Surprise Mbha’cation rocks

DUBAI, MIAMI, CARIBBEAN: REAL ESTATE MOGUL KEEPS IT A SECRET UNTIL LAST MINUTE ‘I had been dreaming about this for years and to have finally lived it was priceless.’

What was originally planned as a trip to Disney World morphed into a surprise, first-class extravaganza to Dubai, Miami and the exotic Caribbean islands for local real-estate mogul TT Mbha’s family of three.

“Initially, I wanted to spoil my two daughters by taking them to Disney World.

“But after careful consideration I realised that it wouldn’t be as memorable for them as they are still too young to fully enjoy the thrill of the theme park.

“That led me to make it about my beautiful wife who hadn’t been to the States and I wanted to share her first visit.”

First stop: Dubai:

He secretly arranged the holiday on the recommendation of a friend based in Cape Town.

He told his wife to get US visas for the family so they could plan for a trip in the future.

“When I reached out to a friend of mine based in Cape Town who had been on a similar cruise, she said it was a great experience for kids.

“There and then was I sold on the idea.

“However, I needed to make it even better, which I did by booking in first-class and for top-ofthe-range everything for my family,” he added.

His face lit up as he described the looks of excitement on the faces of his wife and kids when he told them about the surprise holiday.

Flying business-class on Emirates airlines to Dubai was the beginning of a priceless adventure.

After spending some time enjoying the sights and shopping in one of the world’s richest cities, it was time for the 16-hour flight to Miamai in Florida.

For the four-hour wait in Dubai airport, Mbha arranged private suites in one of the premium lounges where his wife was pampered with a massage.

Second stop: Miami:

“After my friend put me in contact with her agent to arrange the seven-day cruise, l decided I didn’t want it to only be about the cruise.

“I wanted to include a four-day experience of Miami and its tropical, festive atmosphere.

“The agent and I decided on a three-night stay in Miami before boarding the Royal Caribbean cruise ship and later a day to just relax before returning home.”

On the 30-minute Uber ride from Miami airport to the Marriott Stanton Hotel, where they were staying, the family was feelings pure joy, exhaustion and disbelief.

“The moment we got into the Uber, I could see how tired everyone was.

“But on the other hand how focused they were on staying awake and taking it all in despite their red puffy eyes.

“Even my youngest refused to go to sleep when we got to the hotel and instead wanted to go back outside and meet people.”

They headed off to Ocean Drive, the party street of Miami, which is full of eateries and family entertainment spots.

Being a party lover, Mbha had been to vibrant Miami before, but it was memorable to share one of his favourite destinations with the people he adores most in the world.

Third stop: Caribbean islands

The cruise ship left from Miami for the tropical islands of the Caribbean.

“I hired a professional photographer to follow us on our holiday just to ensure that all four of us would be invested in the surroundings and no one would be left out of the images.”

Then he posted the photos on Instagram showing the family’s happiness spilling over.

Docking first in Jamaica, they went to the market place where they fell in love with Jamaican culture and vibe.

“The people of Jamaica are so warm it reminded me of home,” said Mbha.

Next stop was Pearl Island in the Bahamas for a day on a white beach, sipping cocktails and canoeing.

“On days when my wife and I felt a bit seasick, I had a day-care centre for my daughter which had planned fun activities.

“But it often caused a rift between my eldest and I as all she

wanted to do was wake up, get ready and keep having fun with her new friends and I wanted to spend time with her.”

Having left South Africa on January 3 and returning just a day after schools opened, the Mbha’cation was certainly something to have witnessed via social media.

And it proves that you can’t put a price on making your loved ones happy.