South Africa Baby!!

I can't believe that I've not shared the biggest update yet... the gorgeous Boy has booked the honeymoon!!

I got to the point that I could not decide between the myriad options and locations and resorts and timezones and budgets and sent him off on a little research foray all his own. After much to-ing and fro-ing, googling and emailing, we have purchased the flights and he has confirmed the following itinerary:

3 days in Cape Town
2 day in Hermanus
2 days in Knysna
1 day in Port Elizabeth
2 days in Shamwari Nature Reserve: Bayethe Lodge
1 day in Cape Town

The only time we're really living it up 5* stylee is at the game reserve - well if you're going to be forced awake at 4.30am for a 5am safari you may as well do it in a posh bed!! Images taken from the Bayethe Lodge section of the Shamwari website - pretty swanky, eh??

 

We're flying into Cape Town on the Sunday evening after the nuptials so we will be able to have a leisurely breakfast with our guests, pick up our suitcases from home and get to the airport for an 8pm flight. Then it's four days in Cape Town to explore the sights, the vineyards and the wildlife, then driving the Garden Route via Hermanus and Knysna before stopping in Port Elizabeth and then onto a nature reserve for some animal spotting.

Then it's back to Cape Town for one night's dinner and fly out the following afternoon.

Although it would be fair to say that this is mostly the Boy's long-time dream and Africa would not have been first and foremost choice for me, I haven't stopped hearing good things about it since booking it a week ago. I'm actually quite excited now: stay tuned for safari fashion tips and explorations in beige linen...

Foliage

When walking the Inca Trail last year we developed a wonderful distraction technique when secretly requiring a minute's break from the hiking. Feigning an interest in some distant bloom, we'd shout 'FOLIAGE' and all stop to ponder the moment (or struggle for the aching in our lungs to abate)...

In the quiet of a deserted summer arts centre, I distract my snail-paced mind with images of foliage of a different order...

Mmmmm.... Pretty....

Upper image from Brides

Lower image from Wild At Heart

Kiss & Makeup

Following on from a highly successful evening project at work, I managed to sweet-talk a professional makeup artist into teaching me application techniques in advance of the W-Day. I have a good stash at home but as most of my tricks are adopted from Just 17 or watching my mum in the 80s I thought it may be a good idea to make sure I'm doing the 'right thing'.

I've been asked to compile a few images of looks that I like for us to trial... So far I have come up with these...
All images courtesy of Brides.com




Any thoughts? They're all pretty similar emphasis-on-eyes-pink-lips-subtle-cheeks type looks but I guess the difficulty is in making what's probably a pretty complicated technique look so simple.

And then staying on your face for 8 hours.

I will of course report back...

Radio Silence

So many apologies for the lack of bloggery action for the last long while. On return from holiday we were faced with the rather frantic news of our wedding list company going into administration!

Needless to say, it was a busy week here on the phone to credit card companies and thank goodness the Boy has had a week off to resurrect the list with another more stable company, The Bottom Drawer. We are back to all systems go and have even been able to add a few bits and pieces that were not going to be available through the former-list-company-that-shall-not-be-named.

Now that that has all been rectified, I will leave you with a pleasant picture of a recent wedding we were lucky enough to attend at Upwaltham Barns, Sussex. A gorgeous sunny day with the band comprising members of the West End cast of 'Buddy' which the Bride is currently appearing in. Talk about friends in high places!