First stop was The Graskop Hotel, where we stayed in room 23 decorated by the contemporary South African artists Anthony Dalton.  Had FABULOUS Moçambique Portuguese of peri peri chicken and espetadas and the most insanely delicious bata frita at Canimambo Restaurant (you simply have to go if you’re in the area!)… and then headed to Standerton the following day. We arrived at the glorious Die Kliphuis and were promptly escorted to the honeymoon suite (grin). When I mentioned this was most appropriate as we were really on honeymoon, we experienced gasps and the delicious comment: “Why would you honeymoon in STANDERTON!”. Had us tickled!

Day three was a long travel day, and as with the wedding, we took the rain with us. Which is an omen of good luck! It even rained in the Karoo (which is a desert!) where it poured so hard we needed to pull off the roads because we couldn’t see where we were driving! All the farmers we met gave us their blessings too! After a long day filled with spectacular drives and thundering rain, we slept in Bethulie (which we love!) and sat between a sideboard supporting mismatched “stuff” (ostrich egg, tourist pictures of the big 5, candles painted with Guinea Fowl feathers… you get the picture) and a stack of plastic crates containing all the bread for the restaurant and were fed the most enormous meal: the steak covered at least half the plate, and the rest was piled high with salad, vegetables, pasta salad and chips. Karoo portions!

And then another day spent waving at kids waving at the honeymooners and we arrived in the most glorious piece of heaven: Somerset House. We immediately asked if we could stay another day!  And just to make it even more glorious and special, the fabulous and famous Janet Telian of Savoy Cabbage (etc etc) cooked us feasts every night! It was beyond divine! on our first evening, we sat together, just the two of us, husband and wife, and drank Vintage Champagne that Andrew had bought 8 years ago when he was traveling through Champagne, across a glorious expanse of Cape Dutch furniture and we knew that life was good!

And it only got better… because we met some lovely ladies who, like all of us, love LOVE! And they purchased the book and we autographed it! So Myrna (who ironically we discovered used to live next door to Andrew about 35 years ago!), Joan, Vega & Janet joined Anneke as ladies who not only have exceptional taste (grin) but who made this honeymooning author very very happy!

Divine Myrna!

Fabulous Joan!

Inspirational duo: Janet & Vega