Today ... I am being a wee lazy ... so sue me! heehee!

Our August newsletter:

Dear Friends,

July was yet another exciting month here at Inside Luxury Travel.

We travelled to the Western Cape of South Africa to film three very different experiences.

First up, La Residence in Franschhoek - part of The Royal Collection. This is a most beautiful part of the Cape in the winelands. Next up, we stayed in Camps Bay at the 12 Apostles - a Red Carnation property by the Ocean - just 15 minutes from central Cape Town. Finally we flew up to Bushman's Kloof - a wilderness & wellness retreat - near Clanwilliam.

In addition, we filmed at an ostrich farm, took a luxury yacht out onto the Ocean, flew in a fighter/bomber at 580 knots and drove very fast single-seater racing cars round an ex-Formula 1 track! Very varied, very exciting and very different!

This month we are filming at Gleneagles in Scotland and next month...well, that's for the September newsletter!Sill on the schedule for the rest of the year: New York, Chicago, New Zealand (North & South Islands), Oman and Thailand...with the odd "Special" thrown in for good measure!

The video clips for Santa Barbara and San Diego are now online at insideluxurytravel.com...please hit the 'video' link...and follow to North America. Here you will find short reviews of Canary and The Biltmore (Four Seasons) in Santa Barbara and The Se and The Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego. There are also destination guides and a short feature from the amazing golf course at Torrey Pines and some rather scary solo paragliding!

We are always looking for interesting, exciting & fun luxury features for the show and if you have any ideas, PLEASE email me on varun@insideluxurytravel.com.

This season we have been working with the likes of Robert Graham (apparel) and Alfa Romeo (cars)...to add that extra touch to the production. We like this - so any more brands out there that you think we should be working with...please contact us!

I am - once again - writing a daily diary. Inside Luxury Travel currently airs in over 160 countries with broadcasters like CNBC, ATV and The Travel Channel (EMEA & Asia). It's beamed into 390 million homes worldwide!Please keep in touch!

so there!

Song of the Day: All Night Long - Rainbow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvd8RR0wvNg

Weather: Getting better and better!

the love of my life ...

A dear friend sent me an article from the New York Times ... in it contained a movie quote "when you grow up ... your heart dies.” I am pleased to say that I have never grown up .. and never will! I am worried however ... I can hear an episode of The Simpsons in the background ... and I am writing this, rather than watching that ....

Anyway - today was spent doing more pre-production stuff ... I am now away from home for the whole of September ... I am not complaining one bit but it is kind of wierd being away for so long ... so often.

The video clips for Santa Barbara and San Diego are now online at http://www.insideluxurytravel.com/ ... please hit the "video" link ... and follow to North America. Here you will find short reviews of Canary and The Biltmore (Four Seasons) in Santa Barbara and The Se and The Lodge at Torrey Pines in San Diego. There are also destination guides and a short feature from the amazing golf course at Torrey Pines and some rather scary solo paragliding!

Song of the Day: If I Ever Feel Better - Phoenix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuiQVaLcqJo&feature=related

Weather: Unsettled

whoo-hoooooooo

Next week we are off to Gleneagles in Scotland. It is one of the most famous golf resorts in Scotland ... if not Europe ... if not the world. We are filming there for three days - the drive is long but with a box full of 80's mix CD's & cigars, in my Alfa, it should just be a breeeeze!

I have a clothing sponsor ... Robert Graham out of New York. It has launched a new website today: http://www.robertgraham.us/ ... superb designs and quality. Makes me feel at least 10 years younger when I wear the apparel ... try it!

We work with a few brands - Alfa Romeo & RG to name but two ... and the main criteria are that they are left-of-centre & classic and the contacts we work with are lovely ... all boxes ticked with BIG ticks ...!

Today has been one filled with more paperwork, emails, angry letters to my cellphone provider and general phaffing about. Thankfully, the windows are wide open and there is a nice warm breeze wafting about.

Song of the Day: Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) - US3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0RChhPjj_U

Weather: All good

a Robert Graham ensemble taken in the Penthouse Suite at the Se San Diego ...

paperwork ... emails ... paperwork ... emails ... paperwork ... emails ... oh what joy!

Song of the Day: Imagination - Belouis Some
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pndIoh2If9U

Weather: Miserable

what a great photo!

darn .. i missed it!

Song of the Day: shout - otis day & the knights (from "animal house")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tASwgOWALs

Weather: San Diego-licious

Nothing to report - except the sun is shining!

If you have a moment, you can watch what we filmed this week at London City Airport. It "stars" Charlie Brown (I kid you not!) ... and I am behind the camera doing my best David Lean impression ... more like David Fat! haha! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReUsJugZe8

Song of the Day: Spirit in the Sky - Doctor & The Medics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_trcFZLg5FU

Weather: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm .......



work, rest & play ...

A couple of years ago I was sitting in an airport lounge when I spotted John Hughes in a corner drinking tea. I went up to him and explained that his movies helped make the 1980's the greatest decade (for me anyway). We chatted for an hour about Ferris Bueller, Pretty in Pink, Animal House ... The Breakfast Club ... the list goes on! He was a lovely chap, very down to earth & full of funny stories ... I smiled all the way to Los Angeles (he was off to New York).

Sadly John Hughes died yesterday ... aged 59. What a cinematic legacy he left. I will always remember the most fantastic line ever spoken in a movie .. which he wrote .. "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Never truer words spoken.

Song of the Day: Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds (from The Breakfast Club)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pybSRca-cA

Weather: Pretty


honey the guide dog (any excuse to cuddle a pup)
oak the guide dog (ditto)

editing home (tide)
home of fun (milk & honey)
home of shoes (vans)
home of boxer shorts (brooks brothers)
nearly home
my home (claridges)

Song of the Day: Swinging on a Star - Bruce Willis & Danny Aiello
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVAVCW2t_TE

Weather: The sun is shining over my head ALL day!

Last night was a blast! The very honourable Frenchman and General Manager of Claridges dragged me out to dinner with the lovely Pepita and the most wonderful Archie LeWoof. We ate al fresco in a local restaurant - Hush - where the food was mediocre and the service was much worse. We had fun though ... and Le Pup enjoyed some titbits off the table!

Today I have been filming at London City Airport ... and thankfully I was not in front of camera ... Charlotte (aka Charlie, aka Lotta, aka Lottie, aka Charmaine) Brown from the airport was and she did an admirable job describing the journey of the passenger and luggage from check-in to boarding the plane itself. The weather has been good so it was fun ... I love LCY ... so easy, stress-free and friendly ... I only wish it did long-haul ... oh yes from September it flies to New York!!!

Back at the hotel ... time for a change and then off to dinner at The Ritz ... I will sleep well tonight.

Song of the Day: What's Up PussyCat - Tom Jones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBdSqk78nHw

Weather: Muggy but NO rain

home
avec pepita, monsieur archie lewoof et philippe
charlie brown
with my boys

Back in London ... safe and happy in the warm surrounds of Claridge's ...

I realised when I took off from Cape Town that I had used that airstrip 6 times in the past week - for the Thunder City jet fighter experience, to & from Bushman's Kloof ... and of course to & from London. But I managed to fulfil the main criteria of the show and NOT film Cape Town city ... but the rest of the "Western Cape" ... but actually, I am not sure anything in the city could really have trumped my hotel choices anyway ...

The weather, by the way, was more spring than winter! Only one day of real rain ... rest was warm & sunny! Even the day of the low cloud!

Yesterday was a blast. First up - Fantastic Racing - basically zooming around the Killarney race track (that hosted F1 in the 1950's) - in a very fast single-seat sports car. Of course, I was given a full lesson by the resident pro Paul Simon but to be on the track by myself, hurtling down straights and bends at 150 mph was ... rather fun!

From there - Jeremy - our superb guide - got us back to the hotel for a cooking feature. The 12 Apostles exec chef Roberto de Carvalho cooked up grilled ostrich with rice. Ostrich is basically the healthiest meat on the market - 1% fat content - lovely stuff. Roberto had marinated the meat ... it was yum ... perfectly done ... !

After receiving a large farwell bag of Jelly-Tots we got to the airport, on the plane and endured a 12-hour flight to London with the airline who's motto SHOULD be " ... we are not happy, until you are not happy ..."!

A quick list of thank-yous now ... the lovely Radiefa at Cape Town Routes Unlimited (http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za/) for providing us Jeremy! He's a total dude and a number one choice for guide on any trip to the Western Cape ... Jeremy Flowerday & Adre Nel at the 12A for looking after us like family ... indeed the whole staff at 12A, the staff at Bushman's Kloof (especially Jacques) and of course La Residence. Tim, James and myself all feel we have a new family in South Africa! Also there's Alfa Romeo - Christa Harley - who let me play with the new Mito for the week (Tim said that it grew on him!) ...

SO - the trip! Very, very, VERY hectic & busy but in the light of day, one of the best ... primarily because of the warmth of the people we met. Yes, the scenery is lovely .. the food, wonderful and the wine, superb BUT it's the people I will remember the longest!

The boys - James & Tim - of course & as ever - were on top form and we laughed so much on this trip that on one occasion both of them were crying. Something to do with way I styled my hair ...

Song of the Day: Smooth Operator - Sade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efdfGeUKXuU

Weather: Cold & dark (flight) ... but now warm & sunny (hotel)

roberto the ostrich chef

the only CT shot

end of the show photo

Am flying back to London this evening - so not much time to write a full diary entry today. Will do so tomorrow ...

However, I did get to drive a fast car VERY fast this morning! I cooked ostrich and had to say good-bye to my new family ...

Have had an INCREDIBLE time here in the Western Cape. Will mull over my thoughts on the long, long flight ...

Song of the Day: Mystify Me - INXS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZHjH-saxTw

Weather: Yum

morning mist over camps bays

paul simon - pro-racer

my turn ..

jeremy "our guide" howard

my other car ... the new AR Mito

my dear friends - sean, cara and baby-bear-bump

cape zebra

oryx

the view i will miss most ...

(photos from yesterday are up now)

Very early breakfast after a lovely sleep! The bed and the floors in my suite are heated .. so I was roastie-toastie all night! Fabulous!

Woke early ... good breakfast - STUNNING sunrise and in the 4x4's by 0830. We drove the 20 minutes and then walked another 15 minutes to finally arrive at Fallen Rock. When I say "we", I mean Tim, James, Jacques and Siyakha "the Cave Art" man.

The area around Fallen Rock is superb enough BUT the art is just ... well ... words don't describe it. Basically, thousands of years ago, bushmen depicted their lives & the animals in the area in art on the walls of caves. The paint they used was made of things like ostrich shells ... and the art has lasted all this time with no need for touch-ups. It's tough to describe how amazing it is to be standing in a place where bushmen painted so long ago ... thankfully Siyakha was at hand to help ...

This trip took a couple of hours - basically because the art was so mesmerising, no-one wanted to leave!

Back at Bushman's Kloof and room review. There are 16 guestrooms plus the Koro Lodge - a family villa that sleeps 8. I had the premier suite - Riverside - a one-bedroom with thatched roof (to keep the place warm in winter and cool in summer). The lounge has an open fireplace and deep comfy sofas. The bathroom is HUGE with heated floors and a free-standing bath. The bedroom has a 4-poster bed .. and as there is no malaria in the area ... NO nets! yay! There's also an infinity pool with stunning views over the mountains. All in all ... a dream of a suite!

After lunch I had a massage in the dual-massage gazebo to help with an aching knee and sore back! I was Dee-stressed by Dee the therapist! Lovely!

Graham Kennedy (GM) and Jacques drove us to the nearest landing strip (the one we should have landed at yesterday) to meet with Bugs who flew us the 57 minutes back to Cape Town.
My visit to BK was brief ... all too brief. It is a stunningly beautiful place ... the staff are now "family" and the game & rock art make it worth the journey. Oh yes - and it's SO peaceful .. and as it's predator free, you can walk and walk and walk and walk ...

Back at 12 Apostles in Camps Bay tonight. First drinks with very dear friends and then a fabulous & entertaining dinner with more friends and now to bed ...

Tomorrow is my last day here in South Africa. Boohoo.

JACQUES - I am NOT going to forget you (& dear Nadia) in a hurry!

Song of the Day: Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) - Florence + The Machine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHqbco0zHWo&feature=fvst

Weather: Dee-lightful!

a pretty scene near fallen rock

rock art ...

and i am there!

"the professor" - siyakha mguni

another stunning vista

my lounge

my infinity pool

my bedroom
gorgeous bathroom
weaver birds ... nesting
"customs and immigration"
graham - the gm

Up & awake VERY early this morning. We left the 12 Apostles at 0630 and headed to the airport to catch a flight at 0800 from Cape Town to Bushman's Kloof ... which is located in the heart of the Cederberg Mountain range.

The small plane - piloted by a delightful chap called Bugs - lifted up at around 0830 for the one hour flight to Clanwilliam. Everything was fine for the first 57 minutes ... then we came into the landing area to find that VERY dense fog and cloud had made landing on the runway impossible. So, after flying around for another 20 minutes we went for Option 2 ... which also was not an option ...! It was now around 1000! SO - then we flew around into another valley and landed on a crop-dusting strip! We did NOT know where we were ... that is Bugs ... Tim, James or myself! We laughed a little/a lot. This was the FIRST time that Bugs had never managed to land at the Kloof .. in hundreds of flights!
We were entertained on the strip by a gorgeous pup ... and after Bugs finally found out where we were, we called the Kloof to pick us up! Sadly, we were now at LEAST 90 minutes drive away! We were picked up at 1215 by Gerrit & Jacques and whisked at great speed the resort!

Things had not started well ...

Waiting for us at the resort was the whole BK team who fed us, watered us and then we started filming! Tim went off to the Spa while James and myself prepared ...

Finally at 4 pm, we were ready for the first feature - a "game" drive with Jacques Tredoux. Then followed two hours of fun, enjoyment, education and much madness. The Kloof does NOT have the "big" five ... that's what the Kruger is about. The area around here has the small 5 ... the ant LION, ELEPHANT shrew, LEOPARD tortoise, BUFFALO weaver and RHINO beetle! Also, bat-eared foxes, porcupines (that we spotted), Springbok, Bontebok, Black Wildebeest, Puff Adders, Black Spitting Cobra, Cape Cobra and Boomslang ... Eagles ... Egyptian Geese ... Baboons and the list goes on! The scenery is spectacular ... the fauna is superb ... and we got to see most of it! There are actually 2 leopards in the Kloof who are known to be wandering ... tagged .... but yet to be spotted. The scenery ... I said spectacular ... I meant totally amazing! Sedimentary rocks in the wildest formations you will ever see ...

Jacques is a very knowledgeable guide ... has his own distinct sense of humour and made an intense drive entertaining!

We ended up at Kadoro (a cottage a few kms from the Homestead) where we were first serenaded by a choir ... singing local songs before we tucked into an awesome dinner prepared by chef Floris Smith.

I have no internet access in my suite, limited access on site and my cell gets no reception ... while I feel strangely naked about this, I also feel quite unstressed by it.

The stars are simply beautiful tonight ... I always miss the stars in Africa .. they are so unique.

Up early tomorrow ... again!

Song of the Day: I am going slightly Mad - Freddie Mercury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb158OxerRU

Weather: Slightly mad ...
early morning

um ... low cloud/fog ...

where am i ... ?

pupster ..

happy pupster

the unforgettable jacques!

at work

the choir! brilliant!