As Jamie has already said, this trip is two best friends traveling together.  Our friendship started in 1993, where at John Ross College high school of Richards Bay we were introduced through a mutual friend. At the beginning of 1994 Jamie began his first year in the South African Navy and was “shipped” off to Gordon’s Bay in the Western Cape to begin his Officers training. Needless to say a few factors (one being distance and the other being a yacht!) brought about the end of our relationship.

Jamie remained in the Navy for a few years and then eventually took the risk of leaving and starting a whole new life and career in a field that he had little experience in. 

But being the determined, hard working person he excelled and eventually in July of 2003 decided to move to the UK.  By this time I myself had finished high school, gone to University and then decided there was more out in the world and took off to see a little more and settled in Ireland. 

Having not heard anything from Jamie for over 9 years I was very surprised when I received an email just dropping a line to say “been a long time I know, noticed you on SA Reunited and thought I should at least say hello………and I understand if you do not respond.”

I am sure you can gather I of course did respond and it took another 4 months of chatting on the phone before we decided to meet up. Even though we had been through various and completely different experiences over the 9 years it felt as if it was yesterday when we last saw each other and spent hours talking, laughing and just catching up over the phone. 

With Jamie just settling into the UK and me being in Ireland we spent a few months talking over the phone catching up and trying to fill one another in on our 9 years apart and soon agreed we had to meet. We made plans to go away for the weekend, Charlene flew over. We knew from the moment we saw one another at the airport that things were meant to be and two best friends had once again found each other.

The trip has been Jamie’s dream for some years and I am glad to be able to experience and share in this dream.  His initial invitation for me to come along was “thinking about doing this trip and I need a cook – are you interested?”  Luckily for him, I love cooking!!