With some extra days off and not wanting to sit at home and waste the days away, what else will you do if you have the possibilities to go somewhere? Think of a way to go out and explore. Though
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Wildlife photography – The basics
I remember leaving school to my first real job in the travel and wildlife industry like it was yesterday being so excited and packing my bags for a new exciting adventure. Besides the usual things I packed my new little
Read MorePotjie, made in a very large cast iron pot…
This strange word directly translated means ‘small pot’ and this is quite well named, though do not be fooled some pots are pretty large, so large in fact you can cook an entire sheep in. This dish started in the
Read MoreGordons Bay –A local coastal town
Often forgotten even though so close to Cape Town, many other towns take the spotlight before this one comes to thought. Gordons bay is situated along the coast of False Bay, though the name Gordon’s bay was not always the
Read MoreWildlife treat – Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
Most famous for the role of Pumba in the lion king, a much more attractive name than warthog. This strange name came from the wart like growths on their face. Pumba is a warthog in the film Lion king, a
Read MoreTravel accessories – Micro fibre towel
Being away from home you might miss all your home comforts, we try our best by finding useful items that help us on our journeys. When travelling light you can’t take everything you want, you need to start thinking of
Read MoreHouse boats – floating down the Breede river…
Though I have written an article about house boats before, that was with Knysna house boats, I recently took a trip to the Breede river deciding to try houseboats in this part of the world. The Breede river is a
Read MoreWildlife treat – yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)
These small mammals are often overlooked or not recognised as you seem them dash off across the road. So, it’s a real treat when you get the privilege to watch one in the open and calmly enjoy its day, they
Read MoreStellenbosch – Root 44 Market
Getting outside most weekends with gorgeous South African weather can be harder than you’d think. It’s not easy finding something different that doesn’t cost a fortune that you can sit back and enjoy. Located on the R44 between Stellenbosch and
Read MoreYummy traditional foods – Ons gaan nou braai
When travelling I have been asked many times, what do South Africans like to eat? Often, I answer with my personal favourite is the braai. I usually get one of two answers back, either totally confused with the remark ‘what’s
Read MoreFor the twitchers – Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Hamerkop is a relatively common bird along the banks of water across countries in Africa, going through to Arabia and the island of Madagascar, making them an easy bird to start marking off in your bird books. I find every
Read MoreMuratie – Wine tasting
Rich in history and scandalous stories can be found at this wine farm, making it not only it a fun wine tasting experience but also one with true depth in its story. Placed in Stellenbosch, Muratie vineyard seems very much
Read MoreRed bus tour – Cape Town…
Whether you have a few days or a long stay in Cape Town, this activity is a nice one for the list. I did it recently and was quite surprised how convenient it was. The bus tour is very affordable
Read MoreHout bay – your moment with a Cape Fur seal…
This might be a very controversial article and there could be debate with all sorts of opinions and I would be very interested to hear people’s views, experiences or general thoughts. As a family we decided to take a day
Read MoreGansbaai – Shark cage diving…
At first most may think: are you mad! Swimming with sharks, that’s crazy and dangerous, great white sharks are the most dangerous animals in the sea. People have been doing this for many years and it’s quite a fascinating activity
Read MoreWildlife treat – Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
There is nothing else like it in South Africa, it’s completely in a category of its own. You could say it’s an earth pig as the name suggests, but this is a little misleading. The general colour may be pig
Read MoreMontagu – Avalon Springs …
Nestled away in the Langeberg mountain range you find a beautiful and relaxing natural spring. Not much known about the spring’s history but due to the amount of bushman paintings in the greater area it’s assumed they have been known
Read MoreApeman camera – Some underwater photography and more
Today photography is done by almost everyone, even the most basic cellular phones can now take a half decent photograph, I am sure 200 years ago this might have seemed an impossible thought to most. In 1830’s the first still
Read MoreSolitaire, a very small town in Namibia…
I used to have a lot to do with boats, one was named solitaire and I only ever knew the name from the card game. I was a little taken back when I came across a quaint town named Solitaire,
Read MoreSeasons in South Africa – When’s best to see what…
South Africa goes through very subtle changes compared to the United Kingdom, but just as beautiful when you know what you’re looking for. Being a very large country there are two main distinct sections, the Southern part (Cape Town area)
Read MoreCheetah – not only the fastest land mammal
Cheetahs are genius creations, filling a small gap in the eco-system but struggling to survive at almost every step because of it. Often confused with a leopard, cheetahs have true black spots, tear marks from the eyes and a slender
Read MoreBotlierskop – A private game reserve
Set in the Western Cape region of South Africa, 30 minutes’ drive from Mossel Bay is a game reserve bought in 1996 by a veterinarian. What began as a small family affair with his son and wife doing game drives from
Read MoreTsitsikamma – Storms river mouth
A tranquil and quiet place where all you have to enjoy are crashing waves on the rocks and walks in the forests. Tucked away 30 minutes’ drive from the main highway, placed in the Tsitsikamma National Park, there is
Read MoreHouse Boats…
Something a little different and out the ordinary, is to take a trip on a houseboat. I know of at least two places in South Africa where you can hire your own private boat and sleep on it for as
Read MoreUiba-Oas crystal market – Dessert roses and other gems…
On the roads of Namibia close to Spitzkoppe, there is poverty-stricken community that have started a crystal market to earn money. The market is mining precious stones to sell to tourists as souvenirs. Many people have different views on gems
Read MoreFish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world…
We all hear about the Grand Canyon often in movies, postcards and even friends seeing the site, I was surprised myself to hear that Namibia had the world’s second largest canyon and Africa’s largest, especially when it’s practically on my doorstep!
Read MoreGiraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis) – The tallest mammal…
Giraffes are graceful animals towering over all that it passes, though there is plenty more to this animal than its height. The name giraffe came from the Arabic word ‘Ziraafa’ meaning tall animal, and the species name Camelopardalis, once thought
Read MoreNamibia – Spitzkoppe…
Spitzkoppe is a magical place, it is rather obvious when you’re driving up to it on the long gravel roads of Namibia, with a very flat and seeming dull landscape till Spitzkoppe can be seen, then the mountain range transforms
Read MoreAddo flightless dung beetle (Circellium bacchus) – Rare sighting …
This beetle was once abundant around South Africa but now can only be found in a few small areas in and around the Eastern Cape. One place well known for them is the Addo Elephant National Park. These beetles have
Read MoreAn interesting holiday accessory – UV light…
Going on a holiday and thinking what to pack is always daunting, what will the weather be like, how many tops do I need, how much shampoo should I take and don’t forget the sunscreen! There are many write ups
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