Tips
Waiting, patiently, I stare at my sneakers. With each inch of the wooden staircase gained, the sense of anticipation grows. This tomb is older than the pyramids. Older than Stonehenge. Why did they build it? Will there be ghosts inside? Will it collapse? We move another inch. The sun is…
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,…
Namibia is a vast and beautiful country that is easily accessed via South Africa. It’s also a quiet and calm country – until the sun sets and the party animals come out! (I know – I grew up there!) But before you can enjoy your first sundowner it’s important to…
As a South African travelling over to Dublin it can be a bit daunting deciding what to do. This is mainly because of 3 things: funds, time and options! In our experience, some of the best things to do in Dublin aren’t part of the Dublin Tour so buying a…
Close your eyes and turn in a circle. When you slowly open them, what will you see? Green, gold and purple nearly all the way around…Tulbagh is a unique town in the Western Cape where you are surrounded by mountains all around. A small, wine-producing village located 90 minutes North…
Heading to Tulbagh for the weekend? Here are our tips and tricks on how to get the most of your visit at the historical town. 1. Arrive Early A lot of local shops close early on a Saturday, decreasing the number of things to do in the afternoon within the…
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…
Federal Airlines (FedAir) has announced a revolutionary new approach to meet customer needs and market demands by introducing a reduced SA Resident fare starting from R2 850 per person (one-way flight from Johannesburg) directly to a number of landing strips within the Sabi Sand, Madikwe, Northern Sabi Sand, Timbavati, Hoedspruit…
Yep, you read right! Now YOU can have your own My Octopus Teacher experience courtesy of Tintswalo at Boulder’s. The hit 2020 Netflix documentary opened up the underwater world of the Cape Town’s False Bay and Atlantic Seaboard kelp forest and rock pools, fascinating viewers around the world with a glimpse…
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…
Before COVID 19 took over the world Cape Town, South Africa appeared on many of the world’s top travel sites as a “must visit” location. As much exposure as Cape Town was receiving, it didn’t often answer the question – what is Cape Town famous for? So, as locals, we’ve…
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…
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 smell of chillies disrupts my ocean trance, bringing my…
UPDATE: 12th November 2020 President Ramaphosa has declared South Africa open! All visitors are required to present a COVID negative test that was taken within the last 72 hours before arrival. Should this be presented then visitors will have access to visit. Total Active Cases as of 21st November 2020…
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…
If you caught our stories over the weekend you would have seen us most over excited about the snow falling on the Stellenbosch mountains. As our Whatsapp’s blew up with video footage of snow on Table Mountain, we couldn’t help but be more enthralled by the Stellenbosch mountains, which revealed…
The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) is very excited to announce that it has reopened to all local and domestic travelers! Thanks to the easing of the national lockdown regulations, TMACC is now ready to welcome local visitors back to one of Africa’s leading tourist attractions from Tuesday 01…
The flowers are blooming! While we still may very much be in the thick of winter, the flowers are giving us some 2020 joy we’ve seriously been missing. Having driven between Franschhoek (very cold!) and Langebaan (surprisingly sunny) we passed a number of beautiful wild flower sections. I’ve asked around…
“Oh my actual life!” slipped out of my mouth as I exited the elevators of 120 Fenchurch street. I turned to look at AJ, eyes widening, as exquisite, 360 degree views of London rose along the glass-lined edges with every step. London, in all its glory, revealed from a unique,…
Tones are low within the Book of Kells exhibit room. Upon exiting, a turn left leads guests up the stairwell to the Trinity’s famous library hall. The damp sounds of shoes on wooden floors increases as you approach the tall doorway of the Long Room. Like a panning shot in…
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…
We’ve all seen the TV shows. Who Do You Think You Are?, Genealogy Roadshow and Long Lost Family, to name a few, but have you tried to find your ancestors? Thanks to the interwebs, it’s become easier and easier to reach out, take a DnA test or visit archives to…
Today the Forbes Travel Guide released their 2020 list of the best hotels, spa’s and restaurants in the world. The totally independent service (yes, that means hotels can’t butter them up) who were the originators of the “5 star” concept in 1958, have included TEN South African hotels! What Quantifies…
The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) is currently in its 90th year of operations of providing visitor access to the top of Cape Town’s iconic attraction. To ensure the effective running and continued safety of the cableway, the company has confirmed that it will be closed in July for…
I can hear the stones crunch under my boots as the temptation to wander down a country road wins me over. The skies melt between dark blue and bright pink at sunset in April. The rustling of Eucalyptus trees settles down as the afternoon wind turns into an evening breeze….
I can’t help but try to find a little fish or frog as the river water babbles along side me. Slow, black tea coloured water swoons into nearby rock pools as the reeds sway to the sound of the river. Nothing soothes the mind like the sound of water over…
With Cape Town appearing on many international travel lists during 2019, it’s no wonder the city has been bumped up in the “top 5 travel destinations” of travellers’ bucket lists around the world. But Cape Town isn’t en route to “anywhere”, so to speak, which means the plane ticket require…
Even though the rain slashed through every window frame, the terrible weather couldn’t dampen the majesty of Tintern Abbey. Whether rain or shine, this 900 year old abbey stands as regal as the time of its prime, transporting visitors right into the heart of the middle ages of the Wye…
I’m alone in the house. It’s been a long 24 hours that started with the Springboks arriving at Cape Town International, after winning the World Cup, and ending with me in Mauritius, alone, staring out at the private jungle garden. The long B28 running up the east coast of Mauritius…