This is my last email on our 99 Quest to discover the finest retreat venue imaginable.

And we are in Italy. I have many gorgeous photos so there’ll just be a tiny amount of chat. We all know the wonders of Italy. Let’s open the gates on a tiny glimpse of it. This photo was coming up to sunset on an island off the coast of Naples – Ischia. This pic is from the other side of the island – a fabulously romantic spot called Sant’Angelo. If anyone is looking for a honeymoon venue – this is it.

Before taking a ferry in pursuit of the tranquility of island life – there is Naples and a chaotic, slightly gritty street market.

Any ‘grittiness’ was entirely forgotten the next morning when I bit into this little puff of heavenly wonder – sfogliatelle. Oh my. Crispy, creamy, rich, buttery. There are more words but a picture is worth a thousand, don’t you think?

I always like to see what supermarkets have to offer and this mascarpone and gorgonzola ‘terrine’ with pistachios was available by the slice. The leftover made a fabulous melting pasta sauce. What a dream.

This little frozen cookie sandwich is filled with pear gelato.

This is Procida. A candy-coloured, pastel-pretty island that is more than picturesque.

Tip no. 1, find a restaurant on the beach and order the fishy things. Drink a little wine. Go for a swim. Spend the afternoon in this manner.

You might even decide to order to the octopus – and it might arrive thus.

Or maybe tuna. The green ‘seaweed’ on the right is actually flavoured, torn bread.

And the classic we all know and love. This is how my individual tiramisu was presented.

Sorrento in the off season.

There is more – San Francisco and some gorgeous ethnic restaurants – Israeli and Georgian for example but we are at the end of this trip, so that’s all on the foodie front at the moment. Our quest for the perfect retreat venue is over. We have looked at countries, towns, villages, islands, haciendas, villas, hotels and resorts.

We will go to Europe with a plan that is under development now but in April 2024, we are embarking on an adventure to a wildlife reserve and conservancy (aka boutique safari lodge) in South Africa near Botswana.

This will be a retreat to discover the boundless you in a country that will infinitely stretch your personal boundaries. If you are a positive, successful person who feels there are still some barriers to be breached and boundaries to be broken through, join us in Africa to do just that. We are putting together the details now so if you’d like to know more, just reply with a question and we’ll forward the info as it’s finalised.

This photo was just taken at the reserve we’ll be staying at.