Stepping out into the last of the afternoon sun we make our way down to the beach. There are two paths directly in front of the hotel; one hidden along a white wall and one clearly cut out from a charming dry boat with “Paternoster” on the side. The Abalone…

This post is part of a series called Romantic Getaways As the balmy Tulbagh heat starts retiring for the day, the light is fading from bright blue to creamy peach. The perfectly lined orchard of dark green trees leads the eye down the dusty road towards the ashy purple peeks…

This post is part of a series called Pet Friendly Accommodation Large globes hang from 3 to 4 meter long industrial chains from the ceiling. The white rafters and panelled ceiling is clean, accenting the arch of the celestial window. When I open my eyes in the morning I’m met…

This post is part of a series called Pet Friendly Accommodation It’s dark and I can’t sleep anymore. Work anxiety is manifesting in insomnia and even though the sheets feel good and this bed is comfy, I can’t lie in the dark anymore. Dean told me to bring my new…

“Ahhhh! Is this not so joyful? Delicious cheese, sweet figs, cold meats, fresh fruits and *clink* a glass of Rickety Bridge Chardonnay; pure bliss!” The dripping ice bucket is no match for the anticipation I have when entering the pool in the 35 degree day. The hot wind, passing over…

Finally, the intense heat of the day is starting to subside. Gone are the days when the sun would peek between midday and 2pm and turn the heat of the day slowly down. Now, afternoons stay sweltering until 5pm; only then does the tension of the atmosphere start to ease…

This post is part of a series called Recommended “And there’s a place that I’ve dreamed of,Where I can free my mind,I hear the sounds of the season,And lose all sense of time…” With over 20 million views on YouTube Coastline’s Hollow Coves describes the impeccable Brookdale Estate to perfection….

This post is part of a series called Pet Friendly Accommodation Let me see if I can wash my makeup off without waking Dean & Tracey. Quietly, I flip open the duvet cover and gently put both feet on the floor. Standing up, no sound, success. The open banister reveals…

I can feel the soft carpet on the soles of my feet as I watch the clouds drift over Table Mountain. As the clouds mould in the sky, shadows and pockets of light interchange across the city. The floor to ceiling windows make staring at nature’s display very easy on…

2015 I knew this would be the perfect place to get engaged. I’d have liked for you to have taken a less time to visit the Vineyard Hotel gardens with me, because I knew they were magical. The mossy floor under the bows of the leafy, low-hanging trees. The ivy-lined…

I can’t figure out what these bow-shaped, green metal poles are for in the garden of the 12 Apostles Hotel. I know they do something, but I have no idea what! It’s only when I sneak off to find the beautiful wedding reception garden that I realise they are hammock…

The waves gently caress the smooth boulders protecting the restaurant and rooms. White squares across the bay remind us that civilization isn’t far, however, the enveloping mountainside and sweet sea scent make us feel a million miles away from life’s stresses. Sipping on Aperol in a low-hanging seat, the hotel…

There’s a cat with a black head and white whiskers shaped like a firework trotting towards us. The sound of pine trees gently swish in the breeze as the echo of wood being chopped filters down the hill towards us. Having forced my Corsa on another drive along rain-washed dirt…

This post is part of a series called Recommended Three white ducks with bright orange beaks silently cut through the mountain’s reflection on the dead still dam surface. The scent of smoking wood emanates from the hot tub the sound of translucent mountain water babbles below the cabin. Golden bamboo…

One family day out in the Namib desert saw us reach the red dunes for a day of dune boarding. Sun shining down, clear blue skies, vibrant red dunes and a whole lotta good company was the order of the day. The best part of being a desert baby is the…

This post is part of a series called Pet Friendly Accommodation There’s a shongololo on the floor. I can’t help wondering if it feels trapped in a Temptation of St. Anthony type world where I’m the giant and the yellow-washed cement floors are a bare landscape. It just KNOWS there’s…

Remember when you were little and you’d climb into your treehouse and think to yourself “I’m going to make this the best home ever!” You would venture inside and traipse out all of your blankets and pillows, to make your treehouse bed, bring out a few ornaments to make it…

This post is part of a series called Recommended Red clusters. Purple clusters. Yellow clusters. Green clusters. Do plums come in so many colours? What are these? Half ripe? Loquats? I’m assuming plums, but I actually have no idea! The trees have been chopped back, but these ambitious fruits have…

This post is part of a series called Recommended I’m ruining these slippers. I’ve underestimated how they’ll cope in the morning dew, but I’m not taking them off. I left mine at home and found these in the Werf Garden Suite cupboard; turns out they’re the best pair of disposable…

“I’m in the sky! I’m in the sky!” The dark, luminous water shines bright red under the cover of night. Swirling around my feet, I see pedestrians passing by, ten stories below. The twinkly lights of Sea Point shimmer against the black silhouette of Signal Hill as traffic cruises by….

I can’t hear the call to prayer. Have I missed it? The light of the embedded mirror clock illuminates the translucent bathroom door in a blue hue, but it seems light enough to be morning. Maybe I’ve overslept? Can one oversleep on holiday? My foggy mind comes around and I…

I can taste the acidy scent of the thinly sliced onion emanating from the hot, melted cheese. The cold, crunchy salad compliments the charred bread, hot between my fingertips, but too good to put down. This is freedom. Standing on warm cement, in my own puddle of hot tub water,…

Moody, pewter clouds swirl around the jagged mountain peaks. The sun is sinking, but the light is still bright enough to see the patchwork of green and stone rising up the mountainside. The Webersburg mountain face surrounds us like a crest of a wave, giving life to animals, plants, insects,…

I’m tired and I’m not feeling well. Simultaneously, it’s also spring! And the dark green colour of our room in the Franschhoek Boutique Hotel is keeping my spirits teetering on hopeful. We have friends arriving in the morning to join us for the Franschhoek Wine Tram and I’d love nothing…

The Ridgelands farm is vacant. The moody sky is slinking over the valley as workers retreat for the weekend and the sounds of nature increase with the darkness. The stark trees are silhouetted against the dusk sky as the stones crunch underneath our tires as we turn into the forecourt….

It’s so dark in the bedroom that it’s nearly pitch black. I’m less worried about the floorboards creaking than I am about trying to open the bedroom door to creep out. Climbing out of bed I gingerly reach out for the indoor shutter, trying to find a latch of some…

I can hear the slow crescendo of a kettle starting to boil. The large fluffy blankets indicate Kunjani Wines are well aware of the bitter cold Stellenbosch winters, but it’s taken us by surprise. Our attempt to get the aircon to blow warm air has failed – clearly not our…

This post is part of a series called Recommended I can’t hear a single thing, but I can see the green and white waves crashing outside the window. The afternoon has fallen quiet as the group slinks off to the various corners of the house for some solitude. The burning…

This post is part of a series called Recommended I can feel a stone stuck in the bottom of my shoe and I’m concerned about it scraping the tiles. As soon as I can lean on the wall, I pull it out. The weather in Franschhoek‘s been icy and boots…

The Cartel House Hotel in central Cape Town is the perfect remote working hotel for anyone looking to get a few extra work hours in while in the Mother City. It may sound like an odd offering, but (sadly) not all trips away from home are about relaxing. Thousands of…