And we're off!!!!

Don't have time to write, I am busy packing for our big 2 week adventure... The Eckerle tour will hit 3 countries in 2 weeks....Swaziland, St. Lucia,SA and Lesotho... We have alot to do before tomorrow morning, so I'll bid farewell for 2 weeks..

We'll be back the last day of the month.. If I get a chance I'll try to post something, somewhere during the trip...
All for now.. Hope all is well at home..

Bye!!!!

Not sure what to write about this trip, so I"ll just post a ton of photos

We are all doing well today, everyone is relaxing. Bob and I went out to have spiced meat, pap and greens at a restaurant in Gabane, and the kids and I went to a local park that just opened up down the street. It still is polluted with shards of glass, so it's not that relaxing of a place to take the kids.

The trip with the kids to the Rhino Sanctuary was great. We went for game drives, the kids played in the bush and had a nice time outdoors..
After the weekend, Bob and I headed to the salt pans with our guides.. They took care of everything and introduced us to Onion Marmalade(a huge hit with both of us) We hiked a bit, took in the eeire landscape, watched an amazing sunset and enjoyed a night out under the stars..
I'll just post some photos... It was a great experience and the landscape was amazing..

I apologize for seeming so rushed in this, but the day is rushed and we are preparing for our next adventure....Instead of pontificating on the beauty of the place, i'll just give you some photos.. If you ever come to Botswana, the salt pans may be a great place to go.

back from Mars

We all returned from our camp out in the bush.. the kids had a great time, got plenty dirty and enjoyed sleeping out in the bush.. Bob and I returned from our trip to the salt pan, we took a 4 hour bus ride home last night. We are busy running around getting things ready for our big trip this weekend, so I'll post some pictures and a little more information about our weekend either late tonight or tomorrow. Needless to say, the trip to the salt pans was surreal... a very cool and quiet place in the middle of nowhere.. More later...
Got to go get ready for Swaziland.

bob returns

We picked up Bob and Celeste last night at the bus station, it seemed the trip was a very good one. I'll try and have Bob write a small, uplifting paragraph or two about the state of Zimbabwe... But I know Celeste had a good time being home with family.
Today's agenda is to prepare for our weekend in Khama Rhino Sancutary, and then a night in the salt pans..
I won't be back til Tuesday, so the Blog will take a short break...

The following weekend, we take off for our big trip... Swaziland, Lesotho, and St. Lucia, South Africa.
Here's some site for you to look at about the trip..In Swaziland we are staying in an old dairy farm, and going to try and do some white water rafting..maybe
www.welcometoswaziland.com ,
Here's where we are staying in Lesotho - http://www.malealea.com/ (check out the photo pages.)
and info about St. Lucia- http://www.stluciainfo.co.za/

All for now.. be back in a few days.. The photos are Katie taking a jump and the three little ones in the waiting of their school.

Ok, all for now..

twins start school!!!!

Well, today was a banner day in the Eckerle household.... Not because Jude and Franny started their first day of school, but because all 7 of us got out the door, on time, clean, dressed and fed. I couldn't believe it.. Michelle asked me last night.. "do you think we can do this?" as if we were planning a robbery.. Getting out the door as a group is very, very difficult for us, especially when the parents who are in charge have such a low standard of cleanliness and the place you are taking them requires the opposite.

Jude and Frances were welcomed into the yellow bumblebee class this morning at Dipeo and were literally bouncing off the walls at home when we told them they were going.. "bye-bye cars". They went nuts, were banging on the door, ready to roll..As of now, they'll be going 1 day a week...

We took them to school, they played shy for 2 minutes, then Jude start putting on the moves towards his teacher.. Franny of course, backed herself into the wall, played "i'm too smart for this silly behaviour" then eventually gave in and started to play with the toys surrounding her.
The school is fantastic.. Wide open, plenty of space, music playing and tons of teachers to lend a hand... I'll put a photo up later when I pick them up...
I didn't want to push my luck this morning...

Kate has field day today and tomorrow is "Crazy Hair Day!!" Should be a blast discussing hair options with a 6 yr old going on 16... I'll get some video of Kate showing off her athleticism tomorrow..

All for now... the house is exremely quiet.. and clean this morning.

Maura's video is here!!!

After some time I finally have Maura's performance up and running.. I hope you can see it via the blog page, I am having a hard time viewing it from our computer. Also on todays post is a video shot by Jacob in the salt pans.. It's just him and his friends goofing off. Not much to report today, everyone is off school, we have conferences.. Bob is still in Zim, be home tomorrow.

All for now.. If you missed the photos slideshow of the pans walk, it is posted on yesterday's post.
Here's Maura's video


Here's Jacob...

salt pans trip , mauras video plus more tomorrow

Michelle and Jacob arrived last night after a long a dusty trip to the earth's version of the moon. The pictures are amazing, nothing I've ever seen before.. It sounded like they had a great trip... And Jacob enjoyed his 30km/time with his friends....

They stumbled on petrified flamingo eggs, elephant tracks, and baobob trees that are 4000 years old.. Apparently, some of the trees had huge boulders in the branches of them, that had been picked up by the tree as it grew over time. Bob and I head there next week.I'm sure the photos don't do the place justice, it looks totally surreal
Here's a video slideshow of their trip.



Bob is in Zim with Celeste, and Michelle has taken anotherplane ride to a remote village somewhere.. I live the adventurous life, and am getting ready to head out to the grocery store, then off to pick up the kids from school. Jealous?

All is well.. I will have Maura's performance from school up tomorrow.. Sorry for the delay, but I have run into some technical difficulties...
Enjoy the photo slideshow from the pans walk.. My plan is for Michelle to write a little more about the trip in days to come.

Bob's adventure

Sorry I haven't given you any updates over the past few days, but with no camera, video and all the kids, I've been busy and the posts would have been dull.
Bob is out seeing the country right now, via a bus...

He went with Celeste to Francistown, then over the border to visit Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. They left this morning at 6. Celeste is going to visit family there, and Bob tagged along. They went shopping yesterday for food(there is none in Zimbabwe) to take over to her family.
Should be a very educational trip.. They should return on Thursday night.

Bob says he's enjoyed his jet lag, napping when the time feels right.
We took him out to eat Apache Spur, then Paul and i took him to a true Botswana watering hole, don't remember the name of it... But it was quite an experience. True Botswana dancing, true Botswana drunkards.
We went to the village of Odi, Main Mall and a few other places...So far, I think Bob has enjoyed his time here.

Michelle and Jacob haven't been heard of for 3 days, but I think are doing well.
They are camping in on of the strangest places in the world and we should get pictures tonight of their adventures...
saturday we leave for the Rhino sanctuary, and will show Bob some of the wildlife here, while sleeping in an A-frame on the edge of a salt pan.. Then a guide is taking us(bob and I_)to the salt pans for a night under the stars. Looking forward to it..

The kids are tearing up the place and are doing very well..
All for now.. Photos and video of Maura's performance will be up tomorrow.. Stay tuned.

Bobby here, and Maura is a ladybug

Cant write much,headed out to see some sites with bobby.. He's here, flew 1st class the whole way..

If you like Maura, you'll check back in in a few days when I get my video camera back from Michelle.. Michelle and Jacob left for the Salt Pans this morning.
Yesterday , Maura had arts and crafts show and she dressed up as a ladybug, and sang some songs... I'll post the video on Monday..
But for now here's some photos of her, with her friend Masa and teacher Tumani.
All for now, more soon.