The morning that we wanted to set out on our small victories breakaway dawned dark and gloomy. Typical, I thought as I opened the bedroom curtains and saw a sky that looked as ominous as my mood on a Monday morning. But there was no turning back, so we bundled ourselves, a sleepy toddler and […]
Continue ReadingAll You Ever Wanted to Know About Pretoria, South Africa
Those of you who don’t follow me on Facebook will have wondered why this blog has been so quiet recently. The reason for that is because I was contracted to write a series of articles for well-known culture and lifestyle website, The Culture Trip! This was an incredibly exciting opportunity for me, because I finally […]
Continue ReadingCrocodiles Up Close at Crocworld
“Do you want to touch it, Aidan?” I ask, hoping fervently the answer will be no. The little one looks at the big yellow snake coiling around the handler’s body, not afraid, but not quite sure either. I don’t want Aidan to think snakes are pets to play with, I want him to respect them for […]
Continue ReadingFishy Fun at uShaka Marine World
Marine worlds are usually a controversial topic – either you hate them or you love them. In our case, just as with zoos and other wildlife parks, we firmly believe that as long as animals are treated humanely and ethically, they are wonderful places to foster a lifelong love of animals in little children. So, […]
Continue ReadingAidan’s First Trip to the Seaside
A few weeks ago we’d had enough of winter and cold and thick jackets and scarves and hats, so when Aidan’s preschool closed for a week-long holiday, we decided it was time for his first trip to the seaside. The three of us piled into the car and drove for nearly eight hours to get […]
Continue ReadingTravellers x2: Babymoon 2015
When two people are travelling together, there are bound to be some things that the one didn’t enjoy quite as much as the other one. I think it’s a good idea to reflect on the trip afterwards, to learn from possible mistakes and to better plan for the next one. So… the verdict is out […]
Continue ReadingA Bucket Sightseeing List for South Africa
South Africa is a diverse country and there are so many sights and experiences to recommend to visitors, that it’s almost impossible to select just ten for a bucket list. And, of course, the list would vary depending on whether you’re an adventure-lover, a family with kids, or a mature couple, and how much time […]
Continue ReadingWatching a Leatherback Turtle Laying Eggs on the Beach
My heart is beating wildly in my chest as the 4×4 flies across the sand. The full moon paints the ocean a pale shade of grey. We are racing over the beach near Cape Vidal, part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in search of leatherback turtles. It’s December, that time of the year when the […]
Continue ReadingAidan’s First Trip to the Zoo
Our little 16-month old toddler, Aidan, just loves looking at the animals in his wildlife book, so for my birthday this year we treated him (and ourselves) with a trip to the Pretoria Zoo. Our route through the park was a little haphazard, since we only arrived at 10 am (parents with toddlers will understand […]
Continue ReadingJust Keep Rolling: Walking With Dung Beetles
It’s not every day when you go for a game walk and the only animal you see is an insect. It’s also not everyone who can get excited about pile after pile of dung. So granted, our field guide did an excellent job in a difficult situation. With the region experiencing its worst […]
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