Elizabeth's birthday this week - thank you to everyone who sent cards, e mails and presents. Elizabeth will reply eventually!

In the meantime here's a photo or two of the birthday girl on her new J-board.

It's the Heritage Day public holiday today, so as part of Elizabeth's birthday treat we're off to see Mama Mia at the opera house this afternoon. Yes, we did see it in the West End earlier this year, but the tickets are half the price of London here and it'll be interesting to see it performed by an African cast. And then we're off on holiday tomorrow. I cannot wait. A week of exploring the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, including safari, a tree top canopy tour, hiking through a canyon and a walk with elephants. We're staying in a range of B&B, tents, mountain cabins and forest lodges. Quite a lot of moving around in just a week, but the upside is that we'll really have seen southern South Africa by the end of the week, from seaside resorts to mountain wilderness with a game reserve or two in between.

Last week I took the day off on Friday and when we'd collected the girls from school at lunchtime we headed straight down to the Indian Ocean coast. Took the train to Muizenburg, and then walked along the beach to Kalk Bay. We had fish and chips from Lucky's in Kalk Bay and sat watching the seals before catching the train home again. Best snoek and chips around!