Well I never...

I should have known.

I should have known that a "quick" trip back to South Africa to see Allan's family would not be "quick".

I also should have known it was high season to travel there being the dead of winter  - but that is clearly the best time for viewing game in the game reserves - and Europe descends.

I should also have known our beloved children would think poorly of not being invited to join us. Me assuming they would be too consumed with working to pay for University...or something. 

And so this usually over-planned Mama finds her "quick" trip to see family has turned into a Byres4 odyssey to Cape Town, our home town, a game reserve/lodge, and.......the cherry on the top.... 5 days in Paris for just Allan and I on our way home.

Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background

I am actually speechless.  

It happened so quickly and the best travel agent in the world got us incredible deals.  The children fly home before us to get themselves ready for 2nd and 4th year studies and we follow a week or so later.  

An overseas family vacation - well.I.never.  

I really never thought that would happen again.

And I am more than delighted.  Not only to have them to travel with but so moved by their deep connections to their family there and the country itself.  Lindsay in particular left part of her heart there last time and has longed to return.  

Durban - 80kms from our home town

It will be a different experience being the opposite season to our last visit but our primary objective is our family and to have some time cozied up with them will be such a gift.  Not to be taken for granted given the time and expense of getting there and back but equally not to be missed for those reasons either.

All our flights are book

Fingers crossed

ed and now we start the fun planning of where to stay and what to do. Relatively short planning time for me given last time I had a whole year to prepare and now I only have 6 months..... I think I can do it though!

Life is sometimes so unexpectedly hard or challenging and then sometimes life is so unexpectedly joyful and exciting.  

I am learning to lean into ALL the moments with my whole heart. 

Tonight I'll go to bed dreaming of the sounds of the African bush, the crash of the Indian ocean, the chatter of cousins and the smell of Paris boulangeries.  

Lucky girl.