Thulani the Travelling Bear

Thulani in Norway - Part 5

2012-02-27T15:51:00.000+02:00

Thulani’s fifth day in Norway

No time for crying because the weather is letting us down. Rain or snow, windy or not, outdoorsactivities are fun! J This was yet another day at home with the girls. And what a day it was!

It’s going to be a snowman in the rain. Thulani didn’t like the weather at all, and when the girls would like him to sit on the wet and cold snow again, he did have something to say against it. J At first he wouldn't sit still at all.

But finally he agreed. J

Wow….mum’s in the picture too. And the little girls were hiding because they thought it was so funny having mum there also. Thulani was surprised because he knows that mum is a bit shy! J

And there he was….The snowman! Thulani did a great job together with the girls. J

Never a moments rest. We had to build a snowcave also. But…all in all that was a good thing. It became a shelter from the rain and a very nice place to eat our oranges’ too. J

We did have fun outside, but after a while we where all wet, even if we used the snowcave. So….we decided to have more fun indoors. A dress up party J Thulani thought it was a bit girlish but as the nice and kind bear he is he went along with it. J

After another long day with lots of fun and activities Tone Lise and Thulani ended up like this:

They just fell asleep during the childrens tv. J It must have been all that fresh air! ;)

Day number six in Norway is gonna be just an ordinary day in Norway. The children are off to kindergarten again, dad is at work and mum is going to the hairdresser….so Thulani has decided to have a day off before his big cultural adventure on day seven. We’re then going to go to a museum! :D

See you all soon. J

Thulani in Norway - Part 4

2012-02-26T19:40:00.000+02:00

Thulani`s fourth day in Norway

Oh, what a busy and fun day. All day long playing with the children in the kindergarten. J A little bears heaven; cuddling, talking, hugging, eating and drinking all day loooong!

Having tea with Tone Lise and two of her friends.

Lunchtime.

Thulani was very cuddly and all the children loved him, so during the hour of singing, reading and talking together, he joined in and borrowed almost everyones lap. J

Even the boys loved him! And if I may say so…..Thulani seemed to enjoy the company and the small talk with the boys. Cars and dragons and buildings are topics a big boybear can relate to.

Tone Lise was watching Thulani carefully, while he was talking to the other children. Because, You know, she feels like he is a bit hers. J

At the end of the day it was two tired little girls and a tired little bear that came home from the kindergarten.

A little rest, and then dinner, playtime and childrens tv, before bathtime and bed were enough for all of them this day.

Tomorrow some more outdoors activities! J

Thulani in Norway - Part 3

2012-02-21T18:07:00.001+02:00

Thulani’s third day in Norway.

Today has been a very busy day outside. We’ve been into the woods, almost on a very little mountain and near to the fjord. And at our place that’s very easy…because we do have it all around us. It’s never far to the forest, fjord or mountain. J We live on a little farm (but we don’t do cows, sheeps or other animals anymore) on the countryside, in the middle of Norway, just 20 km from the border to North-Norway, Sør-Helgeland. (No….we don’t have icebears/polarbears in the backyard … J ) We’ll (and Thulani) tell you all about Norway, the capital, our capital in Trøndelag, some of our cities and surroundings when Thulani leaves us. (Oh…..does he have to? ;) )

Thulani had some hours outside today, and when he came in he just had to warm himself up a little bit. So… when the girls decided that it was time for a bath, to wash their hair and to have their nails done with nailpolish and everything else, he just cuddled up in bed and tried to warm himself as best as he could. The whole thing with bath and stuff was a bit too girlish for him… J

So enjoy Thulani's day:

Just before we went outside. Thulani had found himself a great place to sit.

Oh…it was windy! We had to close our eyes. Thulani managed to blink with one eye though.

Oh, oh…….a bit worried here. Would the wind take Thulani up in the air and down to the fjord?

Finally a rest in the forest! Some cold and hot drinks, homemade buns, apples, biscuits, and a tiny bit of chocolate. That’s heaven for little girls…and Thulani.

Wow!!! In daddy’s tractor. Ohoh……it was a bit far down to the ground from here. But it was funny to see what daddy does as a lumberjack. (That’s his first priority and activity during the winter, when he’s not doing his other job as a trailer/truckdriver. )

Thulani is a bit excited because someone has told him that he’s gonna drive the truck together with daddy when he is here! :O

Playing and eating in the snow…..It looks like Stine Marie is crying, but she’s just eating and talking in the wind. Couldn’t keep her eyes open when laying on the ground. J Thulani is safe, all cuddled up in Tone Lises arms. J

And…tomorrow is kindergarten time! Bye for now. J

Thulani in Norway - Part 2

2012-02-20T11:36:00.001+02:00

After a good nights sleep Thulani woke up to this:

He just couldn’t belive his own eyes! Snowstorm! :O Thulani decided that this should be a day with indoors activities together with the family. Starting with breakfast because his tummy was making big hungry noises :D

Sunday morning breakfast, slices of bread with different types of spreads on it…and an omelet with ham and red paprika and different spices…mmmm, a hungry bear just loved it ;)

After (a rather late) breakfast some playtime with the girls. J

And after playing we had some work to do, off course Thulani had to help us. He is a part of our family for a few days so…. ;) That was ok too, because we celebrated Shrovetide today. In Norway we usually do this with coffe and creambuns/rolls with jam and some sugarpowder/flour on the top. Sigh....the fun part is: We do make them by ourselves! Yeah! :D

At the end of the day we celebrated together with granddad and grandma. Thulani was so happy! Maybe because the dinner was a little strange. J Norwegian meatballs, vegetables and some kinda brown gravy/ sauce.

Thulani is now sleeping. An ordinary day inside is changing to a day with outdoor activities tomorrow. We’re having our winterholiday, so no school for the mum in the house tomorrow (She’s a teacher…) and no kindergarten for the children either. But lots of fun outdoors!

Thulani in Norway - Part 1

2012-02-19T08:59:00.003+02:00

February 18, 2012

Thulani's first half day in Norway.

Thulani arrived Mid- Norway and Foldereid today.( We will write down some facts about Norway, Mid-Norway and the place we live in a bit later.) He couldn't have chosen a better day to enter our country and home. It has been a beautiful Winter day today, but…..I do think we gave Thulani a great big shock when we opened his box, just look:

Our youngest girl, Tone Lise, 2 years old, gave Thulani a great welcome. Thulani himself was a bit shocked….Look at all the snow! And it’s cold J

Playing in the snow with our oldest daughter, Stine Marie, 3 years old. She was a bit worried about Thulani, cause he was just wearing a t-shirt! Maybe he would catch a cold on his journey? J

Thulani was probably very angry with the photographer at the moment. I just do not think that he loves the snow as much as we do. ;) But he was adorable.

Grandma is blowing some hot air on Thulani’s cold feet. J

Finally inside in the warm livingroom! And what was waiting for him there. His “mum” when staying in Norway! The girls loved to build up their own story about Thulani finding his mum in Norway. J

Time for a little dinner. We usually don’t eat dinner on Saturdays in our home. (Some slices of bread or some porridge will do..) But after staying out for so long we needed some hot Norwegian pancakes.

Pancakes the way we eat them, with sugar, bluberryjam and some bacon too. Some eat them just with sugar and just with jam and just…..oh well you see what I mean. J

No Saturday without some nice good surprises for the children. Today Thulani did get some as well.

Good night Thulani! Sleeping with the youngest one today and with Stine Marie tomorrow.

2012-02-07T10:32:00.000+02:00

Day 6

School Day with Maddy.

3 generations of my family have gone to Gibsons Elementary School and I’m so happy that we were able to visit Maddy and her class for Literacy Day and do a short presentation for the kids. The school hallways are decorated with coastal-themed murals and Thulani especially enjoyed this one:

Here’s Maddy with Justin & Thulani at her activity table.

The whole class got to hold Thulani and wish him good luck on his journey

Day 7

The sun came out today and we took the opportunity to walk around the original Gibsons Village. Stopped at the statue of our town’s founder, George Gibsons.

Thulani was also interested in finding out about the little television show that put our community on the map – The Beachcombers. I’ll include a short page of information in the journal. Here’s Thulani in front of Molly’s Reach

Day 8

The Pacific Ocean

It was a glorious day, the sun was out and the air had the most wonderful hint of spring. What a change in only a week. We spent the day at the beach.

The little guy spent a goodly amount of time basking in the sun, simply enjoying the beautiful scenery and the calm, meditative sound of the waves.

Thulani even dipped his paw in the ocean

We ended this amazing day by sitting in the car (because the wind picked up and got a bit cold) watching seagulls break open mussels. Would you believe that just as this picture was taken, one the darn birds dropped a clam shell on the front windshield and cracked it from one side to the other – what luck.

All in all it has been a marvelous adventure, now Thulani is off to Norway for the next leg of his journey.

I hope you will keep in touch with his fans here on the Westcoast of British Columbia. With love

Cheryl McEwan and family

Thulani in Gibsons, British Columbia - Part Two

2012-02-02T09:41:00.000+02:00

Day 3 & 4

I work in a nursing home from 7am to 7pm so didn’t have the energy on these days to do much with Thulani so he stayed home and rested with the dog. Here I am arriving at work in my scrubs on one of our rare snowy days

Today Thulani came with me to my dentist appointment. Not my favorite way to spend an afternoon, but it’s one of those necessary evils. On a positive note, NO CAVITIES.

After the dentist, we hung around the house and relaxed and stayed out of the rain. Thulani shared a nice bowl of oatmeal with my granddaughter, Maddy.

Day 5

Hiking day. There is a beautiful area of new and old growth forest here on the Sunshine Coast, home to some of the oldest Western Cedar in Canada. We stopped to take a picture of Thulani’s new buddy, Camie the Parson Russell, in front of a magnificent and huge old Fir tree. It takes about 6 people to reach all the way around the trunk of this tree.

We have had almost every weather system you can think of this week, from snow and hail to rain then some sun. The hiking trail was really wet this week but that only added to the glorious, green scenery.

Thulani couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

Along with Camie the Wonder Dog, we brought our little Canadian mascot on the hike. A Beaver – and his name? You guessed it – Justin, yep, Justin Beaver. The 3 Amigos stopped for a rest on a lovely moss-covered old cedar stump – great photo op.

Thulani in Gibsons, British Columbia

2012-01-28T12:49:00.000+02:00

Welcome to Gibsons

Gibsons, along with Sechelt and Pender Harbour, is one of the three main population centres on the Sunshine Coast. The town got its name from George William Gibson, the first European to establish a homesite here. In 1886 George, with his two sons George Jr. and Ralph, beached their hand-built sloop, the Swamp Angel, on the site of what he named Gibsons Landing.

George was looking for rich & fertile land to pre-empt. He liked this area so he and sons each claimed 160 acres. Once established, George arranged for his wife Charlotte, their daughters and all their belongings to be transported to their new home. The Gibson were hard-working, intelligent and community-minded and they encouraged others to settle here and took pains to see that a stable and thriving community was developed.

The town of Gibsons is a 40 minute ferry ride from of Horseshoe Bay, near Vancouver BC.

Day 1

The 4 generations of McEwan women: Mary, 80, Cheryl, 56, Tai 28 and Maddie, 5 were all on hand to give Thulani a warm and friendly welcome.

Thulani arrived between a couple of nasty weather systems, the tail end of a snow squall and the beginning of a warmer and much wetter rain storm. What better way to take cover from the westcoast weather than to make a stop at Tim Hortons for tea and a Timbit (which is a donut hole) .

Day 2

We visited the neighboring community of Sechelt where Thulani gained appreciation for the locally carved totem poles and First Nations art.

Thulani in Ohio

2012-01-16T16:16:00.000+02:00

Thulani is off for his adventures in British Columbia!

Thulani in Ohio

2012-01-16T15:52:00.000+02:00

The Ohio Historical Society's Period Singers at the Franklin Park Conservatory

Brand new Great Nephew: NEWBORN at the hospital days after Christmas,

Outside, construction of our FIRST casino progressing,

AND...ending in the garden where it all began...with the birds and their Holiday treat- SNOWMAN!!!!!

2011-12-20T08:26:00.001+02:00

We are fluffing up the fur and preparing for our good-byes.

A few last treks

1. We meet up with Santa Claus while VOLUNTEERING for a local radio station and Thulani hard at work answering phones - via computer - taking donations, night lights at the NEW COMMONS Park in Downtown Columbus, and- while on our way to the Franklin Park Conservatory- we experience a DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!!!

2. We attended the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert Sunday evening: the stage and lighting effects were simply stunning

Thulani in Ohio - Day 8

2011-12-16T14:50:00.000+02:00

Another look at St. MARY:
interior and exterior

Thulani became interested in the Kelton House: located on Town Street
*Fernando Cortez and Sarah Stone Kelton (avid abolishionists) built the home in 1852- the last in the pasture land; in 1864, the Kelton's began aiding fleeing slaves. Therefore, this home became a link in the Underground Railroad...moving slaves from the South, through Ohio, and into Canada.
Celebrated yet today!

We visited the Old Deaf School Park: the building is used for private businesses, but the grounds have been transformed onto a wonderful topiary scene- based on French Impressionist, Serrat (pointism)

Next, we crossed Broad Street to glimpse the Columbus College of Art and Design's most recent sculpture: "ART".

Our trek home takes us next to the Franklin Park Conservatory...harkening back to the 1800's when ladies walked the paths in bustled dresses, and gents always wore suits and hats- there are STILL plants in there from those days

An evening look at The Commons- our newest park in downtown proper.

Thulani in Ohio - Day 7

2011-12-15T14:51:00.000+02:00

My sister, Sandy, and I stopped at one of our favorite quilt shops: Quilt Trends...note the OHIO quilt to the left

We met up with our nephew's wife, Melissa, and their two ADORABLE daughters: Erika and Alex
*we ate lunch together

We visited the town hall/police station of an area village: Conine-Pataskala for an "olde time" cartoon fest. There we spied a vintage movie projector (the theatre is being renovated ... trying to revive its past luster). Thulani got "up close and personal" with it.

Thulani displays rapt attention to "The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives"....has a catchy tune.
We, also, enjoy a few "sing alongs"- Thulani knows all the words!

We end the busy day with a SHOPPING TRIP (OH! The CROWDS)...
stopped at the LEGO store...
Thulani made more friends.

Thulani in Ohio - Day 5 and 6

2011-12-14T07:34:00.000+02:00

Day Five:
Exhausted from the previous day's activities, we lounged around the house, then left home to help Ms. Rae for a bit...no pix (who wants to see a bear with "bed head" fur??? lol)

Day Six:

Today's the day we go to GRESSO'S for our Women's Club Christmas luncheon: the owner- Eric- opened early just for us!....Thulani and husband came too...

Tasty food....VERY reasonable prices

A beef stew that tastes similar to veggie soup

GRESSO'S claim is being "The #1 STEELERS (American football) Bar"....
we need to return on "game night" to see for ourselves

We enjoy a late snack at Skyline Chili for a coney dog and a 5-way spaghetti

Thulani in Ohio - Day 4

2011-12-13T06:40:00.001+02:00

Meet Thulani's roommates:

Spoiled CHEESE, the Siamese

SCOOPS, the BIG black lab

EDGAR J....big blue, always on the go!

Off to the area recreation center to meet up with Ms Rae, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist,- to instruct the fine art of gingerbread house making, with graham crackers, to students of the Ohio State School for the Deaf.

They work diligently...
Watch out for that sticky icing on the bear fur!!!!!

Group pix: Ms Rae, and their teachers: Terry, Cassie, Reba

Everyone left happy ( FULL of sweets), and even still had their houses intact- none collapsed, none were eaten....yet. :-)

A fine finished example

Thulani in Ohio - Day 3

2011-12-12T14:47:00.004+02:00

Since we had our annual Viking Baths last night (lol): so not to waste our shine, we attended church in the morning. Thulani helped wrap presents for needy families last night and we delivered them to our church this morning.

After catching a snack, we returned to listen to the "Bells of St. Mary"- our award winning hand-bell choir.

Our church was erected in 1863 in the area of Columbus settled by German immigrants...now called, interestingly enough, German Village. Many breweries were established here - prohibition in the 1920's took its toll. There are many "Micro-breweries" being re-established here now.

St. Mary of the Assumption

The concert also included the Columbus Mannerchor, Damen Sektor , und Kinderchor- the German Singing Society ...established in 1848

We were invited to visit the new location of the Columbus Mannerchor- we did and enjoyed cookies and punch

4. Across from the Mannerchor, in the rain, we see GRESSO'S where we will lunch on Wednesday

Afterward, we decided to take a tour if downtown Columbus; we see:

*the historic (was almost torn down!) OHIO THEATRE...now showing the annual tradition: The Nutcracker

*Our Statehouse and grounds- where our state legislators convene

*MY BELOVED "Huntington Park" where our Columbus Clippers- AAA Ball Club for the Cleveland Indians- play. They have won BOTH the Governors' Cup AND the NATIONAL AAA Title TWO YEARS in a row: Go Clippers!
Thulani views the statue of Harold Cooper in front of the stadium, who returned professional baseball to Columbus in the 1970's....
We have a long history of baseball in our town....and, so, it continues- I LOVE IT! !!!

We, also, have a professional soccer team/ football - the Columbus Crew....they WON the Soccer Cup in 2009!!!!!
We gave a sport for everyone in Columbus!
Our soccer stadium is the first of its kind, and is award-winning in itself

*Nationwide Arena: Columbus Blue Jackets- professional Ice Hockey team (they reached the lay-offs two years ago)

Thulani in Ohio, DAY TWO

2011-12-11T06:24:00.000+02:00

Day Two:

*Thulani "built" a snowman next to the lighted Christmas tree in our front yard

*We met Christopher Columbus (whom our great city was named after) in front of City Hall

*Once there, we stopped by Santa's Workshop for Thulani to chat with him

*Across the street we note the building that was once the tallest skyscraper in Columbus: The LeVeque Tower- currently listed as second tallest- (originally erected as the American Insurance Union building) built in 1927 and is of Art Deco design, quite ornate. Out of 20 tallest buildings in Ohio, 9 are in Columbus! What a view!!!!!

*Crossing the Broad Street Bridge (where the LeVeque Tower and City Hall are) we find my old high school: Central High which is now our Center of Science an Industry: COSI...our child LOVED spending many hours here learning and discovering!

*Turn to look back across the river: a different view of the Columbus skyline!

*Across the street from COSI is the Veterans' Memorial facility- hosting graduations, auto shows, and more

*A sunny Saturday must mean Buckeye football...oh, too late for that, but we make a stop at the Ohio State University, established 1871, in front of - of course- Ohio Stadium where Ohio State Football lives (the city LIVES for this college football AND, many say, a "True Buckeye" bleeds "Scarlet and Grey"!!!)

*Meal time! Let's go to "Rubino's"...the BEST Pizza shop in THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're lucky, it's just down the street from us. Noted columnist, Bob Green hails from the area, made it BIG, and is in the Chicago area now, but travels back to Rubino's for his "pizza fix"...come....enjoy!!! (spaghetti and pasta, too)

*Mad Dog and staff were making dough, so Thulani had to check it out!

*Jim cashes us out and is THRILLED to be seen with Thulani

*We stop at my sister's house, Thulani investigates the lights on her front yard tree

#Home to take our :Yearly Viking baths and ready for Sunday

Thulani in Ohio, USA - DAY ONE

2011-12-09T18:41:00.000+02:00

First Day: December 1st- Meet-n-Greet

I started out my door to do a few chores and errands outside in the crisp and chilly weather ...something bright caught my eye: a package on our front porch swing!

Approaching it with mixed feelings...I wondered what I had ordered....had I won a prize? Closer inspection revealed it was Thulani: the MUCH AWAITED BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
**WELCOME, Thulani, to our humble home: Lin and Johann Duren; located in the Capital city of Ohio- Columbus.!!!!! Ohio is the 34th largest state of the United States of America, and the 7th most populous state....the "Buckeye State".

[Lucas Sullivan established Franklinton on the west bank of the Olentangy River, the area flooded a lot, so the population growth moved to the east bank and became Columbus. It was NOT the first city selected to be the Capital for the 17th state accepted into the Union in 1803, Chillicothe was, then Zanesville, back to Chillicothe, THEN to Columbus! "Ohio" is the Anglicized name of the Iroquois (Native American) for the word ohi-yo’, meaning "great river".]

*Immediately, Thulani helped decorate our Front door- the fragrant wreath

*Next we had to refill the bird feeders in the backyard so our feathered friends can prepare for the cold winter approaching (making a few friends here)
*While we were there, Thulani noticed the Garden Gnome, so they talked a bit while I finished the feeders
*Has Thulani tried to drive before? The opportunity was afforded in my white auto

*First stop: The gate to the Ohio State Fairgrounds and Exposition Center (Thulani missed the Fair in August, so we visited the area...hoping to catch a glimpse of a distant cousin: Smokey the Bear "Only YOU can prevent forest fires")

*We decided to view the Columbus skyline, since the day WAS so sunny and clear

*On our way to meet my husband at his auto repair shop, and in the area where I grew up, Thulani and I stopped at the High Street arch: "The Short North"- the area originally just north of Columbus (now DOWNTOWN), the old north...before it expanded to the University district (OSU), into Clintonville, and on to the Northland area.

*Thulani then met my husband, Johann, in his office- careful!!! watch that grease and oil!

*Driving skills were then tested in one of the many cars at the service garage

*The black Corvette was the favored: Thulani demonstrated quick, steady, and safe driving skills

*We went to the area recreation center to build "Gingerbread houses" out of graham crackers...to be decorated by children- more on this Monday. (no pix)

*The tummies started growling (bear's, too) so we met up with our son, Klaus, and one of his friends, Zac, to dine out on burgers, steaks, and ribs: YUMMY!!!...Then, a good night's rest.

Thulani's Disney Trip

2011-11-10T12:15:00.001+02:00

22 October 2011

We started off the day heading to the airport, BWI to be exact, for our flight to Orlando.

23 October 2011
We are waiting at our bus stop for the Disney Transportation to take us to the Magic Kingdom

Thulani was able to ride everything we could ride, and was very cozy inside a belly pouch, so he was safe and sound the entire trip!

24 October 2011

We headed off to the Animal Kingdom and saw many animals! We even got to eat breakfast with Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Goofy! See if you can find me in some of the pictures! J My favorite ride here was Expedition Everest… it went so fast down the hill and did something during the middle of the ride we still are unsure what was really happening!

25 & 26 October 2011

We now went to Epcot! There were so many interesting things to learn and see at Epcot! So many cool rides, but probably my favorite would be the Test Track! There is a picture of what the car looks like that we rode in.

27 October 2011

We are now off to Hollywood Studios! They have so many cool rides, just like all of the parks, but Aerosmith would probably be a favorite. It goes so fast, goes upside down and plays really loud Aerosmith music throughout the ride!

29 October 2011
Then it is time for all of the fun to end and go home back to PA. It's the Disney express you see Thulani in front of and he really didn’t want to leave Sunny Florida!

Thulani in Pennsylvania USA - Update 2

2011-10-22T14:28:00.001+02:00

Ok, here is an update on all of the activities Thulani has had over the last week! Thulani has been very busy!

Kaitlyn and Mitchel sporting their Pink Out tee shirts for the month of October Breast Cancer awareness month!

First we began with visiting my kids’ schools! Mitchel’s Kindergarten class was first and he had a great time, while visiting his class on Monday, October 17^th.

Then on Tuesday, the 18^th he went onto the Middle School to visit the 8^th graders in Kaitlyn’s Social Studies class and again he had a great time.

Wednesday it was off to fight some fires down in the Baltimore, Maryland area with their Dad.

As you can see from the pictures there is more to fighting fires than just putting them out! He got to visit with everyone on the shift. There was time for working out in the gym and cooking dinner and eating it of course.

Then some computer work and of course bed time!

Oh and I almost forgot the best part, running fire calls too! J

He really enjoyed that best of all!

Tomorrow we leave for Disney World! So there will be an update in a few days as we must finish packing for this big adventure we are about to embark on!

Thulani in Pennsylvania, USA

2011-10-13T11:02:00.000+02:00

October, 11, 2011. Thulani arrived in our home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA to meet Kaitlyn, 13 and Mitchel, 5. Harrisburg is the Capital of Pennsylvania and has the Susquehanna River running next to it separating, what we call the West Shore from the East Shore. The Susquehanna River is 464 miles long and is the longest river on the East Coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Harrisburg is located only 14 miles West of Hershey, PA. Hershey is known for its Hershey Chocolate Bar and Hershey Kisses. It is popularly called "Chocolatetown, USA." Hershey is also referred to as "The Sweetest Place on Earth."

Some of the places Thulani will visit while with us are Baltimore, Maryland, where he will get to ride on a real Fire Truck (with Kaitlyn and Mitchel's dad), Philadelphia, PA the largest city in PA which was founded by William Penn and has many historic facts. This is where the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 and the Constitution of the USA on September 17, 1787. Also a very fun and exciting place Thulani will get to visit is Disney World in Orlando, Florida! And then if time permits a day in New York City! He will be very tired by this point and ready to go onto his next adventure I am sure! J

Thulani in Florida

2011-09-19T20:53:00.100+02:00

Day 1:

September 14, 2011. Thulani arrived at our home in Middleburg, Florida where he met our 3 boys. Mason, age 6, Vincent, age 5, and Jamie, age 3. Middleburg is a suburb of Jacksonville, which is the largest city in the state of Florida. Jacksonville is also the largest city land-wise in the continental United States. Jacksonville is in the First Coast region of northeast Florida and is centered on the banks of the St. John's river. We also have beautiful beaches that are along the adjacent Atlantic coast.

Here is a picture of the city at night:

Thulani meets the boys.

Day 4:
Today we took Thulani to visit historic St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the continental United States and a place we love to visit. It is a tourist city and is rich in history and we love visiting all the old churches, buildings, and the fort. We also enjoy visiting the beach there, St. Augustine beach, along the First Coast. St. Augustine was first discovered in 1513 by Spanish explorer Don Juan Ponce De Leon who named it La Florida which means "land of the flowers." Many of the streets are named after the first Spanish explorers who came to the city and launched six different expeditions in order to settle. St. Augustine was founded 42 years before the English Colony at Jamestown, Virginia and 55 years before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth rock, making it the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent. For detailed information on the city you can visit this website here: http://www.oldcity.com/history-information.cfm. Below are the pictures we took with Thulani on our visit to the oldest city.

Vince and Thulani outside the oldest wooden school house in the United States.

Below are picture of Thulani and Vince in the Plaza De La Constitucion

Vince and Thulani at the Trinity Episcopal Parish. The oldest Epsicopal church in the United States.

Vince and Thulani at the Castillos De San Marcos. The old Fort.

Thulani sitting inside one of the cannons.

Thulani and a view of the Intercoastal Waterway. It was about to storm.

Thulani and Vince outside the old cemetery that was the public burying ground during the yellow fever outbreak.

We took Thulani to visit St. Augustine Beach after we left the historic part of the city.

Thulani driving over the bridge of Lions back in to the city of St. Augustine.

We took Thulani out to lunch at Mcdonald’s LOL.

Day 5: Thulani visited school with Mason and Vince at Wilkinson elementary where Mason attends 1^st grade and Vince attends Kindergarten.

Thulani in Argentina

2011-08-18T18:55:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone!!

Thulani arrived in Argentina on July 26th (it took him a little bit longer than expected) most specifically in Trelew, a city in a place called Patagonia. We must say we were a little bit worried about him, but finally he arrived safe and ready to do very fun things with us.

As many people know, Patagonia has very beautiful places known worldwide, such as the Perito Moreno Glacier, Ushuaia and its snowed mountains, Punta Tombo where the Magellanic Penguins come to breed by the thousands, like little people attending a very big party!

Near to Trelew we have Puerto Piramides which is worth visiting to watch the whales that come here every year to breed and have their babies, it is a sight worth seeing. You can also swim in its transparent blue waters, do scuba diving, etc. It is placed in Peninsula Valdes, which is a Natural reserve for wildlife preservation.

Now, I am going to introduce you all to our story of the foundation of many cities and towns such as Gaiman, Trevelin, Rawson, Trelew.

On 25 May 1865, one hundred and sixty three Welsh people sailed aboard the Mimosa from Liverpool. Two months later, on July 28^th, they arrived at the coast of New Bay, in Patagonia.

However small this group might seem to us today, it just the beginning of a social phenomenon that has left its mark to this day.

One of the main objectivs in the formation of the settlement in Patagonia was to keep the welsh language and traditions alive. And they succeded in doing so.

Thulani isn’t a fool, he arrived just in time to attend a traditional tea party in Gaiman, where lots of people gather to spend some time with family and maybe why not, have a cup of tea (or two or three as he did!!!). We had a wonderful afternoon after eating more than our bodies could handle, after of course paying the little price of having to queue for an hour outside of Salem wihch is the welsh chapel we decided to visit.

In the picture we can see: Ana, Sofia, Santiago, Martin, Clara, and me, Natalia. Ines took the picture

In Trelew the little bear is staying with Natalia and Ines, we are 2 friends; Natalia is a paediatrician, Ines is the proud mom of Clara (9) and the lovely twins Ana and Sofia (4). But we also have a lot of kids around for Thulani to meet, like Santiago (our nephew) and Martina, who is Clara’s friend.

Ana and Natalia

Ana

Clara and Ana

Clara

Natalia and Babel

Santiago

Sofia

He also met Babel, the lovely shih tzu puppy (who is unfortunately going through a bad hair decision). We even had to go to the pet shop with the twins to choose some coats for her!!

Thulani travelled to Viedma with Ines to do a job, she wanted to take him to tell his story to some friends. He had a very delicious asado with chorizo and meat!!!

We think Thulani misses his family a little bit, so we played with him in the swing, alone and with Sofia, he used the slide and had a little nap afterwards in a hammock! This time he didn’t eat anything.

As the days went by, we did lots of things, but we couldn’t show you the pictures because our camara broke.

On his last day, Thulani sat on a fallen tree to say goodbye to our beautiful country, so he watched the sunset alone with a great big smile on his face.

We will miss you.

Come back whenever you want!!

Thulani in Thailand

2011-06-17T20:07:00.001+02:00

After a rather uncomfortable trip squashed in my little white envelope, I finally arrived in the ‘Land of smiles’ (Thailand). The postal service and language barrier gave me a few grey hairs but I eventually found my way to Dan’s apartment just outside the center of the big, busting city of Bangkok.

On the plane from Hong Kong I did some reading to find out a little more about Thailand. I would like to share a few facts that I found interesting. Bangkok is home to approximately 12 million people! Eish! That’s just a few more than the South Coast.

Bangkok currently holds the Guinness record for having the longest name of a place. Apparently “Bangkok” is just the short version because the city’s ceremonial name is “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit”. Say what?

Hot hot hot! Several years ago, Bangkok was named the hottest city in the world by the World Meteorological Organization. It may not be the hottest city in the world every single day but you can be sure it’s pretty consistent.

World’s Best City In the thirteenth annual World’s Best Awards Readers’ Survey of globally leading travel magazine Travel + Leisure, Bangkok was named as “World’s Best City 2008”.

Wow this place sounds super cool! Well we will soon see…

Till tomorrow…

Tuesday 7-06-2011

Today was my first day out of the apartment. I went with Dan to school where he was running a scout week for all the children at his school. I was really excited to see the children and especially to teach them how to have a real South African Braai. The day flew by and before I knew it, it was up and time for home. I was pretty tired from all the day’s activities but I had a good day.

Till next time…

Wednesday 8-06-2011

After a good nights sleep I made my way back to school with Dan for another fun filled day. Today we went to an adventure center about 2 hours out of Bangkok called Pine Resort. Boy oh boy did we have fun swimming, playing in the mud, climbing up climbing walls and going down zip lines. I was really glad we got to swim because the weather here is crazzzy hot! It never seems to get cool. I think I might get need to get a fur cut…

After our days adventures we arrived safely back home. That evening Dan took me out for dinner to one of the many street restaurants. They line the streets of Bangkok and are always full of people. Some of the food looked pretty strange and not very appetizing, as well as SUPER SPICY! I wasn’t sure if I could eat this food and begged Dan to take me to Mac Donalds but he said that I was here to experience the real Thailand and I am glad he did! Because the food was awesome! My best was noodle soup but I also enjoyed the fried rice. I can’t wait for my next meal! I wonder what I'm going to try next…?

Till next time…

Thursday 9-06-2011

On Thursday I spent the day with Dan’s class. After school it was time to hit the gym for a workout. To get to the gym we had sit and navigate our way through the crazy Bangkok traffic, but we eventually got there. With muscles feeling a little tender, myself, Dan and Nancy hoped onto the sky train running above Sukhumvit road and made our way to the famous MBK shopping center. We did a bit shopping and then made our way to the street for some yummy street food. We sat outside a huge and very popular shopping center called central world. The lights of the city and skyscrapers of Bangkok were amazing.

Till next time…

Friday 10-06-2011

Today was the last day of school before a 2 month summer holiday. So there were lots of good byes and hugs going around. I even got a few which was nice! Haha! That evening it was time to hit the town. We visited a dew place and eventually ended up going bowling and sing karaoke! It was awesome! When I it was my turn to sing I tried to find Shoza Loza, but they didn’t have it so i ended up settling for something a little more chilled – When you say nothing at all – by Ronan Keating. It was a good night out!

Till next time…

Saturday 11-06-2011

On Saturday I spent most of the morning hibernating, preparing myself for the big game that was going to be played that evening… Sharks vs Lions! Before the game Dan introduced me to some of his mates, all of them where from SA! We watched the game in a Kiwi pub called Soi 8. It was very festive and there were many people from SA there! The game was too stressful me, causing a few more grey hairs to appear. Final score 30-30 draw!

Till next time…

Sunday 11-06-2011

Sunday was another busy day. Dan and Nancy wanted to take me shopping at J-J market. It is apparently the biggest market in Asia and I can honestly believe that! It was huge! We spent most of the day there and didn’t even get through the whole place! There were millions of tourists there walking around in the boiling hot sun buy gifts, eating ice-cream and downing bottles of water. Everything was really cheap and you can find almost anything! Just before leaving we made our way to the plant section of the market to buy some orchids for Dan’s apartment. Wow! There were orchids everywhere and they were sooo cheap!

Till next time…

Monday 12-06-2011

In Thailand there are many ways to get to where you want to go. You can take a taxi, boat, song tow, bus, train, motorbike or even a tuk-tuk. Today we took a motorbike taxi and the boat. Both were lots of fun and I can’t wait to do it again. Sadly today is my last day here in Bangkok, so after our exercise session at the running track we went to a night market for so food and relaxing. We ended the evening off at the movies. Another great day in Bangkok.

Well that’s all I have for folks. Next stop Argentina baby!!!

Till next time…

Hong Kong - Part 2

2011-05-29T20:43:00.006+02:00

Day 7, Friday 27^th May

Thulani spent the day exploring Discovery Bay, where we live, on the Island of Lantau. Firstly, he took a stroll by the lake and waterfalls, next to Ryan’s and Oliver’s school. Then he ventured down to beach to enjoy the lovely sunshine.

Days 8 & 9, the weekend, 28-29^thMay

Thulani has finally got around to experiencing some of the traditional sights of Hong Kong. He has been on so many kinds of Hong Kong transport this weekend: buses, ferries, taxis and trams. Firstly, he went up to Victoria Peak, to see the (normally) incredible view of the harbour, lined with all the skyscrapers and backed by mountains. Unfortunately, it was a hazy day so the view was not so good. To make up for the slightly disappointing view, Thulani took a ride in a rickshaw, with Derry, around the peak. He then rode on the incredibly steep funicular railway tram from the Peak down to Hong Kong Park in the busy Central area of Hong Kong Island. Rhys got some funny looks having a photograph with a teddy bear at his age!!

In Hong Kong Park, Thulani enjoyed the aviary, fish, waterfalls and tea museum. He then took in the sights and sounds of busy Central, on board a traditional tram. These trams are more than 100 years old and they make a ding ding sound as they move along, hence why the locals call them the “Ding Ding Trams”.

Goodbye Thulani, we will surely miss you. We look forward to hearing all about your further adventures, as you travel around the globe. Have fun, take care and remember the Thomas Family!!

Thulani in Hong Kong - Part 1

2011-05-26T16:21:00.001+02:00

Hong Kong is situated on the southeast coast of China at the mouth of the Pearl River facing the South China Sea. Covering an area of 1,104 square kilometres (425 square miles), the territory is made up of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories. At the core is Victoria Harbour, which separates Hong Kong Island from Kowloon and beyond that, the New Territories that runs up to the boundary with Mainland China. As well as making up the bulk of Hong Kong's land mass, the New Territories also incorporates 262 outlying islands, including Lantau where the airport is located. Despite its dense urban environment, about three quarters of Hong Kong's total area is countryside, including about 40% designated as country parks

History

The bustling city of Hong Kong was just a collection of fishing villages when claimed by Britain in 1842 following the First Opium War with China. This failed attempt by the Ching Dynasty to stop the British trading in opium led to Hong Kong being ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking that year. The Kowloon Peninsula was handed over in 1860 and a 99-year lease on the New Territories, comprising the area north of Kowloon up to the Shenzhen River plus 235 outlying islands, was granted in 1898. Under the unique principle of 'One Country, Two Systems', Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. This arrangement allows Hong Kong to enjoy a high degree of autonomy, retaining its capitalist system, independent judiciary and rule of law, free trade and freedom of speech.

Hong Kong's magnificent harbour has been the key to its development as a trading port and entrepôt for China, progressing through an industrial era to become a leading financial and services centre in Asia. Culture and heritage are what sets Hong Kong apart from the rest of Asia – indeed the world. With over 100 years of colonial history and a largely Chinese population, Hong Kong is a unique fusion of Western and Eastern cultures where the old and the new live side by side. Its incense-filled temples, colonial buildings and glass-and-steel skyscrapers, along with its ancient traditions and lively festivals, have made Hong Kong a living culture experience

Weather

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with distinct seasons. Typhoon season is May to November.

Languages

Cantonese is the Chinese dialect spoken by over 88% of the people in Hong Kong. However, English is widely used in the Government and by the legal, professional and business sectors as well as tourist areas. Since reunification with China in 1997, Mandarin, more commonly known as Putonghua – the official dialect of China, has gained in prominence and most locals can at least comprehend it to a certain degree. Chinese (Cantonese is widely spoken) and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. All official signs are bilingual (using traditional characters).

Day 1, Saturday 21^st May

We arrived home late on Saturday evening to a small package. Ryan (age 7) and Oliver (age 5) were so excited to open it and find Thulani inside. They have been tracking Thulani’s travels and eagerly awaiting his arrival. The boys have been taking it in turns as to whom Thulani sleeps with.

Day 2, Sunday 22^nd May

On Sunday we were due to take Thulani on a friend’s junk (traditional Hong Kong boat) to a beach with great waves for surfing, however, we awoke to heavy rains and thunderstorms so we quickly came up with a contingency plan. We all went bowling and then had lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, called Zaks. Thulani enjoyed playing with the 5 boys, especially the bowling.

Day 3, Monday 23^rd May

Oliver enjoyed showing Thulani his Lego Star Wars figures and Ryan read him a bedtime story, with “Storm” the husky.

Day 4, Tuesday 24th May

Ryan had his friend, Rohan, over for a play date.Being a travelling bear, Thulani enjoyed playing with the electric train set and aeroplanes.

Day 5, Wednesday 25^th May

Thulani joined Oliver’s class and Miss Bennett at Discovery College, today. They really enjoyed looking at the blog on the interactive white board and tracking Thulani’s travels.

Day 6, Thursday 26^th May

Thulani joined Ryan’s class and Mrs McKee, at Discovery College, today. They really enjoyed looking at the diary and Ryan telling them all about Thulani’s travels, during their sharing session.

Thulani in Brisbane - Part 4

2011-05-15T20:45:00.001+02:00

Thulani stayed an extra few days in Brisbane so that he could ride in a rally car with Caitlin, as she was competing in the Australian Rally Championship on the Sunshine Coast. Unfortunately there were some mechanical issues with the car and Thulani never actually made it in to the car, but had to watch from afar as Cait whizzed around the tarmac night stage, somewhat disappointing but that’s rallying!

On Thulani’s last day in Brisbane, Mandy and Antony were taking part in a 12km trail run, in the Glasshouse mountains North of Brisbane, so Thulani went along, riding in Antony’s hydration pack most of the way with the jelly beans!

Here is a bit of basic information about Brisbane;

Brisbane is the capital of Queensland - the Sunshine State .The city has striking historical buildings which contrast beautifully with modern architecture contributing to the fantastic cityscape, best viewed by night. Home of the cultural precinct featuring galleries, museums, theatre and festivals Brisbane is also the gateway to the sun, surf and beaches of the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. As a subtropical city, Brisbane has bright, sunny days and generally experiences reasonably mild weather year round. Average temperatures are between 29C (84F) and 21C (70F) in Summer and 22C (72F) and 10C (50F) in Winter. It can get quite warm in summer but remains fairly moderate in winter so there is really no "bad" time to visit. Most locals prefer the Spring when the city is in full bloom, the days are warm and sunny and the nights cool down with a gentle breeze. Brisbane is a popular destination for many domestic and international tourists as it has a longstanding reputation for being "beautiful one day and perfect the next". Brisbane is Australia's third largest city and has a population of 1,052,458 as of 30 June 2009.

Tomorrow Thulani will climb in to his envelope and continue his travels around the world, next stop Hong Kong. Safe and happy travels Thulani!! We have enjoyed having you to stay.

Thulani in Brisbane - Part 3

2011-05-12T17:33:00.000+02:00

Here are a couple of photos of Thulani enjoying Mother's day evening by the campfire.

There are also two photos of him checking out the world on horseback. Riding is Helen's passion and she was more than happy to have Thulani along.

Caitlin navigates in a rally car and has the Queensland rally championships this week so we are planning a ride in the rally car and then we will send Thulani on his journey to Hong Kong

Thulani in Brisbane – Part 2

2011-05-09T17:35:00.005+02:00

Today Sunday 8^th May was Mother’s Day in Australia and as part of the celebrations Thulani joined Mandy and her friends Sue and Greta to take part in the 8km walk for breast cancer research in Brisbane. Greta is 80 years old and an inspiration because her outlook on life is so amazing. She is also very physically active and Sue and Mandy both had to increase their pace to keep up with Greta who was passing people left right and centre! The photo shows Thulani and Mandy at the start of the walk.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Thulani in Brisbane - Part 1

2011-05-08T11:42:00.000+02:00

Thulani arrived safely after a delay in his travels caused by the public holiday for Labour Day. He has joined Mandy, Antony, Helen(20), Caitlin(18) and Al(14) to see what life is like for them in beautiful Brisbane.

He has been to work with Caitlin at Gloria Jean’s coffee shop where the girls all enjoyed his company for the day and gave him a few hints and tips to making the perfect coffee.

Helen lives away from home during the week as she is studying veterinary technology at uni. We had her favourite dinner on Friday evening, “bangers, mash and beans” so here is Thulani sharing this with her.

Helen took Thulani up to see her chooks in the backyard. Thulani wanted to try on Helen’s new boots and act the cowboy.

Here he is checking out the chooks.

Al does competitive indoor rock climbing and trains on Tuesdays and Saturdays so Thulani went along to give it a go.

Saturday was Mandy’s dad Dave’s surprise 65^th birthday party so Thulani took a trip in the car with Helen, Cait and Al through the lovely countryside to Dave and Jean’s house. Here he is enjoying a front seat view of the rolling hills through the Brisbane hinterland.

We bought Dave a native beehive for his birthday, to help pollinate his veggie garden. Here are Thulani and Dave admiring the new addition to Dave’s garden.

Native bees are very cute little black insects which don’t sting. Sadly their habitat in old hollow trees is being destroyed by new housing developments and they are getting harder to find in the wild.

A bonfire was prepared for the evening of the party. Here is Thulani making sure everything is ready.

Thulani took part in the singing and dancing later in the day. Here he is doing the “Nutbush” with Helen and Cait.

Thulani in Tasmania - Day 9

2011-05-01T11:53:00.000+02:00

Day 9 Tuesday 26th April;

Thulani leaves Tasmania for Queensland.

Have a safe trip little bear, we loved having you stay with us and you were a joy to all who met you. x x x

Thulani in Tasmania - Day 8

2011-04-29T15:59:00.005+02:00

Day 8 Monday 25th April:

Today is ANZAC day.

The clock in this photo is our war memorial in Ulverstone. The 3 columns represent, the army, navy and air force, and Each ANZAC day ex-patriots and/or their families march and lay wreaths of remembrance at the base of the clock. This clock is at the top of our main street in town.

Today Thulani went up to a farm to see some cattle being fed. They were very curious, and Thulani got to sit on the 4 wheeler motorbike.

This afternoon we watched a game of Australian rules football.

The Ulverstone team wears red and black. They are called the robins. They played Penguin who wear blue. It was cold there, but we had a great day.

Thulani in Tasmania - Day 6 & 7

2011-04-28T15:07:00.004+02:00

Day 6 Saturday 23rd April
Thulani went shopping with Rosemary and sat quietly while she had coffee with her partner Viv. We bought new pillows!

An aerial view of Ulverstone which is at the mouth of the Leven River.

Day 7 Sunday 24th April
Easter Bunny came to our house. He left a Cadbury egg and some tiny eggs for Thulani.

Cadbury chocolate is made in Hobart, Tasmania and it is the BEST chocolate in the world!

Thulani in Tasmania - Day 4 & 5

2011-04-27T11:29:00.001+02:00

Day 4 Thursday 21st April:
Thulani was back at school for our Cross Country running carnival. The children competed in long distance running. It was a great afternoon and Thulani thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Day 5 Friday 22nd April:

Today is the beginning of the Easter celebration. We traditionally eat fish on this day. It is a public holiday, and we have the day at home with family and friends. Thulani was lucky enough to eat some of Erin's chocolate coated strawberries from the local strawberry farm.

Thulani in Tasmania - Day 2 & 3

2011-04-26T07:25:00.009+02:00

Day 2 : Tuesday 19th April:
Thulani went to Somerset to a nursing home to visit one of Beryl's very dear friends. Her name is Joyce and she is very very ill. She was delighted to hear the story of Thulani, and he brought a smile to her face when Beryl told her of his adventures so far and where he was to go next. He also went to visit some other elderly people at the home and brought great joy to them as well.

Day 3 Wednesday 20th April:

Thulani went to East Ulverstone Primary School where Rosemary is the Acting Principal. Some of the children mapped his journey on an interactive white board and were interested in hearing his story.

Thulani in Tasmania

2011-04-25T11:56:00.004+02:00

Day 1: Monday 18th April

Thulani arrived safely in Ulverstone, on the North West Coast ofTasmania. Tasmania is an island state, south of the mainland and it is also known as the "Apple Isle". We have beautiful mountains, rivers, beaches and forests.

Tasmania is well known for it's fantastic apples, but we also have wonderful seafood, dairy products and wines!

Thulani is living with 3 generations of women...Beryl (84), Rosemary (49) and Erin (18). Thulani met Rusky, our pet samoyed, but Rusky is a bit boisterous and playful so she only got to have a quick look at him!

Thulani in Adelaide - Day 6

2011-04-16T08:24:00.003+02:00

Day 6 – 10 April 2010

There’s no place like home…

So Sunday rolled around and it was a rainy, grey, drizzly day – the perfect pyjama day!!

Daniel and Gavin made a spy headquarters out of the big box from our new bathroom vanity unit. Of course Thulani was allowed inside to inspect. Daniel liked the hidey hole so much that he settled inside with a pillow, blanket and his much loved dog, Snoozy Suzy and Ted Bear.

After the novelty of the box had worn off a bit, the boys showed Thulani some of their Lego. He seemed to particularly like the police station.

So after a pancake dinner (traditional weekend fare in this house), it was off for an early night, ready for school in the morning. Thulani needed his rest too as he was due to leave us for his next family in Tasmania. Happy travels Thulani!

Thulani in Adelaide - Day 5

2011-04-14T15:15:00.002+02:00

Day 5 – 9 April 2010

Something BIG!!

Australia is known for it’s big things. The big pineapple, the big banana, the big penguin, the big guitar, the big potato, the big prawn, the big croc, the big gumboot, the big koala, etc. Have a look at http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/bigthings.htm to see more big things. So it only seemed fitting to take Thulani to see something big.

Gumeracha (pronounced Gum-u-rac-u) is a township set in the beautiful Torrens Valley region of the northern Adelaide Hills, 36 km north-east of Adelaide in South Australia. Set in the rolling hills, the town is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, orchards and farmland and is home to the big rocking horse.

We took Thulani to feed the kangaroos and wallabies (small kangaroo species).

He even managed to pet a grey kangaroo who was enjoying the Autumn sun!

After all the excitement of the animals, Thulani strolled through the toy shop, having his picture taken with a number of Australian natives – wombat, koala, platypus, kangaroo and devil.

He even hitched a ride in a kangaroo’s pouch!

After an obligatory ride on a correctly sized rocking horse, Thulani joined us for a picnic tea before heading back home. The windy road through the green hills was so similar to the Natal Midlands – it’s uncanny!

Thulani in Adelaide - Day 4

2011-04-13T17:09:00.002+02:00

Day 4 – 8 April 2010

School today…

Today Thulani popped into school / kindergarten with Daniel and Gavin.

Gavin (4) attends a kindergarten / child care centre that caters for children up to age 5. Once they have turned 5 kids start school in the equivalent of Grade 0 (called Reception here). This happens in the term after their birthday so Gavin will start school in October (Term 4) and will stay in Reception for five terms in total.

This term the kindergarten children have been watching eggs hatch. It has been fascinating and the poster accompanying the eggs shows each stage of the egg development. Great from a scientific viewpoint but has seriously put me off eggs for a while!

The kindergarten is next door to Daniel’s school, Keithcot Farm Primary School. This is a public (government) school with about 600 students. The school was built in a unique design of smaller buildings more like houses than school classrooms. The reason for this is so that the facility is multi functional for the future. For example, the school could easily be converted into an aged care facility if required.

Behind Keithcot Farm Primary School is a private school called Kings Baptist Grammar School that has classes for all 13 years of schooling. Both Gavin and Daniel will be attending high school there.

Adelaide schooling uses a unique system where government schools shares facilities with nearby private schools. Often a government school will be built alongside a private one for this very purpose. So Keithcot Primary shares a library, canteen, art centre and sports fields with Kings Baptist – a fabulous idea in my opinion.

So that’s the end of Thulani’s tour of schools. Now home again with me for the more mundane (and undocumented) tasks of washing, coffee breaks, Oprah, etc.

Thulani in Adelaide - Day Three

2011-04-12T07:56:00.001+02:00

Day 3 – 7 April 2010

When Life Gives You Lemons…

Today Thulani took part in an experiment. Daniel and Gavin are very interested in science, particularly as their Dad (Stuart) is an electrical engineer.

So since our lemon tree has produced madly this year (looks like the laundry grey water agrees with it), it seemed like just the right time to test the theory of making a battery out of a lemon. The boys assembled all the necessary materials and Thulani had a front row seat.

With copper, nails, wires and a multi meter to test the theory, the experiment began. Everyone was amazed to see that the lemon did in fact produce electricity – enough to power a calculator!!

More adventures tomorrow – see ya!

Thulani in Adelaide - Day Two

2011-04-11T07:28:00.004+02:00

Day 2 – 6 April 2010

Dinner is Served!

Today Thulani enjoyed a traditional Aussie Sausage Sizzle. We had heard that he was DESPERATE for some meat!! Leanne, Stuart, Daniel (6) and Gavin (4) kept him company outside on a fabulous Autumn evening.

“We love to eat outside whenever we can and having a gas barbeque makes this a quick option when we don’t have to wait for the coals to be just right.”

There’s less cleaning up too so Thulani didn’t have any chores to help with and could join the boys in the lounge room to watch one of their favourite shows, Scrapheap Challenge.

Then it was time for bath and bed as it’s a school night. Sleep tight Thulani.

Thulani in Adelaide - Day 1

2011-04-10T07:26:00.000+02:00

Day 1 – 5 April 2010

Thulani Arrives In Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide is a coastal city, the capital of South Australia, and the fifth-largest city in Australia. It is known as "The City of Churches". Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate where most of the rain falls in the winter months and summers are hot and dry.

The city was founded in 1836, not as a convict settlement, but as the planned capital for a freely settled British province in Australia. Adelaide was designed in a grid layout, interspaced by wide boulevards and large public squares, and entirely surrounded by parkland, making it one of the most planned cities in Australia. For these reasons it is a fabulous place to live, easy to get around, with plenty of scrupulously clean parks and open spaces. It is relatively low rise compared to other cities and reminds us a lot of Pietermaritzburg from an architecture point of view.

On the sporting front, Adelaide hosts the Tour Down Under bicycle race, the largest cycling event outside Europe and the first event outside Europe with UCI ProTour status.

Today, Adelaide is noted for its many festivals - Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Film Festival, Adelaide Festival of Ideas, Adelaide Writers' Week and WOMADelaide to name a few - its food, wine and culture, its long beachfronts, and its large defence and manufacturing sectors – we build cars J. It ranks highly in terms of liveability, being listed in the Top 10 of The Economist's World's Most Liveable Cities index in 2010.

Thulani in Israel - Part Five

2011-04-09T07:34:00.003+02:00

Thursday 3 March 2011

Jewish wedding, 600 people- didn’t want to risk the little man getting lost so he was left at home!

Friday 4 March 2011

Shabbat is earlier now, 17:20. So we went to Shimon’s parents and before Shabbat started took a photo of Hannah and Thulani.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

A quiet week as the museum tired Thulani and Dad, so we stayed in a lot. We did go to the old part of the city to the library. The English section is quite big and mainly consists of books people brought to read on the plane or on holiday and donated. Trashy easy to read novels- perfect! So we take Dad there a lot as he is a prolific reader.

Today is my husband’s birthday so of course Thulani came to! We went to Calma, our favourite seaside café but as you can see it was wet and miserable outside. We had a wonderful meal and Thulani was very well behaved.

Saturday 12 March 2011

Apollonia! Oh so we were intending to visit caves but it rained all night and then the sun came out! Waste a day in the caves when it has been raining three days??? So we went to Apollonia, a Roman fortress.

Tomorrow Thulani leaves for the next stage of his holiday. I shall really miss the little man and wave him off with sadness. Safe journey little bear!

Thulani in Israel - Part Four

2011-04-09T06:22:00.000+02:00

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Today was a looong day. Our original plan was to visit the Arabic park in Jatta but Dad watched a fascinating program on someone who faked the ossuary (bone container) of James the brother of Jesus and they showed the inside of the Biblical Museum of Jerusalem. Well. That was a change of plan!

First stop was the Biblical Museum. Thulani was fascinated! There are photos of him with the Egyptian chair, the boat- all sorts! The seat was the statue of Ramses II and was made in 1290 BC! The boat was Egyptian from the Middle Kingdom about 3000 years ago and is not a reproduction!

He also found the seals fascinating, carved from some precious stones and clay. The pictures they reproduced when rolled across soft medium were astonishingly detailed.

Downstairs there was an exhibition called ‘Angels and Demons’ about magic and spells in Judaism. He found it fascinating if worrying. They had an explanation of the Evil Eye- it’s against bad luck and Thulani asked if he could have one too. Doesn’t he look smart with it on?

We then went to the Shrine of the Books, the museum with the Dead Sea scrolls- no pictures in them and no photography. We then went home and crashed- we walked MILES today!

Thulani in Israel - Part Three

2011-04-08T17:15:00.000+02:00

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Mini Israel and Thulani thought this was the best day so far! He pretended to audition for King Kong, went to see the kibbutz, sadly there are very few now, modern technology and lifestyles have closed many of them.

He also went to the safari exhibit. I explained to him that first you drive through the section with rhinos, deer, antelope and ostriches and then park and visit the zoo. After walking about the fairly big zoo for a few hours, you get back in the car and drive through the lions. Sadly most children fall asleep in the car and miss seeing the lions! Thulani saw the areas of

Israel

he might not get to see for real so he really loved it.

Friday 25 February 2011

Tank museum at Latrun. I find it incredibly poignant that my dad is 81 , nearing the end of his days, walking around all the tanks he remembers from his time in the army, both dreaming of their days of glory. Very sad. However Thulani loved it- he got to pretend to be Cher sitting on the gun and even had a great idea to save postage! Get out of here Thulani!

Shabbat was at home so I was very busy cooking Moroccan fish, roast chicken, Italian meatballs and puree potato.

Thulani in Israel - Part Two

2011-04-08T16:26:00.000+02:00

Monday 14 February 2011

Valentines Day! Valentines Day isn’t really celebrated in Israel but this year when we went out to dinner all the restaurants were full of heart shaped helium balloons. Festivals in Israel are in the main religions- Passover which is HUGE is in April which means a month before I start cleaning and that means all floors, wardrobes, window, shutters, cupboards, curtains- the whole apartment. There are usually tears, tantrums and arguments. Passover is a week and during that week we can’t eat, see or own any bread, pasta, beer, whiskey, biscuits or anything with flour in it. We also cannot eat from any plate or use any cutlery or utensil that came into contact with any of them! So it’s like camping using special outdoor stuff for a week.

Tuesday 15 February 2011

How annoying! We went to the cinema to see Harry Potter (I checked if Thulani was allowed and he was) and five minutes into an English speaking film with Hebrew subtitles they allowed in a birthday of 15 5-9 year olds who couldn’t read Hebrew. So they amused themselves by screaming, shouting and throwing popcorn so we had to leave halfway through the evening and it was the last night it was being shown! Thulani was fluffy with temper.

Wednesday 16 February 2011

The Shuk. Usually the shuk is a bustling amazingly colourful market by the sea, full of cloth covered stalls selling clothes, spices and an eye watering selection of pirate DVDs, music and games. It’s brilliant for just about everything. You may have noted the ‘usually’ because we got there to discover, due to the high wind and the sand hurtling horizontally across car-park where it usually held, only about nine stalls. 8 vegetable and one selling dodgy leopard-print leggings so that wasn’t a runner. Thulani didn’t even get out the car and I don’t blame him.

Thursday 17 February 2011

Breakfast at my favourite beach side café! It was my bestests 50^th so Thulani sat at home and sulked- girls only!

Saturday 19 February 2011

We (that being hubby, daddy, daughter, dog and Thulani) walked to the fort at Ashdod. It’s only fifteen minutes away but with my husband who really doesn’t walk, my whinging daughter, dad who is 81 it felt like swimming upstream. And I forgot to take any pictures of Thulani who frankly was the best behaved of the whole lot!

Thulani in Israel, Part One

2011-04-07T13:38:00.002+02:00

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Thulani arrives in Israel! Just after he arrived I went to the airport to collect my dad from the airport- he is staying with us for 6 weeks.

We live on the eighth floor of a nine floor apartment building in the city of Ashdod on the coast. Thulani was very impressed with the view from the apartment! I moved to Isreal in 2001 having met my husband to be online. I moved out in the September and we married in the October. Hannah was born in 2003. She is the one holding Thulani at the airport

Thulani is a little worried about being KB (Kosher bear) during his time in Israel but we assured him a kosher diet is very healthy and all that olive oil would make his fur nice and glossy. Late night after all the excitement of Dad arriving.

Thursday 10 February 2011

Today Thulani played with Hani and her new Nintendo DSI which Hani’s granddad brought from the UK- he thought it was great! He met Hani from school and next week he is really looking forward to going to school all day with Hannah.

Friday 11 February 2011

Tonight is Shabbat so mummy is busy tidying and cooking ready for 25 hours of rest- Shabbat starts 1 hour before sunset and lasts until Saturday night 1 hour after sunset. Friday night means all the family gets together for a long leisurely dinner, no telephone, no television and no DSI’s! It’s a lovely chatty time with the table beautifully laid and far too many dishes of food! We don’t mix meat and dairy so no mixing cheese, cream or yoghurt with meat- it makes curries and lasagnes challenging!

Update from Israel

2011-02-24T21:34:00.001+02:00

An update from Thulani's host, Rachel, in Israel:

Oooh Thulani has been really busy! We went to Mini Israel which was kind of neat as he did all of Israel without leaving the local area! He managed to fit in an audition for King Kong but some wretched monkey got it but I thought he put in a lot of expression (mainly terrified).

He also went to a kibbutz. Sadly they are not as prevalent in Israel as they once were but he thought it was very interesting. He wondered why there were no cows or sheeps in the field so I gently explained how hot Israel gets in the summer and we dont like to cook our food alive as it were so they stay nice and cool under cover

He had his Shabbat here. He found it weird we dont have television or anything on Shabbat and thought it was boring so like the rest of the family - he got some sleep in.

Today we went to the market by the beach. I took a photo but it was really busy so Thunani was held firmly by the paw behind the camera and didnt appear in the shot, I wouldnt like the little fella to get lost you understand!

Above are some photos though they will also appear in the diary - he is loving his time in Israel though he has asked if when he arrives in Australia, could he have a prawn barbeque or maybe a bacon sandwich? The kosher is driving him a little insane you see .....

Hugs

Rachel

Thulani is in Israel!

2011-02-09T14:10:00.003+02:00

Received from Rachel this morning:

Thulani is here! He arrived about two minutes ago and is sitting on the counter getting his breath back after his long journey!

Tonight he is going to the airport in Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) to meet my dad who is coming from England and tomorrow he is going to Gan Yavne to a friends house, then Friday to the beach and after that ... who knows????

Baruch habaitanoo (welcome to our House!)

Thulani in Johannesburg, South Africa – Day 5

2011-02-07T17:00:00.002+02:00

DAY 5: MONDAY 31st JANUARY 2011

Thulani joined Ryan at school today. Ryan goes St Stithians College, and is in Gr. 2 this year. St Stithians College is a Methodist Independant School, situated on a large piece of land , north of Johannesburg.
It has, arguably, the best view of Sandton, from it's top playing field.

St Stithians is one of the Elite Seven Schools in South Africa, and is also a member of the G20 group of schools, and the Round Square Conference of International Schools.
The Motto for St Stithians is "One And All" - A South African school making a world of difference.

Thulani in Gauteng - Day Four

2011-02-06T16:54:00.000+02:00

DAY 4: SUNDAY 30th JANUARY 2011

Today Thulani joined the Weaver family on a family bike ride.

We are an active family, and like to do family activities on the weekend. Our family consists of:

Daddy Weaver: A Chemical Engineer

Mummy Weaver: A physiotherapist

Ryan Weaver: Age 7

Emily Weaver: Age 4

Luke Weaver: Age 3

We lived in England up until 2 and a half years ago. We make the most of the great climate that Johannesburg has to offer, and love to escape into the bush for short breaks.

Thulani in Gauteng, South Africa - Day 3

2011-02-06T16:17:00.003+02:00

DAY 3: SATURDAY 29th JANUARY 2011

This morning Thulani went to cricket with our oldest son Ryan. Ryan plays cricket for one of the oldest sports clubs in Johannesburg: Old Parks.

This evening, Thulani joined us at The Spur. The Spur is a family friendly steak-house that is well known amongst parents with young children. There are playgrounds, face-painters and childrens entertainers at The Spur. Thulani had a great time meeting every-one... but unfortunately, the camera got left at home, so no photo evidence!

He went to bed a very tired bear tonight!! The children are taking it in turns as to whose bed Thulani sleeps in every night!

Thulani in Gauteng - Day 2

2011-02-01T13:30:00.003+02:00

DAY 2: FRIDAY 28TH JANUARY 2011

Today, Thulani went to nursery school with our 4yr old daughter, Emily. She attends Land Of Oz Nursery School in Douglasdale.

Thulani had a fun day at school, playing with all the children, playing on the jungle-gym - and he even did Catrobatz, an extra-mural activity, after school!

Thulani in Gauteng - Day 1

2011-01-31T15:58:00.001+02:00

DAY 1: THURSDAY 27th JANUARY 2011

Thulani has arrived safely in the Big Smoke of Johannesburg, or more specifically, Sandton, North of Johannesburg

There is much excitement in the Weaver household, as all 3 small Weavers want their time with Thulani.

Some history on Johannesburg:

Johannesburg is known as "The city of Gold" - or Egoli

Gold was discovered in Johannesburg in 1886, this triggered a mass migration of people from all over the world. Thus, Johannesburg is quite a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities.

The History of the gold -rush is evident around Johannesburg - driving on the high ways, one can see many of these mine dumps:

In the late '80's and early '90's, a lot of businesses moved out of Johannesburg, to Sandton, thus forming a new CBD. However - in recent years, the city has undergone a redevelopment programme, attracting both residents and businesses back into the CBD. I can't wait for the end product - because what they have done thus far is making Jo'burg a beautiful city!

Thulani has arrived in Gauteng

2011-01-28T07:23:00.000+02:00

Hi there
Just to let u know that Thulani has arrived safely, to much excitement in the Weaver household. He will even be going to nursery school tomorrow.
We promise to love him for a week before packing him off to Israel.
Photos to come :)
The Weavers x