Misfits Mid-Life Crisis Adventures in …………..Surrey, Croydon, Essex.

Week 52 (or Week 15 of the new adventure), Saturday 13^th June until Friday 19^th June 2015.

 Great dive at the lovely dive site Manta Reef.

This week is week 52 of the So-Called Blog, however its next week that I celebrate one year since I went to Mozziebeak.  This is the final instalment of the So-Called Blog until something interesting takes place.  My first trip to East Africa was September 2013 and I was captivated, as a result I packed up my life re-homed Spike the cat and returned to Tofo in June 2014.

    Some of the lovely people I met and worked with in Tofo.

I met wonderful people, far too many to mention, some of them live in Tofo.  Others came and went from all over the world.  I qualified as a Dive master and got to experience Mozziebeaks wonderful marine life up close and personal.

 Just stunning.

Tofo is a place I miss a lot. I miss the people, the diving, the marine life, the dogs wondering around, the cats, the amazing beaches beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  I am currently missing Humpback season, which started a month ago.  These wonderful ocean giants have returned to Mozziebeak waters until about November.  Travelling to a dive site everyone would be looking around humpback spotting; they would be everywhere.  Mothers and calves along with their escorts would breech out of the water or resting almost sunbathing on the surface.  My fave was watching mums and babies jumping out of the water a little like skimming a stone across a lake.

   At work. 

I would spend my day at the dive shop, working, yes it was work but it was a pleasure to be there.  I could never say that about an office job watching a skyscraper being built.  I loved being at the dive shop the whole environment appealed to me.  Setting up for dives and ocean safari, snorkelling trips, I really enjoyed everything.   I miss everyone at the dive shop, there’s a huge family atmosphere with everyone pulling together to make every dive or other trip the best experience that the customer hoped for.

   Veronica on the left and Victoria on the right.

Walking round Tofo was always nice; it’s a small place that consists of just a few sand roads that criss crossed.  The market is the heart of Tofo, where you could buy fruit and veg and very fresh fish. There are a number of drinks stalls, even one that sold ice cream and occasionally chips.  In one street you could eat and eat lots of very tasty fried Tofo fast food such as pizza, chips and burgers.

  Tank on the left and Tiger on the right.

I stayed in some lovely places, Casa Barry my Tofo home from home, the staff were always smiling and welcoming, I can see Freddie and Lawrence when I think of the place.  I spent a number of months house sitting for Martina and family and had a wonderful time with housemates “Tiger” the cat and “Tank” the dog.  Walking Tank everyday was a highlight, when she saw me coming at the end of the day I would have to brace myself as she would come running at full speed.  Made a new lifelong friend Jenny, I lived in a couple of places with her and I look forward to being her housemate again in the next couple of months when I return.  One of the houses had a view (slightly spoiled by a house across the road) of the sea.  I would sit eating breakfast watching the sea; at night when the moon was full we were bathed in moon light I got some wonderful pictures of our nearest celestial neighbour.

 My flight from Joberg on way home.

When I left Tofo and Mozziebeak in March my heart was broken, yes it was lovely to see family and friends.  Being met at Heathrow by my 3 year old niece was a moment I will never forget.  But there is a part of me that can’t wait to return, my niece regularly asks me with a giggle “when you going back to Africa” is she hinting.

 At Bundu in South Africa during a visa run.

I am saving like mad so that I can return; at the moment I hope it will be July/August for another 8 or 9 months or longer if possible.  This mid-life crisis is definitely not over; in fact it’s not really even started.

  Signs I painted.

This blog has not been a success, a handful of people have read it and enjoyed it, but I have kept going as a record of what I have done.  One day when I’m even older and unable to remember these times I hope that my nephews and niece will read me these blogs to remind me what i did and experienced.  I don’t have much to be proud of for 46 years on planet earth, but my time in Tofo is so special.

  Yes that’s me. 

The So-called Blog ends here for now…. Until something more interesting happens in my life.  Thank you for reading and putting up with this drivel weekly.

To be continued……..

   The lovely Alice Cooper.

No mooching in North London this week with MOZ.  I have been extended at Croydon Council until end of July.  In the mornings I have been eating cold toast with strong cheese and marmite.  Watching new Clangers on TV and introducing them to my niece, I think she like them.  Met up with Moira, had a BBQ in her garden, visited our old flats before they get pulled down.  We sat in the park got buzzed by a bat, saw a fox and a large flying stag beetle.

This week I have been watching: “Graham Norton” (Season 17, eps 11), “Thunderbirds are Go” (Season 1, eps 11), “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (eps 5), “Game of Thrones” (Season 5, eps 7), “Gadget Man” (Season 4, eps 3), “Vicious” (Season 2, eps 3), “Interceptor”, (ep 2), “TFI: Friday” (Special, with the wonderful Ron Grainer theme from “Man in a Suitcase”), “The Sky at Night”, (eps 659), “In Conversation with Julie Walters”, “Clangers”, (eps 1 to 5), “Humans”, (eps 1), “In Conversation with Ken Loach”, “Timeshift, How to be Sherlock Holmes: The Many Faces of a master Detective”.

This week I have mainly been listening to, “Morrissey”, “Florence + The Machine”, “Vaccines” and on Xfm, “Green Day”, Arcade Fire”, “Foo Fighters”, “The Cure”.

Reading on Kindle……“A Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire” book 2 “ A Clash of Kings” by George R.R. Martin.