Christmas safari

RUT (Robyn's Ugandan Tours) will be setting off tomorrow morning. I feel a little bad as I have not got one wrapped Christmas present in my bag...so unlike me. Instead we (my parentals and I) will just enjoy spotting lions in trees on Christmas day!

My mum saw a toad tonight and jumped...we are off to see the giraffes, hippos, buffalo, lions, gorillas and more...wish me luck!

Merry Christmas!

girl talk, missing out and Ringo Starr

My 3BT for the last full day of school before my safari.

• "I'll tell her in girl talk", says one sassy eight-year old girl to her (boy) friend. They then go on to describe to me what 'girl talk' and 'boy talk' is. My class are happy and excited the holidays are coming. They are having fun with eachother as we make wreaths.
• Catching-up with a great friend in the staffroom and making plans for a girly evening tonight.  So many stories to share; we are meeting early so no details will be spared!
• Wishing my dad a Happy Birthday - I can't wait to celebrate with him when the parentals arrive on Friday!

morning calls, hugs and envelopes

I've not been well. Today I feel much more myelf; pleased I can enjoy the last few days of term with my class.

Wednesday's 3BT

• Receiving an early morning phone call while I sipped on my Christmas blend coffee, from the modern day DFH, the African Adventurer.
• "Are you feeling better Miss Purdie?" from the boys and hugs from the girls. I felt better.
• Sealing the brown envelopes; reports are now finished and my to-do list is getting shorter.

Christmas is arriving to Kampala tonight; mince pies and carols. I am dragging my snotty nose there whether it wants to go or not!

A mini African Adventure

I recently met a modern day Denys Finch Hatton ...all that is missing is his Gypsy Moth! So I jumped at the chance (ok, that is not quite true-more like beaten into submission!) at the offer of a mini adventure in Nairobi; a place that although close in locality to Kampala, is a million miles away in every other sense.

There is something very special about being able to turn right out of a city street, to drive through a park gate and five minutes later be able to go lion hunting or to picnic with the giraffes...I saw 21, but who is counting???

Or to have sundowners with new friends on the Ngong Hills...cold as it was, it was beautiful... and gave me a chance to wear my Barbour coat that Jo sent me!!

A mini road trip for sundowners on the Ngong Hills





This is a good picnic spot!

The African Sky

All in all, well worth missing the Christmas staff party for!  Now, just a few more days before I can show off my improved safari skills to my parents, they arrive for their RUT on Friday!

You did what!!??

Oh dear- I’ve just had another classic ‘Robyn’ moment!


I probably spend too much time dwelling on things that have happened in the past; embarrassing moments or mistakes. I now know just to wait until the next ‘Robyn’ moment occurs and then I will forget about the previous one and have something new to have a sleepless night or blush about.

Classics include; walking out of the toilets in the large staffroom in Kuwait with my skirt tucked in my knickers (honestly this still makes me laugh out loud and blush now…I was not actually 6 years old, but 26!!!), innocently giving 40th birthday cards two years to early (SORRY!!!) and hitting reply to a group e-mail when it was only for one person ...there are many more!

This morning my head is bowed in shame!

Weight, weekends and wonderful gifts!

Even though it is a sunny Monday, it is always hard to get back into the groove of school after such a good weekend. Are the weekends getting better, or is it the fact that the weeks are getting harder!?
Saying that, a few things made me smile today.

Monday's 3BT:

• My 'Self' magazine arrived in the post. This magazine is actually quite good at making me feel bad about myself... "oh, this is what you are supposed to look like..?" But today I laughed out loud as I  found an article titled, "Lose weight without trying"!!!!(I was surprised one of the points wasn't, "Now cut off the other leg"!!!)
• Making exciting weekend plans.
• After feeling rather uninspired about Christmas, I have just organised one of the best gifts! I love it when you know the receiver will love your gift!

Didn't you get the memo?

Who knew running a road race could be so much  fun!?

This morning I ran 10km in a sea of yellow around Kampala; I was part of a gang that had 24 999 other members...it was pretty cool!

I have never seen a race before where everyone actually wore the race shirt...and it was quite a sight! I missed that memo and wore black!!

There were so many runners that my friends and I were separated pretty much as we jumped over the fence (literally) at the starting line. But that didn't matter; I met new running buddies along the way; some wanting 'lifts' ( a bit of a helping hand to get them through the race!) others just a wee chat and company. I ran  past some and was passed by others.

I enjoyed the whole run...a smile was on my face and I just thought...how cool is this! I didn't wear a watch so had no pressure of time, I just wanted to be part of the experience and enjoy it; which I did!

Later, at the country club, where I was having guilt-free beer by the pool (it tastes so much better than regular beer!), there were many very happy and very stiff runners, all wanting to share their experience of the run; the guys that jumped on the boda-bodas, the boys running in flip flops and the big bottomed ladies (and men).

Next stop; Two Oceans, Cape Town !

The sea of yellow at the start

Here I am!

Guilt free breakfast!

December Again

I wrote my first December blog last night, but on re-reading it today it seemed rather negative!

OK,so I haven't been sleeping and like others, I have a million and 2 things to do before the holidays...but I am enjoying December-so need to be kinder to it!

Rather than worry about my still not bought Christmas presents to be wrapped and sent-I am going to look forward to doing that this weekend. So what, if I do not have time to make my home-made (cheap!...no...loving...yes!) gifts, not to worry. If I did them EVERY year, they would be less special, right!?

The holidays are nearly here; the count down has begun and their are fun things are on the horizon.
I have been reading The Witches to my class(I do a great voice for the Grand High Witch!) and they cannot wait to watch the movie next week! There are plays to watch, festive parties to attend, pantomimes to holla at, pies to make, parcels to send and packing to be done.

OK, so I am not playing in the snow at the moment, but it is December all the same and it is just as special and exciting.