music on my blog update...

Just to let you know that I've attempted to sort out the teething problems of getting music to play on my blog....
So, you should be able to listen to Slade stomping around in their wedge heels and having a blast about christmas (I mean, you gotta love that old Slade song haven't you?) plus there's a couple of my most favourite tracks over on the right there somewhere as well.
Basically, click twice on the play button and you should get to hear some sounds!
(as it plays you'll see the coloured bar 'fill' until it's full by the end of the song so when it's finished and you want to listen to it again (!) you have to just drag the 'filled bar' back over to the left and it'll start again)
(ok, that was most definitely not put in any kind of technical way, but hopefully you get it!)

"happy christmas!"

That's it Linzi, just about manage to get it together enough to post a christmas message a couple of days before Christmas! Never mind the fact that you haven't posted a thing since the rugby...
Yeah, yeah, yeah.........well hey? It's better than nothing isn't it?!
So everyone, have a WONDERFUL christmas, whatever you do, wherever you are and whoever you are with or without.
Most importantly, it's just another day (and hopefully you're not working!), so just enjoy it and do whatever you want to do.
Well that's what we plan to do anyway!
(oh yeah, and my new year's resolution will no doubt be something along the lines of..."I must blog more often...")
Bye for now! xx

Linzi gets ready for the Rugby World Cup 2007!

But Justin retaliates...................

May the best team win!!!!!! Enjoy watching it everyone!

"the carlisles go to england - part two!"

I wish I could put more photos on my blog, there's so many, capturing so many different moments, it's hard to choose which pics to post to give you an idea of the fun we had on this trip!

Anyway, to carry on with the 'story'......................

We left Plockton on the morning of Monday 30th July, drove back to Inverness and flew back down to Luton where we were picking up another car. Though sorry to be saying goodbye to beautiful Scotland, we were also excited about the next stage of our trip as were about to 'cram in a bit of culture' before going 'ballistic on a boat' - more about the boat in a minute!

We drove off to Oxford and got there in pretty good time which was great, the only difficulty arose when we tried to locate the Randolph Hotel (part of Macdonald hotels) - it took us a while! We'd decided to stay at The Randolph as it features in Inspector Morse - our hero! don't you love him?! - in particular the episode called 'the wolvercote tongue' where the characters are actually staying at the hotel and lots of it is filmed in the hotel. In addition to this, the hotel actually has 'The Morse Bar' - need I say more?

Needless to say the hotel well and truly lived up to expectation! It was gooooorgeous! (my favourite word!) It was old-fashioned, stylish, had an air of glamour and was tastefully decorated with lovely rooms!

We were actually quite tired at this point and although we'd originally planned to shower, change and explore Oxford as much as possible in the short time that we had, we actually found ourselves chilling with drinks from room service for a while and only going out much later. We walked around for a bit and in the end we had a couple of drinks in the courtyard of a nice pub before going back to the hotel and spending some quality time in the famous 'Morse Bar'!

It's a nice little bar filled with photos of the much-loved Morse and his sidekick Lewis (who we also love!) We probably spent quite a while there soaking up the atmosphere and our drinks....!

Eventually we went up to our room for a room service meal in bed! (hey! whatever floats our boat! talking of boats.....more of that later.....!!)

an exuberant Linzi enjoying every minute in the Morse Bar!

an equally exuberant Justin!

We set off the next morning with the plan of visiting as many Cotswold villages as we could on the way to Stratford-upon-Avon! Talk about beautiful! I had no idea! We definitely want to revisit the Cotswolds properly in the future, it's a gorgeous area! I can't even remember all the names now, 'Stow on-the-Wold', 'Moreton-in-Marsh', 'Shipston on Stour' and 'Bourton-on-the-Water' are the main ones which spring to mind! Bourton-on-the-Water was our favourite and we walked around, sat by the river with warm sausage rolls from the little bakery, checked out the Dial House Hotel where we'd treated Dad & Mum to a couple of nights for Dad's 70th birthday (and very nice it looked too!) and generally soaked up the atmosphere.

We got to Stratford-upon-Avon in the afternoon and checked into the Shakespeare Hotel , a beautiful tudor building, right in the centre. We had a choice of a 'room in the old part of the hotel' (which would have been gorgeous no doubt) or a slightly more modern room which allowed smoking...I'll leave you to guess which room we went for!!! What was I saying about culture?!!! never mind!

This time we were a bit more wide awake so we did get out and about and explore. We walked around the canal area and checked out the narrowboats, had an icecream (a real, honest to goodness whippy icecream with a chocolate flake! yum!), had a pub lunch, had some drinks by the river and later on went out for a curry at a little indian restaurant down the road from the hotel!

The next morning we caught a taxi to Napton, near Rugby, and arrived at Napton Marina somewhat apprehensively!

And this is where the 'boat thing' comes in! Yes! We were about to embark on a whole new adventure! Oh brave new world! We were about to become intrepid narrowboaters! (through Black Prince Holidays) It had seemed like an excellent idea and great fun! Slowly gliding along the canals, looking at the sheep in the fields as we sipped on our ice cold wine or beer and contemplated which delightful hostelry to moor beside for a delicous home-cooked meal!

Was it that far from the truth? Noooo, not really! The bit we got wrong was the 'slowly gliding along the canals'......it's actually tremendous hard work when there's just two of you! But not all the time! We learnt a lot in our three short days on the canals, on our trusty 'Isla', a 58 foot long beauty! (that's, like, nearly as long as our house!!!)

Anyway we started off fine and only realised how difficult it was when we began to encounter other boats! Those canals are mighty narrow! Then the mooring.............you've got to line yourself up alongside the canal bank, Justin has to jump off with the centre rope leaving me in control of the tiller, then we have to get the two end ropes secured somehow, generally with giant 'tent pegs'! It's exhausting but at least you can congratulate yourselves afterwards with a nice cold drink from the lovely, lovely little fridge filled with cold wine and beer! Then you relax!

All in all, it was actually brilliant! We loved it and definitely would like to do it again, but with another couple! I didn't even mention the locks! Talk about nerve-racking! The thing is though that all the fellow narrow-boaters you encounter are really nice people, ready to help you out at any time, which they did! You're out in the fresh air all day, we were really lucky with the weather, even got sunburnt and had to buy suncream!, the ever-changing views are beautiful and there's such a feeling of peacefulness when everything's going smoothly!

We got up early each morning, we had tea and bacon rolls with one hand on the tiller, we stopped for delicious pub meals and we enjoyed our wine and beer, again with one hand on the tiller, in the afternoon manouevres and we again enjoyed our drinks in the late afternoon/early evening, once moored in a beautiful spot somewhere, looking at the view, feeding the ducks and reclining at the front of the boat!

The boat itself was so cute, like a caravan inside, with everything stretched along the length of it (obviously!), with a lounge area, dining area, kitchen, double bed, bathroom, etc.

We had the ipod pumped up and listened to good music and generally congratulated ourselves on our amazing narrowboating skills! Or discussed how damn difficult it could be!!!

We have to do it again! The canal is calling me!

Justin feeding the ducks moored outside Braunston village

Justin at the tiller!

our home for three days and three nights!

Linzi at the controls!

We were sad to say goodbye to Isla but we were also, yet again, ready and champing at the bit for the next stage of our holiday!

We packed up on the morning of Thursday 2nd August and caught a cab to Rugby station from where we travelled to our next destination............................................................................................

London!

"the carlisles go to england - part one!"

Right! Here we go! Part one of our brilliant trip to the UK in July/August 2007!
Our plan to have a holiday in the UK started with a wedding invitation from my brother Gary and his fiancee Kathryn! It was just about time for another visit over to England, so it was perfect timing!
We decided to try and visit as many places as we could and cram in a few experiences along the way - you know us!
We arrived in England on Wednesday 25th July, early in the morning and got straight into action! Mum & Dad picked us up and we shot off to Beth Ezra to visit my lovely Grandma. She hadn't been well and had been in hospital after a stroke so it was a great relief to see her and give her a big hug!
We then dropped our bags off at Mum & Dad's lovely new apartment in Rochester and tore off to Bluewater Park for a 'spot of shopping' (hey, you gotta get it in when you can haven't you?!)
From there we went to Rochester high street and met up with Jules & Andy and Esther and her little cutie daughter, Jessica! We had a drink or two and a bite to eat and suddenly started to flag a bit....so a return to the apartment was called for! After a shower and a glass of wine/beer, we were feeling much refreshed and the we and Mum & Dad were joined by the 'infamous duo' - Pam & Gary! Fantastic friends (virtually family really) from way back forever!
We ended up having a slap up Thai meal in Rochester at 'Thai for Two' with much chatting and laughter before finally hitting the pillows for a much needed sleep!
The next morning Mum & Dad started off on their drive up to Scotland for the wedding and Justin & I got the train up to London, just like old times for me but at least it wasn't in the rush hour!
We dropped our bags at the Thistle Hotel above Charing Cross Station where we would be staying the night and caught a bus up to Oxford street! (a note here about our choice of hotel for the night: when I used to commute to London all those years ago I used to look at all the 'glamourous tourists with their suitcases' walking into the Thistle Hotel and feel overcome with part envy, part yearning for travel and the excitement of it all! when I told Justin he said we should stay there so that I could finally satisfy my fascination with the place and be 'one of those tourists'! I needed no further encouragement and booked a room straightaway amid much excitement! - some people are easily pleased!)
Needless to say it's a superb hotel and I'd recommend it to anyone!
Our first 'hiccup' was jumping on a bus and asking for two tickets to Oxford Street! Apparently you don't do that anymore! How times have changed since 'I was a girl'! We got 'thrown off' the bus and told to get our tickets from the machine at the bus stop!! This proved rather difficult with our limited small change and we were resorted to scratching around for twenty pence pieces after it swallowed one of our precious pound coins! Anyway we made it and the fun began! (or not.....ask my husband......we were, after all, on a mission to purchase outfits for the wedding on the Saturday!)
Justin's shopping proved relatively simple and his outfit was sorted pretty quickly! He's a maaaan.................and he had me helping him! I, on the other hand, being a woman...............yeah, suffice to say it took HOURS to get me sorted out!
It wasn't my fault! Honestly! All I wanted was a cool pair of jeans, a nice top and some wedgie sandals......oh, and a handbag! These items were finally secured............and we headed back to the hotel for a shower and a drink! This also took ages as we had a drink in our room (we'd treated ourselves and upgraded to a junior suite with a free bottle of wine!) and kept popping down to stand outside for a smoke! We had a great laugh with a bloke who'd arrived to pick someone up in his rolls royce and we jokingly asked him if he'd come for us! We ended up chatting with him for ages and by the time we went out and had dinner it was 11.30pm! Hey! No problem! We were on holiday! Don't even ask what time we fell into bed eventually!
We caught a black cab to Farringdon station the next morning and got the train out to Luton airport for our Easy Jet flight to Inverness! From Inverness we drove through to Kyle of Lochalsh, stopping for a moment on the way to admire the beautiful and perfect Eilean Donan Castle where the wedding would be held the following day!
We checked into the Balmacara Hotel and found that Mum & Dad had already arrived safely and that various other members of the wedding party were already there, including Gaz & Kathryn of course!
That night (Friday) was such a laugh! We all ended up in the bar behind the Balmacara Hotel, it was raining on and off, it was freezing cold (when we ALL popped out for smokes!), we had plenty of drinks, plenty of laughs and just enjoyed the excellent company soooo much! Gaz & Kathryn were around and all Kathryn's family, Gaz's long-standing best friend Angus was there (in capacity of best man having flown in from Jo'burg) he's such a great person, Trevor (Gaz's old school mate and 'still a mate' and Jenny, his girlfriend, arrived during the evening and, to be honest that's probably when things really started to deteriorate! Only kidding! They were really good company and we had a great laugh with them for hours!
Somehow we made our way to our rooms for some much needed sleep before rising 'bright and early' (???) on the day of the wedding, Saturday July 28th, for a good old Scottish brekkie including the dreaded black pudding.........yurk.....I don't think anyone actually ate the black pudding......
The wedding was due to start at about 6pm (remember it only gets dark around 10pm!!) so we had a few hours to go off exploring before getting ready and Justin and I decided to take a drive over the bridge to the Isle of Skye (where Gaz & Kathryn would be honeymooning) and cruise around for a while before getting ourselves 'glammed up'! We also popped through to the castle again to meet my cousin Kirsty and family and say 'howzit' as they'd just arrived and were staying up the road.
So, we all got ready and gathered around outside the hotel having a drink before heading off for the castle where the kilted scotsman was waiting with his bagpipes! At this point some bloke gave me a weird look and went 'Linzi?' I gave him a weird look and went 'Brett?' and that was how Brett, my cousin, and I renewed our acquaintance after about fifteen years! It didn't end there, this was followed by shrieks, hugs, laughter and much friendly abuse during which time Justin was introduced and also joined in the abuse (friendly, that is - that's what you do with Brett!!)!
The weather was a bit dodgy and we knew it would probably rain at any moment...what we didn't reckon on was that it would decide to burst from the sky as Justin & I crossed the bridge (on foot)! We arrived at the castle looking like two completely drowned rats! So much for the hairdo! None of that mattered though!
The wedding was really lovely, what a great setting, there was a great atmosphere and a great feeling of happiness among us all.
Gary & Kathryn had devised their own vows and it all went off perfectly, followed by champagne in another of the castle's rooms.

Gaz & Kathryn take their vows
Trevor and Jenny having a glass of champers!

We then all went down to the castle 'battlements'? overlooking loch duich and had the photographs.

Gaz, Kathryn, the photographer getting them organised and Angus in the kilt!

We all made our way back to the Balmacara for a delicious meal followed by speeches and then entertainment by a local band playing celtic music, at which point my Aunty hilary decided it was time for a dance and Justin obliged! Justin & Aunty Hils doing the scottish 'reel'!
the kids went mad over the confetti throwing!

It was a wonderfully happy day and one which we won't forget! A big thank you to Gary and our new lovely sister-in-law Kathryn for gathering us all together in such a beautiful setting with so many wonderful people!

The next morning we were all pretty tired, that goes without saying, and had to check out of our hotel after breakfast so goodbyes were being said all over the show! Some people were staying up in Scotland, some were moving on elsewhere, some were heading home and we were moving a few miles up the road to the picture postcard perfect village of Plockton for the night, as were my Mum & Dad and Uncle Peter & Aunty Margaret.

We stayed at the quaint Plockton Hotel, which was very nice, and basically relaxed and recharged our batteries in readiness for the next stage of our trip...................................Justin in the hotel's garden - what a view!

Coming soon on the blog.......

Coming soon on the blog...............
The inside story on The Carlisles' trip to the UK!
What really happened at the bar behind the Balmacara Hotel, the night before the wedding?
Gary & Kathryn's wedding and the lowdown on Eilean Donan Castle!
The truth about the narrowboat trip, how many times did we really crash?!!
London! Four days in Soho! (or thereabouts!)
Whodunnit? Four go to see The Mousetrap by the one and only 'Queen of Crime', Agatha Christie!
Drinks at the Dog & Duck and chips in Ramsgate!
Princess Di's memorial and revisiting the movie scenes in Notting Hill!
Watch this space!!!

"Family lunch on the long weekend"

Shortly before we went to the UK we had a lovely long weekend (don't you love those?!!) and we decided to have a 'proper' lunch out in the garden.
It was a family affair and we were joined by vaious of our 'children' throughout the meal!

my gorgeous husband!
his gorgeous wife! ok, ok....
Satchel & Tali join us
the gorgous Clyde pushing his luck!
our little gypsy trying not to look like she's after the food!

Anyway, it was very nice, especially the cornbread, yum! Which reminds me, I need to get baking, we've got Rex & Prue arriving in 2 weeks!

Having a drink at the Morse Bar in the Randolph Hotel, Oxford!

Actually I'm just trying to sort out my profile photo!

So you get a sneak preview of one of our UK trip photos!

"Paris Hilton wannabees? Don't think so!!!"

Ok, this was just us being silly, quite some time ago now, but I'm trying to catch up on my pics and things.........

Linzi models the 'Bella' bag!

Justin joins in the fun with the 'Tali' bag!

Mum & Dad celebrate 50 years of marriage!

My Mum & Dad celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 11th May this year and were generous enough to treat us all to a trip to Livingstone!
This entailed flying Gaz & Kathryn out from the UK to arrive in Zambia 5th May and spend four nights at our spot in Chingola first of all (for general orientation I think.....which mainly meant
orienting Gaz with a big bottle of whisky!)
Then Mum & Dad got to Livingstone on 8th May and we four joined them the next day where we visited Vic Falls and got drenched as usual!
We spent the first night at The Zambezi Sun and dined up at The Royal Livingstone before transferring to The Islands of Siankaba up river for three nights.
Anyone who's read my blog before will know how much we love Siankaba and it's still wonderful and we'll still always love to go back there! check it out at: http://www.siankaba.net/
Anyway, the idea at Siankaba is to basically become completely relaxed, be completely spoilt, eat loads of delicious food, drink lots of very healthy fruit juices.......hmm, well, ok I was kidding! more like........wine, beer, whisky, you name it..... and to enjoy the odd activity when you're in the mood, plus, of course, enjoy each other's company and conversation!
Our big extra treat from Mum & Dad was to go on the elephant ride which the four of us did early one morning and it was amazing and also humbling to be on these massive creatures who are so powerful yet so gentle and, sadly, with only one enemy.
We did the sundowner cruise on a couple of nights where the main activity was lifting your arm to sip your drink and craning your neck to look at the amazing sunset on the river - totally beautiful.
On the 11th, the actual anniversary, we had a special meal set up down at Mum & Dad's honeymoon suite deck!
Justin & I bade farewell to the 'Nokes' party on Sunday 13th May as they flew off home via Johannesburg and we then later caught a flight to Lusaka where we overnighted at the Taj Pamodzi before flying back to Chingola the next morning early.
We knew that the next time we'd see them all would be when we got to the UK in July for Gaz & Kathryn's wedding!
So, it was a lovely trip, short but sweet and very generous of our parents and we all really enjoyed it! Thanks Mum & Dad!

the boat transfer to the islands!

Gaz & Kathryn drinking it all in!

Gaz & Kathryn on their elephant beside the zambezi river

Justin & Linzi on Marula!

Justin giving Marula a treat to say thank you!

Linzi & Marula have a chat

the brothers-in-law after the elephant ride!

the 'soon to be sisters-in-law' tired after the early morning!

the happy golden couple welcome us back from their lovely honeymoon suite deck!

Gonna miss my babies......

Have just put a new tune on for you to listen to.........
I'm gonna miss my babies while we're in the UK...........
Sorry for the lack of recent postings....was about to update but am a bit out of time........
And secondlife is calling for a last play......!
If you haven't joined secondlife yet check it out http://secondlife.com/ you won't regret it!!!
See you soon, I'm off for a jol!!!
xxx

The Carlisles go on a 'rave'! (grown-up style!)

Okay, we went all out for a great treat for the long weekend at the end of April (we usually just stay at home on long weekends but fancied having a rave for a change!)
We decided to fly to South on the Friday evening, then we had four nights before flying back on the Tuesday - not bad!
We stayed at our old favourite, the Balalaika Hotel at Village Walk - http://balalaika.co.za/
(no upgrade to a suite this time as they were full)
This trip was JUST FOR FUN!!!! No doctors, no appointments, no shopping list, etc! What a difference it made! We just enjoyed ourselves, got up leisurely, enjoyed delicious breakfasts, visited the Rosebank fleamarket, shopped for pleasure, lunched, went out in the evenings and BASICALLY HAD A BALL!
We watched live music at the Blues Room (in Village Walk, so perfect access from the hotel) and had a great evening! http://bluesroom.co.za/
We found the most WONDERFUL restaurant EVER!!!

TIVOLI

This restaurant is also in Village Walk and how we missed it before I do not know - what a waste of our lives up until now!!! It will be very difficult to ever eat anywhere else again when in Jo'burg! We visited twice on this short trip!

Tivoli has a fantastic Italian menu with pastas to die for among other choices, a great owner/executive chef, Tinus, so friendly without ever being overbearing and we had the most brilliantly efficient pleasant and enjoyable waiter we've ever been served by.

The ambience is great, we were made to feel so welcome, it's up on its own floor/indoor balcony at the top of 'the Walk' and we could even smoke!!! We were even given complimentary shooters and desserts which was absolutely the icing on the cake!

I defy anyone to visit and not have an excellent dining experience!

http://http://www.tivoliristorante.co.za/

So, well, what a trip! Can't wait to go back for a meal at Tivoli to be honest....

Doctors and birthday parties!

At the beginning of March we shot to South for four nights - "short breaks rule!"
Actually it was mainly for doctors, which we crammed in back to back in order to utilise our time fully. ie. to allow time for some shopping!!!
We actually had a ball, we stayed at the Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino, at Fourways, for three nights and had the coolest room - beautiful large windows opening right up with a view of the 'old' clocktower and entrance to Montecasino, etc.
It was a great place to stay, nice room (except for the 'American' mini-bar), easy access with our own key, along a walkway to Montecasino where you can dine and shop at all hours undercover, even though it feels like you're outside!
We lunched there (at the hotel, on the terrace) with Rex & Prue too before moving on to Dekuilen Cottages where we treated Prue (& Rex!) to an overnight stay, including a luxury, private five course gourmet meal set up for the four of us in the private dining room.
This was in honour of Prue's 70th birthday! She had no idea where we were taking her for the night so it was a bit of fun!
We gave Prue her gifts and flowers and basically had a really nice time together.
Ann-Marie organised a splendid meal and did her utmost to look after us. Sadly Charles had been ill so things were not quite up to the standard they had been the last two times we had stayed there. The grounds are also smaller so unfortunately it does not have the same feel as before. Nonetheless all the stops were pulled out for Prue!

Prue & Linzi deciding what to have for lunch!
Justin & his Mom & Dad at the Palazzo.
the private dining room at Dekuilen!





The Palazzo Hotel, Montecasino is part of the Southern Sun group:
http://www.southernsun.com/SSH/VHB/25383cf8de46a010VgnVCM100000650114acRCRD/74/72

Blinded by the light (not)

Following the spate of lovely, lovely, fun power cuts we've been having recently, like every day, sometimes three times a day, sometimes all evening, sometimes all night, sometimes all day.... we've had to go 'back to basics' to get by!
We hope the problems get resolved soon.........but then again we hope global warming can be reversed, that world peace will be achieved by the end of the year and that we'll find out that cigarettes and alcohol are actually good for us after all! Yeah right...... better light that braai again Linzi!

knocking up a quick bit of lunch, as you do!
making a 'quick' cuppa!

Going topless in Chingola!

What? What's the problem with going topless? You what? Oh....I see....! You thought.......

No! I'm talking about our house! Yeah, the roof's being fixed!

It's great fun, banging and crashing all day, dirt, dust and ceiling filler falling all around us, the wind whistling in through the gaps.....anyway, it's just a job, that's got to be done, and we're doing it....the only worry we had was that the guys would accidentally smash holes through the ceiling boards,, but Osman assured us this would not happen! (oh yeah??!)

So for those with an interest in roof fixing.....here are the pics!

the front roof

the back roof

Osman's plan to fix the hole his guys smashed through the ceiling board in the lounge...

Then, I just thought this was interesting, we got an old geyser out of the roof that had obviously been there for years and couldn't be removed. The label on it (see below) says "Bulawayo, Kitwe, Salisbury" then "Rhodesia"! How long ago was that?!! (Kitwe being in Zambia, of course, and Bulawayo and Salisbury - Harare now?? - being in Zimbabwe!)

the label on the old geyser

Last Crimbo!

Right, on with the catch up of months past!
Okay, as soon as Justin & I got back from our trip, Mum and Dad arrived, about four days later! So I wasn't very organised!
Anyway, it worked out very well for them as their apartment wasn't ready for them to move into so as they came out for a month it helped them with the whole situation.
At this point - a mention of Uncle John and Aunty Hils who have been absolutely magnificent with Mum & Dad - they basically gave them a key to their house and told them to feel at home and have a bed for the night whenever they needed - without their kind help Mum & Dad would really have been stuck. (They sold their house in Dickens Close and ended up with delays of about a year before they had a home again -apart from the caravan at Pluck's Gutter for the summer months - not easy) So, thanks Guys!!!
Anyway, we basically went into christmas prep mode which was quite fun for us as we're normally on our lonesome!
The weather was the usual rainy season but we did manage some swimming - even got Dad in the pool on Christmas morning with a glass of champers!!


It was really just about relaxing and spending time together......here are a few pics of Christmas day!

me & mum!

Tali & Bella playing with their new toys!

Christmas lunch

a pooped out Pooch with his new toy (note he's nicked his sisters' toys too!)

too much excitment for Dad & Satchel!

Kenya!

So there we were in November last year with some lovely leave available and nowhere to go! What a wonderful position to be in! We didn't want to spend too much as we'd had quite a lot of expense with the house during the year, (what's new?!!) so we decided to look for a good "all-in deal" - somewhere to just laze around, swim, walk on the beach, etc (the kind of holiday we actually rarely do!)
We found it at "Papillon Lagoon Reef" at Diani Beach, Kenya!
We went there at the end of November for a week and had an 'all-inclusive package' which meant accommodation, all meals (including afternoon tea!) and both soft and alcoholic drinks!!! wahaaaay!!!!
We were concerned that it would be pretty basic but decided that we'd just have a rage whatever!
Here's the web link for those interested: http://www.rexresorts.com/_africa/_papillon_lagoon_reef/index.html
Overall it was pretty cool, the room was basic but no less than expected and it did have a great view. We had a balcony, with table and chairs, overlooking the garden and beach and we had a fridge in our 'beachfront room' which was very handy as it was sizzling there!
The food was amazing! We could honestly find absolutely nothing to complain about, there was a massive selection at all meals and as fast as dishes were emptied they were replenished - something you don't often see!! And, most importantly, the food was delicious!
The setting was great, the beach was beautiful although there were lots of 'beach boys' who terrorised the merry hell out of many of the tourists there (especially the English! Shame!). We actually chatted to quite a few Brits who admitted to being scared to even walk on the beach as they found the boys too persistent and quite aggressive when they wouldn't buy anything from them, etc.
We went for quite a few walks and runs on the beach and often went in the sea late afternoon (which was like a bath!) and had no real problems from the boys but, of course, we're used to all that!
Finally the drinks...........there was a 'swim-up' bar in the pool and a bar overlooking the beach (drinks served in plastic cups here - not great but good enough!). When you ate, your drinks were served at your table in 'proper glasses'!!
The pool was massive and very nice (very hot too!!) although they did have times when they did entertainment which was a pain, but again, to be expected at a resort like that.
The beach bar was also used for evening entertainment after dinner and after checking it out on our first night we gave it a miss after that! It was mainly a DJ gabbling away loudly into his microphone and playing cheesy music or a band playing cheesy music! But hey! generally people seemed to be enjoying themselves and dancing, etc, so good for them I say!
We got a taxi to the tiny Diani shopping centre on about our second day and bought some wine and beer for our room which we could keep in the fridge and enjoy after dinner, on our balcony, as we watched the shimmering, moonlit waves lapping the shore....................ho hum.....................................................

our room
the shimmering, moonlit waves.....(from our balcony)
sitting in the lunch area
feeling full after an evening meal!
looking gorgeous after an evening meal!

lunch area by pool

CAUTION! MALE PIN-UP BELOW!

early morning run

When we got back to Johannesburg we spent a few nights at The Balalaika Hotel which is our favourite hotel! We were lucky enough to get upgraded to a suite as I have my prokard which guarantees an automatic upgrade subject to availability!

http://www.balalaika.co.za/

We just did the usual Jo'burg stuff for a few days: shopping, eating, drinking and more shopping before flying home to our 'kids' and a quick preparation for my parents arrival about four days later!!