Birthday's

It's my birthday :)

I'm 29. One year to go before I turn 30. The reason I started this blog.

I wanted to capture my life before I turn 30. I wanted the words on paper and the feelings and emotions captured in real time. So here goes...

My first day of being 29 - I feel fabulous. I had cake for dinner last night :) May have acquired a few smile lines but they indicate good times so I'm not complaining. I am grateful for what I have right now and ready to accept the challenges that face me. Today will be a good day. Tomorrow will be a good day. And every day after that I will find something that makes me smile.

Here's toasting to a fabulous 29 years!

Traffic

I live 7.5km away the office. Just 7.5km. But my God does the traffic suck!! I'm almost certain that last year I did not have to deal with any major traffic, I could get to work in 10 minutes and keep my sanity. 2010 seems to have brought with it a large amount of new drivers, with very little confidence and not much knowledge of how the rules of the road work.

I now spend 30 minutes or more each morning in the traffic, dodging assholes who don't seem to know where their indicators are located and women in huge SUV type cars breaking every few seconds for no apparent reason.

I fear I will loose my mind.

Luckily for me, we are moving! The office that is. We have decided to relocate to an office park that is home to other NGOs. The new place is 2km from my home :)

There definitely is a God :)

Home

Had an amazing time in Durban and Margate these past ten days. I'm home now and happy to be. Walking into my flat last night the first thing I did was to hug my two babies. That's Asif and Sophie up there - love them to bits. All the time I was away I kept wondering how they were doing. T looked after them - I'm sure she loves them almost as much as I do.

I'm happy to be back in my own bed, have all my clothes and shoes to choose from and to get back into routine.

I'll post some photos of my trip to the very top of the World Cup Stadium in Durban (when I download them, after catching up with all the other things I have to do!) I also went on a harbour cruise, had a three hour dinner on a boat, drove around Durban, discovered UKZN and sweated off half my body weight. Oh and I also threw up after being in the car for an hour - I am allergic to manual cars :(

B and I also had a heart to heart talk. The important thing is that things were said that needed to be said for a very long time.

Going to tackle my inobx...

Holidaying

Just over 24 hours at the coast and i feel like I’ve been on holiday for forever. i am relaxed, calm, clear headed and only slightly sun burnt from spending too much time at the pool and walking on the beach. Durban is still not my favorite place to visit but for now it’s just what i need – the ocean and sunshine, people i love and great food!

YMJG

http://youmakejoburggreat.wordpress.com/

Worth a read.
No doubt having the ocean at your front door and the mountain at your back door is something extraordinary, living in Joburg has its moments too. As a born Capetonian, living in Joburg for more than five years, I’ve grown to love this city – it’s trees, people, energy and gorgeous sunsets. Visit YMJG and share your special moments in this wonderful city we call home!

Johannesburg

I moved to this city almost five and a half years ago. It feels like home. It is home. My original home town, Cape Town, had become a holiday destination to me. A holiday destination where I have family.

I do love this city -crime, beggars, pollution and all.

But in a weeks time I'm off to the coast - Durban coast :( not Cape Town coast. Either way it's the coast and it's away from the city than demands you run with it. I feel like i've been running since forever and need to take a time out and catch my breath.

One more week of some serious deadlines and then I'm free for a glorious ten days :) Can't wait!

About time!

I’m going to Durban!


I got invited to spend a week on the coast to write my thesis with the ocean in the background and the fresh sea smell as inspiration. But as usual when it comes to taking leave, work suddenly jumps out of absolutely nowhere and messes up your plan.

Not for me.

I coincided the holiday/thesis writing trip with a work trip! Absolutely love when things work out just the way I want them to. Let me explain.

If I accepted the invite to Durban it would mean packing light so that everyone else’s luggage could fit in the car, driving for six (or more) hours there and then a week later another 6 (or more) hours back. Not ideal.

What I really wanted to was ensure that my organization gets the ethical approval it needs to start interviews for a study we are conducting at UKZN (University of KwaZulu Natal). Then, tell my dear boss that I am keen to do the interviews and what better time than the week that I will be in Durban – saving the NGO I work for accommodation cost – something my boss loves to hear!

So on the 6th February I will be flying to Durban, doing a bit of work from Monday to Wednesday and will be spending the rest of the days lying on the beach, writing my thesis, lounging at the pool, having fancy dinners and exploring Durban. Yay me!

I’ll be out of the office, with no domestic responsibilities and thinking with a clear head while I do my work and try to put together something comprehensive that looks like a master’s thesis.

PS. The excite has nothing to do with the fact that I am going to Durban (not a big fan of the place) and everything to do with being away from everything routine.