Nature has the ability to inspire awe and there are moments while in the bush when I realize that what I am viewing is incredibly unique. These moments are oddly emotional and often difficult to describe, but I had this profound sensation as I watched 17 three month old wild dog puppies outside of their den during my recent visit to Ngala Tented Camp.
This is a bit embarrassing to admit given the number of times I have gone on safari, but I only recently learned why the cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino are called the Big Five. The Big Five is originally a hunting term coined because these five animals were considered by hunters to be the most dangerous to shoot.
One of the best views in the Stellenbosch winelands has to be from the Jordan Restaurant dining room, but when the dishes start coming out of the kitchen, all attention turns to the magnificent food. This is not a restaurant where the view is meant to distract from middling food, but one where the views of wine farms and farmland convey the provenance of what you are eating.
There is something about The Leopard in Melville with mismatched mid-century chairs, faded Micky Mouse printed napkins, and right next to my table a framed photo of an Air Gabon airplane that I loved from the second I settled into my table. The menu is eclectic and a bit cheeky.
Afar Magazine published an article early this year, “Where to Travel the Year According to Your Astrological Sign.” Whilst I don’t believe that our date of birth predicts the future much less correlates with our travel preferences, it is always oddly unsettling when you find a bit of truth in your horoscope. According the the astrologer, Pisces (like me) are drawn to vast open space like the ocean, forest, or desert where they feel connected to the world. Perhaps this is why my weekend walking a largely deserted beach at Prana Lodge at the start of the Wild Coast was a welcomed respite.
Expats often feel as if they belong to two worlds and after time aren’t completely at home in either their home or adopted countries. I experience this feeling of not quite belonging in South Africa every time friends and family visit me here for an extended period of time. This place I call home suddenly feels difficult to understand and I need a few weeks to recalibrate.