Splendour of the Seas Review I stood on the top deck of my floating “hotel”, the Splendour of the Seas , and savoured the breath-taking views from my lofty vantage point as we sailed out of Venice’s Giudecca Canal. We passed pointed church steeples and ancient palaces, sidewalk restaurants and bridges traversing narrow canals. The little […]
Nizamiye Mosque - "Where heart and mind meet" As one travels on the busy highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, it is likely that one’s eye will be caught by a striking vision of domes and minarets, a sight one would be much more likely to see in Istanbul, Turkey than in Midrand, Johannesburg. It is […]
How to travel on a budget For most of my life I’ve suffered from a serious ailment – a chronic case of the travel bug. After a few weeks at home, I feel like I need to travel. But I prefer not to spend too much on my holidays because that makes me feel guilty...and […]
Animal World at Emerald Resort I much prefer animals to be in their natural habitats than in enclosures. The joy of seeing animals roaming freely on safari far exceeds that of seeing them in captivity and of course the animals are usually much happier. However not everyone can go on safari as it can be […]
Matjiesfontein The quaint Victorian village of Matjiesfontein whispers of a rich history filled with money, murders and ghosts. It was established in 1883/1884 by a Scotsman, James Douglas Logan, as a health resort where those with lung complaints could recuperate. Logan believed that the Karoo air had cured his own weak chest. Lampposts from London […]
Kimberley - City of Diamonds Did you know that Kimberley in South Africa was the very first city in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the first cities in the world to have electric street lights? It actually had electric street lights before London. This “Strange but true” fact was imparted to us by our tour […]
Days of the Dinosaur Exhibition in South Africa When I first heard about dinosaurs coming to South Africa, I asked my son if he wanted to go and see them. Having just watched the Jurassic Park series, his first question was “Real ones?”. No, my son, (un)fortunately not. But this is as close as you’re […]
2020 Update: Sunnyside Park Hotel has been rebranded to Holiday Inn Johannesburg Sunnyside Park It is not often that one gets to spend the night at a national monument and historic treasure. I had the privilege of doing just that recently. Right on my doorstep, in the historic suburb of Parktown, is a national monument […]
Rovos Rail - The Pride of Africa “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson I sat at the window of my ultra-luxurious suite and watched Africa go by. As the landscape transformed from congested city […]
Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate Review If you are a golfer, or married to one as I am, then you may know that Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate is a golfer’s paradise. With three championship Gary Player golf courses consistently rated in the Top 20 Golf Courses in South Africa, it is easy […]
Review: Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa Magaliesberg Canopy Tour The beauty was spectacular. I was surrounded by 2400 million year old mountains. Thirty metres below me, a pebbled stream ran through the gorge, flanked by mini-waterfalls. The air was fresh and the sun was shining through the trees. Forest birds and animals peered at us […]
What to do in Hong Kong in 36 hours... Do you have limited time in Hong Kong? Read on to discover things to do in Hong Kong in 36 hours... “Two tickets to Stewart Road , Wan Chai” , I said to the sturdy woman behind the ticket counter. The bus terminal was just outside Hong […]
Experiences in Melaka Not all my memories of Melaka are good but more about that later… When researching Malaysia, Melaka emerged as one of the most interesting places in the country as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site, so we included a one night stay there. I don’t regret going there. However I do […]
Legoland Malaysia and Singapore Legoland Malaysia was the highlight of my childrens’ Malaysia visit. It was also one of two reasons why we booked a few days at Johor Bahru, which is about 4 hours by bus from Kuala Lumpur. The second reason was that it was near the border of Singapore, so we could […]
This post is based on my visit in 2014. The lodge has now been renamed to African Hills Safari Lodge & Spa and the reserve is now called Plumari Private Reserve. (2021 update) Askari Game Lodge and Spa Review I was kissed by an 18 year old elephant. It was a big, wet, slobbery kiss, but […]
