Legally resident at last

For the last fifteen minutes I have had in my possession our four passports officially stamped with a resident permit for Tanzania! Hallelujah!

Over two and a half years after our arrival (and less than ten weeks before our departure) we are finally legal residents of this beautiful and frustrating country.

Now, if we can just find a time when Mr B is actually at home for more than a few hours, we can have a party!!

Beach trip

So, our beach trip the week before the Mancub's birthday. We went with good friends K and M and their three kids. It was a lovely time, marred only by them all getting sick on our return. It rained on us a bit and was overcast some of the time, but that didn't dampen our spirits! The sea was like a bath.

The seven hour drive was a whole lot more bearable in the Suzuki, with it's dust-proofing and air conditioning, though we got held up by a roadside immigration check-point of all things! Finally reached the coast and crossed the Pangani river on this ferry.

It was low season so we had the beach to ourselves

The Mancub and M are only one month apart in age and have lots of fun together

And the 9 months between H and Kitty doesn't seem to matter

 

Trip out to Maziwe, a sand island, for some snorkelling. Lovely to see the fish but two of us threw up on the boat and we all got well and truly sandblasted on the island by the high wind!

Gin and Tonic at sunset, leaving the Dad's to feed the kids. Ahhhh!

The Mancub's 4th birthday

Mr B and his amazing magical computer are back for a very brief spell in civilization before heading back to the bush tomorrow, so here are some birthday photos from last Sunday while I have the chance.

Kitty had created a special birthday picture for him to colour in - this kept them busy for a while giving us a lovely lie-in

The we had present opening in Mama and Daddy's bed. Kitty bought him a book with all her saved up pocket money and tooth fairy money. He loves it!

Grandmas's present - a magnetic fishing game - was also VERY popular

First some crafty stuff - party crowns and decorating biscuits

We did let the children do some too, honest

Pass the parcel

And a re-run of the popular obstacle course from Kitty's birthday

Some very happy to play with the toys

It's a VERY serious matter when everyone is singing just for you

 He loved his special day.

The perils of bumpy roads

Yesterday, on the way home from school along a particularly bumpy stretch of dirt road, the Mancub was in the middle of a sentence, and then stopped.

"Oh bother, the bump made me forget what I was saying!"

"It was a very thin word and it broke."

p.s. He had a lovely birthday and we had a lovely week at the beach but since Mr B's done a runner into the bush with all the photos on his computer, you'll have to wait a while for a post on those.

Easter weekend

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend! We've been having a very social time. We'd arranged to meet a couple of families for a walk at Lake Duluti this morning, and eventually made it home about 5pm! Here's a couple of pictures:

Nile Monitor twitch (spot the giant millipede too!)

Vines are great fun!

We're off to the beach on Monday, not sure if there'll be more news before then. But wishing everyone a very happy Easter tomorrow!

Easter and Divali

Today we had an interesting mix of cultures. In the afternoon, some friends came over and we made Easter gardens.

Note the cross on the hilltop and the tomb with the stone rolled in front. This is Kitty's.

And her friend's.

I think the Mancub needs a geography lesson. Or was Jesus really buried in a tropical jungle? He certainly hasn't yet grasped that less is often more. Had lots of fun though!

Then, this evening, we attended the Lower Primary presentation at Kitty's school. The theme was celebrations and Kitty's class learnt about India and the festival of Divali. They performed a play about Rama and Sita and did a Bollywood dance. Kitty was a narrator for the play and spoke beautifully loudly and clearly. (Note proud parent!!)

3 narrators: Kitty (from UK), S (Haiti) and M (Kenya)

Bollywood fame here we come!

Weekend fun!

Thursday was the Mancub's last day of term and he enjoyed an Easter fun day!

You might not be able to teach a grandma to suck eggs...

Sticking the the Mancub's favourite at the moment...

Friday saw us heading to Tarangire for an overnight stay - it having been at least 2 months since we'd last seen elephants!

Dreeting committee at Tarangire Safari Lodge

Bat-eared Foxes are cute.

Female Hildebrandt's Francolin

Sunset, Tarangire style!

And sunrise from the lodge terrace

Got to have an elephant!

Ground Hornbills are always good value.

and these lion cubs were a highlight - left behind as their mothers set off hunting.

Here's Mum!

And here she's calling the cubs to join her

Saddle-billed Storks are even better though.

And eles do strange things sometimes!

One came rather close whilst her baby scratched on the front of the car!

He's handsome!

But it's all too exhausting for some...

Whilst others can keep going all the time!

Pretty tired too!