Drakensberg road trip, snow in Lesotho & COMING HOME..!!!

So here it is, the final bit of our journey!! (Just a warning this is a long one, but boy is it good - even if I do so say myself!!)

You have been following us for the last 10 months, 16 countries visited, 308 days away from home, 12 flights, 1 overland trip, 50+ friends made, 6 charity projects, 10 Airbnb's, 24 hotels, 10 family stays and 190 instagram posts!

The two of us on top of the world / a summit in the Drakensberg

We never dreamed that this blog would become bigger than just our parents reading the odd post detailing what we'd been up to, and yet, we have had thousands and thousands of readers, from a whole host of countries.

A special hello goes to the 90 viewers from Russia who read our blog three weeks ago - who knows how you found our journey, why you're reading it but you're amazing. Our thanks go to the regular support we've had from Ireland, Qatar, Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia & the USA we have no idea how we are connected to you but we love that you've been following our journey! And to all those from South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya and the UK - if you've met us, helped us, or journeyed with us thank you for making our trip so fantastic. And for the rest of you - well you're flipping amazing and we have been honoured to have your support and readership these past 12 months!

But for all of you who want to know what we got up to in our last few weeks on the road let me take you back to Mtubatuba just before we set out on our last road trip. As the schools broke for their 'winter' holidays Ben and I set about doing a whole bunch of stuff with the kids in our final week in Zululand. We happily accompanied Jono and Abigail on their first cinema trip - I say happily because we were more excited to see the release of Finding Dory than the 6 and 3 year old in our care - lets just say that Ben & I were glued to the screen despite Abigail's insistence that it was too scary. In our whirlwind of activity we also managed to get to the St Lucia Crocodile Centre - which is home to the largest breeding population of crocodiles in South Africa. We were able to recreate a photo of Ben holding Jono that was previously snapped (pun intended) on his last visit to SA in 2010. Despite cramming a host of memories in to our final days it wasn't long before we packed up the car and set about to leave Mtubatuba for the last time.

One last dash to the beach with Judah and Puppy

Jono, Kristy & Abigail - watching on as Ben takes one last dip in the ocean

Ben & Jono at the Croc Centre, Christmas 2010

Ben & Jono at the Croc Centre - 5 years later!!

To any Mtuba residents reading this blog, thank you! Thank you for welcoming me & Ben into your fold, not only did we enjoy your stunning beaches and be blown away by the local safari that quite literally is on your doorstep but we also joined the local gym, attended weekly pilates sessions, competed in golf days, attended children's birthday parties, crashed adult birthday parties(!), celebrated Christmas with you, bought in the New Years with you, got to know the Pick&Pay check out staff, became part of the church congregation(s), ate a serious amount of your braii's, enjoyed your kids parent's day, the list goes on... But in all seriousness we ate at your tables, we got to know your stories, we met your families and for that we will always feel like Mtubatuba is our South African home.

Mtubatuba sunset

Oh gosh I'm getting emotional thinking about it all..!

Right, so we left Mtuba with heavy hearts but as we had heard lots about the Drakensberg Mountains during our stay in South Africa it was decided we had to experience them before our time ran out. For many, a drop off by Dylan, a collection of a hire car, and then a shopping trip in Durban's Gateway doesn't sound like the most taxing of days. But for the two of us it involves hiring a car, and as those who have read previous blog posts will already be predicting, this doesn't always go to plan...

In short, we had booked to pick the car up at Richards Bay Airport at 2pm, so after a leisurely morning and a beautiful lunch, Dylan drove Ben and me, along with alllll our bags to the airport. When we arrived it seemed unusually quiet (remember Ben had spent 2+ hours people watching at this airport during the last car hire nightmare). So out pops Ben to go have a look and returns looking rather disappointed. As it happens the whole airport shuts at 12 on weekends (obviously...?!), and therefore there was no one in any of the car hire booths - there was also no airport staff, security, receptionists or ANYONE helpful. Oh joy! With a slight grimace setting on my face we set about phoning the car hire head office and 'politely' informing them as to our / definitely their mistake. (I'm just going to add that when we booked the car there were options to collect the car all afternoon & no indication that in fact 12 was the last possible collection time). A host of tense conversations later and a Hertz employee was on their way back in to the office and before long we had the hire keys in hand, our bags had been squeezed in and we were on our way. Again, sorry Dylan for being useless at hiring cars and wasting your time!! Despite this set back we managed to get to the shopping centre and then on to Auntie Carrol & Uncle John's house before it was too late.

The next morning we awoke to a beautiful day in Pinetown, Durban and set out on a walk with John, Carrol and Byron. Despite being on the edge of a huge city with the busiest port in all of SA it doesn't take long on a drive out of the city to encounter stunning scenery. We headed to the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve in Forest Hills and enjoyed a long stroll along the tops of the cliffs before venturing down in to the valley to explore the waterfalls. It was delightful to be in such a wonderful setting with family and it'll remain one of those 'nice memory' days that will stay with us for many years to come.

On Monday morning we set off on our own for the first time since our Kruger National Park adventure. Our plan was to drive from Durban to Underberg, then to Lesotho, then Clarens, then Kamberg before meeting up with Dylan, Kristy and the kids in Champagne Valley a week later. We really didn't have an idea of where was best to go or why, but we took some advice from friends we made in Mtuba and decided that wherever we ended up, as long as it was in the mountains, we would be happy.

One of our snaps of a Fish Eagle in the Champagne Valley

The utterly stunning Sani Pass

Just to put it in to perspective the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Mountain range is the highest in South Africa which peaks at 3,482 meters and stretches more than 1,000 km from northeast to southwest. In contrast the Alps, which stretches 1,200 km covers a whopping 8 alpine countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia & Switzerland). That's like me & Ben randomly picking towns from all 8 of those countries and just hoping that it would work to be able to drive between them all - in a week.

First on our list was Underberg, a small old-style farming town that acts as a gateway in to the magnificent walks and adrenaline pursuits of the Berg'. We had booked an airbnb that was situated about 20 km north of Underberg. Arriving late on Monday night we checked in and were shown to our cabin, a charming little abode made up of a tiny kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Thankfully for us the log burner was situated by the two arm chairs in the bedroom as the cottage lacked any form of central heating (not uncommon in South Africa). As the chill crept in during our first night in the 'Berg we were not only thankful for the fire but also the stack of logs provided.

Our little cottage was nestled in this valley

Waking the next morning we struggled to leave the warmth of the duvet but a knock on the door and a delivery of freshly baked scones eked us out into the fresh morning air. We had been recommended a local walk that we could just about see the summit of from our cottage. Named the 'Salt and Pepper Walk' the ascent takes you to two free standing rocks which stand side by side, similar to how a salt and pepper shaker sit on a dining table. Five minutes in to our walk our boisterous conversation must have startled the hushed grazing of two Eland, South Africa's largest antelope. As we saw them standing tall on the path in front of us we reached for the camera - countless safari's later and our hearts still beat fast when we discover wildlife! However, the camera was lacking an SD card and therefore wouldn't save any of the shots I was taking. (All fellow overlanders won't be surprised that our camera wasn't photo ready, it's another of our 'things' like the hire car curse!) Being the true gentleman he is (and probably taking the blame for the mislaid SD card) Ben ran back to the cottage to retrieve our missing puzzle piece.

'Our' Eland

The Salt & Pepper 'pots' on the left & then the summit on the right

It was a beautiful walk and conversation flowed freely as we followed the Eland up the mountain path. We basked in the sunshine on rocks just next to the salt and pepper 'pots', however feeling the wind in our hair as we looked upon the stunning view was not enough for Ben - you see the acclaimed rocks aren't quite at the top of the mountain range and Ben being Ben wanted to go that little further to summit. After 23 years of family holidays that inevitably end up on the top of a mountain I'm used to the concept of wanting to go that little further to say 'I'm the king of the castle', however on most occasions there is a clear path up to the top, in this instance this was not the case. Ben led as we scrambled up some rocks and despite my foot slipping on some loose scree we made it and yes, unsurprisingly, the view was breathtaking.

Enjoying a bite to eat next to the Salt & Pepper rocks

What a happy chappy!

The view from the real summit!

After our second night of cozy fire, no wifi, home-cooked food and no television we awoke to yet another brisk morning and more fresh scones. We packed the bags and set about driving to the SA Sani Pass Border post. Bumping along the dirt road in our little hire car we relished the idea that only a couple of months prior the TopGear team had done the same road trip when they tested three SUV's in a race from Durban to the top of the Sani Pass.

Let me explain what the pass is like for all those unfamiliar with Drakensberg geology or the 'hit' BBC driving show. In short it is a gravel road that connects South Africa with Lesotho, the pass itself climbs 1,332 meters and when you reach the top border post you stand at a mighty 2,876 meters. Because it is exposed to mountain conditions, which can be treacherous, South African law only permits 4x4 vehicles to access the road. We were thankful of this when sat in the back of a shuttle Landrover weaving up the extremely narrow route. On our ascent we were blessed with breathtaking views as the sun shone right down the valley. We tried as hard as we could to film and photograph the stunning scenery and to capture how extreme driving this pass is, however, due to the uneven ground most of our attempts ended up being jagged or blurry - hats off to the BBC camera crew who filmed the TopGear episode.

You can see how windy the Sani Pass 'road' really is

Perched at the top of the pass, on the Lesotho side of the border, is the Sani Mountain Lodge or as it's otherwise known, the 'Highest Pub in Africa'. We had booked to stay a night in the lodge before taking their shuttle down the pass the following morning. We arrived mid-morning and sought advice from the man on reception regarding local hikes we could do - we wanted to make the most of our afternoon in Lesotho!

From half way up the pass looking down in to the valley

Adjusting to the chill at the top of the pass we got shown to our rondavel (a round hut that is typically made from local materials, this time stone, with a thatched roof). Despite the log burner in the corner our room continued to stay 'fresh', aka absolutely freezing, so we started to unpack and this was when we discovered that I had made a pretty massive error... In the process of moving our bags from our hire car to the 4x4 at the South African border post (at the bottom of the pass) something had gone wrong. Beforehand, Ben had insisted that we put all things we wanted for our night away in the car boot so that the moving process would be more efficient, I may have said something along the lines of 'it won't matter where the bags go in the car I'll remember which one's to bring'. Unfortunately, in the excitement of another African border crossing, I had forgotten to move one of our bags. In this bag was our toiletries, our iPad, our books, our chargers and my shoes... Now you could argue that we could have gone without all of these for just one night, but as there was nothing at the top in the pub apart from cards and booze, and the small detail that I had worn my flipflops in the Landrover we thought it was kind of essential we retrieve this bag from our hire car. We had options but the only feasible one was to give our keys over to a staff member of the lodge who was making the 3 hour round trip later that day.

Our rondavel / home for the night

The Highest Pub in Africa - just left is the view of the Sani Pass

The sign reads 'The Highest Pub in Africa'

So after a little bit of grovelling and quite a few 'I told you so's' from Ben we retreated to the pub where a warm fire, good hot chocolate and card games kept us happy for a few hours. However, it wasn't long before Ben wanted to go exploring. This was one of the moments in our time together where we just weren't on the same page. I was stood in my flipflops 'patiently' explaining that my feet would freeze if I went walking in them, and Ben was ignoring the fact snow was forecast and persuading me to 'just put up with it'. Our solution? I put both pairs of my walking socks, along with another pair of trainer socks on underneath my fluffy pink ballet slippers. (Just to put it into context I also had a pair of leggings under my walking trousers, two tops, a fleece and a waterproof - it was COLD and I looked like an idiot.

Showing off my totally practical walking attire!

Ben looking 100% more stylish

Despite my dashing attire we braced the outdoors and went for a local walk, which took us as far away from the lodge as we were willing to go and back again. We found a small little river that had partially iced over which kept Ben and his destructive nature entertained for 10 minutes or so. Our little stroll gave us a small insight to the poverty and austerity that Lesotho is unfortunately known for. The next morning, after a hearty meal in the pub the night before, we opened our curtains to frost and icicles. Having not seen frosty grass for about 18 months we both got a bit excited before we remembered that we really didn't have the equipment / clothes to be snowed in as the weather forecast was threatening. Instead we wrapped up warm and shortly after a humongous breakfast we set off down the pass. Reflecting on how little we could see on the descent made us appreciate just how stunning the views had been the day before, and don't get me wrong I would have loved to see the view again, but the 5 year-old inside me did jump for joy when snowflakes started to decorate the mountain side.

Icicles formed over night

I got a bit snap-happy at the sight of frost!

On our drive down the pass the car temperature was at a chilly -3!

Even the sheep had a touch of frost about them...

On the drive up this waterfall was free-flowing, over night it had frozen solid

From the Sani Pass we were headed to Clarens, which has the charming nickname 'the Jewel of the Free State'. As we set out on our longest drive of the Berg' trip we quickly had a decision to make, drive all the way back down to the motorway and potentially add an extra 100 km on to our drive (we had already predicted that it would take us the best part of the day to cover the distance), or do we chance the dirt track road that seemed to be more direct? Well it was all going swimmingly until it wasn't! About 2 1/2 hours in to the drive we got a flat tyre. When I say that we were in the middle of nowhere I really do mean nothing around. Looking out I couldn't see any sign of civilisation (apart from the dirt road we were broken down on), and yet it wasn't long before Ben was on his knees putting the tyre changing teaching his Dad had given him to good practice. If I had been in the same position by myself there would be no chance I could have got the bolts off the tyre as they had been mechanically put on but again, thankfully, Ben's muscles are significantly bigger than mine. So thanks Dave for your good parenting and thanks Phil for bulking up Ben in the gym!

Broken down literally in the middle of nowhere!

Despite the tyre set back we made it to Clarens before dark, only stopping again to enjoy our lunch next to the Sterkfontein Dam, a beautiful man-made nature reserve located in the Free State. For two nights we stayed in The Golden Gate Hotel, the only SAN (South Africa National Parks) operated hotel in SA. Located in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park it is perfect for tourists wanting to hike the local hills. Arriving too late to go walking we drove in to central Clarens and enjoyed a wonderful meal at Clementines, Tripadvisor's top recommendation.

The stunning view across Sterkfontein Dam

The next morning we woke early to make the most of our only full day in the area. We had decided to pop along the road and start one of the longest hikes available. Advertised as a 4 hour loop, the walk would wind along next to the orange-hued sandstone cliffs, up and over the infamous Brandwag rock, before climbing up to the peaks of the Maluti mountains. The map and the initial signposts were all helpful and clearly set up to guide the thousands of visitors that pass through each month, however it wasn't long before Ben & I veered off on the wrong 'path'. Now we could blame the misty, freezing conditions, but whatever the reason we decided to go straight when we should have gone left. This led to us scrambling, or should I say scaling an exposed rock face in order to reach the bit of path that Ben thought looked like the way. (Side note, it definitely wasn't the way and the footprints he had seen were most likely made by a mountain goat or similar creature that God had designed to balance precariously on the side of mountains - not Melissa's with an ever increasing sense of vertigo!)

The beginning of our walk was pretty misty and chilly

Despite the detours we were blessed with some amazing views!

After yet another 'polite discussion' on the side of a mountain Ben and I agreed to cut across the long grass back to the well trodden path we once were on. Back on the path we then decided to hedge our bets and venture on, this time turning left. Surprise surprise this was the right way and despite our hour detour we were back on track to complete the 4 hour loop. Walking along the top of the mountain ridge we could really take in the expanse of the landscape around us and admire the exquisiteness of the nature. Despite the wind and cold we were able to manoeuvre through the dramatic rocks and enjoy the breathtaking views and were further rewarded when, on our way down the mountain, stumbled upon more Eland.

You see that ridge behind? That's where we were headed!

That afternoon we readily obliged to an afternoon of relaxed shopping as we explored the tiny town of Clarens. There is a real unhurried, carefree feel about Clarens, similar to how I imagine 'outback' American towns would be. The tranquil village-like ambiance is full of arty shops, an abundance of cafes and restaurants and local shops that pay homage to the surrounding farming and fishing industry. We were keen to return for dinner and had our hearts / stomachs set on a popular Portuguese restaurant. Despite their instance that they were fully booked we managed to negotiate and squeeze on to a table perfectly located next to the fire. Although we had an amazing stay in Clarens we were excited to be moving on the next day and thankfully the drive down to Kamberg wasn't a long one - we even opted to take the scenic route through the Maluti mountain range, I mean why would you not choose scenery over busy highway?!

A well deserved afternoon treat in Clarens

Arriving at our next stop, Qambathi Mountain Lodge, we really felt like we'd landed on our feet. Let me remind you that many of our hotels and destinations were picked at random and this hotel was no exception, and yet..! This 5* luxury lodge was utterly stunning from the stylish design of the rooms to the private game reserve it is situated in. Although they have 'small' cats such as Caracal and Serval they didn't have any predators on the land so it was perfectly safe to just go exploring. Our walk took us to one of the highest spots on the property where we watched as Red Hartebeest, Baboons, Zebra and Mountain Reedbuck all grazed and went about their natural ways. Returning for dinner we were spoiled to a feast of gourmet dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients. I know it seems like I'm harping on about this place but it really was one of our nicest days away.

Looking back across the Qambathi Mountain Lodge reserve

Some resident Zebra

Some slightly curious Mountain Reedbuck

How stunning is this Red Hartebeest?!

After another morning stroll we literally stayed until we had to check-out, leaving with grins on our face we momentarily stopped for the electric gate to roll back before we drove back up north to Winterton and then on to Champagne Valley. I mention stopping for the gate not because it is anything special, there are electric gates up and down the country, it was what we found in our back right tyre when we stopped that was of note. Somehow, along our many miles travelled in the dreaded hire car a metal spike had worked its way in to rubber tyre. To add insult to injury we not only needed to find a local garage who would stock the correct tyre but we were looking on a Sunday. You know that dreaded sinking feeling when you know all the odds are stacked against you? Yeah well we had that times 10. Crawling along the dirt tracks that led us back to the highway we decided not to risk the high speeds of the motorway and instead set about finding a garage in the first town we got to.

Our 'delightful' little hire car...

Thankfully we had data on our South African phone and were able to google the location of the nearest chain garage, it had said online that everywhere was shut on Sundays, but we really had nothing to lose. To our utter disbelief the garage we rolled in to was not only open but had two members of staff ready to repair our tyres (plural because they also repaired the one we had not-quite-burst earlier that week). As it happened the boss of the store had decided, uncharacteristically, to go in on the Sunday to sort out some paperwork. We had prepared for the worst, we really did think that replacing two new tyres would set us back £100+, and yet..! I have never seen Ben's face turn from sour bitterness to sheer delight as quickly as when the garage owner said they could remove, repair and realign two tyres for around £5!!! How blessed did we feel!?

The retched car in the garage

Leaving as quickly as we could we then drove two junctions up the motorway to the turn off for Champagne Valley. We had heard lots about this particular area from friends in Mtuba as it's a favourite for South African holiday makers looking for a serene, yet action packed, getaway in the Berg'. We had booked an Airbnb that would be the home for 3 nights for the two of us, Dylan, Kristy and the kids. Driving past the family home down to the beautiful yet modern lodge that we had rented we got our first glimpse of the panoramic view that we would wake up to for the next few days. The true local attraction is Champagne Castle, the second highest peak in South Africa, and the surrounding subsidiary peaks, Cathkin Peak, Sterkhorn, Monk's Cowl, Dragons Back and the Sphynx.

Our adorable airbnb

And it's view..!

We were reunited with the others that afternoon and spent the rest of the day playing with the kids, catching up on stories from the past week and tucking in to a classic Dylan braii. After a lazy morning the following day we went to the popular Village Bakery, a family run bakery with a mouthwatering menu and awesome playground. Whilst us adults happily tucked in to our pastries the kids barely stopped to eat as they ran between swings, slides and diggers all before throwing themselves off the zipline countless times. In hindsight they were probably pretty knackered already but as Ben, Dylan, Kristy and I were feeling rather guilty from our gluttonous intake we drove up the road and closer to the mountains. All the hikes up to the surrounding peaks leave from one main car park and from here one can also stroll to nearby waterfalls and mountain pools.  Initially grizzly, both kids soon took in enough mountain air to start enjoying the adventure, including a spot of skinny dipping - in the end we had to bribe Abigail to stop bathing in the hypothermia inducing water pool!

Jono literally leaping from the zipline

Kristy with Abigail taking a little rest stop 

I'm not sure who is more chilly in this photo!

Check out how tough those kids are!!!

The next day we woke early to head back to the same spot we had walked around the day before, however this time we were visiting Kristy and Dylan's old Mtuba family friends that had relocated to the Berg' a good few years before. After a quick cuppa the eight of us started our walk up to the nearby peak named 'the Sphynx' due to its rough resemblance of the hairless domestic cat. The kids did incredibly well to walk the majority of the hike and we all felt like we  deserved the humongous dinner that evening.

On top of the Sphynx!!

As all good things seem to do, the end of our Berg' trip came about too quickly. On our final morning Ben and I may have borrowed the kids to take to the local Birds of Prey show. Unlike the Finding Dory experience the kids really enjoyed the display and Ben and I were blown away to see such magnificent birds up close. On our drive back to Durban we stopped for a delightful late lunch at the popular stop-off Piggly Wiggly's in South Africa's Midlands. This once-upon-a-time farm shop is now a retail area complete with delicious restaurant. Despite the waitress adding mayo to Ben's overly picky sandwich order it was yet another addition to what would be our final full day in South Africa. This wonderful day finished with the arrival at Uncle John and Auntie Carrol's house in Pinetown, Durban and after some final packing and reorganising we went to bed full of homemade lasagna - I told you it was a good day!!

The mighty Black Eagle

A resident Fish Eagle

And then that was it. We had arrived at our final morning in South Africa. However, as we didn't need to be at the airport until 3 pm we decided to go for one last outing with our South African family. We all bundled in the car, dogs included, and headed for Durban waterfront. As we leisurely strolled along the boardwalk we wanted one final group photo at the end of a pier. Negotiating past the surfers, fisherman, locals and holiday makers we came to the end of the walkway and to our delight watched as a small pod of dolphins splashed about in the waters. Utterly wonderful.

Taking all the cuddles I could get!!

One last group photo!

Goodbyes were said and tears were wiped away as we left Pinetown for the last time. It doesn't take long to drive to the airport despite the fact we were crossing Durban city centre and we arrived at King Shaka International Airport with plenty of time. We dropped the hire car off, sorted our VAT refund out, checked in our bags and were heading to airport security when the last hire car drama set about. You'd be correct in thinking how could they have any more hire car hassle when they've already dropped the car off? Well, somehow, and I'm still mystified as to how, when we gave the car back and it had it's once over we had failed to give the keys back to the Hertz representative. So when Ben put his hands in his pockets to check for wallet, phone and he found keys we were a little taken a back. A quick run back to the car park later we were finally rid of the car and ready to start our long journey home!!

Bags on back we were ready to fly!!

As you can imagine it was an incredibly surreal couple of days as we checked in, waited, boarded, flew, collected, ate, slept, boarded, flew, slept and then finally touched down on UK soil. WE WERE HOME. Well not quite there yet but you get the feeling. Silly little things got us excited, we both rushed to switch on our phones and swipe 3G back on after 10 months off, I enjoyed seeing policemen in familiar uniform, Ben kept pointing out 'English' things, but nothing and I mean nothing compared to when we were waiting outside, slightly chilly, and I saw my Mumma walking towards me. Both my Mum and Dad had battled the M25 to collect us from Heathrow and boy was I beyond happy to see them after so many days apart.

Despite our tiredness we were excited to get home!

To our delight we were spoiled to a delicious family meal at my home in Tunbridge Wells with both my family and Ben's coming together to welcome us back. I had imagined that the first night back in my own bed would feel extraordinary and it lived up to expectation, especially after being awake for 43 hours. The next couple of weeks are an utter blur but we both remember being fascinated with how strongly we could smell grass, flowers and trees. Don't get me wrong there is a whole host of flora in Africa, but nothing that quite smelt like the English countryside.

The magnetic migration instagram shows most of our highlights since we've been home but for all those who are interested in the past 6 weeks our perfect niece, Delilah Louise Powley has been born to my twin brother Douglas and his amazing partner Rhiannon. Ben proudly stood as usher to his longest friend Seb at his wedding to Claire. We accompanied the youth from our church (Tonbridge Baptist Church) on their summer camp at Soul Survivor Festival where 6,000+ people met and celebrated God. This week the Spring family celebrated little Oliver Ralph's first birthday (he was only 10 days old when we left the UK). Finally we are so proud of my younger brother Alastair and his girlfriend Laura who will be off to university at the end of the month. So yeah it's been all go! Ben and I are both job hunting and waiting for the right thing to come around. It's a daunting prospect returning to the work place after so long of 'dossing around', but we know that we are now headed for careers which will be more 'us' than the ones we were pursuing before our adventure.

My gorgeous little niece, Delilah Louise Powley

Birthday boy Oliver! 

We have loved being home, reuniting with friends and family, catching up and swapping stories but there will always be a part of us that longs for more adventure. Of course we both have itchy feet and I don't think it'll be long before we are reaching for the passports - whether it be a weekend away, a two week holiday or something more.

So I guess after that momentous blog post (A MASSIVE THANK YOU IF YOU'RE STILL READING), I should sign off.

We can't thank you all enough for the kindness and love you all have shown us. Every view, every comment, every like has pushed us to explore more, stay positive in the tougher times and have courage that wherever we are in the world we have an army of support behind us.

This is the last post for now, but Magnetic Migration will stay live, just in case there are more adventures to come...

"once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, 

and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life" 

- Michael Palin