Back To Reality

My last week at the sea was a stunning one, but at the same time it was great arriving home yesterday afternoon to see Roxy and my kitty cats again.

This past week at the coast was spent in hours and hours of fun and relaxation. We played and swam in the pool. 8ta had dropped off hundreds of beach balls and these floated throughout the pool. Dad and I played and played with them – my catching and volleyball skills are vastly improved since.

When I wasn’t playing with the 8ta beach balls Dad and I played with my AquaGlider which I got from Linda in January when we were holidaying in Cape Town. Basically the AquaGlider is a delta wing similar to that on an aircraft, but the body is compacted foam which floats. The wings are adjustable for speed or direction. The idea is to simply hold it under the water – the foam wants to float, but the wings push the glider forward. So it “flies” under the water until it breaks the surface. It was a huge hit with everyone at the pool. Each time Dad and I arrived at the pool with the AquaGilder a trial of kids followed us, each wanting a turn.

Dad would also toss me in the sky while we were in the pool. I’d fly and giggle and Dad would catch me again. Generally my swimming costumes are all one piece, but one is a pair of shorts and top. When Dad launched me out the water to throw me into the sky while wearing these my shorts would slip down. I couldn’t help but giggle; eventually when I got my breath I announced to Dad “My bummy is sticking out!” Dad couldn’t stop giggling then either. All the swimming and water caused my last grommet to come out; I was thrilled.

When I wasn’t swimming in the pool we were lounging about on the beach. Because Mom’s foot was still broken, we wouldn’t go too far; fortunately it was really easy to get to the beach from Umhlanga Sands Lifestyle Resort where our timeshare is. I played with my Smurf and Smurf Bridge and Boat on the beach. Dad made massive holes for me to climb into, and when he wasn’t digging holes he made massive mounds of sand for me to climb up and roll off.

I climbed the rocks on the shore and watched the waves splash all about me. Dad showed me little fish, snails and mussels amongst the rocks. We even disturbed a crab which ran over Dad’s foot. With Granny I found the head and upper body of a dead fish. Needless to say I picked it up and brought it to Mom and Dad to show them. After showing it to Mom and Dad I asked what it was used for!

Dad, Granny and even Mom with her moon-boot played in the surf with me. They even swung me over the surf singing “I lost my locket”. I giggled a lot. Along the beach there is a huge retaining wall that supports the promenade. The desire was too strong, and my monkey mode kicked in and I would climb right to the top of the wall before Mom or Dad could catch me. I thought it was a great deal of fun; Mom and Dad not so much.

Around the hotel I spent a great deal of time triggering the automated sliding doors, something I’ve been doing ever since I was little. Everywhere we went I rode my bike, and I became quite a hit with the entertainment crew at the hotel. I even made it onto their Facebook page! On the naughtier note I would push the emergency button in the lift and chat to security who manned the emergency intercom.

I wasn’t allowed to leave the hotel room unattended. However, on the one day when I did, after getting into a bit of trouble with Mom and Dad I did announce that I checked up and down the passage for bad guys before running out.

We also went on a few walks along the promenade, and we headed right out to the edge of Umhlanga Pier. I was thrilled to stand at the end of the pier and look down through the trellis tread to see the rocks and sea beneath my feet.

On three separate occasions I convinced Mom, Dad and Granny that I needed ‘num nums’ and only the Spur would do. This was a very successful ruse to get to play in the Spur’s play canyon, which was a stunning alternative to being outdoors. Granny regularly also gave in to my needing to go Joyland where I played on the arcade machines. I accumulated a huge number of reward tickets, but upon redeeming them I only received a bouncing ball!

In our room I spent a great deal of time watching Cartoonito or playing Wii. We typically tried to stay indoors at midday to stay out of the harshest sun. I also got into the habit of wanting to blow-dry my hair every morning (even when it didn’t need to be blow-dried).

A new saying I picked up from TV was ‘Happy now mattress man?’ which was the punch line on the Serta mattress ad. Everyone I told this to would burst out laughing. I was thrilled.

In addition to my new saying I also acquired an evil little laugh that had Mom, Dad and Granny in stitches. They even tried to record it, but I felt it was a proprietary laugh and my rights would be infringed if it was recorded.

One evening in our room, Mom and Dad ‘caught’ me having a really long chat on the phone to Tammy. I was telling her all about my holiday and asked when she would be joining us on our holiday!

We decided to spend a morning at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping where we spent most of the time in Toys-R-Us. Mom, Dad and Granny really spoilt me and I was thrilled to get some new Cars toys and a marble run. Dad would make all sorts of configurations of it for me. Poor Granny spent a great deal of time chasing marbles around our room.

Mom and Granny needed some shopping time while at the Gateway so Dad and I chilled out in a coffee shop, each of us on our iPads surfing or playing games.

For a difference we also headed to the Gateway one evening for dinner. The restaurant area of the Gateway is really stunning and festive, and we had a really good time. We were most impressed that there even was valet parking. On the drive home (all of 12 minutes) Mom and Granny needed to keep up with Desperate Housewives so they watched it in the car on the iPad. I love technology!

The Resort put on a reptile and dangerous creatures show on for us. I wasn’t keen to go, but Dad wanted to see them. Mom, Granny and I went to our room, and after my bath, I decided I wanted to go to the reptile show. From the top of the bandstand, across the court, I shouted ‘Daddddddyyyyyy’ while the handler was presenting. I even got to touch a huge constrictor.

One morning, while it was still dark, I announced that ‘It’s spooky in here, please turn on the light’. Mom wouldn’t budge, nor open her eyes. Eventually Mom relented and turned on the light. I went back to sleep.

Dad’s biggest mission on holiday was to photograph dolphins in the surf. He has a new super duper massive telescopic lens that’s so heavy I can hardly carry it. Word got out, and the dolphins refused to make an appearance. Dad was pretty disappointed, so as a constellation prise we took him to uShaka Marine World to watch the dolphin show.

We were all in awe; and as an added bonus, our favourite dolphin Gambit, dominated the show. Dad managed to get some photos of dolphins after all.

Upon arriving at uShaka Marine World I spotted a massive ship and sprinted away screaming at the top of my voice “The pirates will get me, the pirates will get me!”. I ran in circles shouting this over and over with my hands in the air. Mom, Dad and Granny were in stitches.

At the store I got a fluffy Nemo and Emperor Penguin. After the dolphin show, walking through the aquarium, I took a seat in front of a huge tank filled with a variety of fish and introduced Nemo and my penguin to all the fish! Back at our room I did a similar thing, introducing all the toys to my new Nemo and penguin.

On our last day of holiday we took an extra long walk along the promenade, right up to Umhlanga Lighthouse where I hugged it goodbye. On our walk back I noticed the moon was extremely big and bright – it was the day before the 2012 super moon.

Sadly on Saturday we had to leave, after two amazing weeks at the coast. I did ask ‘are we going to our real home’ and why did we have to go home and sea didn’t? So, after lots of late nights, lots of partying, and play we packed the car and headed home. I spent a solid 6 hours on my iPad. Dad had set up a wifi hotspot for me in the Merc so I was connected all the way home.

At home our pets were thrilled to see us again. I was actually also thrilled to be home again, as I reacquainted myself with all my toys and got down to some serious play.

Tomorrow is back to normal for all of us, with one exception – we’re going to Unitas in the afternoon to determine the next steps for my surgery in May. Wish me luck and keep me in your thoughts.

Love,

Jarrod.

Photo 1 Loving the sea

Photo 2 Come Granny!

Photo 3 Smurfs in the rocks

Photo 4 Grouchy Smurf reaches land

Photo 5 Love the rocks

Photo 6 Dad takes my bike for a spin. Not!

Photo 7 Pulling doesn’t help either

Photo 8 Beach giggles

Photo 9 I’ll help you Dad

Photo 10 Looking down Umhlanga Pier

Photo 11 Awesome!

Photo 12 Umhlanga Pier

Photo 13 Getting artistic

Photo 14 Chilling out at the Gateway

Photo 15 My new toys!

Photo 16 Happiness

Photo 17 Captain America

Photo 18 Fully engaged!

Photo 19 Wow!

Photo 20 The fish I found

Photo 21 Washing hands

Photo 22 Beach exercise

Photo 23 Walk about

Photo 24 Beach time

Photo 25 Psoing

Photo 26 Where to next?

Photo 27 And more beach giggles

Photo 28 Giggles with Mom

Photo 29 Our hotel

Photo 30 I lost my locket . . .

Photo 31 Over the surf

Photo 32 Higher . . .

Photo 33 Swinging with Mom

Photo 34 Beach side

Photo 35 The waves are coming

Photo 36 Pool time with the 8ta balls

Photo 37 Catch Dad

Photo 38 Now which was mine?

Photo 39 Pool volleyball

Photo 40 And again

Photo 41 Climbing at the Spur

Photo 42 Getting there

Photo 43 Kaboom

Photo 44 After a hard day’s play

Photo 45 Motocross

Photo 46 Hill climbing

Photo 47 Construction time

Photo 48 Sandy face

Photo 49 Wondering

Photo 50 Footprints in the sand

Photo 51 Drawing in the sand

Photo 52 Exploring

Photo 53 I love the sea

Photo 54 Gambit at uShaka Marine World

Photo 55 Jumping dolphins

Photo 56 Ooooo shopping

Photo 57 Chatting to Nemo and my penguin

Photo 58 Introducing them to the fish in the aquariums

Photo 59 Almost a super moon (one night before)

Photo 60 Back in my own bath