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Maddie Diehl

@maddiediehl

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Maddie Bastard 🇺🇸🇿🇦 Motherhood 👦🏼👧🏼👶🏼 Family Adventures & Travel
Gymnastics 🤸‍♀️ @acroangels.co.za

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Postcards from Aït Ben Haddou 🧡🇲🇦

After an unforgettable drive through the High Atlas Mountains, we arrived at Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Morocco’s best-preserved ancient ksars.

Crossing the river on stepping stones before wandering its maze of mud-brick alleyways genuinely felt like stepping into another century. It’s easy to see why films like Gladiator, Game of Thrones and The Mummy chose this incredible backdrop.

✨ Travel tips:
• Go early morning or after 6pm to avoid the crowds and heat.
• Allow 1–2 hours to explore and climb to the top for the best views.
• Bring cash if you’d like to visit some of the traditional homes or shop from local artisans.
• Wear comfortable shoes, (although my kids walked around barefoot 😉) the streets are uneven and steep in places.

If you’re road-tripping through Morocco, don’t skip Aït Ben Haddou. It was one of the biggest highlights of our entire trip.

#aitbenhaddou #moroccoroadtrip taken in Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Morocco by @maddiediehl

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3 months ago

Thinking of planning a family safari and don’t know where to start?! @royalzambezi in Zambia has it all — and the best part? All ages of children are welcome! 🐘💫

We’ve been taking our kids on safari since they were born and have explored all over Africa as a family — but the Lower Zambezi region of Zambia blew us away. The combination of river safari and bush safari was so unique, and the diversity of wildlife was unmatched. Prides of lions, the most dense elephant population we’ve seen anywhere (it was pure magic watching them stretch up into the winterthorn trees!), crocs and hippos galore, and Big Tom the leopard taking a leisurely stroll along the riverbank was a definite highlight. 🐆

Roan and Joffy were in their absolute element with the epic tiger fishing on offer. 🎣

@royalzambezi is a family-owned lodge perched on the banks of the mighty Zambezi, right at the edge of the national park and across from Mana Pools. The location is unreal — elephants wander through camp, and you can head straight out on a game drive or river safari from the front door. 🌿🚤

July is prime safari season with clear skies, crisp mornings, and golden afternoons — just don’t forget warm layers and your swimsuit for midday dips by the pool.

Make sure to save this one for your family safari bucket list! 🐾💛
#royalzambezi #lowerzambezi #zambiasafari #safariwithkids #familysafari taken in Royal Zambezi Lodge by @maddiediehl

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a year ago

Little recap of my life over the last five years, thought it would be fun to share a quick summary of my story again for anyone new to my page…

When I turned 30, I decided to leave my life in LA, and set out on a 30 country trip that year, to find my true self, experience other cultures, and explore the world! I went with two of my best friends @britthearmerawrr and @ivavavai and we had the time of our lives traveling around Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Bali, Australia, South Africa, Mozambique, Jordan, Egypt and when we got to Kenya (halfway through our 30 country tour), I met the infamous Joffy Bastard at Sarara Camp! It was love at first sight! He pulled out all the tricks; helicopters, baby elephants, camping under the stars, he drove me around in one of those sexy safari cars, he would catch and cook the most delicious food with his own hands, and told me all his brave war stories about growing up in the Bush 😂. I was supposed to go on to travel Europe with the girls that summer, and Joffy romantically proposed after 3 months of us knowing each other. We were madly in love, I put my traveling on hold for the moment, and moved all my things from my storage unit in LA, out to our new home in Watamu, Kenya! A month later (after knowing eachother 4 months) we found out we were pregnant with our first baby (Roan)! We had talked about having a family together, but wow it definitely happened faster then expected! We planned the wedding of our dreams at Sarara Camp the following October, when Roan was 6 months old, and had an intimate group of our friends from around the world come celebrate with us. When Roan was 9 months old, SURPRISE, we were pregnant with our second baby (Jude), and decided to make the move from Kenya down to Cape Town, South Africa. We’ve lived here happily for 3 years now and are now pregnant with our third baby (another girl due in February). Quite the whirlwind love story, that has had lots of ups and downs, but I could not be more grateful for our beautiful family and our bond that keeps growing stronger and stronger! taken in Hout Bay, Western Cape, South Africa by @maddiediehl

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4 years ago

15 families, one epic weekend away in Elgin! 🌿🚤☀️

I cannot BELIEVE this was our first time discovering @elginriverlodge ! Seriously, what an absolute Gem of a place, especially for big groups of friends and families with kids (only an hour from Cape Town)!

We rented out All the cottages and had the entire property to ourselves for the weekend, and it honestly couldn’t have been a more perfect setup!

The lodge sits right on the riverfront, with a huge grassy field and communal area where the kids could run wild all day. There’s a playhouse, games room with ping pong and pool, soccer goals, an awesome fire pit, picnic tables everywhere, wood-fired hot tubs, a slip ’n slide, fishing, hiking trails, and even a zip line across the river!

And then there’s the water sports! They have their own dock, a booze cruise boat, and a ski boat ready to take you out for tubing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and more, with all the equipment right there on site!

One of the Best parts is that there’s a restaurant and fully stocked bar on the property, so you don’t have to worry about cooking a single meal! The food was absolutely delicious, and even the morning coffee was fantastic!

The cottages themselves were also so lovely and thoughtfully equipped! Ours had a king-size bed, bunk beds with a trundle that comfortably slept all three kids, a great hot shower, kitchenette, and plenty of closet space. And the kids were obsessed with the communal bunkhouse, where they all wanted to have sleepovers together!

We didn’t exactly luck out with the weather, with a bit of rain and plenty of overcast skies, but that didn’t stop us from making the absolute most of everything this incredible place has to offer! And the Moms even managed to sneak away for our own little booze cruise down the river, which was definitely one of the highlights!

There is honestly nothing better than a weekend away with a big group of friends, watching all the kids have the time of their lives together, while the adults get to relax and have just as much fun! ❤️

We are already dreaming of coming back on a gorgeous, hot summer weekend to make even MORE use of that river! taken in Elgin River Lodge by @maddiediehl

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2 days ago

A birthday party for the books! 🛼🪩💖 Our first EVER roller skating party at Acro Angels was a HUGE success, and who knew our gymnastics gym could make such an epic 80s roller disco?!

From gymnastics and aerial to roller skating, disco dancing and even Nerf parties, the possibilities for this amazing venue really are endless! 🤸‍♀️✨

A HUGE thank you to our amazing Ambreen from @eventful_za for helping bring all the birthday magic to life! 💖 And of course, the birthday girl had the absolute BEST time! Jude said it was her favourite party yet!

We had SO much fun that we’re already dreaming up more roller events at Acro Angels, potentially even some family skate nights over the school holidays where kids AND parents can get their disco on! 🛼🪩💖

So excited for more fun and collaborations with @ontheroll.co.za

Who would be keen for a family roller disco night?! 🙋‍♀️🛼💕 taken in Cape Town, Western Cape by @maddiediehl

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4 days ago

For Jude’s 7th birthday, she had the coolest party idea ever… “Let’s turn the gym into a roller skating rink with views of Table Mountain!” 🛼😍

And honestly, it turned out even better than we imagined!

We teamed up with the awesome @ontheroll.co.za mobile roller skating parties to transform half of our Acro Angels Gardens gym into an epic 80s roller disco! 🪩🛼 They brought all the roller skates, safety gear, and their amazing roller marshals, who helped get everyone kitted out and taught the kids how to skate. From first-time skaters to little roller disco pros, everyone was cruising around the gym in no time!

We packed up the blue floor mats on one side of the gym to create the perfect roller rink, while keeping the other half for gymnastics fun! 🤸‍♀️🛼 The kids spent the afternoon skating, flipping, swinging, and dancing! I just LOVE how versatile this amazing venue is for all sorts of parties! 😍💗

And of course, we went ALL OUT with the 80s theme! 💗⚡️

🪩 Disco balls and colorful tassel garlands everywhere
🎶 The BEST 80s playlist blasting all afternoon
🍿 Fresh popcorn and fluffy cotton candy
🥤 Slushies and all the classic roller disco snacks
🍕 Delicious pizza from our favorite @pizza.shed
📸 A vintage-style photo booth
✨ Glitter makeup for all our little disco queens
🛼 And a whole lot of neon, leg warmers, and 80s fabulousness!

Ambreen from @eventful_za absolutely nailed the theme once again, creating the most amazing party table setup, birthday balloons, backdrop, and party packs! Everything came together so beautifully, and every little detail was just perfect. 💗

Our awesome Acro Angels coaches Tristan, Chadley, and Gershon also went full 80s with their outfits and looked absolutely AMAZING! 😂🕺💗 They brought so much fun and energy to the party!

And to our Jude… our fun-loving, adventurous, full-of-personality little girl who always has the most creative ideas! I can’t believe you’re already SEVEN! Watching you skate around your very own roller disco, surrounded by all your friends, was the absolute best. We love you so, so much! 💗🛼 #rollerdisco #acroangelsgymnas taken in Cape Town, Western Cape by @maddiediehl

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5 days ago

Milestone birthdays should always be celebrated the whole year long! 🥂✨

If this is what turning 40 is gonna look like, then I’m READY! 💃🏼🤍

Sharing our itinerary from our week-long celebration in Lamu, Kenya, with 7 families 🇰🇪

🌴 Monday: Arrivals in paradise, settling into Shela

🤍 Tuesday: Exploring Lamu Old Town, followed by the most magical sunset WHITE PARTY aboard 3 traditional dhows!

🥂 Wednesday: Slow mornings, beach time, and a beautiful long lunch at @peponi_hotel .

✨ Thursday: Mangrove and creek SUP’ing, fishing, and a sparkly Swahili celebration dinner under the stars!

⛵ Friday: @tusitiri_dhow Dhow adventures, swimming in turquoise waters, exploring remote beaches!

☀️ Saturday: One last morning soaking up paradise before heading home!

Here’s to making the most of every excuse to celebrate life with the people we love! 🤍✨ #lamukenya #peponihotel taken in Lamu, Kenya by @maddiediehl

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7 days ago

10 years ago, I came to Lamu at 30 and fell in love. I had no idea how much that trip would change my life.

A decade later, returning to this magical place with our three beautiful children and some of our closest friends to celebrate turning 40 later this year. 🥹

Life has a funny way of coming full circle.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Life is full of beautiful moments, unexpected challenges, and lessons you never saw coming. But through it all, I hope to always stay true to myself, find the good, and never lose sight of what matters most.

So incredibly grateful for the life we’ve built, the friends who have become family, and all the love that surrounds us. 🤍 taken in Lamu, Kenya by @maddiediehl

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10 days ago

24 hours in Sun City with my girl 💕🌴🌊

We popped into @suncityresortsa for the night on our way up to Pretoria for our Gymnastics National Championships, and since it’s Jude’s birthday this weekend, I decided it was the perfect excuse for a special little mommy-daughter girls’ trip. 🥹💗

I LOVE a water park… and honestly anything that even remotely resembles Vegas 😂 so I was probably just as excited as Jude to finally check out The Palace of the Lost City and Valley of Waves!

We somehow managed to squeeze SO much into 24 hours, basically spent the day going between water slides, the wave pool and lazy river, explored the arcade and drove Transformers around 😂, then headed back to The Palace for a swim in the gorgeous heated pool before getting cozy in our room and ordering room service. 💕

Thank you so much for having us, @sun_thepalace what an absolute treat! ✨ We had the BEST girls’ getaway. taken in The Palace of the Lost City by @maddiediehl

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25 days ago

A taste of Sterrekopje ✨🌿

Truly one of the most beautiful and peaceful experiences you could possibly imagine. A full day of slowing down, relaxing in the Hammam spa, being surrounded by nature, enjoying the most incredible fresh farm-to-table food, swimming in the ponds, and spending quality time with friends. 🤍

The most perfect way to celebrate our @lizdusch and her birthday. 🥂✨🌸 taken in Sterrekopje Farm by @maddiediehl

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a month ago

When 14 Acro Angels gymnastics coaches swap the gym for the dunes… 😂🪽

Today’s TEAM BUILDING took us to the Atlantis Dunes for a morning of quad biking, sandboarding, LOTS of laughs and just a little bit of friendly competition. 🩷✨

So much fun getting out of the gym, doing something completely different and spending time together as a team. 🏍️🏂 @twin.venture

#AcroAngels #TeamBuilding #AtlantisDunes #AcroAngelsTeam #GymnasticsCoaches by @maddiediehl

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2 months ago

POV: Leaving work at Acro Angels like… 🤸🏼‍♀️🚗😂 #viralchallenge #handstandintocar #acroangelsgymnastics taken in Hout Bay, Western Cape, South Africa by @maddiediehl

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2 months ago