{Honeymoon} Quilalea

After the most incredibly relaxing "Part One" of our honeymoon - The husband whisked me back off to Jhb where we then flew to Maputo - the capital of Mozambique. From Maputo we flew up north to Pemba. From Pemba we waited at the airport for our next flight which would take us to a small island further north.

What husband failed to inform me that we would be catching a plane the size of a giant fly. Have you ever tried to ride a giant fly?

No. I thought not.

That face? Can you see it? That is the face of nausea.

When you are flying in a plane the size of a giant fly - sitting directly behind the pilot, watching all his numbers, you will automatically believe that you know more about flying than the captain and immediately start questioning his fuel supplies, co-ordinates, navigation system and all those needles that look verrrrrry quivery and unsure of themselves.


Your husband will conveniently position himself right next to the pilot - making it near impossible for you to kill him for fear of accidentally knocking out the only pilot and jeopardising your own life.

If you are lucky like me, your husband will hold your hand and tell you that all the rattles, bumps, and belly-dropping-dips (you know what i'm talking about) are "totally normal" for giant-fly-planes which will help calm you enough for you to get over your nausea and take a few gorgeous snaps -

* * * * * 

After our 25-minute-feels-like-four-hours-flight, we arrived at The Airport (above) in the middle of a coconut tree plantation island. We were then given reef shoes in order to wade out into the water to a boat waiting just offshore - which would take us a further 15 minutes away to the Private Island of Quilalea.

(Above and Below: Arriving on the island for the first time)

Since the entire honeymoon had been a huge surprise for me - all my bridesmaids, friends and family were desperate to know where Mr Warren was taking me - so when we first reached the island, I tried to check in on Facebook to let everyone know where we were -

Facebook told me there were "No Nearby Places"

Which, of course, is exactly true.

On Arrival we were given the delicious and cool coconut water - 

hacked up in a huge big coconut. With flowers. Obvs.

We were escourted to our villa (one of 9 on the small island) where there was champagne on ice waiting for us - we kicked off our shoes and settled into island life...


We were given the most delicious welcome platter of fresh fruits, biscuits and cheeses which was served on our private deck outside our villa. I was super impressed with how they had made a welcome note in our butter - which of course meant that from then on, at every meal, I attempted to write messages to Warren in our butter - but with way less finesse -


Love, love, loved all the decor and finishing touches in the villa and on the island. Gorgeous enough to be trendy and chic but relaxed enough to be island beachy - Even our safety deposit box was a huge almost "treasure chest" type of trunk with an old-school lock and key.


As a very awesome touch - we were given beautiful Khokoi Wraps to use on the island and to take home with us as a honeymoon gift.



I really loved how everything in our villa was completely open plan - our indoor shower opened up right onto our deck which opened up right onto the beach. The main bed also opened up right onto the deck and if we were lying in bed in the morning we (Warren) could go open the shutters and we could watch the sea and sunrise right from our bed. All the while, being lazy in bed, dunking our rusks into the tea/coffee I (Warren) had made.

Of course, our private outdoor shower was the most open-plan of all :

Naked?

Who knows.

MORE NAKED?

Who Knows.

Me.
Maybe.

{View of our villa and private deck from our beach}

The island itself was absolutely gorgeous and we had such fun exploring the little nature trails, hidden walks and pathways and soaking up all the chilled-out-beach time in the world.

Bringing in our seafood for the day.

We found amazing little hidden spots all over the island - and with the whole island being so small - it was awesome to be able to feel like we had really gotten the chance to explore it all. One (adventurous) morning we decided to embark on one of the trails we had seen, all the way to the other side of the island, before breakfast -



  
It was waaaaaay longer than we were expecting lol but we had an awesome time trekking over the cliffs (in the already boiling morning sun) and through the cool foresty nature trails.


We spotted the "lovers heart rock" © - which obviously must have seemed to have been just the most romantic thing in the world. Because it appears, I have a bajillion-thousand pictures of it.



We spotted so many cool little living creatures on our island missions - There was even the hugest most terrifying leguaan that was hustling around outside our villa. I have a sneaky suspicion that aforementioned monster was planted near our villa by The Husband, to ensure that even in the most sweltering of island nights, I would stick close to him come bedtime.

I mean, what kind of MONSTER?!

MY HAMMOCK. MINE. MINE. GET BACK, MONSTER-CREATURE. GET BACK!!
WAAAARRRRREN!!!! 

Each lunch that we had was in a different location on the island - The island, similar to our Exeter Lodge experience, runs on a butler system and our awesome Butler Alfredo would take us to our new table set up somewhere along the beach  -




RESULT:

"it's all about the angle you know"

We had the most amazing time just chilling out, reading our books, chatting, laughing, soaking up the sun, the sea, the good vibes and the awesome company of each other -


For one of our lunches - Warren asked them if they would do a "private" lunch for us right on the other side of the island on one of the deserted beaches we found. I had no idea about this so when our Butler started leading us up and away from the main beach and towards the nature trails I was very confused, but went along with it anyway  -



The staff had set up a table, umbrella, bean bags, towels, lunch and a cooler box stocked with all of our favourite drinks which they had taken a point of learning over the first few days we were there. They had even marked out a huge heart in the sand and decorated around it with green twigs and branches.


 
After the yummy lunch we spent most of that day lazing on the beach with not a soul in sight - blissfully demolishing the well stocked cooler box -

Warren, being so responsible and all - applying sunscreen.

LOOK at how ridiculously good looking that man is!

I started snapping away at handsome husband while he was applying sunscreen, 

like some kind of photoshoot.

And -  after several beers, GnTs, cocktails and wine in the sunshine - 

he let me - 

  

Of course, being the nerd that I am, I wanted to thank the staff for setting up such a cool private lunch all the way on the other side of the island (which would have been a huge mission getting umbrellas, chairs, bean-bags etc etc all the way across the island) - So I made us collect sticks from along the beach to write a thank you note in the sand for them -


On the days which we didn't spend sipping GnTs and Beers from the bar in our room, reading our books on our private deck, or snorkeling in the clearest water you've ever seen through, we would take a walk to the main bar - where we could sit by the pool, catch some rays and listen to some chilled out music -

(the clearest water you've ever seen. ever not seen? First pic: waist deep)

Come sunset hour, the staff and our Butler in particular, would have a look around to see what we were doing (ie: oh, they are snorkeling, but they have left all their stuff on the beach) and would organise cocktails to be delivered to us wherever we were right in time for the sunset.

{Cocktails and Popcorn: my two favourite food groups}

Getting straight out the water from some snorkeling adventures to two cocktails and popcorn ready and waiting on the table next to our stuff - magical.

Just in time for us to lie back and enjoy the gorgeous sunsets -

  

   

Sunset dhow cruise around the island - 

  

This picture looks superimposed. 

It's not.

Drinks at the main pool bar, waiting for the sun to go down, chatting, laughing, playing backgammon, waiting for our waiter to take us to our table for dinner.

{backgammon games}

The main poolside bar

     

Obviously, when there is candlelight involved.

Obviously.

Amazing prawn and lime skewer starters - 

Below: me sampling a lime - 

And, (my last gif, I promise), possibly Warren's favourite part of the entire honeymoon was when they brought around beer that was so cold - it had ice all over it -


He was so overjoyed at the prospect of such ICY COLD beer, that he made me take several pictures of it and touch the bottle numerous times  -

* * * * * *

Was so sad to be back at the airport to say goodbye after such an incredible stay. 

Good sunshine, good food, good chilled time, good beach time, good chatting, good laughing, good drinking, good snorkeling, good walking

and the best company of all.

 

(plane arriving on the runway to pick us up)

   

* * * * * *

Dear Warra

Thank you so much for the most incredible honeymoon ever. Not only was I spoilt with the most romantic and indulgent stay in a gorgeous African Game Lodge, but then you went and outdid yourself with a tropical beachy-paradise. I am so lucky to have found a man who treats me like an absolute princess, spoils me beyond what is necessary and loves me so much for everything I am and everything I am not.
Our honeymoon was so perfect not because of the stunning places you took me, the amazing things we saw, experienced and shared, but because of you and me.
I am so excited for all our adventures to come! Thank you for making me your wife.

I love you with everything, forever x