The Tunnels 

Vacation Experiences 

This past December (2012) we set off for Mozambique

Excitement aplenty as we packed the car on the evening of the 14th of December, we would leave 3:00AM on the 15th

Thanks to my aunt, who never fails to make a late entry, we were only on our way at 4:10AM

I drove the first shift

By 7:00AM I was fighting with myself to keep my eyes open, they kept closing involuntarily

And, as luck would have it, the last time I had my eyes shut too long, I had a persistent tugging on my hair

Charlie woke me up before I got too close to the vehicle in front of us

I was suddenly wide awake. We got stuck at the border between SA and Mozambique, 4 and a half hours

It was boiling hot in the vehicle and everyone was getting quite uncomfortable

I had a chance to check in with Tim before we crossed the border and our communications were cut off, and he told me Gran was with mom, making sure she was coping (after all, she had had major surgery only a week prior to this excursion) and Charlie was in the back with us, as happy as a kid in a candy store. Our 16 hour trip eventually came to an end when we arrived at dad's house just after 8:00PM

We were exhausted, to say the least, but we made it there in one piece

We had great days and some not so good, but that's the chances you take when you take people along for a three week holiday

My aunt, unfortunately, has a knack for being unhelpful and, I'm very sorry, there is no other way to put this, extremely stingy

Seeing as how she is also Gran's daughter, this upset Gran

As Tim told me one night after I had made sure to get a local starter pack and was able to communicate again, Gran really felt that she had taught my aunt to behave better

After all, she was 9 when Gran passed away. On one specific night, Gran was fed up with my aunt

I got a message from Tim and Elaine that, when my aunt went to lay down, I was to stay out of the room, it was time for mom to give her daughter a stern talking to

At one point Tim sent me a message and said, listen for the closet door

And, sure enough, I heard the closet door bang shut

Gran was busy with my aunt for nearly 45 minutes, then Tim sent me a message and told me she was done, I could go to bed if I wanted

I was wide awake, sitting in a very comfy chair, watching one of my favourite movies

Charlie had sat down on the floor in front of my feet, his back against my legs (my legs had tingles all over) and then Gran was sitting on the side of the chair (my right) and she started playing with the chain around my neck

Tim told me she was fascinated with the chain, she wished she could have had something that lovely when she was alive, and that's why she keeps touching it. Earlier on this specific night, I told Tim I had something that I wanted Gran's opinion on

He told me she was walking around outside, under the carport

Now, with the high risk for Malaria in Mozambique, we tended to be indoors before the sun went down, just to make sure we do not get bitten by mosquitoes

So I knew I'd have to speak to Gran through a window, she'd always hear me

I walked into the bar and closed the door behind me

When I walked up to the window I could see the back of the trailer, and my aunts vehicle

I started to speak, and as I did, movement caught my eye

In the darkest corner, to the left of the trailer, stood a greyish figure

And the figure was looking right at me

I couldn't make out very much detail, only outlines, but I knew it was her

I finished talking and went back to my room, where I immediately sent Tim a message. "I think I just saw gran!" "Yes, and I'm not sure who was more surprised

She assumed it was your dad coming into the room

But, even in her shock, she smiled at you." Came the reply from Tim. That evening she told him to tell me that she wanted me to start focusing more on "hearing" her

She wants to communicate with me directly

In the meanwhile, she cut herself off from both Tim and Charlie (no boys allowed, Gran's rules) and suddenly turned to communicating through Elaine

Earlier that day, I had been in the ocean with the boys, and distinctly heard a male voice calling my name