NGUMULA LODGE MOZAMBIQUE

Being a Travel Agent I have always had the job of planning our family holidays, but to my absolute horror in April 2016 my husband smugly announced this year he had everything covered and we were going to Mozambique.... Mozambique, the country where you get harassed by Police Officers all the time wanting bribes and the country that is infested with Mosquito’s and you will probably end up catching Malaria. Needless to say I was not impressed.

Well the holiday drew nearer and my dread grew. I had been promised a house on the beach with an en-suite bathroom and Aircon, but I was still very apprehensive as I like my comforts so 5 Star Hotels and fancy Cruise Liners are much more my thing. For family holidays I downgrade to a 4 star but still make sure it has all the luxuries that I need. What was I getting myself into!

Well, the day arrived and we headed for the border post at Komatipoort.  The South African part was fine.  The Mozambique side was rather nerve racking and I clung to my youngest child fearing he would be ripped away from me.  There were a few very pushy runners, but once my husband had explained we knew what we were doing (which we honestly didn’t, but you don’t want them to know that) we made our way to the building to have our passports and our car paper stamped.  All ran very smoothly and we were soon through and on our way into Mozambique.   We took the Moambo Road which was great.  Perfect since everyone in our convoy had 4x4’s and this way we missed all the Boxing Day Traffic into Mozambique.   Our only roadblocks on this road were 2 herds of cows that we had to encourage to stand up and move as they had found a muddy patch on the road and were enjoying the coolness.

Our arrival in Xai Xai brought back all my fears I had of Mozambique.  Perhaps it was just the area where we had booked for the night but I honestly felt like I was in a war zone with all the dilapidated buildings that surrounded us. Accommodation was very basic and would have been fine for the night had it not been that a huge storm had hit Xai Xai on Christmas Day and knocked out all the Electricity and Water.  I was more than happy to get back on the road the next morning, and had I been driving I would probably have headed back towards the Border.  But my darling hubby reassured me that things would get better and I would love where we were going.

Our journey north went well and since we adhered to the speed we did not have any encounters with the Mozambique police. 5 hours later we arrived at our destination NGUMULA LODGE which is near Guinjata Beach and just south of Inhambane.  At the entrance you need to let your tyres down before continuing over the Dune to the lodge. Having a 4x4 is essential when staying at Ngumula Lodge, or you’re going to do a lot of walking up and down the dune.

As we drove over the top of the Dune the view was breathtaking. We headed down the other side of the dune and there were 7 houses, one half way down the Dune and the other 6 virtually on the beach.  A welcome committee was there to greet us and before we’d even had time to walk to our home for the next 9 nights our cars were unpacked and the Manager was there asking what local drinks we would like to order so that he could head to town to stock up for us. Within 2 hours our fridge was full of cold local beer as well as Murango.  Tipo Tinto was a bit scarce but we were promised some in a day or two. We were also asked what Seafood we would like him to find for us and for what days.

So our first evening was spent chilling on our Deck, watching the Sunset over the ocean while sipping cold Laurentina and Dois M, and off course for the ladies some nice South African Rose Wine.  A 5kg Rockcod was delivered about an hour after our arrival and along with the fish came a staff member to descale, clean and fillet the fish for us.

Our home for 9 nights was a beautiful Wooden Chalet with 4 Bedrooms and 3 Bathrooms.  The 2 front bedrooms had en-suite bathrooms and the 2 back bedrooms which also had ocean views shared the 3^rd bathroom.  There was a large open plan Kitchen, Dining Room and Lounge with a sheltered patio and a small splash pool where you could cool off while enjoying the view of the ocean.  We were very glad we had taken a Gazebo with, which we put up over the pool each morning allowing us to enjoy the water while still being in the shade.

The house was cleaned daily and we used to call our housekeeper our Fairy as she always seemed to appear as we had finished a meal so that she could clean up the kitchen and wash all our dishes. 

About 10 minutes drive from Ngumula Lodge you will find Guinjata Beach which is very popular with Divers and Deep Sea Fishing and a few minutes further you will find Paindane where they have the best snorkelling sites around.  About 30 minutes North you will find Barra and Inhambane. There were so many new places to explore and sites to see that we seemed to be busy most days.  Lunch was eaten at a different restaurant each day and we would then head back to our home for our afternoon swim in the Ocean and then a quiet Family meal while watching the sunset as the day cooled down.

On evening Frans the Manager arrived with loads of Crayfish. We paid 2500M (R 500.00) and 9 of us ate until we just couldn’t eat another bite.  

Our Holiday at Ngumula Lodge was truly amazing and I have decided that my hubby may just be allowed to plan another Holiday for us. We definitely have plans to return to Ngumula Lodge again soon as this really is a place where you can recharge your battery. 

Our journey back home went well and although the Police were very visible the only time we saw people get pulled over was when they were caught speeding.  We took Ring Road back and the only bad part was the last 500m stretch of sand road which after heavy rains the previous day was totally destroyed and we were very glad we had a 4x4 to get through. Our journey from Ngumula Lodge back to Nelspruit took us 10 hours.   We have decided in future that we will always overnight in Nelspruit and then head directly from there to Ngumula Lodge, missing out the overnight in Xai Xai.

NGUMULA LODGE and its fabulous staff, we will definitely be back soon. 

CHIANG MAI AND CHIANG RAI – CONTIKI NORTHERN THAILAND TOUR

I have never been to Thailand so when I got the opportunity to explore Northern Thailand I jumped at it. Contiki is usually for travellers between the ages of 18 – 35 year olds but because this was a FAM (Familiarisation) trip the age limit was taken away. We were 15 Americans and 5 South African that met up in Bangkok.I arrived the evening before our trip started so that I wasn’t rushing in and being swept away again. 

Day 1 : Bangkok to Chiang Mai via Overnight Train 

After meeting up with our Contiki Tour leader we were taken by bus to the local train station. This was our first encounter with the monks, they are usually dressed in orange robes and at the train station they are given wooden benches to sit on and everyone else can sit on rows of plastic cover seats or you stand around waiting till departure time, you are not allowed to sit on the ground.

The train is very basic, you have a few carriages and the compartments are first, second and third class. We were travelling in second class. One of the carriages contains the kitchen / restaurant where you can order food or purchase drinks and snacks. Cooked meals can be ordered and are delivered to your compartment. The bathroom is an even more basic affair..And brushing your teeth is quite an experience with the train rocking down the tracks! In the evening seats are converted into bunk beds and you can close the curtains to try get some shut eye. Not always possible with the noise of the train or other passengers but all part of such a different experience none the less.

Day 2 : Chiang Mai

When we arrived at Chiang Mai station we were met by our local guide, Wee Lai whom took us to our bus. What a lady, she had amazing stories to tell and explained on her map where we were and the history of Thailand. We also learnt a lot about the King and Queen of Thailand. We were taken to our hotel and had the morning to ourselves. A few of us with our guide, Wee Lai, decided to explore, so we rented a driver and we went to the Doi Inthanon National Park. Here you can experience beautiful waterfalls and a village that is within the park. Our guide bought some locally grown mushrooms from the locals to take home to cook.  We saw our first rice paddy but it was the wrong time of year as the rice fields are planted for the rainy season. 

We visited the two Chedi’s (A memorial to display their respect and gratefulness to their ancestors) dedicated to the King and Queen for their 60^th birthday anniversaries.

Doi Inthanon is named in honour of the King Inthawichayanon, one of the last kings of Chiang Mai, who was concerned about the forests in the north of Thailand and wanted to preserve them. After his death his remains were placed in the park as he had ordered and the forest was renamed to Doi Inthanon. We took a leisurely walk through the rain forest.

In the evening we had dinner at a local restaurant, some amazing meals were eaten. After dinner we went to the night market. I would recommend this as you can get things a lot cheaper at the Chiang Mai night market than in Bangkok and Chiang Rai.We attended a Lady Boy show at the Chiang Mai local market.  What an experience, dancing and singing by the lady boys, you sing along with the songs, clapping and cheering and have a good laugh.

Day 3: Chiang Mai

We were ready early in the morning as we took part in the ritual of offering alms (food) to the Buddhist monks who make their morning pilgrimage down the Hill of Doi Suthep. These monks usually only eat once a day and can only eat what is given to them on their pilgrimage, luckily over time people pack food and water in separate little packets so that everything isn’t mixed together. Once you offer the food to the monks then they bless you and carry on down the street.

After the offering alms we travelled up the mountain by bus as it would be quiet a walk to see the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (The golden temple) which is a very holy place for Buddhists. To get to the temple you can either climb the 309 steps or take a tram, most of us decided to climb the stairs, huffing and puffing but the view was worth it.  Here our guide showed us the Buddhists prayer to the temple. In the one photo there is a replica of the Jade Buddha. You also have stunning views of Chiang Mai.

In the afternoon we had some free time to explore the city. Chiang Mai has an old city with a lot of older temples and then the newer side of the city. We had our first ride in a tuk tuk, you first have to negotiate a rate to where you want to go. The Tuk Tuk drivers are slightly, they zoom at fast speeds down the roads and between traffic and you hang on as tightly as possible. Definitely something you should try at least once while in Thailand. We decided to visit Wat Chedi Luang Wora – Viharn which has many different temples, some made of wood and other made of stone, absolutely beautiful. On our way back we also stopped at the Wat Phrasingh temple. Stunning!

For our late afternoon / evening entertainment we were taking to an open air cooking school, set at the foothills of the mountains, among the rice paddies of rural Chiang Mai. We learnt to cook some Thai dishes with Chef Permpoon. We cooked sweet and sour soup, add as much or as little chilly as you like. Then we tried our hand at Pad Thai, nearly singing eye brows as we added the water to the oil which creates big flames. After cooking you get to eat your food you made and it is surprising how filling it was. Excellent evening and highly recommended. Chef Permpoon has a great sense of humour.

Day 4: Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai

We travelled by bus from Chiang Mai top Chiang Rai, Chiang Rai is most northern part of Thailand and usually you travel to Chiang Rai to cross over into Laos.We visited Wat Rong Khun – “ The White Temple” of Chiang Rai. The Wat Rong Khun was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a famous Thai visual artist. To date the temple is not finished. Eventually there will be nine buildings including an ubosot, a hall to enshrine Buddhist relics, a meditation hall, the monks living quarters and an art gallery. The White Temple is very interesting to see as the designer seems to have a fascination with super heroes of modern times. You unfortunately cannot take photos inside the temple but worth a visit and make sure you have time to walk around as a lot to see. 

In the afternoon we visited the Northern Thailand Hill Tribes in Chiang Rai, we saw the Long Neck Karen Village, the Akha village and the Hmong Village. Each village has their own unique culture, religion, language, art and dress. You get to pick up the copper that goes around the long necks of the Karen Village and at each village you can buy touristy merchandise.

That night we went to the Chiang Rai night market which is smaller than the Chiang Mai market but still interesting to walk through. We had supper at the market and if you felt adventurous you could sample some fried worms and crickets. I chickened out.On our way back to the hotel we stopped off at a massage parlour where the girls has a head, neck, shoulder, leg and foot massage. 

Day 5:

We checked out from our hotel and drove to the Chiang Rai airport to catch a flight to Bangkok.

Once we had check in at our hotel we had the day to ourselves. Some people went to the Palace and some of us went shopping for the last gifts to bring home. We hired a tuk tuk and went to the BMK Shopping Centre, also known as Mahboonkrong in Bangkok. I thought we had big shopping centres but BMK Shopping Center has 8 floors and you can get just about any thing and everything you can imagine.

In the evening we experience a thunder storm and a down pour in Bangkok on our way to Kinlom Chomsapan restaurant on the water front. We saw the floating restaurants go up and down the river. Excellent food and great company, good evening had by all.

Day 6:

Our trip ended and everyone flew home but I will be back Thailand, next Thailand adventure is to go experience the islands. (Phuket, Phi Phi, Koh Samui, etc).

The Club Med Experience

Let me start out by saying this. I’m spoilt. It’s a fact I can’t deny. I have been blessed in the way that I have been able to travel to many places over the past 11 years. One of them being Mauritius. 5 times.

So when I got offered the chance to join Club Med on their first ever Travel Agents Festival, I was slightly hesitant. Mauritius again? Well luckily for me, I have an incurable case of Wanderlust, and I really couldn’t pass up the chance to get on a plane and go somewhere. And I am so happy that I did.

The Club Med experience is an experience so different to other hotel groups. 66 years ago when Club Med was created, they set out to become the only truly All Inclusive resorts in the world, and they sure did a great job. The resorts are ever evolving and you can take part in so many activities that you are spoilt for choice.

Just in the 5 night’s that I was at the lovely Club Med La Pointe Aux Canonniers, I learnt how to water ski (Included in the package), kayak, sail and even tried my hand at some archery (Watch out Green Arrow!).  Other activities (and there are too many to name them all) include: Glass Bottom Boat trips, Snorkelling, Tennis, Beach Volleyball and yoga overlooking the ocean.

If you are not the completely adventurous and prefer to relax on the beach or by the pool sipping cocktails, then this type of holiday will suit you just as well. Soak up the beautiful views of the amazing Mauritian Ocean!

And when the sun goes down, that’s when Club Med really comes alive. The G.O’s (Gentil Organisateur) are around all day every day to make sure you enjoy yourself and get the most out of your holiday. They perform a different show every night which is really entertaining and afterwards they make sure they get you on the dance floor. We were lucky enough to experience on of Club Med’s epic Beach Parties. All this ensures that you will never want to go home!

All in all, Club Med is an experience for everyone. Families (The mini club is fantastic!), couples, friends..whoever you may be, there is something for you at Club Med. Beautiful resorts, endless food and cocktails. Make this your holiday today!

I will end off by saying that Club Med has really crept into my heart, but you will need to experience it for yourself to understand the feeling. 

**Club Med has 80 Resorts worldwide including Sun and Ski.

Vietnam Adventures

First on my Bucket List is definitely Croatia, but Vietnam has always been a close second.  However having 2 children I'd basically decided Vietnam was on hold for a few years until they were older as I didn't believe this was a place my kids would enjoy.  Now, having been on an Educational to experience parts of Vietnam I can say they would love Vietnam and all it has to offer and I will definitely return to share this experience with them in the near future.

The highlight of my trip was most definitely the overnight cruise from Halong Bay.  Probably because when you read an article or look at a brochure of Vietnam the most used image is of cruise boats in Halong Bay.  It looks so amazing that you begin to presume they're photo shopped, as nothing can be that beautiful. 16 years ago my hubby and I did a trip to Thailand and the 2 places we really wanted to visit were Phi Phi and James Bond Islands. I have never been as disappointed as I was on arrival at James Bond Island.  Where was the clear blue water that all the brochures depicted?  Had the brochures I'd been selling Thailand from for 10 years been lying to me? (The Internet wasn't as widely used or informative in those days).

Halong Bay 

So we arrived in Halong Bay after a 4 hour bus journey from Hanoi and boarded our boat Indochina Sails and I was immediately impressed. My cabin had a King size bed and a small balcony, a bathroom of marble with a shower and a Jacuzzi bath.  How bad can this trip be?  Even if the sights do disappoint the boat impresses me.  We sit down to lunch as we cruise out the Harbour behind some other boats.  Small rocky outcrops become bigger and suddenly we are surrounded by small mountains.  A set lunch is served and I'm even more impressed.  Hot pumpkin soup in an amazing bowl with a candle that keeps our soup boiling till the last mouthful.  Spring rolls, followed by grilled prawns all exquisitely served.  By this stage the mist is lifting and the scenery gets more and more incredible.  I decide I need a break and venture out of the Air-conditioned Dining Deck to the heat and humidity and to enjoy the scenery alone outside. So I stand at the front of the boat (feeling a bit like Rose in Titanic) while love songs play from the Captains Bridge and I marvel at the incredible scenery around me. The mountains look dark and eerie in the misty overcast weather, the other boats in the distance look like they are being eaten up by the mist and you can almost imagine them never being seen again. This is when I realize that brochures and the Internet do lie as all the photos I've seen show clear blue skies, but somehow this makes my experience so much more special and with tears rolling down my cheeks I realize just how lucky I am to be standing there in this incredible place. 

So after my emotional moment I returned to the Dining Deck to finish lunch before a relaxing massage.  Then it is time for our Bamboo Boat tour around a small fishing village. The people live such a basic life, many aboard a small fishing boat with only a 2x3m shelter from the sun and the rain.  And yet, they are happy and even when they are relocated into villages by the Government the majority all return to the life they knew aboard their boats and for the lucky few they have a small house to shelter in during Monsoon season although many appear to prefer the life on board their boats.  I was amazed at how many small children and dogs there were sitting on the boats or the small decks around the houses.

As the afternoon cools so the sky opens and suddenly a clear blue sky appears and proves the brochures and Internet don't lie.  We sip Cocktails as we watch the Sunset which is breathtakingly beautiful. Then it's time for the Seafood buffet which certainly doesn’t disappoint and then an evening under the stars with friends.  I was up bright and early the next morning to view the sites and have a quick swim at Titov Beach before we had a lovely late breakfast while sailing back.  Our cruise had come to an end far too fast, so my suggestion is to rather book the 2 night cruise if your budget allows. 

Arriving back in Hanoi to the hustle and bustle of many many scooters.  Vietnam has a Population of 90 million and 40 million registered scooters.  I found it fascinating to see a family of 4 all seated together on one scooter, or a builder loaded to maximum with wood or sheets of metal making his way through the traffic.  Crossing a busy road seemed impossible as there are scooters coming at you from all directions, buy our tour guide Ha soon taught us the local way.  Step off the pavement and just walk at a steady pace.  The scooters will manoeuvre around you liked a skilled army doing their marching.  It was totally incredible.  And at no stage during our week there did we ever see any kind of road rage or even irritation towards people, vehicles or busses.  A common form of warning is not the use of indicators but the use of a hooter, which seemed to be continually blown on ever journey we took. 

Meals were never quick and simple, but a lingering lengthy process of many courses enjoyed with great company.  A standard lunch consisted of 6 to 8 courses with dinners being 8 to 12 courses.  Sometimes a few courses were served together and other times the next course would not arrive until the first one was completed.  The meals however were always very tasty with lots of fresh leaves and vegetables to make spring rolls from.  Soup and spring rolls (normally not fried) were offered at each meal.  Many of the courses consisted of Pork with Beef which is a delicacy, always being one of the courses. Only one of our meals allowed us to see the strange things that the Vietnamese people consider their delicacies.  A buffet restaurant frequented by the locals for birthday celebrations was a true eye opener and I must admit that very little was eaten that evening.  Perhaps the biggest reason being we could not identify most of the food although I could see one thing was definitely very small birds which seemed to have been deep fried until crispy and the locals certainly were pushing and shoving to get to that counter. 

A trip to Vietnam would not be complete without a few days in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).   An afternoon at the Cu Chi Tunnels would not have been the same had we not experienced it in a downpour.  Seeing some of those holes the Vietnamese disappeared into when attacking the American’s seemed impossibly small, now image those tunnels filled with water and the Vietnamese trying to crawl through them.  One particular hole was no bigger than my shoe (and I only take a size 6), but while we were discussing the impossibility of any child let alone a man fitting into it, he appeared lifted the lid and slid down inside replacing the lid covered in leaves so that no hole existed anymore.  A visit to the War Remnants Museum was interesting, but the section dedicated to Agent Orange and all the deformities it caused was very depressing.   A fun day was had by all as we explored My Tho a small town along the Mekong River, even getting to experience a boat ride up a narrow section of the delta.

Cu Chi Tunnels

Overall an absolutely awesome trip to Vietnam ending off with a Business Class flight home on Qatar Airways.   What an amazing end to a really incredible journey.