travel

Our journeys to and from Cape Town are often highlights of those holidays. Planning is not our strong suit. Sometimes we land up at truck stop quality places and sometimes we make wonderful discoveries. Our recent trip took an unusually direct route with no mucking about on roads less traveled (we saved that for the trip home). Our only one …

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 …

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 …

Not for the first time, when we hear about snow in SA anywhere near where we can get to, we start itching to go play.  Yesterday must have been our most crazy day trip ever, a 736 km round trip.  After reading that there was snow at the Witsieshoek parking lot in the Northern Drakensberg on Saturday afternoon we planned …

Returning from Cape Town in Jan, I made sure that we spent a night in Kimberley for the children to visit the big hole.  This man made wonder is at the heart of a place where past and present seem to co-exist.  The spirit of adventure rises from the dust.  My children (6 & 9) were less interested in the …

Arriving at Adama’s Kingfisher Cottage was a case of loveatfirstsightness.  The straw bale, thatched cottage blended with the bushveld in a complimentary marriage of natural elements.  We have never stayed in Dinokeng Game reserve before and the area is perfectly situated for short breaks, a stone’s throw from Jo’burg and Pretoria.   Cliff chose Adama knowing that as a novice …

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 …

My children have done their fair share toward turning me grey.  Nagging them to eat.  Breaking up fights over nothing.  Despairing that they can turn a room to a nuclear fall out zone in 0.3 seconds.  Those parenting moments can age one considerably.  On the flip side among innumerable joys, they present opportunities to play.  They tear dust covers from forgotten …

  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 …

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 …