Snakes, boars and lions – hiking the Ameln Valley
byThe wild boar meant business. Blocking our path more effectively than even Gandalf would have done, he gave a haughty snort of derision and…
Africa
A Moroccan botanical garden stay at Dar Al Hossoun, Taroudant
byDar Al Hossoun I’m not sure what first attracted me to Dar Al Hossoun. Perhaps it was the impressive garden landscapes, the promise of peaceful…
Tizi n Test road trip – Tin Mal to Taroudant
byThe night watchman eyed them warily from his lofty perch up in the crumbling tower. It wasn’t every day that visitors bothered to stop…
Trying out a Morocco tour company – Wild Morocco
byI sat companionably chomping on apricots with Hubbie and our Wild Morocco tour company guide, Salah. It struck me that eating these delicious little…
Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary – is it really worth a visit?
byThere are three main national parks in Swaziland that as a tourist you’ll want to see. We had time for just two. Mkhaya Game Reserve…
The Map room in Franschhoek – a bolt hole for explorers
byClint Eastwood and maps. Two of my most favourite things and both of them right here at the Map Room in Franschhoek. Had the…
Blyde River – the most spectacular canyon you’ve never heard of
byI’d never even heard of the Blyde River Canyon, let alone realised it was in fact the third largest in the world, after the Grand…
Dar Amane – Graskop’s hidden heaven
bySometimes a place can bring me to tears. It’s happened on a few occasions and taken me a bit by surprise considering I’m not…
Microlighting the Blyde River Canyon
byThere was one experience, above all others, that I was looking forward to the most on our latest South Africa trip. It wasn’t the…
I Rocha – an Atlas Mountains guest house
byI was floating in the pool, my vision full of rocky desert peaks glowing in the sun against an achingly beautiful blue sky. If the…
A vintage day out on the Franschhoek Wine Tram
byI’m getting ripened berries. I’m getting tones of dark chocolate. I’m getting flavours of mature oak. Actually I wasn’t getting anything as I had…
Ulusaba – where everybody knows your name
byUlusaba literally means ‘place of little fear’ in the local Shangaan language, and whilst this is certainly true, after our visit we like to…