Holiday Planning

A couple of posts back I mentioned that I was going to the UK for Christmas- yeah!! Anyway this has not been a straight forward transaction in the planning side. I know we are still 5 months away, but I have had a fair share of obstacles in this process.

I booked my ticket almost 2 months ago- my boss very kindly approved my leave in a blink and that was appreciated. Anyway I booked online and did not even bother to get my passport out- BIG mistake!! My old passport was due to expire mid July!

Anyway my brother is the one I need to thank for checking as he had given me a discount voucher to use when I was there and I thought the safest place for this was my passport. So when I placed this voucher in the passport I saw my passport was not going to be valid. I went cold, having heard of all these stories of Home Affairs and the problems and delays, etc. I was in Edenvale one day and thought I would pick up a form and prepare it at home, not knowing that you cannot take forms out of the premises. Anyway when I arrived at Home Affairs in Edenvale (close to work), the queues were 2 people deep- wow. I had fortunately had a set of passport photo's in my wallet and I filled the form in and paid my dues. I gingerly asked the cashier how many weeks for this to be proceed and was told 8!!!!

This would have taken me to mid August without the chance of further delays. Anyway I had no option, but to get the process rolling. 2 weeks later I logged onto Home Affairs Website and checked the progress and was pleasantly surprised to see- PASSPORT BEEN PRINTED. About 3 days later I did another check and was even more surprised- PASSPORT DISPATCHED TO OFFICE OF APPLICATION. 2 days later- PASSPORT READY FOR COLLECTION. So it took a total of 3 weeks to have a new passport. This was so quick that my old passport had not expired and I had my new one in hand. A Big thumbs up and Well Done to the Department of Home Affairs.

Anyway after that obstacle, I thought VISA application and then pack my bags to leave. Why would it be so simple?? I received an e-mail from British Airways, would you have a problem with your return flight arriving 10 minutes later? Please confirm, so I picked up the phone and said that was fine, but why worry about 10 minutes, the agent reminded me some people would have connecting flights. Anyway that all done, I thought we are going ahead, just a VISA application to do- NOT. I received another e-mail from British Airways apologising that my outbound flight was rescheduled.

No asking what preference I wanted to change- I was just booked on the flight they saw fit. Anyway I did not like the choice as instead of leaving at 7h45 in the morning, I was to leave at 20h15 in the evening, meaning I would only arrive in London on Christmas eve. So I phoned again and asked why I was not given a choice and was told they put me on the flight that was next on the schedule. I then had to put on my sweet and business voice on and politely ask for a flight the day before then. My only 2 reasons for this is that I have the 23rd as a days leave approved already and the second reason is probably more important- I have arranged to go shopping in London Central on the evening of the 23rd December.

So this was granted and I cannot see a problem with that going forward. My next challenge is a VISA Application, this is quite a document. Because I am staying with family, I need to provide a letter from them and there life history. My company has to give me a letter to say that I am not leaving them and that I am employed on a full time basis. So currently I am gathering all that information to get my VISA application in, once this is done, I think I will relax.

This holiday is going to be good for me and I am really looking forward to the break. I am not sure what News Years will bring, but either with my brother and/or my mates, I am hoping to have a blast.

The other exciting part is that there is a lot of football on during the period I am there, so I may have an opportunity to go to at least 2 games. Including at least 1 with my new team Spurs. I changed my support from Man United to Spurs. You may ask why, it is just I have been to a game at Spurs and I appreciate where they are based and there stadium!

But there is a lot of work to be done before I go, so I just need to buckle down and focus on the next few months with work.

I am around!!

Well I said in my last blog, I was going to be scarce and I see I last posted a pitiful 4 weeks ago! Anyway I will amend my ways going forward.

The Confed's cup was a learning curve for South Africa and our company. We have learnt what we need to do. The British and Irish Rugby Tour was also not as big as anticipated, but keep us on our toes. I went to watch the match in Durban and worked most of the weekend as our stands down in Durban were busy. However I still managed to watch the game live. It was truly amazing to see how many supporters came from the UK to support there team!

Other than that just been busy at work. We had our mid year conference this last weekend and planned for the next 12 months!

I will add some photo's of the weekend in our my next post. We went to a beautiful part of South Africa- Zululand to a place called Bayete Zulu! We were there 18 months ago and I will go back there any day.

I took today off to do some personal things and got the worst over in the shortest period. I manged to get a change of ownership done on my mom's car done and my licence paid in a whole of 25 minutes- this must be a record for me. So well done Boksburg municipality.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have been wanting to write a post on my blog for the last few nights, but have just been to cold and tired!

What makes matters more challenging is that the next 3 and a bit weeks are going to be so hectic for me work wise, I do not know. We are moving into a busy time at work- Confed's Cup and British and Irish Lions Rugby tour. It is a lot of hard work for us, but also so exciting. Hence I do not think blogging will be top of my calender, however I may have some events to share with you.

I cannot complain as it is an honour to be involved in these events. I have also been honoured to attend some rather exciting matches. For the Confed's Cup I am going to the opening ceremony and game, at Coca Cola Park on Sunday. On Thursday I am going to Loftus to watch Italy vs USA. That is 2 international soccer games in 1 week- WOW!

My biggest catch is the First Test- Springbok's vs British and Irish Lions in Durban. My favourite stadium! So with hard hard work comes some play.


I will try and keep you posted on news if I can!

In Honour of a Special Person!

I noticed the other day that I had written 49 posts in the last few months. I never realised I would ever get that far and enjoy it. My blog is not often visited, but the few people who do visit it are really appreciated and I am honoured to have you as part of my blog- Thank You! I have 3 regular followers and you have taught me to speak my mind and share my feelings. There are still a few things I cannot share yet, but I will do so when I am ready.

One of my main reasons for starting a blog was to be able to speak my heart to "somebody" and the reason for using my blog is I do not really have anyone I can always speak my heart to. My brother is the most amazing person on the world and yes I can speak to him, but he also has a life and I do not always want to "burden" him. I have some wonderful aunts and a great sister in law, but I feel they also have lives and I cannot share verbally with them.

The main thing is there are certain things that I cannot share verbally for different reasons- they my think I have lost the plot or they just will not understand.

My blog was started because the one person I could air my thoughts with is no longer alive today and that is my dearest mom. So today I honour this post in her memory, my dearest mom who departed from my life so suddenly a year ago tomorrow!

I wish I could share my life and thoughts with her daily, I miss her like crazy, but in my heart I have memories that no one can take away! Gosh she was special and an honour to have known.

Fireproof

Last night I finally got to watch Fireproof! I do not know how many times I wanted to watch it, but could not- either I was to slow in booking it or I forgot to book it or the night I booked it for I had a prior engagement with friends.

Any yesterday at lunch time I went to my local Spar to grab something for lunch and decided to pop into the video store and there it was - Fireproof was in and not booked! Anyway I started watching it and thought I was not going to see the end. Boy was I wrong- as the movie progressed, so I got more involved and my mind got working. Although I am not in any form of relationship I still learnt from the movie. It is amazing and a life lesson for everyone.

I am a believer and this movie strengthened my belief and showed that wonders of God in it's own special way!

I am addicted!

Okay so I am addicted to Ultra Mel Vanilla Custard! I have come out into the open and I am sharing it in public!

You ask why I am I making a noise about it now, well I have been on a major fitness and wellness drive for the last 2 months and have steadily lost 4 kilograms in total. I have cut back on a lot of my vices, except Ultra Mel and I have still last weight- so I guess I can carry on having my favourite treat. I am good- a large container lasts me 4 days!

I nearly panicked a few weeks ago as I picked up 3 kg's, but fortunately I have burnt those off. My bio kinetics instructor said it was fat turn to muscle. She has always agreed we do need to treat ourselves and the way I get that right is with my custard!

Call me crazy- but I had to let you know why I am so happy!

Maybe a White Christmas

It is April and I am thinking of Christmas- Am I mad? Yes and no.

The reason for me thinking about Christmas is because last week I purchased my ticket to the UK for my December holidays. I am actually getting time off in December.

This holiday is going to be good. It is the first time in 14 years of work that I will be off before Christmas eve and the week between Christmas and New Year I am off the whole week. Normally I work till at least 2pm on Christmas eve and then the week between Christmas and New Year I work most days. Mt leave starts on the 23rd December and I only return to work on the 5th January 2010. WOW!

I am excited,so all I need now is snow on Christmas morning- I know that anyone living in the UK would like to kill me for talking about there winter season already. I went to the bank yesterday to start a notice account to save my spending money, so I can enjoy my time away and with family.

So I have a nice short term goal to look forward to!