I had decided that this year my birthday was going to be all about me. I know that it sounds selfish, but for the last three years my birthdays have been total disasters and I was determined that it would not be repeated this year. So I booked into the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa for four days of luxury and absolute bliss the African way.
Arabella my love...
This was going to be four days like no other I've ever had. I've decided that I wasn't going to plan anything ahead, that I would be spontaneous. And the Arabella was the perfect place to be able to do this. They are well known for their Wellness Centre. The place I wanted to explore from top to bottom. My excitement was like that of a child in a candy store, totally insatiable.
The atmosphere alone was infectious. I was standing in the hallway and I didn't have a clue as to what I wanted to do first. So I decided to start with some pampering and was quickly on my way to the Spa.
Three cheers to good health
While waiting for my session, I was sipping on a glass of bubbly and enjoying the beautiful view of the Botriver lagoon. This was going to be my first hydro-massage experience. The therapist explained to me that it had something to do with water, and in all honesty what he was saying went in one ear and out through the other. I've never been one for the how's but more the why's, and right now why I needed this therapy was because I needed to reduce my stress levels.
I think I fell asleep during my session. The last thing I remember was extreme relaxation and then what felt like dreaming. After my two hour treatment I woke up totally rejuvenated and ready for some adventure.
A day in the sun
The following day my friends joined me at the hotel and after a quick breakfast we all set off on a hike. It was a day hike through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. I didn't quite expect that the terrain was going to be so rocky, but the challenge was nothing we couldn't handle. This to me was like an African safari. On foot you enter a world shaped and coloured by Africa's wildlife, while enjoying the fresh air (something unheard of in most of our cities today).
During our hike we saw quite a few antelope, but the highlight of the day was when we came across a herd of wild horses. When we later asked the Reserve's game rangers they informed us that the herd was abandoned by the British garrison after the Anglo-Boer War. The sight is not one you see everyday, especially in Africa, I think.
At lunch we had a picnic which of course included a good bottle of wine and cheese. After our luncheon, we continued on our merry way back to the hotel. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, especially when Bridget tripped for the umpteenth time not looking where she was walking and generally joking around.
Back at the hotel
After everybody had refreshed themselves we were ready for my big birthday dinner. The night followed with good food, some more wine and a lot of laughing. Life couldn't get better than this.
After a good night's rest we decided that a game of golf would be entertaining, especially because there were bets made on whether the girls would be able to play all eighteen holes.
I've played golf before, but only once, so this was a game played more with luck than skill for me at least. And luck it seems was not on my side. Not only did I lose most of my balls but I managed to hit the bunkers twice. Yes, not my most successful venture ever, but fun none the less. Of course we lost the bet, because by the tenth hole my two girlfriends and I had had enough, so we decided to rather enjoy the nineteenth hole. When the boys finished their game we had to make sure that their ice cold beers were waiting. I hate losing bets and it pained me to see the guys revel in their glory, but what can a girl do.
After the day's torture, we all booked in for some more quality time at the spa. An hour of massage later and some time in the sauna was all I needed. This really was everything I could've asked for and more for my birthday!
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