Having just returned from three glorious weeks in sunny South Africa, I can hardly wait to get back to work so that we can share our new properties, new routes, and new adventures with our fellow world travellers.

A magnificent country that never fails to impress, South Africa supersedes our expectations every time we visit, and if there is one destination that belongs on everyone’s bucket list, this has to be the place!

Starting with the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, we cycled 109km around the Western Cape in what can only be described as a gruelling but thrilling event!  The route through and around Cape Town was a lot steeper than I had remembered, and just when you think you have conquered the toughest part, Chapman’s Peak, you turn the corner into Suikerbossie…

It’s steep, it’s the last 10km or so, and after 100km in 32 degrees, it’s not funny at all!  But you know what, the South African crowd make this an amazing event, they cheer you on, spray you with water, sing, blast you with music, and I for one cannot wait to cycle the Cape Argus Cycle Tour in 2014!

All the members of our small group escorted tour managed to complete the race, and while I was last out of our group (I’m blaming the bike!), I have my medal, which is hanging proudly next to my Kilimanjaro certificate!

After our guests left, Ingo and I were lucky enough to head to Mpumalanga to view new properties for our portfolio – and we found some very special places indeed!  Dawson’s Game & Trout Lodge is a hidden gem, the perfect retreat for those looking to escape the fast pace of everyday life, and if you are doing a self-drive tour of South Africa, it will fit perfectly into your itinerary on the way to or from Kruger Park.

We then headed to the uber luxurious Sabi Sands to stay at the most amazing lodge – Chitwa Chitwa. If you are looking for a romantic honeymoon destination or a luxury safari experience, pack your bags and head straight on down to this amazing sanctuary in the middle of Sabi Sand game reserve.  The service is second to none, the accommodations are breathtaking, the food is delicious (and plentiful!), and the game viewing is the best we have ever seen.  Leopards on every corner (look how close we got!), hippos in front of your private terrace, lions, wild dogs, elephants, water buffalo, rhinos, we not only saw the Big 5, but also the Magnificent 7 – and that was a real treat!

South Africa really is the most stunning holiday destination in the world, and I am counting the days until we return!