Tag Archives: travel

Our 2008 spring flower trip birthed a longing to revisit the West Coast and Namaqualand.  On 3 September 2016 this desire became a reality.  Soon after leaving Cape Town roadside flowers greeted us. Making it to the final day of the Clanwilliam flower show, displays in the Church whet our appetites for the journey ahead. At the Ramskop wildflower garden …

A delightful visit with family in Umdloti inevitably drew to conclusion.  While in transit we listened to the audio book Heidi (free download here).  Thus influenced by this charming tale, I shall in this instance imitate the style in which the sweet tale was narrated. We dragged forlorn heels away from the gentle hills of Natal, seeking any excuse to …

Discovering the Green Lantern Inn, in Van Reenen stirred unadulterated delight. This joy was marred by irritation and disappointment. How could we have missed this gem before?! We travel the Johannesburg / Durban route at least four times a year. I don’t even remember passing the Green Lantern signpost previously, so daft as the establishment has been around for well …

first heard of The Victorian Secret in Benoni referred to as Victoria’s Secret. While it is a genteel and respectable establishment, the indulgence feels just a little naughty. When Mum visits from Durbs, I like to take her out for a treat. Previously we have been to The Margaret Roberts Herbal centre and Arum Symphony. This time we chose The …

The Klein Karoo and R62 can be summed up with a string of Q words, quaint, quirky and quiet being a few. At dusk Barrydale glows with an ethereal light at the foot of the Langeberg mountains. The Barrydale Karoo Art Hotel embraced us with an abundance of tasteful quirky on arrival . Art abounds from innumerable paintings on the walls to …

Some things cannot fail to enchant the inner child.  Sleeping in a tower ranks way up there.  Staying in the tower at the Nieu Bethesda Arts Centre was magical.  We shuffled in, wet clothing clinging to us during a rare Karoo downpour. The lovely lady who greeted us, brought towels and led us into the adjoining priory lounge for a …

Our daughter Acacia (5) called The Owl House in Nieu Bethesda “The God place”.  True art is spiritual, a link between mankind and infinity.  It is a bridge between flesh and blood and that part of us which reaches for more, even when ‘more’ cannot be named and pinned down. Helen Martins was a troubled soul, there is a tangible …

A stones throw from the Mocambique border, the Kosi Bay area has an air of remote adventure.  A sliver of South Africa with the air of an unspoilt island.  Four lakes joined by channels culminate at Kosi mouth, where the first lake meets with the ocean.  The KZN parks lodges and camp sites are at the third lake. I imagine …

Now and then my happy, peace-loving persona gives way to ire.  We all have things which get our goat (where does that come from?), being ripped off and being screwed over by government are particularly irksome to me.  A visit to Sterkfontein caves and Maropeng museum today checked both boxes.  After a 150 km round trip we went home without …

All roads may lead to Bhanga Nek near Kosi Bay, but first ask yourself if you really want to go there. Yes the beach is wild and unspoilt but so is the road (or roads) to get there.  I found the trip akin to torture.  If the beach were straight out of a Mainstay ad, where umbrella topped drinks were …