Step out

I would love to report the first taste of travelling was a local cusine made by a friendly stranger in the side of the street who couldn't help but allow a friendly 'mzungu' to taste what she was making BUT unfortunately my first taste of travelling was the previous nights dinner  :( The excitement, the heat, the heat and did I mention the HEAT got the better of me! You would think 2 years of living in Manguzi would have perpared me for the humidity and heat! So there I was in Legho 'hotel' where of the five rooms 1...

6 Weeks ago I arrived at training as a volunteer. Ready to serve the students with everything I have.   Little did I know I would be climbing on a plane in a few weeks leading the Hidden world 2016 team for 11 months through more than 16 countries in the middle east, central and south america on the transforming adventure of a life time.   So how did this all happen?   In Red moon rising by Pete Greig he writes,  Prayer is not primarily about changing things somewhere out there. It is first and foremost about changing something...

A 24 year old volunteer (me) time keeping at the Global Leadership Academy sports day was hit over the head with the high jump pole that was holding up the sail providing shade in the sweltering heat. The windy city of PE certainly lives up to its  name. She was rushed to the local GP by her caring team leaders. She narrowly escaped with a few stiches of laughter from herself and witnesses to this sensationalist scene. For once we can be thankful for her exceptionally hard head! Now that I have your attention....    17 Days ago I began...

To Give you a small taste of Peru I would like to make you a a special brew. All the ingredients are essential and bring a unique flavor, complementing the others to give you a pleasurable gastronomic experience. This fine brew is best enjoyed on the rocks... of Machu Piccu First up you will need to travel to Peru. For me it was a hop on to a 58 hour bus in Colombia, skip over the equator in Ecuador and jump right into Peru.  You will need a pressure cooker. This makes all the ingredients give their full flavor in...

Lets do the time hop again!! Back to the 1960s. The first two days of Cuba I did not say much, which is very unusual for me. I was trying my best to take in everything going on around me! I stood at the airport looking at old American and Russian cars driving past as the norm and the one or two modern cars looked very out of place. Yet the people driving the cars looked very modern and trendy. The buildings are grand and ancient, the streets are swept clean and on every corner there is a little vendor...

Jamaica! Yeah mon! (Hey/ yes/ great/ bye) Wagaan? (What is going on/ howsit) Everytin idle.. (everything is good) Phathwa is the local language developed from english by the slaves. Jamaica is one of the countries I have dreamed about coming to since I watched good old cool runnings back in the day! Off to a rough start with chickv fever I slept for 4 days nursed back to health on a dusty mattress on the floor of a church in one of the most dangerous suburbs in Kingston Jamaica. As the theme song of cool runnings goes... rise above it......

3 Continents in 3 days, Africa, Europe and Asia. This is how our 2016 journey began... and if it starts like this, then what else can you hope for but an adventure of a lifetime!  Turkish Delight, it comes in every flavour and colour. Some are crunchy, others melt in your mouth, Some look better than they taste, others look very plain and boring but when you taste it there is a flavour explosion. Some traditional, others the latest trend that comes and goes. Some only made from "healthy" honey and others pure sugar and gelatin. One thing that is...

Peace, Joy, Love, Freedom, Hope. These are the things that many search after, long for, strive for and only sometimes catch a glimpse of. On our backpacking challenge in Colombia it was really easy for me to experience all these things. We were in smaller groups travelling for 7 days from Cartegena to Santa Marta. This time was also for reflection, rejuvenation and rest. We could do whatever we wanted! We had a small but manageble budget and our bags were overflowing with special South African treats from the family visit which had just ended. Colombia and for some ...Venezuela...

Guyana- a country I had never heard about before visiting. Crossing the border I immediately felt more at home. They drive on the right side of the road. .. the left hand side of course....the main language is English and just like in Africa we were squashed into two taxis and sent on our way down a seemingly never ending dusty road . The only Road into Guyana from Brazil, through a tropical rain forrest which is a national reserve. Eleven and a half hours later feeling like I had been attacked by a gang because of all the bumps...

Panama + America = Panamerica Panama country number 7 in a life changing/ molding trip of a life time.   We arrived in the Canal Zone town of Gamboa on a bus that was paid for by a man from Belgium who heard about us from Pastor Bill (our host) and decided with out meeting us he would like to sponsor all the transport we needed while in Panama. What a blessing!   Pastor Bill was waiting for us with his wife Anne and faithful Carmelita (their Maltese poodle), with open arms and huge smiles.   The Canal zone (...