South Africa (again)

Yes I know I posted about our trip to South Africa last Chinese New Year, and that this is all terribly dull. However, we went to a new spot, so I thought I'd share.

We went to Paternoster, where I'd never been before. It's renowned for its crayfish and picturesque fishing village-feel, and had been highly recommended by my parents. But we hadn't quite expected the long, secluded beaches, the rugged coastline and the insanely delicious food.

Deserted beaches

Delicious mid-morning snack of crabs-in-sand await seagulls

Paternoster town. Very beautiful. And very quiet.

Noisy Oyster restaurant through wine goggles. Can't recommend it more highly. Book ahead!

Then we went on to Franscheok to recover from the salty air.

And then to Camps Bay to finish off the trip.

p.s.

No trip would be a holiday if some of us couldn't attempt suicide in 25 knot winds

Other lip-smacking, scrumptious food was enjoyed at:

Bizerca - French business euro crowd. We wore flip flops. Will wear stilettos next time

Round House - Delicious picnics in garden overlooking the sea

La Petit Ferme - Vineyard fantastically froggy food. Wish I'd bought the cookbook

Noisy Oyster - Oysters, mussels alive alive oh. Wine glasses are the size of pint glasses, so sleep nearby

Where to sleep:

Abalone in Paternoster - lobby is strangely decorated by what seems to be an Italian zebra. Rooms are divine though. Home made rusks and muesli in the morning

La Petite Dauphine - Swanky cottages on a vineyard. Take a dip in the pool before sundowners

Where to kite surf (boredom alert for gfriends - buy magazines and get a coke float at nearest bar)

Langeban - Windchaser Greek guys rent the kites and tell you where to stay when you go to Greece

Blouberg: Not as windy but good ice-cream from the softy trucks

All pictures taken by t

Ode to Boom Boom

Having never really seen the point in living in over 1000 square feet, T and I have now finally taken the plunge and decided to move to a bigger place. We've always prided ourselves in not owning anything, and in being able to pack our entire lives up into one small truck should the need arise. But now that we're hitting 30 odd, we've agreed that being able to reach the cupboard from your bed perhaps isn't all that cool anymore.

So we're moving. To a loft. At the top end of town. With enough space to host a ping pong tournament. So we're pleased, and a little daunted at the prospect of not being under each other's toes all the time. Not knowing what page of each other's books we're on...

So, as a last goodbye, and before I turn this blog into a home decor blog for the next month, I thought I'd share some photos of our beloved, and tiny, Boom Boom Apt, which we are sad to part with, but not sad enough to stay!

Boom Boom's very own slate terrace where you could enjoy the sun and the neighbours could also enjoy it through you vicariously.

View

600 square feet (50 square metres) of splendour

Hanging kitchen in the background. Goat on chair.

Note corner of bed has shin guards on.

"Spare room" with "spare sheep"

So, as we move into a place that's three times the size of this, I look forward to boring you with details on furniture, interior design and DIY.

Broody? Who?

As I sat on the plane from Paris back to Hong Kong, I was feeling unusually broody. After two weeks in London, Paris and Val D'isere with various friends and family and all their angelic children, I was starting to warm to the idea of creating my own little saintly darlings.

My friends in London seem to have all produced babies that don't cry and children that say please and thank you before you've even given them anything. My new French siblings in-law have managed to perform a similar miracle which I witnessed when all 9 of their offspring between the ages of 3 and 9, were left to silently draw and play throughout our entire Christmas lunch and post perennial drinking. We then went skiing with more siblings-in laws and their various French friends who, despite having 3 kids each, seemed to live their lives quite independently of them, thanks to ski school and firm discipline.

So, given this rather encouraging generation of children (and parents?), who wouldn't think that having one's own might be a good idea? But then it only takes the two little buggers and their role model of a mother behind you on the British Airways plane to Heathrow to remind you that maybe we don't need to be in such a hurry afterall...

Liam: "Maaaaaaaaaaaammm, look, look, we're going doooooooooooooowwwwwwn. Look mum, there's a fire on the wing. look. look. look."
Note increasing panic in the cabin.
Mum: "Stop it, Liam."
Liam: "But look, the buses are getting bigga and evryfink. Oh look, look!"
Liam kicks the back of my seat enthusiastically.
Rosie: "Pull on the red strap if there's an emergency. Mum, should we pull on vis?"
Mum: "Ssshhh, Rosie."
Liam: "Pull on the red strap if you hate your sister!"
Rosie: "Pull on the red strap if you hate your bother! Yaaaayyyy!!!!"
Mum: "Rosie, I've had enuf. You've been at it the whole flight. I've had it and so has everyone else"

Well, that's one way to successfully quell any maternal instincts.

This post was written on the Cathay Pacific lounge computer in Heathrow while munching on "English Cheddar and Red Onion Crisps". Font might be off as well as everything else.