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Anyone who regularly reads my blog will know that I'm desperate to go on a safari one day. Luxury is the way to go in my opinion, and I came across the beautiful award-winning Samara Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and it's definitely a contender for me! The family-owned reserve has modern luxury accommodation in three different locations, situated within 70,000 acres full of wildlife. There are suites in the main homestead; others which offer more privacy with individual cottages, and two which share a wooden deck overlooking a waterhole. The reserve is home to a growing abundance of African wildlife, including a large number of endangered species. You have the opportunity to see the elusive cheetah, aardvarks, as well as a huge variety of other animals, and birds. Home cooked meals are served in either the dining room; under the stars, or on the veranda. Guests report that the scenery is absolutely breathtaking, and the at...

I love today's photo contribution, which comes from fellow travel blogger Cole Burmester. Here's the background to the photo... It was taken at Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya on my 2nd day in Africa. We were nearly on our way out of the park gate when our guide got a radio message that a leopard was up in a tree. Hurtling along the road, we managed to pull up about 40m away from the tree. It was magical just sitting there watching it rest, and I probably took more than fifty photos! Definitely a highlight of my three months in Africa. What an amazing shot - it looks like the leopard is looking right down the lens! Simply stunning. If you'd like to read more about Cole's travels, and Lake Nakuru in particular, visit  www.fourjandals.com Thanks for the contribution Cole, and happy travelling!

If you've ever been on holiday in Portugal, you'll know that the array of local food on offer is absolutely delicious. As someone who is allergic to fish, however,  I often look for an alternative to the grilled meat dishes served in the majority of restaurants, so I can enjoy a little change. I found something completely different in the town of Luz, at Chicca's. It's a small restaurant which serves delicious home made food, with a variety of vegetarian dishes; pasta; meat, and beautiful pies. The owner, Chicca, is delightfully eccentric, and brings a blackboard packed with daily specials to your table. If you have a question about any of the dishes, then just ask and you'll see just how passionate Chicca is about her food!  I ordered the lasagne (above) and my husband had one of the delicious chorizo pies, which is accompanied by no less than nine delicious mini salads. The best suggestion I can give you is to leave room for dessert - they...

Looking at today's photo, with the rugged coastline and rolling waves, you would be forgiven for thinking the picture was taken in Scotland. However the blue skies probably tell you that's not the case! The photo is in fact taken in St. Andrew - one of eleven parishes of Barbados.  The parish is named after the patron saint, Saint Andrew, and during the colonial years under Britain, the British thought the area resembled the hills and fields of Scotland. This led to parts of the parish being nicknamed the "Scotland District". It really is a beautiful part of the island and, being a proud Scot, I love to visit every time I go to the island!  If you have a photo you'd like to see featured here, please get in touch via my contact page.