Africa

Heading slowly out of Namtib, we were lucky to have a bit of a game drive, spotting a herd of oryx fairly close to the road. Oryx have the most incredible survival skills and can apparently go for weeks without drinking, relying on moisture from succulent roots, tubers, and desert grasses. Interestingly they can also […]

SUNDAYBy unfortunate coincidence, the Cape Town Cycle Race (the world’s largest individually timed cycling event) was planned for the exact day of our departure – meaning roads on the southern Cape peninsula were closed from the early hours. As a result Jon picked us up in Simon’ Town shortly after 4am. Pleasant cool weather, but

Driving along the C1918 is surprisingly smooth. The road is virtually dead straight leading directly East from Henties Bay and the vegetation sparse against the pale sand.  I have just declared how nothing could possibly survive here, when we stop for a leg stretch, startling 3 korhaans who seem just as surprised to see us.

The opportunity to combine business travel with leisure is often more of a fantasy than a practicality. When we got the opportunity to run our Enneagram workshop for a bank in Windhoek, we were excited to combine the two. No sooner had we buttoned down dates for the course and reserved our weekend accommodation, we

“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

We stand looking out to sea at the edge of the Gulf of Grief, at Slaver’s Bay, on the very spot where Daenerys Targaryen freed an army of eunuch slaves to help her invade Westeros in order to destroy the evil boy-King, Joffery. If you are not a GoT (Game of Thrones) fan, you will

I walk blindly through the busy Medina, eyes red-rimmed, cheeks damp with tears. Passers-by double-take as they glance at me. Perhaps a fight with her husband? A bereavement?  I knew that visiting a country with so many stray cats would test my strength and self-control. I’ve been so proud of myself, remaining aloof, objective and

Another crisp morning, another early departure, another packed breakfast. This one looks very promising – fresh orange juice, yoghurt and chocolate cake. It is dark as we leave and I am cautious; but there is neither man nor beast up at this hour. We pass through the beautiful gates in Rissani at first light and

An ocean of silence. The hush penetrates and mutes the noise and confusion of our busy city lives. This is 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

“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

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

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

Maybe it has something to do with Tangier being the gateway to Africa and a hop and a skip across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain, or perhaps it’s because Tangier has developed something of a romantic reputation over the course of the 20th century as an international haven for intrigue, spies and mavericks, but

Stepping through the arched exit of Rabat Ville Station, we are immediately struck by the spaciousness. Bright green lawns surround a cascading fountain with a wide, palm lined avenue leading away between the art deco buildings on either side. It is pristine, calm and inviting, and we immediately feel a connection. We don’t have our bearings

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

From nothing more than a series of sand dunes hiding ancient diamond deposits, Kolmanskop quickly grew into a thriving, wealthy mining town only to be completely deserted once again, all in the space of under 50 years. Kolmanskop was once a flourishing town (in then German South West Africa) boasting a bowling alley, a casino,

We sit on the deck of the “Nile Legend” and raise our glasses in greeting as another river cruise boat putters along in the opposite direction. The sun is starting to settle in for the night. A lone felucca heads for home; and the sense that we are floating down the longest river and through

We’d left it a little late to plan something interesting for the Christmas holidays. Before we knew it, everyone at work was hopping onto flights to Europe or Thailand or departing for a road-trip to Durban or Cape Town.  We made a half-hearted attempt to find something in Mauritius, but flying there last minute was