Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från Getaway

I always pack my running gear for a weekend breakaway. When I'm running long and easy usually on quiet roads in the Winelands, I lose myself in the task, focusing inward to control my effort, breathing and form. More than that, I’d do my favourite training - speed work - every day if I could. But if I pounded my legs at an athletic track daily they'd have no time to recover from the stress, allowing it to build and ultimately cause injury. A wiser strategy would be limiting high-intensity workouts to twice weekly and other days, run easy attest. Achieving balance is vital from a performance point of view but also from a well-being perspective. Taking stock after a busy week gives you a sense of satisfaction, gratification and…

BRIEFS Perseid Meteor Shower WHERE ON EARTH? THE PERSEIDS ARE ONE OF THE BRIGHTER METEOR SHOWERS OF THE YEAR. THEY OCCUR IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE EVERY YEAR BETWEEN 17 JULY AND 24 AUGUST AND TEND TO PEAK AROUND 9-13 AUGUST. Comet Swift-Tuttle Made of tiny space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttla, the Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus, This is because the direction, or radiant, from which the shower seems to come in the sky lies in the same direction as Perseus. The Perseids are widely sought after by astronomers and stargazers because most years at its peak, one can see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place.…

This is the picture: a sun lounger, a pair of binoculars in hand, a cooling drink on the table and an equally cooling pool, birdsong in the air. Across the savannah, an elephant ambles past, the Drakensberg the distant backdrop. This is Walkers Plains Camp, a 5 000ha private concession in the 53 000ha Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, which is in the Greater Kruger National Park. It's quick and easy to get to: hop on a plane to Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit, a 30-minute drive and you're there. In your new happy place. Owned by the Walker family since 2006, there is also a self-catering camp in the concession, Walkers River Camp. A prime site was set aside for the new camp. There is a sweeping view of the plains…

Africa: Discovering Wildlife Parks EDITED BY MASSIMO ZANELLA Skira, RRP R1 270 There are a lot of wildlife parks in Africa, the world's second biggest continent, preserving its extraordinary animals, flora and landscapes. Through gloriously evocative photographs, this book explores 31 of these reserves, from Tunisia to South Africa, from Senegal to Kenya. We start at Jebil National Park in Tunisia, where the largest mammals are the dorcas gazelle and the endangered white gazelle. But species originally found in the region are no longer there, including the scimitar-horned oryx and the addax. We visit Kenya's Kisite-Mpunguti Park And Marine Reserve where there has been a return of sea turtles since 2008. Ras Mohammed National Park at the meeting point of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba is…

1. LifeStraw Peak Series Personal Water Filter Straw R549, outdoorwarehouse.co.za ‘This straw allowed me to drink directly from lakes, rivers and streams or you can fill a container for when you're moving. I was particularly impressed with its flow rate for easy sipping. - Narina Exelby 2. Leuko Sports Tape R179, dischem.ca.za This is my go-to for blister prevention, as you can cut it to your required length. It's superadhesive and made from a rigid cloth, which helps it stay put even when boulder-hopping.’ - Narina Exelby 3. Buff Coolnet UV R299, capeunionmart.co.za ‘You can wear the versatile Buff in 12 ways, from hair tie to gaiter. I used two of these in Madagascar, one to keep my head and neck warm at night, and another to wash with, as…

In Metatiele, stay at RESTHAVEN GUESTHOUSE, the beat-run place in town. Its owner Philip Rawlins is a passionate promoter of tourism in Matatiele. He and his wife Elrita grew up in the town and have lived their lives in awe of the surrounding countryside and mountains. Over the last 20-odd years, they've expanded from having three rooms in their home to a 30-bedroom guesthouse in what used to be the manse for the next-door church. They fixed it up, transformed it; even added a pool; some rooms have kitchens, but there's a full-service dining room where Elrita serves hearty, wholesome, homecooked meals - and she might bate fresh scones with her homemade Jam for your tea when you return from exploring. And explore you will, especially ff you enlist Philip…

GETTING THERE Airlink flies direct from Johannesburg to Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo (3.5 hours), but flights via Nairobi with Kenya Airways are cheaper. Visas South Africans can get a 30-day visa upon arrival for £35 or 60-day visa for £45. The Language Madagascar's official languages are Malagasy and French. English is not widely spoken. Money The local currency is ariary (AR); euros are widely accepted. Driving in Madagascar Madagascar's roads are notoriously bad. If you are self-driving, then check with local guides as to what route to take because Google tends not to know the best routes here. You can hire a driver (and his vehicle) for around €50 a day, plus fuel. We arranged a driver through Livabe Tour (WhatsApp: +261 34 280 1108) and used a driver…

I'm not a guru, nor am I an expert on life. But the day I knew my life would change, I decided to be proactive. I remember that Sunday afternoon in 2001 like it was yesterday. I'd gone for a run with my dogs in Newlands Forest, and as I watched them play in the river, getting ready to carry on with my Sunday, I started thinking about Monday. On Tuesday morning, I had a world map open in front of me. And I was looking everywhere else in the world besides Africa to go and do something extraordinary. But I traced die shape of Africa with my finger, starting and ending in Cape Town, and 20 seconds later, I'd decided that I was going to cycle that line I'd…

MEET THE TEAM BRIEFS Meet The Team HELTER SKELTER LORRAINE KEARNEY One Land Cruiser, one ranger, one gleeful photographer, one reserve (this time in Zimbabwe) and me. And a grumpy elephant. A great, big grey elephant with enormous tusks and acres of ear. Did I say huge? Elephants are far and away the hugest land mammals. I know this. But there is knowing things and knowing things. You only really understand how big African elephants are when you see them in the bush. You see them grazing, solemnly greeting one another, looking after each other. You fall in love with the babies discovering their trunks. They are extraordinary creatures, wise, tolerant and generally peaceful, with a surprising grace for creatures so ungainly looking. But don't upset them. Which is exactly what…

DESPATCHES Food How good does it taste? Is it ethical? Who benefits when you buy it? What's in it? Before selecting your next chocolate treat from the shelves of your local supermarket or favourite deli, keep in mind that there are more than a handful of passionate local chocolatiers in South Africa who produce bean-to-bar, handcrafted goodness with quality ingredients produced locally - creating chocolate that's fairer, kinder, and by all accounts tastier. Here's what you need to know about the South African chocolatiers redefining cocoa. AFRIKOA While almost two-thirds of the world's cocoa beans are grown in African soil, most of it is exported to Europe and America, where it's turned into chocolate before returning to our African shores. Afrikoa is growing the art of chocolate-making within Africa, using the…

TRAVEL Cradle of Humankind The trusty old Land Rover, resplendent in pastel green, shuttled me onto the farm that Friday morning. I'd left my car and civilisation behind at the Nirox Sculpture Park. It was a marvellous feeling, unshackling from the dictates of a daily routine that felt ill-equipped to serve any further good, juxtaposed with the unexpected melodic ensemble of creaks and groans. The 10-minute drive offered space for reflection, something I would later learn would become a regular feature of my stay at Farmhouse 58 in the Cradle of Humankind. The winds of change were gathering momentum in my life, nagging little clues being dropped at indeterminable intervals as my days played out. While travelling and exploring are my passions, the pursuit thereof does not a healthy lifestyle make.…

BECOREX JOBURG 3-6 August SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE Whether you'ra keen to identify or source new products end services or solutions, keep up to date with new trends, find new suppliers, research various products or services or simpiy want to attend to network, this Is the place to do It if you're design-conscious. Decorex has bean at the forefront of decor, design and lifestyle trends for 30 years, hosting events and helping to launch thousands of businesses. Going forward, Decorexwlll continue to encourage boundary pushing design. Thursday-Saturday l0am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm Tickatec Detelle are not yet avallable, but Caps Town tickets were R125 for adults and A26 far children under 12 01D 496 3600 decorexefrica@rxglobal.com THE PLANT POWERED SHOW 4-6 August KYALAMI INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, GREATER JDHANNESBURG Africa's premier plant-based food, drink and…

There's a place two hours from Cape Town where the air breathes easier, the streets appear cleaner, and off-grid living is more than a hot chance. I head east out of town towards Montagu, where the mountains aren't shaped like a table, but the location is equally worthy of icon status. I take a good look at the pretty pavements and neat neighbourhoods; I'm only passing through this charming dorpie. Another half hour, travelled in a 4x4, gets me to the Little Karoo region, where Abrikoos Kloof Private Pod Reserve beckons. Here, concealed among 2 000ha of raw nature, Dennis Viet has built a secret sanctuary between a rock and a wild place, ‘just for you and your person’. Abrikoos Kloof's Cave House transcends a mere concept This is not…

WHERE THE RIVER FLOWS The Kuria tribe in the northernmost tip of the Serengeti is the inspiration behind the new look at Singita Mara River Tented Camp in Singita Lamai, which is based on the colourful geometries of the local Maasai people. Designers looked to their intricate beadwork and patterns, finished in saturated tones of blood red, ochre and indigo blue on furniture, art and accessories. Mara's new grounding palette of olive green and earthy browns emphasises the camp's immersion in nature - it seems almost hidden in the wilderness by providing a visual foundation for the riverbeds and canopies of trees. In the main lodge area, the rethink of the camp resulted in a brand-new pool sala, and a bar-deli at the heart offers healthy snacks. Speaking of food,…

1 Presidential Call President Nelson Mandela called me when I get home from my trip. It's not something I'd ever even dreamed about. But I'll never forget meeting him. It changed how I see the world. 2 Leaving Algeria I was so relieved to get out of there. 3 Sir Lowry's Pass Cycling heme ever Sir Lowry's pass and getting my first glimpse of Cape Town energised me. I was cycling like a king! 4 Cape Talk Studio Sitting in the Cape Talk studio with everyone waiting for me at the Waterfront. It was the longest 45 minutes of my life! 5 Visiting Egypt It's one of the places I've travelled that I'd spend money to return to. Its history is mind-boggling!…

‘A sharp, pungent smell I couldn't identify wafted into the carriage. Coupled with the rumbling, rocking motion of the train and the incessant clickety-clack, I found it easy to obey the number-one rule of Vietnamese train travel: whatever you do, don't eat any food off the trolley. We'd departed Hue two hours earlier and still had another 13 hours to go till we arrived in Hanoi. Lining the tracks, vendors sold lukewarm Saigon special beer and jellied prawns; my appetite was nowhere to be found. It was a relief to leave the platform and board the northbound train, economy-class ticket and all. Onboard, the first two hours flew by quickly, the urban cityscape giving way to villages and rice paddies. Here, we learnt the second and third most important rules…

We're shaking things up tor the new season of our legendary Getaway Gallery Competition. We'll continue to reward the best pictures and acknowledge creativity, but we're keen to introduce new blood into our sponsors and look at how we can reward our winners with prizes their efforts deserve. Our team is working tirelessly behind the scenes to secure these prixes so stand by for more info in upcoming issues. As always, we'll promote the finest wildlife shots in Africa, acting as a platform for the pool of immensely talented photographers who've been contributing to our competition for decades. Wildlife will continue to be a focus, but we want to share this platform with other photographers too, and create a space for up-and-coming snappers to share their shots. PICK YOUR GENRE…