Hello Halloween!

Mark and I went to our second Halloween Party here in Bermuda. The last time was back in 2004 and we went as a Blue Man and a sexy witch.
This year we decided to get back to our roots and went the "African" way.
I think I scared the hell out of at least one person.

All in the name of fun!

Not much news on this side of the planet

Not much news from Bermuda I'm afraid.
In the run-up to the festive Season things tend to grind to a halt on our little Island.

The only things to look forward to now is the Halloween Party at Robin Hood next weekend, the Rugby Classic with South Africa's Springboks in November, our Christmas parties and Marks' parents coming to visit.
Oh yes and Mark is celebrating his 44th birthday on November 30th, which is also our 6th wedding anniversary.

Plans for 2007:
We're discussing the possibility of going to Oz at Easter, I'm taking a photography course online through a university in California and believe it or not (because I don't) I'll be celebrating my 36th birthday.
Oh yes, and I might also be starting a different job - but that's still far off.

Party at Black Beard's

It's so easy to forget how beautiful Bermuda is.
But then one weekend you find yourself sitting on a balcony at a place like "Black Beard's" pub in St. George's and it hits you - "My God, I am lucky to live on an Island."
It was Rob Salmon's 40th birthday party and we all got together to wish this crazy Canadian a good one.


That's the group that came to enjoy the sunset and the view.


Mark at the beach with his Indiana Jones hat and the guy, without a hat is Jim from Canada.

Yip, that's me in my funny hat.
In the corner is Steve and Belinda Bull, also Canadian.

Swept away by Hurricane Florence

More photos of Hurricane Florence which passed Bermuda on September 11, 2006.
Photos from "Shots on the Rock".


Downtown Hamilton and the South Shore beaches are pounded by waves.
The docks at Hamilton Harbour take a beating as a platform used during Harbour Nights falls over.

Across the Road from Bacardi Limited, the palm trees sway and bend in the wind coming from the South/ South-West.

Hurricane Florence in photos

Photos of Hurricane Florence - September 11, 2006 as taken from "Shots from the Rock"

Hurricane!!!!

Tropical Storm Florence headed for Bermuda as a lopsided blob of gusty rain on Friday but seemed ready to strengthen into a hurricane before hitting the British territory, U.S. forecasters said.
Bermuda was expected to issue hurricane warnings by nightfall, alerting the mid-Atlantic island's 65,000 residents to expect storm conditions in the next day or two.
Florence is the sixth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, poorly organized and unusually wide.
Its center was about 730 miles (1,175 km) south-southeast of Bermuda. Florence was moving west-northwest near 17 mph (28 kph) but was so large that Bermuda residents would likely feel the outer edges of the storm a day or two before the center arrived on Monday, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
Florence's top sustained winds have held steady at about 50 mph (80 kph) for several days but the forecasters said those winds could reach the 74 mph (119 kph) threshold to become a hurricane by Sunday.
Computer tracking models projected the storm would pass over Bermuda and turn northeast, moving away from the United States and into a part of the open Atlantic where shearing winds and cooler waters would sap its strength.
But the storm was so big that it was expected to kick up heavy surf and dangerous rip tides all along the U.S. eastern seaboard during the weekend, forecasters said.
The six-month hurricane season that began on June 1 has produced only one hurricane so far. Tropical Storm Ernesto briefly reached hurricane strength near Haiti last month but weakened before drenching the U.S. East Coast.
(Reuters)

We go live on air!

I love technology.
Thanks to my new toys, we can now "chat" online to friends and family using our webcam.
I had a two-hour conversation with my sister tonight.
It was fabulous to be able to see her while chatting to her and I can't believe it's taken me so long to do this.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that.
This is so darn cool!

I hate goodbyes

I said goodbye to my friend Melissa on Friday. She’s leaving for college to study journalism and while I’m thrilled that she’s beginning this new adventure in her life, part of me is screaming “No! Don’t go!”
Since we’ve been in Bermuda – going on almost five years now – Melissa is the first friend I’ve had since we left South Africa in 2000. Ok I did “hang out” with a few other girls, but they were never what I considered true friends. You always had to watch what you said around them and I was always worried about what they would think of me.
But with Melissa you could just be yourself. She showed me that I didn’t have to true so hard, or didn’t have to impress people for them to respect or like me.
She’s someone I shared my experiences with, someone who listened and seemed to understand. She was also a tremendous support in my weight-loss struggle and I will miss her jokes and little chats about nothing in particular.
I must admit I was very sad over the weekend thinking about coming back to work and her not being here anymore and then I realised how selfish that is because she has embarked on a wonderful and exciting adventure and even though she is going to be thousands of miles away – she’s living her life and making something of herself. I would never deny her that and anyone who would – should be shot.
So farewell Melissa and thanks for the wonderful eight months you shared with me.
I forgot how important “girl friends” are and I will miss you, but I wanted to thank you for showing me this. I promise I will find new friends and make an effort to keep them. You are a wonderful person and despite your age – you are very wise.Keep up the work and studies and remember that you will always have a funny South African in Bermuda who will miss you.

The joys of shopping for a new bike

Mark and I spent Saturday morning window shopping for new bikes.

I had my heart set on a Vepsa XL125, but when I found myself standing next to one... well it just didn't look as great as it did online.

After stopping at two stores on the Island, we returned to our trusted Yamaha dealer and found the Yamaha Cygnus 125 cc. Now what's ironic about this bike is that back in 1991 when I left for college, my folks bought me a Yamaha Cygnus 125. It looked very similar to this, but obviously this is the latest version.

Still, we have decided to buy two as soon as we have sold our Yamaha Grand Axis. Our friends think we are nuts and should continue to ride our existing bikes until they fall apart. But at the end of the day, with the amount of money we pump into those bikes to keep them on the road for another 2 - 5 years, it's just not worth it. As it is mine is sluggish and Marks' - well his is just "kapoet".

So hopefully by the end of September the Walters' couple will once again be riding identical bikes - but this time newer, more environmentally friendly four-stroke bikes. I do think we should consider not getting the same colour again - that's just too weird!

Tiger Shark caught off Bermuda

Welcome to Bermuda!
I don't think anyone is going swimming anytime soon - at least not anywhere near Challenger Banks. That's where this 800 pound Tiger Shark was caught by local fishermen.
Challenger Banks is about 15 km from the nearest beach, but still... these fish can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h so there's no telling where they will end up.
By the way, did you know that they are the ultimate garbage disposal system in the ocean - they will literally eat anything that goes overboard, including (some acconts of...) chickens, cattle, horses and yes, humans.


Ok that's it. I am never going in the water again!

Unlike Japan, here in Bermuda the entire shark is used, not just the fin. The fin is used for soup, the meat for "shark hash" which is a supposed to be quite delicious and the liver is used to make local weather-predictors. Apparently if you hang the bottle of shark liver up outside, it's clear on clear days and the liquid turns all cloudy when there is bad weather coming.
I guess that explains a lot about shark behaviour - you never see a "happy" looking shark when there's a storm at sea right?

Rule of the road for motorcyles in Bermuda

TCD regulations in Bermuda for auxiliary bike license.

1. Make sure as little works on you bike as possible i.e. lights, indicators, brakes etc, except horn, this will save on battery drainage and brake costs.
2. When riding your auxiliary cycle, you want to make sure you know the constant distance between you and the ground. The best way to do this is keep your left foot dragging along it.
3. To compensate the weight difference of your lower limbs on the foot pegs, only keep your right hand on the handle bars. You left hand is free to either hold you cigarette, wave to people, or hold your mobile phone (see below).
4. Cell phone use. As we know, everyone in Bermuda is extremely important, and you must be in contact at all times. If your cell phone rings, make sure you answer it. You may have to take one of your earphones out to listen, but we all make sacrifices.
5. No bike seat ever created can accommodate a normal posterior, so you must choose one buttock cheek to be on your seat, and one to hang over the side.
6. When wearing a helmet, make sure you don't do it up, or at least as little as possible. As stated before we are all important, and you must be able to get it off as soon as possible when you get to Casey's. However, if not entering a bar or the bank, keep your helmet on. this will save you from having to "do" your hair, and prevent your helmet from being stolen.
7. Beep at every one. EVERYONE. Then, follow up with the left index finger pointing to the sky ; using any of the phrases "yes" "yes-I" Yes-Yes" "Yes-dun" "Yes-I-Dun" "Woppnin" "Woppnin-Dun" "Yes-I-Woppnin-Dun" "Yes-Poppa" or one of the departments favorites "Yes-I-Woppnin-Dun-Ya-Cool-Poppa-Dun?" Wait for a response then repeat said phrase.
8. Tail lights at night will only confuse people, possibly distract them, so make sure they don't work."
9. Drive as fast as possible. This will encourage other traffic to do the same, and cut down on congestion.
10. To ensure people are aware of your high speeds, make your auxiliary cycle as loud as possible.
11. Never put your feet on the ground, especially at stoplights/signs...this is where centipedes try to jump in you shoes. Instead just meander / wobble like disoriented cattle.
12. Carry infants and children in front of you... they are young and bounce well. Feel free to carry as many people as you want on you cycle - two is only a suggestion.
13. Drive as erratically as possible. This will keep other people's driving skills well honed.
14. Park your cycle wherever you want. Everyone has to park somewhere. the bays are merely suggestions.
15. Drink and drive if you like. This is only your first license, but it is good practice for your motorcycle and car license.
16. Practice everything from wheelies to riding up a wall with your fiends along North shore and Middle Road. The more the merrier.
17. Don't worry about the condition of your cycle, expiration etc. when it comes down to testing it every few years or so. You are going to be related to some one down here, so don-e'en-worry-wif-it.
18. All rules are null and void for ex-pats, as it is unlikely you will fulfill #17.

You will never take our freedom

Everyone is talking about terrorism again after the recent bomb scares in the UK. So because of some one-brain celled ass holes, you are no longer allowed to take proper hand luggage on board your flight.
What does that mean? Well for one thing: no bottled water!
Can you imagine a 36-hour flight without your trusted one litre bottle of H2O? I think I might just skip flying home altogether because the prospect of enduring that length of flight without my trusted bottle of life-saving water – not to mention my hand cream and lip ice (because those damn flights dry your out like jerky).
There is also the question of what to do with your valuables. Do I pack my $3,000 Nikon camera in the hold and risk it being crushed, dropped or even stolen?
I don’t think so.
I have seen the way the baggage handlers treat your suitcases here in Bermuda – it’s a competition to see who can throw your bag the furthest!
Of course isn’t security forgetting something? Even if you don’t take this stuff on the actual flight – some type of explosive can still be detonated if it’s in the hold of the plane? So by confiscating it from hand luggage, are they truly achieving anything?
Hell – why not ban luggage altogether – fly it on a separate aeroplane – to be collected, or dropped off at your hotel after you arrive. I guess these bloody terries will find some way of ingesting the crap.
If they are so intent on blowing themselves up – why don’t they just do it at home? Go home your ass-cowardly bastards – go blow up your own kind!
It’s no wonder everyone is looking at other religions and sneering – thanks to a handful of extreme assholes, the entire world is suspecting each and every Muslim of being some bomb-totting suicidal bomber.
To hell with it! I think we should all just laugh in the face of danger and say: “Do your best, you will not break my spirit. You can take my life, but you will NEVER take my freedom – never!”

Remembering Hurricane Fabian

With the wonderful weather that comes with summer here in Bermuda, we also face the very real danger of being hit by a hurricane.
Mark and I survived our first Hurricane in 2003 with Fabian. It was a Category Three Hurricane when it passed to our East in September 2003. In its wake it left destruction unlike anything the Island had seen in almost 50 years, not to mention the loss of life.
We wanted to share the following images with you from that September.




Three of these photos were taken by various photographers in Bermuda including Scott Stallard. There is no way in hell I would have been out there taking photos. But that is Mark having a smoke in the middle of the storm and the view to the left is from our front garden. The entire Belmont Golf Course is missing under that sheet of rain that's coming down.

A quiet dinner

Over the weekend we were invited to dinner at the Hind's home along Bermuda's North Shore.
Jennifer and Ian Hind live in this lovely 18th century cottage/converted condo style home which has been tastefully decorated to reflect both Jennifer and Ian's tastes.
The courtyard, where we enjoyed some early evening cocktails, was a wonderful and tranquil setting with just the soft sounds of a fountain, the quiet call of a tree-frog and the sweet perfume of flowers which abound in various containers.

The cottage is situated along the North Shore with beautiful views over the water of this quiet bay.
With its lovely white shutters as a backdrop to the beautiful lilies, the cottage reflects the laid-back lifestyle of the early settlers to the Island and is one of the more photographed, as well as painted cottages on the Island.

Melissa and Jennifer go in search of caterpillars which have made some Passion Flowers their home. These beautiful flowers - which we could not find a single flowering one - are so detailed that it is hard to believe sometimes that they are in fact very real and not the creation of an artist with a flair of detail.

If at first you don't succeed - so much for skydiving

In my twenties I once got so drunk I woke up in a bathtub wearing someone else's clothing. That's when I gave up drinking and took up skydiving. I thought it would be safer.
As a friend said: "The helmet must have been thinking 'thank god this idiot is underneath me'."

I enjoyed skydiving. The one time I did it.
I endured three days of training - every night after a long day at the newspaper - and learnt to "fly" by running around on the ground.
The group of about 14 resembled some strange sped up movie from the 1920s - you know the kind where everyone moved really FAST. I have no idea what I was doing, but followed the rest running in a circle with our arms outstretched, looking up at the invisible parachute above my heard, pulling on invisible "toggles" and counting and counting and counting some more.
Finally, after being postponed for several days due to bad weather, there was a break in the clouds and up we went.
And up and up and up.
I'm not talking about a gradual climb to 6,000 feet (or whatever the height was), but circling up and up like some zombie-drunk ride at Universal Studios. To make matters worse I was sitting facing the back of the plane with about eight other people - in a plane that usually carried six, but because they had ripped the seats out - we were shoved in there like tampons.
I had visions of a bloody, horrible death. My parents being called to the airport to identify the splat on the tarmac, but I soon forgot all that when the adrenalin kicked in. Around about the time the "jump master" said "get out!".
No problem - I think - I can do this. I've trained for this. I've run around in circles and pretended to be 6,000 feet in the air. I can do this no problem!
I climb out of the plane. One foot inside the door which has been removed, the other perched precariously on the wheel as I hang onto the bar joining the wing to the plane. "What the fuck was I thinking?"
I'm swearing now and God ceased to exist somewhere between the first time the wheel turned under my right foot and the second I felt myself falling. I start off like some hamster on steroids running on a wheel with one foot trying to stay close to the plane and the next I'm spit out into the sky and falling to my impending death. Yeah right!

Our instructor said there would be a moment when you could almost reach out and touch the face of God. Fuck that. There's no time for touching nobody's nothing. You are falling and suddenly, what seems like forever after you ran on that airplane wheel, your parachute jerks open and the safety strap across your chest is suddenly caught under your chin.
My helmet reverberated and my teeth slammed shut like some mouse trap. That training paid off because I found myself looking up and checking that the lines weren't tangled, that the parachute actually opened and that I was in fact not going to die.

And then it happens. A quiet peace descends on you. It's unlike anything I'd ever felt before - or since.
I was one with the sky. I was falling faster than I would care to know, but I wasn't moving. Time stood still as the earth lay beautiful and green far beneath me. I saw the city. I saw the airport and the large X marking the landing spot. I pulled on a toggle and did a cute little turn.
I was laughing. I was crying. It was the one moment in time which made me realise one thing - what it means to live.
Of course there was the ground-rush which meant I pulled my toggles too late and instead of landing gracefully on God's green earth. I ploughed a vegetable garden and the sound of crushing bones and the snapping of muscle filled my head.
My helmet was happy to be on solid ground though.
Despite the pain and the weeks on crutches. It was worth it. I would do it again and I can see how people get addicted to that feeling.
Sometimes we need a reminder of what it means to be alive and if jumping out of a perfectly normal aircraft does the trick - then I say go for it!
If not - well then so much for skydiving.

You know you're in Bermuda when....

You know you are living in Bermuda:

When traveling more than 5 miles is considered too far.
When a sports car is not allowed to go faster than 35 mph, but does anyway.
When you call in "sick" because it's raining.
When your weekend starts at 3 kmp on a Friday and Happy Hour lasts four hours.
When "red hot" applies to how much you've had to drink and not the temperature outside.
When somebody "axe" you something and you understand what they're saying.
When you can't tell the age of half the girls on the street - even when they're in uniform.
When the price of fuel doesn't bug you as much as the price of make-up. Fuel being almost $8 a gallon.
When you know the names of several designers and own at least three of designer outfits.
When shoe-shopping becomes a sport.
When "eating out" means taking out a loan.
When you buy a new motorcycle every three years because it's cheaper than fixing your current one, or insuring it.
When you can buy a car for $3,000 and it costs $1,000 a year in license fees to keep it on the road.
When someone honks in greeting as you drive to work YET shouts to prevent an accident.
When you add dehumidifier to "must have" items.
When dust turns sticky if left for more than seven days.
When rats are the size of cats and cockroaches the size of school busses.

A beautiful day in May

Today the sky was blue, and while the wind blew, the oleanders hardly moved in the breeze, while clouds moved across the sky like sheep...

A beautiful day in May - when fathers and sons head to water to fish - side by side.

When palm trees sway in the wind and you realise how truly blessed you are to live in paradise, as the sun beams down to warm your face.
Such was the day today.

Flatt's village in Bermuda

on May 21, 2006.

Truly a blessed day!

Four hours of Island life

This guy was working in his vegetable garden. It was one of the single largest veggie-patches I've seen on the Island and it was beautiful.
The middle photo was taken at Somerset Bridge - it is the smallest/narrowest drawbridges in the world - or so they claim.
The last photo (top right) is of Horseshoe Bay. Normally it's packed with people.








This was a lizard I found while walking along Paget marsh. He was gorgeous and came over to investigate what I was doing.
The middle photo is of Gibb's Hill Lighthouse - I've written about this one before (see history), while the third (far right) was taken from Salt Kettle Ferry stop. Yip, that'sthe ferry and behind it is Hamilton - the capital of Bermuda. Big city isn't it?


This kid (middle) was riding his bike at Paget marsh. Don't know how much wildlife he saw, but he was having fun. The top photo is of the Island. You can just make out Hamilton in the distance. While the ducks were on the golf course at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. They were very inquisitive, or very hungry - or both.
I spent four hours driving around on my scooter taking photos of the Island and what generally goes on on a Saturday afternoon. Not much it seems, which is why I've also included some photos of some of the Islands' beauty.
It was the "end-to-end" race today - everybody who has half a brain walks from one end of the Island to the other to raise money for charity - that explains where all the people were - walking!