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Waterberg magic!
Akela had one of her best weekends away ever, but I discovered a remarkable family and the essence of Africa tourism. And, believe it or not, this proud Capetonian is prepared to say that Bushveld vegetation beats the Cape’s fynbos any day! But about Akela’s weekend first. We were woken on Saturday by Akela’s whining…
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Why Limpopo? The Great Unknown
Why on earth head for the province furthest from Cape Town and the Western Cape? Well, apart from seeing a really special friend, it was the great unknown – the area between Pretoria and South Africa’s border with Zimbabwe. What had captured my imagination, though, was a thorough make-over that occured around 2002. Northern Province…
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Five of SA’s nine provinces in one day!
Today’s plan is to drive until I’ve had enough – and I’m not accustomed to long drives. That does mean hourly stops for the animals’ piepie breaks and walks, and those are rarely short because Akela loves sniffing and there are so many strange smells. She can spend 10 minutes smelling a single leaf –…
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The Road to Prince Albert
The plan was not to dally in the Western Cape, where so much is already familiar, but head for Mokopane in Limpopo – SA’s northernmost province and the furthest from Cape Town – as quickly as possible. I’ve never been there and, of SA’s nine provinces, know least about it. But the first stop is…
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The People who make it Possible
Akela travels with First Car Rental First Car Rental, and the rest of the CMH Group, stand out as one of the most dynamic and truly service-orientated companies we’ve ever come across. They have branches in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg, Boksburg, Witbank, Pretoria, Durban, Pinetown, Umhlanga Rocks, Uvongo, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay, George, Port Elizabeth, East…
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Money is what money does
The top of Lourensford road in Somerset West is a very special area. The rolling hills of Schaapenberg have been preserved for posterity as farmlands that abut suburban residential areas. Driving to Lourensford Estate really illustrates the late Dr Anton Rupert’s dictum – “money is what money does.” Mega-entrepreneur Christo Wiese has spent millions on…
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Table Mountain to Simon’s Town
Before leaving Cape Town, it was only right to take leave of some of the most memorable places. Just one of the things that set Cape Town apart from any other city in the world is Table Mountain National Park – part of a world heritage site – in the heart of the city. We…
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In search of the best of South Africa
Leaving Cape Town is never easy, even when faced by the adventure of a lifetime. It is by far one of the most special places on the planet for so many intangible reasons, but it’s also – today – so well managed that it’s impossible not to compare what one is accustomed to as one…
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The adventure begins!
The final preparations for the real Travels, exploring South Africa with a wolf and staffie as companions, have begun. We’ve been making our last stops in Cape Town. This blog won’t be all about Akela but rather a social commentary – finding and writing about fascinating people and places, and projects that inspire. Akela is…