The Little Guru

Category: Travel

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
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
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
Outdoors: Hiking The Cycade Trail

Early morning a few weekends ago, we drove to Middleburg for our gym work out.

Well, it was for me…

The Cycad Day Trail is one of the best hikes in the Olifants River gorge. The trail starts from the farmhouse were the cars are parked. The hike is roughly 8km long and the kloof route needs a certain degree of fitness as it involves some rock scrambling and boulder hopping.

If your lucky, you’ll be accompanied by a little Jack Russell that will do the whole trail with you without a sip of water- To this day we still don’t know how he got to the river- but he was such a cool little guy.

The trail is gorgeous cycads along the route are massive and on route you will see many appealing rock pools on the way down to the kloof. Most of them have weathered to form amazing formations. In places there are chains to help. There is an easier, alternative route for those who prefer this- Not us though, no no..

The18km trail can be hiked over a two day period but we did it in a day- We definitely took our time to take in the views and have many many water breaks. My favorite point by far was when we reached the highest point overlooking the river- It was breathtaking

We have a done a few hikes up until this point, but I must say, the Cycade trail was probably one of the best Iv done.

Get outdoors and enjoy this beautiful world we have.

I promise you, wont regret it.

August 30, 2015
Getaway: Klein Paradys Guest Farm

Klein Paradys Guest Farm is tranquilly located amidst beautiful Savanna bushveld with a Caravan Park that nestles at the base of a delightful hillock presenting a composed and peaceful backdrop. For that well-earned break where you can relax amidst friends and nature lovers, Klein Paradys Guest Farm is where we did just that.

We spent a weekend at Klein Paradys with family. A little getaway that was well needed and deserved might I add.

We arrived at the beautiful clean Farm House. Fully furnished with Decor furnishings for complete comfort. With spacious lawned grounds, it was perfect for early morning bird watching and feeding too.

Over the weekend we set off on a walk around the farm, did some game drives where we saw Blesbuck, Impala, Zebra Duikers, Klipspringer, Wart hog, Bush pig and Kudu. and Redhartbeest and every evening we sat around the fire under the beautiful star filled sky. It was the perfect little getaway

Klein Paradys Guest Farm is especially famous for its variety of Wild Fig Trees, indigenous trees, abundance of birds, beautiful plants and we have even introduced some game which can be viewed from within the park. Blesbuck, Impala, Zebra and Redhartbeest can be seen from our 4 x 4 late afternoon game drives. Other species commonly sighted include Duiker, Klipspringer, Wart hog, Bush pig and Kudu.

It was freezing ok.

After our game drive, we set out to view the surroundings of the farm and came across a a little farm that had meerkats to greet us. I was so excited as I had never had a close encounter with one before. It was so awesome! The whole was back to Klein Paradys I kept on telling everyone that I wanted one to take home.

It was the perfect little getaway
Klein Paradys- Thank you for your great hospitality and immaculate facilities.

August 12, 2015
Getaway: Wawielpark

SA is such a beautiful country with so much to see and discover .So the campers that we are, we found a gorge spot on the banks of the Vaal River in Free State side of town.

Wawielpark is a perfect place to unwind and compelety let your hair down. It offers a wide range of activities for the young and old, from fishing to paddleboating to even having heated pools- which was my favourite. We parked our tents right on the river bank, which I was complaining about at first because we would freeze at night being so close to the water, but after witnessing the first sunset of the day, we couldnt have asked for a more perfect spot- it was absolutely breathtaking.

Through out the weekend we toured the facility and fell in love with it even more with every new piece of ground that was discovered. Can you believe that we found a mini zoo in the facility!
I couldnt have asked for more. It was just the best weekend that was well needed.
The weekend was spent huddled around the fires sharing stories, playing games, sneaking off in the night to the heated pools and of course fishing.

Falling asleep to the sounds of the wilderness around has never felt so good.
Wawielpark is definately a place to visit.

April 10, 2015
Getaway to: Howick

Last year was a year of weddings. We are at that time in our lives where our friends and friends of friends are getting married and our weekends are filled with attending them- (Sho, Im getting old) I absolutely love weddings and was quite excited to head to our cousins wedding in the Midlands Meander.

Travel is the ultimate for us, so we make the most of our journey’s. So we pick places that we have also wanted to see and thats why we landed up in Howick Falls. The journey to the Howich Falls Hotel is so gorgeous. The town has so much history and beauty is all around.

The Howick Falls Hotel is a short walk away from the Howick Falls and there is plenty of little craft stores and restaurants to keep you interested along the way. The Waterfall is beautiful. The view from the top, in particular, is pretty inspiring, and the volley of water quite mesmerising. But thats not all thats on offer, there are a series of interesting walks and trails, some to the bottom of the falls. We didnt have much time to do any of the trails and it was a rainy dya but Im sure they are quite beautiful.

The weekend was beautiful, the weather was perfect and the view all around us was magnificent.

Howick – you are beautiful.

January 14, 2015
Getaway to B’sorah Luxury Tented Camp

I was suprised with an awesome weekend getaway by my love and what a weekend it was. Ive always wanted to experience a tented camp or as I like to call it- “Glamping”.

Only an hour away from JHB – this hidden gem is the perfect trip for a quick getaway. Its really a place where you enjoy nature at its best. Apart from the hiking, mountain biking and running trails, there isnt much more to do other than to sit around the fire and relax.

Luxuary Tented Camp

Arriving at about 8.30pm that evening. We had our dinner and lit a fire. We sat for about an hour then had to rush inside as the rain came down. The stillness of the night is actually breathtaking. Its really the ultimate getaway for relaxation.

The Safari Tents are quite spaced out, so it is very secluded from other “Glampers”. Everything you possibly need is supplied. All you have to bring along is your own food and drink. I thought we would freeze through the night, but to my suprise the Tent got extremly hot! So no extra blankets are needed, unless you go in winter, of course.

The hiking trails are gorgeous. Walking through the bushveld and spotting the odd Game here and there . I didnt prepare for a hike so I didnt have the right gear on but I would reccommend comfortable shoes as there is gravel paths that you walk through.

Its really a place for the ultimate relaxed getaway.
B’sorah is a nature lover’s paradise, a place to unwind, relax and get in tune with nature again.

I sure did.

December 18, 2014