Honeymoon Part 2 - Mauritius

I woke up like this #married

So it’s official - we can tentatively start booking holidays again. I’m choosing to Staycation this year now but there’s always a bit of time for wanderlust so I thought I’d relive the second part of my honeymoon. You can read all about Part 1 here if you haven’t already read it and I’ll pick up where I left off…

View of the Ocean from Paradise Cove.

After leaving my heart in Marataba Safari lodge, we made the long journey back to Johannesburg and had an overnight stay a the Intercontinental Airport Hotel. At first I wasn’t keen on this idea - an airport hotel on our honeymoon? But Charlie from Paperplane Travel persuaded me it was the right thing to do and she wasn’t wrong! We were exhausted from the car journey and it was so nice to just retreat to our room, order room service and watch TV in the massive bed. We had an early flight in the morning and it gave us the perfect amount of time to chill. Mauritius is a 4 hour flight from Johannesburg making it a great choice for a twin holiday.

I had researched and researched hotels in Mauritius almost compulsively. I knew what I wanted - small, boutique and beautiful. Paradise Cove hit all the boxes on paper. It is set in a gorgeous private cove on the North Coast. On arrival we weren’t disappointed by the beautiful interiors and the overall calmness of the space. I want to add that almost immediately after booking, the hotel shut down for refurbishment and we spent many months panicking it wouldn’t be open in time. Luckily all the holiday Gods got together and it was reopened a few weeks before we arrived.

Private sunbathing spots, Paradise Cove

My favourite thing about Paradise Cove was it was specifically designed for honeymooners and couples. Everything was about the two of you with lovely little sunbathing spots dotted around, private enough to be just the two of you but also easily accessible to the hotel bar - very important for those holiday cocktails!

Infinity Pool, Paradise Cove, Mauritius

Mauritius is a tropical island though and we went in October which is supposedly the best month to go according to the internet. Although we can’t complain, there were definitely cloudy days and a few showers which temporarily put a stop to the sunbathing. The hotel bar, however, provided a sufficient place to wait for the sun to reappear - pina colada anyone?

Seven Coloured Earth, Mauritius

One thing I would highly recommend doing is to get out of the luxury hotels and go explore the island. Mauritius is so much more than it’s glorious beaches. We dedicated 2 1/2 days to excursions and didn’t regret it.

Because we booked through Paperplane Travels, we had private transport to and from the airports and a rep met us on the first day to book in any other travel we wanted. You can easily hire cars in Mauritius and they drive on the same side as in UK but because it was our honeymoon we spent a bit extra on private tour guides.

Highlights included travelling inland to the denser wilder side of the island. We saw craters, waterfalls, and the famous geologic formation Seven Coloured Earth. We also tasted lychee wine , bought a lot of bottles and completed a Rum tour, surviving the copious amounts of rum poured.

Another amazing place to visit is the famous giant Hindu statues at Grand Bassin. The sacred lake was buzzing with people and they had actual fishing cats which I was in awe of!

One afternoon we ventured into Port Louis which is the capital of Mauritius for some renowned street food. A lot of the hotelier and taxi drivers tried to put us off doing this activity but it was named Telegraph’s best cities for street food so being foodies we just had to go and explore. It’s not that the food at the hotel wasn’t good, we just wanted to sample authentic Mauritian cuisine. The market itself is a giant, vibrant bustling place that appeals to all the senses. We wandered around for a bit, taking it all in. Then we did what every tourist would do and found the street food vendor with the biggest queue of locals. Those Roti's did not disappoint and we’re so glad we ignored the advice.

Port Louis, Mauritius

All in all Mauritius has it all and I loved the experience. It was the perfect antidote to the South African Safari and gave us time to chill and recover from all the wedding planning. Would love to know if you’ve been to Mauritius and any extra tips you have for future travellers. Comment below!

Honeymoon Part 1 - South Africa Safari

I don’t know about you but I am longing for some sunshine now after yet another storm hits the UK this weekend. Whilst I’m stuck indoors I thought I would share our honeymoon adventure in case anybody is thinking of doing the same thing!

We went on honeymoon two days after the wedding in October 2019. Up until this point I had never travelled outside of Europe as I HATE flying so this was a massive deal for me to be able to do all this travelling - the final destination had to be worth it!

After countless hours trawling the internet and deliberating about destinations we decided to take the plunge and go on Safari. Our ideal honeymoon had to tick the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation - two weeks on a beach just isn’t us. The idea of relaxing on a sunbed is very appealing but the reality of sand in all places, red head skin that burns and a husband who doesn’t read books for longer than ten minutes makes it more stressful than relaxing for us!

When I found out you could do “twin centre holidays”, we knew it was the right choice for us.

I have a few friends who love planning all aspects of their trips from travel, changeovers and hotels. That person is NOT me. I needed someone to do it for me and after making several appointments with all the big luxury travel agents, I found Paper Plane Travel on Instagram and felt this was more up our street.

After a few emails and phone-calls, Charlie provided the quotes and once we all agreed, she arranged everything for us. From flights to transfers to little honeymoon touches that make it all the more special. I knew which hotels I wanted to stay in which was a starting point but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Charlie is fab at recommending hotels you would never have found on booking.com.

I fell in love with Marataba Safari Lodge from the moment I saw pictures and I can honestly say it is the best place I have ever stayed. It is pure magic!

Getting there though is a bit of a bitch especially if you don’t like travelling. We flew from Manchester to Johannesburg via Dubai with Emirates (no cheeky upgrade though, unfortunately). It was 6 hours to Dubai with a 3 hour transfer time. From there it was 9 hours to Johannesburg. After we landed in Johannesburg we had another 4 hour car journey to the lodge.

But my God was it worth it! The staff like to say “welcome home” and I really really really wish it was my home because everything is amazing. The facilities are pure luxury, the staff are amazing and the food is incredible.

Full disclosure - Safari is not for the fainthearted. You have 5am wakeup calls everyday sometimes before the sun comes up and probably only sleep about 4 hours maximum at a time during the whole trip. But we never felt more relaxed at Marataba even with no sleep.

We had a few hiccups along the way - the first being a storm on the first night which immediately took me back to a fateful camping trip in Snowdonia many years ago. It may be a luxury expensive tent - but it is still a tent when the wind blows!

We also had a family of warthogs make a den under our tent for a few nights. Ever wondered what a family of warthogs sounds like? Like they are sawing through the wooden supports that hold the tent up and at any moment the whole thing might collapse.

There was also a wildfire which started after the storm. Although it never came close to the lodge, you could see it raging across the mountain top and it really made you appreciate how dangerous and destructive these fires are.

I was not prepared for the immediate immersion in nature once arriving at the lodge. I thought we might have a few drives before spotting any of the “Big 5” but on our very first drive, just hours after arriving we saw elephants, lions and the elusive Black Rhino. It was so breathtaking, nerve-wrecking and beyond my wildest dreams all at the same time!

My top tips for Safari :

1. Be prepared clothing wise but bear in mind some blogs/advice maybe a little extreme. For example I didn’t need to buy walking boots, my gym trainers were more than suitable. We also didn’t need waterproof pants - we spent most of the time in shorts and hoodies.

2. Take naps in the day but also enjoy the facilities. Try the wine, the “exotic” meat. Order room service and book the massage on the balcony - it was insane!

3. Make sure your camera has the flash turned off before setting off on a game drive. I nearly had a nervous breakdown in the midst of a family of elephants when another guests flash went off!

4. Sit at the back of the car if your hearing is good enough. It’s the best place to see everything and if you’re a bit nervous like I was when a herd of rhino’s catches your smell downwind then you feel way more protected than lower down in the vehicle.

5. Be prepared to wee in the bush. Something I hadn’t really considered until I was squatting down behind a tree hoping that there wasn’t a lion waiting, or worse - a snake!

So if you are debating a safari for your honeymoon, or just because - I would say do it! Save the money, spend the money and you will never ever regret it. Unless maybe if you get eaten by a lion but even then that would be cute ;)

The Magic of Northern Ireland

Truth be told, I probably wouldn't have ever ventured across the water to Northern Ireland if it hadn't been for my friends wedding this spring in her home village - a beautiful little place called Cushendall. But I am soooo glad I did - everything about this place is magical and it has some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen. So I am Northern Ireland's number fan at the minute and telling everyone I can to go and let this little part of the world shine! 

First Stop - Belfast 

Belfast Street Art

The first thing that strikes you about Belfast is the street art. It's everywhere. Vibrant striking images of Belfast's history adorn walls on every building. It reminded me a lot of Manchester and Liverpool, quirky industrial streets now filled with bustling cafes and bars. I could definitely live here, we all felt right at home. 

The National & Sixty 6, Belfast

One of the must do's, in my opinion is a Black Cab Tour. I love history, I always have so anything to do with past or present troubles really interests me. We pre booked Paddy Campbell's Famous Black Cab Tour and was met promptly by our driver Damien. The history of Belfast and it's on going struggles with religion were fascinating and although being old enough to understand at the time, the troubles in Northern Ireland really passed me by as a child ashamedly and I never realised the severity of it all. This tour was so informative, humorous and sensitive - it really captured our attentions. 

The Peace Wall, Belfast

Of course Belfast is also renowned for a good night out and it didn't disappoint. Being the foodies we are, we dined at The Ox and then headed into the Cathedral quarter for as much Guinness as we could handle. One of my favourite memories is sitting in the Duke of York pub with a session band singing "Galway Girl", everyone was merry and loving life at that moment. It was just like I imagined!  

The Crown Pub, Belfast

Established Coffee, Belfast. Eggs & Avocado.

Our second day in Belfast consisted of a fabulous breakfast at Established Coffee - the orange juice was to die for - and then on to the famous Titanic Museum. I actually really enjoyed the museum, it's great for kids or a rainy day and the chance to reenact the famous "King of the world" scene means it's a 100% winner in my eyes! Plus there's the geeky photo op moments you can't resist! 

Titanic Museum, Belfast

Titanic Museum Belfast

From Belfast to Cushendall

For our trip, we hired a car. It's probably the only way to get around if you plan on heading further north from Belfast. The Coastal Causeway route is spectatular and if you can drive, then I highly reccommend you do it because it gives you total freedom to just pull over and go wherever the scenery takes you. Some of our best moments were off course, randomly stopping and letting curiousity take over. 

Glendales BnB, Cushendall

Cushendall is a gorgeous little seaside village, nestled in between three glens of Antrim and in an area of outstanding natural beauty, and it is where my friend grew up and returned home to get married. Having everyone descend on this village from all over for the weekend was fabulous and it was so good to see so many old faces. Our group staying in the wonderful Glendale BnB where the home cooked Ulster Fry was second to none! 

Glendales famous Ulster Fry!

We spent 3 nights in Cushendall, with the main event being on Saturday. The weather was gloriuous and everything about the wedding day was amazing. The whole village was so accomodating and you couldn't meet friendlier people. 

The day after the wedding, we dragged ourselves to the beach to blow the hangovers away and boy did it blow. That's the unpredictability of Northern Ireland and the weather I guess, but being Manchester folk it didn't phase us. I always have an umbrella with me, no matter what the forecast! 

Cushendall Beach

Best Selfie Ever

Cushendall Beach

Up North along the Causeway Coastal Route 

Glenariff Nature Reserve & Waterfalls Walk

Relunctantly we said our goodbyes to our friends and to Cushendall and headed even further north along the Coastal Causeway Route. There are so many beauitufl places along this route, Game of Thrones has filmed lots of scenes in these parts and there's also loads of fun things to do. First stop, about 10 mins from Cushendall was the Glenariff Waterfalls which was a gorgous little walk down into the valley. Next was the tiny village of Cushenden where we stopped for an hour to have tea and cake and hide away from the wind. 

Cushendun

Cushenden Beach

We braved the weather and climbed the path to Torr Head along the way, which had more amazing views. The headland was important in the 1800s for recording the passage of transatlantic ships and also has ruins dating back to the 6th Century. 

Torr Head

Another stop off on the way to our third stopover was the Dark Hedges, famed by Game of Thrones. We excitedly blasted the theme tune as we pulled into the car park and followed the scores of tourists to the tree lined avenue. In truth, it was pretty underwhelming and being around so many tourists was off putting but at least we ticked it off the list. 

The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland. Games of Thrones tourist destination - I have edited out all the people!

And finally we rewarded all the outdoor activity with the last tour of the day around Bushmills Whisky Distillery. I personally hate whisky so this was one for the others but the tour was interesting enough and it was nice to be warm! 

Bushmills Whisky Distillery Tour

We finally reached our AirBnB in Port Stewart which is another coastal town and were rewarded with a gorgeous sunset. If it wasn't for the coats and lack of music, we could basically have been in Ibiza! 

Sunset at Port Stewart

Giants Causeway & Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge 

Our second to last day was spent doing the big Tourist attractions that this part of Northern Ireland boasts about. The first was the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge which I didn't even attempt to cross. Too many scars from playground rope bridges and an over zealous brother - yep I'm a wimp! But the others all did it, rather easily if I might add, and I took photos from a brilliant vantage point. 

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Northern Ireland. Ben crossing solo!

The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

The Giant's Causeway has always been a bucket list destination for me since a high school art project and an unhealthy obsession with Westlife! It was everything I dreamed of, although sadly Shane Filan was not waiting for me but nevertheless I loved it. I really liked how you could just wander onto the rocks and find your own little spot. Yes it was busy but you could escape some crowds and get those all important photos if needed. 

The Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

The Last Day 

Because we were a group of nine from different bits of the UK, the last day meant various departures at different times, leaving 5 of us for the last flight of the day. We slowly made our way back to the airport via various points along the Coastal route which we hadn't yet seen. The sun had also come back so it was perfect! 

Port Stewart, Northern Ireland

We headed to White Park Bay, which is where a herd of cows can be seen lazying around on the beach. There are google images to prove it. Unfortunately I didn't see any cows building sandcastles but the beach was absolutely stunning and the dunes were full of rabbits which kept us entertained in the sunshine. 

White Park Bay, Northern Ireland. Sadly no cows....

Ballintoy Harbour

Next stop was Ballintoy which is another Game of Thrones filming location. It's a tiny harbour with the cutest ice cream cafe which makes it the perfect pit stop. 

Mint Choc ice cream, Northern Ireland

And that's it, the Northern Irish adventure is over. We ended the day with a gorgeous meal at Billy Andy's on the way back to the airport and 40 minutes on a plane we were back home in Manchester. I honestly couldn't recommend Northern Ireland enough, the scenery, the people, the atmosphere - it's all brilliant. 

P.s. This isn't sponsored in any way - I just had the most amazing time!!!