In this month of the Leos’ I was lucky enough to be the guest speaker at an incredible Women’s Day brunch, sponsored by Isability, SPCA Louis Trichardt, and the Makhado Care Group, held at the luxurious Mountain Inn Hotel.

Sandy James, of Isability fame, used her expertise to lead our conversation about Cat Therapy and field many questions from the audience of over 100 inspiring women.

Every minute detail was seen to, from the beautiful venue to the exquisite decor, the delicious brunch, Archie-inspired biscuits and doughnuts, hampers, exquisite white proteas, gold ribbons, green serviettes … generosity and pure love in action. The community of Louis Trichardt embraces the concept of ubuntu in a way that would be very hard to match anywhere else in the world. I was hard-pressed not to get a little tearful.

Chris and Sandy James treated us to a week on their beautiful farm, where we enjoyed delicious meals, long walks with the dogs, an evening with family, friends, and the yummiest pot brood I have ever tasted. I am tempted to ask for the recipe but perhaps I’ll just come back for it!

The Isability golf day was another highlight of the trip. A prize giving and potjie ended off the activities and many guests lingered long into the evening. Needless to say, my putting skills were scarce, so no, I was not one of the winners. But there is always next year!

Our trip up North culminated in the one and only Kruger National Park.

Did we see any game in our short stay? Well … elephants wallowing and the youngsters dunking each other in the very first water hole, hippos grazing on the side, giraffes crossing the road and tending to babies, zebra, buffalo, antelope, waterbuck, wildebeest, more elephants and babies, vultures, ground hornbills, birds of prey and plenty of others too, (apologies to my birder friends but I can’t name them all) a crocodile, a leopard in a tree, and … a pride of 19 lions! Yes, we counted them. (Have I left anything out?) Bubbly, biltong, and crocodile pate at the last stretch of water, exactly in time for a magnificent sunset. My spectacular 68th Birthday will be etched into my memory as one impossible to beat.

Breakfast at Skukuza was our last stop and I got to chat about ballet with Sandy’s mum Dee, a former ballerina who danced on stage with Margot Fonteyn. While we reminisced, a crocodile emerged to sun himself on a little island in the middle of the river, We do live in the most magical country in the world and the bush is the jewel in our crown. 

Real farm honey, Macadamia nuts, and Amarula chilli jam were the first things I unpacked once we arrived home. I can’t wait to show off when next we have guests for drinks and snacks.

Hmmm … does anybody know where to source crocodile pate down in the South?