Getaway -julkaisun December 2015 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

A few weeks ago I saw a film so beautiful to me, I pushed the ‘play’ button again the moment it ended. In Night Train to Lisbon, Jeremy Irons is an ageing teacher in a listless life who comes across a book, or rather, the book seems to find him. An exquisitely illogical moment finds him on board a train, and then his life takes a wonderful turn. For me, the gentle pace of discovery in the film portrays everything that I love about travelling: the notion that worlds and lives run parallel to our own and leaning into these other lives allows us the space to reconsider our set attitudes and how we've constructed our own worlds. And that the readjustment that happens after this allows us more room…

A quick bit of window shopping takes on new meaning this summer when Slide The City comes to seven South African cities. It’s basically a mega slip and slide (304 metres long) set up in the street which riders whizz down on inflatable tubes (too fast to even think of salivating over those shoes in the shop window). In order to be as light as possible on the environment, the water used for the slide (about the same amount a household pool loses to evaporation in a year) is recycled up and down the slide and after the event will be fed into storm drains and reclaimed. The slide will be in the following cities on these dates: Port Elizabeth 12 and 13 December Knysna 16 December Cape Town 19…

FindMyWay is Citymapper for South Africa (see below). It’s not yet as extensive, and in fairness doesn’t have access to the level of real-time transport information available in cities such as London and New York, but it’s a local initiative with big plans and even now is providing useful city-routing information for many of South Africa’s major metropoles (see our accompanying interview with the head of the app’s developer, WhereIsMyTransport). Pick a start and end point, and the app will calculate the optimal route, provide departure and arrival times, distances, a route map, fare prices and ticketing information. Future releases promise added cycle route planning, cab-hailing services and more. If they get it right, who needs Citymapper? Free on Android, Blackberry and IOS. Citymapper calls itself ‘the ultimate transport app’…

FOR SHOPPING... Well this is a bit tricky. Because my guests are coming from Joburg and Joburgers love shopping malls. I don’t get that. So I suppose the V&A Waterfront has to be their first stop. 021-408-7600, waterfront.co.za FOR CULTURE... The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) at the V&A Waterfront always has fantastic art. 021-418-7855, waterfront.co.za/news/zeitz mocaa And the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum. 021-418-4741, sarugby.co.za FOR EATING... Chefs Warehouse & Canteen on Bree Street has the most ridiculously good food you can have in the city centre. 021-422-0128, chefswarehouse.co.za. The best Italian I’ve eaten is at a restaurant in Green Point called Il Leone Mastrantonio. 021-421-0071 FOR DRINKING... Cubaña in Green Point. Go there early evening though because it gets very full very quickly, and then you…

M’Khaya-Teeny This is a top choice for a couple with four-legged children. Comprising two garden studio cottages in Trafalgar, each with a fenced-off garden and braai area; there’s a post-beach dog shower, and owners Vicky and Dirk Odendaal will even dog-sit. From R545 for two sharing. mkhayateeny.co.za Surfspray Cottages Fred Fryne built these cottages on a prime beachfront site for his nine grandchildren in the 1950s, and the exteriors remain virtually unchanged. Set in lush gardens overlooking Marina Beach there is something deeply nostalgic about staying here. From R670 for two sharing. Book with Roxy on 082-758-6317. Water’s Edge is my favourite house on Southbroom's Woolands Road- a shabby-chic two-storey beachfront home with a lovely garden and a path cut through to the indigenous forest. It’s on the market but…

VISA ON ARRIVAL! WHY IT’S WORTH THE TRIP It’s a bucket-list must and a wildlife experience that has no equivalent anywhere else. South Africans do not need to get a visa in advance. One can be purchased on arrival. Rwanda’s gorilla populations are revered by its people, and money spent on a trip goes towards their conservation as well as developing local infrastructure. Volcanoes National Park, where the gorillas are, is just a two-hour drive from Kigali, which is clean and friendly and an exciting destination in and of itself. A Friend once told me that after seeing the gorillas she started having terrible nightmares in which she was a little girl taken from her family. In her dreams she walked barefoot and alone at night, crying for her mother,…

4000 This is how many Kenyan shillings it cost to buy this goat - the equivalent of roughly R540. Arriving too late to buy food in Shompole, south of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, Mutua Matheka and his friends had just one option ... to ‘look for a goat and have it roasted for us’. It cost them the above sum, and nothing, says Mutua, could explain how good it was. ‘Masai do know how to roast their meat perfectly, not too done or too rare.’ That was day one of a 4x4 journey from Nairobi to Lake Natron - one of the caustic, mineral-rich lakes that dot East Africa’s great rift. Read about it (and how to do the journey yourself from SA to Kenya) in next month’s…

MELISSA SIEBERT American-born Melissa Siebert has spent most of her career in SA, with sojourns in Egypt and Israel-Palestine. From covering forced removals and township uprisings, Siebert migrated to travel writing. She’s at work on a second novel dealing with witchcraft and the spirit world in Limpopo - and her story on a cultural road trip (page 60) is, in part, a test drive. KERRYN FISCHER Frank Features’ co-founder and former editor (Elle Decoration, Real Simple, National Geographic Traveller South Africa), Kerryn Fischer explored Dublin, and discovered this ancient Viking city has an irrepressible spirit, a freewheeling bike-share scheme and an incredible artisanal food scene. See her story on page 98. TUDOR CARADOC-DAVIES A long-time writer for several men’s magazines, Tudor Caradoc-Davies forked left from the nine-to-five to go freelance,…

I have long wanted to do a trail in the Karoo, so this is an ideal and much appreciated surprise for me and I am really looking forward to spending time at Sanbona. - Andrew Brown Thank you for the DueSouth gift card that I won just in time for my birthday. I cannot wait to start enjoying my shopping experience. - Leonie Wilson That’s awesome! Wow, thank you! I have been longing to go to the Kgalagadi - and now I have the perfect opportunity! - Karen Krige Ready for Table Mountain. - Riefaat Davis…

We all know about orchids that smell like rotting flesh to attract insects, but seeds that smell like poo to lure dung beetles? That’s a new one. A team of biologists from the universities of Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal have discovered a type of Cape restio, Ceratocarym argenteum, that produces large, hard nuts that not only resemble dung but smell like antelope poo. The result is that unsuspecting dung beetles roll the nuts away from the plant and bury them, thus dispersing the seeds across the veld. The study was carried out at De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape and involved, among other things, attaching neon threads to beetles and tracking their movements with motion-sensing cameras. Professor Jeremy Midgley, from UCT’s Biological Sciences Department, says the study has…

The Rosebank Sunday Market is an old hat on the Jozi scene, but with the addition of a cool new cocktail bar, more types of food stalls and a general facelift, it now has much more style – and perfect timing too. Taking place every Sunday, from 9am to 4pm, on the upper level parking lot of the Rosebank Mall, it joins markets across the country that get tinselly at this time of year, full of gifts that will satisfy even the grumpiest old aunt. Below are other great festive markets to check out. rosebanksundaymarket.co.za GAUTENG Northfield Methodist Church, Benoni 24 – 28 November from 9am – 7pm craftersfair.co.za Emperors Christmas Fair, Emperors Palace 11 – 20 December from 9am-9pm. Entrance R10 pp, children under 12 free.craftersfair.co.za Kamers Vol Geskenke,…

Our platform [which powers the apps FindMyWay and Transport for Cape Town (TCT)] ... provides a single, integrated source for movement data for a city, allowing transit operators and agencies, city officials, regulators and commuters to access accurate, comprehensive data. TCT was the first multi-modal transport app in Africa... and it’s been a real learning experience for everyone involved. The second phase of the app is being developed now. We’re incorporating the feedback we’ve had from users to provide an even easier, more seamless experience for Capetonians. Emerging cities face a number of challenges ... there are strong budgetary and capacity constraints, but the lack of services has led to the development of extensive informal transport systems. They are also often shaped by historical and socio-economic forces that favour sprawl…

Camp kitchen The innovative Wonderbag keeps hot food cooking for up to eight hours. R230, wonderbag.co.za The non-stick Coghlan’s braai Corn Popper – with a safe, long handle – serves up movie-grade popcorn. R249, campandclimb.co.za Compact and leak-proof, the Stanley Pocket Steel Flask has a handy lanyard. R369, campandclimb.co.za Brighten up the braai with the new 7,8-litre Bush Baby cast-iron potjie pot (also in red). The coating means food is less likely to stick. R600, checkers.co.za These 55cm-long Firewire Flexible Skewers can hold a whole boerewors – and then some – and the tip stays cool for easy turning. R289, yuppiechef.com The bamboo-based EcoSouLife Camper Set (mug not pictured) is biodegradable. R199, capeunionmart.co.za Chill out It’s comfy, washable and comes with a pillow, and the Kaufmann hammock can handle a…

OUR EXPERT SAYS: 'I was cheered by the generosity of KZN homeowners. Thanks for the great rates!' HOW IT WORKS: TripAdvisor lists accommodation rated by guests, but as much as we love peer reviews, can we trust them? Pippa, who has reviewed accommodation for 17 years, inspected 30 properties – some rated on TripAdvisor, plus she rooted out new ones. These 13 topped her list. Best value sea-view house THRUMS Unrated Located in South Ridge Road, Thrums was one of the very first cottages to be built in Southbroom, and as such enjoys a plum position: elevated enough to enjoy those enormous blue horizons yet a few strides down the hill to Granny’s tidal pool. Very much an old family cottage, Thrums was bought by the granddad of the current…

THE PRIZE INCLUDES: 1 X 2-FOR-1 ALL DAY DOME 4 This four-person dome and travel shelter is no ordinary tent. The WeatherTec floors are patented and welded, with inverted seams for always-dry floors that are big enough to fit two queen-size airbeds. 4 X DURANGO SINGLE SLEEPING BAG There's no squeeze here with a sleeping bag that has more than enough room for one person. Comfortable between -3°C and 12°C, it’s ideal for summer and the quilted construction and taffeta shell keep you warm on cold nights too. 4 X CHT7 HEADLAMP This headlamp is both light and versatile. The head strap is fully adjustable, the head pivots and its four different modes can light your path for up to 50 metres. The LEDs never need to be replaced and…

He had me at the carrot. It was a starter, tuna on white beans, with tiny confetti-like pieces of carrot showing up in between. I’d already noticed the welcome gesture: a single (peeled!) confit cherry tomato with a wisp of anchovy but I hadn’t seen such careful, uniform chopping in mid-level dining since ... well, maybe ever? And that’s when I asked to meet the chef. Andrea Volpe came out, cool as a mousse; chef’s jacket hanging elegantly on his tall frame, long tweezers in his top pocket, Kramer-like hair standing up in waves. I remember his calm but resolute expression when he said, ‘I do not understand, these important restaurants, they put everything together on the plate - fish, pork belly - is so confusing on the tongue. I…

A similar thought crosses my mind as I make the journey into this place of magic. Magic: l call it that because I can’t quite define what it is that’s in the air here. A friend of mine, Khumo, says it’s something in the water. Whatever it is, this place is special, and I must bring my mom and dad to Port St Johns one day soon. I’m making my way towards the Isinuka Mud Caves and sulphur pools, found in a thick forest about a 10-minute-drive from town. When I moved to Cape Town early last year, I took a road trip from Durban to Mthatha and stopped in at Port St Johns (or PSJ, as it’s referred to by locals). I only stayed two days but my heart…

Wherever you go in the world, whatever startling sights you travel to see, it’s the people you meet that are always most memorable. The day before I arrived in Rwanda, Teagan the Getaway photographer was involved in an accident. She was on the back of a moto - one of the squillion small motorcycles that operate as taxis through the hills and streets of Kigali - when the moto drove into the side of a vehicle running a stop street. The moto stopped abruptly but Teagan didn’t. She flew through the air and landed head first on the tarmac. Fortunately Teagan is 24 years old, an age when human beings are made of elastic, chewing gum and good ideas, so the only damage was to the lens of her camera.…

1. ON FOOT In the film The Yes Man, Jim Carrey’s character joins a jogging photography group that trots around Los Angeles taking in the sights. Run Cape Town does a similar thing, but sans the cameras (or the rubber face). Joggers can choose from seven routes, including a historical city run, a Table Mountain trail run and a scamper around Gugulethu. Vincent Ntunja leads the Gugulethu route, which takes in landmarks such as the Amy Biehl and Gugulethu Seven memorials, and often ends with a bite at renowned braai spot Mzoli’s. From R400 pp.runcapetown.co.za 2. ON SKATES Revamping its promenade was probably one of the best things Durban has done. The pavements and paths are now packed with people walking, cycling, skating, jogging, fighting with unruly bunny chows and…

It’s the small capital with a huge heart – home of Guinness, Molly Malone, James Joyce ... and that red-haired wrestler they call Sheamus. It’s also in the running to become the Culture Capital of the World (read our guide on page 98) and the booming revival of its restaurants, markets, arts and nightlife may soon make it, officially, the coolest city on the globe. Here’s your chance to experience it for yourself. TO ENTER: SMS the word ‘DUBLIN’, followed by your name, surname, email address and region to 32697, or enter online at competitions.getaway.co.za THE PRIZE INCLUDES: 2 return tickets from South Africa to Dublin with Etihad Airways PLUS R5000 spending money Visit ireland.com  for the latest info and great offers from the Emerald Isle TERMS AND…

The new P7,2 LED Lenser torch is a superb combination of size, power, reliability and easy-to-use operation. It’s got all the specs of a high-tech torch with a maximum 320-lumen output and 260-metre beam distance, but prioritises simplicity in design and function. Boxed together with the iconic box-shaped Rebar Leatherman the outdoors is for the taking. A small, slim multi-tool the Rebar pliers have been optimized for strength, feature replaceable wire cutters, a bottle and can opener, two knives and three screwdrivers. R1 620, awesometools.co.za…

You have friends visiting Cape Town from Johannesburg, what hotel would you recommend? Villa Zest Boutique Hotel. It’s in Green Point so it’s close to the Waterfront, a stone’s throw from the heart of the CBD, but it’s still a quiet sanctuary. It’s quirky, with personalised service and attention that you don’t have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for, which is often the problem with Cape Town. The best thing that ever happened to me there was being served by a concierge at two in the morning. We’d just come back from a club and sat outside near the pool. He lit a fire for us, the stars were out and we had the most delightful experience. The guy paid attention to our every need until 4am. It’s things…

• FECUNDITY Every verge sprouts lush vegetation, as much to do with the benign climate as the strong conservation ethos that reigns south of Ramsgate. At the heart of Southbroom Conservancy is the eight-hectare beachfront Frederika Nature Reserve; from here coastal paths lead all the way to Marina Beach, Trafalgar Marine Reserve and the 60-hectare Mpenjati Nature Reserve. According to KZN Wildlife ‘no other protected area in KZN has such a diversity of habitats in such a small area’. • WILDLIFE MIGRATIONS Every October some three million barn swallows arrive to nest in the Umkobi estuary, where they stay for six months. Between June and November daily whale sightings are virtually guaranteed and June/July sees the spectacular sardine run. • BLUE FLAG BEACHES ETC There’s a choice of four Blue…

In a sense, my recent road trip to Limpopo began 27 years ago. In 1988 army tanks chased a fellow reporter and me out of Thohoyandou, the former capital of Venda, the former homeland. We were doing a story on ‘witch’ killings: young comrades were necklacing old women, accusing them of witchcraft. One of our sources, a local priest, mesmerised us with stories of the sacred Lake Fundudzi, where virgins were once sacrificed to the python god; of ancestors’ graves guarded by the white lion in Thathe Vondo forest; of an intricate, invisible world with far more power than the visible one. ‘We take our shoes off,’ said Moshakge Molokwane, a member of the royal family who was leading us into the red dust of the royal kraal at Modjadji,…

1 AERIAL DISCOVERY R50 DISCOUNT FOR NOV/DEC/JAN If you’ve ever driven the N2 through the Overberg, passed through Riviersonderend and thought that it’s highly unlikely a river exists with no end, you have a chance to find out for yourself by taking on the Cape Canopy Tour near Grabouw. There, high up in the 70 000-hectare Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve you will step into the void and zip between the kloofs above the tailwaters of the ‘river without an end’. DETAILS There are 13 platforms and slides reach up to 330 metres long. Tours include a scenic 4x4 trip and a light meal at the Sunbird Café. Pack a warm top as it can get cold in places and be prepared for the one-kilometre hike back to the start. COST…

NO VISA REQUIRED! WHY IT’S WORTH THE TRIP It’s still possible to find good value on the rand in Dublin. There’s loads to see and do at a reasonable price. Dublin’s Transport in the city is relatively inexpensive and Dublin’s recently launched Leap Travel Card makes it even cheaper for tourists to get around. The city centre is populated with a wealth of world-class ‘ restaurants, bars and cafes. Little more than five years on from Ireland’s spectacular economic freefall, I arrive in Dublin for the first time, eager to taste a pint of Guinness in the city’s famous pubs and to walk through the hallowed halls of Trinity College. With its cobbled streets, gracious Georgian squares and strong literary tradition, I’d long wanted to explore this millennial city in…

SLAP ON THE WRIST From R2 700, awesometools.co.za Welcome to the next-generation multitool, Leatherman Tread. Forget the Apple watch, this is wearable tech worth drooling over - each link contains a tool such as a bottle opener, oxygen-tank wrench and screwdriver heads, and you can safely cruise through the airport with one. It has 25 features and a 25-year warranty. NIGHT RIDER R990, jetbeam.co.za Resistant to a one-metre drop and waterproof, the Jetbeam BR10GT flashlight is designed for mountain biking and can be mounted to a helmet or bicycle. Charged via USB, it offers up to 14 hours of light, has an aluminium alloy military finish and a hefty 900-lumen output for lighting up the road ahead. BEST OF BOTH R220, vermontsales.co.za The TorkCraft…