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 …
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, …
The colour of grief: Burying the dead in Morocco Read More »
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. 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 …
“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 …
A road trip through Morocco: Part 1 – Southbound Read More »
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 …
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 …
Our cats speak English. Either that or they have a sixth sense that says “Uh oh. Road-trip!” followed by a smoothly-executed, vanishing act. Our plan was to leave at 6am sharp, so we had strategically locked Jango and Hobie in a bedroom, but our brand new, 4 month-old kitten, Inky, (who is ALWAYS underfoot) was …
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 …
“Fun is Back” : Our MG Roadtrip from Joburg to Cape Town Read More »
Arguably one of South Africa’s best roadtrip routes, is Route 62. Route 62 meanders from Oudtshoorn to Cape Town along scenic roads that are less travelled than its more famous coastal cousin, the adjacent “Garden Route”. Not too far from Uniondale, we passed a road sign that said Kykoe. The lush valley and forested land …
We left the town of Middleburg without thinking too clearly. Our hearts were heavy with unshed tears and we tried to talk ourselves out of dwelling on Jango’s whereabouts, what Jango could possibly be thinking (is it even possible to think like a cat?), what might happen to him. In this state of general unease, …
The sun eases into the shimmering horizon. The wood smoke from our braai mingles with the fragrance of the shrubs and grasses. The ice in our glasses tinkles as we toast our incredible good fortune to be in such a panoramic spot. The immense silence is overwhelming and a sense of peace prevails as the …
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 …
D’Arcy woke us nice and early in our Sutherland cottage by throwing up some disgusting old bones that she’d scrounged the night before. Day 8:We made egg mayonnaise sarms for breakfast on the go and a flask of condensed milk coffee. It was very chilly and the car registered zero degrees! We headed towards Calvinia, …
Northern Cape Roadtrip: Part 2 – The Groen Kalahari Read More »
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 …
Putsonderwater, Northern Cape: Gone, but not forgotten Read More »
Sutherland and stars are synonymous. B&B’s named after planets, crisp, clear winter nights, observatories and telescopes, and people – warm and knowledgeable – eager to share their passion. We have always been intrigued by the Universe, but our visit to Sutherland awoke a new interest and we realised how little we actually knew…… The speed of …
After a long days travel on our Northern Cape road trip we arrived at our corbelled house as the sun was setting. It was cold and we wanted comfort food. We had both fantasised about spaghetti carbonara but our bodies were saying vegetables. So apologies to all purists but with a nod to all peasant …
The sun slowly crests the low hill and the silent shadows retreat revealing the Karoo valley in all its ochre beauty, the golden light softening the rocky landscape. Steam rises in the crisp air from our condensed milk coffee as we sit on the stoep savouring the extraordinary quiet. We are staying at the corbelled …
Corbelled House of Stuurmansfontein – A step back in time Read More »
In our family it’s a rule that you can’t break out the padkos until you have left town. “Out of town” has been further defined as being on the major highway leading to your next stop. Fortunately from where we live it’s a mere 5-minute drive before we hit the N1 . Our go-to snack …
Northern Cape Roadtrip: Part 1 – Karoo Highlands Read More »
The Moçambican policeman steps boldly into the road and pulls our taxi over to the side. Our driver lets out a sigh and eases over against the curb. The policeman and his partner stroll up and position themselves on each side of the vehicle. Reluctantly we wind down the windows.
Mauritius is all about perfect beaches, crystal clear water and luxurious resorts. And yes it is definitely all of those things, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that the island had so much more to offer. I thought I’d share some of the things we did in the unlikely event you get tired of …
Have you seen that sped-up video that shows a girl lying on a beach and as the camera zooms out, you see that she is alone on a tiny island and when it pans out further, it shows the island is in the middle of a vast ocean which is far away from any major …
Tsarabanjina, Madagascar: Pressing pause on 2016 Read More »
At the most Eastern point of Botswana, where the three countries of South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe meet, there is a beautiful land of endless vistas, broad skies, giant trees, powerful rivers and great herds of game. Botswana is known as one of the best safari destinations in southern Africa and many tourists head directly …
Abyssinian cats and the Queen of Sheba! Does it get any more mysterious than that? It would appear however, that in both of these associations with Ethiopia, it is unclear how much is fantasy and how much is fact. In 1868, a British soldier returned from the Abyssinian War (the ancient name for Ethiopia) with …
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 …
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, …
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 …
Sailing from Madagascar to Richards Bay, South Africa Read More »
We’re gently swaying along the dusty track in the back of an open Landrover when the on-board radio cackles to life, breaking the peaceful solitude: “Ngala yi famba yi ya ka qivi“. Our game ranger, Robert mutters back in Shangaan and accelerates deep into the bush. Our hearts begin to race. Ngala…Lion on the move… …
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 …
Les saveurs de la vie is a blog about lifestyle, travel, food, photography and other musings. We are Nikki and Geoff, married since 1995 and based in Johannesburg, South Africa 🇿🇦.