Caribbean Kidz - Holiday Program

What a fantastic two weeks we have had!  We facilitated a holiday program for the cruising/sailing children for 10 days.  From 08h30 to 12h30, Monday to Friday and each day we had an average of 15 children attend.  The children came from all over the world, Australia, America, Germany, Sweden, Island and of course Joshua was from South Africa :-)

We decided to host this program to introduce Joshua to the various children that sail and in turn to the lifestyle of sailing families, which is very different from those that live life on land.  Joshua made a great friend by the name of Michael and the two of them hit it off from day one!  This resulted in Joshua being invited to spend some time on their beautiful floating home and he had an awesome time.

The program was pretty easy to run as we hosted all of the activities on Hog Island and in the ocean.  The activities included:
*  Snorkeling
*  Sand castle competition
*  Jam sessions
*  Hiking
*  Bug Hunting
*  Fire Making - the safe way
*  Coconut Boats - each child had to make their own coconut boat which had to be decorated and it had to stay afloat.  The regatta took place on the last day of holiday care and it was AWESOME!

We investigated every inch of Hog Island, there are various private little beaches around the island, along with that came some interesting findings and learning's.  We identified the poisonous plants and trees and so everyone new what to stay clear of.  We were surrounded by bugs and lizards, birds, fish, squid, sea cucumbers and lots more, to many to list.

The children all had a fantastic time together, they educated each other on their home countries, the songs they sing, the food they eat and their way of life.  How interesting it all was!

We look forward to the next opportunity we have to meet more of the sailing children out there!  Until we meet again :-)

My life on the road as a woman!

Coming from South Africa and travelling various parts of Africa, the safety of women and children always come's up in discussions and is more often than not a concern for most.  Travelling as a family is very different from backpacking as a family.  With your entire existence in your backpack, your hat on your head, a map and your trusted feet and legs to take you to your destination, with the odd good deal and you get to take local transport of possibly even a taxi. 

The very first time I felt uneasy and felt I was always looking over my shoulder was whilst travelling through Venezuela.  I think the language barrier was a big contributing factor which I look back on now and laugh heartily about!  We never bought a Spanish dictionary before we left South Africa and on arrival at Caracas airport, there are no shops that sell dictionaries.  So there we were with our fingers in our ears for the first 2 hours.  But as I always now find myself saying.. faith does move mountains.  And there before my eyes, stood a person that spoke v e r y s l o w and basic English, from there on everything worked out as planned. 

A 10 minute walk in the searing humidity and hot sunshine to the local departures ticketing offices.  Each one a small cubicle with a no English, irritated looking person.  From there we hopped on a local bus which took us to a hotel on the one side of town.  From there a cab to the long distance bus station.  In between all of this driving and sight seeing, there are just hundreds of scooters and old style motor-cycles.  The drivers and passengers either wearing no helmets or cycling helmets...lol!  They add to the chaos, people everywhere, all busy with everyday life. 

At the station and there we waited in a pretty dirty, stuffy, loud and busy multi level 'spaza shop' style area.  Meat being cooked and sizzled in close proximity, stray dogs lazing about, others playing with eachother and some just watching the people go by.

Three hours pass and we finally board our luxury liner bus.  This was a welcomed relief to our tired bodies and over excited minds.  Our plan was working, we enjoyed a good nights sleep in comfy seats.  A 16 hour bus ride and we woke up to the most breath-taking views of the jungle, green and beautiful as far as my eyes could see, ahead, up and behind.

And there we pull up in the furthermost town of Guiria!  It felt like we were in a desert town, with no water, searing heat, dust, strange smells, some friendly people and others that really made me feel uneasy.  This is where Joshua and I stayed in the hotel most of the time, where we viewed from the safer place.  This was our own choice as we are aware of the human trafficking concerns across the world.

It was a welcomed relief to board the ferry for Trinidad.  There we were welcomed and assisted along the way by local people and officials.  We walked along the main street at eight in the evening and sleep soundly for the night.  Leaving Trinidad posed to be a bit difficult with all the searching of travelers but it's their process, we complied and we then took another three flights until we landed on the Island of Grenada.

This is where we are currently visiting whilst sailing the Caribbean.  Here I felt instantly at ease when we entered the airport.  Immigration and customs officials were all helpful and eager to give you assistance.

Here I am able to catch a local taxi from one side of the island to the other, by myself, with no worried.  That is for me, amazing.  How many of you catch local transport in your city?  I can visit the beach with Joshua and not have to watch over my shoulder in fear of being robbed or raped.  Here I can walk through the bush from one bay to the next by myself. 

This Spice Island, Grenada is a wonderful destination for travelling families, for those of you who prefer to take the road less travelled, for those of you wanting a taste of the Caribbean way of life.

Our life is now a journey, in Crocs, with a backpack each and a whole lot of faith and courage.  This journey we take together, Barry, Joshua and myself, in my heart and soul...Kaelah, Christine and you, no matter where you are in the world :-)

I wish you a magical day!

Blu

Our latest news!

We have had a pretty busy week which is awesome, simply because we love to be busy! The more productive you are the more motivated a person is. I did however have a day of doing absolutely nothing which ended in me feeling home-sick! Home-sick? How can a person feel home-sick when you no longer have a home... :-). I felt home-sick for chocolate, yogurt, home made biscuits and joko tea! I also felt like having a chat with my girls but the lack of internet connection on our side makes it a tad difficult! Some encouraging words from around the world and a good nights sleep and I was right as rain the next morning. Our internet connection will soon be resolved and all will be good again. We have fast realised that, Its time to start growing our own veggies! Trekking all the way into town is an adventure via dingy, taxi, walking, taxi, dingy and by the time you have bought what you need its been a 4 hour round trip! And your mangoes are bruised :-( anyhow, so Baz has been gathering items for the water catcher, he's dug a hole to recycle peels and tea bags. We have also got a good starter collection of seeds, paw paw, avo, pumpkin, beans and watermelon. This week we will collect the old tyres to begin planting sweet potatoes and garlic. The week ahead is going to be awesome! Our holiday programs kicks off on Monday and runs through until Friday, 08h00 to 12h00. The theme is Coconut Boats and Seedlings. We will also be cleaning up Hog Island, enjoying jam sessions, swimming and snorkelling. The age group starts from 4 years right up to teens. We are super excited this upcoming week! As you are aware, we are raising funds to sponsor us another day in the Caribbean! Sponsorship doesn't always have to be in the form of money, it can also be in the form of goods that we can barter with or plant. There are a couple of items that we need personally which you can't get here on the island. Below is a short list. If you would like to contribute to our travels through the Caribbean then we would greatly appreciate it! * Chocolates * Seeds (must be sealed in original packaging) - parsley, peppers, carrots, gem squash, rosemary, basil, origanum, spinach, any will do. * Tea Tree Oil * Lavender Oil * Citronella Oil * Rolling Tobacco - Drum Light Blue * Small Hemp Rizlas (unbleached) * Small Liquorice Rizlas * Joko Tea * Rooibos Tea * Ziplock Bags We will have our postal address finalised by next week so I will be sure to upload the address for you. If you would prefer to make a monetary contribution then please contact us for the banking details. Last but not least, I have received my first online marketing work from a South African based company. Online work is a great way to make a steady income while travelling. This work kicks off on the 1 August and I am super excited! I earn a commission on each sale which comes from my marketing. With that in mind, if you have a small business that needs some online marketing to be done, and you simply don't have the time, and you are willing to pay commission on sales then please email me, no matter where you are in the world! The email address to use is: bazandblu@gmail.com. Okay, definitely last, we set sail in a weeks time! Yes we do! The moment we have been waiting for! we will be sailing from Grenada to Union Island. Too excited about this upcoming adventure! Watch this space for photos and video footage! Its 22:15 and its time for bed! Its been a long, hot and humid day. Time to rest my body, mind and soul! Until next time! Blu