The diary

South Africa

17.05.10

Sheesh! Over a whole month since my last update. Sincere apologies to all our followers out there, but in our defense, the last month has been hectic and internet has been scarce.

There is so much to tell, so this will be a long one. Since our last update, we spent a quiet time in Tofo counting the sleeps until our family and friends arrived. Our first guests arrived on Monday afternoon, Don and I were so excited we were an hour early to collect them from the airport. (As much as we love each other, we were desperate for company, other than each other.) We were so excited to show our friends around the place that we have fallen in love with. Heather's family was due to arrive that evening too as they had driven up from Johannesburg. To celebrate, we had a monster sea-food braai to showcase the best of Mozambique sea food.

We spend a fantastic week with our loved ones in paradise. We spend the days relaxing at the pool, exploring, swimming in the sea, walking on the beach, snorkeling and sorting out the last few wedding plans. By night we'd paint Tofo red and partied at the local beach bar, Dino's. We ended up dancing 'till the wee hours around the bonfire on the beach. Thursday night was the official stag and hen party night which meant more hooligan behaviour around Tofo, but what great fun! It was a crazy week, it went by far too quickly, but it was the best week of our lives.

By now, everyone had got to know each other which created a fantastic atmosphere at our wedding. I, along with my team of beauty experts, arrived early at Mango Beach on Saturday to set up the tables and to transform a traveler into a bride. We were very relaxed, sipping bucks fizz in a tranquil and beautiful setting. The guests arrived around 3, as Mango beach is quite a remote location, accessed only by a beautiful 4x4 drive through the coconut mangroves.

The ceremony was exactly as we wanted it, intimate, non-traditional, romantic and brief. The ceremony was performed by Don's mother and we exchanged personal vows. The rest of the evening was perfect. We had an awesome seafood feast and danced the night away. The photographs speak for themselves.

Sincerest thanks to all who came to our wedding and made it the most memorable and wonderful experiences of our lives. Don and I are truey blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

The next day, Don and I had to get back into travel-mode and pack Zulu, ready for the final leg of our journey to South Africa. We planned to take the long way home through the Limpopo National park, cross the border at Giriyondo and into the Kruger National park. We were very impressed at the high standard maintained at the park. The staff are well trained and professional and the cost is very reasonable, especially if you camp. The game was fantastic, although the cats were very shy. The park had just had good rains and the bush was lush and beautiful.

Unfortunately poor 'ol Zulu struck again, we were a few kilometers out of Satara camp and Zulu was making a horrible clunking noise. Don skillfully diagnosed the problem being the rear wheel bearing, the right one this time. Once again, Lee came to our rescue and sent Super Solly with his trailer. We had to get Zulu onto the trailer to get him to Palaborwa to get the old part pressed out and the new one replaced. Don managed to successfully replace all the parts and we headed off for Johannesburg.

We were very fortunate that we got to spend four nights at Sun City for a short get-away. This was much appreciated as Don and I had spent little time together alone since the wedding. We spend a relaxing week in the sun, lazing around the pool and walking around the beautiful golf courses. Thanks again Rus and Di for your generosity.

As for our current plans.......We are at a crossroads in our lives now. The original plan was to travel Southern Africa for another two months. Unfortunately the saving have almost run dry. We have accepted an offer to do some maintenance on a house in Tofo. Our plan is to return to Tofo for another month or so, this way we can extend our stay in Africa, without the expense of travelling. Our plans after that are still being decided, so we'll keep you posted.

Thanks to all who have shared our adventure with us on this website. Thanks for the well wishes and comments on our website, we loved reading every one of them.