I've been dreaming of doing our South African trip all over again - I'd do it in a heart beat! Here's what I thought worked, whether I'd make any changes, and booking contact details for you. By the way, I don't have any connection with any of these companies.

WHEN

Late August and early Sep...

This is the Sabi Sabi story, in one big fat marathon post. You might like to read it in a couple of sittings, or make yourself a big cup of coffee and settle in. 

I know I told you this story about leaving Joburg on our way to Sabi Sabi Sands in an email but I'd like to include it in this...

Mountains rise dramatically around Franschhoek and Stellenbosch 

When I was planning this trip, friends Sandy and Derek Newton from Stanthorpe contacted me to say that their daughter Sam and her family live in Stellenbosch. Sam in turn contacted me and put me in touch with Hanle Hill, one...

Because the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek valleys with their vineyards and wineries are only a bit more than forty minutes drive from Cape Town, it's possible simply to do day tours from the city, but there are so many wonderful hotels in the area, we'd decided to shift camp for two nights...

After our musical evening last night, we decided to sleep in this morning.

It meant foregoing our trip in the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, but here's a photo of sparkling Cape Town by my Noosa bridge partner John who very kindly emailed it to me so that you don't feel deprived!...

One of the wonderful associations I have always made with Africa is the sound of a capella music and singing. There's something about the evocative harmonies of those beautiful black African voices that lives inside me, probably inside all of us. We simply had to hear them in the flesh!

In...

photo courtesy Cape Grace Hotel 

The Cape Grace Hotel is known for its wonderful staff - so wonderful in fact that our darling friend Jo Dallamore said she once tested them out by asking for a treadmill in her room - which was duly delivered and installed while she was briefly out of the h...

Today has been the most extraordinary day - a day of superlatives! There's truly magic in the air here. 

Cécile and Boyd Interior Design was first stop this morning - Boyd Ferguson and Cécile Tilley joined forces in 1988. Cecile has long since retired and Boyd has designed the interiors of...

Have you ever spent a Sunday near Cape Town on a clear blue balmy day? What beautiful, beautiful country!

We were picked up at 9am this morning by the wonderful Jimmy in his company car. And the adventure began again!

First stop, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden which we had nearly to ours...

There’s an old Zulu saying: It’s very good to know where you’ve come from, because otherwise you won't know where you are going.  

So let's go back to where I left off. 

the towels on the beds at Isibindi are folded as elephants 

I haven’t told you about our Zulu immersion day.We drove on di...

It's 11.30pm on Thursday night in Cape Town. We've checked in to the Cape Grace Hotel, I've had a shower, and I'm so looking forward to telling you what's happened. Actually check-in tonight was exciting enough on its own - we were given an upgrade from normal rooms to a two-bedroom apart...

When I woke this morning in the dark, just before the alarm at 5am, I'd had very little sleep. Unlike Mrs Thatcher whom I think could manage on that every night of her life, I was tempted to roll over and miss the game drive just to catch up. But I have the rest of my life at home to snoo...

I'd like you to meet Annah who works in the kitchen, utterly beautiful with a great hug. 

Last night I went to her as she stood behind the servery at dinner. Annah, my skin is very dry, could I have just a small amount of cooking oil please? I mimed rubbing oil over my arms and should...

Rarely am I lost for words. Now I sit at the screen, wondering how to begin. My heart is so full, my head spinning. I could write for days, trying to describe it adequately. I'm in love with Africa. But where to begin?

Perhaps with the family of cheetahs we came upon yesterday? Here mother...

It's so exciting to be starting my first note to you from South Africa. I feel like squealing with delight. Here we are in Johannesburg at our beautiful hotel, and how serendipitous that we will have a day here. We had a great flight without too much sleep, but that's par for the course,...