An unabashed tourist and her family explore the world one holiday at a time.
Bill Bryson is one of the best-known (and best-selling) travel writers of our time, so it’s actually a little embarrassing to admit that I’ve never read any of his books before. I thought it was about high time I rectified this sorry state of affairs and picked up his third travel memoir, Neither Here Nor There, since it documents a...
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 over town warning us to...
Hundreds of sweating, aching, tired bodies are crossing the line. Only a few minutes left until the final gunshot will break thousands of hearts. Already, some people need help to make it to the finish line, arm-in-arm with complete strangers they exemplify the spirit of this marathon. I cheer along with the crowd of spectators, urging the man crawling towards the...
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 finally how the beautiful winged...
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 reserve is lovely, but you...
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 and unfamiliar sights in South...
No matter how good your intentions, sometimes even the best laid plans fall apart. Earlier this year I wrote about our travel plans for 2017, and I was particularly excited about our trip to Knysna for the Easter weekend. Well, that never happened. I think I easily spent about four to six hours scouring all my favourite booking sites for...
Sometimes it’s best to just stay home. Not something you expect to hear from a travel blogger, is it? But there are rare occasions when the planets simply won’t align and things just aren’t meant to be. Our last weekend trip was one of those. Admittedly, it was a bit of a rush job – planned and booked in an...
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 on our Western Cape Whirlwind...
African penguins, formerly known as jackass penguins for the distinctive braying sound they make, are probably some of the cutest wildlife you’ll get to spot in South Africa. We never miss the chance to spend some time with these little monochrome charmers, so of course we had to stop at Boulders Beach when last we were in Cape Town. ...