Our trip home Part 3 - Saying goodbye

It's finally our last week in South Africa. It is so hard, even as I write this I have the biggest lump in my throat. I don't want to think about us leaving or anything like that, all I want to do is be positive and be strong.

In the past 3 weeks, we've seen our friends, caught up with family and done things we used to do when we were in SA. We went to Gateway and shopped and walked around aimlessly. We don't have such big shopping malls in NZ, and although we still do our shopping sprees like we used to, we really miss Gateway. Everyone used to laugh at us and want to know how we ever spend hours and hours in Gateway. But we love it! Anyway, we really enjoyed our time in SA. Besides the shopping, we hung out with our friends and got to see people we've missed so dearly over the past few years.We didn't get to spend any time on the beach, much to my dismay because it rained everyday, and when it didn't rain it was so extremely hot. In the 4 days that the sun did shine, it was so extreme that there was no way you could be anywhere else besides an airconditioned mall! People who dared go to the beaches ended up with sun stroke, or burned their feet (Literally) because the sand was so very hot! No jokes!

But with this being our last week, Cameron's parents really wanted to give us a farewell party. So we got everyone together again and had a do at home.












We've finally said goodbye to all the boys, Cameron hardly slept last night but I guess he really didn't want the time to come to an end. Neither did I. The time has come for us to get ready and board the plane and fly back to NZ. I love South Africa, this is our home, always & forever.

Our trip home Part 2

For the most part we've mainly spent time at home with family & Friends and our focus was mainly to catch up with everyone and see how life's been wit people over the past 2 & a half years. Because there is just so many people we needed to see (and to those we didn't get to see, we're so sorry - Our hearts were in the right place we just ran out of time) we just got everyone together at home and just relaxed and made the best of it!

Here's just a few pics with everyone at home:
Danita, Kaylene, Jerusha & Jerushan (Always in front of the tv)

Brandon & Shannon

My mum & Aunty Maliga (Cam's aunt)

Me & Darryl

Mum & Angie

Kumaran & Cameron

Kumaran & I

Cameron & Kumaran have been friends for so long, and while we've been away Kumaran moved to Cape Town. So we were hopeful that we would see them but honestly we doubted it so much. But as usual this darling man took a flight to Durban to stay just for one night so he could see us! So we were ecstatic when he & his wife, Sandy walked through the door.
Just hanging out







This is a pic of my mom & one of her dearest friends, aunty Isabelle. They met when my mom was pregnant with me and have been best friends ever since. We always joke around because everytime they think about how long they've been friends they just think, "Oh how old is Corrinne now?". I love aunty Isabelle and she is like a second mother to me, and I was so happy that she and her husband Uncle Eddie came down from Eshowe just to see Cameron & I. And the funniest part is that they know all Cameron's family because they all gre up together in Clairwood, so they really just gelled with the family.


We are so grateful for the friends and family we have. It's been so good being at home! We're really gonna hate it when the time comes for us to go back to NZ...

Happy New Year

It's so hard to believe that 2010 has come & gone. It's been a wonderful year, as with every other year it's had it's ups & downs and we've seen God's hand in our lives throughout the year. We've been fortunate enough to see the old year out and the new one in, here in the place where we call home, South Africa, surrounded by friends and family. We don't know when we'll ever get this chance again, so we are just enjoying every moment.

The weather has been miserable, it's been so excruciatingly hot and then it storms in the evenings. And New Years Eve was no exception. It stormed, like REALLY stormed on New Years Eve so we were quite anxious that we might not have had the chance to see the New Year in style, as we wanted. So many people wanted to have a quite night in, which is what can be expected, I suppose, with people in our lives, as many have small families and didn't want to be bombarded with crowds and drunkeness, I guess. But my dear cousin, Rafiek and his gorgeous wife and one of my closest friends, Angelique invited us over to their place to have a small get-together with friends. So we spent our New Years with them which was awesome. We got to catch up with friends and family that we wouldn't have had the chance to were it not for Rafiek & Angie. My other cousin, Georgia and her husband were there and our friends Candice & her husband, and Angie's brother Darryl, my darling, were there as well so it was a lovely intimate night.

I was the only non-drinker that night, which made for a whole load of fun, considerig everyone was nice & tipsy and enjoying themselves. So it made for great entertainment and an interesting night for everyone!

I took quite a bit of pics but have sworn not to put them up, and as I do fear for my life (LOL) I don't think I will take the chance. But here's a few of the evening that aren't oo bad...

Start of the night, over dinner

Angie & Candice

Rafiek & Georgia

Darryl & Georgia, Rafiek & Angie

Angie & Georgia


We really had a wonderful night with all of them.

After we eft Rafiek & Angie's we just went back to Orangewood (Cam's neighbourhood) and hung out with all our friends there. It turned out to be a great night and I know that 2011 is going to be a great year!

Happy New Year Everyone. I pray all God's blessings over your life and that all that you desire will come to pass in this year!

Christmas in South Africa, 2010

Cameron & I love Christmas and we were so excited to be home for Christmas this year. We knew that Christmas day was sorted and that my mother-in-law had it all covered, and we knew it was going to be fun. As it always is!
So we spent Christmas eve with our "other" family, our friends at our favourite place to be - Aunty Mary's house. This Christmas was hard because we had lost alot of important people in our lives while we have been in NZ, and it was even more hard being at Aunty Mary's place (even just writing "Aunty Mary's place") because it was the first time we'd seen everyone and been home since Uncle Noel passed away. But we were so happy to be back with all the people we hold dear, and it felt like we had never left. Wayne had come to Durban as well, and so the old crew (minus Poovi & Kumaran) were finally back together.
Thiru, Cameron & Niven

Aunty Mary

Cyan

Thiru, Verasha (Vees) and Cyan

Cyan, Aunty Mary & Barthie

Me, Janine, Lloyd & Wayne

the crew


Thiru, Niven & Casper


Our friends Niven & Verasha's little girl Cyan has grown so much from a little toddler to the most beautiful little girl and it was so good seeing her again, and being able to have a conversation with her too. And we got to meet Lloyd's new girlfriend, Janine which was so good. Thiru & Barthie, and their son "Casper" were also there, the last I'd seen them they had made me the best crab curry for my farewell. It really felt like old times and although Uncle Noel wasn't there, he's presence was very near and we missed him sorely!

Uncle Noel (Papa)


The Christmas celebrations shortly begun, and it went pretty much until the next morning. Every moment we spent with our friends made us miss home so much more, and we realised that if we could only take the people we love with us back to NZ, life would be perfect. But even though we live far away from everyone, we didn't want to hold onto the negative, and the what if's, or the shoulda, coulda, woulda's we just enjoyed every moment and held onto every one dearly!

The boys





Cameron, Wayne & aunty Mary


At 6am we finally left Aunty Mary's place and went home. Cameron thought he'd get away with not going to church but his mother was waiting patiently for us and no sooner had we got home, we were off to church. Everyone was so excited to see Cameron and Pastor Tony ever so happily announced our arrival and welcomed us back.
When we got home we decided we'd have a small nap in preparation for the festivities and all the family that was coming over. Durban is usually extremely hot over Christmas and especially on Christmas Day, this year was no exception however this year surpassed all others... I've never felt so hot in all my life. The air was so thick and hot that you could barely breathe. I guess it may not have been as extreme to other as it was to me, but I think I've become to climatised to Auckland weather that I felt so uncomfortable in Durban. Anyway, we managed to stay cool and enjoyed ourselves on Christmas day.

All the family came over and we had a wonderful time. The food was plentiful and ever so yummy and the party started and ended well into the morning.

Amber, Cameron & Quentin

Ricky, Pam, my mum, and the kids

The Boys

The Bonhomme's

Me & Quentin

Lunchtime


The Boys

Cousins - The Pillay's


Dancing the night away



My Father-in-law and his sister, dancing the night away



For Cameron the most special moment for te night was his friend Gordon, who he hasn't seen in probably as long as we've been together, came by and it was so special seeing them reconnect. Cameron was Gordon's best man at his wedding and through circumstances that could not be controlled by either of them, they lost contact and by some stroke of genius, Gordon came by on Christmas Day and made my dear husband's day.


I love Christmas and being home this year, made it even more wonderful! I love being home!