After many months of waiting, paper-pushing, waiting and being uncertain, Liam arrived to Luanda at the end of January. Joining us for 2 1/2 weeks, we are packing in as much as possible while he is here. Family living together for the first time in 2 1/2 years. Nice.
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| Sharon and Liam at the Fort |
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| Jeroen and Mojo working hard |
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| Liam n'Gola |
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| Liam's flamingo |
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| Out fishing |
We have had two trips out on the boat. The fishing trip pulled in one dorado and four tuna. Liam's still hoping to reel in a big dorado or a marlin. We recently heard someone pulled in a 200kg marlin so it is possible!
We cruised out to Shipwreck Beach, deep-sea fishing and lunch on Massulu island.
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| Fishing, our lounging around, on the BP boat |
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| Dawnia reels in the first tuna |
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| and Katie caught the dorado |
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| ..more tuna.. |
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| Snooze-time for the bookends, Margaret and Manuel |
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| The Crew, Manuel, Liam and Gastro |
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| family Pig on the island |
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| Heading to Shipwreck beach |
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| Jaa and Liam at Kapasoka, waiting for small boat |
February 8, enjoying getting out and about with Jeroen and Liam to Talatona (south Luanda) to visit friends for lunch.
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| Backyard Musseque |
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| Car advertising |
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| Roadside fishmarket |
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| heading home |
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| Street life |
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| Sunglasses man |
...sun is shining after several days heavy rain last week. Liam has returned to NZ - we managed to get in another fishing trip, visit to Kissama and meal out with friends.
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| Afonso's boat |
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| Apparently this is an interesting photo... |
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| Edgar our driver came too ...reeling them in with Liam and Manuel watching |
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| Finally a dorado and a tuna |
The fish were mostly caught in pairs. A good haul for a few hours and Liam could have stayed out all day I think.
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| The big fella's |
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| Well earned Heineken |
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Rukaya and I before we both succumbed to sea-sickness AGAIN..
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This is my dear friend Rukaya, from South Africa. We have a lot in common..and a lot of laughs.
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| Back to Luanda sunset |
Kissama national park was bathed in mist when we arrived and we wondered whether we would see anything as it is the rainy season.
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| Misty Kissama |
No need to worry..we were well rewarded by seeing all of these wonderful animals.
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| Curious creatures |
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| Family outing |
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| Good shot Liam |
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| Macaco (monkey) |
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| Elephant spotting...none today |
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| The indigenous Imbondeiro |
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| Fast little tackers |
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| Beautiful birds..some were vivid yellow and purple |
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| Greater Kudu |
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| family Wildebeest |
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| Heading back to Luanda via the River Kwanza |
Out and about Luanda with Liam...boys love their tyres!
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| The artwork and beer vendors |
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| Grrr, the icecream boy with a loud-speaker amplifying his repetitive jingle |
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| Big Stan's boys |
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| At Benfica with Liam. We bought shirts off these boys' mum. |
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| Hanging together |
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| Life on the street |
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| And indulgent living at Trocadero, French cafe |
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| Dead turtle on Ilha |
There are many sad and eye-opening sights around this city. This was one of them. This afternoon some friends and I spotted a young labouring pup with obvious birthing difficulties..nothing to do. No way to help and no doubt she will be dead (pups already dead) by morning. Heartbreaking.
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| Lovely friends: Alex (Canada) and Cynara (Brazil), The Three of Us and Rukaya (CapeTown) and Huub (Holland) |
We enjoyed a lovely evening out with friends at the Steak House on Liam's last night. And then a family bevvy of the local beer, Cuca. Liam calls it Goats P**s.
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| Local street basket weaver |
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| Family farewell |
Recently I ordered a Kindle book to read for bookgroup. By mistake I hit 'hardcopy' purchase so I immediately knew that this was a wasted purchase. When I joined Amazon, it was necessary to add a current address. Because we live here and there is no postal service, I filled in the form with brief details, merely the building, street and city Luanda/Country. Imagine my surprise when my hard copy book arrived at home!
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| Posted to Luanda! |
I could only imagine my book arriving in Luanda much to the awe of the workers and then it was most likely hand delivered!. I won't be relying on ordering anything this way again but good to note the progress in Luanda. I have noticed a lot of homes have a street number now also.
February 18, thanks for your birthday wishes. I have had a lovely day. Icecream with friends, a swim and then a walk with Jeroen after he finished work.
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| Birthday at Be Delicious Ice Cream parlour with friends |
Photo above: L>R Back: Me, Katie, Elaine, Dawnia, Joelle, June
L>R Front: Rukaya, Sandra (swimming buddy), Monika and Jan.
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| Love from Monika |
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| Wanaka? |
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| there is always an opportunity to buy an genuine imitation Rolex |
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| Out cycling over the weekend a couple of times.. we didn't see this fella though (seen here at our café a few weekends ago) - he now has taken up home at another BP residence. |
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New golf buddy on the course where some friends play
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March 9, getting ready to head back to NZ for some R and R and be with the family. Lots of cycling on our new bikes and a full day in the sun on the beautiful tropical island. I swam most of the day...loved the water and exercise. We caught a boat called 'Titanic 2' and thankfully it didn't live up to it's name. Lots of awful things though...cycling through the blood of a recently dead dog, a dead and foul-smelling whale on the Marginal and so many distressing sights. Looking forward to the day I can do something more useful here.
March 15, raining in Luanda. Theatrical thunder and lightening display last night. Sad story about the town of Lobito (where I stayed with Ana on the road trip).
70 people have died, including 36 children as the heavy rain swept through Lobito on Wednesday night.
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| Mighty rain hurtles downhill |
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| Hoping for help |
"The water streamed down the slope at full speed, destroying everything in its path and flooding the low-lying areas of the city close to the shoreline," a firefighter in Lobito has said.
The storm destroyed at least 119 homes, tore roofs off 46 houses, flooded eight schools and left mud and debris on the streets.
Heading off to NZ on Tuesday.
Back in Godzone and as fresh, beautiful and homey as ever.
March 27, We celebrated Liam's 21st early with a lovely family get2gether at Mam and Dad's in Wanganui.
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| Our two boys |
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| Cake made by Wade and Sue |
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| Mam Dad and Jeroen chilling |
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| Birthday boy |
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| Liam and Shani listening to funny stories about baby/young Liam |
March 31st, Liam's birthday. Remembering his birth in Chertsey, Uk with my dear friends supporting us, Annelise and Helen. We needed to get Liam a NZ passport when he was 5 days old. Due to a bit of breastmilk jaundice, he was a bit sleepy. And his height was recorded as 52 cm!
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| Liam and Aunty Helen Jones (James) |
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| Liam with Annlise La Roche |
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| Little Liam 5 days old |
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| Our little boy, nearly 21, sleeping after a big trip to Africa |
Jeroen and I are happily travelling around the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand.
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| On the ferry into the Sounds |
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| Catching up on Portuguese homework. And Candy Crush. |
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| Soothing for the soul |
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| Soaking it up |
March 31, Happy 21st Liam!
Jeroen and I out travelling around Farewell Spit, estuaries, beach, dunes and forest. Beautiful day in the Golden Bay sunshine.
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| Panorama from Farewell spit |
