An Uplifting Visit

One of the hardest things about being away from home for any length of time is being away from your loved ones. You heart cries when they are sick and when you miss special birthday celebrations, the birth of babies, weddings, funerals....the list goes on. You find yourself getting a little bit jealous when your family get together and you are not there. You feel like they are moving on....without you. You realise when someone is hurt or seriously ill that it will take you three days to get home and that is after you have found a flight and taken out a loan for a million dollars for the ticket.

Talking on the phone doesn't quite cut it and the holidays, especially Christmas Day are difficult. I remember our first Christmas away and most of my family were together at my sister's house. We called them on the phone and spoke to everyone individually. I tired so hard to keep it together but when I heard the voice of my niece who was a newborn when we left, I lost it. After we hung up I sat on the floor and sobbed.

The three vsitis that my parents have made to the ship have been a healing balm, a blessing that cannot be put into words. We look forward to their visits for months on end and we are so excited that they have now seen each phase of our ship life-in our host nation in the throes of field service in the Republic of the Congo, in shipyard in Tenerife and their latest visit to Gran Canaria where they stayed with us in our land accommodation during the Africa Mercy's extensive dry dock period.

 They have lived our life just a little bit. They have felt the discomforts, the highs and the lows. They have talked with patients, sat in the dining room, witnessed a blind man seeing for the first time, climbed the Roque Nublo with us, danced at a crew/day crew BBQ, played with orpahns, felt our angst as the end of dry dock is delayed yet again, felt the grit of the Harmattan winds, experienced the depth of poverty in the nations we serve, eaten wrinkly Canarian potatoes, struggled with the language barrier and had a coffee in the only Starbucks in Africa (on our ship). When we finally go home someone will "get it" and for that alone we are extremely grateful.

Just wanted to share a few pics from Mum and Dad's latest visit while the Africa Mercy was in dry dock in the Astican Shipyard, Gan Canaria, The Canary Islands. The families were moved to shore accomodations as children are not allowed to be on board during a dry dock period. Mum and Dad stayed with us for two weeks at the Riu Waikiki and the wonderful staff even gave them the room next door to us.

The beautiful Santa Ana Cathedral in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

View from the top of the Cathedral to the square below.

A different view of the surrounding hillside.

Mum, Dad and Jess at the top of the Cathedral.

Some examples of the distinct and very attractive architecture in the Canary Islands. Above is the Christopher Columbus Museum.

 

Mum, Dad and Jess walking through the "old town" of Vegueta.

Your friendly local law enforcement (with me)!

Jess at the Maspalomas Sand Dunes.

Selfie at the sand dunes- Dad, Mum, Me, Andy, Jess.

The stunning mountain landscape of the Canary Islands is breathtaking.

One of the lookouts had padlocks engraved with the names of lovers. These "love locks' as they are known symbolize everlasting love and are customarily affixed to fences, gates, bridges or similar public fixtures all around the world. Perhaps the most famous landmarks of love locks exists in Paris at the Pont de l'Archeveche and the Pont des Arts.

Climbing the Roque Nublo (Red Rock) we came across this sign!

The Roque Nublo-you can see it's towering height compared to the people below. The person in the bottom left-hand corner in Andrew heading up!

Jess on a big rock with a very scary drop off!

Mum.

The Spanish love to be outdoors and the weather in The Canary Islands is basically perfect all year round so we decided to have a picnic in the park. Of course baguettes, meat and cheese were on the menu! Above Mum, Dad and Jess.



The beautiful seaside hamlet of Puerto de Mogan with it's stunning display of colourful boganvillias and canals.

Playa de Mogan (Mogan Beach).

Typical Canarian fare-Wrinkly potatoes with red mojo sauce and below garlic prawns. Yum, yum!

The Canary Islands has some amazing architecture. Above is the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista de Arucas (The Cathedral of Arucas).

The cathedral from a lookout above the town of Arucus.

The colours of the Canaries.

The iconic dragon tree that grows all over the Canary Islands.

Jess at the crocodile park holding a falcon.

.......and a pygmy goat.

Mum freaking out when the handler shook the crocodile in front of her.

Jess and I feeding a rather indifferent chimpanzee who had already been fed like 1000 bananas that day!

One thing that we saw a lot of in The Canary Islands was sand sculptures, like amazing ones! Dad and Jess pose with Homer Simpson.

What a wonderful blessing it is to have family visit!