Grand Finale 14 Sept-1 Okt 2009 (Dawie J)

Italy was really the grand finale. We stayed in a lovely old house that is 800 years old. The walls are 1 meter thick.Except for the car crash, it was wonderful.

One day we went to Pisa and saw the leaning tower. it is really leaning a lot – it is amazing that it is still standing!

We also went to Firenze with the train. The cathedrals in Italy are definitely the most spectacular. There is one very beautiful one in Firenze.

Our 3^rd excursion was to Rome. We entered the Vatican city with out passports! We not only did not need them, but we also did not have them with us – which we found out later is against the Italian law. But God protected us from policemen asking us for identification.

There were thousands of people at the Trevi Fountains and the Spanish steps. We ate ice cream at the Steps. It was a special treat! The Spanish steps were built from earthquake rubble from the Colloseum.

The Colloseum was something else. It is huge. It was built from the money of all the things that they took from the Jerusalem Temple – the one that Solomon built. It is so sick that it was built for an entertainment place where people can look while others die, either fighting other Gladiators or wild animals. It is a privilege that we as Christians do not have to face what those Christians had to face!

The next day on 29 Sept., was my 10^th birthday. It was a wonderful day of rest – we did not work at all! We had eggs and bacon for breakfast – each had 1 egg on his own to enjoy! For lunch we had a braai and paella for the evening. This was exactly what I've wished for. I also received nice gifts.

Then it was time to pack and clean for the last time. I was sad to leave. I felt sooo emotional!

Italy was really a grand finale!

Wat ek geleer het in 2009 (Dawie J)

Algemeen

-Dat God is kreatief, want elke paar km waar jy is,

is dit anders en net 'n paar voorbeelde van plekke wat

baie anders is, die Grand Canyon, die Niagra Falls,

die Alpe, die Namibiese oop velde.

-En teamwork makes the dream work

en ek het my weight gepull, nie net met die tas wat

ek gesleep het wat dieselfde as ek geweeg het nie,

maar ook met al die gunsies wat ek gedoen het.

1.By my pa en ma

1.Hulle wil altyd help.

2.Hulle wil altyd my reg help as ek dwaal.

3.Hulle gee baie liefde.

4.Hulle oefen baie.

5.Hulle het 'n goeie attitude.

6.Hulle werk hard.

2.Oor skool

1.Jy moet 'n goeie attitude he.

2.Jy leer nuwe goed.

3.Ek moet eerlik wees.

4.Jy leer meer van GOD!

5.Dis nie maklik nie.

3.Oor familie

1.Daar moet liefde wees.

2.Jy moet tyd saam met mekaar spandeer.

3.Jy moet gunsies doen.

4.Jy moet saam eet.

5.Maak grappies met mekaar maak.

6.Teamwork makes the dream work

4.Werkies wat ek gedoen het

1.Tafel dek.

2.Vir pa sy selfoon bring.

3.Vir pa water gebring.

4.Vir ma 'n boom geteken vir haar boek.

5.Tinus se rug krap.

6.My rugsak altyd self gepak

5.GOD

1.MAGTIG

2.LIEFDE

3.SKEPPER

4.VADER

5.KREATIWITEIT

6.VERLOSSER

7.GOD

6.Die wêreld

1.Daar is pyn.

2.Daar is sonde.

3.Daar is skoonheid.

4.Daar is wonders

5.Daar is liefde

6.DAAR IS HOOP – as ons aan Jesus houvas

Dit is wat ek geleer het op 'n 9 maande wêreld toer.

David Johannes Fourie

Dankie.

NEW YORK , NEW YORK ! - 17 September (Dawie J)

New York was great!

With all the big buildings and our big house we lived in, it was just great. For the first time in months we had a swimming pool and it was hot, so we swam a lot. We also played a lot of cricket.

We went to New York City and took a boat cruise on the Hudson river to the Statue of Liberty. It was nice to see this statue in real life, and not only on a picture.

Then we had a picnic in Battery Park and started our long walk towards Time Square. We saw the Wall Street bull, the Trinity Church and also the NY and American Stock exchanges. Then we went to the site where the Twin Towers once were standing tall. It felt like something was just ripped out of that spot when I saw the open space. I was wondering: Why would anyone do something like this?

We walked and walked and walked until we reached Time Square. It felt like daytime, but it was 10h00 in the evening! There are lights everywhere. We went to the big Toys-R-us. It was great seeing all those toys. Then we went home with the train.

We were in Central park as well and recently we were in Monaco. It is amazing that they are both the same size – a country and a park!

We were sad to fly out of New York, because NY was great and it was also the end of our 4 months in America. America was definitely the best stop yet.

This is Dawie J Fourie signing out from Italy – Ciao!

Loud and messy – 18 September (Dawie J)

Once again we landed in France. This was the place where we have been before, but not on the French Riviera. This was completely different.

We had a wonderful house with a small vineyard. I had a water gun with which I shot at the many stray cats. It was strange that they kept on coming back – maybe they were also hot.

I won my 2 brothers and mother in table tennis. That is what I call "sweet victories". We could also play on the mini pool table. In that game I never won. We also drove to a beach and swam there. It was lovely.

We went to the French countryside and drove through many old and dirty towns. It was cool to see all the places. On another day we went to Cassis and took a boat to the Calanques. We were on a small boat that went up and down over the waves. We got soaking wet, but it was worth it to see the beautiful nature. Afterwards we swam in the sea at one of the pebble beaches.

Then we moved to another house. This one was very small, but close to the sea. It was not a beach. We swam every day jumping straight in from the rocks. The people in that street talked lots and very loud till late at night.

Tinus had his birthday there. It was a special day. We went to Vieux Port and the oldest part of Marseille. It was very dirty there. We had supper in a street cafe which I enjoyed. We also visited the Notre Dame De La Garde. It is an old church on top of a hill, from where we could see-in all directions.

Many French people smoke. I wonder if they do not know how unhealthy and stinky and messy it is!

Although the people are loud and not so friendly, and the towns are not so clean, we still had a great time. I was glad that we could include the French Riviera in our tour around the world.

Chicago 26 July – 11 Aug (Dawie J)

Chicago was great. There is such a beautiful skyline and we had a nice home the first 12 days and then went to a hotel (near Willow Creek) for 5 days.

We went up the Willis Tower to the Skydeck. There were spectacular views, it feels as if you're on the top of the world. It was cool to stand on the glass balcony and look right down to the street 103 storeys below!

We played cricket in Lincoln Park, and I came 2^nd after my dad (who always wins). We often also played mini-cricket in the small area next to our house.

The visit to the Science and Industry museum was great. Me and my 2 brothers went. We saw the German U-boat (World War II submarine) and many other interesting things. Tinus and Charlie explained all the stuff that I did not understand. It is a privilege to have 2 older brothers like them.

My parents and brothers went to the Leadership Summit and I did not have a place to stay. I worried about it. We asked God to provide a place for me to stay. That really put my faith to a test. A family we have not met before, invited me to stay with them. So, I went to the Lowmans on Thursday. I had so much fun, that I asked to stay with them on the Friday as well, instead of staying in the Hotel room. I learned that to trust God, is the best and that when God provides, He provides the best!

Once we went to a restaurant as a special treat. It was buffet. We stayed there for 4 hours, not because we ate so much, but because we talked so much! I just love to be part of my family. We loved the eating as well!

Now I say good bye!

Georgia - 18 July 2009 (Dawie J)

We were in Atlanta for 2 weeks and are now in the mountains north of Atlanta for 10 days.

In LA we watched a school baseball game, in Atlanta we watched The Braves at Turnerfield.

It was very nice and there were fireworks at the end.

We went to the Coca-Cola museum, learned of their history and drank so much different products of Coke, that I did not even want to see a Coke bottle.

We also went to Stone Mountain and knowing my family, we obviously walked all the way to the top. I got very tired, even more than the 20km in Montana.

It must be because it was so HOT! We saw a spectacular laser and firework show. I enjoyed it together with about 20 000 other people.

My grandmother came to visit. We had a great time with her. Obviously she spoiled us a lot. She even paid for us 3 boys to watch Transformers II in the IMAX theatre.

Charlie and me went to the Georgia Aquarium and saw lots of types of fish.

There were even 20-foot-long whale-sharks and a manta-ray. It surely was a wonderful experience.

Then we drove to our cabin.

We floated 6 miles down a river in tubes that was very nice.
Georgia was just great!

Spectacular Canada - 14-28 June 2009 (Dawie J)

Once again an amazing experience! This time it was a 2 in 1 holiday (but I did do 9 full schooldays).

Landing in Toronto, we already saw the CN Tower high up in the sky!

We had a great home in Toronto with a swimming pool, sauna, ice hockey table, and video games. The house was like a 5 star hotel. The home exchange family, Judy, Brian, Francis and Oliver are VERY special people and generous! They took us to a steakhouse!!

When we sauna-ed, I told Tinus that I feel like a cookie, because I am being baked. We enjoyed the house a lot, swimming and regular BBQs.

We went to Niagra falls. It was roaring water and clouds of spray in the air. We went on a boat, The Maid of the Mist, right into the falls. It was wet and wonderful!

Our second week, we've spent at Red Stone Lake, in the Haliburton Highlands. There we also baked in the sauna, but swam in the lake (not a swimming pool). I went rowing on the kayak a lot. I can even stand and row.

We visited the ice cream kiosk 3 times. Each time we bought 2 "small" ice creams (which were actually gigantic) and shared it amongst the 5 of us. We never saw how big the "large" ones were!

We did not initially choose to go to Canada, the Canadians chose to come to Namibia. I'm so glad they did. This was surely a highlight!

DJ is signing off now, as we descend into Atlanta. Yet another adventure is waiting!!

Hiking madness – 12 June 2009 (Dawie J)

Whitefish, Montana was wonderful! I will remember it as the place where we hiked ourselves almost to death, but even with that, it was still very nice.

We walked at Glacier National park. I was stretched to my limits – I did not think I could go any further, but still kept on going. If you think I can't walk far, how does 20 km sounds?(and half of it uphill!) We lost our path because we walked a long distance over snow. We found fresh bear footprints in the snow! I know now what real fear is.

Two days later we rode on the Go-to-the-sun road with our bicycles. I rode on a SMALL bicycle (the small size children learn to ride on). Mom and Dad walked 40 minutes and Charlie and Tinus went on ahead with the 2 big bikes. Then they switched places and I remained on my bike. It was uphill all the way. Again I was stretched beyond what I thought my limits were. This exercise took us 2 hours 40 minutes non stop! It was high and beautiful. There were high mountains and rivers.

Whitefish, the town where we stayed, is a small town. We barbequed at the lake. We also rowed in the canoe. One day we went down the river which flow out of the lake. I enjoyed that a lot!

We often played cricket on the street in front of our house. My dad made the bat. One evening we played a game that lasted 2,5 hours. it was an anybody's game. We had to play a knock out game to find the winner. I was in the lead with only Tinus to bat. With 2 balls left and 2 runs needed to win (for Tinus), I was the one with the ball in my hand. Tinus hit a full shot. I stretched out and caught it with my one (left) hand! He was out and I won the game with 1 run. If I would have dropped the ball, he would have gotten the 2 runs and won. I was so overwhelmed, I started crying !

Whitefish reminded me of Switserland with the quietness. I liked it very much. I would like to go back one day.

Cruise Alaska – 16-23 May (Dawie J)

Finely: school vacation and off on the boat!

We came on the boat and immediately went to eat. And repeated that lots of times thereafter.

There were so much to do: there were games, restaurants, lounges, card rooms, a cinema, it was just great.

We played Table Tennis. You think I would win my mom, well I did not, but it was still fun. We also played shuffleboard on the deck – there I was the champion!

We cruised along the Inside Passage of Alaska. The scenery was wonderful! We went right up to a glacier and saw icebergs around the boat. When we went ashore, we hiked for miles and miles.

That was the only thing that was free, but it was very nice. We walked over mountains and saw waterfalls, snow, pine trees and rivers.

Unfortunately I got sick the last 2 days on the boat. I think the lots of sugary food was a shock on my stomach, but my mom said it was a bug (and the fact that I don't like fruit). I am 100% healthy now.

The boat trip was very nice, I enjoyed it a lot! But I am also glad to have my 2 feet back on solid ground. I am ready for the next adventure and for school that will start after this 1 glorious week of holiday.

California, USA - 15/5/2009 (Dawie J)

We landed on American soil! Everything is bigger. There are much more big, and I mean BIG , cars, than small cars.

The home was very nice, but we definitely could not play ball inside!

We stayed in Palm Springs for 5 days. Me and my dad played golf once. 

I lost the first 9 holes, but we draw on the next 9. I hit the ball 100 metres over water with a 5 iron. My dad said:"Now I'll have to buy you a cool drink". While people were looking, I hit a very good shot. The people applauded me and one guy said:"He's gonna be called "The White Tiger" one day!!!"

From Palm Springs, we hit the long road to the Grand Canyon. 

It was a 7hours non-stop drive, BUT , it was all worth it! It is amazing that this big hole in the ground, clever people don't really know 100% how it was formed. So, it must have been God! You see a little bit of the greatness of God here, but still not all of it. God is so Great!

Then we drove past Hoover dam. 

It is a magnificent structure. It was built in 1932-1937, but still is in the Top 10 greatest inventions of the 20^th century.

Back in Los Angeles, we walked along the beach every day. 

Different aeroplanes flew over our heads as they were departing from LAX – it seemed 1 every 30 seconds! Tinus and I went to Disneyland. It was a glorious day: lots of different themes and drives.

Then Charlie came back! 

While driving into the airport, we saw his plane (an Air New Zealand plane) flying in just over our heads! With planes landing every 2 minutes, that was a real miracle to see his plane. We were so excited. I took Charlie to Disney California the next day. We went on the California Screaming Rollercoaster.

 I was SOOO scared, I almost wet my pants! At the end, I enjoyed it so much that we went 3 times – and my pants were still dry...!

That's all from me. Dawie J signing off from LA, on the way to Seattle... Everything is wonderful!

Peaceful New Zealand 30 April (Dawie J)

NZ almost had the same feeling as Switzerland, because of the peace and quietness on the farm. We did have more activities in NZ.

One day we went to the zoo. It was wonderful to see a live Kiwi. What shocked me, was the poster saying how many kiwis die and that they are almost extinct. 

People must look better after God's creation. We must not mess with it and each should do his part in conservation.

We went with a ferry to Rangitoto. It is amazing that there are towns and buildings older than this island. It is an erupted volcano, full of lawa rocks. It was very tiring to climb, but the view in the end was worth it. We went into lawa caves and my dad (who easily feels closterphobic), also made it. We heard on the radio that there are a lot of lawa caves underneath Auckland, as well as unerrupted volcanoes. That is scary!

The many steam and boiling mud in Rotorua was strange. 

It is everywhere you look. We played a game of minigolf (my dad won) and swam in hot water.

Seeing Michael and Gerald van Wyk again and playing some rugby, was really nice. 

They will always be special friends.

New Zealand was absolutely amazing and once again on my wish list of a place I would like to go back to in future. I am so glad that we could include it in our tour.