Learning to golf, or at least act like I know what I'm doing

Going from a life of working part time, cleaning my own home, house projects and yard work to cutting out all of those upon moving to Africa, it was time to pick up a hobby.  Since we live on a golf course I figured that would be a good sport to learn and if I liked it I could do it for the rest of my life.  A few of my friends in Africa and I joined the women's clinic on Thursday mornings for an hour taught by one of the golf pros.  For a whopping $5 for an hour long session 2-6 of us get a lesson in how to play.  After 4 lessons using my friend's clubs I decided to get my own as I was really enjoying the game.

In October I tried my hand at 9 holes costing $11, and if I wanted to play 18 that would be just a dollar a hole.  My first game went well with 4 bogeys out of 9.  Of course every game after that has not gone as well, but I am determined to stick to it, even with a belly growing in the way.  At times it feels as though I am just playing one massive game of croquet but I try not to be embarrassed and carry on.  I have been able to play a game once a week so I am getting my practice in and some exercise if nothing else.  I have a cart to pull my clubs but may get a caddy someday as they are only $8 and I can use the extra advise.

Golfing with my friend Martha

It has been nice to go to the golf course on Sundays as a family to hit some balls on the driving range.  I bought Adalyn her own iron, though playing in the sand pit and taking the flags from the putting green is more amusing to her.  You can't beat a large bucket of balls for only $4 which provides an afternoon of entertainment.  Plus our friends and their kids also play, so it has been a nice activity to do as a group.

Adalyn says, "I'll be taking this flag". 

Mark of course, working 50 hours per week, only has time on the weekends to golf which is usually booked up with adventures to visit animals and the like.  He has been able to fit in private lessons on Sunday with the golf pro for an hour so at least he gets to work on his game.  I look forward to playing with him someday and figuring out how to tote the baby on the course so I don't miss out.  Might as well start #2 young.      

My African pregnancy

Deciding to have a baby in Africa was not a difficult decision.  There are plenty of Black and Veatch women over here who have done it and without problems.  Prior to arriving in South Africa I had spoken with a friend who had been here for 3 years about medical care, her OB/GYN and obtaining the necessary documents after the baby is born to get back into the US.  Mark and I were not going to put expanding our family on hold just because we were moving to Africa.  I mean people have babies everywhere and since the medical care is good here, we decided to give it a try ourselves.  It's not like Adalyn's delivery was the most smooth sailing birth experience so at least I know what I am capable to enduring.

After arriving in South Africa in June I had set up an appointment with an OB/GYN in July to get a relationship established and make sure all was well.  I really enjoyed our appointment, she was very nice, good bed side manner, explained things well and I felt comfortable seeing her.  And since she is recommended by the US Embassy and several Black and Veatch ladies have gone to her, I felt that she would be a good fit for me.  It was not much more than a month later that I ended up seeing her again cause I was pregnant.

After taking several home pregnancy tests because the pharmacy brand ones never picked up my HCG levels, I finally got a positive one.  I called the office and they scheduled labs to be drawn 2 days apart to make sure all my levels were rising and doubling as they should.  Then 2 weeks later I went in for my first OB appointment.  My doctor does not share her practice with any other doctor so it is just her and the receptionist.  In fact, there are no nurses or nurses aids.  When I check in, the front desk gal does quite a bit from the usual paperwork to bringing me back to the doctor's office, weighing me and getting me set for the appointment.  The doctor then comes in and checks my blood pressure and temp and goes over how I have been feeling.

At every OB appointment I have had an ultrasound.  I mean why bother just hearing your baby's heart beat when you can hear and see it at every visit.  It is nice to have quite the collection of pictures of my baby and seeing him or her on the screen is reassuring that things are progressing nicely.  The pictures seem to be similar quality to those I have of Adalyn and all the equipment looks like what I remembered in the US.  After the ultrasounds are done, I go into her office to chat and go over things before the next appointment.

Appointments in the US seemed to be on a regular schedule where I would see my doctor every 4 weeks in the beginning, then every 2 and finally every week towards the end of my pregnancy.  Well here I have had a slue of appoints and they never have any regularity.  I saw my doctor here at 6 weeks, then again at 8 weeks, at 13 weeks and at 17 weeks.  In the middle of that at 12 weeks I also was referred to another OB to get a more detailed ultrasound to check for Down's Syndrome.

At 10 weeks I had lab work drawn for a Down Syndrome screening.  I remember in the states being offered genetic testing but here it is not an option, you are just sent and that is that.  So off Mark and I went to another hospital to see another OB to have this pregnancy screened.  After discussing our medical history with the 2nd doctor we were then asked if we wanted to know the sex of the baby even before the ultrasound started.  The doctor said that they will disclose the sex of the baby at 12 weeks here and everyone usually knows what they are having by 16 weeks.  Since we did not find out the sex of Adalyn and loved that experience we wanted to do it again.

Everything looked great on the ultrasound which was a clearer picture than at my doctor's office and my lab work came back fine.  I told the doctor if Americans knew they could find out the sex of their baby at 12 weeks I bet they would be paying to fly here just for that since most have to wait until 20 weeks in the US, and for some it is a long wait.  So for now we do not know if our baby is a boy or a girl and with every ultrasound it is tempting to look but we will hold out.  I have to tell my OB at each appointment to not let it slip since we see the baby each time and I don't want her to forget.

I have been very pleased with my OB and my appointments.  I have asked some pretty bizarre questions about labor and delivery, immunizations, safety, etc...but I don't know what to expect or what would be different so I just ask about everything I can think of.  Things are done differently in South Africa and I want to be aware of what I am getting into.  Like the fact that over 70 percent of births are via c-section here compared to around 25 percent in the US.  I did not have a c-section with Adalyn and don't want one this time around unless medically necessary but they seem c-section happy here so we will see.

I have had no issues with my insurance paying for all these things, including an ultrasound at every appointment.  Maybe since it is only a $77 charge for the appointment, the ultrasound and a urine screen is why.  Either way, I am happy to have found good medical care once again in South Africa and enjoying the different experience with baby #2.

 

Snakes and as always in Africa, a few lions too.

Traveling to the Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park is not something I would normally look forward to as snakes are not my favorite but a departure from the normal animal scene was nice.  Although I have realized that no matter what type of attraction you are going to in South Africa, there are always the staples of lions, tigers, etc...  Luckily Mark is up for anything so the enclosures where giant spiders, lizards and snakes that made my skin crawl were, I had him lead the way to tell me if I should look in the particular glass enclosure or not.

We enjoyed a scenic drive by the dam and through a one way tunnel to reach the Hartbeespoort Dam park.
This attraction was the most like one we would see in the US and since it was on a hillside the paths wondering through the park made it more interesting.

Upon entering we saw a nice variety of turtles, crocodiles, chimps and meerkats before you reached the snakes.  Most of the animals were in enclosures or water area below eye level so Adalyn got a nice view from Mark's arms.

The chimps were very vocal and they were being fed while we were there, which was quite interesting to see.  The animal keeper had a bucket with a long spoon full of some maize type meal which he would spoon feed through the fence to the chimps.  The chimps would be communicating with each other and ones would get out of the way for the others like they had worked out a plan of sorts.  It was cute to see the little ones squeeze their way in between the bigger ones.

After viewing some of the animals we made our way up into the snake enclosures.  When they said they had a large selection of snakes they were not kidding.  Snakes mixed with lizards and some spiders all in a dark enclosure made me a little squeamish but I tried to act calm so Adalyn would not be scared.  I know the snakes are not going to come through the glass but just the sight of them slithering along is enough.

We were even able to see an albino cobra which the park states they have the only one in the world.

Right under the big log in the back behind the green plant

Each snake had a nice information board next to it's enclosure telling you where they are located, how poisonous they are and other interesting facts. After making our way through the next area they had listed as "Giant Snakes" we headed into another part of the park where the wild animals were housed.

A large cage of vultures met us at the entrance followed by a couple lions, tigers, hyenas, African dogs, and different types of monkeys.

 They even had a large group of giant turtles next to the water.

We were able to get a family photo which does not happen often, but then neither does getting Adalyn to look at the camera.

Next we passed by the seals and otters who were playing around in the water so no good shots were captured.  I was pretty surprised to see brown bears as I have yet to see any bears in all of our animal adventures.

 With no options for animal interactions it felt the most like a US zoo but kept our attention very well.

It took about 1.5 hours to see all the animals and then we went on a ferry boat ride.  The dam is quite beautiful lined with hills and homes nestled in between.  The 30 ride was relaxing and made me feel like I was back home in MO at the Lake of the Ozarks perhaps.  Adalyn enjoyed the boat ride and was up for taking some pics so we got a couple.

It was a fun morning and the area is a large tourist attraction so we were able to eat some lunch and do a little shopping before heading back home.  I look forward to visiting the dam again, maybe renting a house for a long weekend as it is only an hour away.

Discovering my human heritage

Two weekends ago we got lost on our way to Maropeng which is an exhibit about the evolution of man and all things related in the atmosphere.  It is not uncommon to get lost since the places here will not give their addresses but intersections or just GPS coordinates.  But after a 20 minute detour we finally found the massive center in the middle of nowhere Africa.

Maropeng is a modern museum with lots of interactive stations and even a water ride.  When we entered we read up on some basic history of humankind then loaded into our raft to embark on a journey back in time.  The water ride took us through the highlights of the major events in history which formed the earth.  Complete with snow, rain, shifting rocks and fire it was an interesting 10 minute ride.

After docking our raft we went through a vortex signifying the Big Bang Theory where I became quite dizzy but non the less, made for a fun entrance.  First up was the birth of the cradle with several interactive displays.  All of the info was a little too mature for Adalyn to understand but she does not shy away from pressing buttons and manipulating things, so she enjoyed her time.

Next we were able to see human remains and they had quite the impressive collection.  The displays spoke about the evolution of man from ape and how we now interact with our environment.  There was a short clip at the end that was next to a fossil display.

As we headed out of the exhibit there was a whole wall with info on sustainability and the human impact.  Of course it had to have a large display on power and energy speaking to the horrific use of burning coal for energy that Mark was not so keen about.  And interestingly enough they talked about how Americans are the worst at using energy and how we are polluting the planet more than anyone else in the world.

After the exhibit ended there was a kid's cave that Adalyn and of course Mark and I were able to explore.

We then ventured to the view top for some pictures and off to the playground.  After lunch and a little shopping we headed home.  The excursion took longer than I expected and was interesting but it did not interest me enough to go back again.  At least we got to throw in a little science into our normal animal adventures.

How to feed an elephant

As part of our Sun City vacation over a week ago, we took an excursion to interact with the elephants.  After a short game drive we arrived at their Wallow as it was called.  There were rhinos, elephants and some zebras all wondering about.

Baby on left, mama laying down on right

 Pretty amazing to see a rhino that's only 25 days old, look how big he already is.  He stayed right by his mama the whole time, not too keen on human interaction.  But despite that nice surprise, the main reason we came was to interact with the elephants.  I did not know what all this would entail or for how long, but once the excursion was done Mark and I both thought it was one of the greatest animal interactions we have had yet.

After a small debriefing which Adalyn was running around the entire time so I did not hear any of it and just hoping I could keep myself from getting trampled, we headed over to the feeding circle.  There were 4 adult elephants with the oldest being 28 years old.  The guides stated that elephants in captivity will live well over 70 years as that is the norm in the wild.  There was also 1 teenage elephant who acted as the babysitter to the baby elephant that stood next to his mama.

Baby elephant on left, teenager on the right

 The elephants of course know the drill and that when tourists are around they are going to get fed.  The feed is a mixture of grains, vitamins, minerals, and molasses. I guess the elephants need a little coaxing with some sugar to eat their feed.

There were two options to feed the elephants, either through their trunk which the elephant would suck the feed out of your hand then bring it up to it's mouth to eat.

 Or you can tell the elephant to "trunk up" and he/she will lift their trunk for you to put the food directly into their mouth.

I was beyond impressed that the elephants were so well trained that I could just say "trunk up" and it would lift it's huge trunk straight into the air over it's head to get a handful of food.  I was worried that the elephant would bring it's huge trunk down on top of me, but the guide said he won't until the food is in it's mouth.  So you could hold the food right up to it's mouth without putting it in and get some great pictures.  I still tended to back out quickly as the last thing I want is smacked in the face with a trunk.

We were also able to pet the elephants as we were feeding them.  They felt very rough like car tires and their hair was very prickly like pine needles.

Of course like most animals we have interacted with, they have quite long eye lashes.  The elephant's tongue felt like a cat's, a little rough but it's mouth was soft and squishy like our own.  The suction power that can come from their trunk is similar to a vacuum.  I was able to hold and play with one of the elephant's trunks and it would blow on me through it's trunk, hot and smelly but fantastic none the less.

The elephants were very good to stay behind the 2 foot wall, although the teenager did try to come over a time or two.

 The baby elephant would also stop to get milk from her mama.  We were not allowed to feed the baby elephant as the guides said they do not know when to stop eating and need a more specialized diet.  We could feed the teenager but only though the trunk.  There was a guide with each elephant who held the large pointed stick but I am sure if the elephant really wanted something, there was little to stop them.

The entire experience lasted 2 hours complete with refreshments and snacks offered.  Adalyn fed a few animals but spent the majority of the time playing in the elephant's feed.  I figured if she was at least occupied and not scared then all is well.  Feeding the elephants was an amazing experience and I am once again impressed with the wildlife in this beautiful country.

A long weekend in Sun City

This past weekend we traveled one and a half hours to a resort called Sun City.  This was not a small resort but massive with 4 individual hotels, apartments and time shares.  Buses connected you to all the activities and amenities Sun City had to offer.

One of the 4 hotel's pool

We took off for our vacation Friday through Monday opting to stay in the apartments as a separate bedroom is a must since sharing with Adalyn equals little sleep for me.  Plus the bonus of a full kitchen and living room made it nice and roomy.  Though with all the activities, we spent little time in the apartment.

Each morning we went to the Valley of the Waves which is a water park complete with a wave pool, a little kid's area, and some adult water slides.

I got this pic right before it opened that day.

They had one slide called the Temple of Courage which was one long slide traveling 70 meters down and very few people were even attempting it.  But Mark and I thought that since we are there, why not try it all.

 Quite a beautiful view but scary drop to say the least.  Adalyn loved watching us go down the slides.  We spent the morning enjoying the waves, the long lazy river where we spotted monkeys in the trees and Adalyn loved the kid's area slides.

One afternoon we strolled through the Bird and Tree paths taking us over a large swing bridge and into some caves before embarking on our Elephant Wallow adventure.  More about the interaction and feeding the elephants in the next blog.

 It was a hot 33 degrees Celsius that day, 91 in Fahrenheit and since we are a mile up the heat can get to you.  Luckily we found a nice ice cream shop that we visited each afternoon.  For only $1.50 per cone it was a steal.  After grabbing Adalyn some dinner to go, we headed back to our apartment, got her ready for bed and welcomed the child watch attendant who babysat and put her to bed so Mark and I could enjoy an evening dinner alone.

After another morning at the Valley of the Waves, along with some good naps by all 3 of us, we spent the next afternoon at the Maze of the Lost City.  This is one of the largest permanent mazes in the Southern Hemisphere and you reach it via a 100m long suspension bridge.

 At the end of the maze which thankfully the walls are high enough to offer some shade as you walk through is a microbrewery with spectacular views of the resort.  We let Adalyn lead us through the maze telling us which direction to go and to our surprise it only took us 15 minutes to reach the end.  She must have a keen sense of direction, we must remember this when we are lost next time.

Next we headed inside to the Arcade Center where Adalyn enjoyed hopping from ride on car/bus/train/animal to the next.

 Another night out for Mark and I to have dinner was great and we were able to get the same sitter for Adalyn which she lovingly called "my friend" the next morning wondering why "my friend" did not sleep over too.

Sun City offers so many activities we did not get to experience even half of them.  Mini golf, a whole camp area for kids, Animal World, bumper boats, game drives, a theater, a crocodile farm, an adult adventure camp, the world's fastest zip slide, balloon safaris, golf, parasailing, jet skies, and a tip to a cultural village.  Guess we will just have to go back again so we don't miss out.  We enjoyed our vacation very much and it was nice to have time for just the three of us to relax without having to travel far.