Table of contents for April 2019 in go!

NAMIBIA The north-eastern corner of Namibia is wet, lush and rich in game – if you know where to look. We list 10 tips for planning a trip to the Kavango, Kwando and Zambezi rivers. GEAR Minimalist packs for a stroll in the forest, bags for work or play, and hiking packs for high-altitude adventures. FOOD Get biltong right with recipes from a South African legend.…

Arachnophobes now have another reason to lie awake at night: A new species of button spider, the Phinda button spider, was recently discovered – the first new species discovered in this genus in 28 years. The scientific name of the spider will be made public as soon as the species description has been published in a journal. The common name is derived from the nature reserve in KZN where the researchers did much of their work. How did the discovery happen? The spider was first seen in Tembe Elephant Park, in the far north of KZN, in 2014. Researcher Barbara Wright from the Wild Tomorrow Fund and her husband Clinton suspected that it was a new species. They roped in Ian Engelbrecht, a spider expert at the University of Pretoria,…

As a conservationist, I try to make people aware of the ecological importance of snakes, and I always emphasize that the vast majority of species are harmless. In doing so, I hope to stop people from killing them unnecessarily. The Mozambique spitting cobra is one of the exceptions. It’s one of the most commonly encountered cobra species in South Africa, and one of the most dangerous… The cobra occurs in KZN, from Durban north. It’s also found in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North West, and in most parts of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. It’s responsible for the most number of serious snake bites in South Africa, but that doesn’t mean you should kill one on sight. Many things have to happen before the snake strikes – it will only do…

This is your second Witboy book, after Witboy in Africa . Where did the name originate? I created Witboy while I was travelling through Africa. Often, I was the only white guy in a room. It was a reaction against all the names that whites are called in Africa: oyibo , umlungu , mzungu … Then it developed into a technique where the character was willing to say and do things that the author might not necessarily say and do. Kind of like Witboy is Deon Maas, but Deon Maas isn’t Witboy. How does Berlin as a resident differ from Berlin as a tourist? South Africans know all about the long flights and poor exchange rate when you’re…

Las swapped his career as a banker in London for a sunnier life in Cape Town, where he uses every opportunity to explore back roads and passes on two wheels. He uses an old mountain bike for his bikepacking trips: a steel-frame Marin San Rafael from the 1990s. It’s as basic as a bike can get, but it’s sturdy, it has good cantilever brakes and lots of clearance for wide tyres. His pannier bags are an inexpensive UK brand called Boardman, and his rack is a standard affair that you should be able to find at any decent bike shop. Being on a bike is always a great feeling, and it’s somehow even better when you know that you have everything you need with you. It gives you a real…

“The first thing visitors remark on when they arrive here is how hot and humid it is,” says Troos van der Merwe, the owner of Fever Tree Nursery. Troos has lived in Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, for the past 14 years. He’s sitting under his nursery’s eponymous tree, which towers over us. “I tell them, remember, we live in the Lowveld. The sticky air is what makes this place unique.” It feels as if the Indian Ocean is just over the next granite koppie, and in a way it is – 200km across the border in Mozambique. “If we want prawns, we can take a short drive to Maputo,” Troos says with a smile. The nursery is like a subtropical jungle. It’s also a popular birding destination. “When birding safaris bring…

Wild products have a variety of features that make them the best choice if you’re looking for a tough canopy for your 4x4. But tough doesn’t mean heavy: The canopies are made from strong yet lightweight powder-coated aluminium – a VW Amarok canopy weighs only 56kg. Wild canopies are corrosion-resistant and dustproof, with waterproof hinges so you can tackle dirt roads without worry. The toughened rear window is also vented so you can still see through it when you’re on a dusty road. The brake lights ensure you are visible to other drivers in poor weather. The canopies are designed for comfort: The front window slides open and can be accessed from inside the cabin and you only need one key for all the locks. Removing the canopy is also…

Early in December, about a week before my leave would officially start, I was in Swakopmund. I was visiting the wealthy branch of the family tree, the members of which wouldn’t be joining the rest of us for Christmas on the farm near Maltahöhe. The Swakop relatives prefer ski holidays… Anyway, we all met up for a party on their riverside plot about 5km from town. It felt like we were somewhere in the Kaokoveld. Fires were lit and gin cocktails flowed. We ate food from the pages of magazines. Canapés that looked like miniature works of art. It was too festive for words. The day came to an end and we had to say goodbye. I walked to the car with my friend and her son. I challenged the…

If you ever want to kick off a lively argument in the Cape, ask a group of locals where exactly the West Coast begins. Theoretically it should be at Cape Point, Africa’s most south-westerly point. But you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Capetonian who will concede to this. Because that means Hout Bay, Clifton and Sea Point are part of the West Coast – and that just doesn’t feel right. So, does it start at Blouberg? Melkbos? Yzerfontein? Only once you reach Langebaan? At school, my personal West Coast started at Big Bay in Bloubergstrand, where even a 4mm wetsuit wasn’t enough to save me from an ice-cream headache every time I ducked under a wave. The skin around my skull would contract from the cold, but then the sound…

Even though Mercury is fairly bright, not many people have seen it. Or you might have seen it without realising that it’s Mercury. Mercury moves fast. It’s the closest planet to the sun and completes its orbit in only 88 days. In Roman mythology, Mercury was the fleet-footed messenger of the gods and is often depicted with winged sandals and helmet. The planet Mercury can be seen during about six periods a year: three times in the morning before sunrise, and three times at night just after sunset. It’s not always clearly visible; sometimes it will be hidden in the glow of the sun. This year, Mercury will be most visible during April. Look for the sickle moon close to the horizon early on the mornings of 2 and 3…

What Am I Doing Here by Bruce Chatwin  Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1989 (republished by Vintage) e-book R155 at takealot.com What am I doing here? I am flat on my back in a National Health Service hospital hoping, praying, that the rigors and fevers which have racked me for three months will turn out to be malaria – although, after many blood tests, they have not found a single parasite. I have been on quinine tablets for thirteen hours – and my temperature does seem to be sliding down. I feel my ears. They are cold. I feel the tip of my tongue. It is cold. I feel my forehead. It is cool. I feel inside my groin. Not too bad. The excitement is enough to send my temperature soaring. This…

Ilsa Cheiman, Johannesburg “The biggest highlight for me was the Fish River Canyon. It gives new meaning to the term“awe-inspiring”. But there were other highlights, like the Bogenfels rock arch, and all the different rock formations in the Richtersveld. “I like trips like this because even though you’re driving bumpy roads, you’re seeing things you wouldn’t normally see.” Fili Venter & Lynette Pretorius, Boksburg “The whole experience was food for our souls. We enjoy visiting small towns like Lekkersing, and seeing how people live. Another highlight was Kolmanskop, even though it was full of tourists. Seeing so many wild horses was amazing. “This was our second tour with Bhejane and the experience was just as good as the first time. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed meeting new people.…

Pesto lamb Serves 6 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 90 minutes Pesto is an easy way to add instant flavour to any dish. You need • 2 kg leg of lamb, deboned • 1 cup grated parmesan • 100 g cashew nuts (or any other nut), finely chopped • 250 g Pesto Princess coriander & chilli pesto • olive oil • salt • black pepper Here’s how 1 Bring the lamb up to room temperature. 2 Mix the parmesan, cashew nuts and pesto together. Fold the lamb open and spread the pesto over it. 3 Roll up the lamb and secure with kitchen twine in four places. Pat the skin dry and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Prepare the kettle braai for the indirect cooking method. Scrape the coals to the…

David is the man behind Everyday Cycle Supply Company ( everydaycyclesupplyco.com ). He imports bikes and other gear, aimed at people who aren’t so keen on the competitive, race-focused side of cycling. He rides a Soma Wolverine – a modern, steel-frame touring bike that can handle everything from tar to rutted mountain passes. It’s comfortable, it has good tyre clearance and it has rack mounts: perfect ingredients for an adventure bike. I wouldn’t survive a trip without my espresso pot because what’s a campout without an early morning coffee? I also never leave home without my sleeveless down puffer jacket, which doubles as my pillow. The biggest mistake you can make as a beginner is not to go. If you end up taking too much or too…

Rugby analysts claim that the ideal flanker possesses a perfect combination of power and speed. When it comes to BMW’s range of adventure motorcycles, the old F650GS (a scrum half ) was too lightweight, and the R1200GS (playing prop) was just too big and heavy for some riders. This is why the first F800GS caused such a stir when it arrived a decade ago. Now here’s the question: Is its replacement, the F850GS, the Richie McCaw of adventure bikes? The 850GS is new almost from the wheels up. The 853 cc engine is built by Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Loncin and not by Kymco, the Taiwanese manufacturer who made the outgoing 800GS’s 789 cc engine. The new 850 delivers 7 kW more power and 9 Nm more torque than its predecessor…

Trevor Vermaak “I enjoy the climate, the mountains and all the nature. On Sundays – my only day off – I’ll go ride my motorbike on the Uitkyk Road.” Louwdine Oosthuizen “There’s a laid-back feeling here. You can do anything at any time of the year because of the weather. And the Kruger National Park is just around the corner.” Esther Coetzer Visagie “I was born in Sabie nearby, but my parents moved here when I was less than a month old. The Lowveld is such a beautiful part of the country. I love the botanical garden with the Crocodile River flowing through it, and I enjoy visiting Sabie, Graskop and Barberton.”…

I have enjoyed nature for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I wanted to be a ranger. Things didn’t quite turn out like that, but I never stopped loving the bush. In 2017 I took a good look at my life. I made a decision not to just eat, sleep, work and repeat any more. I decided to take my photography seriously and to enjoy every second of it. Shortly thereafter, I bought my first D-SLR and some lenses. I’ve since found balance between my work life (I’m a software specialist), my social life and my “bush life”. Sometimes I go to the bush by myself, other times with friends. Most of my spare time is spent in Addo, where I photograph the diverse fauna and…

What were the highlights? The unpolluted night sky – and the silence. The lack of cellphone signal was also oddly liberating. Vermaak Senosi, Bhejane’s master cook, served us delicious food, including heaps of freshly baked bread and an endless supply of moerkoffie . It was a privilege to see the deserted mining town of Pomona and the enormous Bogenfels rock arch in the Sperrgebiet, without being jostled by crowds of tourists. Hardest part? The 560 km drive from Cape Town to Springbok, where I met with tour guide Douwe Vlok, was the furthest  I’d ever driven on my own. But I enjoyed it – just me, my music and the open plains of Namaqualand. In Springbok, I had to follow Douwe but lost him after a few…

NEW MOON 5 APRIL  SPRING TIDE: 6 APRIL HIGH TIDE: 3.53 AM & 4.10 PM FIRST QUARTER 12 APRIL  NEAP TIDE: 13 APRIL HIGH TIDE: 9.45 AM & 10.41 PM FULL MOON 19 APRIL  SPRING TIDE: 19 APRIL HIGH TIDE: 3.06 AM & 3.33 PM LAST QUARTER 27 APRIL  NEAP TIDE: 27 APRIL HIGH TIDE: 9.45 AM & 10.49 PM These are the high tide times for Cape Town. For other places, add or subtract minutes: Saldanha: +5; Hermanus: -4; Port Elizabeth: +19; Durban: +26 Tide information reproduced with permission from the Hydrographer, SA Navy. The Hydrographer is not responsible for any transcription errors. sanho.co.za SUNRISE & SUNSET (17 APRIL) Cape Town 7.10 am & 6.21 pm Bloemfontein 6.43 am & 5.55 pm Johannesburg 6.24 am…

The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures  by Louis Theroux, Pan Books R230 at takealot.com In 2004, journalist and TV presenter Louis Theroux (son of the legendary travel writer Paul Theroux) embarked on a six-month “Reunion Tour” of the United States. He went in search of 10 of his most intriguing “ex-interviewees” from his TV show Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends , which had been shot a decade before. Those people included UFO conspiracy theorist Thor Templar, a young porn star named JJ Michaels, a neo-Nazi children’s folk group and even Ike Turner, the troubled ex-husband of Tina. His focus would be different from when he did the TV show. He writes in the prologue: “It would be a chance to work in a…

Private Dancer by Tina Turner R90 at Google Play; also on streaming services With album sales exceeding 200 million worldwide, and 12 Grammy awards, Tina Turner, who turns 80 this year, is worthy of the title: Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll. There’s even a new musical about her life story, Tina , showing on London’s West End. Private Dancer was released in 1984 by Capitol Records and it remains her best-selling album. It was her big breakthrough as a solo star, after many tumultuous years of singing with her ex-husband Ike. With mega-hits like “Private Dancer” and “What’s Love Got to Do with It”, Turner melted the musical boundaries between pop, rock, jazz and R&B. Crank up the volume next time you’re on the road.…

A ALEXANDER BAY Look for the track down to the beach in town. It’s a few kilometres’ drive. Along the way you’ll see the mouth of the Orange River to the north (a vast estuary), and mining activities to the south. If you want to stay in the area, consider Brandkaros, which is 26 km east of Alexander Bay next to the Orange River, along a dirt road. brandkaros@gmail.com B HONDEKLIP BAY Go see the wreck of the Aristea , about 3,5 km south of town. Along the way there are lots of viewpoints over the wild Atlantic Ocean. C WALLEKRAAL From 1852 until 1872, this place was a flourishing halfway station for ox-wagons trekking to the harbour in Hondeklip Bay, carrying copper from the mines…

WHY? We publish a selection of reader pictures every month. Don’t be shy, haul out those shots you’ve been hoarding on your computer and send them to us! We like just about anything: wildlife, landscapes, portraits, holiday snaps or bugs in your garden. HOW? Send your best photos to takeyourpic@gomag.co.za . Don’t send files bigger than 4 MB – if we need a bigger version, we’ll ask for it. Give the name, surname, home town and contact number of the photographer. Also include info about where and how the shot was taken, and what equipment was used. If you manipulated your photo in any way, tell us what you did. THE FINE PRINT We reserve the right to use your photos elsewhere in the magazine, on our…

When it comes to food and wine, there’s no such thing as a “perfect pairing”. It always comes down to personal preference, your mood, the occasion and lots of other things. But that’s also what makes it so much fun! If you were to push me on the point, however, I’d say that the only near-perfect pairing is cabernet sauvignon and lamb. There’s something about the opulence of the meat combined with the silky tannins and the lively acidity of the wine, which is hard to beat. The Overhex Mensa Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (R85) is a great, easy drinking cab sauv. It’s packed with loads of juicy berries and soft, supple tannins. It comes with a cool twist-on, twist-off Helix cork and an even cooler app that you can download,…

Leonie is the curator of Bicycle South ( bicyclesouth.co.za ), an amazing online resource for cyclists who want to find out more about bike-friendly routes, accommodation, gear and more. Like David, Leonie also rides a Soma Wolverine (nicknamed Lupa – a female wolf), but she’s taken hers to the next level. She installed a motorised front hub powered by a battery that she keeps in a frame bag below her top tube. The motor makes pedalling easier and allows Leonie to travel further and faster. Finished off with cushy mountain-bike tyres and quality Ortlieb and Revelate bags, Lupa is ready for action. Bikepacking is exhilarating and enriching. It enables me to break my routine, spend time outdoors and reconnect with the simple pleasures in life: the warmth…

A palm-covered coastline, warm water, coral reefs, mangrove forest and some interesting sand driving await you on this 10-day tour, which starts in the Kruger Park. We’ll travel east across the lush lowlands of Mozambique, crossing the Limpopo River, to the coastal floodplains. Our route takes us to the village of St Jorge do Limpopo and onto Machaila. We have a light picnic lunch en route before we set up camp on the banks of the Chefu River for our first night. The next morning after breakfast, we continue eastwards until we get to the town of Mabote, and then turn north to Vilanculos. Travelling overland, we drive through savannah woodlands before the landscape changes to a narrow, palm-studded strip of beach at the fishing village of Inhassoro, opposite the…

OUR PICK BOSCHKLOOF GUEST FARM Boschkloof Guest Farm is in the foothills of the Cederberg. Sun glints off the farm dam and you’re surrounded by orchards and mountains. Boschkloof Cottage is next to the house where owners Doempie and Mariet Smit live. Mariet recommended we rather stay at Oude Boord Cottage about 500 m away “for silence and privacy”. To get to Oude Boord you have to drive through a little drift. The depth of the river depends on recent rains. It’s usually just a shallow stream, but check with Mariet before you try to hammer through in your Corsa bakkie. Oude Boord is indeed private. There’s a lawn with orange trees in front and mountains behind. The Boskloof River burbles past. Your daily routine will probably look like this:…

These dinosaurs are not to scale. They wouldn’t all fit on the page! ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN AFRICA Giraffatitan The sauropod dinosaurs were the biggest animals to ever live on land. The Giraffatitan from Africa was one of the biggest of these long-necked dinosaurs – it looks a lot like the Brachiosaurus of North America. MOST COMMON IN SA Massospondylus The hind legs of this dinosaur were longer than its forelegs. It was one of the first dinosaurs to walk on two legs. It stood upright to reach food or when it wanted to appear bigger and more dangerous. The oldest fossilised dinosaur eggs to be discovered were found in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. They were laid by a Massospondylus. BIGGEST IN SA Ledumahadi mafube This giant…