I cannot speak enough praise about my time spent at Annette & Mark's fabulous home, and about Annette & Mark themselves! Immediately upon arrival in Cape Town, A & M set me up with a car service to pick me up from the airport, which definitely made for an easy transfer into the city… and then arriving at the home - welcomed with open arms. Even despite their busy evening, Mark made a point to take me for a stroll around the neighbourhood (with Elvis, the best dog in the world!) to show me some restaurants, shops, etc. This hospitality was carried through my entire 3 week stay with A & M… always available to suggest tips of things to do, useful information about the city, and always there to answer any question.

The house itself is a beautiful blend of eccentricity, eclectic vibes, and homey atmosphere. My jaw literally hit the ground when I first explored the house - it just has such a warmth about it, and so visually interesting. My room was huge to my standards… bigger than my flat in Amsterdam! Linens were changed and the room was properly cleaned once a week, and the windows in the room and bathroom allowed for great air flow. Oh and the backyard of the house was super neat… lush and green. And the upper patio has a stunning view of table mountain… 'twas a lovely stop to have a coffee or evening glass of local kombucha!

Then for the neighbourhood itself… Woodstock was the epitome of cool, according to my definition. It's littered with hipsters, yet set among a seemingly authentic Cape Town area. Very regularly I would jog around the community at sunset, and it was almost overwhelmingly beautiful at times… my eyes would be in awe with the views of Table Mountain and vibrantly coloured houses, and the scent of fresh laundry or of wood burning for fire-cooked meals just seemed to fulfill my wonderful experience in Woodstock.

So I guess it just all boils down to a warning… if you go to Cape Town and stay with A & M - you're bound to fall madly in love with the city, and you might even consider re-working your future in an attempt to go back and spend even more time there. Maybe even move there for good. Well… that's what happened to me anyways.