Number 4

Because I've got Christmas brain, I'm forgetting important details, so I have a couple of footnotes for you - first for Number 10 of my "29 of the Best" - Colin had spent £70 on a knife specially designed to carve Serrano ham, which I thought was hilarious when we unveiled the moldy ham. Now it sits redundant in the wood block!
And second, for Number 5 I forgot to say that my love of safaris started in Sariska National Park in India when we came so close to seeing a tiger, it was unbelievable. Not just footprints, but a fresh carcass. We were probably 5-10 minutes too late. I've yet to see tigers in the wild, but I really really really hope to 1 day...

Sticking with big cats and game, we're going to South Africa for Number 4 where my mission was to see all of the Big Five with my mum and big sis - and we did! In case you're wondering, South Africa's Big Five are Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino (white). Granted the Leopard sightings were scarce and we only saw 1 at a great distance - but it still counts! Kruger came up trumps with 3 male elephants fighting and 2 male lions scrapping over a female (I have it all on film!), we saw Wild Dog from afar, God's Window was breathtaking, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi (try saying that after a few beers - pronounced Ssshhhloowe Humfolozi) Game Reserve was a real surprise, dancing with the Zulus was fun, seeing Springbox springing everywhere made me laugh and I did my first ever snorkelling at Cape Vidal. Whale watching in St Lucia was pretty special too once we got over the crazy surf and out to sea. We saw Southern Right and Humpbacks, along with some dolphins. Always humbling to be in the vicinity of such awesome creatures - and that particular day felt like it went on forever because we'd got up at the crack of dawn and did so much!