My Year of Meaningful (2011)

OMG it took for freaking EVER to plan our spring holiday this year.

We are both craving the ocean after 2 years in BW feeling cut off from the rest of the planet - missing the days when we lived in Rainland and used to go to Greece in Aug/Sept and hang out on the sand for 10 days eating seafood, drinking wine, taking walks, and doing absolutely nothing constructive...

1) We need to be saving our pennies for the big fat-ass xmas holiday to the homeland
2) There's too many damn options
3) I want luxury! I want relaxation! I don't want to cook!
4) There's not all that many options for "beach" when you're living in a land locked country in the middle of the Kalahari desert!!!!!!!!!

Originally we had our heart set on Mauritius. There's lots of good package deals from Joburg. But the deals themselves are just barely within our uppermost budget what with the existence of point no. 1 above. Then on top of that you have to pay a thousand bucks airport departure tax b/c of some stupid Mauritian tax law. Which bollocks up that idea. Figure in actually *getting to joburg* before you've even gotten on the plane and right there you've got an extra grand built into your ultimate total.

Mozambique is the same. Plus I've already been there. What is with these thousand bucks departure taxes? That's just insane. Add in the afore-mentioned "getting there" sum as well.

Seychelles would be an option on a normal year, but not on "the big american xmas holiday year".

Which leaves us with the beaches of the northeast South African coastline. There's sooooo many to choose from. Too many. Every little village along the coast has about a hundred options for everything from self-catering to lodges to hotels to cottages. And I just don't have time to look through them all!! And since I am THE ONLY holiday planner in my family of 2, I have the whole thing sitting in my lap, it's 2 months into my planning/search for the perfect holiday, and we're running out of time!

Anyway, FINALLY yesterday I found the place. We can afford it. It's on the beach. It looks like the luxurious relaxing peaceful establishment that I envisaged. But compromises have been made. For one, it's not an all-inclusive lodge, so dinner isn't included (which I wanted). But it *is* in a little town with groovy cafes and restaurants, so I can live with that. And with our savings that we're making by not leaving the country of SA, we'll be more than able to go out for dinner. It's not one of those walk-out-your-door-into-the-surf places (like I wanted) but it is only about 10 minutes walk away. And just 20 minutes' drive away is one of the most amazing stretches of unspoilt coastline (national park) in the whole country. Give and take.

And the winner is......

http://www.safarinow.com/go/AmaZuluLodge-StLucia

http://www.amazululodge.com/

2 different websites but ultimately the same place.

We're going there for 6 nights (not including an overnight stop 1/2 way between here and there - which would otherwise be like an 11 hour drive), then on the way back stopping in Joburg for the weekend to hang with A. and then also to attend the BIG RUGBY MATCH between SA and our nemeses, the Aussies. WOO WHOOOOOOO! And a late bday with our boy A as well.

I can't waaaaaaaait!!! only 2 more weeks!!!!!!