30 November 2024

Your honeymoon is more than just a trip—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of your new journey together. Here’s how to plan a honeymoon that’s just as unique as your love story. Step 1: Consider using a Honeymoon Registry Service Very often you may already have all that you need to for your home and life together. So, creating a ‘traditional’ gift list for your wedding is tricky. A Honeymoon Registry service is a way that you can politely ask guests to contribute to your honeymoon – you’ll have your own web page with a link for guests to contribute easily. These gifts from your friends and family may mean the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary for your honeymoon. Step 2: Dream Big Together What’s your ideal vibe? Whether it’s a secluded island escape, a city adventure, or a mix of both, start by envisioning your perfect trip together. That’s a great starting point Step 3: Choose the Right Time Consider weather, local events, and your own schedules. The best honeymoons are planned with care to avoid peak crowds and ensure the best experience. Sometimes it may be better to travel at a different time of year, rather than immediately after the wedding, but we can explore this together. Step 4: Add Personal Touches This is your moment—think private dinners, luxury accommodations, or a surprise activity. It’s the little details that create lasting memories. Maybe you’d like to surprise your new spouse with an amazing once in a lifetime experience – I can help, and I can keep secrets! Step 5: Let an Expert Help Planning a wedding is stressful enough without trying to ensure that possibly the most important trip of your life is perfect too. Leave the honeymoon to a pro. From the best flights to hidden gems, and destinations you may not have considered, I’ll handle every detail, so you can focus on each other. Whether it’s sipping cocktails on a white-sand beach, exploring romantic European streets hand-in-hand, or embarking on a strenuous challenge together, I’ll make sure your honeymoon is everything you’ve dreamed of. Ready to plan the perfect start to your forever? Let’s talk.

30 November 2024

2025 promises to be a year of unforgettable travel. For those who seek the extraordinary, these luxury destinations offer the perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and indulgence. 1. The Maldives: A Slice of Paradise With overwater villas, crystal-clear lagoons, and unparalleled luxury, the Maldives is a perennial favourite both for honeymooners and those seeking ultimate relaxation. Picture candlelit dinners on the beach and private snorkelling excursions. Or perhaps an action-packed island is in order to keep the whole family busy. With 1192 islands in the Maldives, there is a perfect island for everyone. 2. Kyoto, Japan: Where Tradition Meets Elegance Step into a world of timeless beauty. Kyoto’s serene temples, traditional tea houses, and stunning cherry blossoms make it a haven for cultural enthusiasts. Stay in a luxury ryokan for a truly authentic experience. Enjoy the artistry and performance of the Geisha, or attend a sumo wrestling match for the ultimate in entertainment. 3. Tuscany, Italy: A Feast for the Senses Rolling vineyards, historic villas, and some of the world’s best food and wine. Tuscany is perfect for couples and families alike who want to immerse themselves in la dolce vita. Spend time in Florence, Pisa, Lucca or Siena, or make a base in a small mediaeval village and enjoy local hospitality. 4. Cape Town, South Africa: Adventure Meets Sophistication From Table Mountain to world-class vineyards, Cape Town is the ultimate destination for those who love a mix of city and nature. Enjoy time in the cosmopolitan Victoria and Alfred waterfront area. Take a trip across to Robben Island, a trip to see penguins at Boulder Beach. And Cape Town is a gateway to some amazing wildlife experiences on safari. 5. Bali, Indonesia: Wellness and Wonder For a rejuvenating escape, Bali offers luxurious wellness retreats, lush jungle resorts, and breathtaking beaches. Perfect for those looking to unplug and recharge. Visit the Monkey Forest in Ubud or take a speedboat across to Nusa Penida for some of the best snorkelling in the world. Wherever your heart is set for 2025, I can help make it a reality. From personalised itineraries to exclusive perks, let me take care of every detail while you just enjoy the journey.

13 June 2024

I just got back from the most incredible trip to Nevis. Nevis, you ask? Where is that? It is the smaller, lesser known sister of St Kitts. This little island in the Caribbean is often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, but it’s a hidden gem you won’t want to miss. Getting here is easy – fly to St Kitts and take a water taxi or private speedboat across the water. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted with lush green landscapes as well as stunning beaches, with wild monkeys everywhere. And one of the first things you’ll notice is Nevis Peak. This dormant volcano is the island’s crowning glory, and you can see it from almost anywhere. If you are feeling adventurous, it presents a challenging climb, but it didn’t tempt me! The first part of our stay was at the Four Seasons Resort. Right on the infamous Pinney’s Beach, this luxury hotel catered to our every need. Beautiful rooms, attentive staff and incredible food. The guests were a mixture of couples and families, and lots of golfers – the Four Seasons is the home of one of the finest courses in the Caribbean. The highlight of the Four Seasons has to be the direct access to Pinney’s Beach…golden sand, clear turquoise water and palm trees for shelter from the hot sun. Just at the end of the beach, leaving the resort, we found the famous Sunshine’s Beach Bar. We met Sunshine himself, a legend on the island. Here we ate, hands down, the best chicken wings I have ever eaten. So good, we ordered a second serving…we needed the food, as the other reason to head to Sunshine’s Bar is to try the legendary Killer Bee Cocktail (google it!). The friendly locals suggested we try just the one…but we had two, or maybe three, of these potent drinks, and their secret recipe meant that we were soon feeling the island vibes! After a few days at the Four Seasons we changed hotels and moved inland to the Golden Rock Inn. This incredible hotel is set on the slopes of the Nevis Peak and is in a beautifully restored sugar plantation. This hotel offers a unique blend of history, luxury, and tranquillity. Staying in these beautifully restored buildings makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time, but with all the modern comforts. The Golden Rock has only 11 rooms - little cottages set in the grounds and each is decorated in a unique and quirky way. The hotel is surrounded by acres of stunning tropical gardens and we spent time with one of the gardeners who was proud to show us his work. The restaurant there is known as The Rocks – and the food was plentiful, fresh and so so tasty. This resort surprised me – if you head to the Caribbean, you would naturally think ‘beach’ so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about being a few miles from the coast. But during my stay here I felt like I found the true Caribbean – it was so traditional and relaxing, I was a complete convert! While we were on Nevis, we also took some time to explore this beautiful island. Alexander Hamilton was born here, and his birthplace is now the Museum of Nevis History. We were shown around an historical sugar plantation, and our guide was so full of fascinating info that it was a shame when our tour ended. And of course, there were boat trips, and lots of restaurant visits to be done too! Nevis is the perfect holiday destination for someone that is looking for the ‘real’ Caribbean. It’s a mix of relaxation with a touch of adventure thrown in – it’s easy to hike through the rainforests, or to just lie on the pristine white beaches and enjoy the sea. Eat at some incredible restaurants, try the crazy local cocktails and just watch the sun go down. But for me – probably my number one take away, was the people. No matter where we went we were welcomed with a wide smile and lots of chatter. I think I have fallen a little bit in love with Nevis!

28 March 2024

If you're anything like me, you live for that salty breeze, the sound of crashing waves, and the feel of warm sand beneath your feet! I’ve been lucky enough to visit hundreds of great beaches, but I have a new entry into my top 10 list! Huntington Beach in California exceeded all my expectations. On the Californian West Coast, along the Pacific Coast Highway this fabulous town has an alias – Surf City USA. And it has really earned that name – it is a surfer’s paradise. Sometimes just a stop on a drive of the PCH…but what a waste to just stop for a day, this place deserves a proper visit. With rolling waves, the sea is filled with seasoned pro surfers and complete beginners, all just catching a wave. It’s fascinating to watch…and very funny to try and join in! Home to various international competitions, this really is the home of Californian Surfing. The beach stretches on and on…almost 10 miles of golden sand that seems never-ending. I cycled the length of it along the promenade – and all the way there was something new to see. There are vibrant areas filled with surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and loads of relaxing and chilled spaces too. One thing I didn’t manage to spot were any dolphins playing in the waves…although I’m told they are there! Huntington Beach is not only about surfing. I did a beautiful calm yoga session on the beach one morning, followed by a boat trip around the Marina ogling at the luxury waterfront houses. And of course, no trip to Huntington would be complete without a stroll down the iconic pier. Away from the beach, Main Street houses some cool and quirky boutique shopping. And this is one US city with no ‘burger chains’ – instead, there are numerous bars and restaurants, seafood places and waterfront cocktail bars – and I did my best to try as many as I could! Some of the best tacos I have ever eaten were in HB. And talking of food….a real highlight was the beach bonfire in the evening. It was iconic – warm fire, sand between your toes, waves crashing…and s’mores. That gooey, chocolately…umm…mess…was divine! One thing that was a complete revelation to me was how easy it was to get from HB into the city of LA. The two places feel worlds apart – the chilled and relaxed beach vibe, and the frenetic high-energy city – but just a cab ride away from each other! It made me realise that Huntington is actually the perfect holiday destination. Everyone is different, but for me, being able to spend my holiday in such a beautiful beachfront spot, but to also be able to whizz easily into the city and enjoy all that has to offer is perfect. Disneyland California is just over 20 mins away (and some hotels run a free shuttle bus there daily). Beverley Hills is under 40 miles away. So if you're in need of a little sun, surf, and good vibes, but would also love to see a bit of LA or take the kids to Disneyland, then Huntington Beach, with it's year round warmth, is without a doubt the best place to be!

31 December 2022

What a fabulous year of travel 2022 was for me personally…visiting lots of places for the first time and revisiting some old favourites! Canada brought with it a few days in the vibrant city of Toronto – in the middle of their Pride celebrations, so it was a crazy 3 day party! As fabulous as Toronto is, on this trip I would have to say that our visit to the Niagara Falls was the highlight. We got soaked to the skin, and then soaked a bit more on the boat, and then jumped in a helicopter for a birds eye view. Such a once in a lifetime experience. Also managed to tick off one of my personal bucket list destinations. Cappadocia in Turkey. I am sure that everyone has seen the magical hot air balloons floating over the rocks and fairy chimneys….but I have to say it is impossible to describe the feeling when at dawn we lifted off, with hundreds of other colourful balloons around us. Above us, below us, beside us….every which way I turned I could see other balloons floating over this incredible landscape. We watched the sun rise and floated up and down the valley, sometimes high, sometimes low for 90 minutes. Utterly breathtaking and this is a trip that will stay with me forever. In Spring, we spent a month travelling around France and Spain in a motorhome. We left home without any plans…not a single one…and decided to just keep moving to wherever we fancied. We drifted down to Southern Spain and spent days and days just popping around all over the place…we found tiny beaches, pulled up the motorhome for the night and just sat in the warm evening sun enjoying the sea. For a planner like me…going away for a month with not a single plan…was a touch anxiety inducing, but I loved the freedom of just moving on whenever we were ready. And the beauty of my job….I still managed to work every day and look after my clients. A Mediterranean cruise in September started in Athens. Spending two days there pre-cruise was brilliant fun, a long (steep!) walk up the Acropolis was worth every breathless step when we got the Parthenon. This ancient site was so interesting to wander around and the view from every angle has to be seen to be believed From Athens, we spent time in the pretty little Greek island that is Santorini, then we moved to the ancient city of Olympia. From Greece we moved to Italy and spent a day in Sicily (which is already one of my favourite European destinations, and this visit just cemented that, such a great island!) and a then time spent at the Amalfi Coast. Then it was time to leave Italy & Greece behind and head to Corsica. This French island felt like such a mish-mash of Mediterranean cultures, that we had to keep reminding ourselves which country we were in! Onwards to Spain and Ibiza Town. Bars, clubs, market stalls, fabulous shopping and very lively characters gave us a few fun experiences. Palma came next…the capital of Majorca. I think like many others I think of Majorca as a beach destination and forget what a cosmopolitan capital city it is. I now have Palma firmly on my radar to revisit to enjoy it for a bit longer next year. Our penultimate stop was Valencia – a city I know well before our final destination, Barcelona. As far as cruise itineraries go, I think we chose a brilliant one, with incredible ports every day. The Gambia was next. Or was it? I had been invited to visit this beautiful African country to learn more about everything it had to offer…but the day before I was due to go covid reared its ugly head…so this one has been rebooked for my 2023 travels! Quite a busy year of travel in 2022, and already 2023 is looking to be even more fun filled...with lots booked already! Watch this space!

12 October 2022

Sometimes a sensitive subject…but money. Moolah. Dollar. Cash. Flights, hotels and holidays are all priced using a dynamic system. This means that pricing will fluctuate up and down. Mostly up. But sometimes down! Recently I have worked with clients to plan holidays, and they have wanted some time to consider their decision – which of course is absolutely fine. But time flies and when they come back to me a week or two later, and I refresh the price…it has inevitably increased. This does not please my client. It does not please me. I would go so far to say that I hate it when that happens, as it is news that I don’t want to deliver. It can sometimes mean that a holiday has moved out of budget and we have to start again, which is painful for all. I don’t have a way of ‘holding’ the price when I quote you. The systems are dynamic for every company. If someone says they are able to do this….it is because they have probably over-priced your holiday initially to protect themselves (and it probably means they were charging you over the odds anyway as a buffer) So how can you avoid being in this position? Well….try to be in a place to proceed quite quickly when you are looking for a trip. Looking for a holiday months and months ahead if you aren’t ‘proceedable’ is a waste of your time – the price will change. When you know it is the holiday for you – BOOK IT! In most cases this means that you just need a small deposit to secure it. That stops it in its tracks. It is booked. The price will not change. Job done. If you’re pretty much ready to book then go for it. Prices are higher post pandemic – for everything, not just travel! So, you’ll need a realistic budget, but you can be absolutely reassured that I will look after your money as it it were my own to search and find you the very best value that I can, to get you the trip that you wish for. And then…I will look after you every step of the way…

21 January 2022

I came across the slightly crazy Masked Singer show on ITV this year and the bizarre costumes started my mind whirring about masks. For most of us mask-wearing has become an unfortunate way of life over the last year or two. But masks are seen in so many different parts of the world too. Think of the elegance of Venetian Masquerade masks - elaborate and mysterious, these were used to conceal one’s identity and to allow mingling between classes. A visit to Venice Carnival in the last two weeks of February is something not to be missed – stay in one of the grand hotels along the Venice canals and watch the incredible spectacle of extravagant costumes and finery. Or how about the clay masks used in Mexico to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. These masks are often decorated with colourful butterflies and flowers. The Day of the Dead is not as morbid as it may sound, rather it is a national day of celebration in Mexico, where families celebrate the lives and deaths of their lost loved ones, and gift them with their favourite things. Often toys for children and alcohol for adults. This celebration runs over the last few days of October and into early November and taking a trip to Mexico at this time means that you will experience this everywhere. I have been to this celebration myself and found the whole experience fascinating, colourful and uplifting. Junkanoo is celebrated in the Bahamas for four days between Christmas and New year. Thought to have originated many hundreds of years ago, it was a chance for enslaved people to celebrate the holidays they had been granted over Christmas by wearing elaborate costumes and parading and dancing to drums and music. Elaborate masks were crafted from flour paste, were wildly colourful and often featured cow horns. The Bahamas consists of 16 main islands, and a visit here at Christmas would not only allow you to experience Junkanoo, but to swim with the pigs – something on many a bucket list! Right now in early 2022 we often still need to be wearing masks of our own, particularly when we are jetting off to these wonderful locations. I recently flew to the Maldives, and in all honesty the idea of wearing a mask, constantly, for such a long period of time didn’t fill me with joy. However, I soon learned that actually it wasn’t a problem. Within a short time I forgot that I was wearing it, my book, a couple of films, a bit of food and drink and a snooze, and we were there. Being in paradise was worth a few hours of mask wearing!

11 January 2022

Getting married soon? Trying to plan an amazing honeymoon to a luxurious faraway beach? Or perhaps you and your new spouse would love an ultimate adventure trip? Or a romantic city break? Whatever you wish for, trying to plan this important event at the same time as organising a wedding can be stressful. Your honeymoon should be a special experience, so let me help you to plan your trip in the finest detail, and with the gift of travel from your guests, we can ensure you have the honeymoon you dream of. Travel Counsellors unique honeymoon gift registry service can eliminate all this stress and turn the honeymoon planning into the pleasure it should be. Many couples already own many of the things that were traditional wedding gifts such as towels and saucepans. So why not help your guests to gift you something that you will remember forever. Your Travel Counsellors Honeymoon Gift Registry webpage will be personalised just for you – with your photo and a personal message to your guests. Your guests may contribute using a personalised link to your page. A Honeymoon Registry pack is also available, which includes cards to send with your wedding invitations to let your guest know how to contribute, and thank you cards to let your guests know how much their contribution was appreciated. For more information, please get in touch with me, I’d be delighted to help.

28 July 2021

Why use a Travel Counsellor, and why choose to work with me? It is a fair question; with holidays appearing to be so accessible online – why not do it yourself? Here are some reasons why I believe using a trusted expert such as myself, with the backing of the Travel Counsellors brand is the way forward for stress free travel: SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE The world has been through some uncertain times, and it can be hard to keep abreast of the latest requirements. Visas, passports, Brexit, Covid – they can all influence our desire and ability to travel. I monitor the latest FCDO advice and have access to regular travel updates to ensure that you will always know what you need to know, and that you will never travel without being fully prepared. And perhaps just as importantly, I will cut through the ‘noise’ and ensure you have accurate, relevant information. PERSONAL SERVICE I will create a trip to suit you, discovering all the things that you love (and hate!) and ensuring I create something that is tailored to you. I won’t just choose a pre-packaged holiday that you can buy anywhere, I will build a trip directly with airlines and hotels to be sure it perfectly meets your needs. This service comes at no extra cost to you. EXCLUSIVE RATES I am not aligned to, nor bound by, having to sell you a holiday from any one supplier or chain. Travel Counsellors have direct supplier contracts with a huge reach and access to the best rates globally for hotels, resorts and airlines – and these savings are for you, not me. REVIEWS YOU CAN TRUST It’s a fact that it is possible to leave a review on some online sites, without ever having visited the hotel, resort or location, which can unfortunately lead to some misleading reviews. Travel Counsellors ask our clients for a fair travel review after each trip, and we combine this with the reviews given by our well-travelled team of over 2000 agents. This means, I can access reviews to share with you that will give you an unbiased view. In addition to this Travel Counsellors are rated as a five-star company on Trust Pilot and came first in a recent customer satisfaction survey by Money Saving Expert for the way we looked after our clients during the pandemic. FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT? I have access to and relationships with suppliers that are ‘on the ground’ in just about every location in the world. This means that if you want some help to piece together the trip of a lifetime, to do something special or unusual, or to try something completely different, then I will personally arrange this with our suppliers that are in destination. No request is too wild or whacky! LARGE OR ‘COMPLICATED’ GROUP? If you’ve ever tried to book a trip directly for a group larger than just a few people, you will know it is hard to do. Trying to secure enough seats on the same flight, find hotels with availability for so many rooms and trying to arrange transfers and attractions for a large group is practically impossible without expertise. If you are planning a large group trip - for a celebration, a family trip with several families (or several generations of the same family!) or a sports or social team getaway, then I can take away all the drama. I will manage the trip in its entirety, including collecting payments separately from each participant. That way the organiser gets to enjoy the trip too, without any stress. 100% FINANCIAL SECURITY As well as full ATOL protection, every booking made with me is covered by the Travel Counsellors 100% Financial Protection guarantee. In the event of a supplier failure your money is fully protected. Unlike other companies, you’re covered no matter whether you have booked a full package, or just a flight or hotel separately. In the event of this happening while you are abroad, I will deal with everything needed to look after you. You will never be left out of pocket. CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES – FLEXIBILITY If you book a package holiday with me, you will benefit from the Travel Counsellors Flexible Price Promise, Should government advice change, or something happens that affects your trip, I will proactively reach out to you and discuss the options available. No more sitting in call centre queues hoping to find someone willing to help! TRAVEL INSURANCE WITH COVID-19 COVER Travel insurance has always been an important factor, but today more than ever, choosing a policy with comprehensive cover options against Covid holiday disruption is critical. I can help you with a policy that will protect you before and during your trip. I am not here to ‘hard sell’ you a policy, but I can help you to find the right level of cover for you and your family to have full peace of mind. 24/7 SUPPORT As well as the personal service offered by me from the point of enquiry until you arrive home, all my clients have access to an emergency 24/7 global duty office. No matter where you are in the world, no matter what time of day or night, our Duty Office is available to assist. So, these are just some of the reasons you should consider working with me on your next trip. Large or small, I am here to help, and if it is important to you, it is important to me.

27 July 2021

After a fabulous few days in Cape Town, it was time for us to head North and up to the wilds of Kruger Park to begin, what was for me the dream of a lifetime – a safari. Our onward journey consisted of two plane rides. The first, an early morning flight from Cape Town into the Kruger National Park airport. A flight time of just over 2 hours, but the change from the city to the bush seemed worlds apart. At Kruger airport we transferred into a tiny six-seater plane and flew deeper into the national park. We felt like VIPs in our own small plane for our 30-minute flight, but this was long enough for us to be transfixed by the vastness of the view below which was hard to comprehend. In no time at all our little plane was landing on the private airstrip of Londolozi Game Reserve. Londolozi Game Reserve was one of South Africa’s first game reserves. Situated on the banks of the Sand River, in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve it has found the balance between allowing its guests to have an exclusive and luxurious stay, whilst always prioritizing conservation and the local community, and this was important to us. We were greeted from the airstrip and taken in a comfortable jeep to our lodge. One bedroom, one enormous bathroom, our own plunge pool and complete privacy. Built at a raised angle to allow us to see safely over the bush, and hopefully spot some wildlife. We had a short chat with our hosts to cover off some safety considerations, “don’t leave the lodge on your own, call for a guide to accompany you” was one that stuck in my mind and had my heart racing just a little faster. As much as I had desperately wanted to go on a safari, I was secretly harbouring three worries. How would I feel if we witnessed a ‘kill’? I wasn’t sure I could cope with that. I also worried about being attacked, were we safe? And…perhaps more importantly, where do you go to the loo while you are out on a Drive? I now know the answers to all those things! We spent five days at Londolozi. Our days consisted of a similar routine. At 0530 (yes…I know…but it was so worth it!) we were woken by a gentle tap-tap on our lodge window from our guide. It was time to get up and ready before he would come back to escort us to our first breakfast of the day. The food was sensational, even at this time of the morning. We would leave for our early game drive at about 0630, and the rangers & trackers in the park would already have been collaborating to establish the best route to take to give us the best chance of seeing some wonderful sights. Our objective, if possible was to be able to see the ‘Big Five’ – Leopard, Rhino, Lion, Elephant & Buffalo. We would be out for a few hours at a time, before returning to the lodge for breakfast number two, and a chance to excitedly discuss whatever we had been able to see. Daytime was spent in a haze of spa treatments, visits to the educational centre, hot bubble baths in our lodge and dips in our own pool and plenty of time for a snooze to catch up with the early morning. A light tea was served, before heading out again each evening to go and see what we could find next. After each evening drive, we headed back for an amazing evening meal, singing from the resident group and an early night so that we were ready to do it all again the next day. We travelled in June. Winter in South Africa, but it is a time where water is scarce and it leads to animals congregating at watering holes and gives the very best chance of up-close viewing. To this end, over our visit we managed to see all the Big Five and so much more. Our Ranger and our Tracker were so knowledgeable and passionately shared their knowledge with us. We always felt safe, reassured that although they carried rifles with them, they had never had to be used. And, yes, I answered both of my other questions too – seeing a ‘kill’ in progress is unusual, but we stumbled across two brother lions that had captured their Buffalo dinner only moments before. We watched closely as they did what they had to do to feed themselves. And not one bit of it bothered me in the way I was worried it would – it was just an incredible sight that we were privileged to see. And the other question…there are plenty of bushes in the bush!!

27 July 2021

A long-held dream of mine was to do a safari and in 2016, my husband and I got our chance to visit South Africa. We really wanted to see as much as we could, so we did a two stage trip, flying from London into Cape Town for a few days in the city before our foray our into the wild! Cape Town is a city filled with such diversity and history that it is definitely on my ‘must re-visit’ list. We chose the Table Bay Hotel, in the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront area for our stay. This lively area is filled with shops, restaurants and street entertainers, but it is also South Africa’s oldest working harbour, so it made a great base for our Cape Town stay. We had been told that this luxurious hotel was the resort of choice for celeb-spotting, and true to its word, we found ourselves propping up the bar with at least one famous legend on one of our evenings there! From our room, in fact…from our bed…we had a view of the impressive Table Mountain. It was quite something. We had booked a cable car trip up the mountain, but we had travelled in June so the low winter clouds scuppered us and it wasn’t to be. Locals told us that this low white cloud that sits above the mountain is know as the Tablecloth, and we could really see why. Instead, we took a tour to see the Twelve Apostles Mountain range – these breath-taking peaks form the rear of Table Mountain facing the Atlantic and they create a stunning vista. The skyline is dominated by these mountains – and they are known as the Twelve Apostles after Jesus’s disciples. Odd…as depending on where you stand when you are counting, there are definitely 17 or 18 peaks! We didn’t dwell on that too much, instead, we just enjoyed the beauty of the area. We took a walk up to a vantage point to give us a full panoramic view of the whole of the city. The Cape Town Stadium, built for the 2010 football world cup was a dominant sight – but in the same view we could see Robben Island off the coast. Taking time to consider the history of this tiny little island gave a real moment of reflection. We also decided to take a waterfront safari into the harbour. We didn’t pre-book, as we were travelling in the quieter winter time, but this would be something to pre-arrange at busier times of the year. Our boat trip took us around the harbour and gave us plentiful time to watch the Cape Fur Seals and to get a view of African penguins. While in Cape Town it would have been remiss of us not to visit a vineyard, so we chose a tour of the Groot Constantia winery. Established in 1685, this is one of the oldest wineries in the area. Only about 30 minutes from our hotel, we spent a fantastic evening touring, learning and most importantly tasting! I’d really recommend this to any wine lover…and to any non-wine lover as you’ll be converted! Our short, fabulous, visit to Cape Town was over…but we knew there was so much more to come…tomorrow…Kruger National Park…