Table of contents for November 2015 in Getaway

I was born in some Vryheid hospital and spent my first few years on a farm called Doringkraal. I remember it well, or at least I think I do, because studies show that children's memories are not necessarily accurate. Some things they absorb into their sub-conscious, though, such as sounds, which become associated with feelings. In my case, good feelings are linked to the following noises: in the human realm, Zulu, English and German lullabies, the hum of a lawnmower or a distant generator; in the natural realm, a cheerful orchestra of birds, the shushing of grass and leaves in the wind, the melody of a running stream, distant thunder, a symphony of frogs and crickets. It turns out natural sound is very necessary to humans in order to relax…

WINNING LETTER My way is the highway I enjoyed reading August’s editor’s letter, ‘Can’t find a travel buddy? Go on your own. You owe it to yourself’, and agree with her views. Travelling is indeed a commitment to oneself. Last year I told my family I was leaving South Africa for three months to travel around the continent on my own. They freaked out and tried to talk me out of it, but I packed my bag one March morning and took a taxi to Swaziland. My family did not see me until the end of May, when I returned from Ethiopia. I made great friends during the journey. I was hosted by survivors of the Rwandan genocide; I befriended a bead-maker at Mbare Hostel in Zimbabwe; I ate the…

Warehouses, disused sheds, packing halls, abandoned depots … you name it, they’re being revamped and turned into hip urban nodes. On the back of the success of the Maboneng Precinct in Joburg, Newtown is set to unveil its new face at the end of November. Sheds once used as fresh produce markets as far back as 1910 - collectively known as the ‘potato sheds’ - are being turned into shops, eateries and bars, while retaining their historical heritage. The Work Shop New Town market will house stalls selling local fashion and design … and what would an inner-city revamp be without a craft brewery (called The Potato Shed) and a hipster cocktail bar (the Gentlemen’s Arthouse)?…

Learn by Example - Wildlife Photography is a down-to-earth collection of tips and tricks aimed at budding photographers. Professional SA photographer Villiers Steyn (see his work on page 74) runs through equipment choices, camera settings, photography techniques and animal behaviour, using simple language and examples to get you thinking out of the box. R32 on Android and R40 on iOS. Whispers of the Wild is an audiovisual guide with detailed profiles, audio descriptions, photos, distribution maps and footprints of 50 of Southern Africa’s most common safari mammals. First-timers and kids will get the most out of this well-presented app, but even experienced bush goers can learn something from the insightful narration. R99 on Android and iOS, or try the free Lite version with 15 animals. Sasol Young Explorer - Mammals…

You have a friend visiting from New York, what hotel would you recommend? Curiocity Backpackers. I lived in New York for two years and what I missed the most when I came home was that idea of not having access to the city. I feel like, especially in Joburg, we drive to one location and that’s where we go. Curiocity has a relaxed atmosphere and in the areas around it, Maboneng, Braamfontein, and kind of downtown - the gentrified areas - you can move from one place to the other, explore the city and meet people. You can bump into things that you wouldn’t normally see. But, honestly, I can only handle so much Braam and Maboneng before it becomes a bit too pretentious. What are your thoughts on gentrification?…

The Magaliesberg is a shape-shifting area - one minute you’re driving through bland scrubby bush with tatty signs of human detritus everywhere, the next you’re on a twisting dirt track that rises up a rocky ridge to survey a practically uninhabited valley. Given its proximity to Gauteng’s metropolis, these pockets of untouched nature - a patchwork of conservancies and reserves with the purest-tasting springs and still offering surprise encounters with a handful of fauna - offer a visual and psychological escape that is pretty miraculous. • HISTORY The Magaliesberg dwarf even the history of the Cradle Of Mankind (a very different experience). As champion conservationist James Clark wrote in The Magaliesberg, the range is the remains of a fossilized shoreline 'rippled by a tide that ebbed more than 2 000…

The Cederberg Wilderness Area is proper. At about 710 square kilometres, it is a truly vast landscape bristling with serrated sandstone cliffs, tumbling scree slopes and deep valleys. Not many people live in this remote region and, as such, it remains a largely unexplored space. This may be one of the reasons why the Cape outdoor crowd visits this extraterrestrial land so often. One can wander contentedly - away from the crush of traffic and the bustle of business - while gawking at a horizon spiked by dramatic peaks rearing up to clash against the blue bowl of sky. Over the millennia, elemental forces and extreme temperatures have forged a land of absolutes, and back-road explorers are sure to be blown away by the grandeur of this rugged region. Did…

INTEGRATED STOVE SYSTEMS These combine pot and stovetop into a single convenient system. They are pricey, but ideal in adverse weather conditions, achieve quick heating times and have excellent fuel efficiency. BEST FOR SOLO DINNERS JETBOIL MINI MO COOKING SYSTEM R2 499, drifters.co.za WEIGHT 415g PACKED SIZE About the same as a one-litre yoghurt tub, including a 100g propane and ISO butane mix Jetboil Jetpower canister (R69, first one included in price). MANUFACTURER’S CONSUMPTION RATE (MCR) 120g per hour ACTUAL CONSUMPTION RATE (ACR) 70g per hour (01h42 to deplete the canister) SET-UP TIME 1,41 minutes BOIL TIME 3,55 minutes STOVE STABILITY Good. The unit comes with a stabiliser (three plastic feet that clip onto the canister) which broadens the surface area. POT STABILITY The pot clips onto the…

GETTING THERE SAA has daily flights between OR Tambo and São Paulo from R12 000 return. flysaa.com From there you can fly to Cuiabá (the closest town to the northern Pantanal) using local carriers Azul, Gol or Tam. Return flights are from R1200. voeazul.com.br, voegol.com.br, tam.com.br WHEN TO GO The cooler, drier months are from May to August. It starts getting hot and a little wet into September and October (but the crowds will be less). Crossing the Transpantanal in November to January is not advised as it’s often flooded and muddy. NEED TO KNOW South Africans don’t need a visa but do need a yellow fever vaccination card. Portuguese is the local language but there’s a good chance your guide will speak English. The currency is Brazilian real (R$)…

YEAH RIGHT, A ‘LAKE DISTRICT’ HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA? It’s close to Sedgefield on the Garden Route, right? Wrong … if you’re in search of the highest concentration of inland water in South Africa, the place to go is the Mpumalanga grasslands and wetlands region, with its numerous lakes and vleis. I first learnt about the extensive lake system here while researching Things to Do in a Dorp, a guide to small towns I authored last year, and had been intrigued ever since. So, when we needed a weekend stop-over en route from Swaziland to Johannesburg, I got excited when ‘Chrissiesmeer’ popped up on the GPS screen. This little Mpumalanga dorp is situated just before you hit the collieries and smoke stacks of the Highveld, and it certainly sounded as…

ROB VAN VUUREN Rob has been working in the entertainment industry for 20 years as an actor, comedian, writer and director, but this is the first time he's been paid to go on holiday. As one half of The Most Amazing Show, it would be remiss not to suggest that his spirit animal is the caravan. He is married to photographer Dani and has a daughter, Bijou. DALE MORRIS Dale, an award-winning writer and photographer, was born in the UK but didn’t like it there due to bad weather and awful food. He left as soon as his mum would let him and for the past 25 years travelled the world in search of wildlife and wilderness. He found it in SA where he now lives with his wife, two…

TWO NEW BIOSPHERES IN SOUTH AFRICA After officially being named by Unesco in June, the Magaliesberg and Gouritz Cluster raise the number of biosphere reserves in South Africa to eight. The Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve extends into Gauteng and North West, and sits at the convergence of the Central Grassland Plateau and the sub-Saharan savannah. The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve, which stretches across the Eastern and Western Cape, covers a combined area of 3 269 000 hectares, which makes it the largest biosphere reserve in South Africa. One to watch Already a Provincial Heritage Site, the Pinnacle Point Caves in Mossel Bay are now on Unesco’s tentative list for World Heritage Site status. RRRIBITING STUFF It was its orange inner thighs that attracted scientists trekking through the jungle of Bolivia’s Madidi…

The Magoebaskloof Mountain Bike Classic takes place on 14 November and pedallers can choose to cycle 20, 40 or 80 kilometres. The costs are R130, R150 and R170 respectively and there is a free five-kilometre kiddies’ ride. swillson.wix.com/slctrichallenge The Cape Classic 380 three-day cycling event happens from 6-8 November in Montagu. Entry is R3000 pp and includes all food and refreshments at various points. For updates and information, visit facebook.com/capeclassic380. Prefer your wheels to do the work? If motorised bikes are more your thing, the Drakensberg Challenge North vs South 2015 is from 7 - 8 November in the Mnweni area, south of Royal Natal National Park. The enduro rides are either intermediate or extreme and are from 50 to 70 kilometres. R800 pp for both days.drakensbergenduro.co.za…

African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa Once the grande dame of the Magaliesberg, this country hotel has been compromised with misjudged decor and a lacklustre response to service complaints. From R2550 for two sharing B&B. But I'd spend the extra on Valley Lodge & Spa (page 48). africanpridehotels.com De Hoek Country Hotel Considered the most luxurious boutique hotel in the Magaliesberg, De Hoek’s public spaces are lovely, and the food is good. That said, the two new modern wings feel out of place, and it’s pricey. From R1635 pp sharing B&B. Check online for specials, and be sure to book an upstairs room in one of the old quadrants. dehoek.com Budmarsh Country Lodge A small five-star boutique lodge competing with the more grand De Hoek, Budmarsh has a…

It reads as neatly as a film script: two young Americans called Josh and Jed open a burger joint in Joburg. Frustrated by the South African ‘bistro burger’ that’s tackled when seated at a table, their ideal is a pressed-flat pattie in a yielding bun eaten on the move - the kind born of the automobile age when roadside dining was all the rage. So they set up shop in a Caltex garage on Jan Smuts Avenue, hired a grillman called Lucifer and set their sights on perfecting The Great American Burger Experience. This is BGR. They’ve basically created a purist’s McDonald’s. Actually, Shake Shack is a more accurate reference since they’ve invested in the same chrome flat-top grill used by this US institution. And is it good? Hell yes!…

Sanddrif Holiday Resort has the added bonus of sharing a location with the delectable Cederberg Wines. R180 per site (four people). 027-482-2825, cederbergwine.com Houdenbeck, a working fruit and vegetable farm in the Koue Bokkeveld, has a stunning private campsite that links onto dedicated single-track mountain bike trails. R100 pp for first two, R70 pp thereafter. Children under 12 R40. 083-661-9912, houdenbek.co.za The serene Enjo Nature Farm in the remote Biedouw Valley is the place to go if you want to feel the power of nature. R70 pp, children under 12 free. 027-482-2869, soulcountry.info Driehoek guest farm, another Cederberg gem, offers alternative trails to the Wolfberg Arch. R235 for first four people. 027-482-2828, cederberg-accommodation.co.za De Pakhuys needs no introduction if you’re into rock climbing, but their shady waterside camping spot also gives access to…

We tested three types of cooking systems: integrated stove systems that have built-in pots; screw-in stovetops; and remote stovetops. WEIGHT AND PACKED SIZE For hiking, lighter and smaller is better. The integrated stove systems were measured with canisters, which fit inside the pot. The screw-in and remote stovetops were measured without canisters. SET-UP TIME From unpacking to ignition. CONSUMPTION RATE We measured each unit’s actual consumption rate (ACR) against the manufacturer’s claimed consumption rate (MCR) with each brand’s approved canister. All tests were done at 1 753 metres above sea level and the canisters were run until empty. BOIL TIME Stoves were turned to their highest setting and the time to boil one litre of water was recorded. STOVE STABILITY The sturdier the better. POT STABILITY How well did the…

It started as a nightmare. We were running late. Very late. We had made arrangements to pick up the caravan that morning. It was past closing time now and a guy called Ben and the rest of the good people at Tygerberg Caravans & Campworld were waiting for us while we edged our way through bumper-to-bumper traffic. The editor was on the phone asking, ‘Remind me again why it’s a good idea to give you and your family a caravan and let you drive it where you want for the holiday of your choosing when you can’t even make it to the caravan in less than a day?’ The mood in our car was tense and frayed. I was gripping the steering wheel in white-knuckled panic, Dani (my wife) was…

WAVERLEY HILLS Gone are the days when a picnic comprised of a bakkie of boiled eggs and a flask of instant coffee. At Waverley Hills, not only are the picnics gastronomic, but the environs are akin to miniature botanical gardens, the air buzzing with insects and fragranced by fynbos. This organic wine and olive farm, a Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) champion, has a restaurant with a tempting, well-balanced menu, a hiking trail and a small indigenous plant nursery where visitors can browse and buy. There are more than a dozen good wines to sample, all certified organic and sustainable, and sipping these while taking in the estate’s water feature brings the farm’s environmental ethos into focus: the pond replicates the ecosystem of the upper Breede River and is now…

GETTING THERE From Johannesburg, it is a very straightforward (and rather uninspiring) haul along the N17 via Ermelo and then on to Chrissiesmeer. The journey should not take you more than two and a half hours. The town's website has a map.chrissiesmeer.co.za DO THIS  Twitch in paradise at this pristine wetland, home to 82 water birds and at least another 100 species, many endemic to the area. Look for red-chested flufftail, Rudd’s lark, blue korhaan, chestnut-banded plover, yellow wagtail and three crane species. Book a tour from Miss Chrissie’s Country House for R100 pp for about four hours. misschrissies.co.za Go festival-ling. There’s the annual Frog Night during the first weekend of December; the Crane Festival on 10 July and the Wild Flower Day in the first weekend of January. Booking…

Nowhere on Earth is made more beautiful by the presence of a tourist. Unfortunately, I find this is true even when the tourist is me. I was in Devon, walking the length of the River Bovey. It was a beautiful afternoon and the sunlight fell dappled on the path like silver coins and the water ran in mysterious eddies through wild parkland. I strode with a rakish step, warbling ‘I like to go a-wandering’, greeting fellow amblers with a cheerful ‘Hi-di-ho!’, a bacon sandwich and a bottle of wine in the knapsack on my back. I took a break in a shaded glen. Of all the wine when walking, white mid-morning wine is most wonderful. I thought how clever I was to be here, in the beautiful West Country, far…

If long hikes are your thing, you don’t have to mortgage your house and sell your kidneys in order to jet off to America to do the Appalachian Trail. The 650-kilometre Rim of Africa links existing trails across several CapeNature reserves and 180 private properties, from the Cederberg Mountains in Clanwilliam to the Outeniqua Mountains in George. If the thought of hiking the entire distance for 56 days is too daunting, the trail is divided into nine sections which can be tackled in week-long hikes. Overseen by a non-profit trust, the project aims to promote conservation and provide locals living along the route with the skills and capacities to benefit from ecotourism. There are various options, including the thigh-burning 650-kilometre Hike-Thru and a more mellow five-day botanical hike led by…

INCREDIBLE DEAL FOR BUSINESS FLIERS Low-cost airline Skywise is offering a 31-day unlimited flying pass between Cape Town and Johannesburg for R7999. Aimed at regular commuters, the deal includes a snack and a 25-kilogram baggage allowance. skywise.co.za MANGO AIRLINE LAUNCHES NEw ROUTE The local airline has launched a route between Lanseria and Durban with one-way flights from R379. It has also added additional flights from Cape Town to Lanseria.flymango.com DIRECT FLIGHT FROM wONDERBOOM TO CAPE TOwN Wonderboom Airport, which is 15 kilometres north of Pretoria, now offers direct flights to Cape Town, giving passengers from Tshwane, Limpopo and North West provinces the opportunity to shorten their travel times and cut out the OR Tambo stop. One-way from R948. flyairlink.com DAILY FLIGHTS FROM ZANZIBAR TO MAINLAND Regional Air Tanzania has started…

The country Australia leads the way when it comes to marketing itself using Instagram. With more than 1.7 million followers and 4947 posts, the Australia account outstrips those of other popular destinations. In comparison, Love Great Britain has about 762 posts and 140000 followers and Explore Canada has 1267 posts and 278000 followers. South African Tourism is doing a solid job - the Meet South Africa account has 719 posts and 16700 followers which, when compared with Discover America’s 1367 posts and 16200 followers, is impressive. The documentary photographer Seattle-based professional snapper Peter Di Campo started Everyday Africa, with the aim of challenging the way our continent is portrayed in the media. With more than 170000 followers, the account features pictures by contributing professional photographers as well as snaps from…

The late neurologist and author Oliver Sacks spent a lot of his life swimming in lakes and oceans. As someone who studied the effects of sound on the brain, he was conscious that the near-silence of being submerged made him feel relaxed. It’s no surprise, then, that the first sensory organ which develops in the watery confines of the human womb is the ear. The science of how sound works is complex, but in layperson’s terms, it involves mechanical vibrations in the air which the eardrum picks up and transfers to the cochlea before being converted to electrical impulses that can be analysed by the brain. Scientists and spiritual practitioners have long been fascinated by the role of sound in physical and emotional well-being. Sound therapists offer ‘healing sessions’ involving…

OUR EXPERT SAYS: 'It soon became clear that the area around Hekpoort is where most gems are' 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 24 properties – some rated on TripAdvisor, plus she rooted out new ones. These 8 topped her list. Best lodge in a nature reserve STEYNSHOOP MOUNTAIN LODGE TripAdvisor ranking No.1 of 2, B&B/Inns in Hekpoort A converted thatched house with nine rooms, this lodge is located within the Magaliesberg Protected Area, and is worth every bump along the dirt track to get there. Intimate and unpretentious, with farm-style antiques, and every sofa, table and bed dressed in white - thank heavens for people…

1 PENGUINS VIEW VILLA Betty’s Bay, Western Cape The name doesn’t disappoint - you’ll get more than expected as you watch penguins waddling across the lawn from the deck, joined by sun-soaked dassies looking up at you bleary-eyed as they tan on rocks. The only thing that equals being this close to nature is the view from the lounge that looks over the glittering bay. Here you can slip into relaxation as you sip your coffee or wine and watch the Indian Ocean waves roll in. This self-catering villa with four bedrooms and braai facilities is tastefully decorated, with whitewashed face-brick complemented by the grain of driftwood. It’s a two-minute walk to Stony Point Penguin Colony and Betty’s Bay slipway, and in the Kogelberg Biosphere so drive slowly to avoid…

Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve Main lodge camping from R60 pp and R180 per vehicle; wild camping from R45 pp and R180 per vehicle (no electrical hook-ups). 023-004-0077, kaggakamma.co.za Nuwerust Rest Camp R200 per site (maximum four). Of the total 42 sites, only five do not have electricity. Wild camping only upon request. 027-482-2813, cederbergexperience.co.za Rondeberg Resort From R180 per site (maximum six). All 21 sites have electricity. No wild camping. 027-482-1487, rondeberg.com *Prices correct at the time of going to print…

Gas canisters rely on pressure to get flowing. As such, output and efficiency decrease as pressure lowers (at higher altitudes or colder temperatures) or when fuel levels decrease. Certain gases handle these changes better than others. Most canisters have a mix of the below: Propane A low boiling point and high pressure point makes it usable at all temperatures, but it’s expensive. Butane Has a low performance and is mostly ineffective when cold, but it’s cheap. Isobutane Better for low temperatures and high altitudes.…

OLD LOOK, NEW LIGHT R170, campworld.co.za Safely light up your tent with this vintage-looking 12-LED safari lantern. It’s got a hanging/carry handle and an adjustable dimmer. HOT STUFF R750, campingaz.co.za The Campingaz Bistro 300 is a compact cooker that works off a hiking-size gas canister but has a large frying pan-size stove plate to cook on. The 1,5-kilogram cooker has a three-minute boil time and should run for about an hour. Turn to page 65 to see our thorough test of compact hiking stoves and read what we mean about boil time. BIRDING BUDDY R1 395, melvillandmoonshop.com Keep your Newman’s and Roberts bird books pristine and at hand for easy reference in this canvas Melvill & Moon Ornithologist Bible Bag. There are outer pockets for pens…

1000 That’s how few mountain gorillas are estimated to be living in the wild. Believe it or not, that’s actually relatively good. In 1981, there were just 241 left and the famous American zoologist Dian Fossey predicted they wouldn’t survive to the end of the century. The success is mostly due to Rwanda (numbers are still in peril in neighbouring parks in Congo and Uganda) where there’s a sense of ownership over their protection - locals in Kigali all know the names of the gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park. We sent our columnist Darrel Bristow-Bovey and photographer Teagan Cunniffe there to spend time in the presence of these mighty mammals. ‘It’s surreal,’ said Darrel, ‘you become overwhelmed with affection.’ Read about it in the December issue of Getaway.…