Saturday 7 December 2013

Next stop...

SOUTH AFRICA!!!

I am so excited about visiting South Africa. Its the only country in the world to hold two noble prize winners on the same street and is where the worlds largest diamond was found! What an amazing country. While i'm there I plan to do many extraordinary things! I will be spending two weeks in the Kruger, go scuba diving in the exotic tropical reefs, and more, but I don't want to give too much away.   I have a mammoth journey ahead of me though as I wont be going by plane. Unfortunately we will be going by boat for some of the journey so wish me luck because lets just say me and boats don't get on too well. I've had some bad experiences. It will be quite tiring as well.I'll tell you how it goes once I arrive in South Africa. My team have just told me we are ready to set off .Will be back soon!

Sunday 1 December 2013

Adrenaline took over my body. I couldn't believe I had got the chance to come to this magnificent country. We we're in Norway! As soon as stepped off the plane, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the landscape that lay before me. Sheets of freezing soft snow spread out around me as far as the eye could see. Slowly, the prickly trees swayed side to side saying hello; inviting us into their world. Behind the large expanse of forest stood the mountains tall and proud. They were watching over all of us. Creepy? Yeah but strangely comforting.Of course by now I knew we were going to have to travel to our accommodation but there was nothing coming towards us out of the misty horizon to pick us up. Uh oh. Before I could even see them I knew they were coming. Ferocious barks echoed through the forest. The once calm trees were shaking vigorously. Snow was whirling up off the ground. I closed my eyes shut as tight as I could. Clenched my fists and dug my nails into my hand so deep there will probably be little moon marks there tomorrow. Then it all... stopped. Was I still on the plane? Was I dreaming? Had I fallen over bashed my head and got concussion? Everything couldn't have changed so abruptly, could it?Cautiously, I opened my eyes a fraction. Staring straight back at me were a pair of piercing ice blue eyes. Later I found out this was my 'ride'. A husky. I was nose to nose with a husky. Great. Well at least I wasn't unconscious like I had initially thought. Always look on the bright side of life.Inside my head I could hear myself screaming to turn and run through my feet wouldn't move. What was wrong with me? It was almost as if my head and body had become too different things. I was standing in front of a killer and all I could do was stare.However, once I had managed to slow my breathing to a steady pace and finally take a few steps back something hit me on the head and said "hey my name's common sense!" This creature, this 'killer' was one of the most incredible things I had ever seen. His fur was like a cloud, soft and smooth. His eyes were like diamonds, dazzling and bright. His paws were like a baby's hand, small and delicate. His teeth were a bit scary though. Surprise, surprise it wasn't long till I found myself loving the husky.
                                        

Unfortunately I have to admit it took a long time for me to learn how to mush. Though once I had got the hang of it was amazing. We rode off to our destination in the sunset. The huskies were like lightning bolts dashing through the snow. Something began to land on my face and send little tingles through me. Quickly I tilted my head up to look into the blazing red sky and saw hundreds of glistening, white snowflakes spinning out of the sky. Gradually layers of silky snow built up on the ground and the tree tops became dusted with white. It was as if I had just stepped into a movie scene. It was more beautiful than ever. A perfect end to a perfect but slightly nerve racking day!