The Little Guru

Author: Nicole – The Little Guru

Travel: Cape Town (Day 2)

Day 2 of our Cape Town adventures was one for the books.

The Lagoon Beach Hotel that we stayed at offers a shuttle service to 3 Major stops- V&A Waterfront, Canal Walk and the Airport of course. The thing about Cape Town is that you don’t even need to hire a car at all. Public transportation is readily available and not that expensive, especially to all the tourist attractions.

So we organized for the shuttle service to drop us at V&A Waterfront to catch the City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Bus. It is honestly one of the best ways to see Cape Town’s hot spots in a short amount of time and you choose exactly what you want to do and see by climbing onto different colored routes- you can find all the info you need here.

We did the Red, Blue and Purple Routes which included us drinking some of Cape Town’s finest Vino!

Our first stop- Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. It definitely lives up to its status and the views- just spectacular.

My favorite part about the beautiful gardens is the Tree Canopy Walkway. The Walkway takes the visitor from the forest floor into and through the trees and bursts out above the canopy, giving spectacular panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, Garden and Cape Flats.

A little friend I made.

Kirstenbosch is huge and is beautiful for an afternoon picnic if the weather is right. We were there for 35 minutes then hoped back on the bus to venture on. The tour continued to the Imizamo Yethu Township then to World of Birds, then we came to the detour where we can hop onto the Purple Bus Tour as so we did!

The Purple Wine Route consisted of the 3 stops: Groot Constantia, Eagles Nest and Beau Constantia.

The oldest wine farm in the area is Groot Constantia. It is most famous for its Sauvignon Blanc- which is absolutely delicious might I add- (I’m the sweet red wine- Drinker type). We walked through the vinyards with wine in hand and visited the historical Manor House. The Manor House is a perfect example of early Cape Dutch architecture, while the sculptured gable above the entrance is one of South Africa’s most historically relevant works of art.

Wine Culture

Overlooking the Vineyards

We continued on with the tour and stopped at Eagles Nest. Its a simple little restaurant that is perfect for a Sunday afternoon with friends to just chill.

We unfortunately got a bit delayed as there was a problem with one of the buses so we continued on the trip missing Beau Constantia, but its ok, we will add it to the list when we re-visit Cape Town.

The next stop we did was probably the highlight of my trip and to think we nearly didn’t get off the bus!
When approaching Hout Bay, there was the biggest sand storm I had ever witnessed in my entire life that it felt like the bus was going to tip over. The doors of the bus opened, sand pouring in and I looked at my husband and thought hell no, but we sucked it up and got off and searched for shelter quickly! Its a quiet little town, but there is something so beautiful and peaceful about that place that I could sit and just look out into the bay watching the boats sway from side to side and see seals playfully bob in and out of the water.

The BEST part about Hout Bay is “The Man and the Seal” – I was so in awe of what my eyes were seeing that I didn’t even ask what his name was but there is a man that has made a friend out of a wild seal- He spoils the seal with fresh salmon and talks to them like a true companion would. Many tourists have gathered over the years to witness this incredible friendship that this man has put his two children through school and continue to support the family.

Now if that doesn’t hit a spot then I don’t know what will! I unfortunately only got one picture in but here is a snippet of me feeding the Seal! – check it out here.

Head over to the Lookout Deck for the best Fish and Chips you will ever have. I devoured it.

Hout Bay was our last stop for the Hop on Hop Off tour. I was filled with happiness and couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the day.

We were finshed! We traveled back to the starting point at the V&A Waterfront and enjoyed the V&A by night before returning home.

A beautiful day indeed!

June 22, 2016
Travel: Cape Town (Day 1)

So the long awaited post (Or posts should I say) of Cape Town is finally here! Get comfortable people, its going to be a long one.

I must say we needed a few recovery days after our weekend in Cape Town because we saw as much as we possibly could in the short time we were there, but in the end it was definitely worth it!

The lucky girl that I am, I was treated to a weekend in the mother city and it being my first time I was ECSTATIC! (I kid you not I was literally counting down the days to us jetting off,)

Arriving early in CT we didn’t waste any time in getting our sightseeing on. So we jumped in our hired car and headed towards town. Check-in to the hotel wasn’t until later and we needed breakfast so our first stop was V&A Waterfront. We took a walk around the mall before we stopped for breakfast. It’s a stunning mall neighboring the Table Bay Harbour with gorgeous views of Table Mountain. To me it kinda feels like your in another country, everything is so different; the people, the vibe, just everything- quite magical really.. or I may just be a little obsessed..

V&A Waterfront

Swing Bridge

We continued our journey around V&A and decided that since we were there we should check out the Two Oceans Aquarium. We were tourists in our own country but who cares, I wanted to see everything that Cape Town had to offer and for a nature lover like myself, it was just bliss.

OMG! People, people – You must get your hands on an ice-cream sandwich from Crumbs and Cream. The Tuk Tuk is located near the Two Oceans Aquarium. Freshly backed biscuits, at a decent proportion might I add, Is just too delicious not to try.

Chocolate Brownie Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie with Strawberry Ice- Cream Filling! #yum

Approximately 10 min away from the V&A is the gorgeous Lagoon Beach Hotel. The hotel is situated right along the beach with the most spectacular view of table Mountain. The hotel is chic and sophisticated and the staff are amazing!

Lagoon Beach Hotel Lobby

Our Gorgeous View of Table Mountain

We went for a beautiful walk along the beach just to take it all in.
We called it a day after that and enjoyed dinner at the hotel.

Cape Town :Day 2 adventures to follow..

June 17, 2016
#UberPAWS
Uber and SA -Guide Dog Association have partnered up to bring a little Joy to homes and offices around Johannesburg this Friday!

Check out the details below:

We’ll be sending Guide Dogs in training between the ages of 6 – 11 months and their Raisers across the city of Johannesburg. We’d love to spread the joy even further, but GDA rely heavily on volunteers for puppy raisers.

Not in your city? Then head to guidedog.org.za to find out how you can help raise puppies in SA. Each pup is placed with a puppy raiser from 7-8 weeks old till 12 -18 months. They need to learn about and be exposed to different places, spaces, people and transport. So getting to meet you is all in a day’s work!

GET YOUR PAWS ON A GUIDE DOG

HOW IT WORKS:
- Open your Uber app and enter the code PAWSZA in the ‘Promotions’ tab.
- On Friday 3rd June at 10:30AM, slide across to the UberPAWS view and request as normal.
- If successful, a guide dog in training and their raiser will arrive at your location, and you and your colleagues will get to enjoy 15 minutes of doggie downtime for only R100!
- #ProTip: Make sure to have an enclosed space ready for pooch playtime.
If you’re requesting Guide Dogs in training to your office, please make sure your boss or building is dog friendly and that no one in the area is allergic. Also, having a dedicated room for doggie downtime is preferred.

The Fine Pawprint
- It’s just R100 for 15 minutes of doggie downtime, and every rand from your visit is donated directly to GDA. What’s more, we’ll be donating a percentage of our May trips to the association, as part of our UberGIVING initiative.
- These cute little canines will be in very high demand and availability will be limited, so please be patient.
- You must enter the promo code PAWSZA to unlock the unique UberPaws view.
- Unique views take up to 30 minutes to activate. They function exactly the same as the uberX view, with no hidden costs.
- UberPAWS will be live from 10:30AM – 1:30PM on Friday 3rd June, ONLY in Johannesburg.
- Pups are between the ages of 6 – 11 months old.
These fur-babies deserve all the love they get,

Help spread the word!
June 2, 2016
Liebster Award Nomination
The Liebster award is an award that is given from one blogger to another. I, like my dear friend Nikita from Hearts in her shoes, who by the way inspired me to start my own blog, too was unaware of the Liebster award and so excited that I was nominated for the award! Thank you Nikita! Check out her amazing blog here.

The Rules of the Liebster Award:
- Give a link back to the blogger that nominated you for a Liebster Awards
- Answer all the questions that the blogger that nominated you for the award
- Then choose 5-11 other bloggers that have under 1000 followers as your nominees
- Also create a new set of questions for your nominees to answer to keep the ball rolling.
- Don’t forget to notify the nominees via social media
Here is the questions Nikita asked:

1.What would be your dream job?
When I was growing up I wanted to be a Veterinarian, but then as the years went by I thought to myself thank goodness I didn’t! I would fail miserably at that job because I would get too attached to the animal and cry- alot. So, realistically now, I would be quite content living on a farm training dogs- Ideal!

2. What is a hidden talent of yours?
Hmm.. I can eat a whole pizza by myself- That’s a talent right?

3. What does writing/blogging mean to you?
I’m the quiet type, so for me blogging is a way for me to express myself in any and every way possible. Be it a product that Iv fallen in love with or sharing my travel adventures, its really a fun way to share your everyday happenings without any judgement.

4. Which blogs do you enjoy reading?
I love all of them- Wedding, photography, lifestyle, beauty and especially DIY Tips and Trick. I love all things creative and try to apply to my everyday life.

5. What is the scariest thing you have done?
Would have to be when I jumped off a high wall into a pool. For the life of me I cant remember where it was but I do know that I was a tiny tot jumping towards this enormous pool. It was probably like 2 meters high but I just remember it being super scary.

6. Have you ever done something that you thought you would never do?
Not yet.. but I think it will happen though.

7. What is one of your guilty pleasures that make you cringe when you think about it?
Oh man.. It has to be having Coca Cola in a mug and drinking it with a teaspoon. *facepalm*
I know! I know! Its weird…

8.Where in the world would you live and why?
At this point in my life I wish I had traveled to a lot more places, but I’ve been pretty lucky to have at least traveled to a few like Philadelphia, Washington, Madeira, Portugal, Seychelles and most recently Cape Town. Each place was so beautiful and so unique in its own way and I loved every minute of it but the thing is that at every country or place I would say this one sentence every time- “I can’t wait to go back home”. So to answer the question I would have to say that I would stay right where I am. In this beautiful place we call South Africa. Yes, no doubt we have our downfalls, but who’s to say all the other places are perfect..? SA is my home and deep down inside I think it always will be.

9. With almost half of 2016 over with, what has the year taught you so far?
I cant believe that we are already half way but I would have to say that we need make the most out of everything. Life nowadays is proving to be way too short. We need to learn to be a bit bolder, a bit more adventurous and just love fiercely.

10. What is the one piece of advice that you hold dear?
That things happen for a reason and that we should never take anything for granted.

Fellow Bloggers that I am nominating for the Liebster Award:

Anja from Glitz & Grammer
Meg from Meg Interrupted
Cara from Cara Fay
Irina from I’ll Take It All
Vanessa from Absolute Vanessa

My questions to you:
1. What inspired you to start a blog?
2. What is your main focus for your blog?
3. Who or Where did you get your inspiration from?
4. What makes you different form other bloggers?
5. Cat person or Dog person?
6. Favorite SA Celebrity?
7. Favorite travel destination? Why?
8. Travel solo or with someone?
9. How many places have you traveled to?
10. Favorite shade of lipstick?
Congrats new nominees and enjoy!

xoxo
May 26, 2016
Rant about Beggars..

There isn’t a street corner or robot that doesn’t have someone standing in it. It’s sad to think that there is so many people that simply cannot afford anything and have to, by last resort, beg at a street corner for money or food.

I’m always that person that gets caught with my window halfway opened at a robot and approached with a face so innocent and him gesturing that he only needs R2 to buy bread cause he is so hungry. So of course, guilt sets in and many of us are obliged to give spare change that we have that’s just lying around.

What get’s me though is when I do give him a little something, I get this face of, “This is all you’ve got?” or what’s even better is that I don’t even get a thank you, a damn thank you! It grates my tits! And who knows what these people do with this money that they have collected- I seem to think that it doesn’t go to their 3 children with no food, or towards their rent that is due that week..

So let me share a little experience that I had today that has made me rethink my generosity.

I was in the drive thru at KFC ordering food for the company staff, paying by card. (A little FYI I had left my purse at the office so I had no cash on me what so ever.) So happily along I approached window 1, I place my order with the lovely lady and set off to roll through to window 2. As I turn the corner, with my window rolled down, there stands a white male probably in his early 30’s a bit dirty and missing 2 teeth, holding a white piece of paper. With my window down and feeling obligated to hear the guy out, I gladly take the paper to read it- It read:

“Hi my name is paul and I need help

I need to pay rent at where I am staying.

Please any money will help.

As I was reading, I hear a mumbling sound so I look up and see that he is using sign language to ask that he only needs some change. My heart broke at this point because he seemed really desperate and just needed a few more rands. He even reached in his pocket to show me that he had collected R20 and a few coins.

As guilty as I felt, I had to hand back the white paper and tell him that I couldn’t help him and that I had no cash on me, at this point I showed him the card. He persisted and gestured aggressively: ” I just need R1″ , I calmly apologized and showed him the card and again said that I had no change, shaking my head from side to side. He then, said but you can buy food with that card, stormed off and signaled that I was the devil with his two index fingers on either side of his head pointing up.

I lost my shit at this point.. I wanted to ride him over..

How dear he call me the devil! Did he expect me to give him the card? There I was honestly telling him that I didn’t have anything and he storms off calling me the devil. pfff..

Look I get that times are tough out there and I would never want to be in that position, but come on don’t take your shit out on people who are being legit. So because of this douchebag, I will never give anything to a begger ever again.

Yes I will be that person that winds up the window when they approach it and guess what..
I wont feel bad about it.

April 26, 2016
10 things I’ve learn’t over the years

1. Maggi 2 Minute Noodles do NOT cook in 2 minutes…
I actually tried it the other day and it’s kak. It’s a lie!

2. Cooking for 2 isn’t that bad…
Ive come to the realization that this is probably the easiest cooking will ever get. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it but sometimes I look at my fridge like this:

Close it, Just close it!

3. It’s okay to be Selfish…
I’m that type of person that just cant say no and I must admit it does get tiring after a while. All the effort and no appreciation… So be a little selfish and put you first once in a while.

4. Never go to bed with make-up on…
Do NOT do it! Your skin will thank you later in life.

5. Family Matters
Family is everything- FULL STOP!
Yes, I agree that sometimes everyone gets up in each others faces but we wouldn’t be who we are today without them. So send a message or call them from time to time- I’m sure they miss you too.

6. Read, Read, Read…
It can be anything really. Knowledge is power!

7. Life is too short for bad coffee…
Frisco

8. Spoil Yourself from time to time…
We work too damn hard these days and often forget about ourselves. Book a mani and pamper yourself, you deserve it.

9. Health Matters
I have met so many people in my lifetime that are for worse off then I am. We often take for granted our health and don’t necessarily look after ourselves the way we should.
Treat your body with care and eat more of the good stuff then the bad stuff

10. Spread the love
Tell someone you love them
Just do it.

April 7, 2016
Flash Back Friday Adventures: Getaway Farms

We opted for a little adventure a few weekends ago and so our couple friends found a great deal on Groupon for a hike at Getaway Farms. In the midst of a farm outside of Rayton is a breakaway place out of the ordinary. The farm was inherited and certain buildings on the farm were originally the Van der Merwe Railway Station which was situated on the railway-line from Pretoria to Machadodorp between Koedoespoort and the Rayton station. It was also en route to Lourenco Marques and the legend has it that the Kruger-millions was transported on this route and passed this station. Situated on a farm in Rietfontein, about 4km from Rayton, it was a perfect place for a morning hike.

The sun was out and the coffee shop resident was awaiting our arrival. We were lead to our cute little table to indulge in some hearty breakfast and sat gazing at the dam around us.

After breakfast we set off on our hike. We trekked through the farms and bush veld and got some really beautiful views. The hike itself wasn’t long at all but it was just enough to get some fresh air into our lungs.

The Crew

Met some Moo’s along the way!

Beehive Box

The Getaway Farm is a perfect city break for family and friends.

If beauty and nature is what you need then Getaway Farms is worth a try- Get more info here.

April 1, 2016
Flash Back Friday Adventures: Swadini Resort

Another edition of Flash back Friday – Destination Swadini Resort– Limpopo (Mphumalang)

Landlocked by the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve and the Drakensberg Peaks, Swadini, A Forever Resort is a must.

Driving from Johannesburg we took our time and went the scenic route to get to see as much as our eyes could open. We set off early in the morning and stopped at the first little town for breakfast in Dulltroom.

There is a beautiful little Tuscon coffee shop that honestly feels like you are in another country. The haziness and chill in the air demands you to cozy up in the cafe and let your sense indulge in the coffee aroma.

It was my birthday weekend trip so we took the opportunity to include Pilgrims Rest in our route too. It was definitely the highlight of my trip as I always wanted to go there since I was little- no joke. Something about a small quiet town filled with so much history that I just needed to see for myself and in the end, it was well worth it. The people are super friendly and the views heading down into the town are gorgeous.

On this route we got to see a number of natural wonders like the Blyde River Canyon and Lisbon Falls, we were on the way to Bourke’s Luck Potholes which are soft rounded holes at the bottom of a steep canyon where two rivers meet, but little miss sickly got out of breath and dizzy so we detoured down the mountain straight to the resort, so I missed the Potholes but will definitely plan a trip to see them one day.

We arrived late afternoon at Swadini Resort- It was a busy day and were were hungry so we made our way to our Chalets and were greeted by a Gorgeous Kudu. These animals were so tame that we walked up to them to say hi. They hung out with the the entire night while we chatted away around a fire.

Morning came and what awaited us outside our window was a view like no other. The enormous canyon made its debut and we sat there starring in amazement at the beauty of it.

We spent our weekend walking around the facilities and enjoyed all it had to offer. Its a beautiful resort with loads of activities to offer. Be assured to make some unusual friends while you’re there. (O Shem- extreme close up)

The weekend ended all too quickly, but the memories and the beauty will stay with us forever. Swadini has a special little place in my heart which I hope to re visit soon. A weekend of tranquility and beauty.

March 11, 2016
DIY: Wedding Invitations Recycled!

I just love weddings- LOVE! I love everything about it- The flowers, the decor, how the bride is going to look, the list goes on and on. The thing I love the most is the invitation. To me the invitation is the mood setter and the vibe to how the wedding will look and feel- kinda like a first impression thing.. know what I mean…

So you could guess my excitement when we get an invitation to attend one, but at the same time the sadness comes over me because I know that when the celebration is over, the beautiful invitation that once displayed on my fridge will be re-homed in my dustbin.. So in reality it’s money going straight to the bin.

So I thought of a way to save pieces of the invitation, if not all of it ( save money on buying a card that will also be thrown away for those non-sentimental couples) and give it back to the couple in a monetary card form. I got lucky because with this invite had a lot that I could work with so I definitely used what I could, sometimes it wont always work out that the invite will come with so many little extra’s but work with what you go.

I giggle to myself because I cant help but think what the couples’ will say when they receive it – “Gees they cheapskates, they cant even buy a proper card” OR “This is kinda lame”, or maybe it will be a positive reaction- they will think its great and appreciate it.

Regardless of the outcome, I’m excited to share the results of my recent recycled wedding invitation.

PS: Make sure you keep record of the wedding details of the invitation, otherwise you might be in a bit of a pickle. Now excuse me while I go call the bride for directions to the venue.

I cut out our name to place it inside of the card.

I then cut out their name to place in the window

Perfect fit

I used two pieces of card to write a message to the bride and groom.

I had written a little note to the Bride & Groom

I came up with a little poem to let the Bride and Groom know the thought behind the Recycled Wedding Invite

Voila! the final Product!

Try it out for yourself and share your amazing Recycled wedding invites with me!

Tweet @nicole_theguru

February 26, 2016
Flash back Friday Adventures: Sani Pass

I was going through my photos last night and to my surprise, found some pretty awesome pictures of little adventures that we did a little while ago. So I thought I would start a series of Flash back Friday Adventures and share them with my fellow travel enthusiasts.

Our first adventure is about our trip to Sani Pass.

We initially set off to Bulwer in KZN for a family affair- a sad one at that- but we made the most of our weekend trip and ventured around Bulwer and surrounding areas.

The weather definitely reflected the emotion that we were all feeling. It was overcast, cold and every now and then a light rain came down. It was absolutely beautiful.

Arriving at our self-catering accommodation, it looked like something out of a horror movie, misty secluded house with squeaking doors and cracking floors- I was in my element. The house was old but filled with so much life. A fire place awaited us with a grand piano and board games to keep us occupied through the night.

We sat around the fire that evening and contemplated on whether we should travel up to Sani Pass and see what it was all about. Not everyone was keen, but the ones who were, well were in for quite a treat.

We set off early to the great Sani Pass in our trusty Land Rover. The route is breathtaking- Hills after hills and waterfalls everywhere and the weather perfect for our trip up the mountain. We stopped off at Sani Pass Hotel for a quick refresher before we set off again. Pictures just don’t do justice to the beauty that surrounds it.

We did a few stops at some waterfalls to freshen up and have a drink.

Sani Pass is the mother of all South African mountain passes- Situated between KZN and Lesotho the pass was built circa 1950 and remains a challenging drive in 4×4 vehicles with all the drama, scenery, bad weather and treacherous conditions expected of a pass with a summit altitude of 2876m.

The climb up was just as terrifying as the climb down! I was at the back of the 4×4 with my eyes shut tight every time we reared higher and higher. Its definitely not for the feint-hearted but something one definitely has to experience. Its breath-taking when you reach the top and COLD. We were so confused as to why the locals were wearing thick blankets over their shoulders until we got out the car. … Wowza, It’s a fridge up there!

As exhausting as the weekend was it was an adventurous one. Who knew we would discover so much beauty in a short amount of time. So if your planning a trip to KZN, detour to Sani Pass. Just remember to take scarfs, beanies, gloves, snow jackets, thermal underwear and an extra jacket, just in case.

Sani Pass is definitely a trip to put on your list of places to see in South Africa. Its perfection.

January 15, 2016