Danielle's Cabin Crew Blog

Weird Nature

2009-06-21T19:05:00.000+04:00

Spider Crab

As if bathed in moonlight, a giant spider crab (Macrocheira kaemferi) is illuminated by a diver's lamp in Japan's Izu Oceanic Park. Protected from some predators by its hard exoskeleton, the creature—which can grow to ten feet (three meters) wide—can also blend in with the ocean floor. Under deeper cover, it can disappear beneath the sponges and other marine life it uses to adorn its shell.

Crown Jellyfish

Crown jellyfish live in all the world's oceans, usually at significant depths. Here, a bright-red specimen samples the shallow waters around Papua New Guinea.

Batfish

Like a marine Mick Jagger, a rosy-lipped batfish pouts near Costa Rica's Cocos Island. Batfish are poor swimmers, preferring to use their strangely adapted pectoral fins like legs to crawl about the seafloor.

Freckled-faced Blenny

A freckle-face blenny peeks from its reef burrow in the Solomon Islands. Blennies are found throughout the world's ocean, usually in shallow water. Some species are even known to lounge out of the water on rocks.

Frogfish

Frogfish, also called anglerfish, wear some of the most striking colors and ornate physical adornments in the ocean. Here, a crimson-tinted species rests on a reef near the Solomon Islands.

Devil Scorpion Fish

A devil scorpion fish in the Fiji Islands looks sleepy, but it's waiting motionless for unsuspecting prey to swim past before it strikes. The scorpion fish also has poisonous spines used in defines.

Lionfish

Lionfish like this one in Papua New Guinea are native to the reefs and rocky crevices of the Indo-Pacific, although they've found their way to warm ocean habitats worldwide. Their wispy dorsal fins contain toxin-filled needles used to dissuade would-be predators.

Toadfish

Most toadfish wear ornate, fleshy protrusions to blend in with the reefs where they make their home. The three-spined species, shown here in the waters off Western Australia, is among the largest of the toadfish, reaching 12 inches (30 centimetres) long.

Male Blue Ribbon Eel

Tiny teeth and yellow nostrils flash as a male blue ribbon eel opens wide in the Fiji Islands. The expanded nostrils end with fanlike flourishes, and the tip of the eel's lower jaw terminates with three tentacles. But those are not all of its tricks—the ribbon eel also can abruptly change its sex.

Red Irish Lord Fish

The red-spotted eye of a red Irish lord fish stands out in God's Pocket Marine Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. These colorful fish live in the North Pacific and are often found in rocky areas close to shore.

Bearded Scorpion Fish

It's hard to tell which end is up in this close-up of a bearded scorpionfish in the Fiji Islands. This camouflage artist inhabits the western Indian Ocean and lives on coral reefs to depths of 100 feet (30 meters).

Male Peacock Mantis Shrimp

A male peacock mantis shrimp plies the seafloor off Papua New Guinea. These garishly colored crustaceans are favorites of the aquarium trade.

Blue-eyed Crab

A blue-eyed crab nestles in antler coral off Namenalala Island in the Fiji Islands. Antler corals form colonies that can stretch more than three feet (one meter) across.

School of Fish

A school of tiny fish swims past a brain coral formation in the waters around the Seychelles. More than 90 percent of all marine life inhabits in the shallow waters surrounding the Earth's landmasses.

Nudibranch

A dazzling pattern of spots and stripes decorates this nudibranch photographed in the Seychelles. Nudibranchs are soft-bodied sea slugs that often wear wildly colorful designs for camouflage and defence.

Portuguese Man-of-war

A Portuguese man-of-war lies on the shore of Miami, Florida. Man-of-war stings can be extremely painful, but are rarely deadly. Their sting is still potent even after death.

Red Brittlestar

A bright red brittlestar clings to a coral head in the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. Sea stars get their name from the five-armed varieties, but species exist that have 10, 20, even 40 arms

Kuala Lumpur

2009-06-13T22:30:00.006+04:00

So why not start at the back and work my way forward until I've catched up again?? My last trip that I had was to Kuala Lumpur. Which I wasn't too optimistic about because nobody wanted to swop the three trips that I had there for something decent. Got a Manchester flight in the end, which turned out great, but I was hoping for a Rome or something excotic. Maybe I've still got a lot to learn.

Decided to go shopping in KL. Should have done more sight seeing. Well that'll teach me. To my great dissapointment I got bumped off my second KL flight because I was most junior and the passenger load on the way back from KL to Dubai was too light, in other words I got screwed and have been introduced to the wonderful world of home standby.

June is Turqoise (Hope that is spelled right)

2009-06-01T08:00:00.000+04:00

The colour for the month of June is Turqoise.

This is usually deep winter in Bloemfontein and there's nothing else that makes me think more of the Bloemfontein cold and winter than Turqoise. Guess what next month is going to be???

Updating the blog

2009-05-19T19:25:00.003+04:00

Okay how embaressing it is when people recognize you from your own blog. But I know I've mentioned this before and it always irritated me when people always said on their blogs that they are going to update their blogs and never do, I think I will be able to make a commitment and start updating, since I've been receiving so many emails from everyone about information about Dubai etc.

Well, this morning I came back from London Gatwick. Although I didn't take in some sight-seeing I did get to do some amazing shopping with my friend Dominique and spend some quality time with her that definately made it worth it. So whenever you are going on a Gatwick layover go to the 99pence, one pound and Primark, that's the places that have the best shopping.

I'm just at my friends house quickly, she's making us some mince and rice, and drinking a nice glass of Amarula with ice. I'm starting to get some flu at the moment, so will definately have to go to the clinic in the morning before my amazing trip to Paris. And I don't want to be sick as I've been waiting for this layover since end of last month.

Just to update quickly I've been able to move just before my leave started, and it's been such a relieve since the apartment is amazing, my new roomies is very nice and it seems like I've finally been able to make a home for myself in Dubai.

Till later au revior...

Weird Nature

2009-05-19T18:56:00.000+04:00

Only some of the pictures contain descriptions of the animal in the photo

Tribute to Meraai - Meerkat Heaven

2009-05-10T11:11:00.000+04:00

Gabs hierdie post is spesiaal vir jou!

The meerkat or suricate is a small mammal and a member of the mongoose family. It inhabits all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob," "gang," or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats at a time, but some super families have had 50 or more. Meerkats have an average life span of 12-14 years.

Meerkats are primarily insectivores, but also eat lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, plants, eggs, small mammals, millipedes, centipedes and, more rarely, small birds. They are partially immune to certain venoms; they are immune to the very strong venom of the scorpions of the Kalahari Desert, unlike humans. They have no excess body fat stores, so foraging for food is a daily need.

Meerkats forage in a group with one "sentry" on guard watching for predators while the others search for food. Sentry duty is usually approximately an hour long. Baby meerkats do not start foraging for food until they are about 1 month old, and do so by following an older member of the group who acts as the pup's tutor. The meerkat standing guard makes peeping sounds when all is well. If the meerkat spots danger, it barks loudly or whistles.

Meerkats become sexually mature at about one year of age and can have 1 to 5 pups in a litter, with 3 pups being the most common litter size. Wild meerkats may have up to four litters per year. Meerkats are iteroparous and can reproduce any time of the year but most births occur in the warmer seasons. The female meerkat can have more than one litter a year. The pups are allowed to leave the burrow at three weeks old. When the pups are ready to emerge from the burrow, the whole clan of meerkats will stand around the burrow to watch. Some of the adolescents might try to show off so they can have more attention than the pups.

Reports show that there is no precopulatory display; the male ritually grooms the female until she submits to him and copulation begins, the male generally adopting a seated position during the act. Gestation lasts approximately 11 weeks and the young are born within the underground burrow and are altricial. The young's ears open at about 15 days of age, and their eyes at 10-14 days. They are weaned around 49 to 63 days. They do not come above ground until at least 21 days of age and stay with babysitters near the burrow. After another week or so, they join the adults on a foraging party.

Usually, the alpha pair reserves the right to mate and normally kills any young not its own, to ensure that its offspring has the best chance of survival. The dominant couple may also evict, or kick out the mothers of the offending offspring.

Meerkats are small burrowing animals, living in large underground networks with multiple entrances which they leave only during the day. They are very social, living in colonies averaging 20-30 members. Animals in the same group regularly groom each other to strengthen social bonds. The alpha pair often scent-mark subordinates of the group to express their authority, and this is usually followed by the subordinates grooming the alphas and licking their faces. This behavior is also usually practiced when group members are reunited after a short period apart. Most meerkats in a group are all siblings or offspring of the alpha pair.

Weird Nature

2009-05-07T11:08:00.000+04:00

This slide show contains more photo’s than the other Weird Nature slide shows, so it might take a bit longer to upload.

But all the photo’s in this slide show contains descriptions of the animals in the photo’s.

Weird Nature

2009-05-05T06:45:00.000+04:00

Baby Elephants

Baby elephants are born big, standing approximately three feet (one meter) tall and weighing 200 pounds (91 kilograms) at birth. They nurse for two to three years, and are fully mature at 9 (females) to 15 (males) years of age.

Leopard Cubs

Usually solitary animals, leopard cubs live with their mothers for two years, learning how to hunt. Cubs are born in pairs and are grayish with no discernible spots.

Black Bears

Black bears are excellent climbers, scaling trees to play, hide, eat, and even hibernate.

Crocodile

Female crocs lay their eggs in clutches of 20 to 60 eggs. After the eggs have incubated for about three months, the mother opens the nest and helps her young out of their shells.

Black Bear Cubs

Black bear cubs are born in the winter, but emerge from their dens in the springtime. They are playful and curious, but always under their mother's watchful eye. A mother bear will call to her cubs when danger is present, and is fearless when defending her offspring.

Kodiak Bears

Kodiak bears are a particularly large subspecies of brown bear, endemic only to the Kodiak archipelago off the Alaska coast.

Grizzly Bear

A subspecies of the larger coastal brown bear, the grizzly bear gets its name from the grayish, or grizzled, tips of its fur.

Lesser Bird

The male lesser bird-of-paradise, like others in its genus, has beautiful plumage, which he displays to females in an elaborate courtship dance.

Princess Stephanie Bird

Also known as a paradise magpie, Princess Stephanie's birds of paradise wear striking black feathers.

Count Raggi’s Bird

The Count Raggi's bird of paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea.

Ribbon-tailed Bird

Divas of the avian world, elaborately feathered birds of paradise, like this ribbon-tailed species, practice elaborate courtship rituals.

Birdwing Butterfly

Australia’s largest butterfly, the birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus) blends into a green leaf. Female birdwings can have a wingspan of nearly 8 inches (20 centimeters).

Eighty-eight Butterfly

A neglected eighty-eight butterfly (Diaethria neglecta) in Brazil’s Pantanal displays the design of lines and dots that gave it its unusual common name.

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

Colorful gerbera daisies highlight the rich coloration of a spicebush swallowtail butterfly (Papilio troilus).

Blue Morpho Butterfly

A decorated blue morpho butterfly (Morpho sp.) rests on a leaf. The blue morpho's entire life cycle lasts just 115 days.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp

The waters of Bali, Indonesia, are home to this otherworldly creature, a peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus). The shrimp feeds by smashing open its prey until it can feed on its tissue.

Spaghetti Worm

It's easy to see how the spaghetti worm (Loimia medusa) got its name. Also called the medusa worm, the spaghetti worm has tentacles that radiate out from its tube center to capture particles of food.

Smooth Trunkfish

A smooth trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter) swims through its coral habitat off Grand Turk Island in the Caribbean. Solitary in nature, the trunkfish blows water out of its mouth to expose prey such as mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and sponges.

Hooded Nudibranchs

As if translucent spaceships in a night sky, hooded nudibranchs pulse in the waters of God's Pocket Marine Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. These sea slugs flex their bodies to swim and can reach lengths of half a foot (15 centimeters).

Goby Fish

A goby fish (Trimma okinawae) peers out of a sea anemone in the Solomon Islands. Gobies are serial sex-changers: They can go through both male and female phases.

Flamingo Tongue Sea Snail

A flamingo tongue sea snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeds from the top of a sea fan in the waters off Grand Turk Island. These predatory mollusks leave a noticeable trail of dead coral tissue in their wake.

Green and Black Nudibranch

Komodo National Park in Indonesia showcases a carnival of marine life, including this green-and-black nudibranch, seen here devouring a tunicate. The coloring of these carnivorous mollusks comes from the foods they eat.

Pygmy Seahorse

A Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) takes its place among coral polyps in Indonesian waters. At less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) tall, the seahorse's size and coloration help camouflage it within the gorgonian coral.

Emperor Shrimp and Crab on a Sea Cucumber.

Look closely at this tapestry and you'll find an emperor shrimp and a crab on a sea cucumber. In this symbiotic relationship, seen here on Fiji's Rainbow Reef, the sea cucumber offers camouflaged protection (and possibly a ride) but is not harmed by its neighbors.

Crab

A colorful crab and sea urchins make for a psychedelic scene in Clallam Bay, Washington. Marine invertebrates, sea urchins use their spines to move along the seafloor, and crabs are known to be their natural predators.

May is Black

2009-05-01T18:47:00.000+04:00

My colour choice for the month of May is Black.

Believe me it is no reflection of the emotional status that I am in, I just didn't have any more colours to choose from.

Besides, I think it came out quite nice!

Happy Birthday to me and you, Gabs

2009-04-28T07:00:00.000+04:00

Happy Birthday Gabs, lief vir jou en ek mis jou baie. Dis ons eerste verjaarsdag wat ons nie saam spandeer nie. Mwah*

Weird Nature

2009-04-22T15:45:00.000+04:00

Froghopper

The froghopper, or spittle bug, leaps into the record books as the insect world's greatest jumper. This tiny insect reaches mere 0.2 inches (6 millimeters) in length but can catapult itself up to 28 inches (70 centimeters) into the air. A human with this ability would be able to clear a 690-feet (210-meter) skyscraper.

Jumping Impala

The impala, an African antelope with long, slender legs and muscular thighs, also gets high marks for its leaping abilities. When frightened, an impala will spring into action, bounding up to 33 feet (10 meters) and soaring some 10 feet (3 meters) in the air. This skill is apparently more than just defensive. Impalas have been observed jumping around just to amuse themselves.

Bar-tailed Godwit

In 2007, a bar-tailed godwit made the longest nonstop bird migration ever recorded. In nine days, it flew 7,145 miles (11,500 kilometers) from its breeding ground in Alaska to New Zealand without stopping for food or drink. By the end of the epic journey, the bird had lost more than 50 percent of its body weight.

Sooty Shearwater Bird

The annual journey of the sooty shearwater bird rivals that of the bar-tailed godwit. These marathon migrators traverse nearly 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers) each year, from New Zealand to the Northern Hemisphere, in search of food.

Great White Share – the longest shark migration

In 2005, a great white shark entered the record books by completing the longest shark migration ever recorded. Named Nicole by researchers, the shark made a 12,400-mile (20,000-kilometer) marathon circuit from Africa to Australia. The journey, which lasted nine months, also included the fastest return migration of any known marine animal.

Tracking systems showed that Nicole spent a lot of the time near the surface, leading some scientists to believe that sharks use celestial cues to navigate.

Sailfish

Officially the world's fastest fish, sailfish can reach speeds of 68 miles an hour (109 kilometers an hour) in short bursts. They often hunt in groups and use their quickness and impressive dorsal fins to herd schools of sardines or anchovies.

Cheetah

The cheetah, holder of the animal kingdom's land speed record, can run at more than 60 miles an hour (96 kilometers an hour) and can reach its top speed in just three seconds. These champion sprinters rely on long, muscular legs to propel their lithe bodies. But cheetahs expend a tremendous amount of energy during a chase and can only run all out for about 900 feet (274 meters).

Peregrine Falcon

The peregrine falcon holds the title of the animal kingdom's fastest flier. Using a dive-bomb hunting technique called a stoop, this raptor attacks prey—usually a pigeon or dove—at speeds of up to 200 miles an hour (322 kilometers an hour). It seizes its victim in midair with its sharp talons, then takes it to the ground to eat.

African Elephant

For thousands of years, humans have utilized the brute strength of African and Asian elephants for everything from war to transportation. An elephant's trunk alone contains around 100,000 muscles and can lift up to 600 pounds (270 kilograms).

Rhinoceros Beetle

Compared to an elephant, the rhinoceros beetle looks miniscule. But ounce for ounce, this insect is considered the world's strongest creature. Rhinoceros beetles, which get their name from the hornlike structure on a male's head, are capable of carrying up to 850 times their own body weight. A human with this relative strength would be able to lift some 65 tons (59 metric tons).

Atlantic Puffin

Atlantic puffins spend most of their lives at sea, but return to land to form breeding colonies during spring and summer.

Arctic Skuas

Arctic skuas, also called parasitic jaegers, have a well-earned reputation as avian pirates, stealing much of their food from other birds.

Arctic Hares

Shortened ears and thick, white fur are among the physical traits that arctic hares have adapted to survive in the harsh, frozen tundra.

Narwhal Calf

A newborn narwhal calf is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) long and can weigh 175 to 220 pounds (79 to 100 kilograms). Narwhals are normally found in pods of two to ten.

Snowy Owl

The snowy owl's beautiful white plumage helps to hide it in its Arctic habitat. Only the males are completely white. Chicks are dark and spotted, while the females are white with spots on their wings.
Galapagos Tortoise

The largest of the tortoises, the endangered Galápagos tortoise is incredibly long-lived. One captive tortoise lived over 150 years.

Blue Footed Booby

Not just attractive physical features, the blue feet of this booby can be used to cover its chicks and keep them warm.

Red Footed Booby

Smallest of the boobies, the red-foot feeds at sea, nests on the ground, and perches in coastal trees.

Marine Inguanas

Found only on the Galápagos Islands, marine iguanas often wear distinctive white "wigs" of salt expelled from glands near their noses.

Aircraft Hijackings Since 2000

2009-04-19T18:44:00.001+04:00

2000: Ariana Afghan Airlines Boeing 727 is hijacked on an internal flight within Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and ended up at London Stansted Airport, where most of the passengers claimed political asylum.

2000: Philippine Airlines Flight 812 was hijacked en route from Davao City, Philippines to Manila. The hijacker parachuted from the aircraft while still airborne; his body was later found.

2001: September 11 attacks, eastern USA: 19 terrorists hijacked American Airlines flights 11 and 77, and United Airlines flights 93 and 175. The four heavily-fuelled aircraft were used as missiles to attack targets of economic, military, and political significance in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Two of the planes, UA175 and AA11 were crashed into New York City's twin World Trade Center towers, destroying the entire complex and killing about 3,000 people. In Washington, D.C. AA77 was crashed into the Pentagon, causing massive destruction and many deaths; an attack on the Capitol was averted when passengers intervened and UA93 crashed into a field, although all those on the aircraft perished.

This marked a landmark in hijacking: the first successful hijacking where the intention was to destroy the aircraft and passengers, and use the fuelled aircraft as a missile to destroy ground targets, rather than to achieve political and publicity goals. It also marked a landmark in responses to the threat of hijacking: until then the recommended response was for the crew to obey the hijackers' demands so as to safeguard the passengers and buy time; after this the policy was more about preventing access to the cockpit and pilots, and aggressive responses. From this time air passengers worldwide were prohibited from having anything remotely like a bladed weapon in the passenger cabin: scissors, tweezers, nailfiles, etc.

2006: Turkish Airlines Flight 1476, flying from Tirana to Istanbul, was hijacked in Greek airspace. The aircraft, with 107 passengers and six crew on board, transmitted two coded hijack signals which were picked up by the Greek air force; the flight was intercepted by military aircraft and landed safely at Brindisi, Italy.

2007: an Aeroflot Airbus A320 flying from Moscow to Geneva was hijacked by a drunk man in Prague and there released crew and passengers after he was arrested by the Czech Republic.

2007: an Air West Boeing 737 was hijacked over Sudan, but landed safely at N'Djamena, Chad.

2007: an Air Mauritanie Boeing 737 flying from Nouakchott to Las Palmas with 87 passengers on board was hijacked by a man who wanted to fly to Paris, but the plane landed in an air base near Las Palmas and the hijacker, a Moroccan, was arrested.

2007: an Atlasjet MD-80 en route from Nicosia to Istanbul was hijacked by two Arab students, who said they were Al Qaeda operatives, one trained in Afghanistan, and wanted to go to Tehran, Iran. The plane landed in Antalya, the passengers escaped and the hijackers were arrested.

2008: a Sun Air Boeing 737 flying from Nyala, Darfur, in Western Sudan to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, was hijacked shortly after takeoff. The hijackers demanded to be taken to France where they reputedly wanted to gain asylum. The plane initially tried to land at Cairo but was refused permission. It subsequently touched down at Kufra, Lybia. The hijackers gave themselves up almost 24 hours after taking the plane. There were no reported casualties.

Good Morning Dubai*

2009-04-19T08:31:00.015+04:00

My friend Dominique just phoned me this morning (was still lazing in bed) with the good news that Christine will be moved from temporary accommodation to Sheikh Zayed Road. The big move is happening on the 21st and we can't wait to have her closer to us.

Since I have an off day today we might just go to Dominique's apartment and use the pool. This is the life of a cabin crew member, having too many days off and spending them inside a mall eating fast food or beside the pool or beach.

What I hate is that I get so confused with the dates, I could've sworn I had my flight to Bombay tomorrow, but I realized it's only the 19th today and my flight is on the 21st. I find myself not knowing what the date or day is when I wake up. Never mind having to think twice which continent I am on.

But so far so good with my new career with Emirates Airlines. I've had some heart stopping moments about the economic climate we are in at the moment. But it seems as though Emirates have good plans in place to stop from laying off us poor new crew members. But it's still like that little thought in the back of your head that you can't get rid off.

This is the view from the other side of Sheikh Zayed Road, from my friend Tandi's apartment. She was living in White Building but they've all been giving notice that they will be moved to new apartments, as the rental contract has come to an end. Which kind of sucks big time, considering that they will be moved to near Sharjah. But there's so many crew being moved there these days that I guess it will soon be just as populated with crew as living on Sheikh Zayed. I'm still having arguments with the accommodation apartment at Emirates about moving me into a different apartment. We are three girls living together in this apartment. The one girls is quite nice, but the other one (I'd rather not mention her name) has been a nightmare since I've moved in, and I've just about had enough. "Tot hier toe en nie verder nie". Accommodation must sigh everytime they see me walking into the department, as I don't let down. But so far no luck. It's this economic crisis, that is causing havoc with small changes within Emirates. All moves have been put on hold indefinately because the priority is to move crew from temporary hotel accommodation into permanent accommodation. Which I can understand of course, but certainly they must know how many people are left in temporary and how many apartments they have left and be able to give me a timeline to work with. Even I can think that up, but accommodation thinks I don't have two brain cells to rub together. Hopefully I'll soon be anouncing my move into a new apartment. I've requested a two bedroom apartment, three girls aren't the Powderpuff Girl mix everybody thinks.

In the meantime , while I've been on my eigth day trip we poor old building residents have managed to gain a gym in C Block, I hear it's small but everthing we need is there. I might just go over there and check it out this morning. It opens at nine, so still got a few minutes. Between all the skipping meals and then catching up on them with fast food I need to keep my body sane by at least going to the gym as often as I can. It's the least I can do.

Welcome back to Danielle in Dubai

2009-04-18T22:05:00.002+04:00

We'll it's been three months since i have put anything on the blog except the automatic postings i put on before I left South Africa.

Just had a random person add me on MSN and trying to talk to me about my blog when I realized that there are still new people reading the blog and people want new information. So I must be crazy, but I've decided to continue with the blog. Why I wanted to stop I don't know, but I seem to have a bit more time on my hands again so I guess no harm in starting with it again.

There is so much information that I would like to put down for people who are interested in starting their careers with Emirates. But considering that recruitment has stopped for the moment, I guess I'll have a bit of time before I need to get all the information on here.

Other than briefly stating that I am currently in Dubai, have finished my training and going on my seventh operational flight, the rest can wait until I've worked out in my mind exactly how to put everything on the blog.

Came back from an eight day trip this morning, so not in the best state of mind to start writing long posts.

Just wanted to say that during my first week at College I had an Asian male walk up to me as I was entering the lift asking me if I was the Danielle that had the blog and is from South Africa. I lied and denied it all. I apologize, as I was so flabergasted that anyone would recognize me from the picture on the blog and being a fan. But next time I'll stop and chat for a bit.

I guess this truly is the beginning of a new chaper...

Aircraft Hijackings

2009-04-14T16:42:00.000+04:00

Aircraft hijacking (also known as skyjacking and aircraft piracy) is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by force, either by an individual or a group.

In most cases the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers.

However, in the September 11, 2001 attacks, the hijackers flew the aircraft themselves. In one case, the official pilot hijacked the plane, when he diverted his internal Air China flight to Taiwan.

Unlike the hijacking of land vehicles or ships, skyjacking is usually not perpetrated in order to rob the cargo. Most aircraft hijackings are committed to use the passengers as hostages in an effort to obtain transportation to a given location.

A 2000 Afghan hijacking of an internal flight, diverted to Britain, successfully gained political asylum for the hijackers.

Other hijackers may hold the passengers to ransom.

The 1971 hijacking of an American plane by D. B. Cooper to gain a ransom $200,000 is one of the only unsolved hijackings in the world, another being Malaysia Airlines Flight 653.

Another common motive is publicity for some cause or grievance. Since the use of hijacked planes as suicide missiles in the September 11 attacks, hijacking is treated as a different kind of security threat — though similar usages had apparently been attempted by Samuel Byck in 1974 and on Air France Flight 8969 in 1994.

Hijackings for hostages have usually followed a pattern of negotiations between the hijackers and the authorities, followed by some form of settlement - but does not always meet with the hijackers' original demands.

If the hijackers' show no sign of surrendering, armed forces would storm the aircraft to rescue the hostages.

The first recorded aircraft hijack was on February 21, 1931, in Arequipa, Peru. Byron Rickards flying a Ford Tri-Motor was approached on the ground by armed revolutionaries. He refused to fly them anywhere and after a ten day stand-off Rickards was informed that the revolution was successful and he could go in return for giving one of their number a lift to Lima. Most hijackings have not been so farcical.

Since September 11, cockpit doors on most commercial airlines have been strengthened, and are now bullet resistant. In the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and France, air marshals have also been added to some flights to deter and thwart hijackers. In addition, some have proposed remote control systems for aircraft whereby no one on board would have control over the plane's flight. Airport security plays a major role in preventing hijackers.

Screening passengers with metal detectors and luggage with x-ray machines prevents weapons from being taken on to an aircraft, and the Israelis alone implement decompression on all luggages to check for detonation sensors.

Along with the FAA, the FBI also monitors terror suspects, and any person who is a threat to civil aviation is banned from flying.

In the case of a serious risk that an aircraft will be used for flying into a target, it may have to be shot down, killing all passengers and crew, to prevent more serious consequences.

Several states have stated that they would shoot down hijacked commercial aircraft if it can be assumed that the hijackers intend to use the aircraft in a 9/11-style attack, despite killing innocent passengers onboard. According to reports, US fighter pilots have been training to shoot down hijacked commercial airliners should it become necessary. Other countries such as Poland and India have enacted laws or decrees that allow the shooting down of hijacked planes.

In a widely regarded decision by the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, in February 2006, it struck down a law - "Luftsicherheitsgesetz" or "Air security law" - claiming such preventive measures were unconstitutional and would essentially be state-sponsored murder, even if such an act would save many more lives on the ground. The main reasoning behind this decision was that the state would be effectively taking the lives of innocent hostages in order to avoid a terrorist attack. The Court also ruled that the Minister of Defense is constitutionally not entitled to act in terrorism matters, as this is the duty of the state and federal police forces.

Weird Nature

2009-04-06T18:41:00.000+04:00

April must be Purple

2009-04-01T10:00:00.000+04:00

April is the month of our birthday. So I've decided to make this month my favourite colour, purple. This will be the first birthday ever that Gabrielle and I are not together.

Ek hoop jy het 'n wonderlike dag Gabs en ek is baie lief vir jou. Sal die hele dag aan jou dink en hoop dis die laaste verjaarsdag wat ons nie saam spandeer nie.

Enjoy the pictures.

l

Weird Nature

2009-03-25T18:39:00.000+04:00

Purple Engagement Rings

2009-03-23T07:15:00.000+04:00

Muslim Religion

2009-03-19T08:15:00.000+04:00

Muslims believe that Islam existed long before Muhammad and that the religion had evolved with time from the time of Adam until the time of Muhammad and was completed.

The Qur'an describes many Biblical prophets and messengers as Muslim: Adam, Noah, Moses and Jesus and his apostles. The Qur'an states that these men were Muslims because they submitted to God, preached his message and upheld his values.

Muslims consider making ritual prayer five times a day a religious duty, these five prayers are known as fajr, dhuhr, ˤasr, maghrib and ˤishā'. There is also a special Friday prayer called jumuˤah. Currently, the number of Muslims is estimated to be between 1.25 and 1.84 billion.

Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, God's final prophet, through the angel Gabriel, and regard the Qur'an and the Sunnah (words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.

Islamic tradition holds that Jews and Christians distorted the revelations God gave to these prophets by either altering the text, introducing a false interpretation, or both.

Muslims consider the Qur'an to be the literal word of God; it is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe that the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to Muhammad by God through the angel Gabriel on many occasions between 610 and his death on June 8, 632. The Qur'an was reportedly written down by Muhammad's companions while he was alive, although the prime method of transmission was orally.

Belief in angels is crucial to the faith of Islam. The Arabic word for angel means "messenger". According to the Qur'an, angels do not possess free will, and worship God in perfect obedience. Angels' duties include communicating revelations from God, glorifying God, recording every person's actions, and taking a person's soul at the time of death. They are also thought to intercede on man's behalf.

Muhammad (c. 570 – June 8, 632) was an Arab religious, political, and military leader who founded the religion of Islam as a historical phenomenon. Muslims view him not as the creator of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original, uncorrupted monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham and others.

In Muslim tradition, Muhammad is viewed as the last and the greatest in a series of prophets — as the man closest to perfection, the possessor of all virtues. For the last 23 years of his life, beginning at age 40, Muhammad reported receiving revelations from God. The content of these revelations, known as the Qur'an, was memorized and recorded by his companions.

Many practices fall in the category of Islamic etiquette. This includes greeting others with "as-salamu `alaykum" ("peace be unto you"), saying bismillah ("in the name of God") before meals, and using only the right hand for eating and drinking.

Islamic hygienic practices mainly fall into the category of personal cleanliness and health, such as the circumcision of male offspring. Islamic burial rituals include saying the Salat al-Janazah ("funeral prayer") over the bathed and enshrouded dead body, and burying it in a grave.

Muslims, like Jews, are restricted in their diet, and prohibited foods include pig products, blood, carrion, and alcohol. All meat must come from a herbivorous animal slaughtered in the name of God by a Muslim, Jew, or Christian, with the exception of game that one has hunted or fished for oneself. Food permissible for Muslims is known as halal food.

A mosque is a place of worship for Muslims, who often refer to it by its Arabic name, masjid. The word mosque in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated to Islamic worship, although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, privately owned mosque and the larger, "collective" mosque. Although the primary purpose of the mosque is to serve as a place of prayer, it is also important to the Muslim community as a place to meet and study. Modern mosques have evolved greatly from the early designs of the 7th century, and contain a variety of architectural elements such as minarets.

D. B. Cooper

2009-03-16T11:10:00.001+04:00

D. B. Cooper is the name attributed to a man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the United States on November 24, 1971, received US$200,000 in ransom, and parachuted from the plane. He was never apprehended.

The name he used to board the plane was Dan Cooper, but through a later press miscommunication, he became known as "D. B. Cooper". Despite hundreds of leads through the years, no conclusive evidence has surfaced regarding Cooper's true identity or whereabouts, and the bulk of the money has never been recovered. Several theories offer competing explanations of what happened after his famed jump, which the FBI believes he did not survive.

Cooper was described as being in his mid-forties, and between 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and 6 feet (1.83 m) tall. He wore a black raincoat, loafers, a dark suit, a neatly pressed white collared shirt, a black necktie, black sunglasses and a mother of pearl tie pin. Cooper sat in the back of the plane in seat 18C.

After the jet had taken off from Portland, he handed a note to a young flight attendant named Florence Schaffner, who was seated in a jumpseat attached to the aft stair door, situated directly behind and to the left of Cooper's seat. She thought he was giving her his phone number, so she slipped it, unopened, into her pocket. Cooper leaned closer and said, "Miss, you'd better look at that note. I have a bomb." In the envelope was a note that read: "I have a bomb in my briefcase. I will use it if necessary. I want you to sit next to me. You are being hijacked."

The note also provided demands for $200,000, in unmarked $20 bills, and two sets of parachutes—two main back chutes and two emergency chest chutes. The note carried instructions ordering the items to be delivered to the plane when it landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; if the demands were not met, he would blow up the plane.

When the flight attendant informed the cockpit about Cooper and the note, the pilot, William Scott, contacted Seattle-Tacoma air traffic control, who contacted Seattle police and the FBI. The FBI contacted Northwest Airlines president Donald Nyrop, who instructed Scott to cooperate with the hijacker. Scott instructed Schaffner to go back and sit next to Cooper, and ascertain if the bomb was in fact real. Sensing this, Cooper opened his briefcase momentarily; long enough for Schaffner to see red cylinders, a large battery, and wires, convincing her the bomb was real. He instructed her to tell the pilot not to land until the money and parachutes Cooper had requested were ready at Seattle-Tacoma. She went back to the cockpit to relay Cooper's instructions.

Following Cooper's demands, the jet was put into a holding pattern over Puget Sound, while Cooper's demands for $200,000 and four parachutes were met. In assembling the cash demands, FBI agents followed Cooper's instruction for unmarked bills, but they decided to give bills printed mostly in 1969 (although some were older or newer), that mostly had serial numbers beginning with the letter L, issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The agents also ran all of the 10,000 $20 bills quickly through a Recordak device to create a microfilm photograph of each bill and thus record all the serial numbers. Authorities initially intended to obtain military-issue parachutes from McChord Air Force Base, but Cooper said he wanted civilian parachutes, which had manually operated ripcords. Seattle police were able to find Cooper's preferred parachutes at a local skydiving school. Meanwhile, Cooper sat in the airplane, drinking bourbon whiskey and soda.

Tina Mucklow, a flight attendant who spent the most time with the hijacker, remarked Cooper "seemed rather nice," and thoughtful enough to request the crew be brought meals after the jet landed in Seattle.

At the time Cooper jumped, the plane was flying through a heavy rainstorm, with no light source coming from the ground due to cloud coverage.

After communicating with Captain Scott, it was determined Cooper was gone, and FBI agents boarded the plane to search for any evidence left behind. They recovered a number of fingerprints (which may or may not have belonged to Cooper), a tie and a mother of pearl tie clip, and two of the four parachutes. Cooper was nowhere to be found, nor was his briefcase, the money, the moneybag, or the two remaining parachutes.

The individuals with whom Cooper had interacted on board the plane and while he was on the ground were interrogated to compile a composite sketch; those interviewed all gave nearly identical descriptions of him, leading the FBI to create the sketch that has been used on wanted posters ever since, where Dan Cooper is described as being of Latin appearance. As of 2008, the FBI maintains that the sketch is an accurate likeness of Cooper because so many individuals, interviewed simultaneously in separate locations, gave nearly identical descriptions.

D.B. Cooper Leads

In late 1978, a hunter walking just a few flying minutes north of Cooper's project drop zone found a placard with instructions on how to lower the aft stairs of a 727. The placard was from the rear stairway of the plane from which Cooper jumped.

On February 10, 1980, Brian Ingram, then eight years old, was with his family on a picnic when he found $5,880 in decaying bills (a total of 294 $20 bills), still bundled in rubber bands, approximately 40 feet (12 m) from the waterline and just 2 inches (5 cm) below the surface, on the banks of the Columbia River 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Vancouver, Washington. After comparing the serial numbers with those from the ransom given to Cooper almost nine years earlier, it was proven that the money found by Ingram was part of the ransom given to Cooper.

Ingram's discovery of the $5,880 reinforced the FBI's belief that Cooper probably did not survive the jump; in large part because of the unlikelihood that such a criminal would be willing to leave behind any of the loot for which he had risked his life. Ingram was eventually allowed to keep $2,860 of this money. On June 13, 2008, in accordance with Ingram's wishes, the Heritage Auction Galleries' Americana Memorabilia Grand Format Auction in Dallas, Texas sold fifteen of the bills to various buyers for a total of more than $37,000. As of 2008, the rest of the money remains unrecovered. The serial numbers of all 9,998 $20 bills that the hijacker was given were databased and placed in a search engine for public search.

D. B. Cooper Suspects

In 1971, mass-murderer John List was considered a suspect in the Cooper hijacking, which occurred only fifteen days after he had killed his family in Westfield, New Jersey. List's age, facial features, and build were similar to those described for the mysterious skyjacker. FBI agent Ralph Himmelsbach stated that List was a "viable suspect" in the case. Cooper parachuted from the hijacked airliner with $200,000, the same amount List had used up from his mother's bank account in the days before the killing. After his capture and imprisonment in 1989, List strenuously denied being Cooper, and the FBI no longer considered him a suspect. List died in prison custody on March 21, 2008.

On April 7, 1972, four months after Cooper's hijacking, Richard McCoy, Jr., under the alias "James Johnson," boarded United Airlines Flight 855 during a stopover in Denver, Colorado, and gave the flight steward an envelope labeled "Hijack Instructions," in which he demanded four parachutes and $500,000. He also instructed the pilot to land at San Francisco International Airport and order a refueling truck for the plane. The airplane was a Boeing 727 with aft stairs, which McCoy used in his escape. He was carrying a paper weight grenade and an empty pistol. He left his handwritten message on the plane, along with his fingerprints on a magazine he had been reading, which the FBI later used to establish positive identification.

Police began investigating McCoy following a tip from Utah Highway Patrolman Robert Van Ieperen, who was a friend of McCoy's.

Apparently, after the Cooper hijacking, McCoy had made a reference that Cooper should have asked for $500,000, instead of $200,000. Van Ieperen thought that was an odd coincidence, so he alerted the FBI. Married and with two young children, McCoy was a Mormon Sunday school teacher studying law enforcement at Brigham Young University. He had a record as a Vietnam veteran and was a former helicopter pilot, and an avid skydiver.

On April 9, following the fingerprint and handwriting match, McCoy was arrested for the United 855 hijacking. Coincidentally, McCoy had been on National Guard duty flying one of the helicopters involved in the search for the hijacker. Inside his house FBI agents found a jumpsuit and a duffel bag filled with $499,970 in cash. McCoy claimed innocence, but was convicted and received a 45-year sentence. Once incarcerated, using his access to the prison's dental office, McCoy fashioned a fake handgun out of dental paste. He and a crew of convicts escaped in August 1974 by stealing a garbage truck and crashing it through the prison's main gate. It took three months before the FBI located McCoy in Virginia. McCoy shot at the FBI agents, and agent Nicholas O'Hara fired back with a shotgun, killing him.

In July 2000, U.S. News & World Report ran an article about a widow in Pace, Florida, named Jo Weber and her claim that her late husband, Duane L. Weber (born 1924 in Ohio), had told her "I'm Dan Cooper" before his death on March 28, 1995. She became suspicious and began checking into his background. Weber had served in the Army during World War II and had later served time in a prison near the Portland airport. Weber recalled that her husband had once had a nightmare where he talked in his sleep about jumping from a plane and said something about leaving his fingerprints on the aft stairs. Jo recalled that shortly before Duane's death, he had revealed to her that an old knee injury of his had been incurred by "jumping out of a plane."
Weber also recounts a 1979 vacation the couple took to Seattle, "a sentimental journey," Duane told Jo, with a visit to the Columbia River. She remembers how Duane walked down to the banks of the Columbia by himself just four months before the portion of Cooper's cash was found in the same area. Weber related that she had checked out a book on the Cooper case from the local library and saw notations in it that matched her husband's handwriting. She began corresponding with Himmelsbach, the former chief investigator of the case, who subsequently agreed that much of the circumstantial evidence surrounding Weber fit the hijacker's profile. However, the FBI stopped investigating Weber in July 1998 because of a lack of hard evidence. The FBI compared Weber's prints with those processed from the hijacked plane and found no matches. In October 2007, the FBI stated that a partial DNA sample taken from the tie that Cooper had left on the plane did not belong to Weber.

Weird Nature

2009-03-09T10:00:00.000+04:00

March is White

2009-03-01T10:00:00.000+04:00

My colour pick for the month of March is definately white! This might not make sense to most of you coming from the Northern hemisphere. But for us from South Africa, this is the beginning of winter as everything is bare. Maybe brown would've been a better coulor, but that is not something that I would but on the blog and expect everyone to enjoy.

Weird Nature

2009-02-28T10:00:00.000+04:00

Pikelets with Strawberries and Sweetheart Butter

2009-02-26T10:02:00.003+04:00

Ingredients (serves 4)
250g punnet strawberries
75g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g caster sugar
1 egg, whisked
100ml milk
2 tbs unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to brush
Sweetheart butter*
250g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbs good-quality strawberry jam

Method
To make the sweetheart butter, place the butter and jam in a bowl and mix until well combined (alternatively process in a food processor). On a clean flat surface, roll the butter into a sausage shape, then wrap in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to seal. Freeze for at least 1 hour until very firm. Just before serving the pikelets, take the butter out of the freezer and use a sharp knife to slice the butter into 1cm rounds (you can keep the plastic wrap on, then peel it once sliced). Use a heart-shaped cutter* to cut each round into a heart shape. (This recipe will make more butter than you need, so just slice what you need, then place the remainder back in the freezer. It will keep for up to 2-3 months.)

Halve the strawberries lengthways, then set aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in the sugar, then egg. Whisk in the milk, making sure there are no lumps, then stir in the melted butter. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat (to test the heat, sprinkle pan with a little flour; if it browns straight away it is too hot). Brush the pan with a little butter and drop 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan spaced slightly apart. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip over and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining mixture. Serve warm with the sweetheart butter and strawberries.

Notes & tips
* The sweetheart butter works just as well with different flavoured jams or finely chopped fresh fruit.

* Heart-shaped cutters are available from good kitchenware stores.

Engagement Rings

2009-02-23T10:00:00.000+04:00

Dubai Construction

2009-02-19T09:55:00.003+04:00

Dubai is the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates. It has 41 buildings that stand taller than 180 meters (591 ft). The tallest building in Dubai is the 68-storey Almas Tower, which rises 363 meters (1,191 ft) in height. It is currently topped out, and is scheduled to be completed in late 2008. The tallest completed building in Dubai is the Emirates Office Tower, which rises 54 stories and 355 meters (1,163 ft) along Sheikh Zayed Road. It is currently the 15th-tallest building in the world. Another notable Dubai skyscraper is the Burj Al Arab, which stands as the fourth-tallest building in the city and the tallest all-hotel building in the world. The skyscrapers of Dubai are, for the most part, clustered in two different locations. The land along Sheikh Zayed Road was the first to develop, followed by the Dubai Marina neighborhood.

The history of skyscrapers in Dubai began with the construction of the 149-metre (489 ft) Dubai World Trade Centre in 1979, which is regarded to be the first skyscraper in the city. At the time of its completion, it also stood as the tallest building in the Middle East. Since 1999, and especially from 2005 onwards, Dubai has been on an extremely large skyscraper building boom, with all 28 of its buildings over 200 meters (656 ft) tall completed after 1999. Dubai currently has 390 completed high-rises, but that number will increase greatly in the near future. With 313 high-rises currently under construction, and 445 approved high-rises, Dubai's skyline is rapidly growing. In addition, Dubai is expected to be the site of more buildings with 100 floors or more than any other city in the world by 2015.

The largest and most famous construction project currently taking place in Dubai is the Burj Dubai, which began construction in 2004. The building, set to rise at least 162 stories and 818 meters (2,684 ft), became the tallest free-standing structure on land in the world in September 2007, surpassing the 553-metre (1,815 ft) CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. The building also surpassed the height of Taipei 101, the current tallest building in the world, in July 2007. However, as only completed structures are measured as buildings, Burj Dubai will not officially gain the title of tallest building in the world until its completion in 2009. In April 2008, Burj Dubai became the tallest man-made structure in the world, surpassing the KVLY-TV mast in Blanchard, North Dakota, United States. On May 19, 2008 it surpassed the height of the now-destroyed Warsaw radio mast in Konstantynów, Gąbin, Poland, becoming the tallest man-made structure in history at 649.7 meters (2,131 ft). The proposed Nakheel Tower is another extremely tall development planned for construction in Dubai. Set to rise at least 1,400 meters (4,593 ft) in height, this building would surpass the Burj Dubai to become the tallest structure in the world if constructed.

My favorite building that is currently under construction is the Dubai Towers Dubai. Dubai Towers Dubai is a four tower complex proposed in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The developer, Sama Dubai, intends this to form the centerpiece of The Lagoons, a megaproject located on Dubai Creek which will consist of seven islands. The towers have between 57 to 94 stories and although the heights are not known, it is believed the tallest will top 400 meters (1,310 ft) while two others will rise beyond 300 meters (980 ft).

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T08:00:00.002+04:00

In honour of Valentines Day I made a collage of photo's that contain something red. Enjoy!

Passionfruit Champagne Cocktails

2009-02-13T15:53:00.002+04:00

Preparation Time
5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
Angostura Aromatic Bitters, to taste
6 sugar cubes
1 x 750ml btl chilled sparkling wine
2 passionfruit, halved, pulp removed

Method
Place 5 drops of bitters, or to taste, in bases of 6 glasses. Place a sugar cube in each glass and pour over the sparkling wine. Add the passionfruit pulp and serve.

Raspberry Heart Tarts

2009-02-11T21:47:00.002+04:00

Preparation Time
30 minutes
Cooking Time
15 minutes

Makes
24

Ingredients
300g (2 cups) plain flour
100g (1 cup) hazelnut meal
80g (1/2 cup) icing sugar mixture
175g butter, chilled, cubed
80ml (1/3 cup) iced water
240g (2 punnets) raspberries
1 egg white, lightly whisked
2 tsp caster sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place flour, hazelnut meal, icing sugar mixture and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add iced water and process briefly until mixture just comes together. Add more water if required.

Turn pastry onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Shape into a disc and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Divide pastry into 4 equal portions. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll 1 portion until about 3mm thick. Use a 7cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 12 discs from the pastry. Line 12 non-stick patty pans with the discs. Repeat with second pastry portion to line 12 more patty pans. Divide raspberries evenly among pastry cases.

Roll third pastry portion until about 3mm thick. Use a 6.5cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 12 discs. Use a 2.5cm heart-shaped pastry cutter to cut a hole in the centre of each disc. Repeat with remaining pastry portion to make 12 more discs. Place a disc on each pie and press edges to seal. Brush tops with a little whisked egg white. Place sugar in a fine sieve and sprinkle over tarts.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes & tips
To thaw stand at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for 2 hours. To freeze wrap individual tarts in plastic wrap or place in single layers between sheets of non-stick baking paper in an airtight container. Label, date and freeze.

Weird Nature

2009-02-09T10:00:00.000+04:00

Wikipedia

2009-02-08T08:00:00.002+04:00

I know I’ve mentioned Wikipedia quite a few times in my previous posts. So I thought I’d do a post dedicated to Wikipedia to try and increase their donations to keep running for free in 2010.
Whenever I need information on a specific subject or I’m curious to learn something new, I always use Wikipedia. It’s one of the best resource sites available.

Wikipedia is a multilingual, Web-based, free-content encyclopedia project. The name "Wikipedia" is a portmanteau (a combination of portions of two words and their meanings) of the words wiki (a type of collaborative Web site) and encyclopedia. Wikipedia's articles provide links to guide the user to related pages with additional information.

Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world; anyone can edit it. Since its creation in 2001, Wikipedia has grown rapidly into one of the largest reference Web sites, attracting at least 684 million visitors yearly by 2008. There are more than 75,000 active contributors working on more than 10,000,000 articles in more than 260 languages. As of today, there are 2,685,303 articles in English. Every day, hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world collectively make tens of thousands of edits and create thousands of new articles to augment the knowledge held by the Wikipedia encyclopedia.

Visitors do not need specialized qualifications to contribute, since their primary role is to write articles that cover existing knowledge. This means that people of all ages and cultural and social backgrounds can write Wikipedia articles. Most of the articles can be edited by anyone with access to the Internet, simply by clicking the edit this page link. Anyone is welcome to add information, cross-references, or citations, as long as they do so within Wikipedia's editing policies and to an appropriate standard. Substandard or disputed information is subject to removal. Users need not worry about accidentally damaging Wikipedia when adding or improving information, as other editors are always around to advise or correct obvious errors, and Wikipedia's software is carefully designed to allow easy reversal of editorial mistakes.
Because Wikipedia is an ongoing work to which, in principle, anybody can contribute, it differs from a paper-based reference source in important ways. In particular, older articles tend to be more comprehensive and balanced, while newer articles more frequently contain significant misinformation, unencyclopedic content, or vandalism. Users need to be aware of this to obtain valid information and avoid misinformation that has been recently added and not yet removed. However, unlike a paper reference source, Wikipedia is continually updated, with the creation or updating of articles on topical events within seconds, minutes, or hours, rather than months or years for printed encyclopedias.

Broken Heart Chocolate Pudding with Mocha Sauce

2009-02-06T11:00:00.002+04:00

Ingredients (serves 6)
300g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
200g unsalted butter
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60g) almond meal
3 tbs plain flour, sifted
1 tbs cocoa powder, sifted
100g white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (125ml) strong espresso coffee

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease six 1-cup (250ml) dariole moulds and line a tray with baking paper.

Place 200g of the dark chocolate and the butter in a saucepan and stir over low heat until melted. Cool slightly.

Use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup (110g) sugar until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate mixture, almond meal, flour and cocoa, and fold with a metal spoon until combined.

In a separate bowl, use a clean electric mixer to beat eggwhites to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (55g) sugar, beating until firm peaks form. Fold a little of the eggwhite through the chocolate mixture to lighten, then gently fold through the remaining eggwhite until combined.

Divide mixture among the prepared moulds, place in a baking dish and pour enough boiling water into the dish to reach halfway up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.

Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure bowl doesn't touch the water). Using a palette knife, spread chocolate thinly (about 2mm) over prepared tray, then chill for 10 minutes or until firm. Use a small heart-shaped cutter to cut six shapes from chocolate. Chill until ready to serve.

Place remaining dark chocolate and coffee in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensure bowl doesn't touch water). Stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is well combined.
Invert puddings onto plates. Pour over sauce and top with chocolate hearts, which will melt onto the hot puddings.

Endangered Animals 2

2009-02-04T08:30:00.002+04:00

The Fishing Cat has changed category from Vulnerable to Endangered because of the severe decline throughout much of its Asian range over the last decade. It is a medium sized cat and a skilful swimmer, found mainly in wetland habitats such as swamps, oxbow lakes, reed beds, tidal creeks and mangrove areas. Over 45 per cent of protected wetlands in Southeast Asia are considered threatened, including those that are home to this species.

The Caspian Seal has moved from Vulnerable to Endangered. It occurs throughout the Caspian Sea, using the winter ice sheets as a surface on which to give birth and nurse pups. Its population has declined by 90 percent over the last 100 years due to unsustainable levels of commercial hunting, habitat degradation and pollution; it is still decreasing. Since 2005 the number of pups born has plummeted by a catastrophic 60 percent to just 6,000-7,000.

The Black-footed Ferret from North America is no longer Extinct in the Wild after a massive effort to reintroduce captive animals back to parts of its range. The species is highly dependent on prairie dogs as its food-source; the widespread extermination of prairie dogs throughout the 20th century, and the spread of disease, caused massive declines in the Black-footed Ferret population.

The African Elephant occurs in some 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and are found in dense forest, open and closed savannah, grassland and, at considerably lower densities, even in the arid deserts of Namibia and Mali. Poaching for ivory and meat has traditionally been the major threat to the species. Across the continent, the total population is believed to have suffered a decline of approximately 25% between 1979 and 2007, which falls short of the 30% threshold required for a Vulnerable listing. As such, the African Elephant has been down-listed from the Vulnerable category to Near Threatened.

The Grey-Faced Sengi is a newly discovered species of elephant-shrew from Tanzania. The species is listed as Vulnerable because it is known from only two areas, which are prone to fires caused by drought and by humans from the expanding settlements nearby. It belongs to a group of mammals called Afrotheria that evolved in Africa over 100 million years ago and whose relatives include elephants, sea cows, and the Aardvark.

The Fergusson Island Striped Possum is found on only one of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands (Fergusson Island), Papua New Guinea. The species is not well known, but it is thought to be restricted to primary tropical moist forest areas between 600 and 1,000 m altitude. Its presumed restricted range and reliance on a habitat that is under threat from expanding agriculture has resulted in this possum being assessed as Endangered.

The Indri is an endangered primate from Madagascar. It is threatened by the ongoing loss of rainforest habitat to supply fuel and timber and to make way for slash-and-burn agriculture. Hunting of the Indri was considered taboo by many local people (and still is in some areas), but such beliefs are breaking down in many regions and hunting pressure (for skins, which were worn as clothing, and meat) is now quite significant in some areas. It is estimated that the population has declined by more than 50% over the last 36 years.

The Tasmanian Devil is now a threatened species, moving from Least Concern to Endangered. The size of a small dog and found only on the Australian island state of Tasmania, the devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world. The global population of this species has declined by more than 60 percent over the last 10 years due to a fatal infectious cancer. Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD), is spread amongst Tasmanian Devils through biting and from sharing the same food. Once infected, the animal develops tumours around the mouth, which interferes with feeding and eventually leads to death by starvation.

The Iberian Lynx has a total population of only 84–143 adults, restricted to areas of Spain and Portugal, qualifying the species as Critically Endangered. The continued decline in the Lynx's population is due in part to the severe depletion of its primary prey, the European Rabbit.

Pere David's Deer is Extinct in the Wild. Known in Chinese as Milu, their English name is derived from the French missionary Father Armand David. The last wild population is thought to have been eaten by troops during the Boxer Revolution at the turn of the 19th century.

The Mallee Emuwren is an Endangered Australian species that is undergoing a very rapid population decline.

Kirtland's Warbler is a species that currently is showing improvement in its Red List status. This species has very specific breeding habitat requirements, which restricts its breeding range to a small area in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, United States. Between 1961 and 1971, counts of singing male warblers declined by over 50%, and this prompted a suite of conservation measures to be put in place to stabilize the population.

The Slender-billed Vulture was once a common species, but in Southeast Asia it declined through the latter half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century; it is now listed as Critically Endangered.

The Cuban Crocodile is a freshwater crocodile renowned for its leaping ability, which allows it to prey on forest dwelling mammals. Relatively small in size, it is also thought to be one of the more intelligent crocodiles. It has changed status from Endangered to Critically Endangered because of population declines caused by illicit hunting. Its meat is used in restaurants and its skin for clothing.

The Radiated Tortoise is endemic to Madagascar and in 2008 its Red List status moved from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. Historically this species has been quite abundant, often being found along roadways and has served as symbol of Madagascar's south.

The Ploughshare Tortoise was uplisted from Endangered to Critically Endangered in 2008. This species has a very small range, occurring only around Baly Bay in northwestern Madagascar. The total wild population is estimated at about 600 individuals and is declining

Holdridge's Toad is a rainforest amphibian species from Costa Rica that was declared Extinct in 2008.

The Black-eared Mantella occurs in several fragmented localities in east-central Madagascar covering a small area south of Fierenana.

The European Eel has suffered serious population declines and in 2008 it was declared a Critically Endangered species. Since the early 1980s, there has been a decline of 90% in the recruitment of juvenile eels, and in 2001 recruitment was only 1-2% of the pre-1980 level.

The Rameshwaram Parachute Spider is a species of Indian tarantula assessed for the first time in 2008 and listed as Critically Endangered. Found only on the island of Rameshwaram and nearby mainland, the spider occurs in an area less than 100 km2, of which perhaps 6 km2 are occupied by this species.

The Peacock Parachute Tarantula is a very rare, Critically Endangered spider known from a single location in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India.

The Purple Marsh Crab from upper Guinea, West Africa was almost completely unknown to science until recently. Despite a single specimen discovered in 1947, the first living crabs were only collected in 2005 from a small group living in holes in waterlogged farmland.

The Tree Hole Crab was originally known from a single specimen collected in Liberia in 1898, and was not collected again for 90 years until it was rediscovered in 1988.

Chocolate Figs

2009-02-02T11:00:00.001+04:00

Cooking Time
10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbs milk
2 tbs mascarpone
100g good-quality milk cooking chocolate, finely chopped
6 figs, halved

Method
Combine the milk and mascarpone in a small saucepan over low heat and cook for 1 minute or until heated through and combined. Add the chocolate and cook, stirring with a metal spoon, for 1 minute or until the chocolate melts (see microwave tip). Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Divide figs among serving bowls and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes & tips

Microwave tip: Place the milk, mascarpone and chocolate in a small heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Heat, uncovered, on Medium/500watts/50%, stirring every minute, for 2-3 minutes or until melted and smooth.

Leftovers: use the marscapone in ham, cheese & chive pasta bakes and sweet polenta cakes with mascapone. use the chocolate in cakes and puddings.

Prep: 10 mins (+10 mins cooling time)

Roast Duck with Red Wine Poached Pears

2009-02-01T09:00:00.002+04:00

Preparation Time
20 - 85 minutes

Cooking Time
40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2)
2 large pears, peeled
500ml (2 cups) red wine (such as merlot)
250ml (1 cup) water
60ml (1/4 cup) creme de cassis (see note)
2 tbs caster sugar
1 x 7cm cinnamon stick
2 (175g each) duck breast fillets, skin on, excess fat trimmed
Sea salt flakes
125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Use a small knife to remove the base of each pear so they sit upright.
Combine the wine, water, cassis, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Add pears and cook, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside for 1 hour to cool.

Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to score the skin of each duck breast at 1cm intervals. Rub the duck with sea salt flakes and set aside for 15 minutes to develop flavours. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the duck, skin-side down, and cook for 5 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Bake in oven for 10 minutes for medium or until cooked to your liking.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a bowl, reserving 125ml (1/2 cup) of the poaching liquid. Place 2 teaspoons of liquid from the dish used to cook the duck in a saucepan. Add the stock, vinegar and reserved poaching liquid. Bring to the boil over high heat. Boil for 3-5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add pears and cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Thickly slice the duck across the grain and divide among serving plates. Serve with the pears and sauce.

Notes & tips
You can prepare this recipe to the end of step 2 up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Continue from step 3 up to 1 hour before serving.

Note: Creme de cassis is a blackcurrant liqueur.

Sweet and Sticky Asian Chicken

2009-01-31T07:00:00.000+04:00

Preparation Time
8 minutes

Cooking Time
20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbs char siu sauce (Chinese barbeque sauce)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs water
1 large BBQ chicken, cut into serving size pieces
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
2 green onion, sliced on the diagonal

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix together char siu sauce, sesame oil and water in a small bowl. Microwave on High for 30 seconds and stir until sauce is smooth and runny.

Place chicken pieces on a large, flat baking tray and brush with sauce to coat both sides. Bake for 5 minutes, baste chicken with more sauce and bake another 5 minutes. Repeat basting and bake for a further 10 minutes, until skin is crisp and sauce sticky.

Sprinkle with chopped coriander and green onion and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Starting my training

2009-01-29T08:00:00.001+04:00

Today I am officially starting my training with Emirates to become a Flight Attendant. Wish me luck!

Thai Glazed T-Bone

2009-01-27T09:00:00.000+04:00

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 T-bone steaks
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
3 Lebanese cucumbers
1 cup coriander leaves
1 1/3 cups jasmine rice, cooked, to serve

Method
Place steaks into a ceramic dish. Combine sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, sugar and 2 tablespoons of lime juice in a bowl. Pour over steaks. Turn to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a potato peeler, peel cucumbers lengthways to form ribbons. Place into a bowl. Add coriander leaves and remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Toss until well combined. Cover. Set aside.

Preheat a barbecue plate or frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook steaks, basting with marinade, for 4 minutes each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Serve with rice and cucumber salad.

I'm going to miss the cold... An Iceberg tribute

2009-01-24T10:00:00.002+04:00

I've presceduled this post. So I guess I should already be in Dubai when this post goes up. This will officially be my first day in Dubai. I know that it is winter in Dubai at the moment, but it definately won't compare to the winter we have in Bloemfontein.

I'm going to miss the cold winters we have. I'm not really a fan of the heat, but I hear there are aircons in the buildings and our apartments. So that is definately a bonus.

Just to get the chills going when the heat gets too much in Dubai, I chose some amazing pictures of icebergs. Thanks to global warming we might not get the chance to see them in person. Enjoy!

Goodbye Bloemfontein!!!

2009-01-23T07:00:00.000+04:00

I think I might miss the Bloemfontein winters, so in honour I collected quite a few pictures of some amazing icebergs. Enjoy!

Goodbye

2009-01-22T07:00:00.001+04:00

Bye Jaco, ek gaan jou mis! Ek wens dinge kon anders gewees het!

Oldest Living Woman

2009-01-21T08:00:00.002+04:00

I stumbled upon this remarkable article about the world’s oldest living woman. She passed away a while back. But it is absolutely fascinating...

Jeanne Louise Calment (21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997) was a French woman with the longest confirmed lifespan in history at age 122 years 164 days (44,724 days in total).

Calment was born in Arles and lived there for all of her life. Her father, Nicolas, was a shipbuilder, and her mother, Marguerite, was from a family of millers. Her close family members also lived to an advanced age: her older brother, François, lived to the age of 97, her father to 93, and her mother to 86. In 1896, at the age of 21, she married her second cousin (grandson of her great-uncle) Fernand Calment, a wealthy store owner. His wealth made it possible for Calment never to have to work; instead she led a relaxed lifestyle, pursuing hobbies like tennis, cycling, swimming, rollerskating, piano and opera.

Her husband died in 1942 after eating a dessert prepared with spoiled cherries. She had one daughter, Yvonne, who was born in 1898, and a grandson, Frédéric, born in 1926. She outlived her daughter, who died at age 36 in 1934 from pneumonia. Frédéric became a doctor, and Calment outlived him as well after he died in 1963 due to a motorcycle accident.

In 1965, aged 90, with no living heirs, Jeanne Calment signed a deal to sell her former apartment to lawyer André-François Raffray, on a contingency contract. Raffray, then aged 47, agreed to pay her a monthly sum of 2,500 francs until she died, an agreement sometimes called a "reverse mortgage". Raffray ended up paying Calment more than the equivalent of $180,000, which was more than double the apartment's value. After Raffray's death from cancer at the age of 77, in 1995, his widow continued the payments until Calment's death.

Calment's remarkable health presaged her later record. At age 85, she took up fencing, and at 100, she was still riding a bicycle. She gave up smoking only five years before her death. Jeanne lived on her own until shortly before her 110th birthday, when it was decided that she needed to be moved to a nursing home. However, Jeanne was still in good shape, and was able to walk until a fall at age 114 years and 11 months, which required surgery. She reportedly attributed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and nearly 2 pounds of chocolate eaten every week.

Let it never be said again that we are too old to start something new and neither that it is ever wrong to have another bite of chocolate. This truly is a fascinating story.

It’s also interesting to note that out of the top 10 oldest living people verified in the world, nine are women. The only male that was included is Shigechiyo Izumi and the legality of his claim could not be determined. He claimed that he was 120 years old, but it is more likely that he was only 105 years old. He also holds the record for the longest working career of 98 years. Which is a bit strange to me, considering he must have been 7 years old when he started working.

My only tip is to keep your birth certificate safe.

Emirates Destinations

2009-01-17T07:30:00.000+04:00

This list took me forever to get completed. There are only about 86 countries listed below, so somewhere I missed a few countries, so this post will definately be updated as soon as I know more.

The list also includes the airport codes, which I've been informed when are suppose to learn during training. I'll let you know how the memorization goes.

Abidjan (ABJ)
Accra (ACC)
Addis Ababa (ADD)
Ahmedabad (AMD)
Amman (AMM)
Athens (ATH)
Auckland (AKL)
Bahrain (BAH)
Bangalore (BLR)
Bangkok (BKK)
Beijing (PEK)
Beirut (BEY)
Birmingham (BHX)
Brisbane (BNE)
Cairo (CAI)
Cape Town (CPT)
Casablanca (CMN)
Chennai (MAA)
Cochin (COK)
Colombo (CMB)
Cristchurch (CHC)
Damascus (DAM)
Damman (DMM)
Dar Es Salaam (DAR)
Delhi (DEL)
Dhaka (DAC)
Doha (DOH)
Dubai (DXB)
Dusseldorf (DUS)
Entebbe (EBB)
Frankfurt (FRA)
Glasgow (GLA)
Guangzhou (CAN)
Hamburg (HAM)
Hong Kong (HKG)
Houston (IAH)
Hyderabad (HYD)
Islamabad (ISB)
Istanbul (IST)
Jakarta (CGK)
Jeddah (JED)
Johannesburg (JHB)
Karachi (KHI)
Khartoum (KRT)
Kolkata (CCU)
Kozhikode (CCJ)
Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Kuwait City (KWI)
Lagos (LOS)
Lahore (LHE)
Larnaca (LCA)
London (LON)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Male (MLE)
Malta (MLA)
Manchester (MAN)
Manila (MNL)
Mauritius (MRU)
Melbourne (MEL)
Milan (MXP)
Moscow (DME)
Mumbai (BOM)
Munich (MUC)
Muscat (MCT)
Nagoya (NGO)
Nairobi (NBO)
New York (NYC)
Newcastle (NCL)
Nice (NCE)
Osaka (KIX)
Paris (CDG)
Perth (PER)
Peshawar (PEW)
Riyadh (RUH)
Rome (FCO)
San Francisco (SFO)
Sanaa (SAH)
Sao Paulo (GRU)
Seoul (ICN)
Seychelles (SEZ)
Shanghai (PVG)
Singapore (SIN)
Sydney (SYD)
Thiruvananthapuram (TRV)
Toronto (YYZ)
Tripoli (TIP)
Tunis (TUN)
Vienna (VCE)
Zurich (ZRH)

Chicken BLT Salad

2009-01-16T09:00:00.001+04:00

Cooking Time
15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
Olive oil spray
500g single chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally
4 lean bacon rashers, excess fat trimmed, cut into thirds
1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated, washed, dried
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
1/2 avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, thinly sliced
80ml (1/3 cup) low-fat caesar salad dressing

Method
Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray to lightly grease. Heat over medium-high heat.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Thickly slice the chicken across the grain.

Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until crisp.

Divide the lettuce, tomato, avocado, chicken and bacon among serving bowls. Drizzle over the dressing.

Serve immediately.

Weird Nature

2009-01-15T10:00:00.000+04:00

I've mentioned before in some of my older posts, that we have a wonderful group called Weird Nature on Facebook.

In the slide show above are just a few of the pictures that are available on Weird Nature. The purpose of the group is to learn more about animals. Go and check them out.

I've managed to gather quite a few more slide shows of similar pictures. Personally this one is the worse of them all. So keep checking in for better and more amazing photo's.

Crisp Wanton Peach Stacks

2009-01-13T10:05:00.002+04:00

Cooking Time
20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
750ml (3 cups) vegetable oil
12 flour wonton wrappers
1 x 250g ctn mascarpone
100g spreadable cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ripe peaches, peeled, stones removed, each peach cut into 8 wedges
1 x 120g punnet raspberries, crushed
55g (1/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
Place the oil in a large saucepan. Heat to 190°C over high heat (when oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden brown in 10 seconds). Add 3 wonton wrappers and cook for 1 minute or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining wonton wrappers, reheating oil between batches.

Place the mascarpone, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Place a wonton wrapper on each plate. Top with a dollop of mascarpone mixture, half the peaches and half the crushed raspberries. Top with the remaining wonton wrappers, mascarpone mixture, peaches and crushed raspberries.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle wonton stacks with sugar mixture and serve immediately.

Wedding Cakes

2009-01-12T10:00:00.001+04:00

I’m back onto the wedding fever again. But I’ve got to be honest. I’ve added some nice pictures of wedding cakes for prospective brides. But who really still eats the wedding cake at the wedding? To all the weddings I’ve been to these last two years, I never once had wedding cake. There’s always the alternative of cupcakes or baked treats. So is it really worth paying the money for a cake that no one eats?

I know it’s traditional to take a picture when the bride cuts the cake. But as of late it’s not this wow moment anymore. Sometimes you just seem to notice the bride and groom standing near a wall cutting the cake, with the photographer. I honestly think the tradition is fading and its wiser to spend the wedding cake money on something else.

Mango and Lime Sorbet

2009-01-10T10:00:00.004+04:00

Preparation Time
5 - 25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 x 300g pkt frozen mango pieces
1 1/2 tbs fresh lime juice
250ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice
60ml (1/4 cup) passionfruit pulp

Method
Place the mango, lime juice and orange juice in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is smooth.

Transfer the mango mixture to an airtight container. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes or until firm.

Use an ice-cream scoop to scoop the sorbet into serving glasses. Drizzle over the passionfruit to serve.

Two weeks to go

2009-01-09T21:37:00.006+04:00

It's amazing that it's two weeks until I'll be in Dubai. I've waited for so long to get on that plane. Started counting and had to start again and now everything is in the works.

I'm having my going-away party next weekend. I'm not really one for the big parties, but it felt appropriate to have something to celebrate this milestone.

I'm a bit sad as well. Leaving my family and dogs behind. But hopefully I'll be very busy once I get there and not have much time to get home sick.

I'm starting my induction on the 25th and training on the 29th. So it's going to be a busy schedule from what I hear.

I've already said goodbye to Jaco and that's what I'm most upset about. Giving up a guy of my dreams to make another dream come true. I guess only time will tell if I made the right decision. All I know is he's the first person I'll phone once I set foot in South Africa again!!!

I wondered the other day if people ever braai in Dubai? I don't think I'll be able to last months without my 'tjoppie'. I guess I'm going to find out in two weeks.

The only hurdle I still have to get out of the way is writing my re-examination next week Thursday. I hate the fact that I got a re-examination for the first time ever. But I'm gonna suck it up and just get it over with. I'm going to start studying tomorrow morning if all goes well.

Flight Attendant Duties and Responsibilities

2009-01-09T10:00:00.001+04:00

Flight attendants or cabin crew (historically known as stewards, air hosts/hostesses, or stewardesses) are members of an aircrew employed by airlines to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers aboard commercial flights as well as on select business jet aircraft.

The first flight attendant, a steward, was reportedly a man on the German Zeppelin LZ1 Schwaben in 1911.

The primary and overriding responsibility of flight attendants is passenger safety. They are often tasked with the secondary function of seeing to the care and comfort of the passengers, insofar as this does not interfere with their safety responsibilities. They are often perceived by the flying public as waiting staff or servants because there is not a full understanding of the career, the majority of their regular and rare duties are safety related and are the priority above customer service.

The majority of a flight attendant's duties are safety related. Prior to each flight, flight attendants attend a safety briefing with the pilots & purser. During this briefing they go over safety and emergency checklists, the locations and amounts of emergency equipment and other features specific to that aircraft type. Boarding particulars are verified, such as special needs passengers, small children travelling as unaccompanied minors or VIP's. Weather conditions are discussed including anticipated turbulence. Prior to each flight a safety check is conducted to ensure all equipment such as life vests, flashlights and firefighting equipment are on board, in the right quantity, and in proper condition. Any unserviceable or missing items must be reported and rectified prior to takeoff. They must monitor the cabin for any unusual smells or situations and maintain certain precautions such as keeping doors disarmed or open during fueling on the ground. They assist with the loading of carry-on baggage, checking for weight, size and dangerous goods. They then must do a safety demonstration or monitor passengers as they watch a safety video demonstrating the safety features of the aircraft. They then must "secure the cabin" ensuring tray tables are stowed, seats are in their upright positions, armrests down and carry ons stowed correctly and seatbelts fastened prior to takeoff.

Flight attendants must conduct cabin checks every 20-30 minutes, especially during night flights to check on the passengers, and listen for any unusual noises or situations. Checks must also be done on the lavatory to ensure the smoke detector hasn't been deactivated, there are no issues with the equipment, nobody having trouble in there or smoking, and to restock supplies as needed. Regular cockpit checks must be done to ensure the pilot's health and safety. They must respond immediately to call lights dealing with special requests and smaller emergencies including a wide variety of in-flight emergencies that do happen from time to time and special requests. During turbulence crosschecks must be conducted and during severe turbulence all service equipment must also be stowed. Prior to landing all loose items, trays and garbage must be collected and secured along with service and galley equipment. All hot liquids must be disposed of. A final crosscheck must then be completed prior to landing. They must remain aware as the majority of mechanical emergencies occur during takeoff and landing. Upon landing, flight attendants must remain stationed at exits and monitor the airplane and cabin as passengers disembark the plane. They also assist any special needs passengers and small children off the airplane and escort children, while following the proper paperwork and ID process to escort them to the designated person picking them up.

Flight attendants are highly trained for a wide variety of emergencies and how to respond. More frequent situations may include a bleeding nose, illness, small injuries, intoxicated passengers, aggressive and anxiety stricken passengers. Emergency training includes rejected takeoffs, emergency landings, cardiac and in-flight medical situations, smoke in the cabin, fires, depressurization, onboard births and deaths, dangerous goods and spills in the cabin as well as land and water landings including the preparation of passengers and the cabin, the evacuation with slides or rafts and then the follow-up survival skills which include environments as open water, jungle, water, tropical and Arctic climates, along with a variety of emergency equipment.

Many regions mandate the presence of flight attendants on commercial aircraft, based on the passenger capacity of the aircraft and other factors. This mandate generally relates only to their function as safety technicians.

The main and always primary duty of a flight attendant is for safety but they do also provide a care giving and customer service role on board commercial flights. Customer service duties include the preparation and serving or selling of onboard food and beverage. Flight attendants also offer comfort items including blankets, pillows, hot towel service, handing out headsets, magazines, newspapers, amenity kits, games and on certain airlines hand out pajamas and set up and make the lie flat beds. They also distribute customs forms on international flights and assist passengers with their proper completion prior to landing.

Muslim Wedding Traditions

2009-01-08T10:00:00.002+04:00

In the Muslim world, marriage customs and traditions vary as much as the colors in a rainbow.
All retain the Islamic obligatory acts, which make a marriage valid and include other practices, which are individual to their surrounding cultures.

Here are customs from some parts of the Muslim world. Please note: not all Muslim marriage customs are necessarily in line with Islamic values.

As a tradition in the UAE, the setting of the wedding date marks the beginning of the bride's preparation for her wedding.

Although the groom is also put through a series of preparations, the bride's are more elaborate and time consuming.

She is lavished with all sorts of traditional oils and perfumes from head to toe. Traditionally, she is not seen for forty days by anyone except for family members as she rests at home in preparation for her wedding day.

During the week which precedes the wedding, traditional music, continuous singing and dancing take place, reflecting the joy shared by the bride and the groom's families.

Laylat Al Henna (literally, the night of the henna), which takes place a few days before, is very special night for the bride, since it is a ladies' night only.

On this night, the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna. The back-to-back feasts and celebrations involve both men and women who usually celebrate separately.

Muslim Customs and Etiquette

2009-01-07T19:06:00.002+04:00

As with many local customs around the world, Islam distinguishes the use of the right and left hands for a number of applications.

The left hand is primarily used for cleaning yourself, especially for cleaning the private parts after using the toilet.

The right hand is used for just about everything else - shaking hands, eating and picking up the Qur'an should only be done with the right hand - be sure to remember this!

If someone offers to shake your hand while it is dirty, don't offer to shake with your left. Simply tell them that your hand is dirty, and offer your right forearm for him / her to shake instead. Remember to only offer to shake hand with someone of the same gender as you.

With regards to writing, drawing, or any other activities, there is no preference between your left and right hands.

Always greet your fellow Muslims by saying "Assalamu Alaikum" (Peace be upon you). The proper reply to this is "Wa'laikum Salaam" (And upon you be peace).

Always say "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) before starting to do anything, especially eating or travelling.

If you sneeze, say "Alhamdulillah" (All praises and thanks to Allah). If you hear someone else sneeze, say "Ya Harmuk Allah" (May Allah be merciful to you).

Last, but definitely not least, do not say anything that associates others with Allah or may be blasphemous - for example "Jesus Christ is God!". This particular sin is known as shirk, and it is the worst sin a Muslim can commit as it goes against the very essence of Islam.

For those who are married, showing your affection to your loved one in public can cause offence. Any kind of passionate contact, such as prolonged kissing or hugging, should definitely be avoided. Milder forms of affection, such as holding hands or putting your arms around each other whilst walking, are makruh (disliked, but not forbidden). In other words, a lot of discretion needs to be taken, especially if you are in a area where other Muslims are likely to be present (i.e. near a mosque).

Hope this information will give you valuable insight when you travel to Dubai or other Muslim countries.

Endangered Animals 1

2009-01-07T19:02:00.003+04:00

Below are descriptions of each of the endangered animals that are shown in the pictures. If you move the cursor over the pictures, the name of the animal will appear at the bottom of the pictures. I hope that this might just make us a bit more aware of what we are all doing to the animals.

The Polar Bear is the world's largest land carnivore, threatened by global warming and the destruction of it's natural habitat. Projected numbers predict that the Polar Bear could be extinct within 30 years.

Native to Southeast Asia the Red Panda is classified as endangered due to a fragmentation of its natural habitats as well as being hunted for it's fur - in particular it's bushy tail.

As the largest feline species in the world the Tiger is at the top of it's game. A century ago there was thought to be over 100,000 individuals, however illegal poaching of their fur, bones and remaining body parts have reduced numbers down to just 2,500 in the wild.

The Nubian Ibex is a rocky dwelling goat antelope and found in the mountainous areas of the middle-east. Through loss of habitat, hunting and human disturbance the population is declining with an estimated count of 1,200 in 1986.

One of the more exotic turtles the Loggerhead was intensively hunted for meat, eggs and their fat. Although they are now an internationally protected species they still fall victim to fishing nets, hooks and speedboats.

Showing remarkable similarities to humans, through expression, emotion, culture and tool use it's easy to see how the chimpanzees are closely related to us. Their numbers continue to dwindle through deforestation, hunting for meat and exposure to war.

The smaller cousin of the Common Hippopotamus, the Pygmy Hippo's biggest threat is the loss of habitat- leaving less than 3,000 of these little guys in the wild.

As seen at your local pet shop. Yes, the humble Golden Hamster is close to extinction in the wild, counting them in the tens rather than the hundreds.

Possibly the most intelligent of all the crocodiles, the species has shown a number of unique qualities not seen in other crocs. Dwindling numbers from hunting and restricted habitat have made the Cuban Crocodile vulnerable to extinction.

One of the last remaining species of egg-laying mammals to walk on the earth, the Long-beaked Echidna is a precious example of how diverse life on the planet can be. Native to New Guinea, the species is threatened by hunting and human activities.

One of the largest remaining land animals in the world, the White Rhino is a critically endangered species. Poached for it's horn to the edge of extinction it's made an excellent recovery from the brink of extinction in recent years.

Once found in Egypt and Libya the habitat of the Kleinmann's Tortoise has all but been destroyed. Down to around 1,000 individuals, their situation is dire - if the loss of habitat doesn't get them then the illegal pet trade might.

Believed to be the largest animal that's ever lived, the Blue Whale can grow up to 33 metres in length and 181 metric tonnes in weight. Hunted in the first half of the century, the population reached an all time low in the 1960's plummeting to just 2000 individuals.

Your quintessential parrot. Only 120 individuals are left in the wild - indicating the future for the Blue-throated Macaw in it's native habitat is dire.

Native to central and south Asia, the Snow Leopard is a victim of the fur trade and although the population is slowly rising after an all-time low of just 1,000 individuals - the situation is still critical.

Found in the foothills of the Himalayas, the Golden Langur has long been considered sacred to the Himalayan people. With a population of about 10,000, it has a declining population that is set to continue.

First collected by Darwin himself, this canine is found on Chilo Island off the coast of Chile. Thought to be down to just 320 individuals, loss of habitat and infection of diseases are their biggest threats.

Once found plentiful on the American plains, this Bison was hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century. It was reported that up to 100,000 animals were killed each day at the height of the season.

Believed to be the first species to become extinct through global warming, the Golden Toad was only discovered in 1966.

The Red Squirrel has had a hard deal in the UK, it's population dropped through the 1970's and has continued to do so ever since. Alongside the fragmentaion of it's natural habitat, the pesky Grey Squirrel holds much of the blame to thier demise.

Muslim Women in Dubai

2009-01-03T10:00:00.000+04:00

This is a post that I had a lot of fun putting together, since I had so much interest in it. When I told some of my friends that I was going to Dubai, they had no idea what the culture of live there would be like.

Being a woman activist myself, it was important to find out how women were treated in Dubai. As Dubai is a Muslim country, I found some very useful and interesting information on Wikipedia.com. There is also a slideshow included that just shows pictures of how the women use to dress in Dubai.

The complex relationship between women and Islam is defined by both Islamic texts and the history and culture of the Muslim world. Sharia (Islamic law) provides for differences between women's and men's roles, rights, and obligations. Muslim-majority countries give women varying degrees of rights with regards to marriage, divorce, civil rights, legal status, dress code, and education.

Even where these differences are acknowledged, scholars and other commentators vary as to whether they are just and whether they are a correct interpretation of religious imperatives. Conservatives argue that differences between men and women are due to different status and responsibilities, while liberal Muslims, Muslim feminists, and others argue in favor of more progressive interpretations.

Islam gives women the right to own, which entitles them to have personal possessions. While women have no financial obligations like men, some of their financial rights are less. Women's share of inheritance, as outlined in the Qur'an, is typically less than that of men, but in some cases, women get more, depending on their placement in the family, and the existence of other heirs. Women's right to work is also disputed.

A woman, when compared with her husband, is far less burdened with any claims on her possessions. Her possessions before marriage do not transfer to her husband and she is encouraged to keep her maiden name. She has no obligation to spend on her family out of such properties or out of her income after marriage. A woman also receives a mahr (dowry), which is given to her by her husband at the time of marriage. Women are not required to provide financial support for their family under Sharia Law. Men as with women also have the right to be supported financially by their families or State.

In Islam, women are entitled the right of inheritance, but often a woman's share of inheritance is less than that of a man's. In general circumstances, Islam allows females half the inheritance share available to males who have the same degree of relation to the deceased. This difference derives from men's obligation to financially aid his parents, wife, children, and sisters, while the women's share would be entirely at her own disposal.

Women are allowed to work in Islam, subject to certain conditions, and even recommended to do so should they be in financial need. This is supported by the Quranic example of two female shepherds. Islam recognizes that the society needs women to work for the sake of development.

In general, women's right to work is subject to certain conditions: The work should not require the woman to violate Islamic law (e.g., serving alcohol), and be mindful of the woman's safety. If the work requires the woman to leave her home, she must maintain her modesty. Her work should not affect more important commitments, such as those towards her family. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the Muslim community to organize work for women, so that she can do so in a Muslim atmosphere, where her rights are respected.

The status of women's testimony in Islam is disputed. Some jurists have held that certain types of testimony by women will not be accepted. In other cases, the testimony of two women can equal that of one man ( although Quran says 2 women and 2 male are needed but if a male cannot find another male he may carry this testimony out himself). The reason for this disparity has been explained in various manners, including women's lack of intelligence, women's temperament and sphere of interest, and sparing women from the burden of testifying. In other areas, women's testimony may be accepted on an equal basis with men's.

Islamic criminal jurisprudence does not discriminate between genders in punishments for crimes. In case of sexual crimes such as zina (extramarital sex), for both men and women four witnesses are required to testify that they have seen the accused individuals having intercourse, in the eyes of the islamic law if the woman commits zina and as a result becomes pregnant she cannot be tried for zina if four witnesses are not available. The punishment for zina varies depending on the marital status of the guilty individuals. If they are single then both get a hundred lashes. If they are married the punishment is death, by stoning, or rajam. The difficulty of prosecuting rapists and the possibility of prosecution for women who allege rape has been of special interest to activists for Muslim women's rights. In the past decades there have been several high profile cases of pregnant women prosecuted for zina who claim to have been raped.
The overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars believe that there is no punishment for a woman coerced into having sex. According to a Sunni hadith, the punishment for committing rape is death, there is no sin on the victim, nor is there any worldly punishment ascribed to her. However, the stringent requirements for proof of rape under some interpretations of Islamic law, combined with cultural attitudes regarding rape in some parts of the Muslim world, result in few rape cases being reported; even the cases brought forward typically result in minimal punishment for offenders or severe punishment for victims. It can be difficult to seek punishment against rapists, because a zina case cannot be brought without four witnesses. Most scholars, however, treat rape instead as hiraba (disorder in the land), which does not require four witnesses. The form of punishment and interpretation of Islamic law in this case is highly dependent on the legislation of the nation in question, and/or of the judge.

According to law professor Noah Feldman in the New York Times, Islam "condemns the vigilante-style honor killings that still occur in some Middle Eastern countries." So-called honor killings (murders, nearly exclusively of women, of persons who are perceived as having brought dishonor to their families) are often identified with Islam. The hadith refer to a case where Mohammed sanctions the stoning of adulterous women. Honor killings are sanctioned in Iran's and Afghanistan's penal codes in which honor killing is legal or lightly punished. Honor killings are more common in Muslim-majority countries, though they occur in other countries as well. Many Muslim scholars and commentators say that honor killings are a cultural practice which is neither exclusive to, nor universal within, the Islamic world.

Some of my personal pictures

2009-01-02T12:53:00.004+04:00

I felt like adding a bit of personality to the blog and decided to put up a few pictures that I had available on the work computer.

There's details added to the pictures! I've added a lot of pictures of our animals that we have. I'm going to have to leave my children behind. I guess I was feeling a bit nostalgic when I chose the pictures for the slide show.

Books of 2008

2009-01-02T12:37:00.004+04:00

I've put together a list of the books I read during 2008. Some of them were exceptionally good books. One of my new years resolutions is to top the amount of books I read in 2008.

1. Adele Geras – Made in Heaven
2. Andrea Young – No Gentleman
3. Bryce Courtenay – Brother Fish
4. Bryce Courtenay – Four Fires
5. Bryce courtenay – Persimmon Tree
6. Bryce Courtenay – Tommo and Hawk
7. Colleen McCullough – Angel
8. Colleen McCullough – On, Off
9. Danielle Steel – Sisters
10. Francine Rivers – Leota’s Garden
11. Francine Rivers – Redeeming Love
12. Francine Rivers – The Scarlet Thread
13. Heather Graham – Picture Me Dead
14. James Patterson – Sunday’s at Tiffany’s
15. Jodi Picoult – Change of Heart
16. Jodi Picoult – Perfect Match
17. Josephine Cox – The Beachcomber
18. Kate Furnivall – The Russian Concubine
19. Mari Roberts – Fasade van die Hart
20. Mary Alice Monroe – The Secrets we Keep
21. Meave Binchy – Quentins
22. Meave Binchy – Scarlet Feather
23. Meave Binchy – The Glass Lake
24. Santa Montefiore – The Swallow and the Hummingbird
25. Virginia Andrews – Gates of Paradise
26. Virginia Andrews – Web of Dreams
27. Wilbur Smith – The Quest

The only book that I would throw out of the collection, is definately James Patterson's book. It was more suitable for children who still believe in imagenary friends.

January must be Yellow

2009-01-01T10:00:00.000+04:00

I've decided to start something new. Seeing how much I like thing to change, I decided to pick a colour for every month that I am overseas. I'm going to try to keep it going. I associate my feelings with the month, what colour I think it should be or the seasons we have in South Africa. You'll see a nice collection of the colours for the specific month. As I've mentioned before, I got the pictures from Getty Images, go to their site, there's some wonderful stuff there. So, with no further ado, January must be Yellow!

Emirates Airlines

2008-12-31T10:00:00.000+04:00

Emirates Airline (shortened form: Emirates) is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2007 the airline was the eighth-largest airline in the world in terms of international passengers carried, and fifth-largest.

Emirates is one of only five airlines to operate an all wide-body aircraft fleet. Emirates will have 122 Boeing 777s in its fleet by 2011 making it the single largest aircraft type in fleet, and 58 Airbus A380s by 2012. The airline also hopes to have over 120 Airbus A350's in its fleet by 2016. The airline expects to have over 200 aircraft in its fleet by 2013. Current orders suggest that Emirates will have over 500 aircraft in their fleet by 2021.

Emirates became the second operator of the Airbus A380 when their first aircraft was delivered on 28 July 2008. It is now in operation on the Dubai to New York JFK and Dubai to London Heathrow routes.

The airline was established on 25 May 1985 by the Dubai government. It started operations with flights to Karachi and Mumbai followed by Delhi in September. Two Airbus A300 and Boeing 737-300 were leased from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Subsequently two Boeing 727-200 Advanced were acquired from the UAE's Royal Flight. These aircraft were used until Emirates began taking delivery of a fleet of newly built Airbus A300-600R and Airbus A310-300 wide-body aircraft. The first European destination to be added in July 1987 was London Gatwick and Far Eastern operations commenced to Singapore in June 1990. Emirates acquired a financial stake of 43.6% and a management contract for Air Lanka on 1 April 1998, which subsequently changed its name to SriLankan Airlines. In January 2008, Emirates announced that it will pass the management of SriLankan Airlines to the Sri Lankan government in April 2008. There are no plans to remove or decrease the stake in the airline.

Emirates Airline is wholly owned by the Government of Dubai and has 35,000 employees.
Emirates flies to over 100 destinations in 56 countries on six continents from its primary hub in Dubai. It has a strong presence in the Southeast Asian region, which together, connects Dubai with more international destinations in the region than any other Middle Eastern airline. The airline also flies the Kangaroo Route. Emirates does not offer any domestic service within the United Arab Emirates.

While Emirates does not maintain sizable hubs elsewhere, it has taken advantage of liberal bilateral aviation agreements between Dubai and Australia, and with Singapore, to offer more onward connections from Sydney and Dubai.

Emirates Flight Catering Company has over 4,800 employees and provides in-flight catering and support services for airlines at Dubai International Airport.

A catering facility dedicated to the production of airline meals for Emirates Airlines opened in March 2007. The facility has a capacity of 115,000 meal trays per day.

The company provided 22.3 million airline meals in 2006, and will produce over 24 million meals in 2007. The daily average meal uplift is 115,000.

Emirates, which hopes to take delivery of 58 Airbus A380 has invested Dh73 million ($20 million) to expand its crew training facility at the Emirates Aviation College in Dubai. To serve its expanding operations the airline has been hiring new cabin crew at a rate of 90 per week, due to rise to 120 per week as larger aircraft, especially the A380s, join the fleet. By 2011, Emirates expects to have more than 17,000 cabin crew on its payroll.

Emirates Flight Classes

2008-12-30T18:34:00.003+04:00

Considering how much time I've had the last few weeks at work. I came across a few articles about Emirates on Wikipedia.com. It's an amazing encyclopedia that is free. If there is anything you would like to know, just go there.

This is where I found the three pictures of what the different flight classes on Emirates aeroplanes looks like. So enjoy as there are only three. When you move your mouse over the pictures they will stop and might have a description that I've added to the bottom.

Happy Christmas

2008-12-25T07:00:00.000+04:00

A Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year to everyone.

Stupid Pyzam templates

2008-12-15T19:33:00.001+04:00

I've just realized that it is absolutely useless using different templates. I'm a person that is used to change and I like to change the blog template every few weeks, cause I get bored with it. But it jams my whole blog and it just doesn't want to work then.

So from now on, it's going to have to be plain jane I'm afraid.

If anyone has any tips, please feel free to share.

Almost holiday!

2008-12-15T18:39:00.003+04:00

I hate my work at the moment. To be honest, I don't have any work to do at the moment and it is extremely frustrating.

The good news is that it is 39 days until I get on the airplane to Dubai. I can't wait anymore. I've been waiting six months to get on the plane.

The sad news is that I got a re-examination for one of my subjects, for the first time in my life. I'm writing the subject on the 15th of January, I'm so dissapointed. But I was feeling ill when I wrote and I decided to take a chance, otherwise I would in any case be writing the subject in January.

Well, Friday is finally holiday and I can't wait anymore. Gym, twice a day, spend time with my dogs and my Mom and rest and read and eat and watch tv. Basically just doing nothing. I can't wait.

If anybody is interested in the images that I posted of the pictures. Most of the images I got from Getty's Images on the web. They have some amazing pictures. I have some scheduled posts coming up that will include quite a lot of pictures. Just in case you were wondering, the slide shows are currently just my way of cutting time on uploading pictures, as my blog is still blocked at work. But I'm able to upload the photo's to slide.com. Let me know what you think of the slide shows and if they work well.

Just something for a good laugh! I need it.

2008-12-05T19:12:00.002+04:00

Wedding Dresses Extravaganza

2008-12-05T18:50:00.003+04:00

I had no choice to to upload these fabulous dresses for up-and-coming brides to be. I saved the best dresses for last. The last dress is my abosulte favourite!!!

Counting the days

2008-12-05T18:15:00.009+04:00

It's 49 days until I take my eight hour flight from Johannesburg to Dubai. In terms of days left at work it feels like an eternity. But I've started getting butterflies in my stomach for the actual getting on the plane and going to a foreign country part. Marese, one of the girls I met at my Johannesburg interviews, flew to Dubai today. I'm hoping to get some tips from her on the first few weeks in training. Will meet up with her soon. I'm constantly changing the blog at the moment. Still deciding and getting a feel for what I actually like. I got an email from Jeanne, that is currently working with me about the strangest buildings from all over the world. I found it fascinating, but only decided to post the nicest ones.

Ripley's Building in Ontario, Canada.

The Crooked House in Sopot, Poland.

Wonderworks Building in Pigeon Forge, United States

Wooden Gangster House, Archangelshi, Russia.

Exam blues

2008-11-12T11:42:00.010+04:00

This is the perfect example of what happens when you leave your diary at the office... you're not sure what time you are writing exams!!! Luckily nothing major happened. I was at the Varsity by 9 0'clock this morning. Just to find out that I'm not writing at half past ten, but at half past eleven. So, I carted myself off to the library for some much needed time with my blog, just to find out that my cap has run out here as well. This is unbelievable. The best advice I have for bloggsters, is to not upload any pictures, that's what is eating my cap at the Varsity and at work. Well I don't really care about the work's cap, just as long as it's not blocked anymore when I'm back in the office tomorrow.

Yes, it's sad to say, but it's back to work again tomorrow. I've been out of the office since last week Thursday. Not that I'm sad about it. The people at work are starting to drive me crazy and the atmosphere in the office is so stiffling. Can't wait to tell them all to shove it where the sun don't shine.

I've been racking my brain about when to resign. Truth be told, I'll need as much money as I can put my hands on, so that's why so much thought is going into it. But I've finally made a decision. I'll only resign in January, cause my bosses where stupid enough to state a two weeks notice period during the first YEAR of employment. So, I can resign on the 16th of January and be in Dubai a week later. I kind of wish that my joining date was earlier than January, but I prayed about it a lot, and whoola! God gave me the 23th so I'll just have to suck it up.

The whole thing about joining Emirates that gets one down, is the waiting. From the moment you apply online, right through you interview, medicals and final approval, it's a major waiting game. If told people this before, if I didn't make it into Emirates the first time, I definately wouldn't put myself through the application process again. It would be like 'waiting suicide'.

But in about 74 days I'll be able to tell everyone whether it was worth it or not. The excitement of going to Dubai is overwhelming. I can't wait to get on that plane for eight hours and say hello to my future.

There is of course the initial six month probation period that one needs to get through. But so far I haven't heard of anyone sent back home because they didn't perform. My mom is a bit scared of how long I'll be staying in Dubai. To be honest, I'm not sure how long I'll be going away. There is nothing except my family and dogs keeping me in South Africa. The work in South Africa is okay, but definately nothing I want to keep doing for the rest of my life. That's for sure. There's got to be more to life than South Africa. Getting up and going to work, coming home, going to the gym, have a shower, eat and go to bed, just to do it all again tomorrow. No thank you. Then I'll definately look for greener pastures in Dubai.

There are so many things I still need to get done before I leave. At least I'm now sure of the date of joining. If only I can get the exams over, I'll have more time to get everything done, such as:

Getting all the details of the accounts and study loans I still need to finish paying off.
Getting a new sim card to use when I arrive in Dubai.
Worst of all, only being able to pack 32kg, I'll need to pack everything and get it weighted somewhere.
Getting my testament and funeral requests signed by witnesses.
Getting rid of my current medical aid and pensioen fund.
Shoot, getting my last inoculation, I think it's for Hepatitus.
I still have to get all those photo's taken for Emirates, something with a blue background??
Buying all my toiletries, getting perscriptions for my medications.
Get some sort of sharing deal with my twin sis about who is going to get what clothes, that's going to be a nightmare!!
Making sure my dogs are taken care off, get Paul a summer cut, etc.
Going to my Dad and saying goodbye.
Most important is having a massive going away party!! Whoop - whoop!

Well that's all I can think of now. But it's a long list.

Luckily, where having one of my girlfriend's kitchen tea on Friday. Can't wait, sure it's going to be lots of fun.

Emirates... here I come!!!

2008-11-10T12:15:00.002+04:00

It's official. I'll be in Dubai on the 23rd of January 2009. My journey is about to begin...

Emirates Cabin Crew Destinations

2008-11-07T13:44:00.019+04:00

Magic!! It seems that the template background I was using from pYzam.com was screwing with my navigation bar. So no funny backgrounds until I've been able to sort this out.

Now for some serious picture uploads. Thank goodness the Varsity is very generous in giving us 30megs for free every months. Except that it's exceptionally cold in here today. I've got goosebumps all over. But I'm not complaining, my blog is working again!

Like I mentioned in my previous post I've been doing some research on all the destinations that Emirates flies to and I was able to choose just one picture for each country. So in no particular order...

Blogger Problems

2008-11-07T13:20:00.000+04:00

I seem to be experiencing some problems with my blog. I think I accidentally flagged my own blog and now I'm unable to post new posts with pictures and everything is just buggered. As soon as everything is sorted, everything will be back to normal. Can't wait!

I'm going to Dubai

2008-11-06T20:27:00.002+04:00

Let me just start by saying how irritated I am with my boss. He cut off our internet access for two days last week. After he allowed us to have internet access once again, because we obviously need it to do research, he had certain sites blocked. Of course Facebook, that I can survive without. But then he banned the blogspot site so I am not unable to access my blog from work.

I am sitting in the wonderful library on campus and someone's feet is really smelling sour. I'm just not able to see who's it is. Damn him, making me come to the varsity at six in the evening.

But I needed to update my blog and change some of the labels on the posts.

I am proud to say that I now have five followers, still small but at least there is some progress.

I downloaded over a 100 pictures of all the destinations that Emirates flies to, so everyone can see all the amazing destinations I might be going to.

But that is not the reason for the new post today. This morning I received the sweet and promising email that I now have my final approval and should resign from my current company. I am so relieved, it felt like I was waiting forever. Which in fact has been two months.

There was a bit of a snag with my medicals, because of some medication that I was on. And it took forever to get it sorter, more medical reports and clearances. If anyone is on any type of medication, send me a post for some private advice. It was really hectic.

The relief I felt this morning, was absolutely amazing. I even started to apply for other jobs about a week ago, just in case the whole Dubai dream didn't work out. I was really starting to feel desparate. Luckily I prayed really hard last night and my prayers were answered, I received the emails this morning.

The only problem now is that they want me to join earlier than the initial joining date. There's always a snag with my application. If I ever arrive in Dubai it will be a miracle. My date of joining is actually 24 January, but in the emails I was requested to join either 14 November or 14 December. 14 November is out of the question as I am still writing exams until the 22nd. But it might mean going on the 14th of December.

I would've like to have been home for Christmas and last year was really hard on my whole family, we want through a rough time. But if push comes to shove, I'll fly the 14th of December and make the best of it.

Well I'll definately have to make another stop at the Varsity, to upload some more non-essential, funny information.

My first bid (if I understand the process correctly) is definately going to be for Seychelles and Mauritius. Sun, see and cocktails, I desperately need a vacation. I can't wait to go to Dubai, to just let the whole adverture begin. I've waited six months, since I send my application in over the internet. This has been a long and hard journey. Hopefully it'll all be worth it in the end.

Deira compared to Dubai

2008-10-28T17:33:00.003+04:00

It's difficult to get any less bling than walking out of your hotel, turning the corner and stumbling across 15 men slaughtering a cow.

The stricken beast lies on the floor, its throat cut, as the customers chugging away on their hookah pipes in the local cafe look on nonchalantly.

Deira, it's fair to say, is the part of Dubai that doesn't make the tourist brochures.
The wealthy Emirate has carefully crafted a reputation for ostentatious opulence. But, contrary to popular belief, there is more to it than seven star hotels, mega-skyscrapers and giant shopping malls.

Dubai is often portrayed as lacking history, soul and character, but beyond the towering skyline of Sheikh Zayed Road and the Jumeirah beach resorts, such attributes are there to be found.
Deira is very much Old Dubai. On the eastern side of Dubai Creek, it is firmly detached from where the big money is on display. The streets are full of mobile phone shops, Indian-run grocery stores, cheap Lebanese eateries and grubby internet cafes full of underpaid guest workers phoning home.

The souks - even the Gold Souk and its world-leading array of jewellery shops - have a proper ramshackle feel here. The roads are chaotic, with people ambling along the middle in groups or making death-defying chicken runs across the major carriageways.

Crowds gather willy-nilly to watch police cars and there's hardly an Emirati or Westerner in sight.

This is where Dubai's many immigrants and imported labourers live and spend their money whilst not slaving away on construction sites. To stroll around gives a fascinating insight into the other side of Dubai - just mind the cow blood.

If Deira is bustling, then Dubai Creek is positively chaotic. The city grew up as a trading hub - surprisingly little of Dubai's modern-day prosperity is due to oil revenue - and it was this waterway where the merchant ships came in.

This is not the case today - huge port facilities have been built to take the big ships but you wouldn't know it at first glance.

The Dhow Wharfage, on the Deira side of the creek near the souks, is where the defiantly old-school shipping happens. Lined up on the water's edge is box after box of goodies, be they spices or production-line vacuum cleaners.

All are waiting to be loaded onto the dhows, then taken elsewhere in the Gulf. Quite how they'll get there is another matter - these big wooden boats look one extra dose of rot away from an ignominious end on the seabed.

Weaving around the dhows, crunching into the jetties and shunting each other unceremoniously are the abras. There are seemingly hundreds of these miniature ferries darting across the creek at any one time, and how there's not a serious accident every 10 minutes is difficult to fathom.
Each one departs when it has enough passengers, taking a dodgem approach until it gets to open water. The driver collects the one dirham (approx $A0.30) fare then smashes into the wharf on the other side a few minutes later.

Passengers have to leap off while the abra is vaguely close to the decking, hoping it's not going to bounce away again before they get the chance. You don't get that sort of thrill ride in a taxi, that's for sure.

On the other side of the creek is Bur Dubai, the other traditional area of the city. It's a little more spruced up and touristy than Deira, but it still has an air of authenticity. The market stalls pushing perfumes or Hindu beads are refreshingly non-blingy, while little laneways trapped between the temple and the mosque can turn into a massive human scrum as the worshippers pour out.

It's also the area in which to get a sense of Dubai's history. It didn't quite spring from nowhere in the 1970s, although growth under the Makhtoum dynasty in the last 40 years has been astonishing.

Next to the Grand Mosque is the Al-Fahaidi Fort, which is thought to be the oldest building in Dubai and dates to around 1800. Constructed out of gypsum and coral rock, it has that traditional sand-blown desert battlement look, with the lookout towers lurching up in competition with the city's minarets.

Inside the fort is the Dubai Museum, an impressive 3D romp through the Emirates past. Amongst all the Bedouin weaponry and videos of traditional dancing, visitors learn that archaeological digs have shown that the area has hosted fairly advanced civilisation for 5,000 years.

Indeed, an Italian explorer dropped by in 1580 to find a prosperous pearling community.

IF YOU GO:

Top food: Outside the top restaurants, food is dirt cheap. The best value comes in the Lebanese restaurants and shawarma shops. Mixed grills come with enough bread to feed a small nation and enormous salads that include whole lettuces and cucumbers.

Top freebie: The Heritage and Diving Villages at the top end of the Dubai Creek have fascinating displays about the traditional ways of life, as well as numerous demonstrations of local artforms. Go in the evening and there's everything from sword dances and weaving to camel rides and rifle-throwing contests.

Top beach: The main beaches are along the Jumeirah strip with the hotels, but arguably the best are right in the far east of the Emirate, right by the border with Sharjah. The Al-Mamzar Park has a series of gorgeous sandy stretches, and feels totally detached from the big spending frenzy.

Bride who had stomach stapled, died

2008-10-28T17:21:00.006+04:00

A bride desperate to be slim for her wedding day died of starvation after stomach stapling surgery went wrong. Emma Favell, 32, paid a Belgian clinic �7,000 to carry out the radical procedure and within six months her weight dropped from 23 stones to 15 stones. By the time she married in March, she weighed around eight-and-a-half stones and was able to slip into a size 8 wedding dress.

But an inquest has heard how a mistake in the operation meant she was not able to give her body the nutrition she needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle and she died a month later. South Staffordshire Coroner's Court was told that Mrs Favell had suffered years of depression over her size.

The nurse, from Burton upon Trent, spent months researching the treatment before picking out a Sint Blasius clinic in Belgium, where the procedure is carried out for half the 14,000 price tag in the UK. During stomach stapling, surgeons usually close off some of the patient's small intestine, leaving a smaller area where food and gastric juices can mix. T

his gives them the sensation of being full after eating a smaller meal than normal. The inquest heard that in Mrs Favell's case, surgeon Jacques Himpens had left only a 30cm (11.8in) length of small intestine free instead of the recommended 75cm (29in). Pathologist Manuel Sotres said this was "not enough to ingest enough food to keep someone alive".

Six months after the June 2005 operation, Mrs Favell began to fell unwell and went for blood tests at her GP's surgery. But doctors failed to identify the cause of her illness and she became progressively weakerFollowing her wedding to administrator Daniel, 27, in March this year the couple honeymooned in Mexico.

By then Mrs Favell was so weak she had to be carried upstairs each night. She was admitted to Queen's Hospital in Burton on April 12, where staff monitored her and took blood tests. But no attempt was made to reverse the stomach stapling and Mrs Favell died on April 30. Coroner Andrew Haigh recorded a verdict of accidental death, but said the operation was partly to blame. He said Mrs Favell's death was due to multi-organ failure, protein malnutrition and malabsorption due to weight-loss surgery.

After the hearing, her mother Catherine McGee said: "We could see her fading away and absolutely nobody was doing anything for her. It was like they'd washed their hands of her because she'd opted to have this surgery carried out overseas. "Emma was very big and she'd tried all sorts of diets, but the weight just would not come off and she was very down about her size, really depressed. "She was desperate to be thin and planning to get married, which is why she was willing to go this far to get down to her ideal weight." South Staffordshire PCT, which is responsible for GP services in Burton, declined to comment.

Famine in the World - Shocking

2008-10-28T17:05:00.005+04:00

Every Tuesday night, I give a Sunday school class to grade 8's in a girl school. I always try to teach them something that they can take with them for the week and I try to leave some small footprint of God in their hearts.

When I look at the photo's below I want to scream to the world that we need to do something. This is happening right under our noses. While we are driving new cars, going home for a full plate of food, toning my body in the gym and going to the movies and parties over the weekend.

Some of these kids have most probably never even experience the normal life of a child. How can we allow this to go on. We can't ignore it, we now know what is happening. People are starving and dying every single day and we throw our left overs away.

Even if we just realise what is going on and are thanful for everything that we have. It is a start. We should really be grateful for what we've got. Sometimes the words sound so empty, and judgemental. But even when things are going as bad as they possibly can, we can still go on, we still have hope.

But it's a different story, for the people in the pictures. We can all begin to complain when we are in their positions. Let us all be grateful and thank the Lord for what we have.

The impossible, is possible for God. It is in these dire situations, that there will always be a person that still praises the Lord that they are alive and all the he is giving them. That is the example we need to follow.

Photo's that shocked the world: we should be grateful

2008-10-28T16:17:00.009+04:00

The photo is the “Pulitzer Prize” winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine.The picture depicts stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away.
The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat him. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter wholeft the place as soon as the photograph was taken.
Three months later he committed suicide due to depression.

June 11, 1963, Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam, burned himself to death at a busy intersection in downtown Saigon to bring attention to the repressive policies of the Catholic Diem regime that controlled the South Vietnamese government at the time. Buddhist monks asked the regime to lift its ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag, to grant Buddhism the same rights as Catholicism, to stop detaining Buddhists and to give Buddhist monks and nuns the right to practice and spread their religion.
While burning Thich Quang Duc never moved a muscle!

On July 22, 1975, photograph Stanley J. Forman working for the Boston Herald American newspaper when a police scanner picked up an emergency: “Fire on Marlborough Street!”Climbed on a the fire truck, Forman shot the picture of a young woman, Diana Bryant, and a very young girl, Tiare Jones when they fell helplessly. Diana Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene. The young girl lived. Despite a heroic effort, the fireman who tried to grab them had been just seconds away from saving the lives of both.
Photo coverage from the tragic event garnered Stanley Forman a Pulitzer Prize. But more important, his work paved the way for Boston and other states to mandate tougher fire safety codes.

Picture of bullet casings carpet a street in Monrovia (the capital of Liberia), at the heart of the battlefield between government and rebel soldiers. Businesses closed for weeks as the battle raged. Carolyn won pulitzer prize in 2004 with the set of pictures containing this one.

Picture of an infant in the AIDS ward of Victor Babes Hospital shot in Bucharest 1990, after the fall of Ceausescu. Press said then that 25% of all orphan kids from Romania’s orphanages were HIV positive. Truth is there were a lot of infected kids but no way a quarter of them.
Anyway, for his photographs of ill and orphaned children living in subhuman conditions in Romania William Snyder received a Pulitzer in 1991.

Picture of senator Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky, a member of a congressional committee investigating Nazi atrocities, views the evidence at first hand at Buchenwald concentration camp. Weimar, Germany. Americans even marched german civilians through the camp so they could see with their own eyes what their nation had wrought.

And of course the afghan girl, picture shot by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Sharbat Gula was one of the students in an informal school within the refugee camp; McCurry, rarely given the opportunity to photograph Afghan women, seized the opportunity and captured her image. She was approximately 12 years old at the time. She made it on the cover of National Geographic next year, and her identity was discovered in 1992.

Becoming old

2008-10-28T11:52:00.010+04:00

I wasn't in such a great mood this morning, so I got this great email from a friend, about getting old. Some of the pictures are hilarious.

This one is the best ever!

No party, is a party, without cocktails and punch!

2008-10-24T12:09:00.003+04:00

Berry Punch

Makes 4 liters

Ingredients

125g blueberries
125g raspberries
250g strawberries, hulled, sliced
1.5 liters raspberry and cranberry juice, chilled
1 cup vodka
1 lime
1.25 liters lemonade, chilled
ice cubes, to serve

Method

Place blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in a large bowl. Add juice and vodka. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop.

Thinly slice lime. Cut slices into small wedges. Stir through punch. Add lemonade and ice. Serve.

Blue Lagoon

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

1L (4 cups) bought pineapple juice
500ml (2 cups) chilled lemonade
250ml (1 cup) blue curacao
250ml (1 cup) dry gin
Fresh pineapple wedges, to garnish

Method

Place the pineapple juice in a shallow metal container. Cover with foil and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until just set.

Roughly break up the frozen pineapple juice with a metal spoon and quickly transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to a large jug. Add the lemonade and stir until just combined.

Pour the blue curacao and gin among 8 serving glasses. Pour over the pineapple mixture. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and serve immediately.

Notes & tips

Allow 4 hours freezing time.
Blue curacao, a rum-based liqueur with a subtle bitter-orange flavour, is the base for this cocktail.

Party Themes

2008-10-24T11:50:00.012+04:00

Today is the perfect summer day. As spring starts, it always feels as if anything is possible. It's my favourite time of the year. Thus, I decided to give some ideas on the ideal party theme. Take a look at some of the pictures belows, to get some new and original ideas.

Colour Themed Showers

I went to a baby shower last week Saturday with my Mom. I haven't had that much experience with baby showers, but I've got to tell you it was very boring. Everybody just brought the presents, had something to eat quickly and left. There was really anything special about it. I would want something different for my baby showers, something that someone will at least remember and make beautiful pictures.

Try to incorporate a colour for the theme of the shower. And don't just stick with blue or pink. Yes, it is the traditional colours, but try to mix it with green, purple, or yellow for a completely different look.

We might as well sit down to a nice light meal. With kids on the way, these will not always be possible. So enjoy it while one still can.

This might sound strange to some people, but try to leave the other kids at home. At this shower, there were more than 20 kids running around the house and in between the presents. See it as giving yourself a break, to go to a decent, sit-down shower with friends.

New party ideas

I love a party that had at least more than ten minutes thought go into the theme. Anything that is not the norm, makes me excited.

The picture below is also for a shower or kids party. This is definately thinking out of the box!

My sister received an invitation to an engagement party the other day, In our culture, this is not something were a party is usually held, it is of course something to be celebrated, but not on the same scale as a baby shower or stork party. I thought it was especially in poor taste to ask to bring presents, as this is the purpose of the stork party. But who am I to judge. I found this nice table setting to celebrate an engagement or anniversary.

And for some nice table settings for a dinner of party, try some of the following settings:

Lost Loves

2008-10-23T12:05:00.003+04:00

Those of you who have been following the blog, know that my boyfriend and I split up when I found out that I was going to work for Emirates in Dubai. Not because we don't love each other, but because it wouldn't work long distance and I have no idea for how long I am going overseas. I feel like I've made the decision between love and work and made the wrong choice. But if I stay, I might resent him that I never went. But I might also go overseas and never find someone like him again and will have to settle for second best. So this is a very tricky situation.

But we still have regular contact. In fact I asked him to go with me to my friends wedding next month. I just don't wanna go with anyone else. I want to spend as much time as possible with him before I leave. It's difficult for him, he's been through this before. In the past I was the one left behind. We'll just have to see what the future holds.

Halloween and Christians

2008-10-23T11:13:00.005+04:00

“Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – 22

A Celebration of Evil

Halloween is a religious day, but it is not Christian. Tom Sanguinet, a former high priest in Wicca has said: “The modern holiday that we call Halloween has its origins in the full moon closest to November 1, the witches’ new year. It is a time when the spirits (demons) are supposed to be at their peak power and revisiting planet earth… Halloween is purely and absolutely evil, and there is nothing we ever have, or will do, that would make it acceptable to the Lord Jesus.”

Day of Death

Halloween has strong roots in paganism and witchcraft. It began as the Druid festival of Samhain. The Celts considered November 1st the day of death, because, in the Northern hemisphere, this was the beginning of winter, the leaves were falling, it was getting darker earlier, and temperatures were dropping. They believed that their sun god was losing strength and Samhain, the lord of death, was overpowering the sun god. The druids also taught that on 31 October, on the eve of the feast, Samhain assembled the spirits of all who had died during the previous year to return to their former home to visit the living.

Human and Animal Sacrifices

On Halloween, for thousands of years, druid priests have conducted diabolical worship ceremonies in which cats, horses, sheep, oxen, human beings and other offerings were rounded up, stuffed into wicca cages and burned to death. These human and animal sacrifices were apparently required to appease Samhain and keep the spirits from harming them.

Trick or Treat

To obtain these sacrifices, druid priests would go from house to house asking for fatted calves, black sheep and human beings. Those who gave were promised prosperity, and those who refused to give were threatened and cursed. This is the origin of “trick or treat.”

Jack-O-Lantern

The Jack-O-Lantern has its origin in the candle-lit pumpkin or skull, which served as a signal to mark those farms and homes that supported the druids’ religion, and thus were seeking the “treat” when the terror of Halloween began. The World Book Encyclopedia says: “The apparently harmless lighted pumpkin face of the Jack-O-Lantern is an ancient symbol of a damned soul.”

Dance of Death

While people and animals were screaming in agony, being burnt to death, the druids and their followers would dress in costumes made of animal skins and heads. They would dance, chant and jump through the flames in the hope of warding off evil spirits.

House of Horrors

One of the popular heroes of Halloween, Count Dracula, was also a real person. Dracula lived from 1431 to 1476. During his six year reign, Count Dracula massacred over 100,000 men, women and children in the most hideous ways. He devised a plan to rid his country of the burden of beggars, the handicapped, the sick and the aged by inviting them to a feast at one of his palaces. He fed them well and got them drunk. Then he asked them: “Do you want to be without cares, lacking nothing in the world?” When his guests yelled: “Yes!” Dracula ordered the palace boarded up and set on fire. No one escaped this original “house of horror.”

The Word of God

“When you come into the land, which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations which you will dispossess, listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.” Deuteronomy 18:9 – 14

“… teach my people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 34:23

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priests for Me; because you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children.” Hosea 4:6

“Train up a child in the way he should go, then when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

“That whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone was hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”
Matthew 18: 6 – 7

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9

“Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour of Light.” Romans 13:12

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s Table and of the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:21

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? For what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?… Therefore, come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:14 – 17

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the Faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1 – 2

“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 11

Participating in Paganism

Instead of participating in paganism, walking with Wicca, being in harmony with Halloween, having our children celebrate cruelty, and dabbling in a day of death, we should focus our family and congregation on celebrating Reformation Day this 31 October.

Reformation Day Vs Halloween

It was on 31 October 1517 , that Dr. Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Slosskirche (castle church) in Wittenberg , Germany . His bold challenge against the unBiblical practices of the medieval Roman papacy inspired the Protestant Reformation. All Bible believing churches should celebrate the greatest revival of Faith and freedom ever. The Reformation was one the most important turning points in world history. The energies that were released by the rediscovery of the Bible in the common tongue led to the most extraordinary spiritual Revival in history. The Reformation freed the Christians of Northern Europe from the decadence of Renaissance paganism and led to the greatest freedoms and scientific discoveries in history.

Every Bible believing Christian should celebrate the Reformation. No Christian should have part in celebrating the occultic Halloween.

We are in a spiritual world war. Cruelty to animals, vandalism and even murders occur with far greater frequency during Halloween. Every Halloween many thousands of animals, and even people, are sacrificed in satanic rituals worldwide, while millions of other people, including well meaning Christians, participate in Halloween celebrations. Halloween is a prime recruiting time for witches and Satanists. Many people have testified that they were introduced to the occult at a Halloween party. Halloween is very religious, but it is not Christian.

When working for Emirates: Cooking for one is a drag (1)

2008-10-23T10:51:00.009+04:00

Bacon and Cheese Chicken

Ingredients (serves 1)

2 small Desiree potatoes, quartered
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 single chicken breast fillet, trimmed
1 slice Swiss cheese, quartered
2 bacon rashers, rind removed, halved lengthways
1 carrot, peeled, sliced, steamed
2 baby squash, quartered, steamed

Method

Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a baking dish with baking paper. Place potatoes in baking dish. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat in oil. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden. Reduce oven to 200°C.

Cut a pocket lengthwise through middle of chicken, making sure not to cut all the way through. Push cheese into pocket. Wrap bacon around chicken. Secure with toothpicks. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Add chicken to potatoes. Roast both for 10 minutes.
Serve chicken with potatoes and steamed carrot and squash.

Bacon, Olive and Cheese Focaccia

Equipment

You'll need 4 wooden skewers

Ingredients (serves 2)

4 rashers thin bacon, rind removed, halved crossways
1/3 cup tomato chutney or relish
100g mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 pieces round focaccia bread
2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, sliced
small basil leaves, to serve
french fries or potato straws, to serve

Method

Preheat grill on medium. Thread bacon onto skewers in a concertina fashion. Place onto grill tray. Grill for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Allow to cool slightly. Remove bacon from skewers.

Spread chutney and half the cheese evenly over focaccia. Top with bacon, olives and remaining cheese.

Place a baking tray under grill until hot. Place focaccia onto hot tray. Grill for 4 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with basil. Season. Serve with fries.

Wedding Ring Disaster

2008-10-22T17:26:00.007+04:00

Nuts and Bolts Wedding Rings

I don't think I'll be very pleased to show off this wedding ring!

Wedding fever - purple

2008-10-22T16:25:00.020+04:00

Seems like I have wedding fever at the moment. I guess I'm feeling a bit left out, considering that most of my friends are already married and are starting to have children.

My ideal wedding will of course be purple, with a dash of green and white. It's my favourite colour. It was quite a mission to search for weddings with a purple theme. But I found some.

Oh and just to shut up all the guys, purple is not the colour for sexual frustration but for royalty. Eat your heart out!

To start with something unique and different, purple food colouring in a drink, to go perfectly with the theme!

Wedding cake anyone?

This dress is so amazing. I happened to stumble upon it while I was searching.

This is the most amazing purple. But I'm not so sure of an all purple wedding dress.

I love the detail on the back of this dress. It really makes a nice feature!

This is a very nice brides maid dress.

Racism in South Africa

2008-10-22T16:20:00.002+04:00

PROUD TO BE WHITE?

Very interesting reading! Perhaps we should get rid of the term 'racist' all together and just live our lives... Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TV's Seinfeld. T

his was his defence speech in court After making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points.

Proud To Be White. Someone finally said it. How many are actually Paying attention to this?

There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc. And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You Call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey', 'White Trash', 'White Sh!t', 'Whitey,' 'Caveman' ... And that's OK. But when I call you, N!gger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-n!gger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .You call me a racist.

You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you, so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live? You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Caesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Ha'Shoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP You have BET. If we had WET (White Entertainment Television) we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month , we'd be racists.

If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives we'd be racists. We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that? A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any colour can be in the Miss America Pageant. If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships you know we'd be racists. There are over 60 openly Proclaimed Black Colleges in the USA . Yet if there were 'White colleges' THAT would be a racist college.

In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would Call us racists. You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists. You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black Drug-dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist. I am proud. But you call me a racist. Why is it that only whites can be racists?

Wedding dresses

2008-10-22T16:07:00.008+04:00

Last week Saturday I was at a wedding exhibition in Bloemfontein at the Waterfront. If someone is getting married soon and still looking for a nice wedding dress, maybe some of these photo's might help.

I had two favourite dresses during the show. This was definately one of them.

The picture below shows more detail of the dress.

This dress was my other favourite.

The detail of the dress was amazing, I just loved it.

Well, I'm not getting married any time soon, so I thought I'd have to have some idea of what to wear to my girlfriend's wedding next month. This dress looks like a winner!!

P.G. du Plessis

2008-10-22T10:06:00.013+04:00

Today I'm feeling a bit sad. A guy I dated for four years when I was still at school, his Dad passed away over the weekend in a car accident. It's very tragic, he was still quiet young. I decided to go to the memorial service this morning.

So today, must be a day for all things relating to comfort, happiness and that he is now in a better place....

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Preparation Time

15 minutes
Cooking Time
40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

Melted reduced-fat dairy spread, to grease
50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
80ml (1/3 cup) hot water
2 tsp instant coffee powder
2 tsp boiling water
1 x 100g pkt almond meal
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
Strawberries, washed, sliced, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted dairy spread to lightly grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the cocoa powder and hot water in a medium bowl. Combine the instant coffee powder and boiling water in a cup. Add the coffee to the cocoa mixture and stir until combined.
Add almond meal, sugar and egg yolks to cocoa mixture, and stir until well combined.

Use an electric beater to whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold a spoonful of egg whites into cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place cake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven. Remove cake pan from water bath and set aside for 20 minutes to cool. Turn cake onto a wire rack and remove paper. Set aside for a further 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

Cut cake into wedges and carefully transfer to serving plates. Serve with strawberries.

Tropical Trifle

Ingredients

· 2 x 250g packets jam roulettes
· 1 / 2 cup Malibu (coconut flavoured liqueur)
· 85g packet raspberry-flavoured jelly crystals
· 85g packet orange-flavoured jelly crystals
· 85g packet mango-flavoured jelly crystals
· 600ml thickened cream
· 2 tblsps caster sugar
· 500ml thickened custard
· 1 / 4 cup fresh passionfruit pulp
· 2 mangoes, sliced

1. Cut jam rolls into four even slices. Place half over base and around side of a serving bowl (10-cup capacity). Brush with half the liqueur.

2. Make raspberry jelly according to packet instructions. Cool to room temperature. Pour over jam rollettes in serving bowl. Refrigerate until set. Repeat layering with orange and mango jellies, refrigerating between layers until set.

3. Beat cream and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Gently fold half the cream into custard in a large bowl. Pour over set jelly.

4. Arrange remaining rollettes over custard mixture and brush with remaining liqueur. Drizzle with passionfruit pulp. Top with remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5. Serve trifle topped with mango slices.

* Preparation time 25 minutes
* Makes 8 servings

When working for Emirates: cooking for one is a drag! (1)

2008-10-20T16:55:00.005+04:00

I guess if you work for Emirates you travel a lot and when it comes to making a meal for yourself. You'd rather just order a take out, than slave in from of the stove. This took me some time, but I found a collection of scrumptious recipes that are designed for one person.

Hope you like it!

Bacon, Egg and Balsamic Tomato Baguette

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 teaspoons olive oil
125g mini roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 rashers rindless bacon, halved
olive oil cooking spray
2 eggs
2 x 15cm baguette rolls, opened, flattened
watercress sprigs, to serve

Method

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe pan clean.

Heat frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook, turning occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Wipe pan clean with paper towel. Spray pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes or until whites set and yolks still soft (or to your liking).

Grill or toast cut side of bread. Place on plates. Top with bacon, egg and tomatoes. Season with pepper. Top with watercress and serve.

I feel like Cocktails today!!!

2008-10-20T16:50:00.005+04:00

Watermelon Mai Tai

Preparation Time
5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

500g peeled watermelon, chopped
125ml (1/2 cup) Golden Circle pineapple juice
125ml (1/2 cup) white rum
60ml (1/4 cup) triple sec liqueur
1 tsp grenadine
Crushed ice, to serve

Method

Place the watermelon, pineapple juice, rum, liqueur and grenadine in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth.
Divide the ice among serving glasses. Pour over watermelon mixture to serve.

Notes & tips

Note: Make this recipe just before serving.
Tip: To make this drink suitable for designated drivers, omit alcohol and increase the pineapple juice to 1 cup.

Sparta - 300 Movie

2008-10-14T17:01:00.017+04:00

I came across some hilarious pictures while playing on the internet. I have absolutely no work to do today, so have to keep myself busy.

But on a more serious note. I find the information on Sparta, its history and women fascinating. Here is a bit of information on Sparta:

Military Life

Spartan citizen boys left home for military boarding school at the age of seven and were required to serve in the army until age of thirty. Then they passed into the active reserve, where they remained until the age of sixty. Spartan education from the ages of seven to thirty emphasized physical toughness, steadfastness in military ranks, and absolute obedience to orders. The ordinary Spartan was a citizen-warrior, or hoplite, trained to obey and endure; he became a politician only if chosen as ephor for a single year. He could be elected a life member of the council after his sixtieth year, in which he would be free from military service. Men were encouraged to marry at the age of twenty but could not live with their families until they left their active military service at age thirty. The Spartans perfected the craft of hoplite warfare. They called themselves "homoioi" (equals), pointing to their common lifestyle and the discipline of the phalanx, which demanded that no soldier be superior to his comrades.When the Spartans began military training – aged seven – they would enter the agoge system for the education and training—everything from physical training such as hunting and dancing, to emotional, and spiritual training. At that age they would have to go through what was known as the gauntlet. They would have to run around a group of older children, who would flog them continually with whips, sometimes to death. As they were lightly clothed, and had no bedding to speak of, children would often put thistles in their pallet because the prickling sensation made them feel warmer. On leaving the agoge they would be sorted into groups, whereupon some were sent into the countryside with nothing and forced to survive on their skills and cunning; this was called the krypteia, believed to be an initiation rite to seek out and kill helots who were considered to be troublesome to the state, or were found to be wandering the countryside with no good reason.

At the age of twenty, the Spartan citizen began his membership in one of the syssitia (dining messes or clubs), composed of about fifteen members each, of which every citizen was required to be a member. Here each group learned how to bond and rely on one another. The Spartan exercised the full rights and duties of a citizen at the age of thirty. Only native Spartans were considered full citizens, and needed to undergo the training as prescribed by law, and participation in and contribution to one of the dining-clubs. Those who fulfilled these conditions were considered "peers" (homoioi), citizens in the fullest sense of the word, while those who failed were called "lesser citizens, " and retained only the civil rights of citizenship.

Greece Spartan citizens were debarred by law from trade or manufacture, which consequently rested in the hands of the perioeci, and were forbidden (in theory) to possess either gold or silver. Spartan currency consisted of bars of iron, thus making thievery and foreign commerce very difficult and discouraging the accumulation of riches. Wealth was, in theory at least, derived entirely from landed property, and consisted in the annual return made by the helots, who cultivated the plots of ground allotted to the Spartan citizens. But this attempt to equalize property proved a failure: from the earliest times, there were marked differences of wealth within the state, and these became even more serious after the law of Epitadeus, passed at some time after the Peloponnesian War, removed the legal prohibition of the gift or bequest of land. Helots were ruthlessly controlled, partly through the custom of krypteia.

Full citizens, released from any economic activity, were given a piece of land (kleros), which was cultivated and run by the helots. As time went on, greater portions of land were concentrated in the hands of large landholders, but the number of full citizens declined. Citizens had numbered 10,000 at the beginning of the 5th century BC, but had decreased by Aristotle's day (384–322 BC) to less than 1,000, and had further decreased to 700 at the accession of Agis IV in 244 BC. Attempts were made to remedy this situation by creating new laws. Certain penalties were imposed upon those who remained unmarried or who married too late in life. These laws, however, came too late and were ineffective in reversing the trend.

Perhaps the most widely known event on the efficiency of the Spartan war-machine is related to the Persian Wars. The Spartan stand at the Battle of Thermopylae has been repeatedly cited in a military grand strategy context as a role model concerning the advantages of training, strategy and bravery against extremely overwhelming odds and is often referred to as the greatest last stand of a military force in documented history.

Women’s role in Sparta – you’re not going to believe this

Political, social, and economic equality

Spartan women enjoyed a status, power and respect that was unknown in the rest of the classical world. They controlled their own properties, as well as the properties of male relatives who were away with the army. It is estimated that women were the sole owners of at least 35% of all land and property in Sparta. The laws regarding a divorce were the same for both men and women. Unlike women in Athens, if a Spartan woman became the heiress of her father because she had no living brothers to inherit (an epikleros), the woman was not required to divorce her current spouse in order to marry her nearest paternal relative. Spartan women received as much education as men, as well as a substantial amount of physical education and gymnastic training. They rarely married before the age of 20, and unlike Athenian women who wore heavy, concealing clothes and were rarely seen outside the house; Spartan women wore short dresses and went where they pleased. It was possible for them to appear entirely nude even publicly, which they did customarily only at festivals, as did the men.

Sexual equality

Women, being more independent than in other Greek societies, were able to negotiate with their husbands to bring their lovers into their homes. According to Plutarch in his Life of Lycurgus, men both allowed and encouraged their wives to bear the children of other men, due to the general communal ethos which made it more important to bear many progeny for the good of the city, than to be jealously concerned with one's own family unit. However, some historians argue that this 'wife sharing' was only reserved for elder males who had not yet produced an heir.

Saki Rouva

2008-10-13T17:25:00.008+04:00

I've just got to be forgiven for this weakness of posting pitures of sexy men, but this is definately one man that I won't be able to resist. Although Greek men are a big no-no for me, I'll make an exception for him!!!

Goodness, everything about Saki Rouva is edible.....

I couldn't resist adding the last two pictures, they are also some of my favourites.

If a guy ever wondered whether I find him attractive or not, just be a mixture of the above three pictures and it'll be heaven on earth!!

The places I intend to visit: Hawaii

2008-10-02T10:35:00.030+04:00

The island of Hawaii comprises over half of the area of the state of Hawaii in the United States of America. It is almost universally called the Big Island partly to avoid confusion. It is home to the most active volcano in the world, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, as well as the largest mountain in the world in volume (Mauna Loa) and the tallest mountain in the world as measured from its base on the sea floor to its peak (Mauna Kea).

There are two major airports if you are flying into the Big Island, Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport. There are some direct flights from the mainland, mostly from California, but it is more common to arrive via Honolulu or Kahului. You should try to get a flight direct from the mainland to Kona to save time waiting (and walking) around the Honolulu airport.

Although several cruise ship lines operate in Hawaii, there is currently no dedicated inter-island boat service. Hawaii Superferry, a private company supported by the Hawaii state government, proposes to implement high-capacity catamaran ferry services.

Renting a car is really the only way to see the island. Getting around by local bus, bikes, or on foot work well if you’re staying in one area. Many budget travelers are unpleasantly surprised by the lack of public transport on the Big Island. Although there are limited bus services from Hilo to destinations like Volcano or the Kona side, they require reservations, and travel on a minimal set schedule.

There are a lot of places to visit in Hawaii on your trip, but the main attractions are:

- Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, 30 miles (48.2 km) SW of Hilo on Hawaii 11, (808) 985-6000 (fax (808) 985-6004). Every day, 24 hours. Kilauea Visitor Center open every day 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to both the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa (13,677 feet high), and the world’s most active, Kilauea (continuously erupting since 1983). $10.00 per vehicle, $5.00 per pedestrian or bicycle, both prices for a 7 day permit. National Park Service passes accepted.

Goddesses reign supreme in Hawaii, and the most venerated is Pele, who presides over the volcanoes. Legend has it she secretly envies Poliahu, goddess of the snow, and the two quarrel often — especially over menfolk. Poliahu usually wins, causing Pele to erupt in fury, and Poliahu gets stuck cleaning the mess with her ice afterward. (Indeed, traces of lava have been found seeping through glacial ice caps at various epochs in Hawaiian geological history.) Even when Pele triumphs, she soon tires of her lovers and sends them racing down the mountain, trailed by her hot, molten lava. To see her in action, head to the Big Island. Lounge upon the white-sand beaches at Kona Coast and the black-sand beaches at Puna district, then soak in thermal pools set in lava rock at Ahalanui Beach Park. Pele dwells in the Halema'uma'u Crater Overlook of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Devotees leave her offerings of flowers, gin, and ohelo berries. Then pay homage to Poliahu atop Mauna Kea, the world's tallest mountain (when measured base to peak). Linger til sunset to see why Hawaiians consider their homeland to be Earth's connecting point to the universe.

- Mauna Kea, 28 miles (45.1 km) W of Hilo on Hawaii 20, then N on the access road to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, (808) 961-2180. OCIA, named in memory of U.S. astronaut Ellison Onizuka, open daily 9AM - 10PM. Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), the largest mountain in the world (measured from its base) is a dormant volcano which has become an international center for astronomy. Several astronomical observatories are located on its summit. The austere Mars-like landscape dotted with technological marvels is worth a look; if it is clear you might also get a look out to Maui. The elevation is high, and there are few tourist support facilities so hiking and exploring are discouraged. Also keep an eye out for the nene, also known as the Hawaiian goose. The nene is the state bird and an endangered species.Four wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended above the OCIA. Several tour companies offer tours to the summit and observatories of Mauna Kea for a fee. Observatory facilities are normally closed to the public. Most rental car companies prohibit travel on Hawaii 20 (Saddle Road). No admission charge.

- Black sand beaches formed by volcanic sand. There are currently two well-known and many less known black sand beaches. The former are Kehena Beach in the Puna district, and Punalu`u Beach in Ka`u district.

- Green sand beach at South Point. Puu Mahana Beach (Green Sand beach) is the spectacular erosion product of a volcanic cinder cone near South Point on the Big Island of Hawaii. It can be reached by a 1-hour hike through beautiful scenics (take plenty of water!). The unusual tone of the green sand is due to the large proportion of semi-precious stone olivine polished crystals, which are left behind during the breakdown of lava. Crystals of olivine form in abundance during the cooling of hot lava. Because they are much harder than the lava matrix, they tend to accumulate near areas of lava erosion.

NEVER WALK OUT ON THE BEACH WHERE LAVA IS FLOWING INTO THE SEA. Read and obey all warnings given by the park. That said, the park rangers are very helpful in telling you where the lava is currently flowing (it changes all the time). Usually they’ll let you walk right up to it as long as it’s considered safe (no threat of methane explosions or lava bench collapse). The fact that the lava is 2000 degrees F naturally keeps people from getting too close!

- Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, S of Kailua-Kona on Hawaii 11, then W on Hawaii 160 at Honaunau Post Office. (808) 328-2326. Open MTWTh 6AM - 8PM, FSaSu 6AM-11PM. Visitor center open daily 8AM - 5:30PM. Puuhonua o Honaunau is a great place to visit if you’re interested in learning about Hawaiian heritage. Breakers of kapu (taboos) who could make it to this place and performed a series of rituals were granted sanctuary. Tours, traditional craft demos, simulations of the Hukilau (fishing with ti leaf ropes) and other activities can be seen here (schedules vary). Honu (turtles) can frequently be observed swimming in the royal fishpond. May be crowded with other tourists. $5.00 per vehicle or motorcycle with 2 people, $3.00 per pedestrian or bicycle, for 7 days.

Pu`uhonua O Honaunau, formerly known as the City of Refuge Park, was set aside as a national historical park by Congress on July 1, 1961. Utilizing many local artists and artisans with authentic and traditional tools, the National Park Service has worked very hard to restore the site to its appearance in the late 1700's.

- Waipi`o Valley, a large, verdant valley in the North of the islands. This valley was inhabited for a millennium, until a tsunami washed away all dwellings. Left for good by the native population, it then became the green paradise of counterculture types.

- Kula Kai Caverns - several miles of braided lava tube systems- Coffee Farms- Dolphin and whale watching - seasonal.

The Big Island has the usual array of sub-tropical island activities. While the Kona side has a number of white sand beaches, the coastline on the Hilo side tends to be rocky. This is due to the relative age of the coastline.The beaches of the Big Island, especially on the Kona side, have been consistently voted amongst the best beaches in the world. Some (like Mauna Kea Beach) front hotel resorts, while others (like Makalawena) remained unencumbered by modern tourism.

Hapuna Beach is reputed to be one of the best, consistent with the picture many outsiders have in their head of what a Hawaiian beach should be.The island has one of the few green sand beaches in the world (see above), and several black sand beaches.
The Big Island has some fantastic snorkeling. The Kona side has most of the best snorkeling, but Puna also has some excellent sites. Go in the morning on the Kona side, and in the afternoon in Puna, for clear and calm conditions.

- Two Step at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge). Great for beginners and experts alike. Teeming with fish and turtles.

- Ho’okena Beach Park south of Honaunau is not as spectacular, but getting in and out of the water is incredibly easy: just walk. The enter at the left side of the beach for the best snorkeling. Go during the week, if you can (save the weekends for the locals).

- Kapoho Tide Pools on the southern Puna coast are not to be missed. This is some of the calmest snorkeling you will ever see, and the fish will come right up to you. The pools are spring-fed, and some are volcanically heated. There are no dive shops anywhere near here, so bring your gear with you (although a local may take pity on you and loan you theirs). Again, go during the week if you can. Marine scientists frequent this spot, and are usually happy to share their knowledge to make your visit to the tide pools more fulfilling.As we said Kona has some great diving opportunities during the daytime, but the real thing to see here is the Manta Rays.

All the dive operators in town do a night dive to see the giant mantas, and this is the best and most reliable place in the world to see them. The manta rays of Kona can be up to 16 feet wide and weigh almost 2000 lbs! On any given night there are 1-20 rays feeding at the dive site, and by bringing lights in the water, plankton (their food) is attracted to feed them. Divers sit in sand on the bottom about 30 feet deep and watch these huge but harmless fishes swim inches from their faces. A must do! Though it’s at night, there is so much light in the water and it’s so shallow that this is an easy dive for novice divers, as well as a very rewarding dive for even the most seasoned divers. Snorkelers can also get a great up close view of the mantas at the same time. All you have to do is float on the water and hold a light, it’s very easy.

There are also hiking and camping tours too. Very convenient since humping camping equipment on a plane is difficult.- Waipiâ€™o Valley - Awe-inspiring volcanic valleys and gorges filled with rain forest vegetation.

The Big Island has a tour company for every possible tourist endeavor: helicopter tours over the volcano, mule/horseback tours, snorkeling & scuba diving, sailing, fishing, biking, hiking/camping.You must only search for it.

When working for Emirates: do the following in Dubai 2

2008-10-01T13:43:00.014+04:00

These are a few of the things I want to do when I am in Dubai. We only live once!!!

Camel riding and sand surfing

Dubai is one of the few places in the world where you can try sand surfing using a snowboard. This is truly an exciting new experience for sports lovers both for its innovativeness and safety, as each fall means a touch of soft and warm sand. As your expertise increases, you will feel the rush of the wind as you speed down the slopes of the sand dunes. Light refreshments will be available to quench your thirst and to prepare you for another ride down. Or if you are tired you can just lie back and sunbathe. After that, you can have plenty of time to enjoy a long and memorable ride on camel back to our incomparable campsite in the Centre of the desert.

Mountain safari

This tour takes us to one of the UAE’s most amazing and beautiful spots. First we drive to our unique camp in the desert for camel rides and sand surfing. Moving forward, our desert and mountain safari will bring us to the heart of the Hajar Mountains which offers spectacular drives amid rugged mountain scenery, imposing cliffs, geological layers, and ochre-coloured mountains. At the canyons area we will find fresh water rock pools. You will also have the chance to swim in the natural pools of Hatta that have cool water all year round and to see the hidden waterfalls inside a gorge. After this amazing experience, our tour wends its way to the ancient fortress village of Hatta. Next, we will have lunch at a five star hotel where you can relax and enjoy the swimming pool before heading back to Dubai.

Falconry

Falconry is one of the traditional pastimes of Dubai since ages. The origin of falconry dates back to more than 2000 years. At first, falcons were used for hunting hares, bustards and houbara in order to obtain meat. It was also a way of life for tribal leaders wherein they would engage in this entertainment activity during the day and in the evening, they would spend time with their subjects around the campfire. As hunting companions to saluki hunting dogs, falcons were also used in taking down gazelles.

The capturing, taming and training of falcons require tremendous patience, skill and courage. To ensure a proper handling of the birds, there are a number of federal and emirate laws in place. Under the Emirates Bird Ringing Scheme, a microchip is inserted under each bird’s skin and a ring with a unique identification number is fitted on its leg. This enables scientists and conservationists in keeping a track of the birds and their migratory patterns. A couple of years ago, a campaign to issue passports to these birds was undertaken. This was aimed at checking the illegal trade of falcons.

Today, falconry is an endangered branch of Dubai’s rich cultural legacy. Rapid urbanization in the UAE over the last few years has adversely affected the natural habitat of the falcons. Moreover, new falconers do not respect the codes of practising this sport and also indulge in over-hunting. This has posed a threat to these beautiful birds as well as to the cultural offshoot of the game itself.

In order to preserve this sport for posterity’s sake, the UAE government is working in collaboration with UNESCO for imbuing falconry with the status of a cultural heritage across the globe.

When working for Emirates: do the following in Dubai 1

2008-10-01T11:22:00.031+04:00

It's been a while since I've posted information. Things have been going crazy at work. It's just business plans, feasability studies and marketing plans flying out of my office. This is the downside of joining Emirates. I love the job that I'm doing now. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that they will re-employ me after I've finished touring the world.

The good news is that the girl that I met at the Emirates interviews also got in. She's joining on the 3rd of December. It's such a bummer that I'm only joining in January. But I guess I'll have to accept it some time or another.

Sarize, is studying Honours with me and she also send in her application for Emirates. She waiting to hear if she's invited to the interviews. I'll keep my fingers crossed for her. Hope she gets in. She's got the perfect personality for the job.

I've been thinking a lot lately about actually packing everything I have and moving to Dubai. It's not really reality yet. My life is so busy at the moment between work, friends, the gym, my dogs and trying to read some intelligent books. But I'm afraid of falling into a rut once I arrive in Dubai.

You must understand something. Me joining Emirates is probably the craziest thing I've ever done. I've basically left the man of my dreams behind in order to not live a 'what if'. I don't want to look back in five years and be sorry about all the things I didn't do in life. So I've got once chance at this amazing freedom and I want to make the most of it. That includes doing stuff I've never done before, like cliff jumping, swimming with sharks, you name it and I want to do it.

The best advice my ex Jaco gave me was that I need to plan what I want to see in the countries that I want to visit. At the time I got so irritated with him, when he mentioned it, cause I wanted to do things my own way and find my own way. But I'm finally taking his advice and I want to know what all the amazing things are that I will get to see in Dubai and some of the outrageous stuff that I can do there. I hope my mom doesn't find out I intend to go cliff diving or something, she'll have a few things to say about it!!

Let's start with the best attractions to visit when you have a few days off in Dubai. Better keep this in mind when you have a lay-over month!!!

Dubai City is not a tour destination that it is easily explored on foot since many of its tourist attractions such as Deira and Jumeirah Beach are located far apart from each other.

Let us take a tour on some of the more popular tourist attractions and sightseeing sites in Dubai :-

Bastakiya – Bastakiya district is located at East of Dubai Souk on Al-Fahidi Street. Way back in the days before there was electricity for fans and air-conditioning, Dubai Creek used to have numerous wind towers that kept the homes cool from the blistering dessert heat. Touring the Bastakiya district is like taking a step back in time travel because of the many traditional courtyard houses still have the wind towers. The Bastakiya district is now undergoing massive reconstruction for its transformation into a "tourist village".

Palm Islands – The famous Palm Islands (so called because of its palm like shape), is actually a grouping of three islands and is said to be visible from the moon. The Palm Island is an incredible largest manmade island in the world. A large part of Palm Islands is still undergoing tremendous construction at the time of writing this article. There are about 7,000 apartments and 1,800 villas and townhouses on The Palm, Jumeirah.

Jumeirah will also offer an outstanding array of retail and lifestyle options for residents and tourists when construction is fully completed. The Golden Mile when completed will offer the world's most exclusive brands with an international array of boutiques, shops, restaurants and cafes. As an exclusive tie up between The Trump Organization and Nakheel Group, The Palm Jumeirah will feature a number of Trump properties, including The Palm Trump International Hotel and Tower.

Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum's House - Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum's House, near Al-Shindagha Tunnel, Al-Shindagha Road is one of the oldest homes in the city, as well as one of the best examples of traditional Arabic architecture. The house was built exclusivly with sandstone in 1896 and offers panoramic views of the sea. Sadly though, the fantastic view is now slightly obscured by the more modern developments. The Sheikh who was a former ruler of Dubai used the house to monitor trading in and out of the country. This tourist attraction was reopened as a museum in 1986 contains an exhibition showcasing the development of Dubai from 1940s to 1960s.

Children's City – Tourists with children will be delighted to take the kids the Children's City, located at Creekside Park. The Children's City was opened in 2002 and is a smashing hit children and their delighted parents. This 7,700 sq-m (83,000 sq ft) wonderland takes young minds on a journey through the human body, science and space, with the help of different 'zones'. There are also plenty of hands-on activities to keep even the most playful children occupied. All exhibits in this city are in English and Arabic.

Jumeirah Mosque - The Jumeirah Mosque on Al-Jumeirah Road is perhaps the most photographed building by tourists in Dubai because of its impressive example of modern Islamic architecture. Built along medieval Fatimid lines and entirely of stone, the Jumeirah Mosque with its two minarets is particularly beautiful in the night when subtle lighting increases the mosque's dramatic effect.

Grand Mosque - The Grand Mosque in Ali ibin Ali Talib Street was only rebuilt in 1998 with the city's tallest minaret standing at an impressive 70m (231ft) tall.The Grand Mosque is made up of nine large domes and 45 smaller ones. This mosque can accommodate up to 1,200 worshippers.

Souks - The souks, or traditional markets, are one of Dubai's most popular tourist attractions. The souks are located on both sides of the creek, with the most impressive ones on the Deira side. The highlight of this tourist attraction is the colorful and bustling Spice Market where tourist can find local delights like exotic perfumes and watch noisy locals bargaining with vendors.

Dubai Museum – Not to be missed is the Dubai Museum in Al-Fahidi Fort. The museum itself is actually a historic fort, dating back to 1799. It was only converted into a museum in 1970. The exhibits in the museum ranges from ancient weapons, pearl-diving outfits to an impressive range of military artifacts. Some of the most intriguing exhibits are those discovered from the 3000 to 4000-year-old graves at Al-Ghusais.

Heritage Village - The Heritage Village is located at Shindagha Tunnel, Al-Shindagha Road and as the name suggests, it is an attempt to weave in some local traditional heritage in contrast to Dubai's rapidly developing modern skyline. The objective of the project is to recreate the Bedouin way of life, with locals dressed up in traditional Arabic garbs, exhibit traditional handicrafts, music and dance.

Jumeirah Beach – Although much of the famous pristine crystal clear water of Jumeirah Beach located at Al-Jumeirah Road is dominated by luxury hotels and 5 star accommodations, some of the hotels do allow non hotel guests to use their pools and stretches of beach if they dine at the hotels or pay a nominal usage fee.

This is just was usual tourists visit when they are in Dubai. So I'll make sure to see them all and add my own photo's pretty soon.

Emirates Cabin Crew: The medicals required

2008-09-23T17:26:00.011+04:00

If you've been following the blog, you'll know that I have had some troubles with my own medicals. This is definately not a fun part. But the sooner you finish it, the better. Considering you only have two weeks, from the date you received the email, to have the medicals completed and send to Emirates.

The good news is that you now get a new email address for correspondence and response is usually quite quick.

When starting on your medicals, remember EVERYTHING MUST BE IN ENGLISH!!! Coming from an Afrikaans province, this was hell. Most doctors complain about this.

This is the exact words that was send in my email from Emirates:

Please complete your medical tests as soon as possible. These forms need to be completed and approved by a certified doctor and then sent to us within 2 weeks of receiving this email. You also need to ask your Doctor to provide you with the necessary reports and specially for the below five tests stated below:

1- HIV report. (Please do not travel IF POSITIVE and do not continue further with the required test)

2- Haemoglobin Count

3- Hepatitis C (HCV) Test

4- A Detailed Chest X Ray report about heart and lungs.

5-Audiogram report & graph (graph is very important for approval of such)

6- Cervical smear test report (for females only - if applicable). If not applicable - Physician should mark NOT INDICATED in Appendix 2 in front of cervical smear test

7- Dental certificate – Doctor should mark Yes or No in front of dentally fit

8- Vaccination certificate with the initial course date

We need separate reports for each of the above test.

Kindly note the importance of the following:

1. Eye test: we require you to do an eye test whether you are wearing glasses or not. Eye section on next page must be filled in unless ophthalmology report attached.
2. In Appendix 2 in the medical form, make sure – all section must be filled up by your doctor.

All medical reports should be only in ENGLISH, and the handwriting of physician should be clear to read.

You may choose to go to any certified doctor to complete the required medical tests.

Please note pre-employment medical is preliminary medical; employment is subject to passing the following: -

· EK Air Crew licence medical

· Training

· Probationary period

(You will undertake the EK Air Crew licence medical on arrival in Dubai.) When you travel to Dubai, kindly bring with you :

1- The original medical forms, reports, and X Rays.
2- Photographs as per attached requirements.
3- Another 04 photos with the size 3x3.5 CMs, not Polaroid and not digital.
4- Passport copies (for each of your immediate family members father+mother+brothers and sisters).
5- Birth certificate copy (for your self and your siblings. Please note your BC should carry mother / father name.)

6- Original educational certificate and a copy of the same.

Emirates Cabin Crew: Everything you need to know for your Interview

2008-09-23T16:01:00.021+04:00

I've been working on this for a while. Just to get all the information together, that I know I needed when I wanted to apply to work for Emirates.

It all starts with making the decision to leave your family and friends behind and making the commitment to go and live in a foreign country. I'm sure the journey will not always easy, but let's get started.

http://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/

The first step is to register your information and cv on the website in order to gain an interview date. The important thing to remember about this process, is that it is a waiting game.

The next step is to receive an email verifying that you are invited to an interview. Mine was held on the 14th of July in Johannesburg at the Indaba Lodge Hotel and Conference Centre. Be prepared for the longest day of your life. My Mom and I arrived at half past 8, rather too early than late. I met a stunning girl, Yolande, but never took her contact details. She was also one of twins.

The first few steps towards the conference hall was the most challenging for the day. 91 girls I've never met, all dressed to kill in their business attire, looking you up and down and wondering who will get the job and who will go home in tears. I wore a new black shirt with jacket, red scarf and matching red shoes. To tell you the truth, I was the only person that didin't have black shoes on. At first I felt very stressed about this, but in the end I owned the outfit. So, different isn't always bad.

The day starts with watching lots of video's about Emirates. General questions get asked and try to anwer a few of the questions, this is just so the recruiters can start to notice you. But please don't be overbearing and try to steal the show from everyone. That is also not what they are looking for. We had two woman recruiters when I had my interview. The good news is that all 91 girls can be hired, there isn't a maximum amount of employee that need to be recruited. The only catch is, that you have to have the right opportunity to work for Emirates.

We got split into groups and for the rest of the day you basically had the same girls around you. Wish is nice, since you get the know them a bit and the best news is, that as the day goes along, most of the girls feel like your best friends at the end of the day. Going through this interview can do that to you.

Now please bear with me, as I'm doing most of this from memory.

First elimination round.....

Group discussions. I thought the girls were joking when they mentioned this earlier in the morning. But it is the nasty truth. We were about ten girls in our discussion group and you have to make sure that the recruiters notice you, but in a subtle way. We had to find out from the girl sitting on our right, what her name and surname is, where she is from, what her favourite food is and where she would spend a month, if she had the opportunity. It is all about presentation, how you talk in front of everyone, do you add a little something extra, are you comfortable, can you answer questions. Voila! You've make the first round.

I forgot to mention, this is also the part were you get to stand on tip toes to see if you can reach 212cm. Now there are people spreading nonsense about minimum height and weight. If you can reach 212cm you are in the clear, I'm currently 1,62cm and I reached it with ease. More later on the weight issues. I need to calm down some more first.

After every round, every girl gets a piece of paper with you number (that is assigned during the morning) on it and it either says congratulations or thank you for your time and good luck next time. That is the worst part of the day, waiting to get that half page that has so little typed on it, but contains so much information.

Second elimination round....

Congratulations to all the girls that had English higher grade as their first language, us Afrikaans girls have to right an English exam, since English was our second language in high school. If you did reasonably in English at school you should have no problem. I got a distinction and I aced the paper we wrote. Be prepared to write an essay, we had to write an essay on 'if you were the president of a country, which country would it be and why and what would you change'. I obviously chose Zimbabwe and poured my little heart out about Robert Mugabe and the destruction he has caused the country. I think their were tears in their eyes when they finished. Some of my best work. And again voila! Your second piece of paper.

Third elimination round......

This is more tricky. More group discussions. Smaller groups. More talking. More opinions. Things can get heated quickly. We were about nine or eight girls in our group. We got a few questions to discuss:

Your are the manager of a prestigious restaurant, your head chef called in sick and you only have an assistant chef, , the restaurant is full, how are you going to handle the situation?
Some tables have order starters, main and others are waiting on desert. Which tables get priority?
A VIP member of Parlement is threatening to shut down the restaurant, he is unhappy with having to wait for their order. What do you do?

With the third question, I almost lost my temper with a girl that had a strange London accent and apparently worked in a posh restaurant/hotel there. She just didn't want to listen to anybody's input, suggestions or anything. Even though she had more experience than any of us, she wasn't open to anyone. This is when I realized what Emirates might be looking for. Remember, this is just my opinion of how things went down. They want someone who can take leadership and initiative in a crisis, but can listen to input, get advice and information and then only make a decision. It also means admitting if your advice wasn't the best (which I had to do when someon gave their opinion).

We were three girls that basically led the conversations, with input from the other girls. The London girl didin't make the cut. Surprise, suprise! While the third girl was very attractive, a bit older than us, and had the perfect personality. I think she didn't make it, cause she mentioned she had a cross tatooed on her ankle. Big no-no!

During the discussion you will be called towards one of the interviewees and asked to identify any scars, marks, tattooes, etc. that you have. They coax you into telling, by saying that if an airplane was to crash, they could identify you through the scars. Which makes sense, but this is also the point were they find out about tattooes.

If you managed through this, you are unofficially half way through the process. By this time, it's around six or half past six at night. You probably hadn't had anything to drink or eat all day, even though you had half an hour lunch, but was too stressed to eat.

Then everyone gets together in the conference hall. This is where you can see who is still in the running. We were only 19 girls left. I was amazed. I thought they would have less girls, but I was none the less impressed with our group. Papers where then handed out to all of us. These needed to be completed before your final interview. Here they wasted quite a bit of time, going through small details of how the forms should be filled in. We then still had to do the 16PF Personality Test. i was not happy about this. By that time I was feeling dizzy and ready to throw up all over the papers. Lack of food and water and extremely stressful situations will do that. But I somehow got through it. We finished at half past seven. I had come half circle.

My final interview was the following morning at eight o'clock. I was so tired and drained the following morning, but I managed. I can only thank Jesus for giving me the strength to have gone through all of it. I must admit, that if I failed the first time, I would not have done it all over again.

In your final interview, they ask quite a few questions about work situations. They are adamant about giving specific details and examples:

Have you ever helped an employee without them asking / with them asking and how?
How did you handle a conflict situation?
Have you ever had a stressful situation at work, how did you handle it?
Why do you want to become a cabin crew member?
Stong and weak points?

The list goes on, but those I remember in particular. After that, the waiting starts again. I was phoned about two weeks later and informed that I would shortly receive an email containing all the information about the medical reports I need to submit and it also contained my temporary employment contract.

"As per our conversation, with reference to your application for the position of Cabin Crew with Emirates, I am pleased to advise that you have progressed to the next stage of the recruitment process whereby your file has been recommended for final approvals."

I think I'm maybe making this all sound like a drag, but it's an incredibly amazing process, you wait for days on your nerves are shot, but in between you amazing the most incredible destinations and people. So, in the end I also hope it'll be worth it. I'll know in 123 days.

Started counting.... AGAIN

2008-09-23T12:48:00.010+04:00

I almost reached 50 nights to go, then I got my exam roster, I'm only finishing on the 22nd of November. Long story short - I'll be in Dubai on the 24th of January 2009. Another 123 nights to go, of endless wondering about all the amazing places and peoples I'm going to meet and see.

As you notice, I'm not angry about starting to count from scratch again. It's because I've had my cooling off period. Otherwise someone would've reported this sight to someone and have it removed. But I've accepted it just as something that the Lord has planned for me and there is nothing I can do about it.

Everything is still going good at work. I'm feeling nostalgic about leaving. Not the people, but I absolutely love the work that I'm doing at the moment. The business, marketing and growth plans and doing the financials of the new businesses. I'll definately have to come work and work here when I'm finished in Dubai. But for now, I'm still not certain how long that is going to be.

Tomorrow is National Heritage Day, which for us Afrikaans mense, beteken braai dag!!!!! We're gonna have a few friends over, braai some meat and just relax. I desperately need to, after all my anger towards the Varsity. The bonus is, that it is really starting to feel like summer today and the weather man promised a warm day tomorrow!

I recently joined a group on Facebook, called Weird Nature. One of the girls that work with me started the group and it is amazing. I have such a love for animals and this site shows various pictures of animals and gives bits of information. I was recently made marketing liaison and researcher. Which I am proud to share. I'll post a few of the pictures available on the site below.

A little bit of Dubai...

2008-09-05T16:37:00.015+04:00

Just to give you an idea of where I will be in 70 nights....

Eat your heart out....

Stupid South African Dentists!!!

2008-09-05T16:22:00.004+04:00

Might as well enlighten you on my newest medical development. Two weeks ago I had a filling done, in order to go to Dubai. I am absolutely terrified of dentists. The smell of the place makes me want to vomit.

After an hour in the chair I was released to go and try and eat and drink like a normal person.

Just to add that I have another appointment on Monday. Somewhere someone screwed up. My tooth aches all the time, especially when I drink or eat something cold. Imagine trying to drink a slush puppie in the movies and you'll have a picture of my pain.

So just to scare everybody from letting their teeth rot, I decided to add some delicious reminders, enjoy....

+ One friend

2008-08-26T11:35:00.005+04:00

Yeahhhhh! Just found out this morning, that one of the girls that I met at the Emirates interviews, also got a final interview for 6 September. I really hope she gets in. She's such a nice girl. We're trying to start at the same time, so we can do our training together. Still don't know whether it is possible. But we'll see.

I just wanted to add a picture of the animals that I have. So everyone knows why I keep going on about how I'll miss them.

This is Meraai, she was our pet meerkat, but she's not with us anymore, she's in meerkat heaven now!

Yip, Meraai is lying on top of my sisters boyfriend's Golden Retriever, Chuck. He has the ability to fall asleep and is uanble to wake up, even if a meerkat is lying on top of him!! They were so cute together.

Emirates Cabin Crew: Still waiting...

2008-08-25T16:23:00.008+04:00

Everybody says don't worry. But you still do. I've send my last medical reports on Friday. After I had to make a few changes. Now I'm just waiting for that final email that confirms that I will indeed be going to Dubai. The whole recruitment process is quiet stress full. Especially if you are like me. I put my all into something I do and when it doesn't work out, I'm devastated.

I saw my ex again today. He looked really good. Came to fetch some cheese that my Mom is selling. I thought it would be okay to post a picture of him. So you can just know why I'm so crazy about him. We had a cigarette together and everything felt as if it was still normal. He gave me a quick kiss and a hug and I just couldn't let go. I hug him so tight. It strange how things can change so quickly. A week ago we were still happy and suddenly it all just becomes too much and it falls apart.

Let me just fill in that we went for a movie and dinner on Friday night. I just had to see him again. Remember this isn't your average break-up. We still love each other and want to be together, but I'm going to Dubai and he got burned in the past, cause of long distance relationships. So I don't blame him and he understand that I need to go overseas before I settle down. It's just our luck, that we met so early on. We had so much fun at the movies. We went for dinner at Vasco's my favourite. I absolutely love their calamari steak. Nothing funny happened, we just held hands for a bit and talked about what the future is going to hold for the both of us. He's such an amazing person, he keep motivating me about going to Dubai, about all the places I'm going to go, people I'll meet, while he must be torn up inside. Life can be so unfair sometimes.

One of the girls that works with me, gave me still great receipe. Unfortunately it's in Afrikaans, so I'm not gonna try and translate it.

Chocolate cupcake in a mug

4 eetlepels koekmeel

4 eetlepels suiker

2 eetlepels kakao

1 eier

3 eetlepels melk

3 eetlepels olie

1 gewone koffiebeker

Gooi die meel, suiker en kakao in die koppie en meng.

Voeg die eier by en meng.

Voeg die melk en olie by en meng goed.

Mikrogolf die mengsel vir 3 minute op maksimum krag of tot dit ophou rys in die koppie.

Skep uit en geniet met neute en sjokolade sous.