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 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 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 […]
Continue ReadingCruising for Hippos in St Lucia
St Lucia is a laid-back holiday town off the north coast of the KwaZulu-Natal region. It’s part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and famous for South Africa’s largest hippo population. You may be surprised to hear that hippos are considered the most dangerous land animals in Africa, and we saw a number of signs all […]
Continue ReadingSt Lucia’s Isiphaphalazi Butterfly Dome
It’s stifling hot inside the dome and sweat runs freely down our faces, but we hardly notice. We listen enraptured as our guide tells us the story of butterflies: how they each have a special tree that they lay their eggs on, how the little caterpillars develop and then pupate in a chrysalis, and then […]
Continue ReadingSweltering Heat, a Duiker and a Bushveld Cabin
It’s a sweltering 35°C outside. It’s so hot even the cicadas are quiet. Inside the cabin, the fan is working overtime, blowing warm air around the room, pretending to make it cooler. I’m pregnant and lying flat on my back, feet swollen like little lumps of pale white coal. The 180 degree view of the […]
Continue ReadingA Blissful Week in Cape St Francis
In December 2015 Gareth and I went on what is generally known as a babymoon – a holiday just before a baby arrives. The little traveller was due in two months and we thought it would be a good opportunity for us to get out of the house one last time to explore some familiar […]
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