Definition of bliss - part one!

Family holidays are very difficult when you have a kid like mine - one who has extreme anxiety and really battles being exposed to new places, new people, new food, new anything!  Of course we have tried, oh how we have tried and then vowed never again, only to try again and vow never again!!

Our most memorable trip was to Kruger National Park.  My mum and my nephew were visiting from New Zealand and we thought what an awesome opportunity to go and experience a piece of Africa.... a bit of an exciting adventure for my nephew to add to his 'DIARY' which if I can recall correctly  was to be presented to his teacher upon return to school. (Haha, as if that diary ever got started - Gareth, if you can drag yourself off the farm and check out facebook, you actually might get to read this and let me know if I have over exaggerated - ps: Mate, I thought mullets had gone out of fashion!). 

Right, I am not going to furnish you with the details on the how’s, whys, where's of our holiday, otherwise you will be bored to tears (as will I).  Anyhow,  picture the scene.... there we were, cruising very slowly through Kruger, Allan the driver (of course), Nana in the front seat, Thomas and Gareth squashed in the jump seats right in the very very back of my car and comfortably placed somewhere centre was me and Nick.  Our eager eyes were scanning the horizon, checking out every little bush, stopping for the slightest movement - each of us so intent on being the first to see 'THE BIG FIVE".  When all of a sudden the white elephant in the car reared its head and screamed........ and screamed...... and screamed some more.  Oh joy, now what??  Eventually, after much gnashing of teeth and "shit, how do we get this kid to stop",  we ground to a halt and after scrutinizing the general lay of the land for scary lions and such - we dragged Nana out of her prized front seat and the screaming kid from his seat and swapped positions!  Immediate calm :)  Nick had access to the car CD player and oh boy did his eyes light up.  Now picture the scene..... there we were, cruising very slowly through Kruger National Park, windows open (shouldn't really do that!), MUSIC PUMPING LOUDLY AND REPETITIVELY, and a kid with autism deliriously happy.  Think I might have a video clip of this somewhere!