Travel
R is For Rhino Rob Restaurants and Red Wine
Animals, Beer/Braai, Creation Dinner, Elephant, Fishing, Giraffe, Hermanus, Impala, Jâgermeister, Knights, Long Street, Mama, Newton-Johnson, Open Bus, Precious, Quiet, Rhino, Sunshine, Tortoise, Unique, Vineyards, Watches, X-factor, Yellow African Sun, Zebra – this was the brief, we had to...
It's The Final Countdown
My throat closes, my pulse quickens, there’s a hand gripping my heart and nausea is creeping up on me, I’m not pregnant. Only one sleepie left. Their visits are always too short. Women used to shave their heads, wail and keen for their children, I could too. The pillow we shared this...
Shark Cage Diving in Kleinbaai
Being charged by a Rhino or stormed by an Elephant is exciting but nothing is as chilling or as exhilarating as being in a cage out at sea observing a Great White Shark in Shark Alley. He went from the very North of South Africa where he saw a very rare sighting, two Rhinos being hunted by a...
Road Tripping, Rondawels and Rhinos
Elephants! That was the brief. We did the groundwork, puffed South Africa up without sounding too arrogant or full of ourselves, now it had to prove itself. Not that we have any doubts on that score, but expectations had to be met. Fortunately the Kruger National Park does speak for itself. ...
Stay a while Crocodile
Make haste while the sun shines! Time waits for no man as we trundle along. It's true, we can see our lives flash past us when we have fun. When those glass doors at the Johannesburg International airport swooshed open I became one happy Mama, my girl was safely back on African soil. I...
My Funny Valentine
Like minced beef I forced myself into my new contouring spandex figure-hugging petticoat and sexy, lacy, red bra, a birthday gift from Precious when I was a size smaller but had no need of support, as we were camping in a rooftop tent in Xai-Xai, Mozambique, a decade ago! On Saturday evening my...
Morning After The Valentine Night Before
I have carpet burns on both knees and my forehead is blood red and burning. On Sunday morning I had: lower backache, a blinding headache, swollen ankles and my pedicured toes had blistered, I throbbed! I have no regrets and I'm not complaining. I am “just” over the 50 year mark so “regret”...
Moon On The Water - Where a Simple Life Comes Together
As soon as the furniture is arranged on the veranda and the long table is placed against the railing I sit down and feel my shoulders drop, my neck becomes looser and the tension flows like blood through my veins out through my toes. I can breathe again, long slow inhalations,...
Good, Better, Mozambique
It’s a long and winding road getting to Lua No Mar, a cottage on the beach in Tofo, a pinprick on the map of Mozambique in the Province of Inhambane. This is the place of long white beaches, mosquitoes, sand flees, balmy days, and the friendliest most accommodating people in Africa. Vasco...
The Fast Lane to Bloemfontein
You may well ask what on earth we were doing in Bloemfontein. It’s the home of the Safari Suit; indeed, one only goes there for a wedding, a funeral, or a meeting. But someone’s wagon stopped there. My Ouma was a student at the Teacher’s Training College in 1929. Today, unless you’re accepted...
Clickety-clack choo-choo
Clickety-clack, Clickety-clack, choo-choo-choose your train wisely! Trains and Champagne. I’m neither an Anorak nor a Trainspotter, but I love the huge beasts: skinny bandy legs, new black lace-up shoes, the dress 6 inches off the floor when kneeling—a very wobbly chin. I'm petrified I’ll...
Halo! Halong is Halong Bay? Halong can I stay?
“To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value,” and “To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.” I must confess I knew very little about Halong Bay except that it was exceptionally...
Decidedly Dilly Divas and other Dramas
Confucius said, “A short man who dances with a tall woman gets a busted mouth.” That is indeed a pearl of wisdom! As we were privy to local lore, we were treated to Ha Noi's strange customs. So instead of watching the famous Water Puppets, we went in pursuit of Fre Astair and Ginga Roger...
Street food in the fast lane
Streets are swarming with scooters, rickshaws, hookers and hawkers. The sidewalks bustle with traders, pedestrians, street cafes, and panhandlers This frisson is like a needle in a vein and addictive. The steamy life on the street is heady and the cacophony of sound and raw energy makes any...
In a Singapore Grip
Let's get one thing straight, prohibition sucked and led to all sorts of mischief. Imagine a government that bans chewing gum? The fear of the law was put into me, and I had visions of sniffer dogs discovering my Imodium and Vomifene, so I rushed to my G.P for prescriptions in case I got the...
Yikes bikes, peddling power - Vietnam
“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle, and he will realise fishing is stupid and boring.” Desmond Tutu, high-fi! This afternoon, I donned my cycling shorts and reluctantly went to the gym for a Spinning Class after an...
Trekking in Sa Pa with Zer-Zer
On 24th August, Butch Googled “trekking in Sa Pa, Vietnam” and found Zer-Zer, a local guide whose name would soon become central to our unforgettable journey. Little did we know that a life-changing experience was awaiting us. Butch was quick out of the blocks, phoned the number, and a gentle...
Flights of Fancy - Flying Business Class Singapore Airlines
Boozy lunches can lead to trouble, and this one was no exception. At our table, there's always good food, good company, and copious amounts of champagne and wine. As the afternoon unfolded, we decided we’d flip a coin; September was a good month either to start Banting or to travel. It was...
Les Girls are Frenching It - Paris
The three days in Paris were just fabulous. Our apartment at the Hotel Verneuil Saint Germaine was beautifully appointed, modern, and immaculate, and slap in the middle of Saint Germaine, pure indulgence. A stone's throw from the Louvre, the Seine, the shops, eateries, cafés, bakeries, and all...
Ranthambore National Park - India
We travelled halfway around the world to visit Ranthambore National Park for one reason only. To see the mighty and very elusive Bengal Tiger, a symbol of wild beauty and conservation importance. I wonder if they still exist? In Ranthambore village, Precious decided to hire a tailor to...
India by Rail
Whether you travel like a Prince or a pauper, India offers diverse train experiences that can evoke excitement and curiosity, making your journey memorable. Our first train journey was chaotic yet rewarding, as you can imagine. The mayhem at stations and the culture shock on trains highlight...
Being Catherine De Nerve
"Work is a sideline - Live the holiday I’ll probably never see the Voyager blast off into space, but it’s like Cape Canaveral in this house as we start the countdown to lift-off on Tuesday. Old habits die hard. When I was growing up, certain things had to be done before going on a journey....
Gorilla De Ville Goes Camping - Botswana
“Precious” promised himself he would go to the bush in 2014. Reservations were made with Banks, the Camp Official at the Khwai Community Camp. This is bush camping at its best, hard to beat and hard to find. We camped for eleven nights. The Khwai Community Camp is in Khwai Village, on the...
Have Passport Will Travel
For weeks, we’ve talked about nothing but “Princess Open Book's” holiday to Tofo, Inhambane, Mozambique, (aka Anna). The child is tired, overworked, stressed, and fatigued, and needs to detoxify from all her physical, mental, and emotional toxins. We’ve sent lists of what to have, what to...
Flower Power in Namaqualand
There’s nothing as rewarding as a trip to Namaqualand in spring. The question is when spring has sprung. Traditionally, we “celebrate” spring day on the 1st of September. Our experience has been that the best flowers are seen in August. Last year, we went during the first week of August...
Caravan Capers in Botswana
We're back from Botswana via the Kgalagadi Trans Frontier Park, and I want to share the highlights and surprises of our adventure with you. Not a day passed without a mishap or surprise! Thank goodness we kept our sense of humour! AND the world hasn’t ended, winter has come and gone, and...
Actually India!
A year ago, we were persuaded to go to India, so one day, whilst surfing the web, I spotted some cheap tickets, and while Georgie went off to Town to do the groceries, I booked our flights. On 1st May, we set off for India after spending 4 days walking in the Kruger National Park. We did...
Les Girls are Frenching It - The Background
Where do I start with this travelogue? I want to share my recent adventures in India and France, celebrating long-standing friendships and travel stories that inspire enthusiasm and strengthen bonds. India was a life-changing experience and left its indelible mark on my soul. Every day was...