today

- was the last day of getting up at 6 am during the week for my favorite man
- I spent a couple of hours at the Broadhurst Police Station as a whitness of attempted robbery and even had to swear an oath before being released
- I couldn't help but starting to eat the chocolate Easter bunny that has been sitting in our fridge now for a couple of weeks...

Khutse & Back

Last weekend we went to Khutse for a night in the wilderness. We set up our tents under a big tree and sat around the fire, cooked a delicious meal in a big black iron pot, and discussed life and the world.

In the middle of the night rain pouring down on our tent woke me up but I went soon back to sleep feeling nice and cozy under the blankets. We got up early in the morning to drive around the reserve in search of lions, but instead we saw loads of birds and beautiful oryx.

And while I am still exhausted from the long, bumpy drive, it was definitely a great thing to be out there in the bush!

Sunset Saturday IV

I took this picture in Hayama, Japan, during a work trip in 2009. The sky was purple and blue with a misty view towards the coast and the mountains in the distance. It was a quiet evening with a peaceful atmosphere there.
With all these worrying news coming from Japan these days, I hope people there will be able to get some rest soon and recover from this devastating disaster. It's hard to believe what is happening there and my thoughts go out to the people in Japan.

stormy weather

When we arrived in Maputo the sky was grey with low-hanging clouds and a strong breeze was blowing along the beach. Nevertheless, we took a walk along the Costa del Sol and watched the fishermen going after their business.

The beach strip was littered with glass and bottle caps in the sand, but it was nice to get some fresh air after all these hours in the car.
And despite the wind, it was still kind of warm and humid,so we sat in the deckchairs at the Clube Naval for some strong coffee. It felt really good being at the seaside and smelling the salt in the air :)

Under the Sea

During our trip, we went swimming with dolphins off the coast of Punta do Ouro. We went out on a little boat, equipped with fins and masks, and found some bottlenose dolphins very close to the shore.

It was an incredible experience to swim with these beautiful, curious creatures and hear them communicating with each other in the sea. More (under water) pictures from our cruise are available here.

Meandering in Maputo

On our trip to the Elephant Coast we spent some time in Maputo, a busy African city with a certain colonial chic to it. The city is full with pedestrians, the streets are lined with trees and the roads are full of potholes.
There are some formerly grand houses near the Old Market and little cafes in the beautiful Main Station.
And apparently Botswana's old trains made it all the way to Mozambique!

Sunset Saturday III

This picture was taken on my birthday 2 years ago. We met at Vivo City and went to Sentosa Island after work. From the train you could see the oil refineries in the distance with their gigantic cranes towering over the horizon. Because of all the buildings, trees and ships, you could never actually see the sunset properly. On Sentosa, we went to see the ueber-kitschy "Songs of the Sea" show - a true Singapore-style birthday! :)

Sunset Saturday II

This was the sunset during a recent trip to Madikwe. The afternoon drive took us all across the game reserve to find the wild dogs, and when we finally stopped for tea/drinks it was already getting dark. I love how the sun has become a big golden ball, making the entire sky gleaming in this incredible yellow against the dark silhouettes of the shrubs.

Review: U2 in Concert

My review of the U2 concert made it into the March issue of Lapologa Magazine (along with my other articles)!

Pick up a copy of the magazine in stores now and be part of the conversation! :)

To read the full review click here...

Sunset Saturday I

This picture was taken more than two years ago on our first trip in February 2009 to Rawa Island just across the border from Singapore. We spent a dreamy weekend there, walking around the island, listening to the gentle breeze in the palm trees and watching the little fish in the cristal clear water. The sunset wasn't spectacular because of all the clouds in the sky, but the atmosphere was relaxed and exactly what we wanted for a weekend get-away.