Longest short drive ever…

Driving to my mom’s house on a road that I know so well, makes it seems like the drive is so short. Yet, driving towards something you have been waiting for, for so long makes the drive seem to stretch for hours. After taking the fastest route home and trying not to go past 120 km/h we finally arrived in Margate. At this point I turned to Tyler and said “Do you know where we are?!” to which he sarcastically replied, “Somewhere that makes you very excited?”

My coast!

Indeed we were, in fact we were just around the corner from my mom’s house. I pulled up to the gate and told Tyler to get the gate, to which I got the “WTF look” that asked “are you serious?!”  I forgot that since most people don’t have 4 dogs (a little one, 2 Golden retrievers and a huge Alsatian) that the prospect of opening the gate may be a little intimidating. I guess this is where Tyler decided to just go with it…

My town!

He jumped out the car, opened the gate and greeted my family with hugs (which for many people this seems normal, however in America hugging is not the norm. Tyler always tells me foreigners are weird cos they hug). After the squeeze-est (pretty sure that’s not a word) hugs ever we headed inside for Christmas morning presents and catch up time…if that is really possible after 2 years.

After we decided to "dance" in the rain

The presents were great but the bonding time was the best.  I think on my mom’s side it was Rebecca that has changed the most. She is now much taller than me…and looking so beautiful! Rebecca and I decided to head to the shops while the parental unit spoke to Tyler (who knows what about.) We basically ran around like little kids buying random stuff (ice cream, yummy.)

Some of Tyler's presents

**Side note** I am not sure we would have been able to drive over 120 KM/H if we wanted to (can we show a photo of our trusty rental car?), this vehicle was not exactly a sports car... However I can attest she was trying, not sure I have seen her this excited before. Also, I am glad to see that halfway across the world and on little sleep my sarcasm is not lost…

The back of the tiny car

So yes, walking up to a gate with four dogs that appear ready to tear your body into as many pieces as possible is nerve racking… she forgets that I had just come off of a whirlwind past few days of travel, meeting her father (ask any man, that is intimidating), adjusting to time change, acclimating to a new country, and then she puts me in front of four frantic dogs… I swear this girl is testing me.As for hugs I was prepared, Robyn has probably hugged me more than anyone in my life, I have gotten use to hugs as with her and all of her Au Pair friends hugs are standard fare. So I went into South Africa determined to be a hugging machine.

Rebecca...handing out presents...

Christmas lunch (the cracker is the green thing on my plate btw)

After another version of Christmas, complete with Christmas crackers I got another round of amazing Christmas gifts, complete with lots more South African garb, and a pack of chocolate muffins for Rebecca and I’s baking competition… If you would have told me before I left that after a couple hours of getting to her Mom’s house that Robyn would leave me at home alone with her parents I would have been a bit concerned, however I can honestly say that I have never felt more at home after a couple of hours than I did there. As for the topic of conversation I am sure Robyn would love to know but that is a secret :)

Richard smiling happily

Mom...reading something :)