Well, I haven't written a blog post in several months, maybe I'll do better this year. I really want to try to blog once a month, but often I don't feel like I have anything funny enough or important enough to share. But as the year 2012 came to an end I am hoping that 2013 will be much better.
I had a rough go job wise in 2012 and it's beginning to take a toll on our family financially. I have been unemployed since mid-September and while trying hard for four months I haven't found a job.
Other than my job situation we had a pretty good year. We were able to spend a lot of quality time with family different times this year, we built a beautiful house that we are loving, I got to spend a lot of time with my kiddos (due to not having a job), and I didn't break any bones.
Here is to hoping and praying the 2013 is a great year. May God bless you and your family. Thanks for reading my blog.
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Pictures From South Africa.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Leaving & Traveling: SA Trip Days 12 & 13
Thursday was our last day in South Africa and it turned out to be a busy adventuresome day. We started with breakfast, then headed to the church to meet some people who missed us on Sunday and wanted to meet us (mostly Josh).
After that we checked out a mall in Pretoria, then went back to the house to pack all of our stuff and load the cars. Before heading to the airport we hit one last market to get some souvenirs and gifts for people. After surviving the market and pushy sales people, we were off to the airport until the rental car got a flat tire. It would not have been that big of a deal, except that there was no owners manual, and the tools were missing from the kit to change the tire. After some ingenuity from Ryan and Dad, we got the spare tire on and got back on our way.
The delay caused us to hit rush hour traffic in Johannesburg, which got us to get to the airport with about an hour to spare for making our flight. Thankfully some of the flight crew got stuck in the same traffic, and so we made our flight with no problem. We would spend the next 11 hours or so on the British Airways Boeing 747. Lots of fun.
When we got to London Heathrow Airport, we had to go through three different security check points. First, normal security after we landed and had to get to a different terminal, then at the America Airline check in place, and then again at our departure gate. Sarah left the gate to buy a drink and they gave her a pat down when she came back in. They take their security serious in London.
Anyways, after and 11 hour flight from Johannesburg and two hour break we where on an 8 1/2 hour flight to Chicago. Once we landed in Chicago we had to clear customs and re-check our bags. It ended up being less of a hassle than I thought it would be. We parted ways Jess, Ryan, & Josh after going through security. As we were getting ready to board our final flight of our long trip home, Sarah noticed that famous country singer & actress Leann Rimes was on our flight from Chicago to Denver. That was kind of cool.
That flight was about an hour and half and seemed like nothing compared to the last two. Once in Denver a friend picked us up in our car (Thanks Jordan), we dropped him back at his house in Aurora and then headed home.
Once we got home Sarah and I took some much needed showers, which felt amazing after 35 hours of traveling. Once dressed and feeling better we headed to my Mom & Dad's house to pick up our kids and dogs (thanks Mom, Dad, & Chris).
It was a joyous reunion. We spent a quiet evening at home and once the kids went to bed Sarah and I spent time reflecting on the great trip and both crashed pretty early in the evening. I think I was out by 9 PM or so which for me is really early for me.
We had a great time and have memories and experiences that will last a lifetime.
FYI: District 9/ Prawn Update: Due to a lack of time I was not able to do enough investigation to confirm or deny the existence of District 9 and/ or Prawns living in Johannesburg.
After that we checked out a mall in Pretoria, then went back to the house to pack all of our stuff and load the cars. Before heading to the airport we hit one last market to get some souvenirs and gifts for people. After surviving the market and pushy sales people, we were off to the airport until the rental car got a flat tire. It would not have been that big of a deal, except that there was no owners manual, and the tools were missing from the kit to change the tire. After some ingenuity from Ryan and Dad, we got the spare tire on and got back on our way.
The delay caused us to hit rush hour traffic in Johannesburg, which got us to get to the airport with about an hour to spare for making our flight. Thankfully some of the flight crew got stuck in the same traffic, and so we made our flight with no problem. We would spend the next 11 hours or so on the British Airways Boeing 747. Lots of fun.
When we got to London Heathrow Airport, we had to go through three different security check points. First, normal security after we landed and had to get to a different terminal, then at the America Airline check in place, and then again at our departure gate. Sarah left the gate to buy a drink and they gave her a pat down when she came back in. They take their security serious in London.
Anyways, after and 11 hour flight from Johannesburg and two hour break we where on an 8 1/2 hour flight to Chicago. Once we landed in Chicago we had to clear customs and re-check our bags. It ended up being less of a hassle than I thought it would be. We parted ways Jess, Ryan, & Josh after going through security. As we were getting ready to board our final flight of our long trip home, Sarah noticed that famous country singer & actress Leann Rimes was on our flight from Chicago to Denver. That was kind of cool.
That flight was about an hour and half and seemed like nothing compared to the last two. Once in Denver a friend picked us up in our car (Thanks Jordan), we dropped him back at his house in Aurora and then headed home.
Once we got home Sarah and I took some much needed showers, which felt amazing after 35 hours of traveling. Once dressed and feeling better we headed to my Mom & Dad's house to pick up our kids and dogs (thanks Mom, Dad, & Chris).
It was a joyous reunion. We spent a quiet evening at home and once the kids went to bed Sarah and I spent time reflecting on the great trip and both crashed pretty early in the evening. I think I was out by 9 PM or so which for me is really early for me.
We had a great time and have memories and experiences that will last a lifetime.
FYI: District 9/ Prawn Update: Due to a lack of time I was not able to do enough investigation to confirm or deny the existence of District 9 and/ or Prawns living in Johannesburg.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Safari Time: SA Trip Days 9, 10, & 11
On Monday morning, we got up early to make the drive to Kruger National Park. It's an enormous chunk of land in the north east corner of South Africa left alone from development. There are lots of wild animals doing what they do in their natural habitat, it's like a zoo on steroids. As soon as we entered Kruger we began to see animals, it was awesome. We saw a lot of impala, giraffes, elephants, zebras, & various birds. This was all before even getting to our lodge or going on a game drive (safari).
Once we got to the lodge we would be staying at called, "Little Jock" (part of Jock Safari Lodge), we were greeted by our hosts David & Ilana. They had pretend champagne (fizzy apple juice) for us. They took our luggage to our rooms, and we signed a form that said if an animal hurt or killed us on a game drive they were not liable. They also took our lunch order. I had a Kudu filet that was very tasty!
After lunch and settling in, David took us on our first game drive. It was simply, amazing! We tracked some lions, but never saw them. However, we did see rhino, elephant, giraffe, impala, kudu, water buck, duiker, bushbuck, warthog all kind of birds (we saw one bird catch a frog), and we had snacks in a dry river bed.
As it got dark we saw a beautiful sunset over the bush. It was fiery reds & oranges, just awesome! The game drive doesn't end when the sun goes down, because our guide used a spot light to find some various nocturnal creatures like jackal, serval, African wild cat, white-tailed mongoose, some bats, and birds. Our first game drive had a good variety of animals and was an incredible experience!
It got pretty cold, and as we got back to the lodge after our first game drive they had hot chocolate and coffee waiting for us! Then it was dinner. We were all pretty tired and went to bed shortly after dinner, good thing too, because we had to get up early the next morning.
5:30 AM. That's when the wake up call came. Thank goodness for coffee! You get up early to see the animals as they get up and maybe catch a few of the nocturnal ones heading to sleep. This morning we got to see a male leopard stalk a warthog and almost have a nice big breakfast. Unfortunately, the leopard lunged into a bush and the warthog got away, but it was a thrill to see that!
It was a great start to the morning, and made being cold worth it. We also got to see a beautiful sunrise. As the game drive went on we got to see many of the same animals we already seen, and add hippo, crocodile, some dwarf mongoose, and many new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a good morning. When we got back to the lodge they had hot drinks and a breakfast starter buffet (fruit, yogurt, muffins, etc.) waiting. As you nibble on that they take your order for a hot breakfast. I had a delicious omelet.
After breakfast, just the guys (Paul, Ryan, & I) went on a "Bush Walk." We had three armed guides and walked around in the bush for about two hours. We learned about trees, dung, came close to a couple of warthogs, and saw a cape buffalo. It was a nice informative walk, and made Ryan and I want to camp or do a backpacking trip through the bush.
After the walk, we had a high tea, which is a smaller lunch consisting of finger foods and drinks. Then it was off for our evening game drive. We saw a lot of the same animals as other game drives, and added blue wildebeest, nile monitor, bushbaby, genet, steenbok, sable, banded mongoose, cape hare, pearl-spotted owl, eagle owl, and some other new birds to our list of animals seen.
We all really wanted to see some lions, we heard a lioness in the distance at one point, but never saw her. At one point we ran into several rhinos blocking the road. They are very territorial animals, and for a little bit it seemed like we might get charged, but it all worked out fine.
After the game drive we finished the day with an outdoor dinner under the stars and by the fire. It was another great day!
We got up at 5:30 AM again, and headed out for our last game drive. We added vervet monkey, spotted & brown hyaena, and a few new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a cold morning and our slowest game drive for animals spotted. Although we still got to see a lot of animals just not many new ones. We had no luck seeing a lion, although some were spotted that morning, they were way on the other side of Kruger. After the game drive we had breakfast and then had to pack up and head back to Pretoria.
Being at Kruger and the safari lodge was one of those things you get to cross off your bucket list. It was such an incredible experience, and we all had a ton of fun. I could have stayed for several more days, but time and money get in the way of that.
As we were leaving Little Jock & Kruger, we got stuck in the middle of a huge heard of Elephants crossing the road. A momma elephant got agitated at us, and we thought she might come after us. But we backed up to let her know we were not trying to get to her or her babies. After a bit of a tense situation, she moved on. As we got up to that spot we saw what seemed like hundreds of elephants at the river bed drinking and cooling, not to mention the several that had already passed in front of us. It was crazy. On the way out of the park we also saw a civet, that was the last new animal we got to add to our list.
Then it was about a four our drive back to Pretoria. Our time in South Africa is coming to an end and that's sad. It's been a great time and adventure, and I'm so grateful to get to have these memories and experiences! We have a few things to do in the morning, and then we start the long journey home tomorrow night. The time has gone by so fast.
FYI: Saw a guy possibly eating cat food, so I might have a "District 9/ Prawn," sighting. Still not sure though as further recon is required.
Once we got to the lodge we would be staying at called, "Little Jock" (part of Jock Safari Lodge), we were greeted by our hosts David & Ilana. They had pretend champagne (fizzy apple juice) for us. They took our luggage to our rooms, and we signed a form that said if an animal hurt or killed us on a game drive they were not liable. They also took our lunch order. I had a Kudu filet that was very tasty!
After lunch and settling in, David took us on our first game drive. It was simply, amazing! We tracked some lions, but never saw them. However, we did see rhino, elephant, giraffe, impala, kudu, water buck, duiker, bushbuck, warthog all kind of birds (we saw one bird catch a frog), and we had snacks in a dry river bed.
As it got dark we saw a beautiful sunset over the bush. It was fiery reds & oranges, just awesome! The game drive doesn't end when the sun goes down, because our guide used a spot light to find some various nocturnal creatures like jackal, serval, African wild cat, white-tailed mongoose, some bats, and birds. Our first game drive had a good variety of animals and was an incredible experience!
It got pretty cold, and as we got back to the lodge after our first game drive they had hot chocolate and coffee waiting for us! Then it was dinner. We were all pretty tired and went to bed shortly after dinner, good thing too, because we had to get up early the next morning.
5:30 AM. That's when the wake up call came. Thank goodness for coffee! You get up early to see the animals as they get up and maybe catch a few of the nocturnal ones heading to sleep. This morning we got to see a male leopard stalk a warthog and almost have a nice big breakfast. Unfortunately, the leopard lunged into a bush and the warthog got away, but it was a thrill to see that!
It was a great start to the morning, and made being cold worth it. We also got to see a beautiful sunrise. As the game drive went on we got to see many of the same animals we already seen, and add hippo, crocodile, some dwarf mongoose, and many new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a good morning. When we got back to the lodge they had hot drinks and a breakfast starter buffet (fruit, yogurt, muffins, etc.) waiting. As you nibble on that they take your order for a hot breakfast. I had a delicious omelet.
After breakfast, just the guys (Paul, Ryan, & I) went on a "Bush Walk." We had three armed guides and walked around in the bush for about two hours. We learned about trees, dung, came close to a couple of warthogs, and saw a cape buffalo. It was a nice informative walk, and made Ryan and I want to camp or do a backpacking trip through the bush.
After the walk, we had a high tea, which is a smaller lunch consisting of finger foods and drinks. Then it was off for our evening game drive. We saw a lot of the same animals as other game drives, and added blue wildebeest, nile monitor, bushbaby, genet, steenbok, sable, banded mongoose, cape hare, pearl-spotted owl, eagle owl, and some other new birds to our list of animals seen.
We all really wanted to see some lions, we heard a lioness in the distance at one point, but never saw her. At one point we ran into several rhinos blocking the road. They are very territorial animals, and for a little bit it seemed like we might get charged, but it all worked out fine.
After the game drive we finished the day with an outdoor dinner under the stars and by the fire. It was another great day!
We got up at 5:30 AM again, and headed out for our last game drive. We added vervet monkey, spotted & brown hyaena, and a few new birds to our list of animals seen. It was a cold morning and our slowest game drive for animals spotted. Although we still got to see a lot of animals just not many new ones. We had no luck seeing a lion, although some were spotted that morning, they were way on the other side of Kruger. After the game drive we had breakfast and then had to pack up and head back to Pretoria.
Being at Kruger and the safari lodge was one of those things you get to cross off your bucket list. It was such an incredible experience, and we all had a ton of fun. I could have stayed for several more days, but time and money get in the way of that.
As we were leaving Little Jock & Kruger, we got stuck in the middle of a huge heard of Elephants crossing the road. A momma elephant got agitated at us, and we thought she might come after us. But we backed up to let her know we were not trying to get to her or her babies. After a bit of a tense situation, she moved on. As we got up to that spot we saw what seemed like hundreds of elephants at the river bed drinking and cooling, not to mention the several that had already passed in front of us. It was crazy. On the way out of the park we also saw a civet, that was the last new animal we got to add to our list.
Then it was about a four our drive back to Pretoria. Our time in South Africa is coming to an end and that's sad. It's been a great time and adventure, and I'm so grateful to get to have these memories and experiences! We have a few things to do in the morning, and then we start the long journey home tomorrow night. The time has gone by so fast.
FYI: Saw a guy possibly eating cat food, so I might have a "District 9/ Prawn," sighting. Still not sure though as further recon is required.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Market, Elephants, & Church: SA Trip Days 7 & 8
Saturday & Sunday were fun days, but very different. Saturday started by going to the Irene Market in the Pretoria, SA area. It's a very popular market and the thing to do twice a month on a Saturday morning. Thousands of people stroll the hundreds of vendors items. It's kind of like a flee market in the US. There is a large variety of new and used things. There is also a big food vendor section as well. Mom wanted us to try the South African pancake/ crepe which came with just cinnamon and sugar on them, they were tasty. I also got a muffin filled with chocolate, it was very yummy. As a side note my nine year old nephew Josh is very good at bartering! He bought a couple of things and got good prices on them, it was very funny to watch him do that.
After getting some food and most of us buying some stuff at the market, it was off to a town called Hartbeespoort, to the "Elephant Sanctuary."
Hartbeespoort is a beautiful lake town with a really cool dam. You drive over it, but it's only one lane at time. While you wait you are bombarded by locals trying to sell you stuff. They walk down the street with items in their hand yelling at you through your car windows. It's funny & annoying at the same time.
Once we got to the Elephant Sanctuary we did a three hour program in which we got to learn all about elephants, as well as touch, feed, get a kiss from, walk with, and ride the elephants. This sanctuary rescues Elephants from bad situations. It was such an incredible experience, to be so close to such an enormous and majestic creature, just surreal. Words fall short of how fun, incredible, and unforgettable this experience was. I am so grateful to Mom & Dad McCool for taking us to do that, what a gift!
After leaving the elephants we had dinner at a SA chain steak restaurant called "Dros." It was good. I had a steak in the Dros Sauce (a cheesy sauce with bacon & onion), which was tasty. Ask Sarah about ordering the peri, peri sauce (it was very hot and made her burger more spicy than she anticipated).
Sunday, we got up and went to Eastside Community Church. It was an enjoyable church service, and of course lots of people wanted to to meet us. After church we had the Pastor & his family over lunch. We made fajitas, which was new to them, because there is very little Mexican food in SA. We had a fun time eating & fellowshipping with them.
After that we just hung out at the house and got packed for our trip to Kruger National Park/ Game Reserve. There, we will be going on game drives/ safari. We are hoping to see lots of animals we would normally only ever see in a zoo. Should be a lot of fun!
Well more updates to come when we get back from Kruger, and as always thanks for reading.
FYI: "District 9/ Prawn" update, it's possible that some of the peddlers and/ or beggars we have seen the past couple of days are part prawn, further investigation is required before we can say either way.
After getting some food and most of us buying some stuff at the market, it was off to a town called Hartbeespoort, to the "Elephant Sanctuary."
Hartbeespoort is a beautiful lake town with a really cool dam. You drive over it, but it's only one lane at time. While you wait you are bombarded by locals trying to sell you stuff. They walk down the street with items in their hand yelling at you through your car windows. It's funny & annoying at the same time.
Once we got to the Elephant Sanctuary we did a three hour program in which we got to learn all about elephants, as well as touch, feed, get a kiss from, walk with, and ride the elephants. This sanctuary rescues Elephants from bad situations. It was such an incredible experience, to be so close to such an enormous and majestic creature, just surreal. Words fall short of how fun, incredible, and unforgettable this experience was. I am so grateful to Mom & Dad McCool for taking us to do that, what a gift!
After leaving the elephants we had dinner at a SA chain steak restaurant called "Dros." It was good. I had a steak in the Dros Sauce (a cheesy sauce with bacon & onion), which was tasty. Ask Sarah about ordering the peri, peri sauce (it was very hot and made her burger more spicy than she anticipated).
Sunday, we got up and went to Eastside Community Church. It was an enjoyable church service, and of course lots of people wanted to to meet us. After church we had the Pastor & his family over lunch. We made fajitas, which was new to them, because there is very little Mexican food in SA. We had a fun time eating & fellowshipping with them.
After that we just hung out at the house and got packed for our trip to Kruger National Park/ Game Reserve. There, we will be going on game drives/ safari. We are hoping to see lots of animals we would normally only ever see in a zoo. Should be a lot of fun!
Well more updates to come when we get back from Kruger, and as always thanks for reading.
FYI: "District 9/ Prawn" update, it's possible that some of the peddlers and/ or beggars we have seen the past couple of days are part prawn, further investigation is required before we can say either way.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Beautiful Views: SA Trip Days 4, 5, & 6
We woke up bright and early on Wednesday to drive to a town called, "Sabie." The drive to Sabie took us from big city to rural areas, and although we were on highways most of the time the scenery was worth the four hour drive.
We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast for the next two nights and did some sight seeing around the famous South African region know as, "The Panorama Route." It is absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful to see, not just the landscape, but animals too. My favorite so far: Baboons. Apparently, they like to hang out in cabbage fields. Who knew? God sure did some amazing things when he created this part of South Africa.
In Sabie, we stayed at place called, "The Sabie Townhouse." It's operated by a cute older couple named Murray & Irene. They treated us like family, and the breakfast there was very good. The B&B was not luxurious, but it was a beautifully built home with amazing stone and brick work.
As far as sight seeing goes in the Panorama Route, let me tell you about my two highlights. First, my favorite site was called the, "The Lowveld View Site." It's an overlook of the Blyde River Canyon. It was absolutely breathtaking. It's not as big as the Grand Canyon in the US, but it is one of the larger canyons in the world. As I sat on the edge of rock close to (but a safe distance from) the edge of the canyon wall, it was a very spiritual experience. As I sat there I was in awe of God, His Creativity, and how big He is compared to me. I could have sat there for a long time, because for a moment nothing else mattered, and I felt a little bit of Heaven on Earth.
Second highlight was Bridal Veil Falls. It was a unique experience there as you were able to hike up to the bottom of the waterfall and look up at it from the pool, rather than being above or across from it. I was able to hike around and actually get behind the waterfall, that was very cool.
One last thing about Sabie, we ate dinner at a place called, "The Wild Fig Tree." Sarah & I had Impala, it was amazing! We had such a great time laughing, eating, drinking, and hanging out. We had a couple of funny moments with our server figuring things out as she didn't understand us and we didn't understand her. Anyways, if you ever find yourself in Sabie, South Africa, eat at this place. The food is fantastic!
After Bridal Veil Falls we headed back to Pretoria. We decided to go see South Africa's first 3D movie called, "Jock of the Bushveld 3D." It is a famous SA story, but I'm guessing they took a lot of liberties with it. Anyways, the movie wasn't great and their animation & 3D capability is behind Disney/ Pixar stuff. But to be fair, I fell asleep a couple of times during the movie, so maybe I missed the good parts? The popcorn & Coke was good though, two thumbs up for that. We finished the day by getting pizza South African style at a place called Mimmos. It was very good and very much like pizza in the US.
The trip has been so much fun thus far, and there is more to come on our SA Trip! I'll be updating the blog again soon.
FYI: Still no "District 9/ Prawn" sightings unless you count the shrimp on people's plates, there has been plenty of that.
We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast for the next two nights and did some sight seeing around the famous South African region know as, "The Panorama Route." It is absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful to see, not just the landscape, but animals too. My favorite so far: Baboons. Apparently, they like to hang out in cabbage fields. Who knew? God sure did some amazing things when he created this part of South Africa.
In Sabie, we stayed at place called, "The Sabie Townhouse." It's operated by a cute older couple named Murray & Irene. They treated us like family, and the breakfast there was very good. The B&B was not luxurious, but it was a beautifully built home with amazing stone and brick work.
As far as sight seeing goes in the Panorama Route, let me tell you about my two highlights. First, my favorite site was called the, "The Lowveld View Site." It's an overlook of the Blyde River Canyon. It was absolutely breathtaking. It's not as big as the Grand Canyon in the US, but it is one of the larger canyons in the world. As I sat on the edge of rock close to (but a safe distance from) the edge of the canyon wall, it was a very spiritual experience. As I sat there I was in awe of God, His Creativity, and how big He is compared to me. I could have sat there for a long time, because for a moment nothing else mattered, and I felt a little bit of Heaven on Earth.
Second highlight was Bridal Veil Falls. It was a unique experience there as you were able to hike up to the bottom of the waterfall and look up at it from the pool, rather than being above or across from it. I was able to hike around and actually get behind the waterfall, that was very cool.
One last thing about Sabie, we ate dinner at a place called, "The Wild Fig Tree." Sarah & I had Impala, it was amazing! We had such a great time laughing, eating, drinking, and hanging out. We had a couple of funny moments with our server figuring things out as she didn't understand us and we didn't understand her. Anyways, if you ever find yourself in Sabie, South Africa, eat at this place. The food is fantastic!
After Bridal Veil Falls we headed back to Pretoria. We decided to go see South Africa's first 3D movie called, "Jock of the Bushveld 3D." It is a famous SA story, but I'm guessing they took a lot of liberties with it. Anyways, the movie wasn't great and their animation & 3D capability is behind Disney/ Pixar stuff. But to be fair, I fell asleep a couple of times during the movie, so maybe I missed the good parts? The popcorn & Coke was good though, two thumbs up for that. We finished the day by getting pizza South African style at a place called Mimmos. It was very good and very much like pizza in the US.
The trip has been so much fun thus far, and there is more to come on our SA Trip! I'll be updating the blog again soon.
FYI: Still no "District 9/ Prawn" sightings unless you count the shrimp on people's plates, there has been plenty of that.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Jet Lag: SA Trip Days 1,2, & 3
Sunday night Sarah & I embarked on our first international adventure together. Sarah's parents (Paul & Debbie) currently live in Pretoria, South Africa, and we are going to visit with them and see some of the country. We started our Sunday with church as usual. Some of our church family prayed for our journey before we left to get all of our last minute stuff taken care of.
After taking our dogs to my brother (Thanks Chris), and our two kids to my parents (Thanks Mom & Dad), we said our goodbyes to our kiddos and my parents, then drove to meet a friend in Denver who would take us to the Denver International Airport (Thanks Jordan).
As we checked in, Sarah & I were told we would not be sitting together, but in different rows. We got through security and had plenty of time to wait for our departure, so Sarah and I grabbed dinner. As we got on the Boeing 777 and found our seats, a kind lady offered to switch seats with me. It turned out there were a lot of empty seats around us, some people moved around and Sarah and I got a whole row to ourselves! That was nice as we spent 8 1/2 hours there flying to London's Heathrow International Airport. Once there you have to walk forever to clear security again and find what gate your connecting flight is leaving from.
We were able to meet up with Sarah's sister and her family (Jess, Ryan, & Josh), because we were on the same flight to Johannesburg. We grabbed some food, did some wandering, and a lot of waiting. After a 6 1/2 hour layover we flew on a Boeing 747 to Johannesburg, South Africa. That was an 11 hour flight, which was, well...long.
Once we got there it was though Passport Control and Customs to meet Sarah's parents. After a slight issue at the rental car place we were off to Pretoria.
Just an FYI: British Flight Attendants are much better than American ones. Shout out to British Airways staff!
We got to the McCool's house with no problems. After almost two days of travel, I took a much needed shower and nap before dinner. We spent the rest of Tuesday relaxing, eating, laughing, & catching up. We head out tomorrow morning for a couple days of adventure (I hope to blog about this), and it should be a lot of fun!
We are a little jet lagged, but doing fine, and very excited for this vacation/ international adventure/ time with Sarah's family. God takes great care of us! I will try to update this blog more through out the trip. Thanks for reading and be blessed.
One more FYI: We have not seen "District 9" or any "Prawns" yet, we will keep you updated of that as well!
After taking our dogs to my brother (Thanks Chris), and our two kids to my parents (Thanks Mom & Dad), we said our goodbyes to our kiddos and my parents, then drove to meet a friend in Denver who would take us to the Denver International Airport (Thanks Jordan).
As we checked in, Sarah & I were told we would not be sitting together, but in different rows. We got through security and had plenty of time to wait for our departure, so Sarah and I grabbed dinner. As we got on the Boeing 777 and found our seats, a kind lady offered to switch seats with me. It turned out there were a lot of empty seats around us, some people moved around and Sarah and I got a whole row to ourselves! That was nice as we spent 8 1/2 hours there flying to London's Heathrow International Airport. Once there you have to walk forever to clear security again and find what gate your connecting flight is leaving from.
We were able to meet up with Sarah's sister and her family (Jess, Ryan, & Josh), because we were on the same flight to Johannesburg. We grabbed some food, did some wandering, and a lot of waiting. After a 6 1/2 hour layover we flew on a Boeing 747 to Johannesburg, South Africa. That was an 11 hour flight, which was, well...long.
Once we got there it was though Passport Control and Customs to meet Sarah's parents. After a slight issue at the rental car place we were off to Pretoria.
Just an FYI: British Flight Attendants are much better than American ones. Shout out to British Airways staff!
We got to the McCool's house with no problems. After almost two days of travel, I took a much needed shower and nap before dinner. We spent the rest of Tuesday relaxing, eating, laughing, & catching up. We head out tomorrow morning for a couple days of adventure (I hope to blog about this), and it should be a lot of fun!
We are a little jet lagged, but doing fine, and very excited for this vacation/ international adventure/ time with Sarah's family. God takes great care of us! I will try to update this blog more through out the trip. Thanks for reading and be blessed.
One more FYI: We have not seen "District 9" or any "Prawns" yet, we will keep you updated of that as well!
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