Drakensberg and Joburg

On the 2nd, Harrison, my Nana and I began the long drive to the Drakensberg! I had woken up that morning, and my face was fairly swollen and sore. We were a bit confused, but didn't really pay too much attention to it. We left at about 9:30, and started the drive! It was about a 5 hour drive to where we were staying, and we stopped for an hour for lunch. So we made it to our hotel at around 5:00. We stayed at a place called the Drakensberg Sun, and it was really nice! We had a small apartment, with 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and lounge. On the first night we just stayed in the apartment and made dinner. It had been a long day! The next day my face was even more swollen! We were all starting to get a bit worried. The resort was holding a braai lunch at the pool that day, so we made our way to the pool. As well as lunch, there was a quiz and bingo on! The pool area had the most beautiful view of the mountains.

It was great to lay by the pool and have the mountains looming in the background.

Although Joburg had been so hot the previous few days, the berg was pretty cold so we didn't actually go swimming. The time came for the quiz and we were determined to win. Our team, 'the killer whales', was very competitive. Unfortunately we didn't come first, but we did win second place!! We won a bottle of wine!

Next was bingo. None of us won anything in that. After an ice cream, we headed back to our room to relax for the rest of the day. Harrison and I planned to go on a hike the next day, so we wanted to get an early night. We woke up bright and early, planning to start our hike at 8 and be back by lunch time. However, my face was at its most swollen and was incredibly sore. Something was definitely wrong. So we had to cancel our hike, and instead we drove 30km to the nearest doctor. The doctor took one look at my face, felt around a bit, and told us what we had kind of expected. I had mumps. I couldn't believe it! Who gets mumps at 19! We figured that I must have picked it up in Zanzibar or something, as it has a 2 week incubation period. The next problem was that Harrison hasn't been immunized against mumps, and not only is it extremely infectious but also very dangerous for men. So another day was spent in our apartment. The next day my Nana made the decision to cut our trip to the berg short, and head home that day. We were all quite disappointed, but understood her worry. It would be better for me to get better at home. Harrison made a little nest/bed for me in the back of the car and I slept most of the way home.

My cousin Ian is currently writing his year 11 exams. He also has never had mumps before, and although he was immunized, so was I. So Harrison and I were put in quarantine in our flat and exiled from the rest of the family. We spent two days in quarantine. We went back to the doctor as my face was still swollen after almost a week, and I got some blood tests done. We got the results back, and the said that they couldn't confidently say that it was actually mumps! Everyone was very confused. They suggested possibly glandular fever. These results released us from quarantine and we were allowed to interact with my family again! On the Saturday we walked to two local craft and book markets that were just down the road. We only got some books. The markets were nice to look at, but didn't have anything we could bring home. We stopped for coffee before we made our way home, and I had a milk tart, lemon meringue hybrid. It was a layer of lemon meringue in between two layers of milk tart and it was delicious!!

For my birthday I had been given tickets to see Sweeney Todd the musical at the Montecasino theatre, and the day was finally here! On Sunday the 8th, Harrison and I ubered to the casino to see the show!

We had amazing seats! We were three rows back from the front, which was just perfect. The show was incredible. The singing was amazing, and the acting was just incredible. I loved it! It was such a good show and I am so glad I got to see it! After the show we went and had sushi for dinner, which was delicious. On Monday I had to have more blood tests to try and determine what was wrong with my face. They did a full blood count this time. These results showed that it could actually be mumps. But were still pretty inconclusive. The doctor however was convinced that it was mumps. We were supposed to be travelling to Durban on Tuesday, but unfortunately had to cancel. It was too risky. We didn't know if Harrison had been infected, and if he started showing symptoms whilst we were away, we would have to fly back early. There was also the risk of us infecting the people we were supposed to stay with, which wasn't fair to them.We tried to fit the trip to Durban into our schedule, but we couldn't find any dates that would work. So we had to just cut it our completely. I was pretty sad about this, as I had really wanted to show Harrison where I grew up, and see my old friends. But as he said, this isn't the last time we will be coming to South Africa so when we do come back we will go to Durban.

By Tuesday my mumps had finally cleared up. It had been a long and painful week, but at last it was finally over! Harrison and I went to Lyndsays work, and we got some more tattoos. And as usual I am totally in love with them.

The next day my Aunt, cousin, Harrison and I went to a place called Lifestyle and had afternoon tea with my Nana. I had a delicious lemon meringue pie! It was so horrifically hot, that we all got milkshakes as well. At the Lifestyle place there is a nursery, pet store and all sorts of other things. I went into the pet shop, and found the bunnies, and while the boys looked around I stayed by the bunnies and held one.

I am totally in love with bunnies. They make me so happy. I will probably get one when we get home. Every time I think about them it just makes me so happy. I know it's lame. On Friday, Ian, Harrison and I went out for lunch with my Nana.

We went to a really nice Italian place. I had gnocchi and it was so yum! The food was so good, but the service was pretty bad! We waited and waited to be served, then waited for food, then waited even longer to get the bill. It was more waiting than anything else! But it was nice to chat to Nana and Ian. We were almost home, when we stopped at a yield sign, and THUMP. Someone drove straight into the back of my Nana's car! We got out, and he said he hadn't expected us to stop. At a yield sign. Merging into a main road with on coming traffic. I mean come on! How stupid can you be! Luckily he was insured, so hopefully the insurance will cover the damage cost, which is going to quite high because the damage to the back of the car was pretty bad.

So off we went to the police station to report the accident. My poor Nana was so stressed, and we were all pretty shaken up.

On Tuesday night, Alyson, Lyndsay, Harrison and I went to a moonlight market! We got there at about 8, and it was pretty dead. But we still wandered around looking at all the stores. There was some pretty cool stuff!

Lots of handmade items, such as jewelry, decorations, candles and heaps more. It was a very pretty market too, with fairy lights decorating most of the stalls.

There was a live band playing in the background, which was really nice too. We found a place that was selling cheesecake, and had a slice. It was amazing! One of the best cheesecakes I have ever eaten! Just after 9, it started to pour! We quickly called an uber and by the time we got in the car, it was a full blown storm. We made it home safely.  My aunt Alyson and my cousin Ian are putting together care packages for an old age home in Joburg. They are making up Christmas packages with things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, body lotion, sweets and other nice things. I have helped them quite a bit with packing bags and whatnot. I think it's such a nice idea, and am really glad that I got to help out!

Wednesday was a very busy day for me! Alyson has a friend who finished her last cancer treatment today, and is now cancer free! To celebrate this Alyson asked me to bake some cupcakes for them to take to the hospital. So I got baking and made 48 pink cupcakes! The next evening Alyson was having a dinner party at our house with Lyndsay and Ian's other cousins from Australia, and Richards parents. I was asked to make dessert, so I made mini white chocolate and raspberry cheesecakes. They turned out really great, and I was so happy with them. So most of that day was spent baking! Yesterday morning I got up a bit early to decorate the cupcakes. I iced them with white icing, then piped the pink cancer ribbon on top and decorated them with sprinkles and glitter.

This took up most of the morning and start of the afternoon! At 1 Harrison and I left to go to Lyndsays work again. I was getting another tattoo on my leg. Harrison hadn't planned to get anything, but ended up starting on an amazing side piece!! It's a phoenix and it is going to look incredible when it is done.

I also love my new tattoo. It was so sore, but so worth it. I think it is my new favourite.

I think I only am getting one more while we are here, and Harrison will need to finish his side piece.

Today we have just been relaxing at home. The roof of the house and our flat is being redone, so they started that today. It has been very busy with people coming and going all day! Harrison and I took the dogs for a quick walk, which they totally loved. It was adorable! Alyson is having a tea party here for her friend that finished her cancer treatment. It hasn't started yet, but all the decorations are up and it looks amazing. As of tomorrow, we only have one week left of our trip. Then it is time to go home. 8 months done. It is so scary to think about how fast this trip has flown by, It really feels like we just left! It is going to very different going home, and I am both looking forward to it and dreading it. I will write more about leaving when the time gets closer. For now we don't have any more plans, and are just taking it one day at a time. It is going to be hard to leave my beautiful family.