Family visit, a surprise birthday party and and unexpected trip to Zambia.

We took a trip to Blantyre to visit family over half term, and the kids and I ended up staying for an extra week. It was so lovely to spend time with my sisters and parents and watch my kids play with their cousins. It was very bittersweet because Wends and Lars with Gen, Liz and Nate are moving to Indonesia in July and so my idea of being closer to them has been shattered- a difficult pill to swallow.

Shel and Brent, with Ben, are also moving...but they are moving to Lilongwe, which is closer to us. Yay!

Girl time getting pedicures- very special mom and sister time with my favourites.

Meanwhile, the boys had a blast with Grampa at Game Haven. It is Louie's happy place and Grampa has got so much time for his grandkids, he loves to spend time with them and his years of teaching has prepared him for any tricks they might pull to try and take charge! Its wonderful to be able to create these memories.

We went down the escarpment to a place called Zua Lodge. It was really lovely, with a big, warm pool and delicious lunch. Joel is SUCH a water baby and couldn't get enough of the water!

Grampa took these 3 grandkids to the bumper cars, he said Lily was more fearless than some of the adults he watched haha. They had an absolute blast!

The cousins had a gala while we were there, the way they swim so beautifully literally brought tears to my eyes. I swim butterfly like a drowning bat! It was very special to be there to watch them and I was by far the proudest Aunty there.

Prawns, calamari and champagne dinner with my sisters and their husbands.

Grampa very kindly offered to drive back with me to help with Joel in the car. We had a very easy trip, we left at 4am, stopped at 9 for a little break and then continued on and we arrived at home at 2pm.

This little princess pie turned 6! Where has the time gone?

She had a party at school and it just so happened that there are 2 other girls in her class of 16 that share the SAME birthday! So it was an extra special day indeed.

While Lily was at tennis lessons we set up a surprise party for her. She wasn't quite sure how to react and more than a week later she asked me if that party was actually for her haha!

On the road to Zambia! We had to plan a spontaneous trip to take our car out of Malawi to bring it back in on a carnet (kind of like a cross Africa car passport).

We found a way to get some peace and quiet!

We spent a day hanging out at the camp pool and then we decided to do full board for one day which included 2 game drives. The evening game drives in South Luangwa are just magical, it is green season so everything is emerald green, and the blue sky contrasts the colours of the bush so perfectly. At sunset it all comes together with the pink and orange, and it is the most beautiful sight to behold.

The next day we left at the crack of dawn for our morning game drive, it was another spectacular one. We came across a huge pride of lions that were finishing off a zebra they had caught the night before, and then we saw a pack of wild dogs too. Who would think that we would be so lucky when the bush is at its thickest! 

We stopped for coffee and rusks somewhere between seeing the lions and the wild dogs!

Louie was admiring this wire car while we were checking out, and the owner of Wildlife Camp told him he could have it if he could fit it into the car. He was so excited that he was almost prepared to leave Lily behind in order to fit his car in!

Enjoying a lunch at a local restaurant on our way out. We also stopped at Mulberry Mongoose because the kids wanted to make necklaces at the anti-poaching centre where they recycle snare wire.

We decided to drive closer to the border to make the trip back shorter. Little did we know, it would end up being the kids' favourite part of the holiday! They are so funny!

We found a little hotel in Chapata that was straight out of the 80's. It had a pool which was a bonus, and the kids were thrilled with the magnetic cards we had to use to open the door. Our rooms had telephones inside, so the kids had a blast calling our room and trying to order room service. It only took about 2 minutes for them to figure out how to prank call us. They also enjoyed watching TV in bed and making their own tea. Lily asked if we could stay for an extra night! 

We arrived home safely after a wonderful weekend away. Only a few days to go until my sisters and their families would arrive to visit us during the school holidays...which will be in my next blog!