Índice para April 2017 em Getaway

It’s a happy coincidence that my sister and I currently find ourselves living together, like two spinsters in a Jane Austen novel. Every morning, we rise at around 5am and head out to the mountain close to the infamous Rhodes Memorial for our morning ‘constitutional’. For those that don’t know, Rhodes Mem is part of Table Mountain National Park, around which Cape Town city is spreading. We’ve become familiar with the area. At one corner we stop and search for a pair of African eagle owls. On the morning of writing this, one peered at us, gave a gratifying hoot, spread its wings and dropped away into the gloom as cyclists came panting by. On our way back down, we always listen out for the piping ‘kew’ of a resident…

I don’t normally wear white – even if one day science manages to preserve me as a disembodied head in a vat, I’ll still find a way to drop my lunch down the front of my shirt – but it was a hot, humid day in South Beach, Miami, and the shop had air conditioning so I slipped in for a while. It was cool and pleasant in there among the rows and rows of gleaming white Egyptian cotton, like being inside an iceberg, or a P. Diddy yacht party. The shop was staffed by its owner, a Frenchwoman of a certain age with glittering eyes who smelt like expensive perfume. I must confess it: I do enjoy a French female accent. ‘How’s business?’ I asked. She shrugged Gallically, like…

GoPro Hero 5 Black worth R7 999 What a wonderful way to start the new year! I’m looking forward to taking this lovely piece of gear along on my next hiking trip. Thank you to all at Getaway and GoPro for this wonderful present. – Rudi van Greunen Cobb Premier Cooker and Roast Rack worth R3 650 We love to camp, and my husband will certainly be impressed with the Cobb cooker and roaster. Always fun to try something new. Thank you Getaway! – Charlotte Pretorius Hi-Tec Navigator boots worth R2 000 I am really excited to have won this prize. Can’t wait to get out there on the mountain with my dogs and my fiancée to try them out. I’m also looking forward to using the navigation when I…

When Eastern Europeans and folks from Central Asian nations drink beer, they like to have some chechil with it. This plaited delicacy is made from long, thin strings of curd that are brined and smoked and then hand-plaited. Talmira van der Westhuizen and her husband Gert, who farm Jersey cows outside Bloemfontein, have started making chechil for the South African market. Gert first encountered it on a trip to Kazakhstan in 2009, and was hooked – incidentally, it’s where he first met Talmira too. Fast forward a few years, and the couple had to learn the art of normal cheesemaking before giving it their twist (which required a return trip to Kazakhstan to visit factories there, and special lessons with a chechil expert). ‘It has a salty, smoky taste,’ Talmira…

Isn’t hiking just the best? It’s the only true cardiovascular endeavour that rewards you while you’re actually doing it. Some folk will tell you that exercise is a joy in and of itself, but they are deranged. All that heavy breathing gives them too much oxygen, causing them to confuse the euphoria of a gym workout with the awful feelings they have while actually doing the working out. Hiking does not abide that sort of carrot-and-stick constitution. It is benevolent, proffering up beautiful distractions the moment you set foot in the wild. First it draws your attention outward, to the majesty of your surroundings. Then it coaxes you inward, igniting your forgotten pioneer. You regard yourself with your mind’s eye, a modern explorer with purpose and appreciation, conquering the well-marked…

WHAT WINE? If you’re packing padkos, chances are you’re headed somewhere special of the bush, beach or berg variety. And for winos, that means you need to make space in the boot for at least two bottles. Firstly, a fruity white for spritzers on arrival. Let the purists snigger as you mix equal parts soda and wine over ice – let’s wait to see who lands up more lip-smackingly refreshed after the long drive. A zesty Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc will do nicely, especially if it’s on the right side of the price/quality equation so it mixes and matches with aplomb. Secondly, you’ll need a meaty red for the traditional first-night braai. WHAT LABEL? The spritzer With a 3.5 star rating and a price tag of just R37, Excelsior Purebred…

CHILDREN RUN AND JUMP FEARLESSLY FROM THE HARBOUR WALLS AT HIGH TIDE. THE WATER IS A CLEAR AQUAMARINE AND YOU CAN EVEN SEE STRIPED FISH SWIMMING ABOUT. RESIDENTS OF STONE TOWN PEDDLE THEIR WARES TO BOTH LOCALS AND TOURISTS IN THE WINDING ALLEYS. SWIMMING IS A BIG COMPETITION. CHILDREN RUN AND JUMP AND TUMBLE INTO THE SEA WITH ZESTFUL ABANDON. EVERY EVENING THERE’S A BUSTLING FOOD MARKET, WITH TABLES OF SEAFOOD MANNED BY SMART CHEFS. BE SURE TO WASH YOUR MEAL DOWN WITH FRESHLY PRESSED SUGAR-CANE JUICE. ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Melanie van Zyl, Getaway’s Senior Travel Writer, went to Zanzibar for the first time in the December holidays. HOW SHE GOT THE SHOTS I really wanted to experience Stone Town like a local. We rented an…

Seven... That’s how many park camps there are in Addo Elephant National Park, which is spread over roughly 180›000 hectares. Each camp is set in an absolutely unique landscape, as the park stretches from the vast Karoo in the north right to the sandy Alexandria Dune Field on the coast in the south. We visited every single camp and drove every loop in the park to find the best ways to experience this impressively diverse park. The forest deck pictured overlooks a mountain stream and is set beside a secluded bush camp that sleeps eight. It is hired out to only one group at a time, making the clear mountain pool all yours. Plan your wildest Eastern Cape break yet with the next issue of Getaway .…

URBAN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY Sam Hobson and our own Teagan Cunniffe give some fantastic tips on photographing wildlife in urban settings (page 24). WIN A SLOT ON SA’S MOST POPULAR TRAIL Anyone who’s tried to book the Otter Trail will know it’s booked out a year in advance. So turn to our story on page 74 and enter the competition to win a slot for you and your whole troop to walk it during its 50th birthday year. THE BEST SANDWICH ADVICE YOU’LL EVER GET Food Editor Nikki Werner’s advice on sandwiches has revolutionised our road trips. Follow her seven tips and it’ll change your life (page 41). THE GOOD-VALUE STAR Each Getaway issue holds a wealth of good-value accommodation, places to stay in for under R550 pp (some for less)…

TESTED FOR FUN You can spin around in the big Bush Baby Swivel Camping Chair but, to be honest, the reason most camp chairs aren’t built to swivel is because sand is likely to grind into the mechanism. It’s also heavier than normal camp chairs, but this does lend it good stability. And spinning in it is still awesome. R599, checkers.co.za Remember those old-school canvas director chairs? They were the only ones we took on the road as a family. It’s a robust, die-hard classic (the one overlanding companies still tend to use) but it definitely prioritises function over comfort. The Howling Moon Compact Ranger Chair is a modern director’s chair with good rugged bones and a neat packing size, but much more comfortable. This…

1. AVOID SALAD Lettuce wilts to become seaweed-like in texture. Tomato slices leach juice that bleeds into bread. Keep your sandwich as dry as possible by eliminating the fresh stuff. 2. CENTRE THE CONDIMENT Dot it at the heart of the sandwich, between two layers of cheese or meat, to prevent it seeping into the bread. 3. THINK BITE-SIZED Avoid big chunky shapes (like pickle slices) that will flap out of a sandwich and onto someone’s lap. Instead, chop fine to make a relish or embed in the butter. 4. BUTTER UP Butter the bread slices edge to edge to ‘waterproof’ against any moisture in the filling. Make butter work harder by adding flavour, such as finely snipped chives or biltong dust. 5. CHOOSE LOAVES WISELY Spongy white will squash…

Directory and map 1 Storms River Mouth suspension bridge. It’s an easy walk from the reception at the rest camp and it makes for an iconic photo opportunity. Entry to the park is R49 pp. 042-281-1607 2 Tsitsikamma Village Inn. There are various accommodation options available here – from Victorian cottages to sea-themed units – and it’s number one on TripAdvisor. B&B from R685 pp sharing. 042-281-1711 3 Marilyn’s ‘60s Diner. A quirky food stop with affordable breakfast for R48 and great milkshakes for R30. 042-281-1711 4 Oudebosch Farm Stall. Stop for fresh, hot roosterkoek (R10) and home-brewed ginger beer (from R9) made the way it should be, with a raisin and sediment on the bottom). There’s a jungle gym for kids. 042-285-0562 5 Oyster Bay Lodge. This Fair Trade…

1 THE RED SHED PORT ELIZABETH, EASTERN CAPE GPS S34° 1.229’ E25° 27.082’ This spot on Bushy Park Farm comes with something exceedingly special – eight kilometres of pristine beachfront. It’s a functioning dairy farm, and there’s some small shellfish industry. It’s as pastoral as you could dream of, sectioned-off pastures of acid-green fields and sweet brown and white cows grazing placidly about. What I loved most is the remarkable birdlife that proliferates in the garden, boosted by the coastal strip of unspoilt vegetation. Waking up in the morning was like plugging into nature’s most musical soundtrack; exquisite and a startling reminder of what life sounds like outside urban environments. An unconventional farm stay – essentially a glass box with two king-size beds and a bunk bed on a mezzanine…

‘Did it last year, most awesome experience ever! Would love to do it again.’ – Emma Rossouw ‘Great memories of my hike – way back about 12 years ago but still the most awesome hike!’ – Brian Carter ‘Did it three years ago. Really worthwhile, the most amazing trail so far,’ – Ric Ram ‘We just got back to the land of cell phone reception. Third Otter done and dusted. (I am not 30 anymore but it was AMAZING!!!) Bucket list to bring the kids now!’ – Liezel Berry ‘Did it this year. Amazing experience.’ – Karolina Hein-Parkin Read our Otter Trail story on page 74 , and why everyone wants to go again!…

The Grey CAPE TOWN Walking in, through an inconspicuous entrance and past a tiny restaurant into a courtyard, is a little like entering a European pension – although the Frida Kahlo-blue walls and Moroccan tiles suggest a different continent. Stairs and a narrow passageway lead to the rooms (13 of them) clustered in different parts of this multilevel 19th century house. Co-owner Lisa Calligaro chose not to break out walls or expand spaces, so it all feels very cosy and personal. I stayed in one of the two top-floor rooms that have a terrace, and from here I discovered a secret culture – all around me were rooftop spaces providing wonderful views and an escape from the buzz around the Cape Quarter. This is an unapologetically urban hotel, so don’t…

Scary insects in the shower, snakes in tents, a dog caught by a python and dodging crocodiles in the Tugela River… These are a few of the incidents that took place during the shooting of Beyond the River , and they were just what went on behind the scenes. It’s a film inspired by the true-life story of Piers Cruikshanks and Siseko Ntondini, two men from vastly different walks of life who were determined to win gold in the Dusi Canoe Marathon. One of the filming locations was the Valley of 1›000 Hills, where the real-life race takes place – ‘We got a good sense of how hot it gets there during the race,’ says actor Grant Swanby – but they also ended up shooting on the…

Owner of Tshirt Terrorist Harry launched his parody and pop culture T-shirt label online in 2004, but now has a shop on Fourth Avenue. ‘There’s plenty of vibe and bustle here. See and be seen, but with a laid-back feel. Parkhurst is fondly referred to as ‘The Village’ by residents and regulars. It’s in the heart of the green belt and geographically quite secluded, given the boundary formed by the Braamfontein Spruit. You’ll often find me out on the cycling trails between Delta Park and Joburg Botanical Gardens. The parks in general have some amazing trails, and the suburbs are all cyclist-friendly. Joburg is a sprawling, rangy cacophony with a true, cosmopolitan heart and I love it.’ 13 Fourth Avenue, tshirtterrorist.co.za PLACE TO PLAY ‘ Rockets . It rocks! The…

Negative space is a fine-art term with huge relevance to photography. Simply put, it’s the blank area around an object that defines it. By placing something against this empty negative space, you create contrast in the scene, drawing the viewer’s eye and emphasising the subject. At its most obvious (and often most effective), negative space is uniform and uncluttered: a blank sky or an orange wall, for example. HOW TO USE IT Simplicity is key here, so find uncomplicated, static scenes with strong shadows and structure. Look at the shapes of subjects around you, the spaces between them and how they fit together. If you are struggling, convert your image to black and white so that the contrasting shapes in your image are more obvious. Experiment with composition until you…

THIS SARMIE WILL LAST FOR: 2 hrs Egg Mayo A road-trip tradition for many, but this delicate number needs to be eaten early on. 3 hrs Pastrami on Rye This classic will last a little longer and the meat makes it a more substantial hunger-buster. 4 hrs Compressed Loaf Find a scenic stop for a leg stretch and whip this out with a board and bread knife. Or carve it up before leaving home and wrap tightly in foil to keep it in one piece. 5 hrs The Keep-em-quiet Snack Pack Keep the kids happy by filling individual brown-paper bags as a surprise second reveal, and hand out when ‘are we there yet?’ kicks in. Use this recipe as a blueprint and adjust according to your budget and taste. Aim…

Three beautiful beaches on the way 1. Cannon Rocks borders directly on the Woody Cape section of the Addo Elephant National Park and is world-famous as a kiteboarding destination. 2. Boknesstrand has a lagoon and quiet, open sands. It’s also in the pilot stage of becoming a blue-flag beach. 3. Shelly Bay Beach at Kenton-on-Sea requires a little local knowledge to find: you park at the end of Westbourne Road, walk as straight as you can to the vegetated dune and you’ll find a tunnel through the forest; emerge in a dune valley. Keep right and walk towards the ‘cliffs’. It takes about 10 minutes. I once took the N2’s Tsitsikamma turnoff to sneak a quick peek at Storms River Mouth. I had a Wild Card so entry was free,…

1 Black Diamond Trail Sport 3 Trek Poles I admit, I scoffed at the idea of trekking poles when first packing for the Otter Trail. I just didn’t think I’d end up using them – I was so wrong. Although I only used one, it drastically helped me to conserve energy and I used it as a lever to get up and over the (very, very many) steps on the trail. When not in use, the telescopic pole collapses easily and I strapped it down the side of my pack. The tips are replaceable (they got pretty beat up with all the rocky pummelling) and I really liked the comfy, squishy grips. R999 for two, rammountain.co.za 2 K-Way Down Jacket Exceptionally lightweight at just 280g, this cosy…

THE FIRST-TIMER My team, a motley crew of moms and mates (pictured right), had all packed and unpacked, then repacked again about three times on a drizzly afternoon in Nature’s Valley. Nerves were high – both jitters and excitement. For all but one of us, the next morning would mark the start of our first Otter: 45 kays of quintessential coastline hiking along the shores of the Eastern and Western Cape. I’d been looking forward to it for months, having begged and bargained my way onto very fit friend Alistair Jackson’s booking. He’d made it a year in advance (to the day, so it included a weekend and public holiday) knowing just he and his mother wanted to hike it. He anticipated little problem filling up the other spots, and…

GETTING THERE We paid R10 615 pp to Paris on Qatar Airways, qatarairways.com. Flying via other European hubs to Strasbourg might be a cost-effective alternative to our Paris-linked itinerary (Strasbourg is closer to Hesse, the starting point of the cruise – just 78km away). GETTING AROUND To get to Le Boat’s base in Hesse (450km from Paris), we took the high-speed TGV from Gare du Nord to Sarrebourg (R690 pp) and thence by taxi (R262). From the Boofzheim end-point our R206 taxi, booked when collecting the boat, took us to the inter-city train from Benfeld to Strasbourg (R83 pp). The return TGV from Strasbourg to Paris cost around R965 pp. sncf.com, raileurope.co.za The Arzviller Experience canal cruise runs one way for 106km along the Canal de la Marne au Rhin,…

STAY ACTIVE R2›599, adidas.co.za Stretch-woven and lightweight for ease of movement, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Alpha Hooded Shield Windbreaker for men offers more protection than the average jacket. With an adjustable hood and high neck for better heat-trapping, its stylish, slightly padded and effectively blocks the wind, keeping you warm and insulated even if it’s wet. Extras include two zipped hand pockets to keep belongings safe while biking or hiking, and the jacket packs into itself for compact portability. Also available for women. STAY DRY R2›299, firstascent.co.za With a super-high waterhead of 10 000mm (most tents have a rating of 2 000mm) and waterproof zips, First Ascent Men’s Hurricane Jacket will keep you dry. It’s made from Vapour-Tex, a polyester derived from recycled materials,…

THE INSIDER Local resident Carolyn Fulton can’t wait to get back to her hood after work every day. She sails, surfskis, swims, jogs, and rides her motorbike if the weather’s good. So strong is the lure of Fish Hoek that Smudj, a six-year-old cat and ex-resident, doggedly hikes over the mountain back there from her new home in Glencairn whenever she gets a chance. Her ‘owners’ Carolyn Fulton and her husband Peter have retrieved Smudj from her favourite haunts no fewer than 13 times. The primal pull to a place of comfort is well documented in the animal world and we know humans share this, so it’s not surprising that Fish Hoek is awash with people who are fiercely protective of what others consider to be the ugly stepsister of…

GETTING THERE There are a few scenic routes to Fish Hoek which start on Cape Town’s M3; for sea views along the coast road from the M3 turn left onto the M42, then right onto the M4, which brings you into Fish Hoek’s main road; for the route through Silvermine Nature Reserve turn right onto the M42, then take the M64 over Ou Kaapse Weg, then turn left onto the M65 which takes you into the town from the back end. STAY HERE The Cove has two beautiful apartments overlooking False Bay. You won’t want to leave here – the views and level of comfort are outstanding. From R1 800 (sleeps up to six). thecove.capetown Whale Watchers’ Studio Apartment is perfect for romance and lovely sea views. From R1 090…