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Showing posts with label ben fogle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ben fogle. Show all posts

25 June 2020

Travel Ready - Let's Go


Table Mountain from the V and A Waterfront Cape Town South Africa

My own love of travel started in 1992 with my first trip to UK and Europe. This must be the only "bug" bite that I have ever welcomed with total abandon and never regretted. Although I am certainly not an adventure traveller, preferring the more leisurely options of photography, food, hiking and enjoying the various cultural aspects of each country, I do remain in awe of all the incredible feats witnessed on TV/uTube etc by so many amazing folk who seem to have a fear of absolutely nothing!

Nonetheless, a traveller I remain on my own small scale. Just watching Ben Fogle talking from his garden hut in his UK home, about his enforced Covid-19 Lockdown and his memories of his Atlantic Canoe crossing, makes me want to hop on a plane and head off to photograph somewhere different and new to me. Or maybe just to see somewhere with fresh eyes again?

Travel can be whatever you want it to be - no matter how sedate or how adventure driven it ends up being. The odd travel mishaps will occur - mine have been fairly few and far between.

In Argentina, I fell down some uneven steps and ended up in agonizing pain. With only 1 staff member who could speak English in the resort where we were staying, we were eventually assisted to a local hospital. The waiting room was full, dogs playing between patient's legs, breast feeding mothers, kids looking wide-eyed at everything around them and patient, resigned folk prepared to wait and wait for their turn. To this day, I don't know what the lady told Reception but I was brought a wheelchair and taken straight through to a doctor. The X-Ray equipment appeared ancient but functional and I truly got the best care. The injection that I received must have been a truly magic potion as my pain started easing within a few hours. I was told to rest for 6 days - really? In a country I had never seen before and would most probably never see again? I spent one day in bed and then braced myself to sit in the back seat of the car, with my leg extended, so that we could venture out exploring. We continued on our journey and I was able to walk again after a few days. Hats off to this small hospital in Argentina! A heartfelt thank you.

In Zanzibar I ended up with severe gastro the night prior to our departure. It appeared that I had been drinking too much mango juice - lesson learned - stick to beer! The doctor gave me the correct medrication and the hotel staff were amazing - offering me whatever I felt like eating - which was not much besides toast, tea and some soup. Our flights were postponed and I got to recover sitting on my lounger watching the dhows sailing by.

In Thailand, we started a hike into a forest and within minutes I was itching like never before. It was insane and I was jumping around like a grasshopper from one foot to the next but with no relief from the little blighters (whatever they were)  Needless to say, that ended the proposed hike. So stock up on cream BEFORE heading into these forests!

For our trip to India, we stocked up on loads of medication for the dreaded  "Delhi Belly"
Although we spent 4 weeks eating only local, delicious Indian food, we escaped unscathed and I eventually threw away the medication a year later! However, this was a very necessary precaution so do take care if travelling to this incredibly interesting country. The food in Southern India is truly yummy - the best ever!

These were all fairly minor mishaps and just add to the travel experience.
Travel opens once's eyes to so much and although, most of us will never get to all the places on our Bucket List, there is no harm in trying.....start planning!

Despite being an avid traveller worldwide, my own country South Africa, has incredible beauty and variety to offer. We travel as much as we can locally every year. For anybody, who has not yet travelled to South Africa, start planning. You will not be disappointed.

                            South Africa is "Travel Ready" 
                                Start planning your trip 
                                    www.bradclin.com
                                    #proudlycapetonian


Table Mountain from Signal Hill Cape Town South Africa




                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa
                                      www.bradclin.com


#iamtourism


03 May 2020

Ramblings from Cape Town, South Africa


Can we travel soon?
PLEASE??

Can we travel yet???
Photo Credit: James Williams
Cape Town (and the world) under Lockdown Covid-19 is something most of us will never forget.
This period in world history will be something that our children/grand-children will most probably find quite boring to read about unless they are currently experiencing life at home with no formal schooling. All those folk who are already living "the dream" on islands, or hidden in forests or mountains the world over, may not even realise that the rest of the world is now also in isolation!!

For those who follow Ben Fogle's TV documentaries about people living "In the Wild" perhaps  isolation on a tropical island or hidden amongst the clouds in the Himalayas now seems much more appealing?

Having said that, this city girl is truly missing the beauty of Cape Town and further afield with my camera slung around my neck.  Our planned trip to Southern Italy was due to start 7th May 2020.
This will now, most probably, remain a dream.

For most of us in the Hospitality Industry life is currently pretty tough but we hope to survive this crisis with not too many scars.  Most of us in this industry also love to travel as and when time permits. One has to wonder if international travel will ever reach the highs of recent years?
Or will many planes land up in scrap yards? We hope not.


Having said all that, we hope that Cape Town will once again be on the bucket list of both local and international travellers. South Africa has incredible beauty and Cape Town is a city like none other.


Kalk Bay remains a village that can be visited over and over again. The harbour is always interesting, the locals even more so, the restaurants are varied, the fishing boats draw photographers and the seals are always on the look out for scraps off the boats.



Kirstenbosch is Cape Town's pride and joy - this Botanical Garden is one of the best in the world and attracts both locals and tourists. Take time out to enjoy a picnic on the wide expanses of lawn, enjoy the summer concerts, enjoy the bird life, marvel at the stunning flora, hike up into the mountain or just sit on a bench and enjoy the mountain views.




Art and Sculpture are part and parcel of the Cape Town scene - visit the Norval Foundation for interesting exhibits and a slow wander around their gardens. The onsite restaurant offers a huge deck for summer breakfasts or lunches.

Norval Foundation

Art lovers can also enjoy the modern Zeitz Museum in the V&A.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum is a classic car lovers delight and also brings you to the Winelands for a long, lazy lunch!

Franschhoek Motor Museum
Capetonians love to exercise and we have all the facilities - indoors or outdoors!
In the ocean, on the beaches, in the mountains, or biking along Sea Point Promenade.



So please, don't be in Lockdown forever - we would love to see you as soon as possible!!

Penguins in Simonstown, Cape Town, South Africa 



                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa
                                      www.bradclin.com


Table Mountain from Blouberg

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