Throwback Thursday: Euro Trip for Mom's 50th - Part 3

This installment completes the trilogy that was Throwback Thursday.

The last leg of our trip was Dubrovnik, Croatia. 

We arrived the Sunday evening and headed straight to our hotel. Unfortunately we could not get an earlier flight and thus have more time to explore the wonder that is Dubrovnik. A city nestled in history, and so beautiful it seems like a mirage.

The next morning we set out to discover the Ancient City, which was extremely busy given the summer season. Stalls and shops line the streets within the walled town, each offering visitors a glimpse into the life of its residents. To escape the throngs of people, we rode the cable car to the top of the mountain and admired the spectacular views. We ate lunch at the restaurant and tried to cool down - the humidity was worse than Durban!

Old Town

Old Town, Dubrovnik Croatia

View from the top of the mountain

No longer hungry (but still hot) we returned to our hotel and lazed around the pool.

Tuesday morning we decided to go on a tour recommended by the hotel. We visited an olive oil producing farm and a traditional farmstead further inland. We sampled the local poison, and other delicacies grown on the property before being treated to some traditional Croatian dancing. Our tour guide also taught us alot about Croatia's political troubles with neighbour Bosnia & Herzegovina. 

Olive oil manufacturing process

Traditional farmstead

Local Brandy

Traditional dancing

Our preview into the wonder that was Croatia taught us that it's residents prefer the simpler things in life, are proud of their heritage and pursue peace at every opportunity. We did not see a single fast food outlet during our stay, what a surprise!

Croatia covers a considerable expanse of land and due to time constraints we did not visit the Plitvice Lakes, amongst other points of interest. All the more reason to return at some point in the future!

Have an awesome weekend.

Gone Skiing

This time last week we were at Afriski, a ski resort situated in the Maluti mountain range of Lesotho.

Our friends, Shannon and Colin, whom we met on a Contiki tour in 2010, invited us to join them and six other people on a midweek ski getaway. Neither William nor I had tried skiing before, so we were keen for an adventure and always up for the opportunity to travel to a new country.

We left last Saturday, and spent the night in Clarens, a small artsy town in the Free State to break the six hour journey to Afriski. We stayed at Knock Out View Lodge and what stunning accomodation it was, and with a competitive price to match. Our cabin was beautifully furnished and had an amazing view of the mountains (as the name suggests). We lunched, shopped, watched the rugby at the local pub (go Sharks!) and eased into holiday mode.

Clarens crew

Accomodation at Knock Out View, Clarens

Everything is within walking distance in Clarens

Sunday morning we had breakfast at the Clarens Inn, before embarking on the final stretch of the road trip. We reached the Caledonspoort border post shortly after 10:30 and after discovering new laws and customs surrounding the kingdom of Lesotho, were waved onwards.

We arrived at the resort a bit later than intended, and had roughly twenty minutes to suit up into ski boots and snow proof clothing. Our introductory lesson went well for some, as they grasped the skiing concept with ease (myself excluded). We were taught the correct positioning and posture and more importantly how to stop (pizza slice). I gave up on the lesson about 15 minutes in, after my calf muscles cramped so badly due to the tightness of the boots. 

The following days were filled with fun, laughter, videos of us falling, playing board games and laughing until we cried. We ate like kings and queens. The others advanced to the intermediate and advanced slopes whilst I pottered around the beginner's slope getting more acquainted with these extra length appendages on my feet (read trying not to cross the ski tips while skiing).

By far the most fun of this entire trip was the bumboarding. Each afternoon, after the slopes closed at 4pm, guests were invited to go down the advanced ski slope on a bumboard, which effectively was a thin piece of plastic shaped like a shovel. The speeds we attained during the descent was amazing, and some spun around in circles or completely veered off course into the snow barrier. Absolutely far too much fun was had during this time.

Advanced, intermediate and beginner's slopes

Geoffrey, the resort mouse, whom I made friends with while everyone else had their ski lesson

View from the top of the beginner's slope

Our four days flew by, and before we knew it it was time to head home.

Bumboarders, day three

William and I atop the intermediate slope

Afriski crew with the resort mascot Pudi (a mountain goat)

All ten of us bumboarding on the last day

Thank you Colin for organising such a wonderful trip, we appreciate it very much. To Shannon, Cara, Mike, Leigh, Nevan, Duncan, John, William and Colin for the fantastic company - thank you. 

Reunion trip in the Alps!

An Open Letter to Edge Business School

Dear Peter (and Roelien),

Allow me to take this opportunity to firstly thank you for starting Edge Business School (students Gauteng wide are forever in your debt), and secondly commend you on the absolutely amazing lecturers that you have working for you.

I am not a former FLB student, so unfortunately I have not been exposed to the brilliance that is instilled in Steven, Charles and Nizaam, but I can safely say that Roelien is by far the best lecturer I have ever had the pleasure of being taught by.

After struggling with FAC3704 for almost six semesters (yes, I should have a degree in Groups alone), I was despondent and almost ready to throw in the towel. I had seen the word “failed” on exam results letters more times than I could bear, and it had severely affected my self-confidence. I felt stupid and useless. Group Financial Reporting may not be the most difficult subject, but I had a mental block on it. It was my nemesis and that together with the fact that my pride prevented me from asking for help, resulted in the same outcome every semester.

In 2013 UNISA granted me the concession to register for CTA level 1 provided I pass the one outstanding module during the May/June sitting. The fact that I am writing this letter now shows that I failed yet again, and hence my CTA registration was cancelled. Sadder still was the realisation that I actually had exam admission after writing the Saturday tests. Semester one of 2014 was my absolute last shot at the module. I was approaching UNISA’s eight year time limit to complete a bachelor’s degree, and I daren’t total how much money I’d paid UNISA over those six semesters.

Shelley (Tony Cianfanelli’s wife) recommended I register with Edge, after meeting her in January. At the time I was in the job market, and met with Shelley in her professional capacity as a recruitment agent. It was a life changing suggestion, and I am eternally grateful to Shelley for adjusting my academic career.

Enter Roelien.

I don’t know where to start other than mentioning the fact that she literally saved my life. Roelien showed me there was light at the end of the tunnel, and my attitude towards the subject has done a complete 180 degree shift. Her passion for Groups is clearly visible, and contagious. I admire her for standing at the podium for a minimum of 9 hours per day, giving her all and then some, even when she was ill or in pain. The love Roelien has for her students is heart-warming, and she will go to the ends of the Earth for them/us. She gave us a part of herself, and was our mom between 8 and 5 each week. She was concerned about each student’s welfare, forsaking her own when we needed her. 

Roelien’s lectures are never boring, and always a delight to experience. She is fiercely intelligent, but manages to break the syllabus down into pieces we can all understand and relate to. This is a very rare quality, and one that deserves the utmost respect.

Roelien – thank you so so so much for everything you have done for me this past semester. I passed 3704 this semester and without you this would not have been possible. You are a rock star, hero and legend all rolled into one petite package and I am going to miss you and your lectures so much.

Peter and all the staff/lecturers at Edge – keep on keeping on. You are providing students with the tools to succeed and impacting their futures. Empowerment through education.

It’s not goodbye so much as “see you later” as I will be returning to EBS to complete my CTA next year.

A million thanks and very best wishes for the future.

Simone Gorven
(now a Bachelor of Accounting Science)

Throwback Thursday: Euro Trip for Mom's 50th - Part 2

Previously on the blog... We ended off at the Kurdish island of Kusadasi and had a fantastic shopping spree. 

Our next port of call was the historical town of Rhodes, and it was also Grandpa's 79th birthday. The third biggest of the Greek Isles, Rhodes combines ancient castles and medieval villages with beautiful beaches. The temperatures were sweltering, and William and I both felt the effects of heat stroke during the tour of the Grand Master's Palace (it did not help that out tour guide spoke in a monotone). 

View of Rhodes

Gardens at the Grand Master's Palace

Entrance to the world heritage site

Grandpa's birthday

And mom's

Our tour guide Lisa (far left) and the crew of waiters

Happy birthday!

My grandparents

My mom, William and I

We returned to the ship shortly after the tour ended, feeling rather drained. Having grown tired of Moussaka, I opted for a pizza for lunch and it was just what the doctor ordered. That evening was the Captain's dinner, and our waiter kindly organised my mom and grandad a birthday cake.

The following morning we docked in Heraklion. Unfortunately, as with Patmos, we did not have more than a few hours to explore the town, so we walked the streets for a while before returning to the ship.
 

Our one good find in Heraklion, this stunning bakery

Our last stop was the picturesque island of Santorini. What a surreal feeling to look at those beautiful blue roofed structures - the postcards really don't do Santorini justice. We had an afternoon on the island, and not selecting any excursions, we toured the town, admired the beautiful views and indulged in their famous iced coffees. Definitely a place to return to. As our tour guide so aptly put it, this trip was like sampling a case of wines. Discover your favorite then go back and enjoy the vineyard.

Looking out over the bay of Santorini

Mom finally made it to her dream destination

Beautiful church

The next morning we disembarked the Orient Queen one last time, and drove to Delphi - believed to be the centre of the Earth, and also the site of the precursors to the modern Olympic Games called the Pythian Games. What a magnificent place, the history was so rich it felt like we had stepped into a time warp.

Delphi

Saturday morning I woke up with the most terrible earache ever experienced in my life. It started at 3am and continued throughout the morning. My mom and I went to the local hospital in Athens, and saw a Greek doctor that barely spoke a word of English. What I was able to decipher was "infection". Typical Gorven luck in action again! I was prescribed antibiotics and sent on my way. We spent the rest of the weekend in Athens before catching our flight to Croatia...

Third and final installment to follow shortly.