Best friends are re-united…

My dad offered to take Tyler and me to the Victoria Market and the Beachfront so we could do a little “Christmas” shopping for his family. It was really cool walking around and seeing all the handmade crafts. I have seen all these things many times before but sometimes you need to take a step back to appreciate all your country has to offer, I guess that’s where I am at the moment. Looking in on everything I have been away from and using this as reflection time, to see what is really valuable in life.

(Margate) Beach front stalls 

So Victoria Market was really cool, I am pretty sure that if airlines didn’t have size restrictions on bags I would have bought one of everything available… ok… maybe not everything, I would have left the ‘slap yo momma’ spice behind… Some of the other items for sale though were pretty cool to look at, that is one thing you will definitely not find here in America, we severely lack in handcrafted items.

More craft-Y stuff

Then Tyler and I drove to the airport with my Dad to collect Tamara. (Quick re-cap: Tamara and I met in the USA in 2009 where we both au pairing in Whitefish Bay. We spent much of the year together going to the beach, clubbing and even going to Las Vegas together. She is from Germany and I have not since here since Aug 2010…) Fast forward to right now and I am standing in the domestic terminal, so thrilled to be meeting up with her soon. Until I have a brain wave that since she is flying in via Dubai she will be flying into the International terminal…oops!

The last picture taken of us in the USA together (Aug 2010)

I quickly ran to International arrivals hoping I hadn’t missed her! Thank goodness there was still a little time before she walked through the gate and I run up to her. I am not sure if we did our usual *jumping hug while talking so fast it makes virtually makes no sense to anyone else* (you’ll have to ask Tyler about that) but I remember that it was so amazing to see her again after all that time.

Best Friends together!!!

I cannot say I remember any jumping hugs, that being said I wasn’t watching for any either. As for talking so fast that nobody can understand, that is difficult to determine because I feel like that is standard for my girlfriend when she is excited, which at this moment and many moments throughout this trip she was. At this moment, Charli (Robyn’s dad) and I just sat back and chatted till it was our turn to greet Tamara.

My dad and Tamara meeting and greeting

Once we had arrived back at Dad’s house we sat down for a lovely Lasagna dinner. Tyler then commented that *this stuff is pretty good*. Yeah I thought Lasagna (from Woolworths) is pretty good, and then it was revealed that my crazy, fussy boyfriend had never tried it before. NEVER. Even though his mother makes it. (I had to add that once we made it back to the US and people asked him what foods he tried in SA…he mentions Lasagna…hmmm)

Tyler and I at dinner

So here is where I am going to defend myself, this particular “crazy, fussy boyfriend” of hers went to a foreign country and tried every item that was shoved in my face (sometimes literally by my beautiful girlfriend)…I was admittedly picky, but I told myself that for this trip I would have no limits, and I did it. I have mentioned the Lasagna to people but only as a joke, I think I walked away with my favorite things being (and not necessarily in this order) malva pudding, pap, biltong, wors, and the mielies that we got at the Margate Mardi Gras. I think during this trip I ate better than I have in any other two week stretch of my life, and for that I have two fantastic families to thank!

Tamara with Riley and Roic (after she spoilt them with German chocolate!)