We headed to the nearby hospital (Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre) yesterday to meet up with the staff I hope to be volunteering with whilst here. They were very keen for Zoe, Zac & Adam to come to visit the outpatient rehab centre too so we all piled into a 4wd & bumped & lurched our way to the centre. Zoe & Zac thought the dirt roads were lots of fun & laughed the whole way. The rehab centre, called Plaster House, is a centre where children ...

After arriving in Tanzania only yesterday our heads are still spinning with the culture change. Feeling full of mixed emotions. Very sad to leave all our wonderful relatives & to say goodbye to the school friends, teachers, neighbours & kindy staff that we became so close to. Trying to think of it as only a 'see you soon'. I really felt the italian in my blood & living in italy & speaking italian every day (or at least trying to!) was a dream come...

For our last weekend in Italy, we packed up & headed north for "bella Venezia". It was also motivated by Adam having the "moonlight" half marathon there. Venice was gorgeous & glittering in the sunshine. So peaceful without car traffic...in the spots without the hordes of tourists! The kids loved the canals, gondalas & stripey mooring poles after having read stories about it all (thanks Aunty Rosie!). They were also fascinated by all the colourful...

Whizzing though Tuscany in a little european car with my 2 "besties" from school (a Japanese student & a Hungarian nun) & with an Italian priest singing at top volume to Pavarrotti is an experience I will never forget...crazy..felt like a scene from a movie! We were returning from a wonderful day in Assisi exploring the town famous for Italy's patron saint... San Francesco. The Italians adore him & are fiercely proud that the new pope has named himse...

The sea of umbrellas & people sheltering in mandatory fur-trimmed, black puffer jackets has gone. After the wettest march in 50 years its all sun shine & blue skies now. Everywhere things are blooming with the hills covered in cherry blossoms & carpets of baby daisies. The children loving making daisy chains with the new English neighbours. They are kindly letting us use their garden as ours is full of rocks. A 500 year old, 5m high retaining wall cam...