Come out, come out of Lurk-dom!

[jevs]

Hi everyone! Occasional poster, occasional lurker, full time trip scammer

Get well soon to everyone, and pictures are awesome.
I've been pottering on the single parent boards when on, I kinda have a trip coming up but it's so FAAAR away (December 2016) that I can't do anything much except research. I'm also up in the air about going due to the exchange rate and whats happening/going to happen to the world with the latest crap in Europe. Other than that, I'm really, really boring

 

[zanzibar138]

Welcome Jevs

Personally, I would not let the Paris attacks influence my decision to go anywhere. My parents are still planning to go to Paris next year for the inaugural DLP half marathon. We are not planning trips to any western countries in the next year, but if we were, I would definitely still go. A lot can happen between now and December 2016. Maybe we'll have world peace by then (and yes, I do realise how unlikely this is - wishful thinking!).

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hi everyone! Occasional poster, occasional lurker, full time trip scammer

Get well soon to everyone, and pictures are awesome.
I've been pottering on the single parent boards when on, I kinda have a trip coming up but it's so FAAAR away (December 2016) that I can't do anything much except research. I'm also up in the air about going due to the exchange rate and whats happening/going to happen to the world with the latest crap in Europe. Other than that, I'm really, really boring

Welcome jevs.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hump Day night. *sigh*

At least the weekend looks a lot closer.

 

[zanzibar138]

Hump Day night. *sigh*

At least the weekend looks a lot closer.

Oooh yours is much more artistic than mine!



Lol!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oooh yours is much more artistic than mine!



Lol!

Yours is beautiful too!

 

[zanzibar138]

Yours is beautiful too!

Shucks

 

[jevs]

In the spirit of popping in to post more often, it's pizza and chocolate night tonight. Have an extra mouth to feed to outdoing myself in the pizza stakes

Chicken & truss mini tomato pizza
Hawaiian pizza
Hot salami and olive pizza
Pepperoni pizza

Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream and smothered with ice-magic.

That should feed 5 kids and myself surely lol.

 

[jevs]

Meh, I cannot count.
4 kids and myself.

 

[zanzibar138]

Yum!

We had pizza night last night. Pepperoni, capsicum, spring onion and pineapple - pretty much just the basics and whatever was in the fridge that needed using up lol!

 

[Zosha]

Yes, recent events have made me nervous too. Not going to the US until December '16, but heading to London at Xmas. I've checked my travel insurance and am considering buying some life insurance too before I go. It all feels a bit morbid, but I have a family to think of and well, I'm nothing if not practical!

I am very excited about the US trip though. We are hoping to buy our flights in January, maybe there will be a New Year sale - that's what I'm hoping. We had baked potatoes for tea tonight - yum.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Happy Friday everyone.

We ended up with fish and chips for dinner. Let me see.....I think I still only have one child. Plus DH and myself. 1 + 1 + 1 plus 3 cats = 5 loaves and 2 fish.
Sadly, the cats missed out.

Pizza sounds yum.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Reading this just before bed (trying to de-tense after watching Cowboys and Aliens-very cool movie btw) and all the talk of pizza is making me hungry.......

 

[SafferMom]

Welcome

What is involved in getting to the US from South Africa? Do you go through Europe, or are there direct options?

I'd be very interested (and I'm sure a lot of other people on this forum would be) in hearing more about your trip to northern South Africa. Where did you go? We went to Botswana (Chobe) for our honeymoon, and it was just incredible!

I'm sure we'll all be happy to help you plan your trip to Australia. Is it going to be a 'tourist' trip, or a 'find somewhere to live' trip?

I have just taken a peek at Disboards and see I had some very kind remarks on my post from @Zanzibar and @PrincessInOz so I just wanted to reply even though I am a few weeks too late - wouldn't want you all to think of me as a typical rude South African!

@Zanzibar to answer your questions

There are two relatively easy routes to get from South Africa to USA
1. Direct Delta flight from Johannesburg (but we live in a small town about 4 hours from Johannesburg so that does add to travel time) to Atlanta - this flight is 17 hours long, one of the longest direct flights in the world. This is the flight we took
2. There is a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to Washington or New York but this has a layover in Dakar and since we flew during the Ebola panic we thought a stop in North Africa was not prudent - not because we were concerned we would be exposed but because it might cause issues when landing in USA since they had just stopped all flight from West Africa coming in.

Botswana is a stunning country I am glad you got to experience it - I never imagined people would be interested in a South African trip report but I will post some pics and details of the trip for those interested.

Our trip will be a combination of tourist trip and looking at places to live. I was thinking of starting a thread with my musings on the immigration process but I wasn't sure if this forum would be the appropriate place for that.

 

[Montanabel]

Hi everyone, had to share our happy news, we're going to Disney in 2016! Bought our return tickets during the week, San Francisco (never been before), Disneyworld, Las Vegas and Disneyland. Fly out early September, back early October. Doing my happy dance

 

[zanzibar138]

I have just taken a peek at Disboards and see I had some very kind remarks on my post from @Zanzibar and @PrincessInOz so I just wanted to reply even though I am a few weeks too late - wouldn't want you all to think of me as a typical rude South African!

@Zanzibar to answer your questions

There are two relatively easy routes to get from South Africa to USA
1. Direct Delta flight from Johannesburg (but we live in a small town about 4 hours from Johannesburg so that does add to travel time) to Atlanta - this flight is 17 hours long, one of the longest direct flights in the world. This is the flight we took
2. There is a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to Washington or New York but this has a layover in Dakar and since we flew during the Ebola panic we thought a stop in North Africa was not prudent - not because we were concerned we would be exposed but because it might cause issues when landing in USA since they had just stopped all flight from West Africa coming in.

Botswana is a stunning country I am glad you got to experience it - I never imagined people would be interested in a South African trip report but I will post some pics and details of the trip for those interested.

Our trip will be a combination of tourist trip and looking at places to live. I was thinking of starting a thread with my musings on the immigration process but I wasn't sure if this forum would be the appropriate place for that.

Oh, you should definitely do a South Africa TR, and also start your musings thread. I'm sure people around here would be interested to see both!

Hi everyone, had to share our happy news, we're going to Disney in 2016! Bought our return tickets during the week, San Francisco (never been before), Disneyworld, Las Vegas and Disneyland. Fly out early September, back early October. Doing my happy dance

Yay!

 

[jevs]

Pizza night again! And ice-cream - lots and lots of ice-cream.

Hmm, outdone myself this week. I've put a new BBQ together and have just finished putting a new mat on the trampoline - this will never happen again, I forgot how damn awful they are to put on. I wasn't going to bother but it was a bargain buy on a BSS group for $40 new.

Still waiting for the year to tick over so I can check out flights/hotels so I can start to really plan the next trip.

Lastly some sad news, a lovely cyber friend that I've known for 8 years or so passed away yesterday which sucks big time. It has made me even more determined to do what I want, when I want, make memories, work to travel (because we all sadly need cash to do it), and eat cake.

Have a happy weekend everyone!

 

[zanzibar138]

Pizza night again! And ice-cream - lots and lots of ice-cream.

Hmm, outdone myself this week. I've put a new BBQ together and have just finished putting a new mat on the trampoline - this will never happen again, I forgot how damn awful they are to put on. I wasn't going to bother but it was a bargain buy on a BSS group for $40 new.

Still waiting for the year to tick over so I can check out flights/hotels so I can start to really plan the next trip.

Lastly some sad news, a lovely cyber friend that I've known for 8 years or so passed away yesterday which sucks big time. It has made me even more determined to do what I want, when I want, make memories, work to travel (because we all sadly need cash to do it), and eat cake.

Have a happy weekend everyone!

Sorry to hear about your friend That is great advice though - priorities, priorities!

I have just started seeing a health coach type person. I suspect he is going to severely reduce my pizza and ice-cream intake, which is most unfortunate.

Kinda nervous about my 20k walk tomorrow - it's supposed to be a warm one!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Lastly some sad news, a lovely cyber friend that I've known for 8 years or so passed away yesterday which sucks big time.

Sorry about your friend.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Seconding what all those above said jevs and yes as you come to terms with a loss it reinforces what is important in life.