Day 24

As the electric was out for most of yesterday, and Kuzuko had a lot of guests, the laundry pile was huuuge. We guessed that our work clothes wouldn't be ready by morning, (the wonderlful laundry ladies can always do the impossible but miracles, as they say, take a little longer...) but as we'd planned to go and visit the school this morning it wouldn't have been a problem anyway. Unfortunately though, the plan to go to school had fallen through for some reason, and with no workclothes or transport we hadn't much choice other than to try and find things to do at home and around the staff village.

We had hoped to maybe take the opportunity to go and visit the bushmen caves close to Hopewell, but without knowing where the rhino was, it would have been a bit too risky without the presence of a ranger to accompany us.

Good news was that our shopping arrived! Yay forChuma! You are a most excellent shopper! And we are very grateful.

We were especially glad to get a new supply of Chockits, that we all love so much here. This time though, we had two boxes of milk chocolate and two boxes of white. Kira is not a fan of white chocolate..at all..Max doesn't mind so much but still prefers the milk chocolate, as do myself and Ines, but we're a bit meh about it.

So only one thing to do. We divided them equally - there are 18 Chockits in a box so we each had nine milk, and nine white - and then the trading began. We established that the market value of one milk chocolate Chockit was equal to two white chocolate Chockits. Kira and I made the first trades, and she traded most of her white Chockits for my milk chocolate Chockits, and the remainder with Max. This meant that Kira had nine milk chocolate Chockits, and I had millions and millions of white chocolate Chockits. It may seem harsh, or unfair, but this is Chockits we're talking about here, and Chockits are serious business.

CHKT - Trading Exchange opens

Buy! Buy! Buy! Sell! Sell! Eat!

After the Chockit trading floor closed, Ines and Max decided to walk up the mountain, well, very large hill is probably more accurate, that overlooks Kuzuko, and took some great photos of the views, while myself and Kira stayed home and read, took pictures of visiting birds, and played some games of Mastermind. Well, it's a cheap rip-off called Supercode, but it's the same thing only made in China. Unlike the staring competition, Kira beat me hands down almost every game.

Spot the birdie

Kuzuko and the road leading up to the Lodge from Reception - Staff village on right

The view of the Barn from the top of the hill

Max

Ines

Ines and Max

Ines and Max

Ines and Max

Ines and Max

Still a bit bored, Kira and I also decided to go for a walk into the bush surrounding the staff village to see if we could find anything interesting. If we were into, or knew much about plants, it would have been as there's plenty of varieties around, but we're both more interested in animals, and the only evidence of them we found were lots of kudu poo, but no kudus, and several large termite mounds. Amazingly well constructed and very hard things, termite mounds.

Termite... I'm going to have myself.... a real good time

Trying to fight our way through african thornbushes to get back to the house was fun (in retorspect, at least..) which we finally managed, though it cost us several scratches. Worse for Kira as she only had leggings on, but as always, the trooper that she is she just got on with it as we struggled through. Our joy, or at least mine, was shortlived when we reached the other side when I realised our walky-talky had fallen out of my pocket, somewhere back in the bush. Oh noes! Luckily it wasn't too far in before I could retrieve it.

Good news too that our clothes were ready to pick up just before the laundry closed, so we can at least get back to the Barn tomorrow, unless of course we get to go visit the school. In the meantime, here's some more pics of our reluctant day off...

It's bendy, Wendy

Forget planking..the new craze is Hammocking