Hello! Sorry for the long hiatus in blogging. Moving overseas has been an all-encompassing event. I am so grateful to be back online with internet, which is a life-line of communication in a new place that feels very, very far away.
Our belongings in Virginia were carefully divided into “storage” and “ship” piles. Feeling a bit displaced in our own home, we watched as our life in boxes was loaded into crates on moving trucks. Ready or not, may the adventures begin!
Our evening arrival to O.R. Tambo airport (named for a former President) in Johannesburg made it too late to cross the border from South Africa into Swaziland before the checkpoint closed. We didn’t mind having to spend the night at the airport hotel after a 22-hour travel day with our sweet toddler. We were all jet-lagged and weary, but we made it!
We were slightly confused upon check-in at the hotel. It seemed they were offering us a kitty cat to borrow for the night for the baby, until we realized a “kiddie cot, ” was a crib, which came with its own tiny, fluffy duvet and high-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I’ll take a kiddie cot, too, please.
The next day, we had a hearty breakfast and set out on the path to our new city, Mbabane. However, getting out of the airport parking lot was a challenge. Our car was towing a small trailer, and the car made it under the exit barrier, but the trailer did NOT, so my husband and our driver unhooked the trailer and pulled it by hand out of the parking garage. Whew! The four-hour drive was beautiful. Our mountainous new home seemed to welcome us with warm, sunny skies and stunning views.
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A few of the first impressions of Africa:
the hand-woven doll ornaments on Christmas trees at the airport
the kindness that radiates from South African smiles
lavender-hued Jacaranda trees
deep red earth
houses with corrugated tin roofs
laundry hanging out to dry
the large number of hitchhikers on the road
huge, open blonde fields dotted with clusters of trees
a hazy, diffused pinkish-yellow light on the horizon
lantern-like bird nests with openings at the bottom
So many new discoveries to explore. Hello, Swaziland. We look forward to getting to know you.
-Starry
Carpe Diem Creative 
Hey, I did not know about the trailer. What it your things in their? You guys are having such a fun adventure. Did you say there were monkeys in your yard? I love the bird nests. Love Sharon
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Hi! Yes, our suitcases were in the trailer. What a riot! Glad we didn’t have to leave them behind! We have seen green monkeys about town, but none in our yard yet. We have a turquoise-headed iguana, though, who does push-ups on our wall, to Ramsay’s delight. We named the iguana BoBo. oxox
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I am so glad to see your journey has treated you well. I hate that I want able to say a proper “see you later”. I’m love being able to read your blogs and hopefully I can continue to be updated with pictures of your beautiful baby boy. Please give Ramsay tons of hugs and kisses from Mikaela and I. Xoxo
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Thank you, Melanie! We miss you all. Please send me an email and let me know about the wedding! Our old cell numbers don’t work anymore, but we check email when we can. oxox
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It sounds so beautiful. I love adventure and I’m so glad I get to enjoy it vicariously trough you! Thank you for the blog post.
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Please come visit and see it for yourself! Miss you!
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Yay!!!! So nice to read your words again. “Blonde” fields…I like that description. A lot of your first impressions hold true for Kenya too, except for the hitchhikers. The “lantern” nests might be weaver birds. We were told on Safari that the openings always face a certain direction (I forget which?!) and that the females often destroy them if not pleased with the males construction attempt. Anyway…love your post…keep em coming!!!
Sent from my iPhone
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Ha! Type-A female birds. I love it! Yes, I think they are weaver birds. Fascinating! Makes you wonder how they keep eggs in their nest, when the hole is at the bottom. Fascinating.
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Now that you have left the USA, we will have to read your blog more often. Good to hear from you. Have a blessed trip. Love you three! Gail and Cindy
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Thanks, Gail! Love to you both, and come on over and see us!
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