The views and wildlife up there were amazing. But next time, knowing a bit more what to expect, we’ll certainly be better prepared.
One other good bit of news is that even though I’m not supposed to be running for another fortnight, my calf seems to have not been horribly torn again by my exertions. Happy days.
I’ll sort the photos out tomorrow.

Previously, we’ve had Man U (who they?) and Spurs coming over for the annual Vodacom Challenge in the English off-season, but according to the Sowetan, it could be the Mags this time around:

“Negotiations are at an advanced stage between the organisers and management of Newcastle United. I think an announcement will be made in a few days’ time,” said a source involved in the negotiations. “The organisers are also toying with the idea of getting Tottenham Hotspur back in the tournament because they are going back to its original format of four clubs, but the appearance fees asked by the English teams are massive.”

Hmm… “a source”.

Anyway, this comes after Cape Town “lost out” on being a host city for the upcoming Afcon tournament, citing a lack of guarantees about costs and a lot of other political nastiness. Grant Pascoe, Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing, was on a local radio station at that time suggesting that the city would at least be likely to host one of the Vodacom Challenge matches.

Putting those two unsubstantiated claims together and doing some rudimentary calculations, I have worked out that Newcastle are going to be playing in Cape Town sometime in the next couple of months and my hopes are now raised just high enough to be completely dashed.

Ha’way the lads!

Always good to see someone managing to deal with apparent food-poisoning long enough to have fun with her friends.

Please note Melinda’s (almost) immediate response to her error: “VERTICAL!! I meant vertical!”.

Of course you did, love.

It really does feel that way at the moment. The sponge is being squeezed and there’s very little bathwater left to drip out.

For us in Cape Town, the next nasty “surprise” is the July 1st rates increase, which inevitably includes hefty hikes in electricity and water as well. While this will obviously prompt shock and outrage from the uninformed population (probably on the 2nd, as the 1st is a Sunday), this happens every year, with alarming regularity.

On a more positive note, we could (could) be looking at a petrol price drop in the meantime. And, if oil continues on its current downward trend and the Rand holds firm for a few more weeks, it might be as much as 55c/litre. That would give you more than 3 weeks to save up so you can light your house in July.

Happy Days!

And while Cape Town is a wonderful, wonderful place to live, I really have no issue with finding myself where I am right now…

But I can’t let minor details distract me from this! We’ll sort something out posthumously.
Or whatever the word is.

Because while in London, I will be eating some pizza! Here.

Seriously? A Manx-themed pizza restaurant in the heart of London? I cannot wait.

The Snaefell Diabola “The Hottest Pizza in the British Isles” looks particularly attractive to me, as do the Manannan Vodka cocktails.
Mrs 6k will enjoy the Manx chocolate pizza. And the kids will eat most anything.

And they do queenies. And if you pay with Manx currency, you get a discount.

Colour me hungry.

As you can see – some butterflies are apparently big enough to require additional strength from an extra arm.

No actual fish yet, but we’ll get them once the water has sorted itself out. It’s currently full of chlorine and devoid of helpful microorganisms. Hopefully by the day of his actual birthday, we’ll be able to add the bubble-eyes he’s after.
His birthday party today was a riot.
Almost literally. Photos tomorrow.

That’s Scoop at the front in her SA fleece (not looking too happy about the while thing) and somewhere halfway up the line is Alex in his dad’s (i.e. my) Chengdu Blades shirt.

The school really pushed for 100% participation in this and I can’t wait to see the finished product.