The Big Move

Man have I missed writing! Being back home meant the start of our big move so I've had no time to write in between packing up an entire flat by myself whilst still running a household (cleaning went out the window!), looking after twins and trying to keep myself sane. Let me tell you, letting go of the cleaning drove my OCD up the wall but I eventually made friends with the dust bunnies and peace with the hair balls gathering all over the lounge carpet; luckily my partner is on rubbish and dishes duty or we'd have been adopting some roaches too.

Right now I'm sitting in my ouma's lounge in Newcastle (South Africa not UK) and it's the first moment I've had in a while to just sit and relax. Ok well, kind of relax because I'm expressing milk and typing this. At least I'm not chatting to the dust bunnies whilst packing up our lives and picking puree out of my hair again. I feel like this needs a hashtag...#momlife or #sucker. Aaaanywho, we moved here from Cape Town and yes, I know, "why on earth would you do that?!" has been said so many times and is often accompanied by some smirk implying we're complete idiots for wanting to abandon the exquisite Cape; Capetonians are super snobs about how no where else on earth is worth a penny in comparison and yes it's bloody beautiful! Look-see for yourself:

City center right on the waters edge

Noordhoek beach, right near where I lived

Noordhoek Farm Village, our favourite Sunday hangout, lying on the grass and eating Kristen's Kickass Ice-cream or on a Thursday for the best all-you-can-eat sushi nights at Village Sushi

Noordhoek common, a favourite picnic spot

Cape Town really is breathtaking. Argh, that's made me quite homesick. Well, for our old home. Now we live in Newcastle, it's a little different:

As you arrive

Newcastle in it's lush summer glory

A picture I took early one morning before the International Yoga Day class and talk

City Center, which is actually quite grotty. There are so many little places outside city center that we don't need to actually go there very often.

City center right on the waters edge

Noordhoek beach, right near where I lived

Noordhoek Farm Village, our favourite Sunday hangout, lying on the grass and eating Kristen's Kickass Ice-cream or on a Thursday for the best all-you-can-eat sushi nights at Village Sushi

Noordhoek common, a favourite picnic spot

Cape Town really is breathtaking. Argh, that's made me quite homesick. Well, for our old home. Now we live in Newcastle, it's a little different:

As you arrive

Newcastle in it's lush summer glory

A picture I took early one morning before the International Yoga Day class and talk

City Center, which is actually quite grotty. There are so many little places outside city center that we don't need to actually go there very often.

Newcastle is an industrial, conservative, one-horse town (maybe minus the horse) in the middle of nowhere; midway between Durban and Jo'burg. Lol, ok it is beautifully lush in summer and at least doesn't have Durban's stifling humidity. The people are friendly and helpful, the pace of life slower and the cost of living lower.

Reasons for moving? My gran had to sell the flat we were living in and Newcastle seemed like the best option right now. It's cheaper to live here, we have more family support, and we'll all have a better quality of life here. It's just too taxing in Cape Town with two surprise tiny humans and the cost of living being absolutely ridiculous in comparison to the pittance of a salary that most places offer. So here we are for the next few years, building a more stable and happy foundation for our new little family unit. Here's to hope and adventure!