Getaway Team
It all started one volunteering vacation in Greece. Working with sea turtles fuelled my love for wildlife and nature and doing it while camping on a beach in Crete awoke the travel bug. Now I just love wildlife and writing stories about them and their environment. Strangely enough, I also love the city buzz, especially Cape Town's. So if I were forced to spend the rest of my life here, I'll be happy with that too.
I've never been able to shake my wunderlust - not that I've tried very hard! From the hallways of Getaway as a travel photojournalist to the editor's seat at Wild magazine, my career has been dedicated to travel. Now I'm back at Getaway, this time as the editor. It's been an incredible journey and I'd like you to join me for the rest of the ride.
A Capetonian born and raised, I’ve been working and travelling in Europe and the Mediterranean for most of the last 10 years. Now back home via an eight-month motorbike adventure through the Middle East and Africa, I’m by no means done with travel just yet. My most recent journey has been a 10,000km, 40-day road trip around South Africa with Jan Braai and the Braai4Heritage tour. Read about it on this blog while I plot and scheme a way to get out of the office again.
In a utopian world, my days would be spent exploring vineyards instead of chasing deadlines and polishing off good food instead of polishing copy. While every day can't be filled with never-ending eating, drinking, and exploring, I'm all about balancing the humdrum of reality with a little escapism, be it through a good bottle of Chardonnay, a feast shared with friends or discovering something new in my back garden: Cape Town.
I have always loved the sound of aeroplanes and lawnmowers. Although I can’t tell you the reason for my affinity with the latter, the call to hop on a plane to some far-away place resounds every time I hear the engines roaring above. My travels have taken me to some truly inspiring places, from sleeping under star-studded skies in Morocco to indulging in local cuisine in western China. I am always on the hunt for the next place to visit and when I can’t afford to travel and feeling a little down, I ensure that I keep my grass long and my visits to the local airstrip frequent!
This blogging thing is new to me. I am no writer, in fact the only thing in my favour here is that I love baking and cooking ... and have made it my mission to do it more, and get better at it in 2012. The only promise I can make is this: if it’s deliciousness, I will share it, and if it’s not, I wont! I hope you enjoy.
I'm your quintessential laid-back traveller. If ever you were searching for the epitome of easy-going, your search ends now. My parents whisked me about the globe from a young age which culminated in an immigration to the Caribbean for a little while. What this early life ‘trauma’ induced is a condition whereby I live for the adventure but find the planning thing to be rather superfluous. Whether I am missing flights in Bahrain or chasing cars in the Kruger Park, you shall never hear a complaint from me. You might however hear a story or two.
Travel and photography go together like surfers and the sea. They are my passions that allow me to explore this world - its people, landscapes and intricate details - with an open mind and ever searching eye. Join me on my African adventures.
To earn a crust and fund my wanderlust I've been a copywriter, DJ, film location scout and freelance photographer. Now I've become a Getaway photojournalist. Somebody pinch me.
I was terrified of flying, didn’t know much about the environment and wasn’t the fittest person you’d meet. Don’t ask me how I ended up at Getaway. After failing hopelessly as a first-year Interior Design student, I opted for Public Relations and enjoyed the bits of writing we had to do. When an editorial assistant position at Getaway came up, I applied, and now - six years later - I’m still not the fittest person you’ll meet, I still hate flying and I probably know just a little bit more about the environment.
So I'm the lucky one, I get to do all my favourite things and I get paid for it... Yip, you read right. I love travel and media and business and I do all that in my role as publisher of Getaway - this amazing multi-media travel brand. I'm a free-spirited Sagittarius soul with lots of energy and a gentle heart.
I landed up in the world of travel-writing almost by accident. Having completed a doctorate in English, I was all set to become a university lecturer. But academia didn't quite have the ingredients to quench my wanderlust, so I started looking for something completely different. And here I am: 10 years in the travel game. I still do a bit of teaching and write books on travel in my free time, but Getaway keeps me pretty busy. The job has taken me to some weird and wonderful places: sailing down the Niger to Timbuktu, learning to salsa in Cuba, crossing the Gobi Desert to Kyrgystan or cruising the Kenyan Coast in a dhow. It's a disruptive and nomadic lifestyle, but I wouldn't change it for the world.
Hi, I'm Lisa, Getaway magazine's Joburg-based photo journalist. You might think I got the rough end of the deal, working so far from my colleagues in the Mother City. But after seven years at a desk job, I now get paid to travel. Who needs the mountain, I've got the world.
I’m addicted to that feeling of freedom you get when you point your wheels down the road into the countryside with an open agenda. Life becomes simple, priorities clear: people, places, food, sights … all I need is a camera with which to capture them so they don’t leak away through the sieve of my memory. My particular passions are how plants and creatures fit together in our great landscape, and our magnificent mountain passes. Look out for my new book, Passes & Poorts: Getaway’s Top 30 Scenic Mountain Routes in the Western Cape.
I believe that life is about stories. Everybody has one, everyone loves hearing a good one and I love telling them. I also happen to like going on adventures and generally don't have to travel far to find one. So be it a roadtrip with my trusty hound or a visit to a local pub with ghostly legends, I will always find a story to tell.
Working at Getaway has taken me on some incredible adventures, from driving on the wrong side of the road in Reunion, overlanding from Joburg to Malawi in a Mini, trekking in the Namib and riding elephants in India. I couldn't ask for a better job.
It took a psychology degree for me to realize that I wanted to write and travel. Thankfully I landed the job of Getaway’s Editorial Assistant and ever since my wanderlust has been growing steadily. A three month loop through Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Namibia whet my appetite for African travel, bumping Vietnam and Argentina down on my bucketlist. Why go overseas when overland has so much to offer?
Everyone has a list of passions that really make them tick. Mine? Almost everything about travelling gets me going. I love the feeling of being overwhelmed by a place and its distinctive cultural differences, to then embrace it and add something of that culture to who I am (or who I am creating every day). I am an aspiring wine guru and spend most of my time uploading content for www.winemag.co.za. While I am not exploring or drinking amazing wine you will find me dancing Flamenco (even in the kitchen if I can’t find a class!).
I started off travelling by mistake, or rather, inadvertently. I soon realised that my innate rubber arm and tendency to get horribly lost had led me to some of the most inspiring places on the globe ... so I kept going.
Travel Bloggers
Aaron is a photojournalist and filmmaker from London, currently living in Cape Town. His work appears in publications all over the world. Along with travel writing, he aims to explore conflicts between man and wildlife. His recent jobs include; living in the shark finning camps of Mozambique; working undercover on Namibia's Skeleton Coast to report on their annual seal cull; infiltrating the "tortoise mafia" in Madagascar; and traveling to Dhaka where 100,000 turtles are killed for a religious celebration.
I am an aspirant cartoonist and at the risk or ridicule I must confess that I love doing the ironing (but not on a daily basis). Fortunately I am generally too busy planning our next road trip to get up close and personal with the laundry, so I'm forced to delegate this task. To cope with the frustration this causes I keep my chin up by hiking whenever possible, chasing my kids around and camping with the extended family. I try to keep a daily cartoon diary which I may some time be brave enough to make public. And I love to write about our family travel adventures at www.CapeTownMagic.com.
I've worked as a travel writer in southern and East Africa since 2004. Writing for a website aimed at wealthy Americans, I visited some of the continent's most exclusive and expensive destinations. While I was blown away by these sumptuous lodges, I came to realise that the greatest luxury Africa offers is experiencing the wilderness, but not necessarily in five-star accommodation. Writing for Getaway gave me the chance to have some great adventures out there.
Amanzi Awethu! is an initiative by two young South Africans to cycle from Johannesburg to Nairobi, raising awareness of Africa's water issues. Their route will take them through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, as they visit many of the communities who have already been reached by their beneficiary, The Water Project, as well as those who have yet to feel the life changing effect of clean water.
I am a writer by day and a writer by night. Words are my food. I recently moved back to the blessed Motherland, after spending nearly three years in Asia. The travel bug bit at birth and I plan to see, taste, hear and smell all of the world! You might see me, camera in hand, exploring Jozi city, lost somewhere in the Thai jungle (yes this did happen) or snoozing on an exotic beach. This world is beautiful...let's explore!
I need only four things in my life; my car, my camera, my computer and my credit card. They give me the freedom to explore the world, to drive across the vast steppes of Southern Russia and through the deserts of Kazakhstan. They have taken me along the back roads of China and the highways of America, and once around England and have zigzagged me from Sweden to Spain and back again. Road tripping is my kind of freedom. I have just published my first book: 'My Year of Beds', available online from www.ajahnel.com.
I guess my clock works on African time: it took me 15 years and three countries to realise I didn't fit in the advertising world. Although that career took me to some amazing places around the world, the trips I did under my own steam were the most profound. Hitchhiking from Anchorage to Acapulco, exploring West Africa and meeting my Viking wife in Morocco are the highlights of my life. Africa in particular fascinates me because of its diversity, rawness, and its people's grit and determination. My focus right now is to explore and expose this as much as I can.
I have been a fulltime photographer since January 2008. I love to shoot dramatic landscape imagery and spectacular panoramic images using digital photostitching. In December 2009, Francis (my wife) and I started a nine-month trip through South America which took us to Argentina, Antarctica, Chile and Peru. I am happiest when I am teaching people about getting the best from their digital camera, or capturing the light of a majestic landscape scene. www.barryjbrady.com
Bernice Griffiths is a foodie blogger of www.bettybake.co.za. She loves to make food but loathes the dishes, enjoys photography and other art genres. She lives in Fish Hoek, where she can walk on the beach and day dream at the sea as often as necessary. She lives a gluten-free lifestyle with her family. They enjoy various delicious things despite what people may think about not having bread, pasta and cakes etc... (gluten free cakes are just as delicious as regular wheat-filled ones).
Brendon spent most of his childhood outdoors and from a young age nature had a big place in his heart. He began his career as a professional guide over a decade ago in Zimbabwe and later spent many years guiding in some of Africa's most beautiful wilderness areas. Brendon is an adventurer, conservationist and wildlife photographer. He loves to share his knowledge of wildlife and photography so that others can also gain admiration and respect for Africa's glory. African Photographic Adventures
Having grown up in the heart of Transkei, I have come to know a side of Africa oblivious to so many. My first travel experiences were as a young child exploring the Wild Coast and since then I find myself planning a new travel adventure every day. I hope to live in India for a few years, do a game ranging course, explore Morocco and experience many other travel adventures. In the meantime I am completing my business science marketing degree at UCT and will travel at every opportunity I get!
According to my mother I once told a pediatrician that I wanted to become a rugby player when I grew up. Sadly that career option wasn’t sufficient and I decided to fall back on doing something else. On a serious note, I am a young aspiring journalist with an honours degree who loves everything that is considered ‘out of the box’. My dream is to travel South America and to live and work in Kruger National Park. My passions lie in nature, wildlife, conservation, environmental affairs, ancient history, art and my beloved cat.
'So you’re a history student that wants to be writer, but became a lawyer, and now manages a safari camp in the bush?'. From an outsider, my dream to become a writer seems very round about and even haphazard, but there is a method to my madness…at least I think. The African bush inspires me. And so I am here.
Growing up, there were three things that I was interested in doing most: singing, writing, and travelling. Deciding to spare the world from another Celine Dion, I did what any other right minded Canadian girl would do: I went to school, studied journalism, and did a whole lot of travelling. Six years, three degrees, and four continents later, I now find myself working as a freelance writer and living in Cape Town with my husband to be and my one year old son. Check out my blog: A Canadian Living in Cape Town.
Chad Cocking is a permanent student taking a seemingly more permanent break in the bush. After studying for five years, the allure of the African Bush was too much, and he interrupted his studies for one year to live a childhood fantasy by becoming a game ranger. Four years later he is still doing what he loves; wearing short-shorts, carrying a big rifle (and an even bigger camera) and getting paid to live his dream. Besides enjoying writing about himself in the third-person, he also relishes sharing his images and stories with as many people as possible, and what better way to do it than on the Getaway Blog! Check out his other blog www.motswariblog.blogspot.com
Eighteen months ago Charles Starling returned after having spent a year living in a mud hut, with a dung floor, in an AmaXhosa village in the Transkei with his partner and three children. He still feels guilty for having enjoyed it so much and for having achieved so little in the shadow of real achievers, and for having learnt less Xhosa than his four year old son. His heart lives there still. He loves to travel by unused roads to remote destinations. He is a loving but infuriating life partner, a largely irresponsible father, a very poor businessman and a spectacularly unsuccessful fisherman. But mostly, he is a frustrated writer.
I'm passionate about wildlife, Africa, conservation and travel. A rhino tweeter and blogger - dedicated to creating awareness around the rhino poaching crisis and a team member of Rhino Reality. I've been lucky enough to live and work in some of Southern Africa's most renowned game reserves such as the Kruger National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Thornybush, Timbavati and in Zimbabwe.
The travel bug bit when I finished studying journalism and landed a travel writing job for an online destination guide. What ensued was a passion for writing about all things travel and food. A love of camping, the great outdoors and unearthing hidden gems led me to work for NGO, Open Africa who specialise in creating off-the-beaten-track self-drive travel routes around six countries in Southern Africa, sustaining livelihoods and enhancing conservation along the way.
As an International HR manager, Claire has been provided with opportunities to travel. Her tradition in each country is to experience it and attempt the local beer. Her adventurous spirit has led her to cycle around Accra alone and almost ended up “arrested” by pretend police; be called a prostitute in Kinshasa while walking the forbidden roads and almost deported arriving in Darwin with no itinerary.
After graduating from UCT, Claire went abroad in search of inspiration. In the Middle East, she wrote about feminist issues, in India, the nation’s complex social structures, and in China – where she found enough inspiration to spend three years – China’s contemporary art scene. Her first book, which tells the thirty-year-long story of Chinese contemporary art, will be published in September this year. What she most enjoys is writing about her travels; currently, she’s writing travel stories about her overland journey from Shanghai to Cape Town on her website, Old World Wandering.
Clare Appleyard is a fun-loving corporate refugee living in Johannesburg, South Africa. As a travel activist and diamond entrepreneur, she is fortunate enough to have visited 5 of the 7 continents on her travels, and plans on growing that list. Clare owns both a diamond business and a travel business and frequently shares her love of travel on her blog EarthTravelUnlimited.
The time spent as a young girl growing up in Botswana and Zimbabwe, with holidays in the Southern African bush from the Kalahari to Hwange to the forests of the Tsitsikamma undoubtedly planted the seed which itches at my feet and fabricates dreams of exploration and adventure. I spent years working as a lecturer, teacher, event coordinator and manager but still with a yearning to write and see more global landscapes and continental sunsets. My love of food, travel, people, conservation and adventure has just evolved into a frantic passion while clocking my hours in the corporate world. I eventually decided to scratch my itch and get going on that adventure!
Unfortunately, I was forced to go travelling with nomadic parents at a young age. I had little chance and a habit formed. Now, I have zero self respect in the things I will do to get my fix. Chopping bamboo in the mud, cleaning shells in a human production line, I should be embarrassed by the lengths I have gone to. Now I am hopefully heading down the legitimate path to making a living as a nomad, with the added bonus of making everyone else suffer with me as I shout from my backpack/soap box.
Both of us worked as field guides before. To cycle through Africa has been a long time dream. We decided to give something back to nature by participating in an anti rhino poaching campaign while on tour.
This Capetonian travel aficionado is a fierce nature conservationist, dedicated ocean worshipper, sometime anthropologist, photographer and cook when he isn’t twisting his moustache for an idea. Regularly musing over his next trek, he can also be found far up the West Coast on those icy cold winter mornings waiting for the sun to peer over the desert landscape and offer up a warmish wetsuit.
I was born in Cape Town, moved around a bit within the country, but then resettled under our beautiful mountain - where I studied for four years. Basically I'm into travel and the environment, people and places, and food and politics (not together though). Africa's east coast is beautiful, but it's the west (and I'm talking north-west) that I'd really love to see. But maybe in the meantime I'll just build up the courage...
I’m an ex-Getaway intern, currently living in Amsterdam. I’m very chuffed that I still get to blog for my favourite travel website, so for updates on a (homesick) ‘Saffa’s’ experiences of life in Amsterdam, as well as for some yummy culinary delights…stay tuned!
After school I headed to the UK for some fun, guns and adventure just as two wars were kicking off. Nine years down the line, at 28 years of age, I'm now a retired British Army Officer with an unexceptional travel history to some of the world's less exotic locations; Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Wales to name a few. The good news is that lure of adventure is still very much alive in these old-ish bones, enough so that it led the founding of Southern Africa's first ever social rally: The Put Foot Rally. So this is where you can read latest about this epic adventure - 7 Countries, 7 Checkpoints, 7 Parties across 7000km all in 17 days!
As a passionate photojournalist, conservationist, environmentalist, activist, artist, designer, writer, media specialist, analyst, public speaker and eco warrior, David Devo Oosthuizen is devoted towards aiding wildlife and environmental conservation in Africa using his talents, passion and experience. As founder of the activist and conservation photography movement “Devographic: Activism through the lens”, he lives for making a real measurable difference. David aims to facilitate community education as a means to ultimately change the youth and our collective future.
A born and bred Capetonian, David joined Getaway Magazine in 1994 and started travelling extensively through the Africa and taking photographs more and more seriously. By 2000, after winning several writing and photographic awards, went freelance and has since worked for numerous other publications. Now he spends most of his time as a professional photographer who writes rather than the other way round. A keen interest in teaching has led him to start leading workshops and also an annual lodge photography academy. David has written and photographed numerous books including Zambia Landscapes, Southern Africa Living Landscapes, Kruger National Park, Etosha National Park and also the five-book series Safari in Style. www.davidrogers.co.za
As Chief Operating Officer for the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (www.lionalert.org) I work with a large team of people in both Zimbabwe and Zambia; all striving to ensure a future for Africa's most iconic species as part of a holistic approach to conservation. This blog will bring the latest tales from the projects, including our Life in the Pride series, an insider's look at a pioneering pride of lions.
My dad swears I have gypsy blood as I can never seem to settle down anywhere for too long, before my feet get itchy again. During my late teens and early twenties my travel experiences really opened my eyes to environmental issues, and I now have an environmental science degree. I am a sustainability writer by day, and environmentalist, photographer, and lover of 'real' food. My husband Carlin and I run www.foodwithastory.co.za which focuses on artisanal and ethical food producers in South Africa. Between February and May 2012 we'll be off exploring South Africa and Mozambique in search of the great food stories out there.
My life has been somewhat colourful and over the years I've been an electronic engineer, lecturer in journalism and criminology, a professional yachtsman, explorer, travel writer, photographer and a cable-car operator on the Rock of Gibraltar. My present passion is the impact of humans on planetary processes. I am married to the novelist and poet Patricia Schonstein and we have two children, one an architect, the other studying genetics at the University of Cape Town.
My wonderlust comes from my early days as international fencer, which took be behind the Iron Curtain and to relatively unknown parts of the world like Cuba and Korea way back in the 1970s. Since then, in between writing a few books and churning out magazine articles. I’ve skied to the north and south pole, climbed the highest peaks, dived to the depths and kayaked raging rivers. Do I sound like an adrenalin junkie? That would be about right then!
With a farm upbringing and background in nature conservation, my passion for the outdoors flowed into what is now a lifestyle. When I'm not writing up an article, playing with camera in hand and finishing off my studies, I spend my time exploring the mountains on foot, the sea in scuba gear and the pubs accompanied by good friends. And whenever the opportunity arises to shoulder my backpack and hit a foreign country, accessorised with guidebook and bright-eyed awe, I jump to it head-on.
Taking Mark Twain's advice to 'throw off the bowlines and sail away from the safe harbour' literally, my husband and I unshackled the bowlines of corporate serfdom, sold everything we ever owned and reduced our worldly possessions to the content of a daypack. We spent 2010 and 2011 sailing the high seas, climbing mountains, volunteering and surviving an earthquake. As of 2012 our adventure begins in Vancouver, Canada. Numerous surveys have consistently ranked Vancouver within the top three most livable cities in the world and we look forward to discovering why.
I am a small animal veterinarian practicing in Hout Bay. In my spare time I love to shoot underwater photographs - anything from a tiny amphipod to a huge whale. I love the challenge of getting good pics in the sea as its far more difficult than on land. I enjoy exploring remote places and photographing the wonders of nature.
I have been writing since my peewee years and am currently completing my media honours degree at the University of Cape Town. Having been born in Poland and raised in South Africa, I consider myself a South Pole and try to make full use of my two passports. My largest travel aspirations are to see the aurora borealis in Antarctica and Times Square in New York City, for both of which, ironically, I’d need a VISA. I'm happiest when the sun is out, enjoy photography and drink my tea without milk. Those are the constants. The rest, in my opinion, is fleeting. Check out my travel blog, updated whenever I take exciting trips: gonelondoning.tumblr.com.
Graeme is almost seriously convinced that he is a reincarnated Viking. His longship is a long Land Rover called Mafuta or Big One in isiZulu. His wife is known to the Norwegians as Shield Maiden and he has a passion for beer and (free range) meat. Both his children are large and blonde (except for his daughter who is small and brunette). The Bell family will soon be heading very, very far North doing their bit to end Malaria deaths by 2015 with Malaria No More. Our website is www.a2aexpedition.com - we will be adding blogs and images as we travel.
Based in Cape Town, Graham Howe has visited over sixty countries on assignments as a gourmet travel journalist for a wide range of online and print media over the last two decades. He is wine and food editor of Habitat Magazine. Follow his adventures on the global food, wine and cultural scene at wine.co.za, iol.co.za/travel, and on SAFM's Time to Travel on Wednesdays at 9pm.
Between my artist father and German mother, my creative ability and love of language was inspired. Ever since I can remember, I have been cobbling words together and telling stories to satisfy my creative urge. Passionate about people and driven by a sense of adventure, I hope to spend my better days meeting some of the planet's most weird and wonderful inhabitants. There can be no doubt about it - travel is one of life's most exciting prospects. Read more about my travels on my blog www.hannahmoore.co.za.
The penny dropped for me after I drove out of Kruger after another weekend that was far too short. I kept my day job, but enrolled for a course in nature conservation. Not only to learn more about the miracles around us, but also to understand how every one of us can play an active role in preserving our natural heritage and resources. I joined the Sanparks Honorary Rangers a few years later to live a bit closer to the things I love, and to do my little bit to assist with the conservation efforts in this beautiful country we live in.
Hannes Oosthuizen is the Editor of CAR magazine and author of CRANKED UP: Confessions of a Petrolhead. He is the only South African on the World Car of the Year jury and was nominated as one of the top 200 young South Africans to take to lunch in the Mail&Guardian's 2008 youth day supplement. Since then, he has received exactly zero invitations to lunch.
Harriet has loved travel from an early age and this, combined with a family history of journalism, has spurred her new enjoyment: blogging. Since her first visit to Madagascar in 2006 Harriet has developed a passion for the island becoming somewhat of an expert on all things Malagasy and is a contributor to the latest Bradt Guide to Madagascar. Harriet is owner of MadagasCaT Charters & Travel – a travel company specialising in travel in Madagascar. She also runs The New Africa, by Africans – a blog that celebrates Africa.
Wine is Harry Reginald Haddon¹s mistress; it seduced him and now takes all his money, and he¹s quite happy about that. It has been said that he was suckled on Chenin, but that is another story entirely. He started blogging in earnest from the beginning of 2010 and writes about his burgeoning romance with Bacchus at Wine & I. Wines of substance, personality, freshness and complexity excite him; wines made to taste like coffee-chocolate revolt him. Harry currently works at Backsberg Estate as their marketing co-ordinator.
I’m a traveller, a writer, a marine scientist and a connoisseur of mojitos. I am proudly South African, although I have lived in London, Mumbai and Amsterdam in my quest to see the world. I love Johnny Cash, blustery days, spy novels, Bill Bryson's sense of humour and I think people should be kinder to penguins. I am passionate about conservation in Africa, and lucky enough to live in the best city on earth. I was away for a long time, discovering the hidden corners of the world, but I'm home now, to explore our beautiful continent and fall in love with Cape Town.
Iain wrote for London's Daily Telegraph before editing the Asian travel portal HolidayFu.com. His work has appeared in a range of publications on subjects as diverse as China's involvement in Africa and the link between travel and nostalgia, and his first book, about the pirates, prostitutes and opium peddlers of old Singapore, was published last year. You can find him at Old World Wandering, his award winning travelogue.
I'm a 20-something who tries to maximise my life experiences. I enjoy things which raise the heart rate a bit but I'm not against the occasional lazy weekend. I want to see as much of the world as I can (without the benefits of a trust fund to assist my adventures).
I'm a coloured city girl, born and bred in Cape Town. I recently started at Getaway as a digital analyst. Besides being a fledging digi, I’m also enchanted by the adventures that the journos here at Getaway explore as their nine-to-five. Since I started at Getaway, I’ve hiked 60km to a music festival, climbed real cliffs, and I’ve even started to dress like a camper occasionally!
So here’s the story: My husband and I decided that we’d spend our honeymoon a little differently to most people. We thought we'd skip the romantic honeymoon packages on breezy Indian islands and go for something much more exciting. So now we’re touring Australia – as much of it as possible.
I'm fascinated with food: how it shapes cultures and identities, calms or excites, unites and binds people and I write about it at www.foodandthefabulous.com. I enjoy travel through the eyes of food, music,architecture and art and have fallen in love with countries based on one or more of these in the past. I'm an unofficial ambassador for the UN's WeFeedback Progamme. I've studied and trained as a lawyer, and now spend my time cooking, writing, advocating the cause of child literacy with help2read and posing as FC Barcelona's mascot queen. If I could sum up the life in one line it would be: 'Life's far too short for lettuce'.
As a photojournalist and aspiring South African field guide, I not only enjoy recording my travels, but I love learning more about the bush, the cultures and the diversity of our African continent. I have travelled extensively in Asia and Africa as well as studying the biodiversity of South Africa. I love sharing any insights, adventures and places that I come across and experience.
Jaclyn’s flair for food began at a very early age whilst baking sweet treats after school with her grandmother and helping the deckhands fillet fish on houseboat trips on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe where she grew up. Later on, Jaclyn sharpened her culinary skills at a cordon bleu cooking academy in Cape Town. After forays working as a personal chef in homes & on yachts around Europe & Southern Africa, and as a restaurant owner/chef in Knysna, Jaclyn took the leap and joined the corporate machine as a product developer. Jaclyn’s independent blog Chef Privé allows a lighthearted glimpse into her world of food trends, recipe development, food styling and dining out. http://chefprive.co.za
I have a passion for traveling and I am currently on a mission to experience as much as I can before my "adult" responsibilities kick in. I love reading and writing and learning languages. I am a red belt in Taekwondo and I would like to one day be a pro-surfer/pro-beach bum.
Jan and Jay Roode are passionate aviators, photographers, travellers and conservationists. Having collectively travelled to over 56 countries the two are modern-day nomads and are content only when free to wander the skies in their Jabiru 430 or explore life on the ground in their trusty Landcruiser. Inspired by the adventure of life and with a deep reverence for freedom and spirit they try to capture images that invoke an emotional and spiritual response to the wonders of this world.
Jan Braai (real name Jan Scannell) is the man behind the National Braai Day initiative. For more about National Braai Day, go to www.braai.com.
Jane-Anne Hobbs, a freelance journalist and copy editor, and a published author, has been fervently interested in food for most of her life, ‘ever since my mum weaned me on to solids as a baby’. But it’s only in the last twelve years, she says, that cookery has turned from a hobby into something of an obsession. When she started her popular independent food blog Scrumptious South Africa almost four years ago, she had no idea it would turn into a consuming passion, and lead her down a new career path as a recipe developer and social media consultant.
I live on the Garden Route, one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa - in my opinion. I love the ocean, beaches and mountains. There seems to be so much to explore in and around Plettenberg Bay, so many new things to try. Of course, any opportunity for adventures further afield works just as well!
I've always loved to travel, from skiing trips to Europe as a child with my family to recent solo backpacking around South America. After qualifying as a nature guide I've also become more appreciative of our diverse natural landscape, and enjoy camping, hiking and generally being outdoors. And, when I'm not away from home, I'm still happiest doing some kind of exploring, or trying something new, and then writing about it.
I've always had the travel bug. I must have inherited this from my grandmother who was always looking for new trips and adventures herself, way ahead of her time! As many travellers, I always thought to make a living doing what I love, just sounds to good to be true so it took me until I was 31 years old to follow my path of least resistance and do what I love: travelling!
I tend to frequent the more out of the way places in search of my favorite creepy crawlies, and am not particularly fond of following the crowds and doing what everyone else does. I've been described as being strange but in a nice way. My mission in life is to visit as many luxury lodges as I can and uncover the hidden world of spiders and scorpions, change the world eight legs at a time and have as much fun as possible! I'm the author of Scorpions of Southern Africa.
Joseph C Lawrence lives between two worlds: His head spends its time coursing through the world wide web, whilst his heart roams with the lions and elephants. Going offline whenever he can, Joseph C has travelled throughout Africa, Europe and Asia and is always hungry for the next adventure. Currently living in Cape Town, he makes it his responsibility to experience as much of the natural (and unnatural) beauty as possible, in whatever form it might take. He has a website at www.josephclawrence.com
Justin Bonello is the owner of Cooked in Africa Films, host of Cooked, the cooking adventure TV show, and author of Cooked In Africa, Cooked Weekends Away, Cooked Out of the Frying Pan and Justin Bonello Cooks... For Friends.
A mixed bag of travel experiences in Southern Africa and four years of unbelievable student life in Cape Town have left me with the urge to write about this incredible country (and continent) that we live in.
I'm a Capetonian graphic designer, Rhodes journalism graduate, marketing consultant, travel enthusiast and creative sponge who is always looking for new inspiration. I have left my desk job to pursue new adventures. Currently, I'm in the Mediterranean working on super yachts as a stewardess. I love all things travel-related: beaches, new cultures, food, and wine and I'm an art fundi. Please come along and join me on my adventure!
I am a hospitality, lifestyle, and fine art photographer from Johannesburg who travels Africa in search of beautiful places, spaces and experiences. The reason why I got into hospitality photography in the first place was so that my job would involve traveling and I wouldn't have it any other way. It is my passion. There is nothing better than discovering new places, doing new things and adventure for your soul.
Avid conservationists, Kim and Craig Young spent several weeks in Africa on a belated honeymoon in 2011; first getting their hands dirty volunteering for a lion conservation group, followed by a week photographing their way across the Sabi Sands. Along the way they fell madly in love with the continent, its people and its wildlife, its headstrong beauty and its subtle magic. When not plotting a return trip (and hopefully some day a permanent move), they spend their professional working days as an architect and a web developer, and their evenings as photographers, musicians, writers, and dancers. You can read about their ongoing love affair with Africa here: africa.kimpluscraig.com.
You have probably seen him on the National Geographic Channel or read his books. He is considered one of Africa`s most colourful modern day explorers. An adventurer, author, TV Personality and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Getaway Magazine calls him their Explorer in Residence, the most travelled man in Africa.
Kirsten has lived in a lucky packet of places- from perpetually frosty Moscow to the scorching Namib Desert. Though she has flitted about extensively, she's never come across a more splendiferous city than Cape Town, which is why she's reluctant to leave it. But alas, at the tender age of twenty two she has decided that she is too young to settle into the tedium of full-time academia just yet. So, in a defiant display of what can only be described as a mid-midlife crisis, she has taken the year off from her (minimal) responsibilities, favouring a life stuffed to the brim with travel, adventure, food and fun.
When I wasn’t teaching English in Seoul, volunteering in the Middle East, surfing in Hawaii or dancing at Hip hop champs in Germany, I was writing about it all and trying to find ways into another adventure. I changed my nomadic ways long enough to intern at Getaway, work as a digital producer and present a show on 107.5 CCFM radio on Saturday nights. Even though some of my greatest travel moments were in the streets of Buenos Aires, on the sands of Phi Phi island and within the temples of Jerusalem, I have a love for the eclectic beauty of Cape Town and you'll never find me without my notepad, pen and camera. You'll often find me sipping a cappuccino beside the sea or on my surfboard when it's not too cold. Read about my escapades on The Travel Manuel.
When I was growing up, I was the biggest coward you could have ever met. I'm still not sure what flipped the switch but now you'd be hard pressed to find someone more eager to try anything not only once, but - sometimes stupidly - twice. Join me on my foodie travels - I hope they inspire to find your own gastronomic map, stop and smell the freshly baked bread, and let your tastebuds lead the journey.
After being born in the country of wooden shoes and Gouda cheese, Lianne spent some time in the United States (2005-2006) and Spain (2007). She made South Africa her home four years ago and has not felt the urge to move since (apart from the odd trip to touch 'home soil'). Because living in South Africa means that you don't need to go far to look at different scenery or explore another culture. In her blogs, Lianne writes extensively on her journeys and anything else to do with travel.
I'm a bit of a lucky muppet. I got to spend two years of my life on an epic adventure spanning 42 countries across Africa, Europe and Asia, making a movie about marine conservation. Now I’m back in my home town of Cape Town and plan to spend some of my time exploring and documenting this lovely side of the African continent for a while.
It took me years to find a focus for my travels, but when I finally worked it out it was a wondrous realisation. I’ve been lucky enough to visit 45 countries across six continents so far and my trips are loosely based around booze – a quirky microbrewery here, a vineyard offering something extraordinary there. Originally from the UK, I’ve spent years exploring every corner of my favourite of those 45 countries, South Africa and am currently based in Cape Town. My travel, food and booze features have been published in a range of publications across the world, including Lonely Planet, Travel Africa and Wanderlust. You can see more of my work at www.lucycorne.com.
Mary Ann Ochota is racing a Clipper yacht almost 6 000 miles across the Pacific Ocean in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
I love to travel because of what you learn about yourself. I love the adventures, the scrapes, trying new foods, trying out new languages (even if I get it horribly wrong), unexpectedly stumbling across landscapes that take your breath away - literally - and thinking, "this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life", then turning the corner and being blown away by something else. After eight years in the UK, I'm slowly finding my way home, travelling up the east coast and back down the west coast of Africa with my husband. You can check out our latest adventures on our blog, www.moonspaghetti.com
It has always been a dream of mine to travel up Africa on a photographic expedition in search of the most beautiful images Africa has to offer. A fellow photographer, (Alex Arjes,) a videographer, (Jaryn Ringo Goelst) and I will be setting off on a journey of a lifetime traveling from Cape town up to Botswana.
My blog revolves around food and food photography (it is also what I am studying this year). I mainly focus on convenient healthy dishes, soul food and new ideas. Check out my blog www.michylovesfood.tumblr.com.
South Africa has been my home since my family moved here when I was three, but my fondness for Asian cuisine is deeply etched into my palate. However, I find that being Taiwanese has exposed me to a diverse range of flavours, so I consider myself very lucky to have experienced so much. I am a freelance copywriter, designer, social media consultant and patisserie-lover, and I combine my passion for food and writing by blogging at www.butterfingers.co.za.
After selling our restaurant in rural Spain a year ago, I now have the time to cook what I want to eat. That is, exciting, seasonal, vegetarian, world cuisine. I have recently started a food blog called Cook eat live vegetarian to indulge my passion for fabulous food. Every morning I take my dog, Rufus, for a walk in the beautiful Andalucian countryside near where we live and take photos of the vegetables and fruit I see growing on the fincas. I then cook dishes inspired by these ingredients and influenced by my knowlege of world flavours.
Nellie Huang is a travel journalist and blogger currently based in Spain. In her quest for adventure, she has climbed an active volcano in Guatemala, reconstructed a school in Tanzania and scuba dived with turtles in Borneo, Malaysia. She writes for CNN Go, National Geographic Intelligent Travel, Wend, Women Adventure Magazine, Rough Guides. Follow Nellie on Twitter @wildjunket and read her blog Wild Junket.
Alan and I are a couple in love - with Africa (and with each other) and Peak to Peak Africa is our engagement present to ourselves. P2P is a 4 month blitz overland trip from Mount Sinai in Egypt to Table Mountain in Cape Town using public transport. Since Alan is a transplant patient, we're using the trip to publicise the World Transplant Games to be hosted by South Africa in 2013, and to raise money for transplant recipients from African countries to participate. Join us as we make our way South, visiting hospitals and interviewing health professionals and transplant patients around the continent.
I'm a web designer/musician/eTourism consultant working and playing in the Mother City. Most likely to write about gadgets or online travel trends. Hola.
I spend my days in front of a computer at work, but for three weeks every year, I travel the world. Slowly but surely I'm working my way through my bucket list, trying to tick off every experience I can. I’ve been to 21 countries so far and am planning on adding another three to the list in 2011.
Essentially, I’m a Marketer … but then co-incidence had it that I lost my blogging-virginity. A recent 4x4 trip in the Cederberg saw my first Getaway blog go live. I travelled abroad for 7 years, keeping copious travel journals. Now back in South Africa & given the opportunity to expand my love affair with writing, I hope to share some of my weekend Getaway’s via my blog – telling the stories of why I left Blighty!
Pikipiki Safari is the travel blog of two men embarking on an overland adventure, riding their motorcycles the length of the African continent under the motto: 'Two men, two bikes, two tents. Definitely two tents.'
A self-confessed gear fanatic and madman, I escaped the technology game in 2006 to take on his goal in life: to circumnavigate the world. Not by plane, yacht or 4x4 mind you... that's too easy! Departing in May 2011, I'm doing it using only my own power!
I've been travelling since before I was born. My first trip abroad I took whilst in the womb, and the travel bug has bitten me every day since. My dreams in this world are; learn everything there is to know, see everything there is to see and hopefully splash a little bit of the knowledge I gain on here.
My love affair with the motorcycle started at an early age out of necessity, as a means of transport to get to and from school. I recall being given a small carefully wrapped box on my sixteenth birthday that contained, to my utter confusion, an old rusty key. The key opened an old outhouse door wherein stood my freedom in the shape of a 50cc motorcycle. Independence day dawned that cold December morning in the late 70's on my inaugural trip to school in the frozen stillness of English winter. I think my fingers are still thawing but the passion has never faded.
While running, hiking, cycling and surfing around the Western Cape, I can’t suppress audible outbursts of joy. Ever since I moved to Cape Town from Hamburg, Germany in 2009 I am throwing myself at this beautiful part of the world. I love travelling slowly by bus, train or better yet with the use of my own legs. I've cycled to music festivals, got kicked out of minibus taxis with my surfboard and ran the Two Oceans, now I want to see the rest of Africa, slowly.
All my life I spent at the beach, diving and exploring, from snorkelling in rock pools in my young days to scuba diving the oceans of Mauritius, Mozambique and Australia. As these places became more and more commercialised I longed for the peace and tranquility that I had experienced in the water diving and I have found that in the bush.
I've always had a curious nature – which inevitably led to me becoming enamored with traveling, exploration, and a general love of people. I've been lucky enough to travel overseas to the U.S.A, up country to Namibia, as well as in and around South Africa. I work for a wonderful accommodation-booking site called TravelGround, and have discovered many new and exciting places while under their guidance. My ultimate goal in life? To set foot on all seven continents as an adventurer, and not 'just another tourist'. So take a seat, have a read and explore this crazy, beautiful world along with me.
I spend as much time as I can in the outdoors, enjoying Cape Town and all the beautiful places in this wonderful city and province. At least once a year, we go as a family on a big hike, usually in Namibia. During this annual pilgrimage we discover our true selves, knowing that nothing is important if you can't carry it on your back! I also write about food and recipes on my blog Homemade Heaven.
Rowan is a Rhodes University Journalism graduate with a photojournalism major, award-winning journalist, divemaster and "nature boy" with a particular enthusiasm for protecting marine animals and ecosystems. Having spent a year and a half teaching English in Thailand, followed by six months as a divemaster in Bali, Indonesia, he returned to Africa in October 2010 and set about evading a return to regular office hours. His current mission is to complete his scientific diver qualification and take part in and cover as diverse a range of environmental causes and research projects as possible. To this end he recently spent almost two months on a turtle breeding research project near Kosi Bay.
I've walked through the Kalahari with a San tracker, driven along the Roof of Africa in Lesotho, ventured among the wild horses of the Namib and felt the spray of the Victoria Falls on my face. I'm happiest halfway between nowhere and nothing, trying something new or simply watching the grass grow. I'm a book editor and writer but get my best kicks hitting the road with the excuse that I'm researching contributions to magazines like Getaway, Country Life and Wild, or my travel blog.
Russell Smith is a passionate professional, inspired by the city that surrounds him. A born Capetonian, he trained as an art director both here and in Paris, before turning his eye to photography. Russell works with either natural light, or with flash, on location and in studio. Russell has shot on location internationally from Tuscany to Istanbul, from Mauritius to Botswana.
I'm a restless traveller with a love of all things natural and beautiful. I love to travel, write and photograph and I'm always seeking a new adventure.
Travelling is my passion: I left Canada seven years ago and haven’t looked back since. When I moved to South Africa in 2009, I became aware of the endless possibilities for travel and adventure in this part of the world. It has inspired me to write articles on my travel experiences, which is a big departure from my day job as a palaeontologist. As a scientist and a foreigner, I hope to provide a different perspective on the places I visit. To see more travel photography, please visit my weekly photoblog at www.cameralucid.com.
I grew up in Zimbabwe and have worked in the travel industry for the past six years. From camping with Masai in the Kenyan bush, walking with lions back home on our game ranch, or taking a chicken bus to the lip of the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, to exploring Istanbul, New York and Toronto; I have never failed to be inspired by the people I have met and the food I have eaten. So what you'll get from me are humble but well-loved close to the earth no mess no fuss recipes that pretty much anyone can cook.
I tried teaching high school kids the joys of English for four years and when that didn’t stick I turned to my other love – writing. I was the temporary editorial assistant at Getaway and it opened my eyes to the amazing world out there. At the moment I’m just getting out a little more in Cape Town. Next stop: the world!
'Sarah Nicholson is a young Oceanographer, heading off on what appears to be a routine cruise. Everything is going well until they spot an iceberg too far north. The 1st mate goes to investigate but never comes back. Sarah suspects something sinister. Can she solve the mystery before its too late. Sarah Nicholson in Clive Cussler's: Gliders from Hell...' Follow her next adventure on http://www.wherethewildthingsgo.com
A recently reformed corporate groupie, Scarlet was forced from the American business world and into writing by a stroke of good luck. She can now be found a lion’s throw from the tip of Africa, wine glass in hand listening to local indie folk rock with Simba (her ginger mini-tiger) and planning the next adventure. Read more about my adventures on my blog scarletnguni.com.
From June 2011 to July 2012, I’ll be exploring and documenting the wild places of South Africa for my Year in the Wild. The goal is to promote the conservation of the country’s natural wonders, by sharing my photos, videos and blogs with the world. I’ll travel to 31 of South Africa’s most special wilderness and wildlife areas. In these unique areas, I’ll be interviewing rangers, community leaders, environmental and cultural activists, ecologists, scientists, researchers, travellers and school kids. Ultimately I’d like to raise awareness of African wilderness – and why it’s important to the people of the continent and the world. For more on Year in the Wild, please go to www.yearinthewild.com.
Sean Hunter Christie is an immersion journalist, a person who likes to get to know his subjects before he writes about them, even if that means riding low-bed trucks all the way from Langebaan to Lubumbashi, or learning to pan for gold high in the Chimanimani Mountains. His stories have appeared in local and international papers, magazines and books. He lives in Cape Town with his wife Andret and a worried-looking Airedale.
I’ve had a pizza smothered in boiled eggs delivered to me in Japan after trying to ask if someone could speak ‘eigo’. I’ve eaten fried scorpions with some locals at a bar in Bangkok, shaken hands with the Dalai Lama after a series of coincidences in Argentina and given a shot in my xxx while I was passed out up in the hills of Peru after suffering from altitude sickness. I love travelling for these types of experiences; the unexpected, the unknown, and thankfully, the kindness of strangers.
I once wrote a poem for a boy in my class. I was told that even though he didn't want to kiss me, it was indeed 'a very nice poem'. Since then I've used my magical word powers to try find love in other places: people, places and the bottom of a bottle. If I can't grow up to be a Disney character, I'm going to grow up pretending to be one. Follow my slightly adult-themed misadventures with a pinch of salt and a slice of lemon.
I have a dream to travel the world, a dream to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda, to experience the wildebeest mass migration in a hot air balloon and slide across the ice with the arctic penguins. But, until then, I spend my time as a full time student at Stellenbosch University, running several business projects to help fund my next photography travel expedition!
Skye Grove is the Public Relations and Communications Manager of Cape Town Tourism. She is a spontaneous traveler, citizen of the world and passionate daughter of Cape Town; juggling the balance of a stimulating dream job and being mom to bright young star.
Growing up in the Mpumalanga Lowveld allowed me to appreciate the environment and develop a love for travel. After many years exploring and working around the world I am now back in South Africa running a personal African travel company with my husband. We are based in White River, on the edge of the Kruger, and take every opportunity we get to see more of our beautiful country and continent.
To me, the world is infinite. There is so much to do, see and experience that sometimes I despair of not fitting it all in! In all actuality, I don’t think you can- but I can give it a hearty attempt. Being a student means that many of my grander plans have had to be shelved, but my travels are by no means at a standstill. Any opportunities that arise to head out into the unfamiliar are grabbed instantly, my only pause being to pack a backpack, passport and my beloved camera.
The Vagabond Adventures team is made up of Lucie (the Scottish lass), Lachlan (the Aussie bloke) and Bow Wow (the African dog). Together we are on an epic African overland adventure by 4x4. We're acting as ambassadors for the charity Back to Africa, which relocates rare and endangered African species from zoological institutions worldwide back to Africa. The journey begins in Southern Africa, travelling north to Kenya where we will cross over into Asia via India and beyond.
I'm an American and have been living in South Africa for five years. I grew up in small town America, and somewhere along the way I was bitten by the travel bug. It eventually took me to New York, California, Europe and now South Africa. Living abroad has been full of challenges and joys - but mostly it makes me appreciate the beautiful places and experiences that lie just beyond my doorstep. I hope my stories and photography are enough to make your feet itch and your mind wander.
I love Africa, the heat, the animals, the people. I am a self appointed African explorer, adventurer and humanitarian. Owning my own travel adventure company allows me to get out into the remote areas in Africa and to help those less fortunate than ourselves. I love to write about my experiences with the people I meet in this magnificent continent we live on. I hope through the Getaway Blog I will be able to share my adventures with you.
We are two friends, a Pom and a Saffa, who, shortly before finishing varsity, decided to cycle from London to Cape Town to raise funds and awareness for an initiative located in a very poor community in Cape Town which friends of ours are intimately involved with, as well as in aid of our own physical, mental and spiritual growth. Our journey is about throwing ourselves into the ether of life, finding some magic and trying to create some value along the way while getting as many people involved in our trip as possible. This blog is a reflection of the environments we cycle through, the people we meet and the cultures we encounter. You can also get stuck in alongside us at www.tomandmattcycle.com.
I discovered Africa late in life - in 1995 when my wife, Nicola, and I first visited from our native Australia. We were hooked immediately - addicted to the continent, its wildlife and its people. I don't think you have to be born in a place to know or love it. We spend six months of the year in Africa, exploring, discovering and learning. When I'm not working as a freelance journalist, I'm writing novels set in Africa. I write my books 'on location' in the bush, where much of the action is set.
The first time I really travelled was after school as an exchange student, living in Australia for a year. It was one of the best years of my life. However the best memories I have of travelling are of my visit to Asia for two months (Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong) driving around on a motorbike. After working as a designer at Getaway, I've now moved to San Francisco!
I was curator of reptiles at the old Transvaal Snake Park and Farm Manager at Kwena Gardens Croc Sanctuary and have spent the last decade working as a photojournalist and DIY magazine editor. In 2006, I wrote a book on Southern African reptiles and amphibians, titled Curious Creatures – Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa. I currently work as a freelance journalist, photographer and ecologist and have recently embarked on an ambitious project to find and photograph at least 5000 species of South African plants and animals in the next two years. This project will take me to some amazing parts of the country and face-to-face with many fascinating creatures.
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