South Africa

Mpumalanga
Redbilled oxpecker on impala 1
Swathes of golden brown grass with just hints of green covered the savannah. The bush cover was not dense at all. You’d think it was the dry winter season, but the piercing calls of woodland kingfishers and other migrant birds chirped the songs of summer. And it was a whopping […]

Kruger – it’s not all dry

Limpopo
Confluence of Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 1
Bulky masses soldiered forward through the bushes grazing on the lush vegetation. Looking from the Confluence viewing decks at Mapungubwe National Park, they could easily be mistaken for buffalo. But these were cattle, and weren’t technically in the park itself. It’s strange to see domestic animals that close to a […]

Mapungubwe’s treasures

Western Cape
Flower carpet at West Coast National Park
It’s time for the Cape to show off her colourful wardrobe again. Wild flowers in bloom will transform the landscape into a tapestry of colour, attracting pollinators and humans alike. Namaqua and West Coast’s floral displays are the most well-known and visited. But there are pockets, or rather troves of […]

In search of flowers

Eastern Cape
Elephant House lounge 1
Large bowls filled to the brim with bright yellow lemons adorn the side tables. Sheaths of bronze flowers hang alongside the green, spiky aloe leaves. Black and white portraits adorn the walls. This is Elephant House, a cosy “lodge” close to Addo Elephant National Park, where I spent the recent […]

Review: Elephant House

Eastern Cape
Baby elephant 2
There was a time when there were only eleven elephants left roaming a small section of bush near a town called Addo. 85 years later, there are now over 600 pachyderms. Addo Elephant National Park is a remarkable story of vision and conservation. I spent the long weekend in the […]

Addo’s Elephants

Cheetah mother & cub at Manyeleti Game Reserve 4
I recently returned from an excellent stay at a tented safari camp in the Manyeleti Game Reserve, a private concession on the border with the more famous Kruger National Park. Honeyguide’s Mantobeni Camp was a great bush getaway, and perfect escape from winter’s chill. Although we saw some wonderful predators, […]

Private safari lodges: A love-hate relationship

International

Thailand
Surin Beach, Phuket
Phuket, Thailand’s premier beach destination is mostly known for its throngs of holiday makers. From the busy tourist hot spots to isolated stretches, there’s plenty of beaches to flock to. Off the mainland peninsula, there’s even more beaches on the island’s that dot the Andaman Sea.   You might also […]

Phuket beach holiday

Thailand
Bangkok's Grand Palace complex
Bangkok was the starting point to our Thailand vacation in June this year. As a bustling city, there are many things to see and do. Here’s my take on how to spend a day in Thailand’s capital. Morning: Start the day with a hearty breakfast. We stayed at Anantara Sathorn […]

24 hours in Bangkok

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Island's night skyline
Hong Kong is a fusion city of note. It is rich in its ancient Chinese heritage, yet deeply impressed by its British rule. It’s where I spent a few days last month, and became overwhelmed by its buildings and people. Towering skyscrapers reach for the skies, creating a glassy skyline […]

Hong Kong weekend

Ireland
Houses on a Malahide main street 1
Dublin, Ireland’s capital and largest city, is surprisingly close to sleepy seaside towns and tranquil country villages. With its network of light rail and suburban trains making getting around easy, I was able to do some exploring on a recent trip to Dublin. Here’s just a few possible day-trips from […]

Day-trips from Dublin

Ireland
Trinity College, Dublin 1
Dublin didn’t quite feature on my bucket list. So when I happened to visit there at the end of April, it was with little expectations. It charmed, but it also chilled. Tulips bloomed all over the city to herald spring, yet an icy air set the mood. The Irish capital […]

Dublin Weekend

India
Kerala Backwaters
Vembanad Lake – a flat, glassy mirror, extending as far as the eye could see and merging seamlessly into the blue sky. That was the scene on the lake shore in Kerala before breakfast. The serene lake was unlike the choppy waters that we experienced the afternoon before. It begged […]

The waterways of Kerala