MY TAKE ON A ROCKER STYLE OUTFIT

Hello everyone and happy Monday!

Today I am trying to create a rocker look.  It is all started with this top which was a hand down to me from my eldest daughter.  Despite the difference in age, lifestyle and fashion choices, I generally like her taste in clothes, ignoring the fact that she has lately gravitated towards sombre tones and has reduced her colour palette to grey, black and white while I am all for colours and bold patterns.  

So when one day she opened a packaged delivered by our postman and showed me what she had bought, I was rather surprised by her choice.  Luckily for me, she didn't really like the way she looked in it and asked if I would like to have it.  The rest, as they say, is history.

The main appeal of this top to me is the mix of the bold colourful print on its front and black and white graphic stripes along the sleeves and at the back which makes it look rather cool and edgy and its slouchy shape, which is one of my favourites, is one of the most popular styles when it comes to the rocker outfits.

So I decided to play with the theme and incorporate it into a rocker look, then I opened my wardrobe to see if I had all the necessary components.The first thing we all associate the rock look is a biker leather jacket. Check.

That, of course, must be paired with black skinny jeans. Check.  Black ankle boots with block heels. Check.
I am carrying my old Mulberry handbag in  mustard colour with metal detailing (another nod to the rocker look) and black and yellow earrings thinking that they would coordinate nicely with the colours from my top.

As for accessories, nothing says more rock then the Ray-Ran sunglasses.

A couple of leather bracelets adorned with a myriad of different silver charms completed the look.

"WHEN IT COMES TO ROCKER LOOK, THE LEATHER BIKER JACKET 

AND SKINNY BLACK JEANS ARE IN ORDER"

Have a great week, everyone

Anna
xoxo

CATCHING "THE BIG FIVE" IN SHAMWARI GAME PARK

Hello again everyone,

Our Garden Route adventure continues. Just to bring you up to date: after two heavenly days spent at Plettenberg Park Hotel and Spa we headed off to the last spot on our itinerary:  Shamwari  Private Game Reserve.

Shamwari (meaning My Friend) Private Game Reserve is in one of the malaria free zones in South Africa situated in the Eastern Cape Province. Stretching 25,000 hectares over a malaria free landscape, it offers an award-winning nature experience and is one of the largest private conservation initiatives in Southern Africa.

After a few hours drive from Plettenberg Bay, we arrived at the park in time for lunch. We were escorted to a circular shaped large green lawn with the pool and lounge chairs on one side and the wrought iron dining tables and chairs opposite.

As we took our seats, we had a good look around and spotted a family of warthogs grazing nearby and beyond the lawn, the reserve’s grounds stretched all around us as far as we can see and if you strained your eyes hard enough, you were able to spot some animals grazing in the distance under the blazing South African sun. The setting was stunning, the lunch – sumptuous and the service – immaculate – a winning trifecta.

After lunch one of the hotel staff showed us to our lodge. It looked amazing. All the rooms looked very comfortable and elegant with a reflection of colonial style coupled with the latest electronic equipment. Every window has a lovely view over the savannah. And thus our safari adventure had begun.

Traditionally, any game park provides two drives each day – very early in the morning  and late afternoon right before the sunset and we opted for both not wanting to miss a moment of this wild adventure.

Ideally, the objective of each game park in Africa is to make sure that during your stay you will be able to spot the "Big Five" – elephant, leopard, cape buffalo, lion and rhinoceros (black or white). The term "Big Five" was coined by big game-hunters and refers to the five most difficult game animals in Africa to hunt on foot.

"STAYING AT THE GAME PARK 
IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ATTRACTIONS
AFRICA HAS TO OFFER"

The guests are driven in open jeeps equipped with a rifle (only used for protection), bottles of drinking water, blankets, rifles and other protective equipment as well as drinks and snacks.  Each jeep takes four passengers and pairs courteously take turns to sit in a front row of a car.

The driver of the vehicle is your tour guide who, while staying extremely alert, was, at the same time, able to share with us his extensive knowledge and fascinating stories about the park and its inhabitants. He reads the land like an open book and he will apply every effort to make sure that you have seen all of The Big Five.

And although we were quite excited about the challenge of finding them all, there was so much to see and learn that kept us constantly on alert.

During the afternoon drive, our driver found us a perfect spot on the top of the hill to watch the sunset and while we were busy taking photographs, he opened the boot of the jeep and got out a big box.

He then walked to the front of the car, opened the box and out came, like magic, a table cloth that he spread on a bonnet of the jeep and then expertly spread out an array of canapés, hot beverages and drinks so we could all sip sundowners while enjoying the sunset.

It was also a perfect opportunity to get to know our fellow passengers who were in the jeep with us while sharing the drinks and delicious snacks.

 It was also a perfect opportunity to get to know our fellow passengers who shared the jeep while sharing the drinks and delicious snacks.

Upon our return to the camp after the night ride, a sumptuous dinner was all set up for us in an elegantly furnished dining room. On an second night at the park, all the guests were invited to eat in a boma, traditionally a livestock enclosure but used in game parks as a communal place where people gather together around roaring fire under the skies and share local dishes of Africa cooked using the old recipes.

Over the course of the next two days we were lucky enough to see all The Big Five.  Our most amazing encounter was with the lions.  As our jeep approached a waterhole, a lioness came out of the bush and slowly started walking towards it.

A few seconds later another appeared and joined it, and another one and another.  We were stunned, our jeep was not more then ten meters away from these magnificent animals who at this point looked very placid and all we can hear was a splash of water on their tongues.  I got my camera out and started filming.  Even our experienced driver admitted it is not very often that he is able to witness a scene like the one we were watching.

After two most exciting days at Shamwari Park, it was time to return to Cape Town. Our suitcases were loaded into our car, we said goodbye to the friendly staff, exchanged phone numbers with the lovely couple who we had met and feeling refreshed and recharged, we were on the road again. As we were reminiscing about the highlights of the last two days, we knew that we would never forget what a unique experience it was.

And if anyone asks me what should they do while in South Africa – my answer is always the same “Go to a game park”.

On this note, my Garden Route trilogy has come to an end.

Till next post,
Anna
xoxo

TWO BLISSFUL DAYS AT PLETTENBERG PARK HOTEL & SPA

Hello again, my dear readers,

This is a second part of my "Driving along the Garden Route" trilogy.  If you, for some reason, missed the beginning of the story, you can catch up with us here.  

And for the regular readers of my blog, you might remember that at the end of our first day of driving along the Garden Route, we reached Plettenberg Bay where we were intending to stay for a couple of days.  My husband pre-booked via the internet while we were still in Sydney but didn’t reveal any details about it. Knowing his taste for all the good things, I expected it to be a 4-5 star hotel where the beds are extremely comfortable, towels are white and crisp and the staff is very well trained.  But this time he topped all my expectations.

I was not involved in the process of choosing the hotel and had no idea what to expect.  As we were driving along the highway, I spotted a road sign directing motorists to take a turn for "Plettenberg Park Hotel and Spa" and after my husband took this turn we found ourselves in front of a pair of massive wrought iron gates, I realised that we had reached our destination.  

Upon pressing the buzzer and identifying  ourselves, the gates were opened and we found ourselves driving along a private gravel road running through the grounds that belong to the hotel. 

After a good five minutes of driving, we finally arrived at the front of the hotel. As we stepped out of the car, I looked around with awe. It looked like we had literally reached the end of the Earth.  

The hotel was nestled right on the edge of a cliff and behind it as far as your eye can see lies the sparkling turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. It was magnificently beautiful and magic and I felt extremely grateful for my husband who tries to make our holidays really special.

We were greeted by the friendly hotel staff that took care of our car and luggage and escorted us to our room. It was during the week so the hotel was not busy and they allocated us the Honeymoon Suite.

"WE SPENT TWO BLISSFUL DAYS 

IN THIS HEAVEN ON EARTH"

 As the bell boy showed us the room, I couldn’t stop but “wooing and wowing” at the size of the room, quality of the furniture, beautiful artworks and tasteful décor – absolute perfection. In this sea of luxury and taste, two things, however, were absolutely outstanding: a shower, with three walls of clear glass, its clever design makes you feel as if you are floating above the ocean below.

The other was the stunning view. As we stepped over to the balcony, the sun began it’s descent over the horizon, painting the sky and the cold waters of the Indian Ocean in all the colours of the rainbow. And down below was the hotel’s private beach!!!

We met with the chef who asked us about our preferences and any dietary requirements and cooked us dinner exactly the way we like it.  It was served in the dining room lit up by the huge candelabras with the doors wide open, letting the smell of the ocean breeze come inside and play with the lights of the candles. 

Needless to say the service was impeccable and the food utterly delicious. After dinner the waiter led us to the beautifully appointed library full of books and typical African artifacts. When we returned to our suite, we found that the bed was turned down and the room prepared for the night, the lights were dimmed and the candles in the hurricane vases sitting on the mantelpiece were lit to create a romantic ambiance.

We woke up relaxed and refreshed and went to the huge veranda for breakfast. Sitting at the table protected from the sun by a huge umbrella, watching the waves lapping at the shore while enjoying the scrumptious food made me feel heavenly.

After breakfast, we went to explore the ‘hood. There are myriads of things to do in Plettenberg Bay: from swimming to whale watching, boat riding, bush walking, cycling , hiking etc. The hotel itself is very well known for its spa facilities which, according to the official website….. “is a haven of peace and harmony where treatments are performed by professional dedicated therapists who care for your wellbeing, body and mind”.

We spent a couple of blissful hours at the infinity pool and had another superb dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.

After two days spent in heaven, it was time to say goodbye.  Bags in a car, car at the curb and both of us eager to get on to our next destination: game park.

Till my next post,

Love to all
Anna