Relax in the "mess tent" and look through gorgeous picture books on Africa whilst trying to figure where to go to next!
Have drinks at the top of a hill whilst watching the sunset!
Pet the world's loveliest dog (who also happens to be the camp guardian)!
Have a drink in the "mess tent" whilst waiting for your ride to the airport! 
Maybe you were thinking, I thought they went there to see the Wildebeest migration? Well, yes that's true. But as it turns out, its quite difficult to see. First, there are water hazards, like crocodiles and hippos! Second, there are people hazards. The guides are generally supportive of one another, so while we rarely saw any other tourists on our trip, on the day we went to the river -- we saw enough to make up for all the other days combined! 
Jason was kind of enough to treat me to a mini-break after my last exam. My choice? Wales. I have been dying to go there since moving here, and this was the perfect opportunity. Of course, since it was my choice, I picked something that would only matter to me. Hay-on-Wye. Hay is famous for ... BOOKS! There are over 40 secondhand book stores in this tiny village. The village also hosts a massive book festival once a year that attracts everyone, dignitaries, celebrities, commoners alike! We didn't go during the festival, but I was dying to see this quaint hamlet dedicated to reading! So on a rainy Friday afternoon, we hired a car a set out for the weekend. A road trip and books! My idea of heaven!
Jason is standing in front of an old castle. You can see the tiny village behind him!
Being city kids, we are easily charmed by country life. These are wild flowers for sale on a gate leading into someone's front yard. You deposit a pound in the hole in the door and walk away with a gorgeous bunch of homegrown flowers! As this was one of the first things we saw walking into the village, I knew instantly I would be smitten with the place!!
Wales is just so...GREEN! Which also says it rains a lot, but who cares! The rolling green hills are too beautiful! Wales has so many well preserved castles, so after a day in the book stores, we set out to explore Welsh history. I am looking at a castle in this photo...actually, I was looking at the apple tree behind me trying to figure out how to scale that wall to set one! Since we are standing in the parking lot (I know, isn't it a gorgeous parking lot?) for the castle, there were, well, two other people around! So I chickened out.
We are inside the "castle" now. Jason is standing with his back to the street...although we have come up in to the "tower" now.
This picture was taken in the garden of the Tretower Castle. I could not have imagined a more perfect spot to spend a drizzly afternoon! 
And, of course, since I love my flower pictures, this was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at something other than flowers! Grapes! They are just too cool to photograph!
And! The rain and drizzle made this flower look exceptionally romantic...
Jason's got the camera now for a more "in depth" look at this gorgeous castle! (And because its Jason -- there is quite a bit of history in here as well!
Wales is known for its lamb--meat, wool, all of it. What this practically means, for a non-meat eater, is that there are sheep and lambs everywhere. Again, the city kids (us) thought this was cool. So, while we were climbing around a ruined castle, I notice that there are sheep incredibly close by. I am a bit afraid of them. I mean, who knows what they think of me and my camera. Okay, so the fact that the one my camera is focused on is sleeping, is no matter (see the third picture), these are wild livestock, the likes of which I have never seen close up. 
I am so excited. One with nature, face to face with a sheep. When I look down. The entire, and now I mean entire field is filled with sheep poop. Loads of it. So much so I realise its going to be impossible to walk around with stepping in the muck. Jason thought my sudden disdain for sheep poop, and any animal flu it might be carrying was funny...hence the picture of me on tippy toes trying to navigate the mine field, literally.
From the guide book: "The Cistercian abbey of Tintern is one of the greatest monastic ruins of Wales. It was only the second Cistercian foundation in Britain, and the first in Wales, and was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, lord of Chepstow. It soon prospered, thanks to endowments of land in Gwent and Gloucestershire, and buildings were added and updated in every century until its dissolution in 1536. However, it was never very large and important, and its history was relatively uneventful. Its position well away from the Welsh heartland meant that it suffered little in the periodic Welsh uprisings of the medieval period." 
From the guide book (again!): "Chepstow is a Norman castle perched high above the banks of the river Wye in southeast Wales. Construction began at Chepstow in 1067, less than a year after William the Conqueror was crowned King of England. While Edward had his master castle builder in the person of James of St. George, the Conqueror, some 200 years earlier, had his equal in the person of his loyal Norman lord William FitzOsbern. FitzOsbern's fortresses were the vehicles from which the new king consolidated control of his newly conquered lands. Chepstow Castle became the key launching point for expeditions into Wales, expeditions that eventually subdued the rebellious population." From me: Interestingly, Chepstow is one of the oldest castles in Britain. Its Great Hall dates from 1067, and its main fortress doors are from the same period. I say all this like I knew it. We had no idea. We were just thinking it was a popular castle on our way home. Perfect to stop at and stretch our legs a bit!! Indeed, it was well worth it!
More Wales scenery. Or should I say greenery?
Isn't he cute? All decked out in river rafting/castle exploration wear!
Just about the time I was starting to feel homesick -- We had visitors!! My Mom and Curt arrived for a two week visit! Such perfect timing! Two weeks to share a small flat, go for daily walks, drink coffee, and of course, explore London! I was thrilled! Here they are -- fresh off the plane and ready to go!
Hampton Court Palace is a Tudor palace, magnificently developed by Cardinal Wolsey and later King Henry VIII, alongside a baroque palace built by William III and Mary II. 
Look one way!
Look the other! 
As many of you know, my Dad has been dying to get to Malta. He read a couple of travel articles, and well frankly, was sold! So one day after he arrived in London, we set off for Malta! And I am so glad we did! In this picture, we are headed for that town on the hill -- M'dina, where we are staying! Its in the middle of the island, and is an old medieval walled city.
The Pont de Vue -- home, sweet home!! The white car on the left with the Thrifty sticker? Yup, our sweet ride for the week!
Like many European cities, from the outside M'dina is a walled mystery. We entered the city through the main gate, unsure of what to expect on the inside!!
It was beautiful. Most of M'dina is car free. Leaving tons of narrow little alleyways that only show large wooden doors on either side. I was adventurous enough, and frankly curious to see what was on the other side of the doors, so I was peeking in the mailbox slots and saw some of the most incredible inner-courtyards! Mini-gardens for the residents of M'dina. You wouldn't know it...but they are there and are beautiful!!
This isn't the best picture...but it gives you a sense of a common street in this city. M'dina can be full of tourists during the day, but since we were there around 4-5 in the afternoon, the city was quiet and shutting down -- such a treat, just for us!
Jason's Mom bought me a book, sometime ago, of pictures of stray cats around Mediterranean cities and towns. I have always loved the pictures...cats, lying about in the sun, with the beautiful sea as their backdrop! Anyway, there were lots of stray cats in Malta, and Jason was sweet enough to make me my own "mini-book" of cats in the sun!
I am particularly fond of this picture...A woman in the village feeds the cats and this is a very full cat sleeping off a full stomach!! 
Before you think that I am posting, yet again, about a church...this one is very special! Given Malta's location in the Med, everyone has tried to rule it. Currently, its it own country and a member of the European Union. During WWII, however, the English had a base there and thus Malta suffered quite a few bombings! This is Mosta Dome! Its a large church that can be seen because of its large dome all over the island. 
The inside of the church is charming as well. Not necessarily gorgeous, but lovingly cared for!
And here is what's special!! A BOMB! (Actually, this is a replica of the real thing...but you can see my point!) As it turns out, during WWII this bomb dropped through the dome of the church and DID NOT EXPLODE upon impact. The Maltese consider it the miracle of all miracles!! And I have to say, religious or not, that's pretty amazing!
It was nice to know that if you are bad in Malta there are repercussions -- and Jason was very bad! So we locked him up! (If you know Jason well and are familiar with our blog, you will know that I am often making him take dorky pictures. That he hates. This is no exception. He hated me for this. Not to mention that we aren't alone in this little square and had to wait for a few people to take their locked up pictures and there are people waiting for us to finish! Jason was horrified...but as usual was kind enough to humour me!!)
