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 …
Gardens within a Garden in Hamilton
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 …
Strolling The Ballito Boardwalk
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 …
Taking on the Nababeep and Helskloof Pass
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 …
What We Love About Cremona
Cremona is a city in the Lombardia region of Northern Italy, situated about a 100km dash down the A1 SE of Milan. It’s not one of the first places that comes to mind when you think of visiting Italy. We had never heard of the place until we hosted an Italian Rotary Exchange Student who happened to come from Cremona. And thus we were introduced to Cremonesi life! We were fascinated …
We Join New Zealand’s Grey Wave
This year we joined the mass movement of Kiwi Baby Boomers moving south. To be fair, lots of them also crisscross the North Island, but that’s another story. Every year, like clockwork, a remarkable phenomenon occurs in New Zealand’s South Island. When the school kids head back to school and life returns to normal, but summer is still a thing, that’s when the Grey Wave becomes self evident! We noticed …
The Fastest Haircut in the West
So this is the second in the series of notable haircut experiences I have had while on our travels. I plan to add to the series as we go along…..even though the amount of hair to cut is disappearing fast!! It should be noted that these haircuts do not require high tech tools or an abundance of hair cutting talent. This is because, sadly but inevitably, there is not that …
Some Of Our (Mainstream) Favourite Italian Restaurants
It’s hard to argue with the fact that Italian cuisine is soothing and comforting. It is delicious and made with only the freshest of ingredients. It is often served with straightforward wines delivered in enormous jugs. These meals are typically enjoyed by a large number of family members and friends who are catching up in large, raucous parties. We adore it for each and every one of these reasons. Because …
Our Oberammergau Passion Play Experience
It Was Written in the Stars Sometimes the stars align, and you just happen to be in the right place, at the right time, to realise a bucket list quest. It’s not planned. A snippet of information becomes an online search. Next thing you know you’re on a train heading through the hills to an iconic destination, to take in a performance that has become a global legend. And all …