Africa

Here’s looking at you, Morocco!

“Don’t bother visiting Casablanca,” said the travel bloggers, “It’s just a political hub and not worth seeing other than perhaps the Mosque.” “You can give Tangier a skip – it’s run-down and there’s little to see”. “Rabat is easily missable, it’s just another capital city.” “Marrakesh. Meh…overrun by tourists and tauts.” I’m grateful for this mis-guidance because it …

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The colour of grief: Burying the dead in Morocco

Morocco is synonymous with colour. Cities glow with burnt yellows and rich rusts; deep majorelle blue; verdant roof tiles. The towering spice displays in the souqs are a kaleidoscope of ochre, burgundy, mustard, cherry and khaki. However, this abundance of colour is completely removed when it comes to the colours of death and mourning. Traditionally, …

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Sahara: A sea of sand

An ocean of silence. The hush penetrates and mutes the noise and confusion of our busy city lives. A place for quiet contemplation, patience and soaking up the stillness.  A line of camels glides into view and then, as swiftly, is swallowed by the next dune. Quad bikes scurry like little bugs along the skyline – sounds and movement absorbed …

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Fès, Morocco – “Athens of Africa”🇲🇦

“Many destinations are interesting, but few are truly intriguing—for intrigue requires mystery; something fascinating, yet not immediately obvious. Fez, the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities, very much fits that description: It’s hypnotic, idiosyncratic, and often confounding.”  Conde Nast Traveller, Lindsay Cohn; April 11, 2022 Fès is the second largest city in Morocco after Casablanca, with …

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A road trip through Morocco: Part 1 – Southbound

Mountains, big mountains, even bigger mountains; sparse open plains extending to the horizon; lush green palmerai;  ochre desert sands; crashing waves. We had spent so much time investigating the glorious cities of Morocco, we had given little thought to what we we would experience on the road. Tangier to Chefchaouen After the 3rd stall exhibiting 100’s of tagines and …

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Chefchaouen – the “Blue Pearl” of Morocco 🇲🇦 

Chefchaouen, is one of the most mesmerising cities we’ve ever visited. A quaint and picturesque, ancient city tucked high into the north-eastern Rif mountains, perhaps it’s the relative inaccessibility that has the “Blue City” as one of Morocco’s better-kept secrets. It’s somewhat out of the way (the trip takes about four hours from Fez and …

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Casablanca, Morocco’s White City 🇲🇦

It’s always tricky to anticipate weather temperatures at a foreign destination. 24 degrees sounded a doable, mild and pleasant temperature to me. But landing at Casablanca’s Mohammed V airport – it was HOT .  After a relatively painless immigration process, our hotel shuttle took us to the centrally located Hotel Odyssee. The car journey took …

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“Fun is Back” : Our MG Roadtrip from Joburg to Cape Town

What? A road-trip without the furries… whatever next! Does it even meet the definition of a road trip?. Not sure who felt more dismayed – us or them? WednesdayDarcy watched disapprovingly as we packed our luggage into the narrow (but deeper than you think) boot, and into every other crevice we could find without compromising …

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Cosmos: A heavenly universe of pink and white

It’s hard to keep your eyes on the road when your route is flanked with billowing fields of candy-floss pinks and icing-sugar white blooms. Heralding Easter holidays, road trips and the start of my favourite season, the fields of cosmos bring a final brilliant splash of colour to the South African landscape that will soon …

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Putsonderwater, Northern Cape: Gone, but not forgotten

There’s a chilly katabatic wind blowing unchecked across the desolate Karoo escarpment when we stop at the settlement that was once the proud village of Putsonderwater. I’m a little in awe of finally being in Putsonderwater. The name is frequently used as a metaphor to indicate a faraway, remote never-land, like Timbuktu. I reflect on …

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Southern Namibia: epic, wild and unforgettable

Africa is a diverse and intriguing continent. Of all it’s countries, Namibia has to be one of the most beautiful and the most unique. From the spotless Bavarian-style town of Swakopmund to the majestic beauty and solitude of the Sossusvlei and onwards to the quaint windswept town of Lüderitz and the mysterious settlement of Kolmanskop, we …

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Sailing from Madagascar to Richards Bay, South Africa

I glimpse the moonlit road through gaping holes in the floorboard as we career through villages nestled in the tropical vegetation, dark shadows clustered around cooking fires, thumping music temporarily drowning the clatter. There is a bone jarring crash as the taxi hits yet another pothole. Conversation is impossible, so I am still in the …

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