I’m pretty much asked on a daily basis what my Cape Town hidden gems and local suggestions are. With a staggering +5 million views on my social media profiles in 2017, I’ve realised people really are interested – a recent poll showed 60% of people had tried one of my suggestions! Although I’ve shared a few…
A Durban Long Weekend Staycation
* Note this article originally appeared here on Traveller24. In Mercer’s 2017 Quality of Living Survey, many South Africans – myself included – were rather surprised that Durban came out tops in South Africa. It was awarded the 83rd best quality of living for any city, followed suit a little later by Cape Town and…
Walking Italy: The Way of St Francis
Note: This article originally appeared here on Traveller24 The low-lying mist added to the mystery of the moment, as we climbed our final stretch of Italian countryside… the mist stealing our sight but not our perseverance, forcing our legs to forget their exhaustion for these final steps of ascent. A short forest walk soon gave…
Hope Crosses Any Terrain
Note: This article originally appeared here on Traveller24.com. To say I was annoyed, would be an understatement. My outbound flight was delayed by three hours, which meant I’d miss some of the opening proceedings of Land Rover’s 70th birthday celebration in Shongweni, near Durban. I was mostly frustrated because I’d be missing the speech by…
Breede River Breakaway
For eons, people have built settlements by the waterside. Of course, there have been obvious trade and agricultural advantages to this. There is one element, though, that has spoken more profoundly to the soul: the peacefulness of being close to water. Particularly for us urban creatures, we long to escape the madness of the city’s…
Stellies Day Trip
In his first year as the inaugural governor of Cape, Simon van der Stel set about enlarging the fledgeling community’s footprint. Only 50kms from Cape Town, he decided on Stellenbosch, boldly naming the town after himself. The town began to grow, and with van der Stel’s interest in wine, it’s no surprise that the town…
A Year of Wild Experiences
The first few hours of 2017 welcomed me into not only a new year, but also a brand new life. I’d just left my previous vocation of pastoral ministry, one that I proudly held for almost 15 years, but had needed a change of scenery. In this new beginning, the anxiety and excitement were equally…
My 6 Birthday Drinks
My birthday was fast approaching, and knowing that I was to spend six days in the wild and rugged surrounds of the West Coast, I wanted to enjoy one of my favourite drinks on each of days. I contacted each of the brands, and thankfully my top six all responded and sent me something to…
Romantic South African Cities
February is the month of love, and I’ve taken up Travelstart’s challenge to write about South Africa’s most romantic cities! Since most of my thoughts revolve the three cities I’ve lived in, I thought for each of them I’ll offer three date options, ranging in price and experience. Oh, and if you’re single like me,…
4 Sensation Spa Experiences in Cape Town
Everyone deserves a little pampering every now and then, and with all the Cape Town wellness options, where should one go? As a local tour guide and writer I’m often asked for my top recommendations, so here is my coveted Top 4 list. 1. The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa Considering by many as one of…
The Four Seasons of Joburg
Many have a love-hate relationship with Johannesburg: she has the power to electrify you and hold you excitedly on the edge of her fingertips, but equally, drain you and leave you feeling high and dry. She was my home for five years, and hardly a day or two goes by without me thinking of her….
5 Midlands Eateries Worth Visiting
* This was a commissioned article for Food24, initially appearing here. With its rolling green hills, lush pastures and winding country roads, it’s easy to see why the Midlands is a firm favourite with many South Africans, and a particularly personal bias being native to the area. Beginning in Hilton, the Midlands Meander route spreads northwards;…
3 New Drinking Spots in Cape Town
* This was a commissioned article for Food24, initially appearing here. Cape Town has no shortage of excellent drinking spots, and I was on a mission to discover three new ones, making sure I covered three of the most important bases: gin, beer and wine. Here are my liquid findings: 1. New Harbour Distillery It’s no…
