May 2018 - TRAVELBUCKET

YOU HAVE MAIL IN TWEE RIVIERE

If you mistake Twee Riviere for Twee Rivieren you will end up in a totally different province of South Africa. The one is on the R62 in the Eastern Cape, but you can easily overshoot it as well, and the other one is in the Northern Cape where you enter the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Today however we are visiting Twee Riviere in the Eastern Cape, about a two hour drive from the friendly city of Port Elizabeth. The little hamlet has its origin as far back as 1765 when land was first allocated to Jacobus Scheepers. Once a blooming farming community over the years it also fell victim to the economic trends and hardships and today it is a real rural community. One beautiful feature of Twee Riviere is the Belfry Kitchen in the hoofstraat. Make sure you pinch yourself, because you can soon forget that you are in the… Read more >

GOING SOLO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?

Going solo off the beaten track is not for every off-road traveller whether you visit Botswana, Namibia or venture further into Africa past Zambia, going north. There are pros and cons to it so you need to consider everything. If you are a social person and like the company of fellow travellers and hate being alone then going solo is definitely not for you. Groups also provide some security and you can share costs of planned activities. If you like your own company and have some travel savvy then going solo is for you. Going solo gives you freedom of choice and total independence to change your travel plans on the spur of the moment if something interests you on the wayside. Things that you need to consider when planning your next solo African trip are the following. You will need the ability to navigate. There are not many countries… Read more >

A LOADED FARM STALL – DASSIESFONTEIN!

South Africa has great farm stalls dotted all over our beautiful country and Dassiesfontein is one of he top notch ones. It is hard to miss the Dassiesfontein farm stall on the N2 whether you are approaching from Caledon or Botrivier. It sort of sits in the middle of nowhere. From the outside it looks rather small, but once you enter one is amazed on how well it is stocked to the brim. There are way more things than you can dream of – vellies, garden goodies, funky clothes, black stoves, woven baskets, pretty chandeliers, wooden cheeseboards, crystal glasses, etcetera. Imagine something and I am pretty sure that you will find it somewhere in the shop. The best of all is that you can visit often, as the merchandise regularly changes and something new and interesting is added. You really need more than an hour to browse through all… Read more >

SPITSKOP ON PRINCE ALFRED’S PASS

Take a day trip to Spitskop and enjoy the scenery deep in the Knysna Forest. If you follow the Prince Alfred Pass that links Avontuur to Knysna you will pass the turn-off to Spitskop. Take your own refreshments as there are no facilities along the road. It is a slow drive as the gravel road may not be in a good condition and in any way, you should not be in hurry because the road is at times very potholed and maybe, just maybe, you will spot an elusive Knysna elephants. Along the route you will find a couple of picnic spots with the beautiful names like Valley of Ferns, Ysterhoutrug and Diepwalle. In the shade of some indigenous trees at Ysterhoutrug picnic spot you can light a fire for a braai as there are designated areas. This is also a good stop for the children to stretch their legs as… Read more >

Monthly Archive: May 2018

YOU HAVE MAIL IN TWEE RIVIERE

GOING SOLO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?

A LOADED FARM STALL – DASSIESFONTEIN!

SPITSKOP ON PRINCE ALFRED’S PASS