My brain is starting to Frazzle!!!

I spent till 4 am last night (this morning, yesterday morning....whichever it was) trying to figure out how to get to where I will need to go, to visit my kids. Buses don't go there, was warned not to take the 'taxis', no trains, so it looks like it will be by automobile, with me driving it!!! I started looking into car rentals and at first didn't think that was going to happen either. Was using an online currency converter (prices of rentals were listed in Rand) and forgot that the last 2 digits were cents, not dollars (commas are used instead of periods), duh! Was more than shocked to be seeing that it would cost me $7000.00 to rent a car for a week!!! Just about fell off my chair. Then I remembered about the cents and whew, things looked better, infact turned out to be pretty reasonable. Checked it out and won't even need an International; drivers licence. Ok, so that's figured out. Not comfortable with the idea of driving, but you do whatcha gotta do, right? Just hope I don't kill anyone in the process of getting there!

I'm told Greytown is the nearest point to where Nikki and Fundiswa live, and there is no way I could be that close and not see them (well, here's hoping WV will let me!) It's about 278 km (3 hours) from St. Lucia to Greytown and then 151 km (1.5 hours) to Durban. I'm also in the process of arranging with Nobuhle. (WV manager of KMP ADP in 2009) to visit, probably  in Durban, where she lives. She is the most amazing woman and an inspiration to me!

It was much easier planning to get to Kalomo to see Veoldy. Get off the plane in Livingstone, cab to the Backpackers (where I'll will be staying for the first project) http://www.livingstonebackpackers.com/ to stay overnight ($8.00) then hop a bus to Kalomo ($9.00 and 1 hour). The folks at Backpackers have even told me I can leave most of my luggage there while I go to Kalomo, how nice not to have to drag everything with me for those couple of days. Not sure if I will stay at 'The First Choice Guest House' in Kalomo again...rather scared of those bed bugs! Not to mention the roaches, spiders, bad electrical.......

I was also (in between) messaging with Richard from the Lion Encounter Project (http://www.thorntreelodge.net/ this is the 'tourist' lodgings, (I'm sure the volunteer lodgings are much more humble) about obtaining a visa for entry into Zambia. All these little things to try and figure out and try to remember!
I also spent a few hours trying to come up with somewhere to stay in Greytown. It's rather off the beaten track, not out in the tourist area of the coast, so not easy to find something, but found 4 B & B's in the area and have emailed them about the dates. I've given myself a day to drive there, 3 days to see the kids and staff then on to Durban for the weekend, when I will hopefully see Nobuhle. Then it's time to come home.
Called World Vision Head Office this afternoon to speak to someone about the visits (you have to make arrangements) but was not fortunate enough to get a hold of anyone. Hopefully tomorrow.

All the updates for now....fizz, frazzle, pop, says the brain.