Innehållsförteckning för September 2017 från Getaway

On July 16, my partner and I were speeding down a three-lane highway outside Beirut, Lebanon. Backwards. Our Uber driver had overshot the turn-off to the small coastal town of Batroun. So he pulled over and flipped gears into reverse. Let me explain: in Lebanon ‘three lane’ is actually five. Cars squeeze between the official lanes with a toot of the horn, ‘Hey-hey, listen up, I’m here on your right/left/grinding up against your bumper’, and miraculously, the flow adjusts without the tossing of an expletive or the loss of a side mirror. But this was adding another dimension to an already over-expanded equation. I glared at our driver and let out a mewl to alert him that this foreigner and Uber client was officially terrified and primed to give a…

It was Piano Day in the Borghese Gardens. I don’t know if Piano Day is a regular thing or if I was just lucky to stumble across it on a baking summer’s Sunday last month. Rome is too hot in July – the heat gathers in the great stone bowl of the city and reflects off cornices and pediments and cobbles and all the piled-up centuries, so I climbed the Spanish Steps to find the breeze that rustles the trees and catches the top of the Pincian Hill. There were the usual people you find in the Borghese Gardens: dazed tourists wearily rejoicing to have escaped the broiling streets and incessant sights below; loving couples all hands and lips without a private room of their own; little girls on scooters;…

If you had to make a Top 10 List of South Africa’s most memorable driving roads, the N3 from Gillooly’s Interchange in Joburg to the Engen in Harrismith probably wouldn’t be on it. The thought of rounding the puffing industria of Germiston and then crawling towards the featureless horizon of the country’s least-exciting plateau somehow just never captured the collective road-trippers’ imagination. But that 300-odd kilometre tribulation of national tar ranks at the top of mine. For me, it was where road trips began. And they always began at 4am. Margate was usually the destination: a place so mythical and sublime that my father feared it would disappear if you arrived after noon. At least that’s what I suspected. It’s the only fathomable reason for having to leave so early.…

EQUIPMENT DSLR A wide-angle lens is good for subjects close to you, and create silhouettes that fill the frame. A zoom lens is good if you want to make your subject stand out from the background. Compact Turn off the fill-in flash and use the shutter (half depress) to expose. Smartphone You’ll need to manually control the exposure levels. Download a free camera app like Camera+ if your phone doesn’t have the option. SETTINGS Select matrix/evaluative metering (*explained on the next page in ‘Know your Stuff’) and aperture priority mode. Set your aperture at f/8 or higher and underexpose incrementally until your subject is completely silhouetted. PRACTICAL Always expose for the brightest part of your image. That’s the golden rule for great silhouettes. The best time to shoot is when…

When laying chops the usual way on a braai grid, either the fat renders well but the meat is overdone, or the meat is perfectly medium-rare but the fat is flabby and underdone. CUE THE FAT STACK The idea is to stack the chops together as if reconstituting the original rack of lamb, and keep it all in place with skewers. • Take one lamb chop and stand it on a board, fatty edge down, meaty part closest to you and the long, thin bit facing away. • Line up the other chops alongside it so they are all sitting side-by-side like a row of books. • Thread one skewer through the meaty part and one skewer through the thin end. This keeps the stack in one piece and creates one large section…

THE PAVED PROMENADE RUNS ALONG THE COAST… AND BENEATH THE WHISPERING SHADE OF PALM TREES. TRAVEL BY BICYCLE GIVES THE ISLAND A GENTLE, CAREFREE, JOYFUL VIBE. ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Teagan Cunniffe is a travel photographer based in Cape Town. She’s spent the last four years at Getaway, covering assignments that range from small towns to summiting volcanoes, and from pretending to be a gorilla to actually seeing gorillas to watching other people pretending to be gorillas. That one’s complicated. She’s had her work published in the Sunday Times and National Geographic Traveller and is currently working on a way to make ‘professional horse adventure photographer’ a real job. HOW SHE GOT THE SHOTS From the moment she arrived on La Digue, Teagan realised bicycles were a thing –…

FREE RANGE ANYSBERG NATURE RESERVE 3-star self-catering CapeNature reserve (79 629 ha) BEST FOR If you love independence and your own schedule, it’s an opportunity to get out into nature and soak up the sights and sounds. This reserve is also super-affordable. We went kloofing, hiking, plant spotting and watched the night sky. Take your own identifying books and enjoy DIY exploring. BUT… You don’t know what you don’t know, which means you can’t be enlightened. Turn to page 85 . CURATED SANBONA WILDLIFE RESERVE 5-star Big Five private reserve (58 000 ha) BEST FOR If you’re interested in wildlife, a good guide is like someone filling in the outlines of a colouring book. Also, they’ll take you to sites of interest. I particularly liked Sanbona’s approach of focusing…

ANYONE FOR BEACH BATS? It’s time to take our kit off again – on the beach, I mean. So we’ve rooted out some of the best seaside options that are close to our cities so you can keep travel time down to a tick. Turn to page 68. EXQUISITELY SCARY ADVENTURE Turn to page 92 and imagine yourself there, in that magnificent landscape and under that frothy Milky Way in Namibia. A NEW WAY TO DO GREECE Writer and columnist Helen Walne got a bee in her bathing suit for swimming in the wild. She says the waters around this Greek island are perfect for it (page 98). PLAN YOUR NEXT KAROO TRIP Here are two ways you can do it: one budget and independent, the other curated. See page…

So impressed by Addo I read your ‘Ultimate Guide to Addo’ (May 2017) with special interest because we visited Addo Elephant National Park for the first time last year. We spent two days exploring a small part of Addo. We entered to great fanfare on 11 September, as it was the start of National Parks Week and government ministers and TV crews abounded! We took some advice from a local guide and set off for Carol’s Rest. We’d hardly found our bearings when, lo and behold, we encountered a black-backed jackal drinking from a puddle on the road. I was thoroughly impressed with Addo because I’d never seen jackal, even in Kruger! At Carol’s Rest waterhole we chose the best spot to watch animals and waited patiently. The show finally…

These photos were taken at Wilderness Safaris’ Linkwasha concession in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. We must have arrived on the scene seconds after the martial eagle had seized the white stork. For at least 10 minutes the eagle hardly changed its position covering the stork. We falsely thought it was dead. When the eagle changed its grip to start eating it, to our amazement the stork ‘came alive’ and desperately tried to fight off the eagle with its sharp beak. This battle continued for at least another 15 minutes before the eagle was finally able to kill the brave stork and drag it under cover to enjoy its hard-earned reward. – Tina Routledge, Johannesburg WIN! Tag us in your images on Instagram @GetawayMagazine  and…

‘Often you’ll see someone in public you think you’d like to get to know, but in a restaurant one doesn’t go up to those individuals and spark up a conversation. What Third Culture Experiment offers is that person from the restaurant is actually sitting next to you,’ says Nobhongo Gxolo. Every month this Cape Town-based writer musters a group of strangers who have signed up for a dinner – and hopes for the best. ‘They enjoy food I’ve prepared and have a good time connecting. I want people to walk away feeling appreciated – not just in their tummies but their hearts too.’ Last year Nobhongo ran a stall at the Street Food Festival; this year she’ll be a guest speaker, sharing her experiences of running a pop-up dining club.…

WILDLIFE PRIZE worth R28 385 The prize includes: • a Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW backpack; • a Manfrotto MMXPROA3 monopod; • a Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 Lens. LANDSCAPE PRIZE worth R29 790 The 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 worth R27 785 The prize includes: • a Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW backpack; • a Manfrotto MK055XPRO3-3W tripod kit with a three-way head; • a Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD lens. HOW TO ENTER Email your entries (about 1MB in size, maximum five per month) with your name and contact details to gallery@getaway.co.za. Include a title, some information on how…

1 Die Padstal This shop behind the N3 Engen outside Villiers is worth a stop for the biltong alone. It’s still a long way to Clarens and you’ll want some high-quality padkos to see you through. R290 per kg. 082-859-3117 2 Clarens Village Conservancy Stroll beside a babbling brook or head up the sandstone formation for a view of Clarens below. Permits for mountain biking and fishing are R40 pp and available from the Protea Hotel in town. 060-307-1489 3 Clarens Brewery Order the free tasting tray (six beers, two ciders and a gin), then pick a pint of your favourite, sit outside and watch the town go by. Lunch from R40. 082-901-4700 4 Aspen Guesthouse This magic find is on the edge of the Conservancy and an easy stroll…

FREE RANGE On the day we arrive at Anysberg Nature Reserve it’s the supermoon. I’m standing alone on a plain a short drive from our accommodation, surrounded by a serration of Cape Fold mountains like giant triangular blocks of cheese, one stacked next to the other. They’re more impressive here than lower down where Sanbona is based. I have my back to the rising moon, watching the sunset, and when I turn around, there she is: so big and plump and glowing that I gasp. And she’s so house-next-door that for the first time ever, I feel like moon travel is really just a plane ride away. Jackals call to each other across the veld, but other than that, the night is still. The fact that I can stand here in…

BEFORE MATHRAKI, I WASN’T FULLY BREATHING. I didn’t glide when I swam and I didn’t know the real taste of apricots. I didn’t know the word kalimera and I expected every Greek man to have a moustache. Before Mathraki, I didn’t know what the colour blue was. Now I not only know its layers, I know its source. If you’d told me 10 years ago I’d become an obsessive open-water swimmer, I would have laughed and reached for another cigarette. I could barely pull on a bathing costume without wincing with thigh shame. But one afternoon in the gym changed that. Bored with machines and seeking escape from Katy Perry, I slipped into the pool and struggled through a few lengths. And did it again the following day. And again…

THE INSIDER Mohale Mashigo is a storyteller, author, singer and songwriter. Her recent novel The Yearning is set in Cape Town – her adopted, and sometimes vexing, home. I guess I should start off by being honest: I’m a Sowetan living in Cape Town. I didn’t grow up here, there are no sweet memories of discovering the nightlife as a teenager, the language spoken is not my native tongue, and I have no family here. In fact, I’d never even been to Cape Town on holiday before I moved down south. Though it’s been my home for 12 years, the spaces, people, politics and culture are in many ways still new to me – I still describe myself as a Sowetan in Cape Town (not quite…

HAVE A DOUGHSSANT In case you’re wondering, a doughssant is a fancier, tastier and sexier cousin of the cronut (croissant meets doughnut). Jason Bakery on Bree Street makes a limited number of these treats every Saturday morning and Capetonians wake up super early to discover what the doughssant of the week is. 021-424-5644 ACKNOWLEDGE A NOT-SO-BEAUTIFUL PAST Nobody will believe you’ve been to Cape Town if you haven’t visited Robben Island. There’s a reason why people come from all over the world to see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for so many years. 021-413-4200 There’s also the District Six Museum in Buitenkant Street – a poignant reminder of all that was lost. 021-466-7200 BROWSE BOOKS If you’re a book lover, The Book Lounge in Roeland Street is a must-visit –…

Marcia Shange, artist manager ‘Bascule Bar at the V&A Waterfront has the best whisky and wonderful staff.’ 021-410-7082 Rupert Koopman, botanist ‘The Durbanville and Tygerberg nature reserves.’ 021-979-0060, 021-444-8971 Nadine Sass, finance manager ‘I skip the restaurants and head to Kirstenbosch with a picnic basket and wine.’ 021-799-8783 Selaelo Mannya, social media manager ‘Tjing Tjing in Longmarket Street for great cocktails and a fireplace on chilly nights.’ 021-422-4920 Telana Halley-Starkey, state law advisor ‘Hallelujah on Kloof Nek Road. The food is amazing, the bubbly selection fantastic and the vibe’s relaxed.’ 079- 839-2505…

When my feet touch the sand. It’s like stepping out into some amazing faraway place... – Yvonne Dippenaar Nothing sounds better than the sea! – Liz Tavares Leaving temporary footprints in the sand, tasting the salt on my lips, and always shell seeking. – Noelle England Going out to the back waves and floating over the swells – so good for the soul. – Lynn Finger I love the sound of the waves drowning your thoughts. I love that sandy-scrub feeling between my toes. I love that it extends east and west: an ‘endless-sphere’ of amazement. – Kelley Brown The smell of ozone, clear rock pools, the feeling of freedom. – Nina Toscano Is there anything not to love? – Carrin Jean Glossop Um… I’m not mad about the beach.…

I’m always on the lookout for new food experiences. I travel with food in mind wherever I go. The most delightful dish I’ve ever eaten was at the Nielsen Park Kiosk in Sydney, Australia. It was owned by an elderly Italian couple. The meal was spaghetti with squid and truffle fish. I was completely blown away, also by the whole setting. I have fond memories of staying in hotels in Umhlanga around Christmas time as a child and eating lavish buffets, with different themes and menus every night. I think that led to my interest in food. I often go along the Breede River Valley. It’s undisturbed and remote – no noisy restaurants, overflowing bars or shining lights. A lovely getaway. I always look forward to going to Bangkok and…

Getaway’s Welcome Lishivha recently completed a swimming course so that he could enjoy the beach fully, beyond a walk on the shore. ‘After learning to float and developing a pattern for arm strokes and feet paddling, the only thing I had to do was practise. It turned out that a swim in the ocean was my final step in gaining full confidence in the water.’ Here are tips worth keeping in mind as you head to the beach this summer: 1 Make sure the weather conditions are good before you swim. 2 Do not swim alone, but always within sight of other people, ideally lifeguards. 3 Read the beach noticeboards for lifeguard schedules and other useful safety information, such as sections of the water considered unsafe. 4 It…

Plants of the Klein Karoo by Jan Vlok and Anne Lise Schutte-Vlok, who are both botanists and have a massive amount of information and opinions about the area. The book is well illustrated with photos, and the range is astounding; it’s the most comprehensive guide to this region. (R390, umdaus.com ) Ants of Southern Africa: The Ant Book For All by Peter Slingsby. Subtitled ‘For Bewildered Beginners, Excited Enthusiasts and even Puzzled Professionals’, this book is delightful, easy to work with and very informative. (R295, slingsbymaps.com ) Sasol Birds of Southern Africa BirdLife CEO Mark Anderson rates three birding ‘bibles’: Roberts, Newman’s and this one. It’s also the basis for SA’s best-selling birding app.…

SA has an abundance of open water for swimming – two oceans, myriad dams, lagoons and rivers. However, it’s best not to tackle these alone, particularly the sea, which can be dangerous due to currents, tides, rips and animals. There are numerous open-water swimming groups across the country that welcome those keen to take the plunge. 1 The Sunday Hot Chocolate Swimming Group meets in Camps Bay in Cape Town every Sunday at 9am and swims in pretty chilly water. Swimmers warm up afterwards with a hot chocolate at Café Caprice. Call Ram Barkai on 082-656-8909 or find it on Facebook. 2 Jeffrey’s Bay Open Water Swim Club also operates throughout the year, with summer swims on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5.15pm and winter forays on Sundays at 9.30am. The…

28... That’s the length, in kilometres, of the Ribbok Trail, the only overnight hike in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the north-eastern Free State. It’s the park’s flagship trail, and for good reason: it takes intrepid walkers to the very top of the imposing Brandwag Buttress as well as past a number of epic peaks, offering some of the most beautiful views of sandstone cliff formations in the whole of the Free State. Just two kilometres from the overnight hut is a gorgeous waterfall – perfect for whiling away a summer afternoon (you’ve earned it). We found four different ways to spend a weekend in this popular park; start planning your trip with the October issue.…