Merry Christmas! Love to You!

Merry Christmas and Blessings to Everyone!!

Santa came early for Bondo! After almost two weeks of waiting, a fancy oral surgeon at a Medical Center in Pretoria pulled out the infected wisdom tooth in 5 minutes with no complications. When asked if I wanted general anesthesia (which would have to be scheduled later) or take my stint in the chair Now Now (means immediately in South Africa), I jumped at the chance to say goodbye to any wisdom remaining and get on with life. The doctor was skillful and professional; two hits with a chisel, two episodes of drilling and two twists of the tooth and it was out laying before me like a trophy. Of course today my jaw looks like Brendon has become a wife beater but all is well with the Bonds.

We started the Christmas holiday by holing up in a country lodge in the Midlands Meander at the foot of the Drakensburg Mountains. This artsy craftsy region consists of rolling hills, lakes, farms and cutesy towns with small craft studios, local cheese manufacturers, fishing and hiking trails. It is named after the Midlands area of the UK which it is supposed to resemble. Perfect for old coots or coot wannabees! Our lodging consists of a darling thatched rondaval with a flower studded porch that looks up at the Giants Castle formation in the Mountains. From our porch we watch long tailed birds duke it out with LBJ (little brown jobs) for territory in the long grasses by the pond. It is decorated in African style with a small ceramic fireplace, trendy Zulu fabrics and African motif tiles. Everything is spanking new and luxurious-even a microwave and café presse but is low budget by American standards. The hospitality industry in South Africa is a treat with small lodges taking on the unique personality of their owner. We purchased groceries for the next 5 days and will be able to have a real Christmas at our new home with the wonderful fresh ingredients available in the markets here. Much of the lodging in South Africa is “Self Catering” which means that you can really be at home while traveling as the digs have kitchen, living area and separate bedroom. After the Midlands tour, we will head to Royal Natal National Park to view the craggy rock formations of the Drakensburg. Then on to Clarens, another artsy community close to Golden Gate National Park. Summer has finally come with long warm days and afternoon showers.

To celebrate our health and this beautiful holiday, we went on a long hike at a local nature preserve, Umgeni. Howick is the closest town to our lodge, known for its waterfalls and boarding schools. Today we chose to go the nearby nature preserve instead of the falls and were not disappointed. What a thrill to arrive and see zebras lounging in the parking area. The hike starts on a high bluff and transverses a steep cliff to a grassy plain where giraffes were munching on tall acacia trees. The area is very green and lush with waterfalls and lovely creeks abounding with ferns and cycads. Flowers were in bloom as it is still spring on this high plain. During the 4 hour hike we passed only two other hikers who said they had spotted a cape buffalo, but alas it was only a blue wildebeest. Birds, bok and butterflies were in abundance on this fine day. Truly a gift of health and well being on Christmas 2008.

We wish all of our family, friends and neighbors a joyful Christmas and Peace in the coming year. We thank you for your support for our service in the Peace Corps and look forward to seeing you this summer when we come home. We love Africa (except when we hate it) and believe that we still have work to do here. We miss you all but are grateful for this opportunity to learn, grow and serve.