Well Readers, after a couple of decent night’s sleep I’m ready to launch myself back into London life. Except, wait! It’s my 25th Wedding Anniversary next week, so in less than 48 hours I’ll be on the Eurostar and heading for Antwerp via Brussels. In the meantime, though, here are a few thoughts on my South Africa trip.

• Don’t leave the Cape without at least trying Bobotie and Malva Pudding. Every restaurant and café seems to have a different version, but they’re all delicious. And Malva Pudding often comes with custard. What’s not to like? Bobotie varies in spicing from very mild to blimey, that’s hot. Personally, I love the combination of fruit and spice and savoury.
• When you get to the Cape of Good Hope, it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’ve spent weeks in the relative quiet of the Northern Cape. There are queues to take photos with the iconic ‘Cape of Good Hope’ sign, but there are also toilets and a gift shop and a restaurant. If you’re not desperate to say you’ve been there, I’d probably give it a miss.
• Don’t miss Lambert’s Bay though, the Cape Gannets are endlessly interesting, and views of them are excellent without causing them any stress.
• Kirstenbosch Gardens is every bit as magnificent as everybody says. We were there in the pouring rain and it was still stunning. The Protea garden is an absolute must.
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• It’s worth reading up a bit on the ecosystems and plants beforehand – there is so much variety here, and so many unique and unusual plants that it can be a bit overwhelming. Who knew that there were fields full of species Pelargoniums, or tiny rock plants peeping out from the quartz fields? This is a land full of wonders.
• I really appreciated how well done Boulders Bay, where the penguins are, was done. It’s the people who are restricted, rather than the penguins, and they’re clearly doing very well. It’s a full-on sensory experience – penguins are smelly little critters, and noisy to boot. All in all, well worth risking the crowds for.

• The people that we met were all hospitable, straightforward, kind and helpful. Our South African guides had the patience of saints as we forgot what they’d told us, got lost, tripped over (not me for once!) and generally all had our idiotic moments. I salute them all!
• As with anything in nature, nothing is guaranteed – some people on our trip were very disappointed that the vast fields of orange and yellow annual daisies, that feature in so many promotional posters for Namaqualand and the Western Cape, had already finished, due to the early rains. But there is an enormous amount to admire and investigate in this area, and if you have an open mind and a sense of curiosity, there will always be something to delight and amaze. Now I just need to cross-reference my plant photos and work out what on earth I’ve seen.