mishtoit around the world

Secret birthday location April 2010

2010-04-14T03:17:00.000-07:00

YEW TREE COTTAGE IN NEW FORREST

OVER 300 YRS OLD

I organised a weekend away for Jacqui Brown's birthday. This adventure was a classic! With lots of pics that should prob not be shown to anyone other than who was there! What happens in New forest stays in New Forest ;-)

It was a big surprise for her, thank goodness as it is very hard trying to keep a surprise with like 8 people involved. Non the less we managed it. So after making sure everyone packed the night before, and eventually the week ended, we finally headed off on our adventure around 8.00pm. Jess and Blake took there car full of hooligans ;-) and Deano took the rest of us. After some bubbly, special home-baked cookies , 2 hours later, we get a SOS call from the convoy hooligan carridge, "We are busting for the loo, can we please stop" So number 1 pit stop begins, and with the girls falling out the car, jumping over a fence onto a farm land, giggling the whole way through, think Norch was still holding the champers bottle at this point and running up the down the hill! Good work ladies, poor class :-)

With their bladders relieved and happy smiles aproaching, we shoved them back in and continued on the road, Jax was no idea at this point as she remarked "we are going to Portsmouth hay?", thank goodness she didn't have her glasses on and we drove straight into the heart of new forest, found our lovey cottage name "YEW TREE"

Yew Tree is around 300yrs old and in amazing condition, outside and in, I would defo recommend this place for a weekend away or just to get away from the hussle bussle lifestyle. We quickly unpack our stuff and run inside, feeling like we are truely on holiday with everyone fighting to get up the stairs first to grab rooms! After finding more doors and passageways, I feel like I'm in Alice and Wonderland and it's just perfect, Jax is so happy and suprised, her face was the best, it made my heart warm.

We all headed to the loundge which had a open fire place and started the fire, got our board games out and our drinking hats on and lots more snacks and food and drink later, were like the 10 merry dwafts in a fairy tale, happy as! Then I got Jax's cake out and we sang happy birthday full of beans to which Jax did some interesting poses in her photographs, (which I still laugh at every time I see them)

I don't know what time we all got to bed but remember dancing away while Norch watched me, laughing, then I remember waking up as if I was sleeping on a hill, wow the mattress was KAK! no words for it, I was so tired that I didnt notice it before but bascially slept on my side almost falling off the bed as the mattress or the actually bar on the bed was in nice terms: messed up!

After walking downstairs with a crooked neck, found my lovely posse sitting in the blazing morning sun and breakfast being cooked! Looked like a mass chicken murder with all those eggs in the pan. So not only are we in New forest but we have hot sun!, a huge garden, a ball! (yay) and great company.

We decide to go for a nice long walk in the forest and go to a pub along the way, their are ponies and donkeys everywhere just walking around freely. There is always a challenge when we go away and here again another one presents itself, we had to cross a stream, a running start helps but if you aint got ye jump down, well you get the picture. Mish to the rescue girls and then Norch took a running leap, and made it lekker with those long legs. The walk through the forest was amazing, so peaceful, sun was blazing through the trees, and it was very quiet, except for our troop of course ;-)

That night was kinda a repeat of the last, except Blake fell into a bush and hit a wall, ha ha still laughing Blake still laughing.

On Sunday we chilled in the garden in the sun till the afternoon, ended up going to the pub, having something to eat, by this point I dont think I could drink another drop of red wine if you paid me. Driving back through the forest was wicked, had such a laugh, car was taking strain with all of us and with me trying to drink my Bulmars finished while Blake made sure this was a hard task, the laughter continued.

We hit the road back home as reality sets in we need to get our arses back to London for work, kids and get out of the fog we are in. Weekends away are the best! Happy birthday Jax xx

Wales weekend trip 2009

2010-01-15T03:11:00.000-08:00

Our Wonderful Adventure!

This adventure was one to remember and never to forget, my best friend Jax organised a wicked holiday! Not only with a superb location but on budget to, she's good at that! What more could you ask for I say.

So we got the car packed, Jax, Kairi and I are waiting for Norch to finish her college, then we can get on the road and start our adventure. The call comes in, and we go and pick her up, shove her load into the boot, by now the car is spilling over with "weekends worth" more like "month's worth" of bags, you know how woman can be with luggage ;-)

We have hired a car, and I love driving so it's a bonus. I tell ye what, there is nothing like the few moments as you about to start your holiday.

After 6 hour drive or so we cross over into Wales and get horribly lost a few times, so it took us longer to reach our destination but hay all in the name of good fun. We drive through the park, trying to remember the name LLangla, something, believe me, the names are hard and so the same, like the next town is LLanguula, which really amused me.

We drive around in a circle 3 times and then finally find our caravan, man alive you should see this view. It's only half a km to the beach, just incredible. The caravan is so something I would recommened, all furnished inside, loundge, kitchen, sitting area, rooms, bathroom, and it's spacious for us 4 girls. We have everything we need, to TV, Games, Beach, fun, drinking, go chats, relaxing and laughter for the next few days ahead.
After we unpack and get settled we head to the shop to get some supplies. By supplies I mean copious amount of red wine! The walk to the beach is wicked, we end up climbing a sand dune the size of mount everest, lol, but we have to get to the other side to reach the beach, as you get to the top, you think you can climb no further as your calf muscle are paining and you out of breath, not to mention the sand that gets you no where with each step. You just see the sea and a big open beach! It's all worth it, each and everytime we did it was worth it!

That beach is amazing, there was bascially nobody there, it was so hot, think maybe the hottest weekend Wales has ever had, so lucky for us. We went exploring caves, sea shells, played cards, even swam! Yes we braved the water and it was cold. We even saw cows on the beach, weird, lol (Have the photos to prove it, honest)
So during the day was the beach and at night we ended up having quite a few bottles of red wine and playing lots of board games,making lots of pictures with lights with the camera, had one of the finest cheese boards to date, thanx to Norch. And I just loved making foaming coffee for the girls coffee's in the morning. (It's the small things ok)

Did I mention the most amazing sunset I have ever seen! yes amazing, spectacular, never forget it, like if I was a Vampire, that's the last sunset I would want to see! (I'm such a dreamer)

When we had to leave we made a day trip and just travelled the map wherever we wanted to go, even a castle we were suppose to pay for but ended up checkin out and then running out because we almost got caught, was great and so spontaneous, I love doing things like that.

We ended up at Worms head, and went to the beach there, chilled for a bit , swam, played some games, and then decided to head on home, but it was never a dull moment, cause Mish stalled the car about 8 times!!! Yes people I was on a hill, (a steep one might I add) and there was lots of cars behind me and I was laughing so much and so was everyone else, then my feet starting sweating I was so nervous. Thought we were gonna roll down the hill at one point.

Ha ha, great trip guys, I would love to go back there again.

Home is where the heart is, literally :)

2010-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

CAPE TOWN 2009

I have been away from my beautiful city Cape Town for 7yrs and it is getting a harder to stay away each year I go back. It's not just home it's a place of passion, great people, friends, family, history and lots of memories.

I have so many things to go back to, but so many things that I'll be leaving behind. If you have ever felt like you wanted to be in 2 places at the same time. Well thats it :)

So maybe one day soon i,ll be going home to another chapter in my life. Who knows, As I firmly believe that all these chapters and special memories are there to last only until they become not so special anymore. Something to always look back on and smile and remember.
Cape Town is a amazing place, full of culture, great friendly people, hot weather, a beautiful mountain that makes me burst into smile everytime the plane touches down. Then I get to get super excited to see Mom, Dad, my brother, Livvy, Marco, Dustin, Marc, Fabien, Jeanne, Rus, the Levi's, the Shaw's, Sharon, Justin, the list goes on and on! Not to metion how alive and backward, (yes I said backward) in a good way. We have not lost our simple way of living competely at home. That is something I truely miss. I could honestly say that after living in a city for this long, I wanna be a country bumpkin all the way later on in life.

So when I get back I have all this to look forward to: 20 minutes away from Cape Town, the beaches, my friends and family. Maybe getting to work on a safari park, go travelling up the coast.
Finding work will be difficult but I am up for the challenge, nothing is impossible not when you in love with Cape Town and all that comes with it...

See you hopefully sooner than later Cape Town, who knows what the future holds, but living my life to the fullest I already have to ideas on where it's going :)

Spain with all my great friends

2010-01-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

Spain Alcanta Denia

This holiday was one of my best, as all these people you see here are now spread around the world in different places! And we have all been together in London for years, now thats a different case but gives me a excuse to go and see the world and have a place to stay everywhere ha ha!
Tracy Australia Gold Coast
Paul Dubai
Scotty America now I think
Dave Australia Melbourne
Colette South Africa
Erich South Africa
The rest of us, here in London :)
Miss you guys but love you all.

We stayed in Spain for around 10 days had 2 , 10 man villa's and they were lush let me tell you. "James villa . com" is the way forward. We had vineyards on one side and the sea on the other. Our own rooms and a huge living room and kitchen, which we only used for boose and prepping the braai, ha ha. Or making the floor dirty from wet feet in the pool! YES you heard right our own pool! with a front patio, aah just a great holiday destination. Well it's starts off with landing in Spain and the drama begins:

and so they pick on poor Rick, and end up swobbing his guitar suitcase and low and behold it ends up having TNT residue on it! (have no idea, neither does he, it was a new case)after alot of questions and explanations, Rick swetting with fear, we all finally get through customs. Rick is now definetly needing a holiday after being accussed of being a terriorist in Spain.

Then we need to get everyone together now so we can go get our cars we have hired, oh the joy, we phone Tracy as she is in Spain already with Collette and she is suppose to meet us at the airport so she can drive. Mish phones Trace, Trace answers with " Whaaattsssuuuup Mishtoit, ar ar ar ar, and I reply with Oh Dear." So Mish now has to drive = ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD! all fun and games, till someone looses an eye.
Takes us an extra 2 hrs to find the place cause its so complicated and I have a bunch of mates wingeing in the back, not to mention that I'm nackered, my concentration levels are caput!
We find it eventually yahooo and bascially dump our stuff, change into summer costumes and head for the pool area!

Man alive it's just party and chill out from here on, we each put in 10 euro's a day! nothing! for a massive braai every night. Bought lots of pool toys to play with and filled the pool with beers to keep chilled. Mike, Cana and Si doing acrobatics into the pool! The girls skinny dipping at night, Music on all day and night, jenga, fat chats, drunk chats, lots of games and Paul and I "Lets see who can get the best tan competition"
Went for dinner at some supper restaurants, gave us girls something to dress up to, had parma ham that tasted like acorns, because the little piggy only ate acorns! how awesome. Massive, impressive dishes of paella, friendly people, and by the by loving the whole seista shenanigans! Went for brekkie at a awesome little place where they became our little local or rather liked Simon for trying some crazy alcoholic drink out and being pissed on 1 glass!
Went swimming in the sea with Jax and Si, was wicked.
Our last day consisted of us packing the car with our luggage, or all 3-4 cars should I say and going to the beach and buying shade, yes "you have to buy your shade, whahahh"
I remember that day so well cause I havent felt that relaxed in ages. I was lying on a beach chair on my stomach with Mike next to me, joking around in the backround. All I could hear was him, people laughing and the sea breaking, bascially I was falling in and out of sleep but the best feeling, as it was hot as ever but were cool under the shade.
A few hours later back in London still with sand on our feet, weird!

I hope we can all be together again for another adventure! :)

Antons' downhill skating

2010-01-06T14:04:00.001-08:00

Ant's passion:

Ant = Skateboard = custom made leathers = helmet = throwing yourself down a very steep scary hill and loving every moment of it!
This is Anton's passion and I was lucky enough to watch him a few times, any chance he can get he will go for a skate, especially if he finds a new hill and a new challendge. He has reached speeds of up to 100km hr, come 2nd and 3rd in downhill competions in Cape Town.
Even with torn ligaments he still threw himself down a hill, high five for Master Ant! Proud of you brother, :)

Go and check out the website and some of my pics up there
http://www.sagra.co.za/index.php?option=com_expose&Itemid=53

Softball London

2010-01-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Softball is my obsession!

As I'm sure all my friends know, if I cannot make a event of some sorts it's because of softball. I've been with my team "Thunder" for over 4 years now, when I was younger I played baseball and softball in Cape Town, I didnt realise it was so big here, luckly I stumbeled across them on the internet and have to say I love em. We are all so different but fit together like peas in a pod. We play in and around England and head to Edinburgh once a year. When Winter hits we play "indoor softball" completely different but it's great to catch up and stay in touch with ye softball friends. I can honestly say that softball has been one of my outlets in London. Just getting out and about for a whole weekend of tournments and going away for weekends with the team and all my other friends in softball gets me so excited, can't wait for season to start again.

2010-01-06T02:57:00.000-08:00

Kgalahari Family trip November 2009

These things only happen in dreams! ha ha, what a experience. Thanx to my mom and dad organising this awesome trip when I was back in Cape Town. It's been one of my dreams and I will defo be going back again. But this time I think miss Jacqui Brown needs to come with me. ;)

It was my mom's 60th birthday, love you mom and by the by you are looking smashing!

I had such a great time on this trip, it was so different from a normal holiday and very hot! Did I say Hot! I ment boiling but amazing.

We did a 6 day trip stopping off in different places every 2 days and staying in different parks along the way. One night we were in huts on stilts right by a water hole. Quite scary ha ha.

Let me start from the beginning:

We suppose to leave at 5.00am in the morning, picture it, it's my brother Anton's birthday night the night before this and we go to Purple Turtle in Cape Town to go see some bands that night, a whole bunch of his friends are there to celebrate his 31st! Ant gets a lil hammered as he is a light weight when it comes to drinking (you are ;) Having a bit of rubble and fun with Robyn his ankle goes and then he cannot even talk he is in so much pain. Mish runs to get the car (aka Bakkie!) and drives to the rescue, gets the crew and racing to the Emergency walk in Durbanville. So now its about 3.00am, eeek much! I have to drive in 2 hours for another 9 hours to the Kgalari, oh the joy!

So Ant gets wheeled in by wheelchair, the whole crew are not sober except me, and waiting in the waiting room with anticipation to see if he has broken his ankle, cause let me tell you that thing looked the size of a golf ball! lol so what a experience. Ant goes for X-rays while I talk to the Dr, after another hour, phone the parents and wake them up, let them know the story and then get Ant home on Crutches. He falls asleep almost straight away. Doc thinks he has torn ligaments! not good and his downhill comp is like 4 weeks away, you can imagine the disappointment...

So now I'm packing the 2 bakkie's with dad, the sun is coming up and by the end of it all it's 7 bells and we finally head off. I'm utterly exhausted but really excited at the same time, Ant sleeps and then finally wakes up and puts some good old Foo Foo's on! And we drive and drive and drive for like 8 hrs with the vegetation slowly changing into desert shrubs. Believe me shrubs become well interesting when you driving on 1 straight road all the way.

We get there and go unpack, dad puts on the braai, mum's taking photo's of the birds, my parents are like bird experts now! its insane, every bird they can identify, obsessed much! It's great, it's like having your own spotting book all the time, ha ha

Ant and I go exploring to the most amazing waterfall I have ever seen! It's massive and just so amazing i can't stop smiling. Shame Ant had to struggle on his crutches all the way there, had blisters on his hands by the end of it, but it was all worth it in the end.

After a great braai, we chatted outside, so nice and hot, bugs everywhere though, and a bat that keeps swooping in on my head, naturally freaking out, Dad thinks this is quality entertainment, ha ha.

On the road again, next day while driving there we get to see alot of animals! We ended the day by driving to our next destination, to wonderful stilt huts near a waterhole. here you have to watch around you while you are unpacking cause you in the open until you close the gate to your hut, very exciting, he he. This was the best place we stayed at, had 2 nights here of great braaing and seeing Hyena, springbok, wildcat, mongoose,gemsbok. We were wishing for Leopard but no luck. Marius is the keeper of these 3 chalets and he stays a week at a time to look after the people staying there and to protect them just in case anything happens. What a great guy, knows so much about the animals and their habits, very interesting.

So eventually after a great day and evening, Ant and I go back to our chalet and try get some sleep, it's so hot so I put the fan on in the room. When I'm about to fall asleep all we hear is eeeeehhh eehhhh rrrrrh lick lick scratch scratch, oh my hell! Ant was laughing, I was shitting myself. Eventually get to sleep, next morning, run and tell the parents and Marius says to me it's prob a bat, I'm like ok cool, we did have the door open for a long time today.

So we head out on another great sunny HOT day at about 6.00am (best time to see the animals) We get to see: Hyena and cubs, Cheetah and cubs, Fox looking for food, Springbok, Gemsbok, Wilde beast, Giraffe, Lots of bird of prey and they are huge!!, Owls, snakes, Lions, brilliant!!

On this night, what happens, yes you guessed right, I hear the eeehhhh rrrhh eehh lick , scratch, but before this the hyena's are at the waterhole and making freaky noises, if you have ever heard a hyena then you know what I mean.

So try to ignore and go to sleep, as I'm falling asleep all I hear is eehh doff doff and then silence, so I'm like Ant what was that, he is like just go to sleep , you will see in the morning.

Next morning, Ant says let see what hit the fan, shame we found a little bat in the corner of the room and still a tuft of it's hair on the fan! LOL, felt so sorry for it. Was trying to get out the room and when it flew it hit the fan. boo hoo!

After we leave here to venture to our next destination, we see lots more animals, and did I mention its HOT! Ant and I play a bit of throw and catch with my softball and then with a baseball, then it's to hot, we chill, and braai again. Almost on the last day we come across the most amazing site I have seen, 2 lions lying in the dirt road where we are driving, literally 1 metre away from my window, I didn't know if I should be scared or excited. Ant grabs my video camera, I grab my camera, they just sitting looking at us, not fazed at all. Then we realise, they have just killed and eaten and the carcass is lying right next to them, ooh yum! This is most munificent animal I have ever seen and what a privilege to have seen him so close.

I want to thank my parents for a amazing trip of a life time and Ant for putting up with my shit, these times will always been in my memories. Love you guys x

My 2 best friends finally got hitched!

2010-01-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hurrraagh,

finally after like 11 years!

Yay, I'm so happy for my 2 best buds at home in South Africa, they got married in 7 November 2009 and I was privileged enough to be the Maid of Honor at there wedding in Knorhoek, Stellenbosch, Cape Town. This was a big deal as I've known these guys for forever and we have been there for each other through lots, which made it even harder me being away for 7yrs as we all grew up together.

Not only was this very important to them as a couple but all our friends, family and people we have all grown up with and gotten to know well over the years were apart of it. Livvy is like my sister, so you get my drift. And Marco, is the best guy friend a chick could have, ha ha, never really been much of a girlie girl so Marco understands this.

What can I say, I have known Livvy since she was born and Marco since we were around 13, I am so happy for them, every time I think back to that awesome day I smile. They both looked sensational and the wedding was beautiful, and the best one I have ever been to!

You guys are the best! I wish you a life long of happiness, love and many laughs to come. Wish we could do it all over again :)

Xmas 2009 in London

2010-01-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

This was my first Christmas in London ever, yip been here for 7yrs and have always gone down to my family in Groombridge, that's near Tonbridge Wells. So this was a big change for me, and it was hard not to see my family but I decided to change things up a bit.

Although I missed my crazy wonderful family, the warm fire, the kitty cats and the great house in the forest, I can honestly say London was a good time to. Waking up and running downstairs to my best friend Jax's, I live upstairs so this makes things very convenient, ha ha. We opened our presents that had been piling up under the Christmas tree for weeks, begging to be opened. And all got things we wanted or needed, had champagne and chilled out with movies for most of the day, snacking on great cheese and good company :) Even Eddie (Jax's amazing kitty cat) got Xmas presents! ha ha

We made a amazing dinner fit for kings and shared oven space upstairs at mine and downstairs at Jax, she made the most amazing lamb I have ever tasted. Hats off to the chef x

All in all we had a good 3 days of chilled out, doing nothing which makes a change in London as you are always busy.

Merry Xmas everyone! Hope everyone had a great Xmas with their friends and family.