Navigating our 7th Decade
If you have a couple of hours free whilst in Dubai then do yourself a favour and see if there is camel racing happening at the Al Marmoom Camel Racing Track. The track is easily accessible from anywhere in Dubai and there is lots of parking available inside the venue. Once parked we had a short walk to the start of the 8km track. Yes, you read that right, 8 …
Up the coast from Dubai is Ras Al-Khaimah and about 35km by road beyond that is a bit of Oman known as the Musandam Governorate. The main port is Khasab, and that is where we headed after the normal border formalities Shortly after crossing the border into Oman, the landscape undergoes quite a dramatic change. From dead flat the topography suddenly changes into rocky mountains that rise up from the …
If you enjoy a fun night out and are in Dubai on just about any Monday night of the year, then you could do a lot worse than join @The.Dylan.Show at The Radisson Red for the best quiz in Dubai. Starting at 8pm in the courtyard (winter) or inside (summer), Dylan puts on a fun team quiz for all comers. You don’t need to book. Just show up with a …
The Abu Dhabi GP has, of late, been the last Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season. It takes place on the Yas Marina circuit which has been built on Yas Island which lies on the East Coast of Abu Dhabi. The first GP took place there in 2009 and it will be the last race of the season until at least 2030. This year (2023) we got the opportunity …
We love doing road trips. The freedom of the road, the ability to change plans in a heartbeat, visiting interesting places and meeting different people are all part of the attraction. Of course, sometimes things don’t always go according to plan! South Island Road Trip We were in New Zealand for the summer of 22/23. Summer in New Zealand is supposed to be warm and dry. The summer we got …
The Hamilton Botanical Gardens in New Zealand The Botanical Gardens in Hamilton are situated on the banks of the Waikato River as it runs through the east part of the city. Run by the city council, this 54 hectare park offers a range of gardens and open lawns to enjoy. We visited the gardens several times during our stay in New Zealand. Sometimes we strolled through the various gardens, sometimes …
When we are at home in the KZN Midlands, we often pop down to the coast for a few days. Ballito is a favourite hang-out because we love walking the Ballito boardwalk, which runs along the Ballito beach front. This partly wood, partly concrete walkway lies just above the beach. It is thus in front of all the apartment buildings, so your view of the various beaches and the mighty …
Road Trip with a Difference After over-nighting at Augrabies Falls, we headed for Vioolsdrif on the Namibian border and went paddling down the Orange River for 3 days. Then we hit the road. Vioolsdrif to Sendlingsdrif via the Helskloof pass and Nababeep Reserve. Our destination. The Richtersveld National Park. The Nababeep Nature Reserve and Helskloof Pass Heading out from The Orange River Rafting Lodge situated on the South African side …
So, there I was browsing the Whitcoulls Bookshop at Auckland Airport one April afternoon waiting to board a flight to Johannesburg via Sydney, when I found a little pearl of a book. I bought it and had finished it before we’d flown far enough south to see the white ice shelf of the Antarctic. I spent the rest of the flight going back over it taking notes, running numbers and …