BrambleBerry Lodge in the Natal midlands was a picture perfect choice for a family reunion break. Nottingham Road was closer for the Durban folks but not unreasonably far for the Jo’burg contingent. We instantly fell in love with the wooden house overlooking a dam. Last year we chose Birdsong Cottages in the central Drakensberg for our get together. The drawback …
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Four Awesome South African finds, land of milk, honey and olives
Good value, good service and quality products give me the warm fuzzies. I’ll share my 4 favourite businesses dealt with this week. On our return from Durban we always have to stop at the Wine Cellar just outside Rosetta in the Midlands, oddly enough not always for wine but always for flavoured coffee beans (they grind them if you wish) …
Read More »Magical Meerkat memories made at Marrick Safari in Kimberley
We have explored our wonderful South Africa extensively over the years, but now and then memories are made that will endure a lifetime. On our return to Gauteng from Cape Town we drove via Kimberly to take the children to the big hole. Mein Heim guest farm and Mokala National park where we have stayed before were fully booked. We …
Read More »Kraaifontein cottage in Nieuwoudtville the last stop on our Spring flower trip 2016
I am soooo bad. Never got around to writing about the last stop on our Spring Flower trip, on 6 September 2016. One of the main purposes of this blog is to keep record of our travels. Here it is, better late than never! Nieuwoudtville is known for wonderful displays of bulbs during Flower season, although we arrived at …
Read More »Nieu Wherry Meadow Guesthouse – the beauty of Knysna without the bustle
As towns go, Knysna stands heads and shoulders above others, but it’s still a town, during peak season it is a crowded busy town. Traffic jams can make visitors feel like they’re back in rush hour traffic. In choosing Nieu Wherry Meadow as our accommodation, Cliff secured a space with access to forests, rivers and beaches without the mayhem of Knysna …
Read More »Storms River Village, a nugget in the stream of life
Tsitsikamma in the Eastern Cape is about more than trees and sneaky elephants. Storms River Mouth exudes a spirit of adventure, from rocks and caves befitting a famous 5 adventure to Tolkeinesque forest where trees breathe magic. This is an unspoiled parallel universe hidden in nature’s skirt folds. Thrill seekers hike with paddles to kayak on the river. I wasn’t even brave …
Read More »Addo Elephant Park of Mice and Ellies
Majestic giant mammals draw visitors to Addo Elephant Park, yet like Elephants who never forget, what my children will remember most is mice and Red-necked francolins (we called them bush chickens). At Spekboom tented camp we stayed in tents 4 & 5. Tent 5 was fantastic, the game fence is about 1 m from the tent with a good view …
Read More »Karoo’s Cradock Tuishuise unlocking a wormhole in time
Like a child stepping from reality to imagination, a part of me is always looking for escape, seeking a path to secret spaces. Cradock in the Eastern Cape unlocked a wormhole in time, leading to a place of anti-pace. Buildings made to last, stand firm while the world around them fragments and re-groups in ever changing structures. Away from the …
Read More »Lambert’s Bay the first stop on our Spring flower trip to the West Coast and Namaqualand
The first day of our spring flower trip included a visit to Clanwilliam and ended spending the night in Lambert’s Bay. Isabella’s restaurant overlooking the harbour, proved to be the axis around which we gathered for tea (for the in-laws), beer (for me) and later a family supper. Sea weathered fishing boats stamped with that special West Coast essence posed …
Read More »Hondeklipbaai a rough diamond on the mystical west coast
The personification of Honneklipbaai would be Shane MacGowan from the Pogues. A diamond in the rough, a place where dreams dress as scruffy diamond mining boats. Visiting Hondeklipbaai was part of our flower seeking journey. Entering the town we pulled disgruntled faces on being met by shabby houses strung together with overhead power cables. Hardly in line with the quaint coastal …
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