Anniversary in Mexico

As the fall sets in and temps drop here in Columbus Ohio, it is also our anniversary and to celebrate we decided to take a trip down to Cancun Mexico, about 6 hours flight to some of the best beaches, fantastic weather and just a great opportunity to unwind and enjoy some of life's finer pleasures. We booked into a hotel called Dream's which is on the peninsula of the bay in Cancun. It was an all inclusive resort and you can eat all you want and order drinks all day from the bar with no charge for the entire stay. I highly recommend this option and further state that they make a loss on individuals like me. Happy hour starts at 11 on the beach and ends when you go to bed. The food was great and fresh fish is hard to beat as one of the better choices in food. I got to play hours of beach volley ball, played tennis against the local pro, swam at least 3 to 4 times a day and read my book whilst tanning in between. How bad can life be? We were grateful for the great weather, safe travels and another fantastic visit to Mexico, WE LOVE THIS PLACE!!!

 The room from our balcony at the Dreams hotel, it has a dolphin pool directly below the rooms and they  host opportunities for people to swim with the Dolphins everyday. Quite a thrill to watch these mammals play even after the sun sets in the evening.

 This was a private beach where we got to swim, sun tan and just chill on the lilo each day. The water was crystal clear .

 on the right of the beach was the light house to the bay and the whole view from the beach was breath taking.

 this is the view from the lighthouse looking back at our private beach for the weekend.

 Looking like I just had my first Margarita but many more to follow.

 Lesleigh and I before the early morning swim.

 The water colors changed throughout the day and the colors became more dramatic as the day progressed or was it the Margarita changing my perspectives?

 Three course meals 3 times a day, cant be good for you but I will try my best to disprove that theory.

 The front side of the resort faces the open sea and behind me you can see just how gorgeous the water was.

 Taking in a bit of sun is always a sign of good healthy skin, you might say that I may have been greedy with the sun on this day.

 Lesleigh attends her first Scuba diving class and then she got to go out to a reef for her first scuba dive.

 A natural with the dive gear and she loved it, so no guessing what we will be doing on our next beach holiday!

Summer In Columbus OH

Well summer is in full swing and the temperatures have held out at a very muggy 35 degrees C this past two weeks. I am enjoying the summer for what it is and take every chance I get to get outdoors before the season ends.  I played in the local golf club of dublin club championship and won my division with a touch of luck and an 11 shot swing in scores for the better between day 1 and 2. I got lucky and managed to hit a drive onto a green from the tee on the par 4 12th which nearly dropped for a hole in one and would have been a great albatross, but it was not to be this time around and I had to settle for the eagle.

Wednesday evening's have been great fun and I have played in a mixed double league for the first time in many years. My partner and I have won all but one match this season and our team finished in second place overall, which was a fantastic result. Even got to play some of my matches on clay which has been a while but always a treat.

Saturday's is our mens double league and we have had a great run this season with only 1 set lost and so far we are continuing to extend the lead we have after the first half of the summer season. In the heat the game has been a lot more challenging and the standard of tennis is high so you are always guaranteed a great match. The season is now finishing up and our team is in first place which means over the next few weeks we will have the quarter finals and then semi finals and if we really play well maybe even a finals match. Cant wait.

Lesleigh's folks came over to visit and spent 5 great weeks here in the USA, given the chance I think they would move to the USA in a heartbeat.

I got to experience NASCAR in style and was lucky enough not only to watch the race but to do so from the pit lane, go into the drivers trailer and meet the driver and pit crew ahead of the race. They drive the car at 6 inches out from the wall on the track at speeds I never thought possible and what a noise in the stadium. The atmosphere was great and a must do experience at least once in a lifetime.

The activity gets even better I was lucky enough to go over the pond to London UK to visit my mates Carl and Mark. The weather was great and I am told I saw all four days of the UK summer so no complaints on my side. On the flight home I got a business class ticket upgrade, thanks to Lesleigh and enjoyed a comfortable flight home in the luxury that the other half live in.

 The car our brand Ortho sponsored at the NASCAR Brickyard 400 in 2011. Photo taken in the garages ahead of the race.

 Les in picture walking through the car inspection areas ahead of the race.

 Shock absorbers neatly stacked in a cupboard in the drivers trailer, worth a few pennies!

 In the inside of the trailer is a compact area where the team stores a backup car for every driver. Amazing to see.

 Racing tyre in the pits getting prepped for the race lane.

 Cars check in to their poll positions

 Les and I at the finish line to the World Famous Brick Yard 400 Finish post on the main track.

 A front shot of our sponsored car going into the inspection lane.

 Bottom up view of the race tower on the main track.

 And the race begins with loads of roaring engines and the crowd on their feet.

 Nothing quite like a braai in the UK, a fantastic treat and great to catch up with good mates.

We took a trip out to the Lyttelton castle for the day with Mark Greta and the kids.

 Daniel and Dad take to the obstacle course.

 Gargoyles protected the castle and looked somewhat fierce, back then I suppose it may have done the trick.

 Back at Home sweet home and a picture of the back side of the house.

 Another view from across the lawn, takes me about 1.5 hrs to mow this yard each week, and I am not slow at the job either.

 Photo's of the drive and garage

Photo of the front yard at our new home.

Looking at temperatures in SA it looks cold for week or two so to all our family and friends wrap up warm, enjoy the hot chocolate and remember it only lasts for two months.

Hocking Hills - a hidden gem in Ohio

 We started our hike out at the Ash Caves and it was a perfect day with great sunshine and nature in all her beauty boasting the spring air and abundant life in the forest.

 The trees stand almost 30-40 ft tall.

 Lesleigh walking ahead in the cool of the forest.

 The cave is really big provides a great shelter and resting spot in the forest.

 Lesleigh taking photo's at the cave, we both had a great deal of fun setting up and taking photo's with our cameras today.

 Water at the top of the falls at Ash cave.

 Green moss along the rocks and roots makes hiking a little more slippery in places, but well worth the hike.

 Photo of Cedar falls which is about 2 miles west of the Ash cave.

So it was another day of adventure and exploring uncovering one of natures marvels in Ohio. After the hikes we stopped at the roadside cafe for a sandwich and then headed home for ice cream and brownies. Not sure the later was on the weigh less diet but was very enjoyable!

Back to work tomorrow and the end of the winter tennis league season and the start of the summer outdoor league. Our team finished in second place this past season which is a great result and a closely contested final game.

http://www.golfclubofdublin.com/

On Saturday I also got to enjoy my first day out on the golf course this year and although I did not finish with a single figure score card it felt good to get back out there and play on a great golf course. Fairways were still a little damp after three weeks of rain but I have no doubt that in a week or two it will be a fine experience and I will be able to shoot for a 75 round. 

To all my friends and family, hope you are all well and enjoying life to the full. Stay in touch.