Honeymoon Crashers!

So I spent the last six nights at the home of a fabulous couple Julie & I met in Zanzibar. Mandy & Stephen were honeymooning at the all-inclusive resort we stayed at, and when they heard I was travelling around Africa, they gave me their number and encouraged me to call if I found myself in the Johannesburg area. I'm not sure if they really expected to hear from me, but I sure am glad I called. I had a fantastic week hanging out with them & Mandy's two incredible kids, Cheleigh & Tristan, & their two adorable dogs, Rufus and Gemma.

But when I started thinking about it, Mandy & Steve aren't the only honeymooners I've met and have kept in contact with. There's also Dom & Susannah, a fab British couple Julie & I bonded with on our Tanzania safari. Then there's Sunneva & Darren from my Kenya tour, a spunky English/Irish couple. And Kathleen and I had a blast with Ed & Gemma (more Londoners) and Dave & Carla (Aussies), two incredible honeymooning couples from our Namibian tour. So now I'm wondering if I should be labeled a "Honeymoon Crasher"....hmmmmm...

Back to my week in Joberg...it was fantastic to stay in a real house for so many nights in a row. Mandy & Stephen kept asking what I wanted to get out & do, but honestly, after three months on the road, I was psyched to just do some laundry (actually I have to thank their housekeeper, Grace, for that!), read my Lonely Planet SE Asia book, and get into their day-to-day life routine (helping Cheleigh out with homework, going grocery shopping -- I even cooked dinner for everyone one night!). Stephen grew up in Joberg, and his energetic & charasmatic mom & stepdad, Holly & Byron, had us over for a delicious dinner another night. And last Saturday, I joined Mandy, Cheleigh & Holly at a "Stork Tea" (baby shower) for one of the cousins. Cheleigh & I also got new hair cuts one morning (long layers for me, a new "fringe" (bangs) for her!). All in all, it was just a fantastic week where I got to briefly cool my jets and embrace "the daily grind" I so happily escaped three months ago.


A major highlight of my stay involves Stephen's hobby -- he's a microlight pilot!!! A microlight is a two-seater, open-air plane of sorts that has a huge canvas wing that steers the plane. Steve's a great pilot, and my trip up is an instant trip highlight. We flew just before sunset and the views were fantastic - you can't see any of the small plane below you when you're off the ground, so it was alot like sky diving, but at a slower, more relaxed pace. Wow -- what an incredible treat that afternoon was!

Oh, I also have a great book recommendation. While there, Mandy loaned me a copy of "The Alchemist." It's a lovely little read, and seemed somewhat fitting given my travels. If you haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend it.

When I leave SE Asia in late March, I'll have one final night with the Sands Family in Joberg before flying home to DC, and I'm already looking forward to it!

xoxo,
Mere