Table of contents for February 2017 in Getaway

These days, you have to run a checklist as long as your arm when inviting people over for dinner. There’s the gluten-frees, koshers, Bantings, the sugar-frees, no-nuts and no-fats, the pollotarians, pescetarians, vegetarians, raw-food freaks and vegans. And don’t you just hate those ‘ethical eaters’? That’s me. I keep it to myself, of course, because I know it makes other people feel awkward. I have a friend who recently became vegetarian/vegan and when being offered flesh, he has tormented internal debates, except out loud, about what constitutes suffering, while everyone else rolls their eyes and guiltily licks blood off their lips. Except me. I’m with him now. It used to be that my policy was I would eat what people cooked because not offending them was the most important thing…

‘Why’s it so dark?’ I grumbled, prodding around in front of me with my foot. ‘Hey, this is your wish list,’ said my partner behind me, giggling, and then giggling even more because she knew I was getting annoyed. She was laughing because she had several gins inside her. I also had several gins inside me but I was not laughing because I had just stepped into something not quite as liquid as water but wet enough to ooze up and into my shoe. Once when I was much younger I listened to a radio play set in India during colonial times, involving some sort of torrid love affair playing out against a dramatic backdrop of political unrest. In retrospect it must have been a pretty feeble radio play, because…

Toyota Fortuner worth R454 000 To be selected out of thousands as one of the four finalists [in the Fortuner 4x4 Challenge and the ultimate winner] is a blessing greater than anything I have ever received. RamsayMedia put all their trust and faith in me. I am very pleased I did not let them down! – Danie Leonard Reef Rover sandals from Duesouth worth R949 Thank you Getaway! You really made my day when you informed me that I had won. Just in time for summer as well! – Mark Swart Thule Chasm duffel bag worth R2 599 Never thought I’d win the prize, or anything for that matter! Thanks Getaway ... now it’s time to get away :) – Koketso Bogopa SPEAK TO US getaway.co.za…

Less than 0,56 per cent of South Africa is covered by indigenous forest, and there’s a little pocket of it that defies logic and categorisation. The southernmost forest on the continent grows not in a shady, moist ravine or along a river but on a sunny slope, exposed to winds and in a coastal area with low rainfall. The trees are a unique mix of afromontane and coastal species (white stinkwood, milkwood, pock ironwood). Some are thought to be over 1 000 years old, gnarled and twisted and covered in old man’s beard, having survived fynbos fires, agricultural expansion and other manmade threats. Remarkably, the Platbos forest (near Gansbaai) is also privately owned – by Francois and Melissa Krige – and it couldn’t hope for better, more passionate caretakers. Their…

Land Rover or Land Cruiser? It’s a question that’s divided the 4x4 community since the beginning of time. In this instance time begins somewhere around the middle of the 20th century; there was such an abundance of it then that folk were accidentally inventing things like silly putty and devices they claimed could tell if you were lying. Most notably, it’s when those two four-wheel-drive marques first began production. (Anything that happened before this point is inconsequential and of absolutely no use, like the snorkel on a school-run SUV). I have driven both and as an impartial journalist I don’t have a favourite, of course. Each has its merits. Each has its throng of acolytes, too. And how can thousands of people be wrong? I’m kidding. Thousands of people can…

WILDLIFE PRIZE For the best image featuring Africa’s wildlife Prize includes: • a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Lens; • a Manfrotto MMXPROA3 monopod; • a Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW backpack. LANDSCAPE PRIZE For the most captivating African landscape image of the year Prize includes: • a Parrot Bebop 2 FPV kit with Parrot Bebop 2 drone, FPV glasses, controller; • a Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD lens. CULTURE PRIZE For the image that best captures the essence of Africa’s people Prize includes: • a Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD lens; • a Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW backpack; • a Manfrotto MK055XPRO3-3W tripod kit with a three-way head.…

HEAT HACKS Picnics have a major flaw: sunshine. It’s good for lizards but bad for winos. I obsess about temperature when dragged al fresco because, wet rooikrans braai wood aside, few things in life are less satisfying than a warm glass of wine. In fact, I’d rather have a cold glass of Chateau de Plonk than a warm bottle of Chablis. So here are three invaluable heat hacks: 1. Chill your wine a bit more than usual – and decant it into a flask. Yes, that device you use for coffee works equally well as a cooler. 2. Open a vat of cardboardeaux, drain as much wine as you need to from the silver bag to force a blue ice brick or two into the cavity. Even better, use frozen…

1 Delicious Cafe, Alldays. Set in an oasis-like courtyard, generous burgers and creamy milkshakes are served. 084-235-4588 2 Treetop Boardwalk. The perfect spot for a bird-filled afternoon and sundowners on the Limpopo River. 3 Leokwe Rest Camp. This is the best camp to make the most of the activities in the park. Park fees are R44 pp. From R1 175 per unit (sleeps two). 015-534-7923 4 Mapungubwe heritage tour. The only way to walk the hill where the gold rhino was found. R265 pp. 015-534-7923 5 Confluence viewpoints. Best saved for sunrise the 360-degree decks mark the point where three countries meet. 6 Pafuri River Camp. Located next to the Kruger National Park, this is a good base for getting into the park early. Tree houses cost R400 pp and…

When oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle sleeps, I like to imagine she dreams in pale blues and greens, teals, turquoises, cobalts, indigos, sapphire, silvers, and royal and midnight blues so rich they’re almost black. She’s been diving since the age of 16. She’s now 81. Every year, even now, Dr Earle travels up to 480000 kilometres to dive in research sites around the world. She has spent more than 7000 hours underwater. She was dubbed ‘Her Deepness’ by The New Yorker. Her Deepness says she is often asked this question: Where’s the best place to go diving? ‘Almost anywhere,’ she replies, pausing. ‘Fifty years ago.’ She would know, but there’s evidence to support her view; coral reefs are dying, we’ve eaten 90 per cent of the big sea fish*, plastic is…

6.06 That’s the time, in the early evening, this photograph was taken at Sunset Beach, near the northwestern tip of Mahé in Seychelles. Fruit bats were beginning to circle, emerging from the lush foliage on the hillside. While a local man fished for his dinner using a simple line and hook, the sky in the west quickly changed from orange to gold to pink to lilac to purple. Photographer Teagan Cunniffe, standing on the terrace of the Sunset Beach Hotel, turned her back on the setting sun to shoot the effect of the light on the beach. Each day, she captured the sunset from somewhere new. Find out how affordable the Seychelles is in the March issue of Getaway .…

OUR NO-PLASTIC PICNIC Gear Editor Melanie van Zyl rooted out a picnic basket that has no plastic (page 52), while Food Editor Nikki Werner tells you how to fill it with super-easy and yummy finger food (page 41). 2 SAFARIS YOU’LL LOVE Digital Content Manager Kati Auld and Photographer Teagan Cunniffe went on the first-ever hike and horse-ride in the Baviaanskloof, and it was divine (page 80), while Pippa de Bruyn braved Botswana with a gaggle of journalists – and found the most affordable safari in the Delta (page 70). LOOK OUT FOR THIS GOOD-VALUE STAR Every issue of Getaway holds a wealth of good-value accommodation. These are places you can stay in for under R500 pp (some for less) AND that we think offer good value.…

WINNING LETTER The secret cool pool of Ceres Ceres in the Western Cape is without a doubt one of my favourite places to visit. Each year, I go in the icy winter to enjoy the mountain views in a cosy cabin somewhere. Then I head back again in the hot summer to soak up the sun. Ceres is a small town with plenty of wonderful hidden gems, ranging from the mountain views to its serenity. My favourite has to be the hidden rock pool. The rock pool can be reached only by a hike up the mountain – the refreshing experience of dipping in the pool is made sweeter and worthwhile by the uphill slog. The scary thing about it is the unknown depth of the water. Although I’ve swum…

The big blue Get swept off on a journey of imagination, discovery and sheer joy with a trio of bald blue men. The playful performance artists employ all kinds of props and contraptions and technology to tell stories (without language), play music (on never-before-seen instruments) and create an unforgettable spectacle that’s a combo of comedy, theatre, a rock concert and dance party. As Justin van Wyk of Big Concerts says: ‘See what fun three guys can have with 30 litres of paint and 120 marshmallows in the space of 90 minutes.’ (This explains the ‘poncho seating’ category for the first few rows.) The Blue Man Group , founded in New York, is a global phenomenon, having played in 15 countries since 1991. 7 February – 5 March in Joburg, 21…

Take one Nguni cow… ‘South Africans may be the kings of braaivleis, but they are only recently coming to understand that not all meat is the same,’ says Caroline McCann of Braeside Butchery and Slow Food SA. ‘Our food heritage is at stake as we lose indigenous crops and meat. Biodiversity is critical not only for our environment but also to preserve our cultural heritage.’ With this in mind, McCann is curating an event to showcase some of SA’s heritage foods (so far there are 44 from SA listed in the Ark of Taste catalogue being compiled by the international Slow Food movement, fondazioneslowfood.com). This is your chance to taste a few of them, prepared by a dozen top chefs at the Soweto Wine Festival. They will be making nose-to-tail…

HOW TripAdvisor lists accommodation rated by guests, but as much as we love peer reviews, they don’t offer a comparative voice. Also, how do we know Number 1 is really the best? Pippa de Bruyn, who has reviewed accommodation for 18 years for the likes of Frommer’s and the UK’s The Telegraph , scours TripAdvisor and other online sites when researching a destination. For McGregor, she created a longlist of 31 to inspect. The following made the cut. WHAT I FOUND ABOUT ACCOMMODATION IN THIS TOWN • McGregor has a great choice of self-catering places, many of them authentic heritage structures, with a preponderance of one- and two-bedroom cottages. Houses sleeping eight or more are in short supply. There are only…

1 Palm Leaf Hessian Bag It’s not your traditional picnic basket, but this 100% jute shopper will fit all the kit featured here and has an inside zippered pocket to stash small essentials such as a box of matches or spices. Jute is a soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads and is one of the most affordable natural fibres next to cotton. R79,95, woolworths.co.za 2 White enamel bowl Light, unbreakable and much more practical than a paper option, this deep farm-style enamel bowl by New World will hold anything from pudding to salad to a healthy serving of pap en sous. It’s easy to wipe clean and pack away too. (Enamel dinner plates are also available for R16,99 each.) R14,99, checkers.co.za 3 Opinel No.…

Hope Spots are marine areas of ecological and biodiversity significance, but in South Africa, they are also unique in that: • they are the only community-based Hope Spots; • they are where people live, and aim to involve those people in conservation; • they aim to ignite human support through involvement and education; • they aim to share information with people so that everyone can appreciate the ›enormous value of the seas on their front doorstep and to then promote pride. To see where Hope Spots are located around the world, go to mission-blue.org…

It is a rude awakening, on the first day of the Baviaans Camino, to realise that I’ve been very wrong for a long time. A sweet breeze is singing in the fynbos as I fumble for a naartjie in my saddlebag, still cool from the morning. Wieda, the beautiful strawberry roan I’d been introduced to a few hours ago, is crunching up a hill like she had been born to do it. We’ve already climbed over a thousand metres in elevation this morning, and have many kilometres of mountain pass ahead of us, but Wieda doesn’t seem concerned, so neither am I. I start peeling my naartjie. Part of the joy of hiking is triumph over adversity. It’s hard sometimes, and necessarily so; when your knees are wobbling, and your…

FLOAT THIS BOAT R15 500, ark.co.za The durable four-person inflatable Ark Fishalot is ideal for fishing, diving or exploring coastlines, rivers and dams. It’s fuel efficient (three litres gets you two hours of cruising at 15 knots, makers claim) and can carry up to 600kg, making it ideal for small expeditions too. It folds up into a carry bag that fits in a car boot and comes with two fully adjustable wooden bench seats. DESIGNER DRYER R395, hertex.co.za Made from 100% cotton, these soft Prism Beach Blankets by Hertex are perfect to sit on at the beach and I also use mine to dry off. They are large enough (110cm x 160cm) to double up as throws or picnic blankets thanks to the thick…

Me and my bestie at Warwick Wine Estate, enjoying sips of a GREAT Lady! – Allynn Fortuin When my friends and I roamed around the lively streets of the Cape Town CBD tasting wines from various wineries. – Lynn Jooste Moyse Drinking rosé by the pool, eating strawberries and ice cream with my roommate because it was a beautiful summer evening. – Kelly White [See tuningthevine.co.za  for upcoming dates]…

Hotel QSL on 44 JOHANNESBURG If you like modern, innovative conversions of spaces built for other purposes, you’ll love Hotel QSL on 44. It’s a rather large industrial space that has had many uses, including a bakery. It’s now the home of Row-G, a luxury made-to-measure menswear brand – its sumptuous showroom is housed on the second floor. Considering the premium product then (suits start at R15 000 and go up to R150 000), I was surprised that the rooms were quite reasonable for primary-city accommodation. Being central is important for a car-less traveller, and it’s true here: a two-minute walk away is 44 Stanley, a vibrant, hip space good for shopping, socialising and dining. You’ll also eat breakfast there (you’re given a voucher for a choice of two venues),…

For some a sachet of instant coffee does the trick on the road, but for others only a strong cup of good filter coffee will suffice. I fall into the latter category and found two French press coffee plungers that are great for travelling – because adventure requires some resilience. Both choices (I tested seven) are durable, brew more than one cup at a time, plunge evenly so no rogue grains end up in your cup and they’re easy to pack. First up is the ultimate coffee companion, the all-in-one Stanley Mountain Vacuum Coffee System . It consists of a one-litre flask, stainless-steel pot with a hardy plastic press, two drinking cups and a nifty lid that also stores a portion of coffee grounds. The kit is not featherlight, weighing…

Owner of The Granary ‘PE is the best-kept secret in South Africa. The weather and beaches are great, and it’s not as congested as other cities. We say PE is a two-song town – that’s how long it takes to get anywhere!’ Sean has deep roots in the area – his grandfather Manual, the son of Spanish immigrants, arrived in 1910, started his own bakery at age 16 and moved here to Stanley Street in 1925. ‘In 2007 Matt Repton opened the first Vovo Telo around the corner, then Steven De Beer renovated Stanley on Bain, and we turned our old bakery into a multipurpose space for markets and functions.’ 20 Stanley Street, granary.co.za MEATY MARVELS ‘The delicious kudu steak (R125) at Backstreet Grill is the talk of the town,…

1 THE STRATEGY Picnics should be all about ease of use. No one wants to be slicing, serving, portioning out or carrying the kitchenware that goes with all that. Salad leaves turn limp, dressings leak, fruit bruises easily… Here’s the answer: rethink the picnic and approach it as function food. 2 THE FOOD Make small, sturdy, bite-sized things that don’t need crockery or cutlery. Hand out linen napkins, which look good and lighten the load (and won’t end up as litter), leaving everyone to help themselves. 3 THE CONTAINERS Airtight tins lined with napkins make for swishy presentation without any heavy lifting. Stack them in a collapsible crate for transporting, then pop off the lids and serve. Try vintage biscuit tins, kitchen storage tins or enamel roasting pans that have…

DAVID CROOKES AND NICOLA JACKSON HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HERE, IMAGES TAKEN AT DIFFERENT MOMENTS MAKE FOR STRIKING CONNECTIONS AS PROTECTOR OF THE TRIBE’S SACRED CATTLE, THIS SAMBURU MORAN (WARRIOR ) IS BEAUTIFIED WITH CONTEMPORARY PLASTIC FLOWERS, TRADITIONAL BEADS, OCHRE AND FOUND FEATHERS. LAIKIPIA, KENYA. OUT OF THE BLEACHED GRASS AND THROUGH THE BLACKENED TRUNKS OF ACACIA TREES A CHEETAH HUNTS IMPALA, HER CAMOUFLAGE BRIEFLY BROKEN AS SHE ACCELERATES INTO HER 180-KILOMETRE-PER-HOUR SPRINT. SEGERA RETREAT, KENYA. IN THE LAST MOMENTS OF SHOOTABLE LIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE ZAMBEZI RIVER , A MAKISHI DANCER STANDS IN SILENCE. HIS STRIPED LIMBS AND MASKED FACE ARE AN ALLURING PART OF A CEREMONY THAT WILL REINTRODUCE HIM TO HIS VILLAGE AS A MAN. VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE. ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS David…

THE INSIDER Wine farmer Coetzer Hanekom's family has been farming in Kakamas for over 45 years. He showed me the beauty of this land and its water Coetzer Hanekom's livelihood is inextricably linked to water, gifted from the single life-giving vein of the Orange River running through mottled tracts of the Northern Cape's tough terrain. When I first meet him he is leaning casually against a balcony, in his white-brimmed hat, overlooking an endless banquet of Bacchus – the emerald territory of his vineyards. He is calm, friendly and kind, and as generous as the soil and water that have given him this yield. The town of Kakamas (from the Khoi word gagamas, meaning ‘brown’, which describes the vivid red clay of this Kalahari oasis) was established as a small…