Sadly our trip of a lifetime to South Africa has come to an end . We are back home and the whole trip felt like a dream! Bring on the medical placements in Catford and the job hunting!

Our final two weeks in South Africa were spent in the Kwa-Zula Natal Province. The climate here is very different to the Eastern Cape, it is 'tropical' and the weather is steadier throughout the year. It was generally in the early 20's whilst we were there which meant to could be out and about lots. It is a highly diverse region full of mountains, savannahs, white-sanded beaches and amazing cultural history....making it a a great place to spend the last two weeks.

Firstly, we visited the Midlands region for a few days which is a beautiful area filled with stretches of farmland, charming little towns, microbreweries and amazing arts and crafts....what was not to like! At times we thought we were in the peak district.

We then made our way to the Drakensberg Mountains (specifically the Royal Natal National Park) to enjoy the best hiking routes and scenery in KWN. The mountain region was breathtaking and we did some great hikes, taking us to waterfalls. caves and San people rock art which we loved. The place we stayed was hidden in the mountains and we enjoyed amazing hospitality.....even better there was a spa with treatments rooms nestled in the forest canopy which Dipa indulged in!

Our next stop in KZN was Eshowe, where we stayed in a microbrewery (again!) where they brew Zulu Blonde beer. Eshowe was the capital of Zululand and the area surrounding Eshowe is still inhabited by Zulu tribes living in traditional Zulu villages. We spent an afternoon in a Zulu villages with a local guide, which was fascinating and also humbling. We got to try samp and beans - a typical Zulu dish...of course Jonny finished the whole lot it was so tasty! The area around Eshowe is also the home of sugar cane plantations and we were there during harvest time, Jonny tried his first ever sugar cane juice straight from the plant!

Next we drove to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and had a couple of days of self-drive safari. The Game reserve is known for its unique accomodation which is situated in the reserve and is not fenced off in any way! We were visited by Hyenas, warthogs and deer from the comfort of our tent patio! We saw lots of amazing animals set in beautiful scenary, especially black and white rhino which are in abundance in the reserve.

We ended our two weeks in St. Lucia, an amazing wetlands nature reserve on the west coast of KZN. We were based in the town of St. Lucia, famous for its estuary housing a large number of hippos and nile crocodiles...we got up close and personal with them during a kayaking tour on the estuary, a trip we will never forget (for good and bad reasons!). Jonny finally managed to go in the sea which he loved, I passed my time on the gorgeous tropical sandy beach and watched him getting battered by the waves!

The whole trip was unforgettable and we are so lucky to have the time to do this in a country filled with such natural beauty and cultural diversity. It certainly helped us to put things into perspective and remember what is important in life.......this is priceless.