Victoria Falls Safari Lodge I celebrated the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge’s (VFSL) coming of age – its twentieth birthday celebration – in the company of the honourable Walter Mzembi, the Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, and key players in the local and international travel…
I was last in Zimbabwe in 1994, as a wide-eyed seven-year-old, who had just entered the first grade; therefore I think it appropriate that I return two decades later, in the week of my Master’s graduation. I am staying in Victoria Falls – which the…
There are few reasons why anyone would agree to wake hours before the sun. A sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Magalies River Valley in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, well, that’s reason enough. Silence. This is the place of morning calm,…
These black and white, long-exposure captures of the Johannesburg skyline paint it in a different colour, to reveal the relaxed atmosphere that enveloped the cityscape at twilight on New Year’s Eve. Few cars were seen navigating the street grid that stretches below Randlords. One of…
Three thousand artworks hung pegged to twine as hundreds weaved between them, like a needle sewing thread. They stopped. They stared. They smiled. The historic electric workshop in Newtown – which houses the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre – was transformed into a walk-though art gallery for the “Night of…
It’s known as the ‘Supermoon’ to us non-astronomy types, but to those who study the night sky and beyond — as they peer into the past — it’s the Perigee moon. ‘Tis the largest full moon of the year, due to its proximity to the…
There aren’t many more satisfying ways I can think of than to spend a Sunday afternoon on the rooftop of the City of Gold. Randlords, on the 22nd floor of South Point Towers in Braamfontein, offers splendid panoramic views of the Johannesburg skyline. The bustle below…
The end of one day merely ushers in the beginning of another Some find hope in the end; some find hope in the beginning And so one never knows whether it’s the sunrise or the sunset that is more beautiful And perhaps there is no…
Now I can say that I’ve visited one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Country number 22 on my travel list was Namibia: the 34th largest country, which only boasts a population of 2.32 million. The former German colony was mandated to…
To celebrate the Lunar New Year and the start of the year of the dragon, I visited the Nan Hua Buddhist temple in Bronkhorstspruit, which is approximately 100km from Sandton. The stalls which attracted so many hungry customers really did give me the impression that I…
The centre piece of Graaff-Reinet is its national monument: the Dutch Reformed church. It greets visitors at the end of the main street in this small Karoo town, which is aptly named Church Street. And why would it be called anything else? The church is…
The overcast sky didn’t discourage me as I drove towards Camdeboo National Park, which means ‘Green Valley’. Graaff-Reinet was peacefully cradled in the valley between the hills. It was still early and it hadn’t awoken yet. As the mist came over the hills’ shoulders, it playfully…
While its name is quite ominous, the Valley of Desolation is one of the most picturesque parts of South Africa. It is found within Camdeboo National Park and although it is located in a remote part of the Karoo (the name says everything), it welcomes up…
Because the Karoo – in the Eastern Cape – is a semi-desert region, rain is a blessing.
Nqweba dam, just north of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape, is a popular retreat for anglers, who can expect to catch Mullet, Common Carp, Round Herrin, African Catfish, Moggel, River Goby and Mosquito Fish. Water sports enthusiasts are seen baking along the waters’ edge when…
Bundu-bashing: (informal South African slang) meaning driving off-road in the wilderness. I’d like to think that it’s to admire the picturesque view, however many bundu-bashing enthusiasts would probably argue that rough terrain is the best way to test their 4×4 driving driving capabilities.