Petualangan 17-sehari oleh Chris Baca selengkapnya
  • 15footprint
  • 1negara
  • 17hari
  • 157foto
  • 6video
  • 584kilometer
  • Hari 16

    Home time

    28 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    That last day when you woke up and open your eyes, Is never the greatest feeling in the world. The volunteers had mainly packed the night before has did I. It's just a matter of putting the last few things into the hold-all.
    Then we are of home. Where's home I ask myself
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 15

    Party time

    27 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

    The floor has been completed and we make our way down to complete the house with the curtains, beds, solar panel and the sign. Thank you Eileen for putting the curtains up. (Everyone needs an Eileen)
    I always have mixed feels when we complete a house. The family that we have built the house for have made new friends with the volunteers and has we all line up for that final photo you can see how proud the volunteers are and how humble the family are. We drive away with a few silent tears been shed and as I look in the rear view mirror the all the members of the family have a big smile on there faces.
    We return back to the Lodge with no time to spare in order to get ready for the party and the children coming. I drop the volunteers of and Nkosie starts the Braai and as I drive up to the children's home to pick the kids up.
    Dropping them of at the Lodge the kids look a little lost. But Muma Debs soon starts playing games with them and the music goes on then the rest of the children come. Nkosie and Eileen cook all the meat 🥩 so happy children and happy volunteers.
    Even Ruth and Papa Smurf get up and have bop.
    The hi light of the day was seeing the 5 boys that grew up in the 1st Children's home reunited. Such joy has they all sat together sharing their meat...lol
    The day ends with us having our last meal at Eat a local restaurant, shattered.
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 14

    Bits and Bobs day

    26 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    A chilled start today.
    We make our way to the site with the van loaded with the curtains, teddies, hula hoops, lady sanitary packs and the blanket for Anelle from Debs.
    Everyday as we drive into the house build I greet the old gentleman. He always stands and thanks me for the house.
    I do a quick look around of the site we are nearly there, we just have the windows to cleaned and the floor needs to be screeded. This is not a job the Volunteers can do. So I make the decision to leave the site after we have done the windows and return for the last day in the morning.
    We travel down to Anelle house and Debs puts a blanket made by Eileen on his bed with a little note. (Spreading her Love)
    Next stop to pick up Lindani bag so I can travel back to the UK with it for him then he can bring another one.
    Then we go to Hluhluwe Build it for Debs PJ's that she left in Bayete. Maxwell hands them over in a neatly wrapped box.
    We then make our way to a little local restaurant called Weavers which gives the volunteers also some time to purchase a few gifts in there little shop.
    Next stop shopping for the the local Spar shop to buy all the supplies for the party 🎉 for the children from the children's home and everyone else I seem to of invited.....lol
    I invite them and Debs just keeps adding them to the list....😂
    We arrive back to the Lodge in time for Nkosie 👑 🐘 to take Jane out for a run 🏃🏾‍♀️ whilst everyone else jumps into the shower and gets ready for dinner to arrive this evening a rice dish from Mai a local lady that has done an amazing task of feeding us all week in the evening.
    It's the one thing I love when we sit down in the evening around the table and the team chit-a-chatter about the days events.
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 13

    Paint Day

    25 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Bagwash, Painting and Sealing day today. Plus doing all those little jobs that need doing.
    We arrive not to early this morning and the team have a little present for one of the builders helpers a pair of boots. A huge smile on his face when he got them. Thank you Geoff (Papa Smurf)
    Debs and I have a huge list of things to get through about an hour and a half journey away. So we borrow the builders vehicle and away we go. Leaving the volunteers on Nkosie safe hands.
    Todo
    Pick up one beds
    Pick up two mattresses
    Buy two food parcels
    Buy bush knife 🔪
    Buy axe 🪓
    Buy one rake
    Buy one hoe
    Buy phone
    Drop of shoe at Mndiwa school
    Pick up curtains for house builds
    Buy curtains poles
    Buy Nails for plaque
    Drop of mattress at Lindani
    Drop of mattress at Anelle
    Drop of.............
    Think I best stop there...lol
    After 4hrs of running around job done. Then we got a phone call from Nkosie to say the team had finish just has we pulled into the build.
    Tired but happy volunteers.
    Last task of the day. Thank you to Carshalton Football Academy for donating two of their foot kits to two local teams here in KZN South Africa. Most teens don't show emotion, but these lads you made their day, month, year. 👍🏽
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 12

    Butterflies Palliative Care Centre

    24 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    There are some days that when you wake up you know you are going to be challenged before they even start. Today was one of those days.
    We planned to take the team to the Butterfly palliative care centre in Inguavuma on the top of a beautiful mountain.
    The centre supports children through their end of life. But more importantly it supports them to live before that time. ❤️
    The last time I was here I meet a beautiful little chap In October called Olly. Olly has the most amazing cheeky character and for those that read my last blog he is still very much with us. But today he wasn't interested in me has he had a new friend called Clare......lol
    Olly is permanently attached to an oxygen machine. So he can only real play with in a 10 meter radius. He want to go outside and kept asking Clare in his own little way. It took us a while to understand at first. We asked his cater if we were allow out with him and she said only for 5mins. So of with the oxygen mask and in Clare motherly secured arms of we trotted. He pointed at the Wendy house and we popped him down and in he popped. But he kept wave for me to go In. So putting my best foot (knee) forward in I popped (struggled). Getting in wasn't a problem it was turning around that was the challenge....lol
    Boy it put a big smile on his face the fact he was outside.
    I Clare asked if the Centre had a portable oxygen kit and the answer was no. The cost £350 x 2 do £700. Clare said she would get one and I said I'm I I'll get the other one.
    It always challenges me emotionally this place holding back the tears that I can never do enough. But the team are truly amazing that work here and see the kids again gives me complete joy.
    The volunteers had an amazing day after a great build and an amazing Safari we decided to go to Tiger lodge for lunch.
    Thank you the Butterflies Palliative care Centre.
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 11

    2nd Safari day and Bongwie house paint

    23 April 2023, Afrika Selatan

    5:20am and the alarm goes off. Although I have been up since 4:30. Time to wake the Volunteers up for their second game drive. I go around to each room and quietly knock on their doors, but to my surprise they are all up. Bright eyed and bushy tailed.
    On my way back to my room I decided to take a quick dip into the swimming pool. It's beautifully cold.
    Makayla makes her way to the lodge with the Game vehicle and we all pile in.
    We are on the look out for a cheetah
    🐆. The sun starts to raise and you can feel the planet 🌎 start to warm up. The animals start to stretch and open their eyes and the air is full of bird song.
    The cheetah and its cub seem to be allusive. So Makayla makes the decision to see if we can find the lion 🦁 and lioness of we drive. Along the way we see many animals Giraffes 🦒 wildebeests and Zebras 🦓. I vice this place. We eventually spot the lion 🦁 laying in the road fast asleep. But with the noise of the vehicle it doesn't take long for them to wake up.
    The lioness is on heat and the male lion 🦁 doesn't believe in foreplay...lol
    Every time she moves he is there.
    After a great Game drive we have some breakfast listening to Jade saying it was her best day ever.
    We load into our Trustee vehicle and of we drive to the main gate. We take a right and drive to the second gate where the team will be do an elephant 🐘 interaction with Rambo a 12 tone male bull. Has the vehicle stops we till the volunteers and Jade bursts into tears again.
    The elephant 🐘 interaction is one of the highlights of the trip and I love seeing the faces of the volunteers when Rambo comes over the hill.

    Next stop Bongiwe house. Donated by Yoland and the Conway family back in the UK this house was built by our builds in Covid and we are making the journey back to Ubombo where the CoCo's Foundation started. This house is the hardest house that we have ever built. Where it is situated down a valley where the ground is mainly rock and there is no water and everything has to be walked in all 900 bricks 🧱 on the way down we make sure Ruth has someone in front and someone behind her, just incase.
    Little did we know Jade was the one that fell and twisted her ankle.
    We paint and seal the house.
    I said it once many times.....lol the team crack on.
    Jade follows me into one of the rooms and and there is this huge moth on the wall. It takes of and fillies towards Jade. Jade runs out screaming 😱 this is the sorest day of my life.....lol it mended her ankle.

    Debs gets to meet Muma Sbongile, it's been too long..!
    We then take the back dust road to home an hour of our bodies been jump around by driving on the dust road.
    No Electricity at the Lodge means no water so straight out for something to eat at E.A.T before returning home for a shower as the electricity is back on.
    Shattered what a day.......
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 10

    Sarfari Day

    22 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We all need a rest in life and so do our volunteers that have worked so hard.
    Today is safari day. But first brunch at Hluhluwe Pineapple 🍍 farm and then on to the local traditional market for the team to purchase their little gifts for family and friends, which also supports local people.
    We arrive at Zulu Bayete Game Reserve. This place is a little jewel in the middle of the KwaZulu Natal a Game reserve with the big five in it.
    We arrive at the lodge with the volunteers so excited to be here. The first game reserve drive is at 3pm. Most of the volunteers jump into the pool for a quick swim. The Makayle arrives with the Safari truck to take us out on our game drive.
    After an amazing 3 hours this team were lucky to see soooo many animals.
    Time now as the volunteers drift of to bed to put my feet up.....
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 9

    Bhekamangwane Breakfast Club Paint Day

    21 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Bhekamangwane
    When you write a blog at the end of a day you have the fortune of looking back on the whole day.
    The day starts at 5am early early. ready to take the volunteers to the Breakfast club at Bhekamangwane school. The journey down is a little quieter than normal as the volunteers catch up on some sleep.
    Thanda is the Principal at the school an amazing lady that is so inspirational and more Importantly her pastel care is amazing. A lady with strong boundaries and good values. At this school she has the breakfast club so organised papa the children line up so well and wait patiently. Once the children have finished eating the porridge 🥣 they attend their assembly under the beautiful tree. The children's singing is so beautiful all in harmony. Before we leave we to have our photo taken.
    We then have yet another house to paint for the Girl Guides. When we arrive there is a little puppy 🐶 by the house that we are to paint. Such a skinny little thing. I always carry some puppy poaches of meat on me and after that and a few biscuits his fell asleep with a full tummy.
    The team jump to it and they all take a wall and crack on within 3hrs they have bagged washed, painted and sealed the house.
    Thank you, happy team happy, happy Girl Guides and happy puppy 🐶
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 8

    Breakfast Club at Mdnwima

    20 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    When you write a blog at the end of a day you have the fortune of looking back on the whole day.
    The day starts at 5am early early. ready to take the volunteers to the Breakfast club at Mndiwa school. The journey down is a little quieter than normal as the volunteers catch up on some sleep.
    As we enter the school gates Musa our ground worker is there waiting for us. We park the car under the tree and make our way to the ladies that are mixing the porridge.
    This school is a special place for us as it's the first place we started our feeding program and thousands of children have benefited from that one meal a day.
    Stand with the children as they sift into school and make their way over to the ladies to collect their bowl is very humbling.
    I notice Jade one of the volunteers has a tear rolling down her cheek. So walk over and whisper in her ear. Walk with me. Often Volunteers get up set for many reason on a trip with what they see or hear. But a walk and a chat often puts things in prospective.
    After the Breakfast Club we are off to paint a house that wasn't done in 2020 for the Girl Guides. The first challenge of the day is there is no water. So Nkosie chats to the two now teenage boys and asks where we can get water from. They respond saying about 10mins away in a local pond. So a few of us crab some buckets and of we March following the Boys in a line like the 7 dwarfs. Hi Ho hi Ho it's of to work we go..........
    20 mins later I realise this is an African 10 minutes. Jane keeps letting us know how far it is has her watch tracks everything...lol
    We finally get there and the boys wade in and fill up the buckets 🪣 Now for the walk home this is going to hurt. But then you realise your doing this once they do this every day twice a day. So shut up Chris and crack on ....🙄
    The team really know what they are doing now and crack on.
    Baca selengkapnya

  • Hari 7

    The BIG Build Day 3

    19 April 2023, Afrika Selatan ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It's been a full on day today on the build and the team are really cracking on with it. They are so jelling together and supporting each other. The family we are building for every day greet us and I make sure I go and spend a little time with the Grandfather.Baca selengkapnya