Innehållsförteckning för May 2022 från Getaway

It’s been easy to get bogged down. The last few years have seemed increasingly sodden, drenched in the global horror story that is climate change’s tipping point, suggesting a future so brutal most of us would rather sink our heads into the sand like birdbrain ostriches, or simply look the other way. It’s exhausting feeling overwhelmed, thinking the problem’s too large to face alone, feeling you’re the only person in your block who recycles or the only one still trying to save water. Even reading that Bill Gates book with the big, hopeful title, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, did nothing to instil a sense of hope; instead it deepened the malady, made me feel many billions of dollars short of the kind of cash required to undo the…

During the Industrial Revolution, 100-HOUR work weeks with 12- to 16-hour shifts were standard. South Africa’s first May Day reportedly took place in 1895, organised by the Johannesburg District Trades Council. In 1919, the first trade union for BLACK WORKERS was set up, demanding a minimum wage and decent working hours. In New Zealand, you can earn yourself a 10% pay cut just by wearing a funny hat to work! Belgian workers, however, are legally entitled to a yearlong career break away from their job, on full pay. ‘It is high time to rid ourselves of the notion that leisure for workmen is either “lost time” or a class privilege,’ Henry Ford said in a 1926 interview. Our concept of the “weekend” only became part of the wider lexicon in 1879 – among industrial workers…

1 | Best tent for three people Eclipse 3 Person 3 Season Hiking Tent R4 000 firstascent.co.za Weight 3.74kg Packsize 420 x 160 x 150mm Dimensions 2 200 x 1 900mm, with 600mm vestibules on opposite ends Waterproof rating Flysheet – 2 000mm, bedroom groundsheet – 3 000mm The three-person tent category was interesting as the two finalists were so different. It pitted a 2.13kg tent (Cloud Up 3) versus a 3.74kg tent. The heavier one, the Eclipse, ultimately won with ease. The larger floor space, ventilation, comfortable height, four-pole cross system for extra sturdiness and better small touches (there’s a small shelf in the middle of the ceiling) made the difference in the end. It’s high enough and wide enough that three people can sit cross-legged and play a…

People often ask Peter Pickford what the difference is between experiencing the wilderness alone or with other people. ‘It’s absolute,’ he says. The presence of just one other person alters the experience – ‘radically’, he says. Which is why, when Peter and his wife Beverly ventured into the wildest corners of the Earth, as far from society as they could get, they sought out places where they could experience absolute unobtrusiveness, radical aloneness. Driven by an overriding vision to portray some of the most remote and pristine places on the planet before they disappear – from Tibet’s highest peaks to Alaska’s river system and the Antarctic Ocean – the Pickfords spent four years exploring seven continents. In humanity’s absence, they found immaculate ecosystems where extraordinary wildlife exists. Usually alone, and…

Meaning “Horn of a Young Cow” in isiZulu, the first time I saw Mponjwane was in July 1990. For me, it came to symbolise freedom. School was a memory and the ruthlessly ironed uniform of military service was a crumpled mess in the boot of the Ford Sierra. The car speakers strained to a 1980s tune that I can’t recall but I clearly remember driving into that Drakensberg valley and seeing the bruised silhouette of that mountain materialise like some grand religious edifice. That accounts for its English name, Cathedral Peak. The hotel in its shadow was to be my home for six months, where I would tend bar before I began studying. My studies took a backseat for a year–life in that valley was just too damn good. Working…

Stay Here JAKHALSDANS KAROO GUESTHOUSE FARMSTAY AND SAFARIS A short drive from Loxton, this working sheep and game farm possesses an elegant farmstead, with a choice of comfortable luxury or more rustic accommodation. It’s perfect for mountain biking, horseriding, game-viewing and walking. If you’d prefer to stay in town, ask host Linda van der Westhuizen about Deon Meyer’s former home, Karoonag. From R390 pps pn. 082 875 3339, jakhalsdans.co.za THE KLIPHUIS In the centre of town, The Kliphuis was built of sandstone in 1900 and is distinctively, typically Karoo. The back stoep is a much loved feature. R1 000 pn for four people, sharing 072 917 9997, bronwynrj@gmail.com KAROS MANOR A beautifully appointed luxury guesthouse in the quiet centre of town, Karos Manor offers great food and amenities such as…

My Ouma Delene isn’t your run-of-the-mill granny clad in a cardigan and with an aroma of talcum powder following her around. Sure, she bakes and cooks and gives warm hugs, but she’s a farmer first and foremost and the fragrance that reminds me of her, is that of the earth. If you visited in summer, you’d find Ouma climbing the peach tree and Oupa on the ground, running around with the laundry basket trying to catch what Ouma threw down. Even the fruits halfeaten by the sparrows and sunbirds were picked – and made into chutney and jam. In winter, Ouma’s hustle did not slow down. When we were growing up, she had a lucrative business growing and selling truckloads of onions from their retirement plot outside town. Oupa would…

Julienne du Toit WAITING FOR THE BLOUKOP KOGGELMANDER (P 76) Loxton, in the crook of the Upper Karoo, was made famous years ago by novelist Deon Meyer in his writings. But the little Northern Cape village has also been a long-time favourite stop-over for Getaway contributors Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais, the Karoo authors. ‘Someone once told us, very wisely, that it’s people who give you a town,’ says Julienne. ‘This is particularly true of Loxton. We enjoy the quiet streets but we mostly really like the locals. They are creative, full of humour and surprise. ‘They live in castles, have dancing statues on the veld, stage shows in the church hall, study riverine rabbits, paint up a storm and hang out at the local co-op. There’s a definite…

WINNING LETTER A new home for big cats In January, I had the privilege of visiting Simbonga, a 154ha game reserve 20 minutes from Jeffrey’s Bay and the home of some special residents that have been given a second lease on life. I was lucky enough to witness the arrival and release of five lions and one female tiger, which were rescued from two separate locations in Ukraine. Their whole lives had been spent in substandard living conditions in cages. This had all been made possible by the Warriors of Wildlife (WOW), a small non-profit organisation that focuses on the international rescue and relocation of abused and neglected wildlife. In early 2021, WOW took over Simbonga Game Reserve and Sanctuary, which had previously been a game farm. With its free-roaming…

1 ANTARCTICA It must be preserved for the very simple reason that it’s absolutely pristine…It’s like walking into creation, like going back in time. 2 ALASKA AND THE YUKON This region is so vast, and so extreme and it just has everything: waterfalls, glaciers, whales, bears… there is so much life. 3 THE NAMIBIAN COASTLINE It’s a harsh environment, and you have to adapt to it before you enjoy it, but to find life in the desert is an absolute revelation. You’re not finding herds of 400 elephants, but when you see 10 elephants walking out of the sand dunes, it’s just incredible. 4 THE ARCTIC We need to save it for the incredible bird colonies and polar bears. Seeing a polar bear for the first time is such an…

FINALIST Skin A large elephant bull standing very close to the Shingwedzi low-water bridge in Kruger National Park gave me the perfect opportunity for a close-up of his beautifully textured skin. He had just enjoyed a dust bath and the red sand created an interesting colouration. By Veronique Pretorius, Tshwane Canon EOS R6; Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS USM mkII; ISO 640; f/4; 1/640 sec FINALIST Snack Time As I took a walk around one of the camps in Kruger, I listened to the constant calls of the woodland kingfisher, and went looking for it as it flew from tree to tree. I was patient – walking around and just waiting for one to come to me. Then I saw one sitting in a tree, which seemed to be…

Stay Awhile Accommodation at CATHEDRAL PEAK HOTEL starts at R1 805 pp pn including all meals. Stay three or four nights and receive a 15% discount. Stay five nights or more and receive a 20% discount. Rates and specials valid until 31 October 2022, and exclude peak periods. 036 488 1888, cathedralpeak.co.za Do This Tennis, badminton, squash, lawn bowls, croquet, mini golf, outdoor chess, volleyball, table tennis…there’s so much to do just within the environs of the hotel. Our favourite was scaling the climbing wall, which we turned into a family competition. Max and Rebecca were the only ones able to reach the top – ah, the joys of youth. Hike to the Cathedral’s peak At an altitude of 3 005m, Cathedral Peak is the highest free-standing peak in the…

SAVE UP TO 33% FREE digital subscription, FREE delivery and automatic entry into this month’s R65 000 Vic Falls competition 12 ISSUES FOR ONLY R399 SIMPLY CONTACT US AND QUOTE 22/05/SP/GTA How to SUBSCRIBE www.hmshop.co.za subscribe@hsm.co.za 087 550 0329 This offer is valid until 31 May 2022 and applies to print subscribers with a South African address only. By providing your personal details, you are giving Getaway permission to communicate with you via email or SMS. For rates and other great offers, visit www.hmshop.co.za For foreign rates, please contact Ramsay Media on 087 550 0329/021 530 3300 or email Subscriptions@hsm.co.za…

Midwest Tornado ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore,’ said Dorothy to Toto in The Wizard of Oz. And if you saw this Kansas monster barrelling in your direction, you’d be clicking your heels to get the hell out, too. Irresistibly photogenic from afar, this rotating thunderstorm – known as a supercell – threatens unmitigated terror as it sweeps across the prairies at the height of tornado season. Kansas is part of “Tornado Alley”, a region that takes the brunt of about 1 200 tornadoes that hit the US on average each year. Peak tornado season strikes the southern Great Plains of Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma in May and June, before moving to the northern Plains and upper Midwest in June and July. There truly is no place like home.…

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Do This In the east Fancy a visit to see the Vlaamperde? Chat to Jurie Uys. He doesn’t typically charge but Iwould suggest a donation of about R500 for a family of four for the experience. We had an amazing time exploring the farm bywagon, feeding horses and photographing them. 082 564 7067 Ask Cloudy of Kite School Witsand to get you up on a kiteboard. She is an experienced teacher and has a great spot for kiters at the mouth. Her time and equipment are valuable and she suggests that people get a small group together and contact her directly for lessons. 066 468 8255, witsandkite.com Chat to MarkWoof if you want to arrange a charter for a catch-and-(hopefully)-release boat trip. 084 499 2035 In old Witsand you will…

Dries and Myalan Wiese own a Bavarian-Karoo castle in the veld. Yep, you read that right. It doesn’t have a moat or a drawbridge or squads of armoured guards clanking about, but it does have a Great Hall, walkways, ramparts and turrets. And a romantic love story to match. ‘Decades ago, a local farmer called Jan Hugo was a sailor in Europe,’ says Dries. ‘That’s where he became enchanted with castles. Every time he had shore leave, he would head off and look at castles. He vowed that someday he would build one himself, on his family farm back in the Karoo. ‘When he found the castle he really liked, he sketched it on the back of a 30s pack of Lexingtons. And when he came home, he set about…

Canned Heat played through the speakers as the N14 stretched out ahead of our friendly convoy. Every second car honked their hooters or flashed their lights at us, for who can resist saying hello to seven Suzuki Jimnys all cruising in a row? The best thing about driving a Jimny is the attention. The second best thing is the capability, and we intended to test just how capable these little beasts can be. Where better to put them through their paces than the varied terrain of the Northern Cape? The only brief we’d been given was to keep in mind the word “coddiwomple”; it means to travel purposefully in a vague direction. This trip would be less about destinations and more about the journey, and with that in mind, I…

A six-night vacay at Victoria Falls WORTH MORE THAN R65 000 VICTORIA FALLS, AFRICA’S EDEN The mighty Zambezi has been the setting of adventure and exploration for centuries and now modern travellers can experience the wonder of this wilderness from all angles. Tsowa Safari Island is an idyllic off-grid hideaway on the Zambezi River. The pristine island is within Zambezi National Park, surrounded by indigenous forest with abundant birdlife. Guests can enjoy amazing access to wildlife; on a game drive, on a sunset boat ride or even from the hammock outside each eco-sensitive tent. The camp blends gorgeously into the surroundings, giving guests the chance to feel at one with the environment, the river always within view. 528 Victoria Falls boutique guest house is in a quiet, leafy suburb on the…