Not long after saying farewell to one set of grandparents it was time to pick up another. This time however the pick up didn’t go quite to plan… we arrived at the airport to find my parents were in a car driving the opposite way. The driver had kindly offered them a lift as their useless daughter was a no show. We were running late due to normal parenting issues (nappy explosions as we were leaving) and unpredictable Zambian traffic.

They saw us drive past and jumped out. Hugs of welcome between the unloading of luggage and thanking the stranger was not quite the welcome I wanted for them. But they were here and I had my mum and dad for 6 days. I knew it was going to fly but they were here.

(Mummy and Me)

Again the boys loved showing off to the grandparents … “Look at me walking on the wall”… “Look at this sandcastle” (built in a sand trap on the golf course). Baby Blue however wasn’t as shy as he had been at first with Husbands parents. Maybe he had learnt from their visit that strange people that appeared in his car / house / life might be OK after all.

We enjoyed their company over the next few days, showing them the giraffes, local waterfalls, swimming and letting them experience our new life. All too soon it was time to say goodbye again. Saying goodbye seems to be more a part of expat life than I had expected.

Their time here had been to short but it had been quality time. Back in the UK I saw my parents at least once a week but I guess I took it for granted, it felt we talked and experienced so much in such a small period of time.

As my parents flew south to visit Victoria falls I realised I should blame them for my love of travel and the itchy feet that goes with it! As a child they took my siblings and I to live on the other side of the world in Australia. That experience had a massive effect on who I am today.

No matter where I am or my family is the world there is always a connection. I miss them all terribly and will always look forward to seeing them but this world is full of so much variety and wonders I will always look forward to travel.

I have been blessed enough to experience many places, cultures, and adventures but there is many more still to be discovered. I hope to share many of them with my boys and ultimately for them to have their own adventures all over our planet.

(Massive trail of ants and the lizard that has made our curtains its home)