Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2017 i Getaway

I had missed my flight from Amsterdam to Vienna and had several ghastly hours to spend hanging around in Schiphol. Airports can be melancholy places, great comfortless supermarkets of anxiety and loneliness. There are so many people funnelled together, all wanting to be somewhere else, all for their own private reasons, all so guarded and inward that it’s quite easy to forget that you are all there being human together. At first I felt sorry for myself, drifting like a half-sunken plastic packet down the green cold canals of the food courts and duty-free shops. There are only so many samples of expensive cologne you can spritz on yourself before the assistants start recognising you, and there were still five hours to go. I didn’t have any conscious plan to…

SGT ANTON ZIMBA Best Field Ranger at the Rhino Conservation Awards ‘This award is not only for me and my team but for our colleagues in conservation from all over Africa, including those who have lost their lives in the line of duty,’ says Anton, a sergeant in the anti-poaching unit at Timbavati near Kruger Park. He’s come a long way from his start at the reserve 20 years ago – as a labourer for a construction company doing refurbishments. He was offered a job by the warden, doing soil-erosion and alien-plant control, and soon completed a basic field-ranger training course. ‘I felt like a new man – full of energy, proudly in green uniform, ready to deploy.’ He describes his daily encounters with wildlife ‘like a book with many…

High-energy feasting Can fitness fanatics and pure hedonists play nicely together? It seems yes, if the success of the Knysna Oyster Festival is anything to go by. Its name doesn’t give the full story – not just oysters but all kinds of seafood, plus plenty of activities to take part in: cycling, running, kayaking, obstacle courses, a women’s walk, golf and more. (Is oyster eating and shucking a sport? Yes, if it’s a competition!) There’s lots of opportunity to fuel up, from the wine festival, a night market and SASSI fish braai to the gourmet Flavours of Knysna event and Seafood Wednesday. Music concerts and the Comedy Chuckle provide the rare chance to just sit back and do nothing. 7 – 16 July. oysterfestival.co.za Just down the…

I was in the middle of donating my fourth Leatherman to airport security when a thought struck me so absolutely that my body lengthened and my pupils widened like someone who has just realised they’ve left the oven on. Which would have been ideal, actually, as I would have had to abandon my flight, allowing the nice woman who drives the hand luggage through the M.R.I-for-objects machine to return my offending tool. As it happened I was heading to Joburg, a place that waits for no person, and I knew, the moment I saw my backpack disappear into the machine for a second scan, that I’d lost yet another gadget to thoughtless packing. ‘You can go back out and give it to whoever dropped you off,’ said one of the…

DEBREZINER Mostly pork, thin but juicy, spicy and orange with paprika. BRATWURST Cold-smoked, made of pork and seasoned with white pepper and caraway. FRANKFURTER Mostly pork and some beef, lightly smoked. Lay a poached pair over a plate of potato salad. WIENERWURST Like a frankfurter but shorter, mostly pork and some beef, lightly smoked. BOCKWURST Thicker, mainly pork, some beef, sometimes with garlic, lightly smoked. Enjoy with Bock beer. HOW TO COOK SAUSAGE Browning makes all the difference to wurst, so turn them on the braai (a gas braai works particularly well) or pop them under the grill – just cut slits into the top to prevent splitting elsewhere. To fry them, prick the sausages on one side using a fork and rub with oil. Cook in a medium-hot pan…

The back roads of the Karoo have a strange effect on the mind. It’s as if mile by mile they clear you out, forcing your attention into equilibrium with the passing veld, slowly finding balance, until inside and out are united in a single vast expanse, where koppie-like thoughts appear slowly, take shape, then vanish in the mirror behind. In a sense, all roads through the Karoo are back roads – even a quiet morning on the N1 can conjure this effect – but the gravel meanderings are where everything is at its most uninterrupted. There are no cars out here. No activity of any kind it seems. A Springsteen song shuffles onto the playlist and I glance beside me at Ann, my companion on this desert detour. She is…

GETTING THERE Take the N2 from Cape Town, head to Hermanus on the R43 and continue to Gansbaai. Just outside town, take the turn-off left to Baardskeerdersbos (20km). It’s best to take a vehicle that can handle dirt roads. STAY HERE Hoopoe House is ‘home-fromhome’ and made for a family or close group of friends who love to cook and eat. For winter there’s a fireplace in the lounge and a Dover stove in the kitchen. Downstairs is an en-suite master bedroom, with two bedrooms upstairs in an open-plan loft set-up, one of which is en-suite (sans door). R1 500 per night (sleeps six). b-bos.co.za Farm 215’s fynbos suites provide peace, seclusion and total immersion in nature. In summer, be sure to watch sunset at the pool. It is not…

KZN MIDLANDS Our cover story this month is the gorgeous KZN Midlands. We sent our professional reviewer there to find 15 top spots for a cosy winter break. See page 42. VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK I can always tell a good story by whether it makes me want to start saving, and Scott Ramsay made this destination come alive for me. It’ll cost, but this is ultimate wish-list stuff. Read his story on page 76. BUDGET CHALLENGE We set two families a challenge: to find a weekend getaway outside of Durban for R3 000. Impressively, they took their budgets seriously, and still had fun (page 68). LOOK OUT FOR THE GOOD-VALUE STAR Each Getaway issue has several inexpensive accommodation options, places to stay for under R550 pp (some for less) and…

WINNING LETTER An endless honeymoon It is something past six in the morning. I am already at work, sitting outside our tent in the Hardap region of Namibia, admiring the sunrise and sipping on my second cup of coffee. This travel blogging thing is pretty nice most of the time. Alya and I have been travelling around the world together since the day we met three years ago. We’re camping, hiking and diving, and trying to see the world on the lowest budget possible. We got married in South Africa in January and are still on our Namibia honeymoon trip. We’ve spent the last two months exploring the vast openness, expecting intense heat and to be in the desert most of the time. In the end, we saw more rain…

Created by a fusion of cultures – Arabian, African, Indian and European – this island port is the picturesque venue for East Africa’s largest and longest-running cultural event. Move over, Cannes... This month, the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), which aspires to make the world a better place through tolerance and inclusivity, celebrates its 20th anniversary with the theme ‘Finding Joy/Kusikia Furaha’. The hub of the festival – and main cinema venue – is the amphitheatre at the Arab Fort (the oldest building in town, opposite the seafront Forodhani Gardens). Screenings, art and craft exhibitions, music concerts and parties are held here and also in villages all over the island, creating two weeks of carnival atmosphere. Among the more than 120 films from around the world, there will be 15…

There’s a marvellous ‘new’ way for cyclists to stay off the tar – away from maniacal motorists – and explore the best of the Western Cape on two wheels. I say ‘new’ because the roads have always been there but the launch of CrossCape has given them a name, and a home on an epic map that includes distances, directions, points of interest, emergency contacts and other important details to keep cyclists safe and, just as importantly, pedalling! Emulating Europe’s hugely popular EuroVelo route network, ‘The plan is for this to be the first of many,’ said Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde, just before leaving me in his wake of dust up Montagu Pass. ‘As the route gets more popular, it’ll give locals opportunities to open coffee…

Priya says… The combination of a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse (also known as a ‘blood moon’) is very rare. The event has only occurred five times since 1900 and the next chance will be in 2033. Planning and patience were important when I witnessed this spectacle on 27 September 2015 in Minnesota, away from city lights. I aimed to create a visually exciting image telling the story of an eclipse in various stages. The entire process took over five hours to photograph, needing constant lens adjustment as the moon travelled across the sky. Equipment Settings Canon 70D, Opteka 650-1300mm, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/2 sec PRIYA’S TIP Available light diminishes as the eclipse starts. Set your camera to Manual mode and increase exposure times as necessary, taking an image…

Have a hot dog party Lay out the ingredients and let everyone build their own. Here are three great combo ideas 1 Salty pretzel roll + debreziner/cheese griller + caramelised onions (see below) 2 German-style roll + bratwurst + German mustard + sauerkraut 3 Soft sweet roll + wienerwurst + finely chopped gherkin + mayonnaise + crispy onion sprinkles *HOW TO MAKE CARAMELISED ONIONS Add two tablespoons of butter and two thinly sliced onions to a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat and put the lid on. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and caramelised. Add sea salt to taste. (Increase or decrease the quantity as you need. Just remember the basic ratio: one onion to one tablespoon butter.)…

Get star-ted It’s 7 hours down the N12 from Joburg to Kambro Accommodation and Farm Stall (1) , 22km north of Britstown. Alternatively, from the N1, take the well-graded dirt DR3088 from Colesberg to Philipstown, then drive west for an hour on the tarred R48 and N10. If you have time (2½ hours), you’ll find absolute solitude on the gravel detour south of Philipstown instead. Day 1: Kambro to Middelwater Distance 260km Allow 4½ hours Kambro Accommodation and Farm Stall sells meat, beer, wood and all manner of padkos so stock up if you haven’t already. Then head south on the N12 to Britstown, and west on the tarred R384. 20km out of town, turn left onto the gravel DR3070 and meander along to Vosburg, then make another left onto…

AN ALLEY IN A 17TH-CENTURY MUD VILLAGE NEAR M'HAMID ON THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA. A FEW FAMILIES STILL LIVE HERE BUT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO MORE MODERN ACCOMMODATION. EVENING IN THE GARDEN OF DAR PARU GUEST HOUSE, WHICH LIES ON THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA NEAR M'HAMID. HOW HE GOT THE SHOTS Every December Obie goes to North Africa. On this trip he spent six days in Marrakech, then headed to the Atlantic coast, travelling parallel to the Atlas Mountains, and south to capture the landscapes of the Moroccan Sahara. He uses a Canon 5D Mark II and a Canon 6D. Each image has its own make-up: he carefully pre-plans the view angle, exposure and the design of the image. He mostly uses a tripod…

Africa Melane Africa loves New York City – so much so that he has travelled to the Big Apple four times in the last five years. He believes that anyone who has the means should go there at least once in their lifetime. 1 THE RED ROOSTER Whenever I travel to New York, my first stop is The Red Rooster for chef Marcus Samuelsson’s simply delicious Mac and Greens as well as the ever so soft and sweet meatballs. Marcus was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, and now lives near his restaurant in the heart of Harlem. I think he has succeeded in achieving his objective of opening a place that channels the current spirit of the neighbourhood while celebrating its memorable past. Lunch is from R116…

Angel Campey New York, page 94 Angel is a South African stand-up comedian who spent most of 2016 performing in New York, with a short stint in Montreal and Hong Kong. After a successful initial tour of NYC’s underground clubs, Angel was invited back to some of the most prestigious comedy clubs in the world, where she spent the summer performing by night and sightseeing by day. She shares some of her favourite outings with us. Africa Melane New York, page 94 When he’s not filling the airwaves with his deep and distinctive voice on Cape Talk’s Weekend Breakfast Show, Africa loves to travel and there’s no place better place for him than the Big Apple. Here he revels in an abundance of three…

Chobe Water Villas ZAMBEZI REGION, NAMIBIA Kasane is a scruffy little town. Elephants cross the main road, warthogs hole up in the culverts and urban planning seems non-existent. Which makes Chobe Water Villas all the more surprising. Where they perch at the water’s edge, just across the river in a Namibian conservancy, cows mingle with zebras and chickens peck around the feet of buffalo. So in every way the villas seem a time warp into the future: utterly elegant First World luxury parachuted into a remote corner of Africa, but somehow entirely part of it. The reception and lounge area are open to the wild river but at the same time feel private and containing. The 16 chalets are accessed by raised walkways and float above the water on stilts.…

‘Someday my prints will come (again),’ sang Snow White when she realised the days of celluloid film were over. She was right. Instant pics are back in fashion. This is the latest duo by Polaroid. First up is the Polaroid Snap Touch . Where its predecessor, the Polaroid Snap, printed every image you took, the addition of a large 89mm touchscreen lets you review and edit the images you want to print. Features include a massive 13-megapixel sensor, magnetic lens cap, autofocus, micro-SD card, a selfie mirror and in-camera oddities such as florid frames, filters and stickers. It’s quirky, stylish and easy to use, but that’s where my love for it ends. For all those mexapixels, the digital image quality is subpar, the menu is clunky and the ZINK (zero…

FINALIST A Warrior’s Welcome In Rwanda this dance is traditionally performed when welcoming men back from battle. I took this image from ground level using an off-camera flash. – By Nelis Wolmarans, Cape Town Canon 1Dx, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/2000 sec Contrast I saw clouds building up and set out for the beach at Bloubergstrand knowing a good sunset was in order. When I arrived, I noticed smog hanging over the city. I was a bit disappointed but decided to go ahead and shoot anyway. I had all the elements for this seascape set out perfectly: clouds, water movement, Table Mountain and rocks, with the front rocks making an ideal leading line. I then waited patiently for the sun to light up the right waves. Back…

THE FAMILY Jess Nicholson, husband John White, and Jack (11) and Thea (8) THE DESTINATION Rocky Bay, South Coast COSTS Petrol R200 Accommodation for one night in a log cabin R1 500 Supper at the resort restaurant R250 Padkos & other food R150 Shark cage-diving (for one) R900 Of course, within 15 minutes in the car, one child says: ‘Is there anything to eat?’ No, I say, we’ll stop on the way. Thankfully, before they got too ‘hangry’, there on the side of the road sits Claude Timam, chilling in a wheelbarrow, fiddling with his phone, low-fi South Coast style. Balanced carefully next to him are piles of fruit. Mangoes for Jack, avocados for Thea. Lots of bananas. Sorted for padkos. Except now the children are trying to stroke a cow,…

GETTING THERE From Cape Town, take the N1 past Matjiesfontein and Laingsburg, then turn right at Prince Albert Road on to the R407. From there, it’s an easy 43km drive. Allow about 4½ hours. NEED TO KNOW The folk at Prince Albert Tourism are super helpful. Give them a call or pop in. 42 Church Street. 023-541-1366, princealbert.org.za STAY HERE The French Cottage is meticulously decorated, has a verandah with comfortable couches, a superbly equipped kitchen, fourposter bed and a romantic atmosphere. R990 a night (sleeps two). 19 Deurdrift Street. 082-342-9852. Find it on Facebook. Prince Albert Country Stay has a choice of rooms, all charmingly furnished. Honeymooners, opt for Lady Chatterley’s Chamber. My favourite is the Library, with its antique double bed and book-lined wall. From R520 pp sharing…