Topic “getaways”

Pitching in

Tips and tricks to make your camping experience a smoother one.

By:

Tamlyn Vincent

If you’d asked anyone if I was a camper a few years ago, they’d most likely have laughed (very loudly) at the thought. Sleeping outdoor wasn’t for me. Lugging along everything you need to eat, sleep and possibly enjoy a weekend; who needs that? Especially when you have children. But then I reluctantly agreed to a week of camping… and we’ve never looked back.

The call of the sea

A French-South African family of five went sailing the high seas for two years

By:

Emmanuelle Buecher-Hall

I started sailing when I was a teenager. I couldn’t stop dreaming of one day crossing an ocean. Maybe I really wanted to see for myself what was beyond that horizon. Life swirled and my attraction for the sea just grew bigger and bigger. Then I landed in Cape Town for an 18-month research project, and met Gregory, who became my husband. A few years later we were a family of five.

Mamma mia!

A single mom and her two sons experienced authentic Italy on a limited budget

By:

Karen Claren

Spontaneously announcing that I was going to travel to Italy with my sons, Teano (11) and Lorenzo (8), for a month evoked reactions of surprise all round, wavering between awe and concern. As I dreamt of escaping the upcoming long school holidays in a wintry Cape Town, opportunity struck when an invitation to visit friends in Tuscany coincided timeously with a business trip to Europe.

On the farm

Staying on a working farm affords city children the opportunity to experience country life

By:

Marc de Chazal

I grew up on a farm where a rooster was the first thing I’d hear in the morning, not an alarm clock, and where clucking chickens and strutting turkeys roamed around the spacious garden that was my playground. I had a donkey named Doom and eventually a pony named Tess, who was blind in one eye, but could run like the wind. It was a wonderful place to grow up, but it was hardly glamorous.

Falling for Zambia

Venturing into the interior of Africa teeming with wildlife was a memorable adventure for one family

By:

Catherine Janse van Rensburg

In 1957 my grandmother left England by boat to teach in Zambia. During the trip, she met my South African grandfather and he proposed before the two-week voyage to Cape Town was over. She said no. Undeterred, he followed her to Zambia and continued to court her until she eventually relented and they were married.

A celebration of history, art and light

You can experience a tremendous amount of Amsterdam in just 48 hours

By:

Lisa Mc Namara

The capital of the Netherlands is well known for its artistic heritage and narrow houses with beautiful gabled facades perched on meandering canals. It is home to the Dutch masters, as well as modern art collections, edgy fashion and colourful houseboats. The locals are friendly and (if your Afrikaans is good) easy to understand. Although the city deserves a month’s stay, two families managed to see and do a great deal in a recent two-day stopover.

Discover Eshowe

Use our nifty guide to explore this historical town and its surrounds with your family

By:

Tamlyn Vincent

Eshowe is situated on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, just inland from Mtunzini, and a short distance south of Richard’s Bay. The area near Eshowe has been home to several Zulu kings, including Shaka and Cetshwayo, who built a kraal there in 1860. The following year, a mission station was established in the area by a Norwegian missionary. The Anglo-Zulu War saw British soldiers stationed, and later besieged, at the fort in Eshowe.

Discover Clarens and Parys

Use our nifty guide to explore these historical towns and their surrounds with your family

By:

Simone Jeffery

Clarens

Nestled in the Rooiberg Mountain range lies the charming village of Clarens. It was established in 1912 and named after the Swiss village of Clarens where Paul Kruger spent his last days in voluntary exile.

Discover Arniston in the Overberg

Use our nifty guide to explore this historical town and its surrounds with your family

By:

Lucille Kemp

Situated near the southernmost tip of Africa in the Cape Overberg region, Arniston can be a great weekend getaway when you want to unwind and explore, given that your destination is a sleepy fishing village and there are a variety of picturesque towns to see on the way.