MY SECRET PROJECT REVEALED...

For months on Instagram, Twitter and FaceBook I mentioned that I was working on a secret project.  I was dying to share what I was working on but needed to keep it as a big surprise.

Then things kinda fell apart and my project disintegrated.  I was devastated but thankful that I had not shared any of the details.

My original project  involved travelling to Mauritius with my close friends Lande and Lydia. I had gotten a wonderful deal through my travel agent for the three of us and I was super excited. Unfortunately, Lydia was no longer able to make the trip due to work commitments and with the Rand falling the trip just became to expensive for two of us. I was so thankful that I had not shared this project with Lande because the thought of disappointing her when it had to be cancelled would have broken my heart. 

Then in January 2014 the bleakness of turning 40 began to truly bug me....

I wanted to celebrate this milestone but I did not want to either. Now that sounds like an indecisive women if ever there was one. Did I want a big bash, did I want a weekend away or did I just want to forget about it all!!

I received an email from a travel agent and all of sudden a world of possibilities opened up...I could combine my secret project with my birthday celebrations.  I contact the travel agent and start collecting quotes. I was nervous but well I turn 40 once right!!

Then a friend blogged about her trip to this special place and I took it as I sign.  I contacted my travel agent and made the booking. Then I contacted Lande's husband and told him my secret.  I wanted to take Lande on this trip with me!! 

It is perhaps important to mention at this point that Lande and her husband Rod have seven children...yip 7 stunning gorgeous kids. Rod would have to take full responsibility for their care for about two weeks...I NEEDED him to say yes. 

Roddy and the kids on New Years Eve....

After some negotiating (read begging) he agreed. I was bouncing out off the walls.  How blessed am I!!


Anyway, with the trip booked and Roddy on board I could share my surprise with Lande.  I called her and we chatted about this and that and eventually I steered the conversation to my birthday.  Lande had indicated that she want to fly up from Cape Town to share in the celebrations with me, so I told her that would be wonderful and that perhaps while she is here we can go away for a few days.

Now any normal person would have asked "Where did you have in mind" or simply "where to", but not my friend.  No she spoke about a ton of other stuff but did not ask me that.  Eventually, I told her she was messing with my script and she needed to ask me where we would go...she did and I sent her this....

I loved her reaction, the excitement and the wonder.  I must admit I shed a tear or two because I feel so completely blessed at being able to surprise her with a holiday on a wonderful island.

We are both looking forward to some time spent in the sun, sand, surf and spa with a cocktail or two thrown in for good measure.  No routine, no phones, no worry about whats for dinner and who needs what when.  Just 8 days of relaxing with the Indian Ocean lapping at our feet. And of course spending time together!!

Now, that my friends is the way to celebrate turning 40!!!

ADJUSTING MY BUCKET LIST...

I have a sneaky suspicion that I am not thrilled about turning forty next year!!  The idea is starting to consume my thinking and I am becoming just a tad touchy on the subject.

Having said that, it does provide me with opportunities to re-evaluate my life.  More specifically my bucket list.

Travel remains a constant on my bucket list and I don't expect that to change. However, with getting older my thoughts on travel are changing.

In all honesty I don't want to carry a backpack and stay in youth hostels (ok I am to old but you know what I mean).  It does not have to be a 5 star hotel (although that would be nice)but I want indoor pluming and bed with soft linen and cable tv.

I also want to slow down a little.  Yes, I still want to see as much as possible but not at that crazy run, run, run pace.  I want to be able to stop and have a cocktail and enjoy the sun setting instead of breaking the land speed record to make to the next place.

So I had slowly started to adjust my bucket list and make some changes to where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see and how I wanted to experience everything. 

But then, I realised FORTY was making an appearance (it will be brief) and my thinking once again started to change. I lay awake at night and thought about what would stand out for me...sure Venice is a dream destination, as is Paris. But lets face facts...anyone can go to Venice or Paris.  Anyone can go to Tuscany or Rome! I want something different.  

I realised I wanted to do something different.  Yes, I want to chill, drink cocktails, have massages and eat good food but I also want an experience that few people will think about let alone actually do!! I wanted a once in a lifetime experience!!

Now, I am not talking about scaling mountains, kayaking around Iceland or going to look for fossils in Antarctica…..although there is nothing wrong with any of that….it’s just not me or not me at this stage of my life. So I started to think about what it is that I would really like to see, what is the one thing that I have always wanted to do, not just a bucket list item but something exceptional…..

something that sets me apart from other travelers !  

Not the easiest of questions to answer. But I had a few answers to play around with.  This set me on a completely different path than the one I started off with…..

So how do you feel about monkeys??