Day 42

I've just seen that my blog has had 900 views so far which is an average of just over 21 a day. Harry has a few more than me which means we've had nearly 1900 views between the 2 of us. I didn't think we would be so popular, but thank you for reading. A few of the other guys are doing blogs around the world but I think ours is the most detailed and up to date. It's been a great way to let friends and family know we are okay and it will be a nice record for us of the things we have been up to.

Today we woke up to see it had been raining during the night and the clouds were still forming above Cape Town, after 2 very hot days and many fires in the area and on the mountains it was very much welcomed. Today we headed back to Ysterplaat 1 & 2 for their 2nd sessions. We went without our cameraman as Joe had an important meeting to attend to. The first class were very quiet and it looks like these kids don't get much opportunity to run around and be kids. We started with our simple moving game which got them going followed by the passing of the ball around the circle, Both sessions worked and they said they enjoyed them but me and Harry weren't overly happy as the group was very shy and we really need to find something for them to get stuck into next week. The second group had the same activities and were nearly identical in the way they acted which is strange. They found it a lot more difficult to follow instructions and we found ourselves repeating ourselves a lot. We then jumped in the car as the older children are at a separate building. We had a slightly advanced session for these guys as they did so well last week but that was quickly scrapped. They all tried to bundle Harry and were running around with excitement, I blew my whistle to get them to stop and they ran to a cone. They had remembered last weeks session and wanted to do that. So we thought it would be easier, lots of singing and dancing. We were just about to move on to the next activity when we felt drops of rain, to us it was a little downpour to these kids that are inexperienced when it comes to bad weather it was a flood. It did get a little heavier and the kids were getting slightly excitable as this isn't an everyday occurrence over here. The teachers decided we should end the session 5/10 minutes early and get everybody inside. They wouldn't last 2 minutes in England. 

We then headed back to the learning centre where we used the computers and had some lunch. I won't start ranting again about wifi use but after working for an hour last night it stopped and we were forced down to Mixas to use there's and of course we had to buy a few drinks or we would have been asked to leave. Any excuse. As much as we enjoy going down to Mixas watching football and enjoying the atmosphere, my bank balance and my liver couldn't keep up. So fingers crossed.

Our afternoon session was at Goodwood college, we had been there last week and were given 50 boys and 2 balls. This week Densel arrived and said there was a game tomorrow and he just wants to see them play. Me and Harry joined in as well as there wasn't much else to do. Harry had 1 extra player and we played 11v12 on a full size pitch, it soon became 10v12. Despite their extra player and early pressure we took the lead. I was playing left back for my team, I'm not and will never be a left back and I think today showed it. Harry's team were all over us and should have equalised but for some poor shooting and a lack of shots. My team didn't help themselves either, our centre back and right back were pushing up field and it left us exposed at the back and with the other teams pace it was always going to be a problem. The best chance came to their pacey forward, he knew and I knew that when the ball was played over the top he was always going to beat me to the ball, so I tried to get my body in the way slow him down and give away a foul, he had other ideas, as he used me to spring himself forward and race on towards goal, leaving me embarrassed but luckily he scuffed his shot and I got away with 1. My team now 2 players down scored against the run of play to make it 2-0, we sat back and held on, the best chance of the game came to Harry but he scuffed it and it rolled slowly out for a goal kick. Match over and I retake a 2 point lead making it 4-2 now. Densel has got his work cut out with this group, tactically not very good, but weren't too bad with the ball at their feet.

We finished up and headed to Drommedaris for a talk with the kids, this week it was all about giving compliments. They seemed to get on with it really well and were full of compliments by the end. We normally really enjoy this group but today they didn't seem as well behaved which was disappointing.

As I was saying yesterday there is a fire that has been burning in the mountain for the last 3 days. It's still going even with today's rain. We all hope it is put out soon and are thankful for the firemen battling the fire.

Here's few photos we've found.