10 Years Later…

10 years ago…

And now 10 year later!

{Small note on this photo set: we did it ourselves using a tripod and remote for the camera!  Some of the outtakes were pretty funny thanks to Sabi… and Eden being a cheeky monkey}

July is for celebrating!  We marked our 10 year wedding anniversary this month.  Mr H did well!  He surprised me with what I like to refer to as “happiness in a little blue box”.  He replaced my crap-we-are-getting-married-in-3-days-and-don’t-have-a-wedding-band band.

I went with something a bit geekier.  I had Star Wars on the mind… and you will see why soon! 

Hers "I Love You" & His "I Know"

In the years past, we’ve ordered Thai delivery due to someone in the family being sick (it’s our cold season) and watched a movie on demand.  As it’s a big one, we had to do something special.  So on our anniversary, our wonderful babysitter saved the night for us and we had dinner at Sake (also a work favorite). 

Wagyu beef tataki from the New Classics menu

On the weekend, it was the first time Mr H and I have gone away without the kids, together, since 2010 (we only had 1 then)!  We had hoped to go somewhere we hadn't been before but for us, that's not really an option. We can do 1 night max.  Our destination did tick the box of something new and it truly transported us to back to Africa.

Jamala Wildlife Lodge opened in December 2014.  I remember getting some press on it, thinking how cool then “pinning it” for in my dreams.  Then when we started thinking about what to do to celebrate, the marketing manager on my team told me to check it out.  And it was definitely something we would love to do.  It’s all inclusive and after experiencing it, well worth the price that we originally balked at. 

Road signs, Australian-style

The 2.5 hour drive was amazingly fast without having to break-up verbal fights and listen to Disney songs on loop.  We were so excited to pull into Jamala Wildlife Lodge and find out which animal we were going to spend the night with!  The accommodation is by type – lodge rooms, giraffe tree-houses or jungle bungalows.  For the lodge rooms and jungle bungalows, you can request which animal you would like but it’s not guaranteed.

We're here!

On arrival, we were given our keys then spent some time relaxing with coffee and sweet treats in the Lodge as we awaited the other guests for the welcome and afternoon tour.  The Lodge used to be the owners’ house, and is now part of the accommodation too.  It’s beautifully decorated from their African travels (I wanted this and that for our house!).  One side was part of the aquarium with sharks swimming around and the other side looked out onto a lemur enclosure.  Soon, a few of the keepers came out with reptiles for us to meet.

The Lodge

Enjoying a coffee before our afternoon tour

Shark Tank - hello Mr Groper

Infinity pool (too cold this time!)

Boa constrictor

Baby alligator

Then we were split into groups and on our afternoon tour.  Jamala were wonderful in that, the families with children travelling together were separated from the couples and adult on the tour (not to be taken the wrong way, but we left the E’s home for a reason!).  The afternoon was great, meeting the resident animals of the zoo.

The friendliest porcupine fish ever

Oriental Small-Clawed Otter checking for treats

Arataki, male Malayan Sun Bear

Big Fella, male European Brown Bear

Saying hello to Bakkar

After the tour, we were delivered to our rooms – we got the cheetah bungalow!  I was so excited to get a big cat one after meeting one of the tigers from the afternoon tour.  The bungalow was very nice, a canopy bed (like on safari), a small sitting area looking out to the cheetah enclosure, and a huge bathroom.  We had a lovely gift and handwritten note waiting for us.  

Bungalow 5

Welcome gift

Complimentary mini-bar

With African Sounds playing, we raided the complimentary mini-bar (I was starving after our 3 hour drive and being too excited to eat on arrival), we watched the cheetahs.  The cheetah boys (2) came up to the bungalow straight away to say hello and then basically spent the rest of the afternoon and night next to us.  So you are sitting there thinking, ummm… isn’t your room kind of exposed?  Yes, but after the zoo closes privacy screens are put up and there are shades in our room and bathroom.

Hello, kitty!

The Cheetah Boys: Jura and Innes

We headed to the Lodge for pre-dinner drinks.  As we sipped on Moet, we watched the hyenas have their dinner and go for a late night swim.  Weirdos.  Then we were invited inside The Cave for dinner.  The Cave is also built into 2 of the enclosures: a brother and sister white lion duo and the hyenas; they don’t like each other very much (something about competing for the same food).  The Cave used to be the owners office; I am not sure how much work I would have gotten done watching them all day!  Anyway, dinner was entrée, starters, mains, dessert and cheese.  It was all very good, and fun to get to know a few of the other guests and about their animals.  Speaking with several of the travellers, we learned the big cats (especially the lions) do not like young travellers.  The lioness has pawed the glass in the lion bungalow before and the cheetahs will target the “weakest, smallest” in a group.  This is one of the reasons we lucked out with our bungalow!  We were also seated next to the white lions at dinner and noticed their behaviour when a child got up and walked around The Cave.  They were immediately on their feet, following them.

Champagne on ice...

The Cave

The Menu

Hyena dinner time

Mishka with the 2 hyenas

White lions, brother and sister: Jake and Mishka

After dinner, our rooms were turned down for the evening with electric blankets and heaters (Artic Blast, people).  The cheetahs were fast asleep against the glass.

Good morning Jura and Innes

We had an early start in the morning.  The cheetahs were already enjoying the morning sunshine when we went back to The Cave for breakfast.  The lions and hyenas were up and staring each other down (again) while we enjoyed our hot breakfast before heading off for our morning tour in the cold.  Thank goodness the weather was not as predicted and into the minuses (Celsius).

Snow Leopard

Jake's breakfast time

On our tour we met a lion named Sabi!  

Sabi and Marjan (behind them Bungalow 1)

This is Sabi, the lion

Black and White Colobus

Gonzo checking out his breakfast (Black-Capped Capuchin)

The cheetah girls

Painted Dogs

The morning tour was fantastic.  We got to feed an eland and go behind-the-scenes to see a few of the animals that are not yet on display, including patting the white rhinos. 

After the tour finished, we returned to our room to pack our things and found that the cheetahs were being fed breakfast and being weighed.  We are thrilled to be able to see this as the afternoon before, every time a car drove by they would run to see if it was food for them.

Do you have something for me?

Breakfast time

They weren't happy being separated

Finally, it was time to farewell Jamala – not funny asking us if we wanted to stay another night!  We hope to be back again and check out some of the other rooms!