Top Trip-to-Hilton Moments

Grandma Greta! Happy Birthday! love, Connie :)

Ok so we went to Hilton Gardens today. Hilton Gardens is the area outside of town where Phil and Christine live. They recently moved there, I think because the pollution in town was driving them crazy. So yay! We went up for their housewarming party after baking some maple pecan scones – oo la la – and it turned into quite an adventure! Below are nine fantastic reasons why (plus one non-related yet interesting tidbit):

• Getting lost: we ended up missing a turn somewhere and driving all the way out, past Hilton, into the beautiful countryside. Let me tell you, man, South Africa is lush! It is gorgeous…everything is so green and beautiful and hilly. Just like a picture! And there we were, hurtling down the N3 (aka freeway) at 120 kph, going completely the wrong direction.


• “How now, brown cow.” As we were hurtling down the N3 we passed a pasture with cows peacefully grazing. Anna appropriately said “How now, brown cow,” and Tim said “Not really, those cows are black and white,” and Anna said “I know, I just really wanted to say that.”


• Trying to make it up a fantastically huge hill after we missed our turn (but before we knew we were going the wrong way). Our little Honda Ballade is weak and sad and we could hardly get it to go faster than 20 or 30 kph! Ugh!


• “The car is going to explode!” In my recent driving lesson with Phil, he told me that if the RPM gets up too high the engine could explode. Me being the innocent automatic-car-driving girl that I am, I thought he was serious, and as we were trying to make it up that huge hill the engine was making scary noises and I told them what Phil had said. However, when we got to his house Phil told us that he had been kidding. So. I am foolish.


• “Squish,” says Kyle, as we drive dangerously close to a huge semi-truck on the N3.
  
• We sang 606 (the Mennonite song) at Phil and Christine’s house!


• “My ears are going to explode!” On our way home, going downhill, Anna really felt that her ears were going to explode. It was great.


• “ENTOURAGE.” Can’t be explained.


• We had some really really good cake at Phil and Christine’s house. It is called Italian crème cake. Oh. My. Goodness.


• Also: this was after we got home, but we had a delightful conversation with our neighbor Christian. It was all about his startling Facebook friendship with Gabby's sister. Who is in Canada. Whoo-hoo!