TRAVELBUCKET

TRAVELBUCKET

Monthly Archive: September 2017

A LONDON RED BUS IN MOSSEL BAY?

A ride on a red London bus is still on my bucket list, but I was not really expecting to find a red London bus parked in the Garden Route.   This was a leisurely Saturday outing on a winter’s day in August in search for some good old-fashioned, value-for-money food.  And this is just what we found here. This no frills-no-fuss fish and chips take away is located on the water’s edge in Mossel Bay Harbour.  Things work simple here – decide what you want from the minimalistic menu, place your order, pay at the window, get your order slip and go on the top deck until your food is served in a white Styrofoam dish.  That’s it. With the smell of sea and fresh fish in your nostrils you have a fantastic view over the glistening water of the bay  towards the Outeniqua Mountains, which also forms the back… Read more >

FLOWER SPOTTING IN NAMAQUALAND

Apart from September being tourism month in South Africa the West Coast is well known for its spring flowers, because in a blink of an eye it appears after some good rain. First you have to understand what Namaqualand is about.  This is a very dry area with little rain throughout the year.  Then when the warmer weather arrives, the vibrant flowers appear on the barren landscapes.  You might feel that you do not need any tips on flower spotting, – how difficult can that be? – but there are some points that you need to consider in making your experience memorable.  It is always difficult to predict when the flowers are going to bloom, as like many things in nature, they are weather dependent, but keep the following in mind to ease you into flower spotting: The flowers are dependent on the sun to show their faces.  So, the… Read more >

5 “LEKKER” PICNIC SPOTS IN THE GARDEN ROUTE

Well let’s first start with the word lekker for those who are not familiar with the Afrikaans language.  It can be translated as a lot of things such as great, tasty, nice , scenic, pretty –  it all depends in what sentence it is used – but what I mean with lekker is more the use of pleasurable and relaxing with a scenic view.   There is not one word in the English language that can describe it quite the same. SPOT #1 : EBB AND FLOW (NORTH)  Situated on the northern banks of the Touw river it falls within the Garden Route National Park, but day visitors are welcomed.  You will be rewarded with some shade under old wild fig trees, a demarcated fire pit, clean ablution facilities and a Knysna Loerie (Turaco) or two. Need to know:  Report to reception and pay your day visitor fee.  If you have a… Read more >

CROSSING THE BORDER (PART IV) – FOOD

This is always a tricky topic as it is mostly country-specific.   Botswana with its in-country vet fences is a classic example which affect the movement of raw meat and pork. We never take all our food from home as this just adds weight to your vehicle which increases fuel consumption and with Shoprite branches in the major cities in Africa you will find most of the food stuff needs – some at a price, but you will find it.   Weigh up the pro’s and cons and decide where you find your balance! Be realistic when planning your food. Everything is not always as fresh as back home  or as readily available especially when planning some or other exotic dish for dinner.  Remember that you are doing this trip to experience Africa.  Sometimes you have to think out of the box to create a wholesome dish in the bush. Before you… Read more >

CROSSING THE BORDER (PART III) – ARRIVING AT THE BORDER

You have made it to the border post!  Now you need to keep calm and work through the process.  Remember each country has its own rules. Which border post? In all our years of travel we found that it is much easier to enter/exit at smaller border posts.  At the bigger border posts, the officials are sometimes tired and irritated and will take their time to work through the processes.  Our experience is at the smaller posts they are friendlier and welcome a chat while doing their work. When? Try to avoid peak times, if possible, like month end, late Friday afternoon or popular public holidays like Easter.  Everybody is in a hurry and the queues are longer, the tempers flare quicker and willingness is shorter. Be positive! No matter how frustrated you get, try to smile and be friendly.  They are only doing their job.  A positive attitude goes… Read more >

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