It is a right of passage for every long-term traveler: (a) packing about 10kgs of useless stuff and (b) leaving some pretty useful stuff at home. So after more than 6 months on the road, I feel like I can weigh in. Here is a list of 5 (somewhat unusual) things I think every long-term traveler should pack. Read More
Big Blog Exchange 2014: I decided to enter this year’s Big Blog Exchange competition – giving winning bloggers the chance to swap countries and blogs for 10 days. Besides being an awesome way to discover and connect with other bloggers from around the world, it is also a great way to share what makes your country AWESOME. And let’s face it South Africa is pretty freaking awesome!!!
Hostelling International (HI)- the kind sponsors of this amazing competition – created a pretty sweet South Africa BBE 2014 10 day itinerary as a taster of what one blogger could win. Here are some of my tips for this ultimate 10-day South Africa itinerary and some things to add to the to-do list for the next trip.
The Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, is synonymous with white sand beaches, turquoise waters and long dhow boat rides back to all-inclusive resorts. A short day trip from any resort found on Unguja (the southern island of Zanzibar), Stone Town offers a unique look into the melting pot of cultures and history of the island. Read More
Throwback Thursdays: Travel Memories: Bangkok, Thailand is one of those cities that sticks in your memory (and to your skin at the time) – sometimes for all the wrong reasons. But in the end that is what makes travelling so fulfilling – making mistakes and living to tell the tale. I love Bangkok and cannot wait to go there again – but I won’t make these mistakes again. Read More
Wednesday Wisdom: Living in Cape Town (or any big city for that matter) is no joke in terms of costs, especially when it comes to renting a decent apartment. So the fact that we are currently living in an amazing Sea Point apartment, in a great location and virtually spending no money at all sounds a bit crazy, right? Wrong. Read More
Throwback Thursdays: Travel Memories: A photo essay of my visit to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam in December 2009. Read More
Birthdays – Those awkward moments in life when all your Facebook friends take 2 seconds out of there lives to write a very personal “happy birthday” on your wall. When you have to stand around while adults attempt to mouth along to “happy birthday” – quietly enough that you could not distinguish any specific person but loud enough for dogs to hear (read: barely a whisper). And perhaps worst of all – birthday present reaction fear: if you seem too enthusiastic people inevitably think you hate the gift and are overcompensating, if you are not enthusiastic enough people think you hate the gift so much you can’t even be asked to overcompensate.
If a younger, skinnier version of myself (see below) was asked if she would consider a move to London, the answer, quite simply, would have been, “No”. Cape Town is perfectly suited to the young and skinny. I remember spending entire summers in my early twenties on Clifton 4th (and later 2nd) beach – reapplying sunblock all day and yet still turning a burnt ombre shade of brown, eating granadilla lollies, hanging out with friends, making new ones, literally hashtag #livingthedream. As the sun set we would make our way home (in my hot Citi Golf), wash the salty residue from our skin and head out to dance the night away. Life could not have been more perfect.
Delhi made me sick. To be honest, I kind of wished I could get Delhi Belly because standing/ sitting over/ on a toilet in the hotel room, spewing and spluttering, sounded better than having to deal with another corrupt tuk-tuk driver.
Of all the dirty, chaotic and corrupt places in India, Delhi was by far the worst. That’s it – no if’s or but’s. After spending our first three days in India there I was ready to book an Air Asia flight to Thailand and put this all behind me.
Luckily I didn’t and got to experience a slightly less overwhelming India, but I still regret that (due to Delhi being a central stop in Northern Indian travels) we ended up spending a significant portion of our time there.
Upon returning home from my visit to India in December 2012 I felt cheated. The India I imagined was colourful and peaceful and charming. The India I saw was dirty and chaotic and corrupt.
The Incredible India! adverts shows a lone traveller riding his motorbike through rough mountainous terrain, happily eating street food, taking majestic camel rides through the desert, tanning on untouched beaches with warm tropical water lapping the shores, dancing around with tribal people in traditional wear, massages, elephants, luxury trains, tigers, festivals. Watch it below: Read More
