Innehållsförteckning för December 2022 från Getaway

A sharp turn off the highway landed us on a dodgy dirt road lined with small, red mud-brick houses with neat windows and straw roofs, raised on mud plinths. Time slowed as we watched women wrapped in colourful cloth hoeing the fields, some with babies tucked on to their backs. We passed makeshift wooden tables topped with small piles of tomatoes and mangoes for sale. And, trundling along at a human pace, were men transporting bundles of thatch by bicycle. Little girls with buckets pumped water from communal wells, and tiny children waved at us like their lives depended on it, some running in our wake. There were shouts of ‘Zikomo!’ – ‘Thankyou!’ – echoing after us all the time, though I had no idea what they might be thanking…

In 1987, American Airlines saved $40 000 by removing one olive from each salad served At about 30 000 feet (9 144m), humidity is less than 12% which is drier than most deserts The wing-span of the A380 is 80m and the length is 72.7m The Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk was 36.5 metres which is a shorter distance than the wingspan of a modern Boeing 747-8 which measures 68.4 metres When flying in a commercial plane you are 7% of the distance to the edge of space All the wiring in a Boeing 747 measures approximately 225km which weighs in at around 1 588kg While flying, the sensitivity of your taste buds to sweet and salty foods DECREASES 30% yet sour, bitter and spicy flavours are almost…

AUNTY MERLE – THINGS GET REAL 29 November-7 January Marc Lottering/Aunty Merle has survived Covid and has almost navigated her way around loadshedding. But can she navigate her way around Dennis, who has been keeping a secret from her? At The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. Tickets from R100 webtickets.co.za BARRYDALE ANALOGUE PHOTO FESTIVAL 9-19 December Run by photographer and analogue evangelist Graham Abbott, the festival hosts a number of workshops and exhibits the work of some of the country's top photographers across several venues in the small Karoo town. 084 7776470 bapf.co.za A CHRISTMAS CAROL 14-24 December It's a classic: mean old Scrooge is visited by the various ghosts of Christmas and by Yuletide morn a new Scrooge emerges, spreading good cheer instead of bah, humbugs. At Montecasino's Pieter Toerien…

1. NGONG HILLS WIND POWER STATION, KAJIADO I go here enytime I heve a creative slump. It's a space that really fuels me creatively, and probably a location I have shot at the most, here in Kenya. The towering windmills, foggy forest, deep red soil and backdrop of the Nairobi metropolitan. What's not to love? 2. KIPUNGANI, LAMU Because the untouched sands there have a rich golden hue at sunset with an infinite backdrop of the open sea. 3. LAKE NAKURU Two colours really intrigue me here - the desaturated blues in the sky and water, and the brilliant pink of the flamingos that are too many to frame in one shot. It's a perfect place to drive out to from Nairobi and go camping. 4. KEREITA FOREST An ever-foggy…

DESPATCHES Make the Yuletide Gay That Jesus, he sure does make a person fat, what with his birthday celebrations and, before our New Year's resolutions have gone cold, his death and the attendant chocolate bunnies and hot cross buns. Slathered with butter; there's no other way. Devout followers or not, we catapult into December with reckless abandon. The shops and magazines fill to overflowing with delectable seasonal treats and tarts, pies and pastries, cakes and canapés. The temptation to eat and eat and eat is irresistible, and so it should be. ’Tis the season to be jolly too but let us not forget Santa's jolliness, directly linked to his red cheeks and his red suit – and his rotundity. No one can get away with that many mince pies and…

Shawn Godfrey, winner of MasterChef South Africa Season 4 in 2022, advocates a South African Christmas to suit the heat. ‘PostCovid many things have changed: where we work, how we do things and where we go. Many of our routines have been disturbed and why should it be any different for our Christmas norms? ‘This year we will be focusing on an alfresco Christmas lunch. South Africa has strangely inherited some heavy food options for a season that is cold and indoors. We live in a sunny festive climate where the focus should be on enjoying what we have as a privilege: beautiful weather. ‘I'll be focusing on salads, fish wrapped in a newspaper and beautiful cuts of meat done in all manner of outdoor cooking from the kettle braai…

FIELD NOTES Akagera National Park The attack was frenzied. Dogs barked and snarled, their handlers shouting orders, urging them on. With canine jaws clamped on to each of his sleeves, a man was brought down to the ground and incapacitated. If this had been a real-life scenario, that would have been job done for the dogs. But it was just a training exercise, known as The Bite Walk. The “poacher”, protected by a padded suit, was actually William Habimana, deputy head of the canine unit at Akagera National Park. ‘Because I'm trained and I can defend myself with the suit, it's okay,’ Habimana said, catching his breath after his mauling. ‘But for a poacher who's not wearing this suit, it would be very painful.’ The dogs and rangers form a…

Akagera has had some impressive animal arrivals in the last 12 years. There could be more to come. ‘The two species that we certainly know were here in Akagera previously are African wild dog and giant forest hog,’ says Drew Bantlin, Akagera's conservation and research manager. ‘I think giant forest hog would be really cool (to bring back). It's never been done, as far as we know. It's a really unique species. They used to live in a part of the park that has dry forest habitat, and that could be a very cool project to see how it's done and if it's possible. It also re-establishes some of the park's diversity, which is important. African wild dogs are always on the table. They're in peril - there are very…

We found ourselves going against SCORES OF BOATS rowed by TONED FISHERMEN who would SPEND THE NIGHT with lines or nets cast A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT From Mangochi, you can cruise south along the Shire River, which drains Lake Malawi, to reach Liwonde National Park, but the trip is also an interesting drive through an evocative landscape. For one stretch there is a seemingly infinite expanse of baobabs, a veritable forest visible for miles along the main road. Another reason to drive are the streetside markets, the broad grins on kind faces that accompany fistfuls of just-roasted mielies or skewers of snack-size roasted quails that are held up to the car window. You can buy lengths of sugar cane that will be machete-chopped into ruler-sized pieces for you to chew and suck the juice from,…

TRAVEL Patagonia Adorned in a woollen scarf and a winter's hat that looked like a dead badger, I hunkered down behind a pile of boulders covered in lichen, held my breath, and hoped the cat wouldn't see me. So far so good! Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chilean Patagonia is known for its gorgeous mountains, hiking trails and glacial lakes. But it's also home to the most ecologically naive puma population in the world. ‘Naïe?’ ‘It means they're not afraid of humans,’ said my guide, Claudio Vidal. ‘If we treat them with respect, we won't get mauled or eaten.’ I was feeling a tad exposed out there on the grassy mountain flank with nowhere to run should a puma come for me or my hat ‘But what counts…

Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD double cab V-Cross 4x4 The seventh generation, locally built D-Max double cab launched in April this year to much fanfare and impressive sales. Isuzu's stated focus was on making the hardworking bakkie – already established as a much-admired workhorse – more competitive as a leisure vehicle. Cue the range-topping V-Cross. Under the bonnet the 3-litre turbocharged diesel engine makes for easy long-distance cruising, excellent towing and stress-free off-roading, while inside, the cabin has had a complete makeover. Ergonomic seats, premium new materials and a 9-inch infotainment screen mean it now has the beating of Hilux and Ranger. There's also the inclusion of the marque's Intelligent Driver Assistance System (IDAS), which enables features such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and forward collision warning to be included.…

DE VILLIERS COUNTRY LODGE It's a cold morning, but inside the cosy double-storey house, Johannie, the owner, is serving breakfast with her signature warmth and enthusiasm. ‘I love welcoming and looking after guests here’, she smiles. This old house with its homely lounge filled with plump sofas, collections of pot plants and paintings of the Overberg by Dale Elliot, was once the koshuis (hostel) for Villiersdorp's primary school, but in the 11 years that Johannie Barnard has been at the helm, it's garnered a reputation as a superbly comfortable and peaceful home-from-home for travellers. The five en-suite rooms are large and, as the property is on a corner, they look out on to either an old stone church or a wide, tree-lined street. Adjacent to the main house is a…

1 December 1955 Rosa Parks is jailed In Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a white man, violating the city's racial segregation laws. 3 December 1987 South African surgeon Chris Barnard performs the world's first heart transplant in Cape Town. 7 December 1941 ‘A day that will live in infamy.’ Japanese dive bombers descend on the US naval base at Pearl Harbour in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack is the provocation that draws the US into World War II. 8 December 1980 John Lennon, a former member of the Beatles, 1 is shot and killed by an obsessed “fan” in New York City. 14 December 1911 Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating British rival,…

By the end of 2022, tequila will be outselling vodka. Well, maybe not in Russia, but for years the popularity of the agave spirit has been growing worldwide. And as anyone worth their salt and lime knows, proper tequila - made by steaming the blue agave's pina (heart) and then harvesting the juice for fermentation - doesn't mean the mass-produced stuff that's been flogged over bar counters for brain-blitzing shooters all these years. High-end, aged and artisanal tequilas - along with their smoky, acquired-taste mescal cousins (for which the pina is oven-roasted underground for three days) - are making deep roads. Happy news, too, is that accompanying the world's craving for tequila is a growing appreciation for honest interpretations of Mexican food; a wave of chefs are serving updated classics…

We asked: What small makes you think of summer holidays? Coconut and sunscreen Wendy-Ann Dn Toit Smell of rain on the dry soil or land Moses Sibaya Fish on the braai down on the beach Lyn Louw Sex and soft serve Jasper Meintjies Cut grass, chlorine and sunblock Andrea Foster The smell of a red leather cricket ball Johnson Dupreez That seaspray, salty air when the waves pound the cliffs along the Wild Coast near my grandfather's village Jabulani ‘Jakes’ Nqunu Surfboard wax and boerewors Mika Furlong…

In the last few years of my dad's life, I had planned to take him on a road trip to his hometown in the Eastern Cape. Though we hail from that part of the world and retain connections to families still living there, none of us had visited the area for 30 years or more. With his health getting progressively worse, I wanted - before it was too late - to go back to the old places, to the house in Colley Avenue where they brought newborn me; to the East London Museum where he worked under the mentorship of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer (who famously identified the coelacanth); to my granny and grandpa's house where I would play in the sunshine on their red, polished stoep. I wanted to visit the…

If ditching the turkey isn't extreme enough for you, ditch everything that isn't a plant. Don't hold back. Vegans and vegetarians need not miss out on the fun, from loaded nachos to burgers that require dislocation of the jaw. The patty is made from black beans, sweet potato or butternut, and mushrooms. Another party trick is corn “ribs” with smoky chipotle cashew nut-based aioli. Finish with a coconut and lime panna cotta with strawberry coulis. Translated from Italian, it's cooked cream, thickened with gelatine. For the vegan version, use agar agar, made from seaweed. ‘I love this recipe because it is not only super quick and easy to make but it can be prepared in advance as well,’ says plant-based advocate Mira Wiener. ‘Simple ingredients, prepared with love and plated…

In the words of the man of the moment, Jesus, ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’. Ladles of Love provides food relief to people living in impoverished communities across the Cape Peninsula and Gauteng, via a network of community soup kitchens. Over the festive season the NPO will ensure families in need receive hot delicious meals by filling huge pots with nutritious food and vegetables. To support the Ladles of Love FillAPot campaign during this time of giving, donate R250 and 100 people will be given a meal, providing hope and dignity. ladlesoflove.org.za/fill-a-pot-2022…

‘Yes, I've been chased by hippos,’ says Godfrey Matale, senior guide at Mukwa with decades of Zambezi River experience. ‘I've been canoeing when we got completely blocked by hippos. Sometimes you have to get out on land and carry your canoes around them.’ The best thing he's seen from a canoe? ‘A baboon getting taken by a crocodile. It really set the rest of the baboons off.’ Godfrey vividly recalls his most harrowing Zambezi experience. It was a Thursday in April 1998: ‘I was taking a waiter to Livingstone Island, and the engine failed. We tried paddling to a little island nearby but were overpowered by the current. We were drifting towards the Gorge which was around 150m from us. I put down the anchor, but the boat started taking…

‘Ecologically, Akagera is a unique system,’ says the reserve's conservation and research manager, Drew Bantlin. ‘Within Rwanda, this is the last refuge for the savanna-adapted species: giraffe, zebra, buffalo… They've been lost elsewhere. For this type of ecosystem, it's all that's left. This is the largest protected wetland in Central Africa. And for Rwanda trying to bounce back from everything that happened in the 1990s, bringing tourists in, so that the country has that influx of dollars, investing in conservation has worked well for the country. There are massive community benefits to our programmes, too, so revitalising the park has awesome trickle-down effects for local people in terms of economic enterprise.’…

GETTING THERE There are flights with RwandAir from Johannesburg to Kigali for about R5 300 return. Other airlines that fly into Kigali International include Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines. On arrival in Rwanda, South African tourists need to buy a visa for $50 (R900). For travellers wishing to visit Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, the East African Tourist Visa may be a better bet as it costs $100 (R1800) and is valid for 90 days. From Kigali International to Akagera National Park is about a 12.5km/25-minute drive. The park is open from 6am to 6pm. Entry faas start at $100 a day per adult and vehicle fees may apply. Guide fees from $25 half-day and $40 full day. Africanparks.org/the-parks/akagera/visit-akagera Do This Balloon Rides For aerial views,…

TRAVEL Malawi Cheeks slick with sweat, wide-eyed expressions oscillating between curiosity and contained terror, jubilation and glee. These people knew they were being entertained, yet they had bought into the reality of the ritual, allowed themselves to feel frightened, to savour the rush of cathartic bliss that comes with surrendering to the moment. It was a rush I felt, too, being in the thick of it, dust rising, feet thumping, the crowd swaying and heaving back and forth like an ocean tide, this way, then that. In our guts we knew it was an act, but the masked characters carried the weight of something potent. The emotions, the energy, the connection with the ancestors… all of this was real. These were the masks of the Gule Wamkulu –the “great dance”…

FOR FUN One of the largest suppliers of water to the Western Cape, Theewaterskloof Dam is also a brilliant destination for camping, boating, swimming, angling, caravanning – you'll find it all here. 028 840 1334 theewater.co.za FOR ART A number of talented artists call Villiersdorp home. You will find details of their studios or galleries at hellovilliersdorp.co.za FOR A DRIVE There are such magnificent roads and mountain passes in the Overberg region. The scenery and views along the R101 from Paarl to Rawsonville are exquisite; perhaps even more spectacular is the dramatic Franschhoek Pass, on the R45. mauntainpassessouthafrica.co.za TO STOCK UP ON WINE One hundred years ago, Villiersdorp was known for the delicious moskonfyt (jam made from grapes) produced here; nowadays Villiersdorp Winery is known for being one of the…

According to a Time magazine study, flying in a commercial aeroplane is nowadays among the statistically safest ways to travel. Your odds of dying in a plane accident are 1 in 8 000, compared to 1 in 112 if you're in a car, and 1 in 700 if you're a street pedestrian. With scant plane crash statistics to base analyses on, though, it's hard to determine where on a plane it's safer to be seated should disaster ever strike. While studies say that survivors seated near exits are more likely to get out alive, it's the circumstances of the flight that will ultimately determine which part of the plane takes the brunt of an incident. What is true, though, is that takeoffs and landings are the most critical part of…

UPFRONT First Person Ecology is deeply entrenched in my photography practice; I let it take centre stage in my work With everything that's going on with the planet - warming of the ice caps, severe plastic and effluent pollution of our waters, and the emissions choking our atmosphere - it's my duty as an artist to use photography as a tool to campaign for change. After all, Ms Nina Simone left us with a blueprint: she said an artist's duty is to reflect the times. I was born in Kijabe, a small rural town in central Kenya. I lived there until my parents switched careers from school teachers to linguists and we moved to Nairobi. I first came to Lamu in 2000 when my parents were doing research on an…

UPFRONT Gear 1 | Malkin 1000L Rechargeable Torch R899, capeunionmart.co.za The Malkin 1000L fits in the hand nicely and is not too heavy (164g) to carry in the hip-belt pouch that comes with it. With a decent beam, it's a useful little torch to have in a campsite or in the hands of your braai assistant. There are four brightness options (1000, 500,100 and 80 lumens) and it initially turns on to the brightest setting, which I liked. It's rechargeable via USB, can burn for 20 hours and indicates its power level with a charging indicator light. 2 | Anker Soundcore Life P2 True Wireless Earphones R1 380, takealot.com These wireless earphones pack a surprising punch. The noise cancelling, sound quality and mic performance are all pretty impressive (there are…

In Japan, they have a Christmas cake that is sponge with whipped cream and strawberries. The country's main Xmas meal, thanks to a very successful marketing campaign in the 1970s, is fried chicken. A Swedish holiday feast means julbord, a smörgåsbord consisting of hot and cold dishes such as ham, spare ribs, a variety of fish, potatoes, meatballs and boiled cabbage. In the south, it's typical to also have eel on the menu. Norwegians put cod in water and lye to harden it. After baking or boiling, it becomes jelly-like, and an acquired taste. In the west, smalahove is a sheep's head, salted, smoked, steamed or boiled. (In South Africa, we put it over the coals, call it a smiley, and it's delicious, although not Christmas-related.) Icelandic hangikjot sounds great,…

For many, the festive season goes hand in hand with copious alcoholic beverages. Indeed, they can sometimes be the only way we can get through a family gathering. However, non-alcoholic beverages are growing in popularity. Perhaps you've had one too many hangovers. Maybe you're in recovery, or pregnant, or don't partake for religious reasons, or shunning the empty sugary kilojoules. Or maybe you just don't like booze. It's none of our business: you do you. There is an abundance of alcohol-free, zero alcohol, de-alcoholised options on the market now, from wines to ciders, to beers and “spirits”; it's easy to follow the teetotalling path. The trick is to make those drinks tasty. Try a grapefruit and rosemary mimosa with freshly squeezed juice, alcohol-free sparkling wine, and garnish with grapefruit segments…

Mukwa River Lodge From the moment you realise you are driving through water to get to reception, you kind of know you're in for a treat. It's as though a small piece of paradise has been preserved just for you. Step inside and it's a series of walkways and bridges and paths that connect indoor spaces with the outdoors, all of it done in such a way that it ultimately stops mattering if you are inside or out. There is the sheltering, elegant, hip atmosphere of the bar-lounge-dining area, with its piano and classy sitting nooks and bolts of bright colour. Local fabrics and eyecatching artefacts, local artworks and crafts as well as large-scale photographic portraits combine with the slightly opulent feeling, the dark wood, the plush sofas and sunken…

‘The tragic genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 was a time of great upheaval and pain,’ says Akagera park manager Ladis Ndahiriwe. ‘Afterwards, a lot of refugees returned home, with a lot of pressure consequently placed on Akagera, especially with all the livestock. In 2010, when African Parks signed the management contract with the Rwanda Development Board, there were more than 30 000 cattle in the park. Akagera was overrun and the humanwildlife conflict was out of control. When we took over the management, there were no more lions and no more rhinos. The rhinos had probably been hunted for their horn. There were only about 5 000 animals in the park. Today, Akagera is almost unrecognisable, with all key species numbers increasing. It's a “must” to have a national…

THE BASICS Malawi Airlines flies to Blantyre and Lilongwe from Joburg; we found direct flights for R9 857 pp return (malawian-airlines.com, ethiopianairlines.com). SA passport holders do not require visas. Malawian kwacha (R1 = 58 kwacha) can be obtained at airports and cities from ATMs (many are South African banks); check ahead before assuming that credit cards are accepted wherever you're going. A decent road network makes Malawi viable for selfdrive visits, although rentals are expensive and rural roads in disrepair. Limited public transport means planned itineraries with a tour operator are worth considering. Ultimate Travel (+265 999 955 898, ultimatetravel.mw) has offices in Lilongwe (+265 1 776 000) and Blantyre (+265 1 830 209/166) and can arrange transfers or rentals for self-drive trips. Many lake resorts close during the DecemberMarch…