TRAVELBUCKET

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THE GLOBE ON THE HILL

It was a rainy day, but still perfect for an outing to explore the R72 and some gravel back roads of the Eastern Cape and to visit places we have not been before. We came across a brown sign at a turn-off that just says Karel Landman Monument. That is it. So this was the indication for us to put on your indicator and turn. We were not quite expecting this type of structure for a monument! Well maybe I am old school but a monument in my mind is sort of a subdued grey stone structure and not a huge ocean blue structure! Now who was this Karel Landman, because I mean to have a famous architect like Gerard Moerdijk design such a structure and plonk it down here in the green scenery near Alexandria you must be quite well-known? I was scratching my memory to find something familiar… Read more >

5 EASY TO FOLLOW RULES FOR SOLO FEMALE TRIPPERS

Solo travelling may not be for everyone, unless you like your own company and enjoy everything by your own-some lone-some and do not want to consider anybody else. If this describes you – go for it! However, there are a few things that you need to get in place to make the trip, not only for yourself but also those that you left behind, easier and comforting. Sticking to these five easy rules can make a huge difference to a solo trip experience. Read on! Rule 1: Start off on a good foot or will that be a good tyre? Before you spread your wings and leave home base, check your car’s tyre pressure. This can easily make or break a trip. It is also a good habit to form to check the overall conditions of your tyres on a regular basis. Rule 2: Keep hydrated, especially during summertime. Know… Read more >

A MARINE ODYSSEY

Today we were up early and getting the troops ready for our boating trip with Ocean Odyssey in Knysna compliments of #visitknysna. The weather was looking a bit greyish when we departed from home base, but it turned out to be a beautiful day in Knysna. How lucky we are! Now our family are not sea people at all, but this trip however was on our to do list for some time, but somehow, we never got around to do it. We prefer the bush and greenery of the forest if we have a choice but are ALWAYS open for something new and eventful. Back to our sea expedition. As always, we arrived a bit early so there was enough time before the trip to use our coffee vouchers at nearby Trinity Coffee. This gave us enough sustenance to be happy on our expedition. The welcome and safety briefing was… Read more >

THE TALE OF THE SACRAMENTO

Like many old artefacts there is a story behind the story and so does the Sacramento canon also have a back story. This canon was on the deck of the Portuguese galleon Sacramento when it ran aground on 30 June 1647 off the coast of Port Elizabeth – for those of you who do not know Jan van Riebeeck only arrived in 1652 in the Cape of Good Hope so five years prior to old Jan setting foot ashore at the Cape of Good Hope. What caused the disaster and how many people were aboard the Sacramento is unknown, but 72 made it to shore. After 10 days the group decided to walk from Port Elizabeth to Maputo – which is about 1 300 km away by the way – from where they planned to get a ship to Europe. It must have been hostile and wild country back then… Read more >

SCENT OF FEAR by TonyPark

I have just finished reading the book Scent of Fear and what a captivating story it is. It is all about the passion of protecting and preserving the wildlife of Africa. Although being an Aussie Tony Park writes about what is close to his heart – Africa and its every day realities. Let’s be honest there is only one African continent. If you were not born on this continent, then you will probably not understand the passion that we harbor for this conflicting continent where nothing can surprise you. Scent of Fear is a gripping read that centres around the use of specially trained dogs and their handlers of the anti-poaching unit to hunt down poachers in the Lowveld of South Africa and gives a true insight into what extent poachers will go to, to reach their goals. The author definitely researched his facts well and managed to weave it… Read more >

GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT

Shopping for a mattress can be daunting as there are many choices out there and of course each manufacturer will say that they have the ultimate solution and every traveler will convince you that his choice is the best, but what is your choice?

A CAR FOR THE NATION

I am pretty sure most South Africans has one or another Volkswagen advertisement that lingers in their minds. Be it Gugu Zulu with his little rally car or David Kramer and his red veldskoene and the Volksie bus. Which one is your favourite? As the interest in motor sport runs deep in our veins we have visited a couple of motor museums in Europe in the past. This is no Porsche Museum or Alfa Romeo museum that spread over several floors and hosts any model that you can think of and more. This is rather an intimate display of loved Volkswagen products on the premises of the factory located at 130 Algoa Road in Uitenhage. In the “Meet the Beetles” area you will meet Herbie from the movies who needs no introduction. Delilah which is in pristine condition with no plastic surgery done and less than 1 000 km on… Read more >