First of May - what a marvellous day!

The first of May was Caitlin and John's wedding in Bathurst, South Africa. It was not a wedding I could miss - the three of us have had too many adventures of our own together. Not to mention that Caitlin and I are pretty sure we were sisters in another life! So what this meant was that I had a whistle-stop trip back to South Africa over this long weekend.

Leaving on Friday

Flying direct made a huge difference to the travel time and meant that I didn't lose any days, as I flew overnight. I managed to get quite a bit of sleep on the plane, especially on the way back, which is very rare for me! Part of the reason why, I think, is because I was so tired from the lack of sleep on the weekend.

Landing in PE

Landing in Joburg on Saturday was such a lovely feeling. Spotting all the familiar sights out of the plane window and hearing familiar accents in the airport. I sat next to an English girl who was going to Cape Town for a week's holiday with friends and she was so excited about all the sights to see and activities planned. We chatted quite a lot during the flight and enjoyed a dignified dinner with wine - well about as dignified as you can get while using plastic cutlery and wearing aeroplane socks!

Nanaga with Vicky (and Dylan
making a face in the bacground)

It was straight on to Port Elizabeth from there where I met up wit Pippa, Graeme, Vicky and Dylan. It was amazing to see their friendly faces after travelling for so long. We picked up the rented car and begun the drive to Port Alfred. Of course, there was the obligatory stop at Nanaga for lamb and mint pies all around, yummy! We got to at the Mason's house in the nick of time because everyone had already begun arriving for Caitlin's Kitchen Tea. What fun that was! There were at least 50 ladies there, all sitting around, drinking tea and delicious cake, giggling at the naughty poems and skimpy underware! Caitlin loved the afternoon and felt so spoilt - as it should be!

So lovely to see Pippa

Saturday evening was a little dinner with the family and was so relaxed. We sat around with a few glasses of wine and chatted and caught up. The plan was to get to sleep early but, when three close friends are sharing a room, that seldon happens... we chatted way into the night! Sunday morning was also so relaxing, Caitlin, Kate and I snuck in a stroll on the beach bringing back so many memories of doing exactly that when on an escape weekend to Port Alfred from Grahamstown and Rhodes. After some sitting in the sun, showers, hair, makeup and a last minute flurry of getting dresses on, we were ready to head to the wedding!

Walking on the beach like
the old days

What a marvellous day! Caitlin and John put so much careful and deliberate thought into their vows, their speeches, and how the day would run. Family and friends worked really hard to make the day happen and to fulfil all the wishes of the happy couple. And boy did it get pulled off! There were songs sung, poems performed, tears shed, meaningful and entertaining speeches made, bonfires burned, blessings given and lots and lots of dancing!

The view from my room

On Monday I had to leave Port Alfred way too early to catch the plane to Joburg. The early wake-up was made even more difficult having only a few hours sleep (literally 2 hours!). Thank you so much to Vicky for driving and to Dylan, Graeme and Pippa for leaving earlier than they would have otherwise had to! It all worked out perfectly though because I got to cross paths with my dad in Joburg airport while he was on his way to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia for work meetings.

Hanging out in Joburg

So, now I'm back in London after only being away for three days, it does feel kind of like it all happened in a dream. The trip was really so worth all the time travelling and the money spent to see such special friends begin the new chapter in their lives. This short little nip back to South Africa has also really helped me feel less far away from home. It is amazing to realise that one day I can be in London and the very next I can be in Johannesburg!