You guys have no idea how I could not stop laughing when I took this picture. She is so nervous being on the horse that she couldn’t even fix her helmet so that she could actually see where she was going. I guess ignorance is bliss for her in this case. She loved it though and now I’m sure she’s going to take every horse riding opportunity we get when we’re on the road.
So, guess what? We’re no further on doing anything for the camper. It’s actually getting to the point where it’s embarrassing. Like I have these conversations and people excitedly ask me how far we are and I’m embarrassed to answer them. Instead of doing things on the camper we are procrastinating hard by doing literally anything else. It’s becoming chronic and stupid. We can’t afford to take longer so I don’t know why we aren’t doing anything. Ugh.
Currently:
Doing: Literally anything other than work on the camper. And explaining to my kids what literally means. Riya has taken to saying it in literally every sentence and it just feels very Parks and Rec. I love it. Anyway, like I said, we aren’t really doing much of anything right now. Well of value anyway. It’s a weird balance of enjoying the things we’re doing and then fighting the huge crushing anxiety that is building like a tidal wave.
Maybe it’s time to get off my lazy ass and get my action panties on. Like big girl panties but like, more effective.
Reading: When I mentioned that I was going through a slump and how I got through it, I spoke about reading. I flipping love reading. So much so that I’ve just realised that snuggling up and reading has actually been what I have been doing a lot of in the last few weeks. The whole long weekend I was nose deep in a series called A Court Of Thorns and Roses. (Just did a quick search for you and Loot has it crazy cheap now – cheaper than I just paid through Exclusive Books. Damnit.)
I got it through my book club (which I am SO bummed has to end now that we are leaving – it’s such a great way to experience new things I wouldn’t usually have found on my own). This is case in point. I loved this series so much that I have just bought the whole thing AND the other series that Sarah J Maas writes. It’s basically my Mother’s Day present and I know chose right. Even though I know I should have been using my time more productively, I’m not going to say it was a waste. I needed the escape.
Pleasantly Surprised: Quite a while back I started this painting for my office. I like the darkness of it so much. But this wasn’t where I wanted it to end. No, no, no. It needed some kind of subtle rainbow. Because I am actually obsessed with rainbow colours. Like crazy obsessed. Like concerningly obsessed. It’s not like I wear rainbows or anything, but when I see anything in a perfect colour wheel or full of colour my heart actually skips a beat.
Long story short, I worked on it for an afternoon and I think I still got it. I did painting as one of my matric subjects and I thought I’d lost the knack. But honestly, and weirdly enough for me to actually tell you, but I am really chuffed with how it turned out. So flipping chuffed.
Unfortunately before I could take it to the office it somehow got damaged. I actually cried. But I’m going to fix it. You know when I suddenly have 5 hours to myself.
Watching: I hate everything on TV right now. Everything sucks. I cannot find a show that I can actually get into and it’s annoying the heck out of me. I need a gripping, dark and intense series in my life stat. Ideas? We’ve done Dexter, Breaking Bad, Vikings, Sons Of Anarchy. That’s the vibe I’m looking for. Help.
Knox the noo: My boy is really at such a fantastic phase. The other day he learned to ride a bike. Then this weekend he spent the entire afternoon making friends with some random people at the girls sports day. Then he proceeded to play soccer with them. And having previously never been interested in any kind of sport, nevermind a “team” sport like that, I actually had a little heart pop moment. He is really becoming his own person.
As further evidenced by this little nugget he came out with yesterday.
Knox “Mommy can I go outside?”
Doesn’t even wait for me to answer before answering himself in a deep voice, “Of course you can Knox”
Knox, “Thank you. Bye bye”
— Cindy Alfino (@CindyAlfino) May 6, 2018
Actual dates for the Itinerary: A couple days ago I shared the first leg of our trip… But I didn’t include the dates that we’d be in certain places. Like an idiot. So here are the exact dates we plan to be in the various places. I think it’s been spread out pretty well with small trips and not massive amounts of hours spent on the road. I really just want to be back in time for Christmas and to see my niece and nephew (and their parents obvs, but not as much haha).
30-Jun | 04-Jul | Mossel Bay |
04-Jul | 08-Jul | Mossel Bay |
08-Jul | 10-Jul | Groot Brak |
10-Jul | 12-Jul | Outshoorn |
12-Jul | 17-Jul | Jeffrey’s Bay |
17-Jul | 19-Jul | Port Elizabeth |
19-Jul | 24-Jul | Addo Elephant Park |
24-Jul | 29-Jul | East London area |
29-Jul | 01-Aug | Hogs Back/surrounds |
01-Aug | 04-Aug | Queenstown/surrounds |
04-Aug | 14-Aug | Wild Coast surrounds |
14-Aug | 17-Aug | Maclear/Tortoni |
17-Aug | 18-Aug | Sterkspruit/surrounds |
18-Aug | 09-Sep | Lesotho – all over |
09-Sep | 15-Sep | Drakensberg area |
15-Sep | 17-Sep | Mooi River/Howick |
17-Sep | 10-Oct | Durban |
10-Oct | 14-Oct | St Lucia/surrounds |
14-Oct | 21-Oct | Kosi Bay |
21-Oct | 10-Nov | Mozambique |
10-Nov | 21-Nov | Kruger Park |
21-Nov | 23-Nov | Blyde River Canyon |
23-Nov | 26-Nov | Dullstroom/surrounds |
26-Nov | 07-Dec | Pretoria/Johannesburg |
07-Dec | 08-Dec | Somewhere between Sun City/JHB and Kimberley |
08-Dec | 11-Dec | Kimberley |
11-Dec | 13-Dec | Bloemfontein |
13-Dec | 15-Dec | Gariep Dam |
15-Dec | 19-Dec | Graaf-Rienet |
19-Dec | 21-Dec | Groot Swartberg Nature / surrounds |
21-Dec | CAPE TOWN |
24 comments
Have you watched The Jinx? It’s not a series – it’s a 6-part murder documentary. Watching it for the second time and loving it.
oooh no, we haven’t – is that on Netflix?
Have you tried The Resident? It’s dark, for a medical show.
Good luck with your plans.
No haven’t tried that one either! Thank you. Is it on Netlfix?
Download ‘The Fall’ – its an Irish crime series, female lead – excellent. If you’re into gross vampires ‘Hemlock Grove’ gets rather gripping.. if you haven’t already watched it “This is Us” is good. And for general escapism / fantasy ‘The Magicians’ is pretty good
We don’t really do the download thing – I’ll check if it’s on Netflix or Showmax though! Thank you!
Peaky Blinders is a really good series, fits in to your vibe I think. And there are 4 seasons to get stuck into!
I think we watched one episode of that – maybe I need to give it a bit more time!
It’s sometimes hard to follow but the overall storyline is very gripping, great music and acting too.
We’ll definitely give it another go – thank you!!
You could try The Blacklist. It’s on Netflix. The first bit of the first season wasn’t great (my husband and I were just so tired from our toddler, we didn’t really care as we slumped in front of the tv, so with 3 kids, you might be tired enough to look past some of the rather wooden acting early on!), but the writers slowly found their groove and now we’re a bit hooked-deep into Season 3 now.
Oh yes we did that one too – loved S 1, but S2 lost it for me but we stuck through and are now up to date. Really looking forward to the next season!
I love the catch up posts. If you love A Court of Thorns and Roses, you need to get A Court of Frost and Starlight which was just released. It is a novella to bridge the gap between this series and the new one she is releasing. It is my favorite series. Your painting is just stunning! I love the rainbow, hell I would even buy it from you. Just amazing. Your itinerary seems like the best road trip ever.
Yay – so glad you enjoy these! I actually have ordered that book too and the first one of the Throne of Glass series – I can’t wait to see where it all goes!!
The Sinner (with Jessica Biel) has a similar-ish vibe.
Oh yes!! We watched that – it was good.
Get on your big girl pants Cindy!!! I think you’ll literally work, work, work on the Camper the closer to the itinerary you get – live on the edge type of vibe.
Absolutely – and we’ll probably still be working on it on the road too!
Have you watched Blindspot (which is a crime / drama and i think it might tick your boxes – love the tatoos and how they go about decrypting them) and the other new series out there is Harrow (basically about a medical examiner and also has a bit of a dark side to it, we are on episode 4 now, he murdered someone, dumped the body and obviously as the season unfolds we will see who it is and why he murdered that person) Ooohh and also Black Lightning is a new series (don’t know if you are into the whole superhuman kind of thing but that is what that’s about) Also quite enjoy Bull (directed by Dr Phill McGraw and also very analytical type of series)
That’s my thoughts on that. I’m sure you guys are going to LOVE Addo when you do your trip around SA – just be forewarned that it can be quite cold here…
Oooh those all sound great!! We dig superhero things so Black Lightning could totally be our thing. We’ve been watching Jessica Jones but I’m so bored of it.
Have u watched Luther? It’s on Netflix.
And have u watched True Detective?
We haven’t done Luther, but we have done the first True Detective and I think the second one too now, I can’t remember.
Hi Cindy ?
I think your trip sounds AMAZING and I’m so jealous! The camper van will all come together, don’t worry!
In terms of shows to watch, have u tried The Blacklist!? We’ve been watching that and enjoying it.
Jenna x
He he sorry, just saw the Blacklist chat on the other comments ?