Setting off on another adventure

Four months since my last post so here's a photo from our hike on Sunday to show that Tim and I are both thriving.

 

The months have flown. The Stanford Spring Quarter ended in a very wintry Cape Town in June with the usual fun dinner at the Africa Cafe. Next day Tim got onto a plane for California to be at the special award ceremony for one of his students from 2011 for her excellent research done in the Western Cape. While in the USA he visited his parents in Florida and came back to Cape Town in time to prepare for the big meeting in July, the Bing Overseas Studies Annual Directors' Meeting.

Each year this meeting takes place in a different centre, hence our travels these past few years to Oxford, Berlin, Paris and Santiago. This year it was Cape Town's turn. Tim and his staff planned for almost perfect weather, dry enough that the field trips were a great success. The meeting closed on Saturday June 15th with a lunch at Solms Delta where we took the students in January for their Welcome Dinner. 

The view across the vineyards at Solms Delta Wine Estate, Groote Drakenstein, Western Cape, South Africa.

Nan, Ayanda and Nathaniel came to see us a few times in our last week when we were staying at the Vineyard Hotel with the rest of the Directors and some spouses/partners. 

The Vineyard Hotel is definitely a big favourite of ours, being regulars at their Monday evening wine tasting where we've been introduced to some great vintages. And during the academic quarters we took four students there each week for dinner - delicious food and something special for all of us to look forward to. We get to know the students better and they get a break from dormitory food.

We flew back home on July 18th with a six hour layover at Heathrow where we saw Gareth & Cameron.

That same day (it's a long one) we stepped off the plane at San Francisco International airport.  I'm always amazed to find my luggage on the carousel having travelled all that way with clothes, books and the many possession I needed for six and a half months in Cape Town.

Being home has meant back to good music in our local pub, long hikes and lots of dinners with friends. 

Eric & Suzie Thompson and Paul Knight on bass - one of Paul's Sunday nights at the Station House Cafe, Point Reyes Station

But right now I am at SFO waiting for my flight to London, en route to Johannesburg for my niece, Polly McCabe's wedding to Chris Kriel. I'll spend 12 days in England. One night in London and then off to visit the ancestors and their descendents! More to follow....