2 years and a 15-hour flight. That’s all it took for Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens to finally make it to South Africa for the couple’s long-delayed ‘honeymoon!’ However, from Biles’ virtual postcards: it seems every bit worth the wait. After years of competing in noisy sports arenas, the couple is finally soaking in the quiet beauty of nature. Perhaps the ‘I dos’ probably would be feeling even sweeter now. But guess what? They’re still taking time out to give us some interesting updates straight from the scene! And it’s exotic!

But how exotic are we speaking? Well, Simone Biles’ and Owens’ honeymoon has till now featured safaris in the wild, dreamy chopper rides, and picturesque sundowners, hinting that this is a trip for a lifetime! But now, she’s adding more to it. We’re talking busy markets, musical afternoons, and shopping in the hustle and bustle of the city. But amidst this, she clearly isn’t forgetting to buy things for her abode in the making! Yes, her mega Houston mansion!

On February 22, Simone Biles added a series of stories documenting their visit to the Farmers’ Market. That’s when, while browsing a tiny roadside market tent, Simone spotted an artistic ‘human face’ figurine she instantly fell in love with. And you know what? She had to have it as a decor piece for her new $3M mansion! She joked, “I was trying to figure out how I was going to fit that piece in my suitcase!” Yes, she loved this particular one so much that she wrote, “Absolutely stunning & I want it for the new house!”

Alas! The piece was over a few feet tall! It was beautiful but too gigantic to be taken back to America. But that wasn’t a mood spoiler. While live music at the market set the vibe, Simone Biles and Owens then hopped from one tent to another in the market. But one stall, in particular, caught Biles’ eye—adorable baby clothes. The 11x Olympic medalist gymnast couldn’t resist checking out those miniature fits and even shared a photo with two teary-eyed emojis!

But JO seemed to have his own favorite! As they walked past a local jewelry/handicrafts shop, Owens perhaps spotted just the right craft souvenir for his wife! It was a piece that stood out from the rest, and it’s easy to understand why. Owens was then seen posing next to an intricate wire sculpture that portrayed a woman doing an artistic handstand. Now what could have been a more fitting art piece to pay tribute to his gymnastics queen?

While we don’t know if Simone Biles and Owens purchased any of these items. But clearly, adding exquisite finds to her house is already on their mind. This may hint that her dream lakeside house in Houston may now be nearing completion, and it may be time to bring it to life, one decor piece at a time!

But this is not all. This South African honeymoon is also bringing out Simone Biles’ emotional side! Here’s how!

Simone Biles is such a ‘natural’ when it comes to kids

February 19, JO and Simone Biles took time out from their honeymoon schedule to spend a few hours with children at a local orphanage! If you think this was the sweetest gesture ever, wait till you hear the next. Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles were captured sharing an aww-worthy moment with one of the kids. And JO couldn’t help but notice how naturally good Biles is with children.

Owens captioned the image of Biles with the caption, “Simone patting him back to sleep. She’s such a natural [emoji].” Well, the gymnast has had days of her own life spent in foster care. Thus, she probably has those memories in mind as she made the move to go and check the well-being of these orphans in South Africa!

And it turns out, the experience really humbled the two. Jonathan Owens captioned another story saying, “We’ll never forget this experience [emoji] Really puts things into perspective and make you appreciative for everything that you have.” 

Clearly, this honeymoon has been a roller coaster ride. It had its romantic bits. The fun parts. And the emotional takeaways! 2 years late, but it looks like one that the couple shall never forget!