Hi everyone

Big smiley face from me as the sun is shinning once more. We have had a couple of crappy days weather so it's a welcome return of the big yellow fella in the sky!!

Still in Namibia right now and have another couple of days until we return to South Africa. After we left the hostel at Windhoek we headed Etosha National Park for some more animal spotting, this is also where our camp site was. The weather was absolutely awfull. We spend the evening driving round in the truck in the rain but didn't spot any decent big animals, nwhen you could see out of the window! Flippin tent leaked too so was not a happy bunny. Next day was just as grey and rained pretty much all day, with about 1/2 an hour of sun. Went on an early morning game drive but again, wasn't that successfull. Luckily a few of us kept ourselves amused by taking silly photos of ourselves. Actually, girls, i look pretty rough pretty much all of the time here. Im finding it impossible to look half decent invetween pitching tents in the rain and no power for my hair dryer!!!!! We were supposed to go on another afternoon game drive round Etosha but most of us couldn't be bothered as it was torrential rain and the animals just hide!! So we stayed in the nice bar and played cards and travel snakes and ladders whilst getting louder and louder!!! Turned out to be a good day despite the weather!!

After Etosha we left for Spitzkoppe which is a huge mountain formation. It was quite a journey and the truck got stuck in the wet sand twice and the lads had to work really hard to get us moving again!! We went with a guide to see some cave paintings on the rocks that have been there for hundreds of years. Would have been a nice walk through this amazing area had the rain not come again!! Bit dissapointed because if it had been a clear night we would have had the most amazing sky to look at. But hey-ho, the old Savanagh cider got me through. We are all getting a bit sick and tired of the rain now as you may tell since I'ce mentioned it about a zillion times!!

Left Spitzkoppe and arrived in Swakopmund yesterday. We drove through the desert to get here which was surreal! We came via Cape Cross Seal Colony which you could actually smell before you could see it. Lovely to see sooo many seals in one place though. I think they were just females with their children though as the males only appear here during the mating season! Charming! Would have honked even more though then so should be grateful for small mercies hey?!! Took some lovely photies and it was nice to be by the sea for a change. Only stayed there for a while at the look out point before we carried on through the desert and arrvived here in Swakopmund where we stay in a hostel (or a little piece of heaven i think after so long camping!) for TWO whole nights! Bliss! Left my laundry to be done! We had a meeting where we got told about what activities were on offer - this place has a lot of adrenaline pumping options!! About 10 of us decided to do the skydive and within 10 minutes the mini bus had picked us up and were on our way into the middle of the Namibian Desert to jump out of the plane!!! No time to think or get scared at least! It was the best experience ever!!! Such a rush when you do the initial drop and free fall out of the plane at 10,000 feet. Then the parachute gets released at that feeling was the best, just floating through the sky looking over at the ocean and the desert sand dunes - just fab!! I took hold of the hand controls and did a few spins!! Then my instructor got hold of them and span my head off!! As we approached the ground I didn't want to land, you could stay up there forever!! Caroline came to watch me but didn't really want to do it. After Bex had jumped though and was the first to land, she changed her mind, decided she wanted a piece of the action and did it at the last minute!! Im so glad she did it and so is she!!! We are contemplating doing another tonight at sunset if we can get a big enough discount!!!!!!!!

Anyway, after those exploits I am having a rather more chilled day today. Most people have opted to do more activities but I wanted to chill, write to you guys and do some shopping. By the way girls, packing light - soooo does not work. I've got nowhere near enough clothes so I'm buying the odd thing and mom is sending some more emergency supplies to my hostel in Singapore for when I arrive there! I tried, but travelling light just don't work for girls!!

Right, think that brings you up to date. I'm heading off to do my shopping and go to the beach for some sun bathing and paddling in the sea mmmm mmmm.

Hope you are all thawing out after the snow you've had, bet it's looked lurvely!

Speak soon, prob when I get Cape Town. Take care all.

Lots of love

Nic

xxxxx