They've renewed their vows eight times, having won the 'Ultimate job in Ireland'. Now DENISEand MARK DUFFIELD-THOMASare off to Zanzibar after love-ins in New York, Kenya and Mauritius
DRESSED IN burnt orange robes with red ochre decorating our faces, my groom, Mark, cloaked in goat skin, is given a giraffe-tail fly swish. I’m decorated in colourful beaded necklaces and given a gourd to carry under my robes to represent the children we would have. We’re both led down a path to face the chanting and singing men and women. Our Masai wedding in Kenya begins.
On our ninth day as “the honeymoon testers” we were welcomed into the tribe of Tipilikwani camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara. As part of our trip through the former British colony we renewed our wedding vows with the local Masai elders.
Just three weeks prior, we were selected as the winners of the Ultimate Job in Ireland (and probably the world), the competition run in association with The Irish Timesto find a couple to spend six months testing honeymoon destinations around the world for the destination wedding and honeymoon company Runaway Bride and Groom.
From 30,000 applicants worldwide, and the 10 amazing couples chosen for the grand final at Ballinacurra House, Kinsale, we were the extremely lucky couple entrusted with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
During our interview, we suggested renewing our wedding vows in every country. This quickly snowballed into trying to break the Guinness World Record for most vow renewals by one couple. Why not? The Empire State Building, Central Park, the Waldorf Astoria and a yellow taxi cab saw our first five renewals in New York City and our traditional Masai ceremony was number eight (counting our original wedding in the UK and Australia).
In truly one of the most memorable experiences of our lives, the Masai tribe gave us a traditional name, Nalang'u, roughly translated as "those who marry across the water". The chanting and dancing, not to mention the traditional Masai jumping, made it a wedding ceremony never to be forgotten.
On the southern Kenya-Tanzania border, the Masai Mara is the northern most part of the Serengeti plains in East Africa famed for its wildlife and regarded as one of the world’s best safari destinations. Our safari through the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Park was organised by Twiga Tours which specialises in private game drives and exclusive luxury cabins. Our knowledgeable guide, George, patiently answered our barrage of questions and imagined animal sightings. (“No, that’s not a giraffe, it’s a tree. Another one.”)
We were lucky enough to see mesmerising herds of elephant, buffalo, giraffe and rhino and a snoozing pride of lions about two metres away. We knew this trip was special when we stumbled upon the most elusive and majestic of Africa’s big five, a male leopard. It didn’t take very long for us to realise that having a private escort or sipping champagne soaring over the Mara in a balloon could make a uniquely special, adventurous and unforgettable honeymoon.
AFTER KENYA, WEheaded to Mauritius. Turquoise sparkling sea like a silver embroidered sari, powdery soft white sand and a sky so blue you have to wear shades to look at it, Mauritius is a paradise island so unbelievably pretty, it's like a screensaver come to life.
First stop was Legends resort, voted best honeymoon spot for Irish couples last year and it’s not hard to see why, judging by the happy couples snorkelling, walking hand-in-hand on the moon-shaped beach and enjoying private dinners by the pool. It would be a sickening sight if you were here solo, but most people were sporting new shiny rings, so being loved up is virtually mandatory.
Rooms are based on the principles of Feng Shui and ours had a water element with a bubbling fountain (we turned it off to sleep), a glass bed frame full of sand and sea-shells, and a breathtaking view overlooking the ocean complete with waterskiers passing by in the distance. It’s winter in Mauritius now but it’s balmy enough to swim in the clear blue water all day.
Our days here were either spent being lazy in the sun, or trying activities like kayaking and the glass-bottomed boat trip. Unfortunately, another pastime was eating, every meal was three courses and always in a different restaurant. Our clothes are unfortunately getting tighter as a result!
WE RENEWED OURvows at sunset on the beach, followed by a surprise romantic champagne dinner on the beach, not five metres from the gently lapping water.
From Legends in the north of the island, we moved to Beau Rivage, a luxury resort at Belle Mare in the east. Located on another stunning azure beach with a giant multi-tiered pool surrounded by giant palm trees, Beau Rivage was also heavenly.
Our beautiful private villa felt like home, well it would if our home was a well-appointed, luxury house with an emerald tiled pool, sunken stone bathtub and a dedicated butler to put rose petals on our bed each night – we wish.
“It’s a pleasure to serve you,” our waiter said with a smile and I actually believed him. The staff at Beau Rivage are so unbelievably friendly that you can’t help but feel like a VIP.
It was obviously too hard to walk the two minutes to dinner, so our butler picked us up in an electric golf buggy. We took breakfast on our private terrace with champagne. Staff offered to run us a bath and even pack our suitcases for us. Do we have to leave?
We’re now headed to Zanzibar, a paradise island off the east coast of Tanzania for eight more days of pampering, sun and relaxation. Following Zanzibar, we will be spending a few weeks travelling to find Ireland’s most picturesque and romantic wedding destinations. In Kinsale, we experienced the warmth and generosity of the Irish and we can’t wait to be back!
- The honeymoon testers will be writing a monthly column about their adventures in Go. They travelled to Kenya and Mauritius thanks to runawaybrideandgroom.com with the support of Kenya Airways, Twiga Tours and Naiade Resorts. You can follow their six-month world adventure on thehoneymoontesters.com.