2019 turned out to be a good year in travel for me, despite a slow start. I visited eight countries, three of them for the first time - bringing my total country count to 47. As the year ends, I am relaxing at home, recovering from one of the most hectic trips I’ve ever been on.
January
I visited Liliesleaf Farm, one of South Africa’s most historic sites, with my family. This was where incriminating evidence was found, which led to the eleven Rivonia Trialists including Nelson Mandela, being charged with conspiring against the apartheid government and their subsequent incarceration.
I published my 100th Travellers’ Tales post on my blog. This is now at 118 interviews. This is where I interview other travellers about their fascinating experiences. Drop me a message if you’d like to participate.
February
We have some serious bookworms in our family so it was about time that we visited the Collectors Treasury, the largest used and rare bookshop in Africa, and possibly in the Southern Hemisphere.
March/April
The eagerly awaited Easter holidays finally arrived and we used our British Airways miles to visit some of Africa’s most beautiful destinations: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. Apart from visiting the Falls, the highlight of our trip was staying at one of the best resorts in the world, Royal Chundu (according to Condé Nast Traveler’s 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards).
In April, we visited Joburg’s longest running expo, the Rand Show after a long break. This was its 125th year.
June/July
Knysna Heads
We flew down to Port Elizabeth, rented a car and visited some of South Africa’s most beautiful regions in the Sunshine Coast and the Garden Route after a long time. During this trip, we visited Amakhala Game Reserve , Jeffreys Bay, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna.
I became a Luxuria Lifestyle ambassador for a while.
August
Protea Hotel Hunters Rest
We took advantage of the long Womens Day weekend to visit the historic Protea Hotel Hunters Rest, near Rustenberg, where we had a relaxing break.
September
Front Deck - Tintswalo at Lapalala
We were invited to experience one of South Africa’s newest safari lodges, Tintswalo Lapalala. This stunning off-the-grid lodge is located in the malaria-free Lapalala Reserve in Limpopo.
November
Grand Baie - Mauritius
In November I was invited for a travel bloggers conference to an island that had been on my bucket list for ages. The timing was bad for me because my kids were in the middle of their final exams and I felt like a bad mother for “abandoning” them. But it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and in retrospect, I’m glad I went. My kids survived their exams and I got to tick Mauritius off my bucket list. I spent a week exploring this beautiful destination and learning new skills at the conference. I also got to meet bloggers that I had only known online for ages. It was amazing. Read all my Mauritius posts here.
December
I ticked another two countries off my bucket list in December – Spain and Portugal . As Portugal was next to Spain, we added four days there and flew out of Porto. And as we were flying via Dubai, on Emirates, we added a 96-hour stopover there too. We got to visit some amazing places (Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Lisbon and Porto) but it was an exhausting trip. We covered two continents, three countries, and eight cities in eighteen days. Apart from the Dubai leg, every second day was spent travelling. Europe was cold, and Portugal was rainy too but the crowds were not as bad as in summer.
And that was my 2019 year in review . Some of these trips were sponsored, however all opinions are my own.
Other popular posts this year were:
How to plan an international trip – DIY for beginners
Over 50 things to do in Johannesburg
How to apply for a passport online
Let’s talk loyalty - Airline loyalty programs in South Africa
See my 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015 posts.
Follow me on:
Wishing you a wonderful 2020 that brings you everything you wish for!
Pin this image:
Sara Essop is a travel blogger and writer based in South Africa. She writes about family travel and experiences around the world. Although she has been to 50 countries thus far, she especially loves showcasing her beautiful country and is a certified South Africa Specialist.
What a great year and amazing pictures! what 47 countries have u been to?
Thank you Andale. Here is the list of countries I've been to - https://inafricaandbeyond.com/countries-i-have-visited/
Wow that waterfall is beautiful!
What an amazing year! I hope you have a great year with lots of great travels ahead! All the best!
Thank you so much Fehima - and same to you 🙂
Thank you! 🙂