Despite the Hilux break down we manage to get back home just before Christmas, just as planned, with only one day delay. Okay, we have to drive back in a rental, cause the parts for our bakkie will only arrive after Xmas, so we’ll have to go back to Potch to fetch it later.
As always Bashi took perfect care of our dogs, garden and house. Note our bougainvilleas, planted March 2010, and Orange Trumpet Creepers, planted end of 2009 – never thought they would grow all the way up so fast.
Louis would love to claim our Xmas presents for Richardt & Steven, two cool pillows, as his own. Don’t we know by now he can’t sleep without a pillow to put his wary head on?
Interior decoration: one just has to put a skull above the fireplace – comes in handy when putting up Xmas ornaments. Apart from our traditional ‘everyone brings some grub’ second day of Xmess dinner at Mien & Bernard’s we are not going to do much. That’s always the plan...
So we spend X-eve with Inez & Peter. Peter’s ‘it’s a meal!’ onion soup is delicious! At some point we decide it’s a bit late for sjoelen – so we get out the sjoelbak, and discover Bram really is a crack. Maud wonders what other hidden talents he might have...
First X-day we do a morning round of visiting the neighbours. Which gets us invited to Bram’s ‘mother’ Mme Binkie for lunch. Her daughter outdid herself, just like last year, with a huge spread of yummy traditional dishes. It’s great Henk gets to see this part of our life also!
Second X-day we cook up something desserty, and join the as always fun party at Mien & Bernard’s house.
Klippies & Coke – yep, worked hard on Henk-i blending in while travelling all over South Africa.
On our way to the internet connection, walking all the about 200 meters from our house to Jeff’s office.
Like all other visitors Henk has to do the picnic on the rocks around the Mochudi museum, and enjoy the stunning view. Since it’s still school holidays Cormac (left), Duncan (right), and Calum, their parents and their grandma from Scotland join. Their gran makes the most amazing trifle ever!
Modern rock art.
Our neighbour and friend Anele, the most enthusiastic and sociable boy ever.
Our neighbours from across the road; Obakeng, Maatla, Mma go Obakeng and One, visiting us for Xmas. They are only home during school holidays cause they work far away, in Orapa, where one of Botswana’s big diamond mines is located. At some point Bram & Maud will visit them in Orapa, and get a tour of the mine yeah! You can't just go to Orapa; the diamond mines are very well protected. Our neighbours put our names on the official visitors application list, and now we have to wait till it's their turn to get permits for guests.
