights to rest after 2 long nights of travel, and headed out for the Natal coast. We made it as far as Harrismith.

... in 5 days. Our fellow travellers were great too. We had 6 Dutch, 2 Germans and 2 Americans. And us. We provided the Canadian comic relief I think. (but maybe not in a good way...most of the jokes were in Dutch!) I have stories... So, one thing before I go, is just to mention how surreal and wild Botswana is. WOW. Once in the Okovango Delta, we thought it was raining on our tent. Great, we thought just what ...

After enduring thunderstorms and crazy hikes its time to get back to Johannesburg to embark on the next leg of our journey... Weve said bye to our trusty Chico... oh the memories!!! Kruger National Park, Mozamique and Zimabwe await. Will keep you posted... If we dont get a chance to get to a computer in the mean time, Have a really good Christmas and a Happy New Year...

... Sam and Ryan (Western Cape, South Africa) 28. Having dinner with Derartu Tulu, 2 time Olympic Champion (10,000m) (Addis ...

Lay in. Had porridge stuff for breakfast - it's made of mielie meal same as pap just with more water. Versatile things, mielies: apparently there are about 6 different types of meal you can make with them. All the vols then went to Benoni swimming pool. It was very hot on the way, and thunderclouds had gathered by the time we got there. We paid our R3 ...