The treasure hunt of finding the extraordinary in an ordinary place is what makes travel so addictive. Couple that with incredible food that speaks of your destination, and that’s the X marks the spot moment, right there.

From that hidden ramen shop in a dead-end backstreet of Kyoto to a boisterous cantina in an outskirt suburb of San Diego, that turn-around feeling from doubt to joy as you walk through the dark little doorway is palpable.

That’s how it was as we parked up in what we first thought was a residents-only car park somewhere in Morningside, an affluent yet uninteresting commercial suburb in Jo’burg’s north.

But beyond the apartment block lobby, through uncharacteristically ornate doors, the world changes from non-committal condo to seductive, sophisticated restaurant.

This is Epicure by Chef Coco.

Check out our list of things to eat in South Africa here.

And for more stories on South Africa in general, click here.

Flavours of Africa by a global citizen

Chef Coco approaches our table, which is in the midst of the restaurant.

Giant pendant lights hang like fruit from woven platforms surrounding the building’s pillars, reminding us of the acacia trees of the savanna.

Seating is upholstered in a soft midnight blue velvet, while the walls and ceiling are a warm copper colour.

The result is welcoming and subtle, much like our host.

Explaining the menu, Chef Coco points out that these dishes are all expressions of Africa. He has pieced together the essence of many countries of the continent with culinary skills he has learnt from years of working and studying around the world.

Chef Coco is originally from Burundi, though he credits much of his passion for food to his grandfather, who was Belgian and who passed his knowledge to Coco’s mother. Her teachings inspired Coco to move to Belgium to learn all he could about the art of cooking.

Flair for the theatre of food, deep knowledge of fine-dining and an intelligent interpretation of traditional ingredients from across Africa have given Chef Coco something truly unique.

Three courses from across the continent

Entrees

The entree platter, which comes on a large, white board, is like a compass of African morsels.

Chef Coco has called it ‘NEWS of Africa’ as it points to North, East, West and South, with dishes based on food from across the continent. With a twist of course!

Moroccan-spiced lamb samosa, Ethiopian-style berbere chicken, calamari char-grilled in Nigerian suya, delicate chotlo beef in petal-like bowls… it’s a journey for the table.

Mains

Main dishes are just as varied.

My curiosity feels obliged to try the ostrich – ‘Exquisitely Oudtshoorn’ – which is grilled South African style and served with butternut mash and Pinotage jus. The meat is succulent, served quite rare, and tastes somewhere between game meat and turkey leg.

Christina tucks into the elaborate Seafood Matadi – a Congolese inspired medley of calamari, prawns and cassava in a ‘liboke’ – a way of cooking in a banana leaf wrap traditional to the Congo. But the star of the show is the soft-shell crab, crispy, tender and utterly delicious.

Our travel companions also order the ‘Cape Quacker’ – slow-cooked confit duck leg and breast with gooseberries and Rooibos compote on sweet potatoes, ‘Diaspora Africana’ – picañha, feijoada, cauliflower purée, short rib samosa, butternut mash and garlic confit, and a range of perfectly cooked steaks.

Dessert

Dessert comes and it’s a further testament to the artistry of Chef Coco. The platter of all sorts – from tiny profiteroles to ice cream to a wonderful chocolate lava cake.

Of course, the wine list is more like an exhaustive catalogue of South African wines with an interesting run-down of the various regions here.

We stick to the Pinotage and find the Boschendal 2016 very much to our liking.

Pinotage is a single-grape varietal peculiar to South Africa. It’s a portmanteau of the grape types that were bred together to make it: Pinot Noir and Cinsaut – once known as ‘Hermitage’.

We also discover at the bar area, there’s an excellent whisky and rum list available with some impressive cocktails on offer too.

I’m also excited to see there’s a well-stocked humidor here, where you can choose a cigar to enjoy in the open-air lounge hidden around the corner. There’s even a shisha pipe menu.

Epicure by Chef Coco isn’t just a memorable meal, it’s an expression of culture that cannot be overlooked.

It’s clear that Chef Coco has aimed his impressive skillsets and considerable cooking knowledge at creating a dining experience. It’s a pan-African journey, with the finest flavours from the four corners of Africa.

But Epicure is not only a food highlights reel of these broad lands, but a tale that tells of the continent as well.

We dined as media guests of South African Tourism

The post The taste of Africa – fine-dining at Epicure by Chef Coco appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

We were expecting an adventure when we first visited South Africa, but we had no idea where the adventure would come from or where it would take us.

From migrant Indian labourers to bush food to recipes shared and adapted from nomadic tribes, the things that landed on our plates gave us an insight into South African culture the way only food can.

We even found a burger to challenge the best – South Africa’s delicious take on an American fast food icon.

Here are seven dishes to find in South Africa – the way you taste the culture.

7 things to taste in South Africa

1. Hardbody chicken

So called because of its free-roaming life and tendency to be quite lean and firm, hardbody chicken is a popular dish in the Johannesburg townships.

We first tried hardbody at the Wine Bar in Soweto – a very cool spot with excellent food and a big walk-in wine fridge.

Hardbody chicken has a lot more flavour than your average supermarket chook and the meat is a bit darker too.

Soweto is a fascinating part of Johannesburg – here’s our story on the OG township of Apartheid and home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners.

2. Bunny chow

Nothing to do with rabbits, bunny chow comes from the Indian caste bania or baniya, who were merchants and traders. They came to Durban when the cane industry was thriving and adapted dishes from home using local products they had access to.

Their title ‘bania’ eventually corrupted to ‘bunny’ and their food – the ‘chow’ – stuck too.

Bunny chow is a half-loaf of white bread hollowed out and filled with a rich, flavoursome curry. And if you’re not up to the challenge, you can just go for a quarter loaf.

Either way, it’s delicious and reminds me a bit of the clam chowder of San Francisco, which is traditionally served in a sourdough cob. There’s something about eating everything on your plate – including the plate itself – that appeals!

You can see how we got on making this at home here!

3. Gemsbok biltong

Jerky has become a popular snack internationally, but there’s something about biltong – the form of jerky that’s traditionally a kind of bush food – that’s special.

Most jerky you find elsewhere in the world is usually beef. But in South Africa, you can find biltong from many of the different antelope native to SA. We tried a few different types – springbok was ok, as was impala, but the gemsbok – a type of large oryx – was the best.

Sweet, incredibly tender and full of that rich umami you get from game meat, gemsbok is the one to look out for.

You see these impressive antelope all over South Africa, including the Transfrontier National Park where we stayed at !Xaus Lodge and in Zulu Natal in Fugitives’ Drift near the site of the greatest battle of the Zulu-British War.

4. Dombolo dumplings

It seems like every country and every culture around the world has its own version of a dumpling. From the little sauce-catching potato fists of Italian gnocchi to the crispy filled gyoza of Japan, dumplings take many forms.

Dombolo dumplings were Nelson Mandela’s favourite side with a hearty lamb stew. These steamed flour dumplings remind me of the doughy sliced knedlíky from the Czech Republic, though they are boiled rather than steamed.

Larger dombolo are sliced or smaller ones are served whole – either way, they’re soft, fluffy and sop up a soup like a delicious sponge.

5. Chakalaka

Another of Mandiba’s favourite sides – and a staple throughout South Africa – chakalaka is a dish straight from the townships. This Xhosa classic is a must-try.

Chakalaka consists of beans and vegetables in a well-spiced rich heart-warming tomato base. We were having an amazing lunch at Moyo in Joburg with a South African friend, and she almost refused to start eating until they brought out the chakalaka we’d ordered.

6. Samp

Another homely dish from the townships – and a favourite of Xhosa people, samp is made from corn. Dried corn kernels are pounded (but not ground) then soaked overnight and cooked – often with black-eyed beans – in a stock.

It’s quite a starchy dish and goes well with the spiciness of chakalaka. People often add extra flavours to their samp like cheese and herbs, which makes the dish more of a solo artist.

7. Steers Burger

I was mightily impressed with my King Steer burger on our roadtrip through Kwa-Zulu. Say what you want about fast food franchises, this was an excellent burger.

Steers have been going for over 60 years now and have restaurants all over Africa and even in London. I’m hoping they’ll look to Australia next because I don’t know how long I’ll be able to wait for another taste.

The remarkable range of cuisine, with influences from all over the world and traditional recipes native to the country, make South Africa a tempting destination for those of us who love to travel for the food.

We travelled to South Africa as guests of South African Tourism.

The post 7 flavours of culture – our South African food safari appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

From the humble Khomani People – known also as the Kalahari Bushmen – to the fierce and noble Zulu, the cultures of South Africa breathe life into the landscape.

Each culture is as distinct in its history, perspective, art and language as the cities to the wilderness and the cold peaks of Mafadi to the baked earth of the deserts.

Within and beyond its boundaries, this country’s cultures are what bring the land to life with a vibrance and vitality that’s hard to describe.

Here’s a short video exploring a few of the most interesting cultural aspects of South Africa:

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

When we were in South Africa recently, we found it hard to get a handle on the bewildering realms of culture here.

From the arid lands of the Kalahari to the sweeping blue of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, South Africa’s landscape is the beating heart of the romance of travel.

5 places to experience and understand South African culture

Of course, a place like South Africa has a million ways and places of experiencing its culture, but here are the places we think really highlight the country and explain its diversity, attitudes and personality.

1. Where we all came from – the Cradle of Humankind

In the broken hills northwest of Johannesburg, the limestone Caves of Sterkfontein hide the very keystone to the beginnings of human life – the Cradle of Humankind.

The subterranean visitors’ centre – Maropeng – is cleverly put together and gives a lot of information about human evolution and the archaeological site.

But the cave system, which you can go into, brings it all to life. You get to see the spot where archaeologists unearthed the fossils of ‘Mrs Ples’, a 2.1-million-year-old Australopithecus skull, and Little Foot, an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton more than three million years old.

These caves continue to deliver evidence of our pre-historic existence and are an active dig site. It’s the one of the richest sources of hominid fossil sites in the world.

The hour-long tour of the caves is challenging at times, with lots of stairs and very low crawl-height ceilings.

2. Soweto, Mandela’s House and the Apartheid Museum

Although Apartheid happened throughout South Africa, Johannesburg was certainly the most affected. Joburg’s townships – slums where black Africans were sent as part of segregation – are now both cultural hubs and important reminders of what people went through.

Soweto, the country’s biggest township with over two million residents, was home to Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, whose house you can – and should – visit.

Stay at Lebo’s in the north of the township and take a tour in their bright yellow tuktuks. You can also hear stories from people who lived through Apartheid at Lebo’s, and the dinners they serve up are excellent.

For more information, check out our full story on Lebo’s and Soweto here or watch our video around Soweto below.

Closer to the city centre, the Apartheid Museum is the most concentrated source of information about the atrocities committed during the 1948-1994 regime. If you go anywhere in Johannesburg, make sure it’s here.

It’s heartbreaking, haunting and utterly horrendous the things people did (and still do) to each other because of the colour of skin. And yet an example of how we can change for the better.

Along with the Seven Pillars of the South African Constitution – democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom – everybody should learn about what happened here.

It’s a sadly under-taught part of our history.

3. Durban’s beaches, Zulus and nightlife

On the east coast of South Africa, the city of Durban looks out across the Indian Ocean. Its 600km of beaches and warm waters are a surfer’s dream, while its cruisy nightlife makes for a perfect break by the sea.

Culturally, Durban is interesting for two reasons: firstly, this area is part of the KwaZulu Natal – the Zulu Kingdom. For a snapshot of traditional Zulu life, you have to visit the Zulu Village at the PheZulu Safari Park.

The Gasa clan have been performing traditional dances, rituals and ceremonies here for over 30 years here. It’s fascinating and beautiful to watch, and the singing and music is enchanting.

Durban is also home to a big population of migrants from the Asian subcontinent. In fact, it’s said that Durban is the biggest ‘Indian’ city outside India. Indians were brought to South Africa to work on the Transvaal railways. They brought many customs and traditions – not to mention food.

One dish unique to Durban is ‘bunny chow’. Nothing to do with rabbits or rabbit food, this dish gets its name from the Indian cooks who created the dish known as bania. A loaf of bread halved and hollowed out, then filled with your choice of curry.

It’s unbelievably tasty and, as people who love a curry, we’re shocked we haven’t had this before.

This restaurant – House of Curries – in Durban’s fun-filled Florida Road is a top spot for bunny chow.

4. Rourke’s Drift and Isandlwana

Made famous by Michael Caine’s performance in the 1964 movie Zulu, Rourke’s Drift is the historic battle site during the Anglo-Zulu wars of 1879 where 139 British soldiers held off over 4,000 Zulu warriors.

More Victoria Crosses were awarded in this single battle than any other in the British Empire.

What the film doesn’t tell you is the day before, thanks to an error by commanding officer Lord Chelmsford, 1,300 of the British colonial army were massacred by an enormous Zulu force at the site of Isandlwana.

Tales of these two epic battles are brought to life by the incredible guides of Fugitives’ Drift Lodge Owners and founders of this beautiful park and lodge – the Rattray family – are widely respected for their work with the Zulu nation.

For more information, you really should check out our full story of the battles and Fugitives’ Drift.

You should also watch our video walkthrough too!

5. On Safari in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Kalahari Bushmen

In the Western Cape, a spear of South Africa pierces the Kalahari Desert, its tip forming a confluence of countries: Namibia on the left, Botswana on the right and cleaving between them is South Africa.

This section of the Kalahari Desert is known as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Not only is it home to a huge number of beautiful native birds, animals and plants, it’s also the lands of the nomadic San People.

For centuries, these ‘Kalahari Bushmen’ have roamed the dessert, but these days the Khomani 2,000-strong community is restricted to a small section of the Kalahari.

As the government tries to reconcile with the Khomani, programmes like the !Xaus Game Lodge – a safari lodge owned and run by the tribespeople – are aiming to give back something back.

We stayed at !Xaus Lodge (pronounced similar to ‘house’ but with a ‘k’) and had an incredible time. There was also an opportunity to visit a Khomani village and speak with some of the San who worked there making handicraft. It was a remarkable experience.

You can read more about the Transfrontier Park, the San People and !Xaus Lodge here in our full review.

There’s also a short video walkthrough we’ve put together you should check out too:

These are just a few of the ways to learn about and enjoy the wide-ranging and fascinating cultures of South Africa. We loved our time there and can’t wait to go back again. There’s just so much to see and do.

Have you been to South Africa? Do you have a top place you’ve been to there or anywhere that shows off a country’s culture?

We travelled to South Africa as media with South African Tourism.

The post Beyond the Cape – South African destinations you must visit appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Our tuk-tuk burbles and bounces through the tight alleys and broad streets of Soweto, South Africa’s biggest and oldest township.

As we go, our driver Thando – a Soweto local – talks us through our surroundings, though she’s often interrupted with cheery greetings of “sharp-sharp!” and waves from passers-by.

Soon, we’re waving back and high-fiving laughing kids who come close to the muddy curbs as we zoom by.

Thando skilfully guides our bright yellow bug around potholes and open drains that cleave the road like deep scars.

And although there are smiles and waves here now, you can tell it hasn’t always been like this.

Soweto’s dark past and the horrors these streets have seen have caused the deepest scars of all.

Click here to watch our video of Soweto on Youtube.

Soweto – the city within a city

In the 1930s – 10 years before the official start of Apartheid – the South African government began separating black Africans and moving them away from Johannesburg. So began the ‘townships’ and the genesis of Soweto.

The townships – basically forced slums – southwest of the city became ever more populated and borders blurred.

In 1959, the government came up with the abhorrent concept of a competition to name the area. As if things weren’t inhumane enough.

Soweto was the winning moniker, a derivative of South Western Townships. It’s an acronymic style you’re more likely to find in New York. Think Soho, Dumbo or Nolita.

But the name Soweto stuck.

Exploring Soweto with Lebo’s tuk-tuk tours

Lebo Malepa, owner and founder of Lebo’s Soweto, first started running tours of the township – the neighbourhood he grew up in – at the turn of the century.

He saw buses of tourists coming to Soweto on what we’d see as poverty tourism now while selling crafts at the Hector Pieterson Memorial, just up the road from Nelson Mandela’s house.

Lebo decided visitors should see the real Soweto and learn about life here rather than staring through the windows of a coach at the people they’d never get to meet down below.

From there, he began bicycle tours of Soweto, bringing tourists even closer to his community, and then turned his family home in the northwest of the township into a hostel.

These days, Lebo also has tuk-tuks that run tours across Soweto. The tours take you further into the neighbourhood than walking or cycling can but still allow you to feel the ethos of the township.

Locals recognise the bright yellow tuk-tuks and respond well to visitors, knowing that the money is staying in Soweto and that the intention for coming here is good. Anecdotally, we hear stories from locals who used to feel angry about the coaches coming to Soweto; they felt like animals in a zoo.

But with Lebo’s tours, it’s somehow different. You feel more connected.

From Lebo’s Backpackers, Thando drives our tuk-tuk through many different parts of Soweto, stopping regularly where we can get out and Thado tells us more about life here.

Curious children come up to us, wanting a high five or even a hug. Others climb into our empty tuk-tuk with a cheeky grin.

We’re taken to the poorest parts of the township. And bearing in mind Soweto didn’t have power until the 1980s, life here is tough to say the least. Streets are mere dusty tracks and houses are no more than a few pieces of corrugated metal pushed together.

Still, folks here smile and are welcoming, their children are healthy and cleanly dressed, and the sense of community is strong.

Although poverty is clearly an issue, futility is not.

House of a hero

Our tour culminates in a visit to Nelson Mandela’s house. It’s on a famous street – Vilakazi Street. It’s the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners have lived. Both Mandela and Desmond Tutu were from Soweto.

Mandela’s house is an interesting museum of his life, though if you want a fuller story of him, the Apartheid Museum closer to town has more.

The house has a lot of information about Nelson’s wife Winnie. In fact, she spent more time here alone with their daughters while he was in prison, constantly under attack from the police. There are stories of her hiding behind furniture while officers shot into the house from the street.

Horrendous stories and ones we should all know.

Back at Lebo’s place for tea and a tale

We drive back to Lebo’s house, our bright yellow tuk-tuk a motorised Pac-Man, dodging left and right with past ghosts close behind.

It’s almost time for dinner, a communal affair in the garden bar across the road. Cooking on open fires, huge blackened pots are full of stews bubble away, and the buffet of vegetables grown in Lebo’s garden.

There’s even a bar here selling locally made Soweto Gold lager.

For once, our timing is perfect. We’re in Soweto for the last Thursday of the month, and at Lebo’s that means storytelling.

We sit around a big bonfire, sipping our Soweto Golds and listen Antoinette Sithole tell her story. The sister of Hector Pieterson, Antoinette was there the day he died on 16th June 1976 – one of the most important incidents during Apartheid.

Hector had been shot. He was only 12 years old.

Hearing Antoinette tell her story in this setting and in this place is both haunting and empowering. I just wish I were here on the last Thursday of the month again.

Sam Nzima’s photograph of Hector’s body being carried away by Mbuyisa Makhubo with Antoinette in tow became an icon for the uprising and brought about international condemnation of the Vorster Government.

Soweto – more than just a slum

Many people who hear of Soweto but haven’t seen it with their own eyes might think of it as a township full of poverty and sadness.

It’s so much more than that.

There’s an incredible sense of community here. And it’s a sense that locals are willing to share. Hearing stories from the mouths of people who actually lived through Apartheid is so much more meaningful than reading it in a book.

The tourism industry is finally getting it right and allowing the vision of those like Lebo to make some good come of the darkness that brought about the townships.

Restaurants and bars, particularly in and around Vilakazi Street, offer a literally taste of township life. The Wine Bar is a good example – serving traditional dishes like lamb’s trotters, chicken livers, oxtail, mogodu (lamb tripe) and hardbody chicken – also known as mleqwa.

And of course there’s a selection of great wine you’d expect in South Africa. They even have some good Cuban cigars here – just make your choices carefully!

Of course, there are clear and confronting signs of poverty here, but the sense of community, of dignity and genuine joy is incredibly strong.

It’s true that the townships are still a symbol of white oppression, but they’re also one of Black pride.

For more of our stories from South Africa, click here.

We travelled as media with South African Tourism.

The post The city within a city – Soweto, the pulsing heart of Johannesburg appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

The dust settles on the single-track road leading up the ridge. Through the eddying billows, the elegant yet forlorn face of a young giraffe emerges.

It’s then that the rest of the tower of giraffes bend into view. 

This is our welcome to Fugitives’ Drift Lodge – the homestead built by historian, storyteller and champion of Zulu culture David Rattray. And it’s from here we are to learn of the worst defeat in British colonial history… or as the Rattrays insist – the greatest Zulu victory.

The Rattrays’ indelible link to the Zulu nation comes from Peter Rattray’s vision of a plot of rugged bushland in the 1960s.

From 1989, his son, self-made historian, raconteur and national icon David Rattray and his wife Nicky realised the potential of the land’s location by developing the reserve to become the lodge it is today.

Using his exceptional storytelling skills and knowledge of Zulu history gleaned from decades of talking to tribal elders and from his father’s teachings, David crafted tours of the important historical sites on and near his land.

The Rattray family have transformed the once humble accommodations of Fugitives’ Drift into a luxurious lodge befitting the romance that resonates around Africa.

Here’s our video on our time at Fugitives’ Drift and the amazing landscapes that have so much history beneath their soil:

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Fugitives’ Drift Lodge

With shadows already lengthening and lights glowing to warmly greet the end of the day, our arrival at Fugitives’ Drift Lodge was a welcome one indeed.

From this high place, the views out over the valley of the Buffalo River all the way to the distant peak of Isandlwana are iconic and exultant; inculcators of place and time.

Check out Fugitives’ Drift Lodge for more information on room rates, tours and – most importantly – how to get here!

The rooms

Connecting the villas throughout the property, a decked pathway leads you down to your own beautifully designed and decorated slice of KwaZulu.

Each room in the lodge is incredibly spacious and luxurious. Home to an enormous fourposter bed with gossamer netting draped elegantly from the frame.

The bed looks out through the huge glass double doors that open out onto your own veranda and views out across the private reserve. The game that live here often stroll past. It’s not quite the Giraffe Manor experience of Kenya – it’s much more natural than that.

Each villa has an en suite bathroom with both an indoor and outdoor shower. There’s also an opulent deep-fill clawfoot bath, perfect after a long day on safari. It’s a magical thing to watch grazing impala while you soak in your own tub.

Of course, when it comes to luxury, it’s always the details that really make the difference.

Beautiful Zulu art and objects decorate the walls and shelves, plump cushions in fine fabrics accent the bed and armchairs, and the bathroom offers proprietary amenities – there’s even a bowl of bath salts for you to use.

It’s exactly what we were hoping for in an African safari lodge.

Dining

With an appreciative nod to tradition, dinner is a communal affair at the grand table of the lodge’s main building.

Under the delicate light of chandeliers – or weather permitting – the sparkle of the African night sky, guests are served a delightful four courses each evening.

Usually a tasty soup starts, followed by a hearty main course – we enjoyed Greek lamb in filo parcels and salsa verde one night and chilli-infused pork fillet with roast sweet potato another.

Desserts of a sumptuous sachertorte and the spongy delight called malva pudding – a classic South African cake with apricot jam – greet our full bellies. And then the replete cheese board arrives for us to ‘fill up the corners’ with!

Dinner comes with plenty of South African wine, the enjoyable company of other lucky explorers and even the pleasure of dining with the Rattray family.

The bar here is wonderfully stocked with great wines as you’d expect, but also with as many gins – even these from small-batch craft distillery Cape Fynbos here in South Africa.

Breakfast is also served on the deck of the main building overlooking the lawn and now cooled fire pit. Fruit and cereals are the call of the day, as well as plenty of coffee, which is brought to your room before breakfast.

A lovely thoughtful touch.

The grounds

The dark timber of the buildings blends beautifully with its surroundings of the lodge itself. Guiding you through the property, the wooden walkways bring you through the trees and hedges, allowing occasional glimpses of the other villas.

It’s superbly private here.

Close to the main building and reception, there is a shop and museum displaying artefacts from the Anglo-Zulu wars, and proffering clothes and African ornaments for sale.

There’s also a 1:72 scale replica of the battle of Rorke’s Drift to give you a great overview of how it would have looked in 1879.

You can see up close the uniforms, bugles, swords, bayonets and Martini rifles the British soldiers relied on. Zulu counterparts are here too, with assegais, clubs and wooden shields hanging on the walls. It’s a fascinating room.

On the other side of the complex, overlooking the grand view of the valley, the Harford Library – named after Charlie Harford, a soldier of fascinating character in the war – is a stunning collection of books on the Anglo-Zulu conflicts curated by David Rattray.

The library’s balcony is a popular spot for the lodge to hold lunches too.

The 5,000 acres surrounding the lodge are teeming with life. You’re free (and safe) to explore this private safari – there are no big predators or dangerous game here.

We had a quick wander down the road from the lodge on our own just before sunset – something we could never do at !Xaus Lodge – but you can have full guided walking tours through the reserve as well.

Tours of the Zulu battlefields

The Anglo-Zulu war spanned much of 1879 and ranged all across the Zulu kingdom, but the most iconic and perhaps important were the two battles that happened nearby Fugitives’ Drift.

These battles are brought to life by the expert guides of the lodge, through their brilliant narration, passion and remarkable knowledge.

And as you walk amongst the rocks of this ancient landscape, you feel the very eons of history beneath your feet – the bones of the country.

Isandlwana

This precipitous Sphinx-shaped mountain in the middle of the plain just a short drive from the lodge was where 24,000 Zulu warriors all but destroyed a British force sent to quell them on 22nd January 1879.

Our guide at Isandlwana was Mphiwa Ntanzi. He was brought up in the area of Isandlwana, and his grandfather and great grandfather fought in the battle. To hear the story of the battle, from which only a handful of British soldiers survived, is to hear the truth of what happened.

The landscape here is peppered with piles of white rocks. These are cairns – memorials of where brave men fought and died at spear-tip and gunpoint.

It’s a haunting revelation when you look out from the high point of Isandlwana – the place of last stand – and see all the white markers scattered across the land.

Fugitives’ Drift

Three officers – fugitives of the battle – managed to escape with the Queen’s Colour of their regiment, but were hunted down and killed at Sothondozo’s Drift.

This ford of the Buffalo River was later renamed Fugitives’ Drift – the namesake and landmark of the Rattray homestead, lodge and legacy.

Rorke’s Drift

The day following the battle of Isandlwana, further down the Buffalo River and also not far from Fugitives’ Drift Lodge, an offshoot of the Zulu army attacked a British outpost at Rorke’s Drift. This historic battle was immortalised by the 1964 movie Zulu starring Michael Caine.

We were lucky enough to have David Rattray’s son Douglas guide us around Rorke’s Drift. From the stories we’ve heard of David and his ability to grip an audience with his words, Douglas is a chip off a truly eloquent block.

His telling of that momentous battle, which resulted in 11 Victoria Crosses awarded for valour in the presence of the enemy, brings to life the courageous moments that occurred there.

Douglas’ telling of the tale builds the terror, the bravery, the desperation and the honour of that day over 140 years in the past.

British royalty

In 1997, shortly after the funeral of Lady Diana, Charles the Prince of Wales took Prince Harry along with him to South Africa on a series of engagements and also to reconnect with his youngest son.

During their journey, the princes stayed at Fugitives’ Drift Lodge and were guided around the historic battle sites by none other than David Rattray himself.

The visit struck a chord with both princes and ignited further the interest Harry had of serving in the armed forces.

Both Harry and Charles were deeply saddened to hear of David’s tragic murder in 2007.

Thankfully, David’s legacy lives on strong in his family. And the heritage that Fugitives’ Drift Lodge has created makes such a mark on all those who stay here.

For more stories from our time in South Africa, click here.

We travelled as media with South African Tourism.

The post Fugitives’ Drift, South Africa – a place to stay in history appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Sitting obstinately across the borders of three different countries, the 60 million-year-old Kalahari Desert sends the clear message that it doesn’t care for any of our modern constructs of nation states.

And while the lines in the sand mark the limits of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, each dune of the desert is like the Kalahari is shrugging its broad shoulders.

Those same lines blur when you’re here too.

There’s something about being in this ancient landscape, seeing its incredible nature, learning its secrets and meeting its peoples, that makes you feel small and insignificant but great, eternal and part of it all at the same time.

Visiting this remarkable landscape feels like you have the very sands of time beneath your feet.

Check out our video walkthrough of !Xaus Lodge and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park:

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, officially established in 2000, takes up a large part of the Kalahari Desert. And if the names Kgalagadi and Kalahari seem similar to you, that’s because it’s the same word.

To the Khomani San (also known as the Kalahari Bushmen) the desert is Kgalagadi – a word meaning ‘great thirst’.

!Xaus Lodge – safari in the Kalahari

Within the realm of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the !Xaus Lodge – a refuge from the wilderness and a connector to the culture in the Kalahari.

There are plenty of accommodation options for safari in the Kalahari and within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, but !Xaus Lodge is different.

It gives you a more authentic experience and an opportunity to make a positive impact to the indigenous population of this part of Africa. This cultural connection isn’t something you’ll find in many other safari lodges.

Where is !Xaus Lodge and how do you get there?

About 25km from the western border of the Transfrontier Park and also where Namibia begins, !Xaus Lodge is in the spear of South Africa that sticks up from the Northern Cape, squeezing in between Namibia and Botswana.

As addresses go, I don’t envy the postie who has !Xaus Lodge on their route. “91st Dune, off the Auob River Road” will take you to the front door of the lodge, but who’s counting dunes?

The lodge really is in the middle of nowhere.

From the provincial town of Upington and its airport, you have a two-and-a-half hour drive north to the park’s border control. The high fences and strict regulations have a number of purposes. They keep the animals in the park and poachers out, they ensure visitors are equipped and have paid their fees.

It’s also a land crossing into Botswana.

From the border, you have about 20km of sandy, bumpy unsealed roads to drive until you come to the meeting point where your guide from !Xaus Lodge will transfer you to a company vehicle – and then you start counting dunes!

91 dunes take up about 50km of the desert, so the drive is a long one. But what a journey it is.

What animals are you likely to see there?

From the moment you enter the park, the amount of wildlife you see jumps impressively.

Because of the sparseness of vegetation and tall trees here in the desert, it’s easier to spot creatures as you drive around the park.

Of course, because they’re wild animals living in a vast landscape, it’s impossible to guarantee a spotter’s list.

However, here’s what we saw, and apart from the three male black maned lions lying by the side of the road and the eland (South Africa’s largest antelope and the Khomani people’s most sacred animal) what we encountered on our trip wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park doesn’t have elephant, rhinoceros or hippopotamus.

What does !Xaus mean?

!Xaus Lodge was built in this location, far from the main road and the river for a few reasons. But mostly, it’s here because of the waterhole below the lodge. At a certain angle, the waterhole looks a bit like a heart, hence the name.

The word !xaus means ‘heart’ in the Khoisan language of the Khomani San people. Both the ‘!’ and the ‘X’ represent the clicks many of the languages in Africa use. ‘!’ is a click from the front of the mouth where your tongue leaves your alveolar ridge.

The ‘X’ is from the tongue leaving your soft palate at the back of your throat – though sounds similar to a ‘k’ sound in non-click languages.

It’s a complicated set of sounds to make, so it’s not frowned upon to just say ‘Kaus’ – rhyming with ‘house’.

But there’s a good reason why the lodge has a Khomani name…

Why is !Xaus Lodge so special?

Apart from being the only safari lodge this far inside the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, !Xaus Lodge is also run and staffed by actual Khomani San people, who are the rightful occupants of this land.

State park borders were established here in 1931 which resulted in dispossession and eviction of San from their homelands.

The government built !Xaus Lodge in 2011 to give the Khomani. The idea was to create for them a money-making business – part of an ongoing reconciliation programme. You can find out more about the Khomani’s battle with the government here.

The NGO for the Transfrontier Park help with things like marketing, logistics and hospitality training, but all profits all go back to Bushmen.

What this gives you as a guest – apart from knowing that your money is helping the cultural heritage of one of Africa’s first nation peoples – it also means you’re incredibly close to the knowledge of the land.

There aren’t many that can say they’ve met and travelled with a real Kalahari Bushman.

What’s the lodge and the rooms like?

Both for safety from animals and for minimising impact on the environment, the whole lodge is up on stilts.

From the main lodge, which has a pool, dining room, bar, reception, shop and viewing areas, the 12 chalets are set out along a wooden walkway perched on the top of the 91st dune.

Below the lip of the dune, the waterhole, which is usually dry but always has a large water-filled trough, stretches out before you – 1km across and 3km around. From the veranda in your room, you can see wildlife coming to drink from miles around.

Inside, the chalets are fairly simple, with sparse decorations, though the novelty of the wooden walls and roof give interest enough. Beds are large and comfortable, as are the loungers on the balcony.

The bathroom runs off the bore water from a deep-drill well. Amazingly, the water is very saline, which makes the shower a bit strange and unsatisfying. A clay pot of drinking water is regularly topped up though.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all made by the Khomani staff. The meals are served at the big communal table in the main lodge. Food is a mixed bag, though always tasty.

Transporting goods from Cape Town and Johannesburg present their own challenges. But you don’t come somewhere like this for the food.

As for the bar, you’ll find a good selection of South African wine and beer – even craft brews from nearby Upington called Kalahari Craft Beer, which is excellent. 

What activities does !Xaus Lodge offer?

Day and night drives across the dunes in the lodge’s safari 4×4 with fully open sides offer incredible views of the desert and its wildlife. There’s also a sunset drive that ends in drinks high on a dune looking out across the park.

There’s an early morning hike from the lodge with an experienced Khomani San tracker. We were with Castro – an absolute genius who can spot an animal spore or an insect burrow from 100 yards. You point out a bird and he’ll tell you what it’s thinking.

One of the most incredible experiences though is the visit to the Khomani camp. Not far from the lodge is a spot where local San people gather to make traditional jewellery and ornaments with wood, bone and ostrich eggs.

A short walk from the lodge takes you to their camp where you get to meet Bushman elder. He explains a short history of his people, shows some primitive weapons they still use, shows how to make fire by hand and teaches you some Khoisan words.

He also introduces you to his family.

You must be accompanied to do this though. The proximity to a water source means it’s not safe to go anywhere beyond the lodge without a guide.

The sight of fresh leopard tracks in the sand around our lodge and sight of a hyena at the drinking hole was enough to convince us to stay close to Castro.

We really didn’t know what to expect from our trip to the Kalahari. But we left feeling like something inside us had changed. It seems that Africa has that constant effect on you.

If this story isn’t enough for you, here are some other reasons why you should visit South Africa.

We visited !Xaus Lodge and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park as media guests of South African Tourism.

The post Safari with a difference – !Xaus Lodge in the Kalahari Desert, SA appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Culture makes a country. Its language to its landscapes, its food to its fashions, these all stack up in formations beneath your feet. But the seam of gold running through these sedimentary layers of every nation is its culture.

You don’t have to be in South Africa long to see the gold, the country’s culture is its emblem – its coat of arms.

So much has happened in South Africa that has direct impact on our lives today. From colonisation and early trade to racial atrocities, and the ongoing battle for equality, equity and freedom, South Africa’s seen it all.

Back to the very emergence of human beings right up to the present, this country, covering the southernmost tip of the continent, is relevant to every person on the planet in one way or another.

Why visit South Africa?

To visit South Africa and miss out on experiences that enlighten and educate us on the history of this unique nation is to neglect an essential part of it.

You’d also be missing the piece of this culture’s jigsaw that makes sense of modern-day South Africa.

Soweto, Johannesburg

South Africa is a wealth of incredible history and culture, but one of the most intense examples of this is in Soweto, the biggest township in the country.

Click here to view this video on YouTube.

Soweto – or South West Township as it was once known – was created as part of the Apartheid movement segregating the black community into slums outside the cities.

Now, rather than harbouring the tragedy and horror of years of oppression, Soweto has come to life; its inhabitants embrace their history and are proud to call this important part of South Africa’s past and present home.

Come with us to see what we experienced in this fascinating world while we were exploring South Africa and its incredible culture.

Safari in the Kalahari

Covering the top of the spear of northwestern South Africa, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park spans not only SA but also Namibia and Botswana, and takes up a huge chunk of the expansive Kalahari Desert.

Come with us as we explore the unending dunes of this safari, full of lions, antelope, ostrich, giraffe and an abundance of birdlife.

Click here to view this video on YouTube.

Within the dunes of the Kalahari you’ll also find !Xaus Lodge – a game lodge run by the local bushmen and the only one if its kind. You can read our review of this unique safari eco-lodge here.

We also get to meet real San People of the Kalahari and take a guided trek through the wilderness spotting spore, analysing bones and exploring the secrets of the sand.

Mr & Mrs Romance in South Africa

Our time in South Africa was unbelievable. Meeting Kalahari Bushmen in the middle of the desert, spotting lions and antelope, giraffe and hyenas on the unending dunes, learning the Zulu history of the battles of Isandlwana and Rourke’s Drift.

We explored Soweto – the largest township in the country and wondered at the incredible street art of Johannesburg.

We tasted bunny chow by the coast in Durban and discovered the origins of man deep in the hills of the Cradle of Humankind.

Follow us on this extraordinary journey through one of Africa’s most iconic countries.

Click here to view this video on YouTube.

South African Stories

From our time in South Africa, here are more of our stories about this amazing journey. We feel very fortunate to have had this experience.

It has not only changed how we think about travel, but also our world view as well.

This is the effect South Africa can have on you.

In and out of Africa

An overview of our whole trip through South Africa – from our safari in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park to the modern cosmopolitan streets of Johannesburg.

Safari with a difference – !Xaus Lodge in the Kalahari Desert

Our review of the incredible experiences we had in the heart of the Kalahari Desert meeting Kalahari Bushmen, spotting lions and giraffes and learning about the ways of the wilderness at !Xaus Lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

We’re incredibly grateful that our first visit to South Africa gave us a view of the country’s culture.

If it’s your first ever visit here, we’d recommend fitting in as many of these destinations into your itinerary as possible.

Videos by Tim Charody for Mr & Mrs Romance and SA Tourism.This trip was organised and funded by South African Tourism.

The post Why visit South Africa? appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Few words can express how excited we were to be travelling to South Africa. It’s been a place that’s sat on our travel bucket list for such a long time, it’s a wonder we haven’t been there before.

The opportunity to see wild places like the Kalahari Desert has been on my mind ever since I was a boy watching those David Attenborough shows.

And the romance and thrill of seeing exotic cities and streets like Johannesburg and Durban – not to mention experiencing real Zulu culture and learning about their history.

Well, it’s all here and we’ve tried to keep it as brief as possible – though there will be a lot more to come, I can promise you!

Masinwabe – Jim & Christina xx

From the tarmac of Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport, we’re about to hop on our flight to Upington Airport away in the Northern Cape.

It’s taken us a long time to get to this point. A flight from Sydney to Perth then another from Perth over to Johannesburg – about 15 hours not including transfers. It’s a good job South Africa Airways treats their passengers with an old-school hospitality you don’t see that often anymore.

In a time when the ‘modern airline’ model may mean bigger higher-def screens and wider seats but at the cost of all the things we used to love about flying, SAA is still flying the flag.

No, the planes might not be the newest, the seatback screens are small and seats themselves narrow. But the impressive amount of legroom you get is almost as joy-bringing as the happy, personable service and things like miniatures in the drinks cart, and a friendliness and banter from the attendants you just don’t see anymore.

Our flight to Upington, which takes us across the outskirts of the Kalahari Desert, is only an hour or so. Coming in to land at this tiny airport, which is amazingly an international terminal too, is a welcome reminder that we’re entering quite remote parts of this fascinating country.

Our first official stop on this whirlwind trip is at Upington’s Kalahari-Oranje Museum, which overlooks the Oranje River. It’s an interesting record of this historic town, that’s seen a lot of growth in recent years thanks to the increase of wine produced in the area. 

The wine industry here has created the majority of jobs for the 500k+ inhabitants and seasonal workers.

But from here, we leave Upington – the gateway to Namibia, Botswana and – for us – the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

We pass through the barrier protecting the Transfrontier Park, which is also the border control for Botswana, and the first thing we see as we drive along the sealed road north is an ostrich. 

I’m dumbfounded. I never expected to see one in the wild… it turns out there are loads here!

Although we’re technically in South Africa still, the Botswana border is now close enough for us to cross on foot. At times it’s just a couple of metres from the side of the road… not that it would be a good idea to get out of the car…

Relaxing by the side of the road is this beautiful creature. A young male black maned lion. He’s with two others, chilling out in the shade of a tree. It’s remarkable to be so close to these beautiful creatures – and we’ve only been in the park about half an hour.

We’re joined by an important member of the local Khomani People – one of the San – called Andres. As we drive, he explains much of what is and has been happening to his community of 1500 people (plus 500 or so unregistered members and kids).

In 2002, the government gave the Khomani 200 hectares of land in the Kalahari back, but it’s not enough for a traditionally nomadic people like the San.

It’s hard to know what they can do, but Andres and his board are working hard to change things. 

But even in the middle of this important news, even Andres is stunned into silence as we pass these mighty animals. 

It’s a four-and-a-half-hour drive over precisely 91 massive sand dunes to get here, but it’s certainly worth the effort. This is !Xaus Lodge, which is run as a not-for-profit by Transfrontier Parks Destinations and staffed by Khomani.

You can read our full review on !Xaus Lodge here.

If you’re wondering why the exclamation mark, it’s because this denotes a ‘pop’ the Khomani and many of the nine tribal languages in South Africa use. Unfortunately, the ‘x’ is also a ‘click’ in the back of the throat, making !Xaus a difficult word to say. 

To get by, you can say ‘Kaus’, rhyming with ‘house’. It’s not right, but close enough.

We’ll be running a full review on this beautiful property later.

After a fascinating couple of days here at !Xaus Lodge, it’s almost time to leave. We drive through the dunes until it’s almost sunset for drinks and celebrations.

L-R: Jim, Christina, Steve, Mpo, Alexis, Mosilo, Emily and two guides. Castro on the right is our guide and a bloody genius.

We’re lucky to be travelling with a small group of travel journalists and South African Tourism. Over the next few days, we’re all going to become such good friends. 

Next morning, it’s an early start back from !Xaus Lodge to Upington, where we’re due to catch our next flight to our next destination.

We spot so much wildlife on our way out of the park: multitudes of antelope, wildebeest, African wildcats, goshawks, vultures – even a brown hyena – but all too soon, we’re out of the Transfrontier Park and back to civilisation.

We transfer from Upington to Joburg again, then through to Durban. It’s been a full day’s travel and we reach our hotel late in the afternoon.

The Southern Sun Maharani Hotel is right on the beachfront and all its rooms look out over the water. Best of all, the windows, even the ones on this – the top floor – open right up. It’s something you don’t see everywhere. 

Views out across the beach and south down to the port – South Africa’s busiest – are amazing. Sunrise over the water tomorrow will be incredible.

Our new guide, Bheki, explains the city to us as we drive in from the airport. Durban has suffered worse than a lot of South African cities from segregation during the appalling Apartheid.

There’s still a strong sense of separation in Durban in spite of people now being able to move freely to live wherever they want. The three main races – black African, Caucasian and subcontinental Indian – still live in very different parts of the area.

This beach – the main beach of the city – is predominantly a ‘black beach’, which seems so strange to us with Australian beaches being for everyone. It’s a harsh reminder of the terrible times this country has seen. 

Just in case you’re wondering, yes, it’s safe here.

Indians came to Durban as slaves to cut cane in the 1800s. Now their population of around 1 million has a strong influence over the KwaZulu Natal region. 

Not least their food.

Here on Florida Road in Durban – the restaurant, bar and entertainment district – House of Curries does one of the best versions of a famous Indian South African dish: Bunny chow.

For clarity, no rabbits were or are involved with this dish. It’s basically half a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with your choice of delicious curry.

Christina’s gone for lamb curry – the meat is tender, and the curry rich and tasty. I, however, have chosen ‘kebab’ not knowing what would come out. It’s a delicious, fine mince in a thick spicy gravy. This one has a real kick to it. 

You can choose a quarter or half loaf depending how hungry you are. Not many people can finish a half… but I manage it with no problem. It’s too tasty to waste!

The name bunny chow comes from the name for the Indian chefs – banias – who invented this dish. It was traditionally a meal for the labourers, who would take it with them for their lunch. 

You can see how we got on making bunnie Chow here!

This morning we’re off again, driving through some of the most dramatic scenery to the Zulu Village of the PheZulu Safari Park. 

The Gasa clan have been performing traditional dances, rituals and ceremonies here for over 30 years. It’s fascinating and beautiful to watch a version of a Zulu wedding. 

This is the head of the Gasa clan, who we meet again after the dance in his house. We’re guided through the three main huts of a traditional Zulu property overlooking the Thousand Hills District, which is still inhabited almost exclusively by Zulu people.

We’re heading north to famous Rorke’s Drift now. It’s a long drive, so we pull in to Greytown stop off to grab a Steers burger, recommended by our photographer Grant, who’s from Cape Town.

He’s not wrong. This is no ordinary takeaway. Messy, delicious, saucy, beefy and cheesy – this is a fine burger. And the chips are excellent too.

We arrive in the afternoon at our hotel, which is in the middle of its own private game park – Fugitives’ Drift.

As we enter the park, a giraffe strolls into the road right in front of us. This park doesn’t have any big predators, so we get out and spend about half an hour taking photos not just of this one, but of an entire herd (also known as ‘a tower’) of giraffes. It’s amazing.

Even more amazing is our room. The balcony looks directly out over the game park. In the clearing, antelope graze freely and birds of all kinds fill the trees.

Fugitives’ Drift Lodge is a very special place.

Just as impressive is the bathroom. We have a beautiful clawfoot bath, an outdoor shower and a wonderful rainfall shower inside too. 

Staying at Fugitives’ Drift Lodge makes you feel very connected to the area, which is remote, though very close to the important historic site of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.

You can see our full review of this amazing place here.

As part of our stay at Fugitives’ Drift, we get to tour the battle grounds of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Our morning guide is a direct descendent of one of the Zulu leaders, who fought at Isandlwana.

It was a terrible battle, costing thousands of British and Zulu lives for very little. The guide’s story of what happened is sombre, deep and contemplative. The heroism of the men that fought here is overshadowed by the tragic loss of so many lives.

In this battle, which is the precursor to Rorke’s Drift and the famous 1964 classic, 25,000 Zulu warriors fought and killed 1,300 colonial soldiers in a war provoked by the British. Many Zulus died too.

White stone cairns litter the battleground marking the mass graves of those whose bones still remain here.

In the evening, just before sunset, we travel 10 miles from Isandlwana to the site of Rorke’s Drift with Douglas Rattray, the son of the late David Rattray, founder of Fugitives’ Drift Lodge, storyteller and historian. 

From what we can tell, Doug is certainly a chip off the old block – something he should be proud of. 

The tale of the defence of Rorke’s Drift, how 4,000 Zulu warriors were held off by 139 British – 35 of whom were incapacitated, is as dramatic and heroic as the movie. Perhaps more so. And Doug catches every element wonderfully, no doubt hearing his father’s voice within him.

The sun sets on this site where 17 survivors watched the remnants of the Zulu attack retreat over the crest and we know we’ve just experienced something truly significant.

It’s taken us quite a while to get here (four hours driving back to Durban for another hour’s flight to Johannesburg) but we’re finally here in Soweto.

Soweto, by the way is short for South Western Township.

This is the biggest township in Johannesburg – originally a slum created by the dreadful Apartheid regime. It’s now a vibrant, proud section of the city. Although poverty is still very much an issue here, Soweto’s residents still remain out of choice. 

Our first stop in Soweto is at The Wine Bar, a rather fancy restaurant and not something we were expecting. An extensive wine list pairs with a fascinating menu with both commonly found and more unusual items on offer.

Being on a cultural trip, we order the unusual. Black tripe, lamb’s trotters, hard body chicken, ox tail and braised chicken livers come out. The first piece of tripe I try doesn’t taste great – perhaps not thoroughly soaked enough – but other pieces are good. 

The livers and hard body – the kind of lean chicken you see wandering around rather than plump farm chooks – are both excellent. 

Of all the parts of Soweto to have a fine-dining spot such as this (they even have a small Cuban cigar selection here), Vilakazi Street is the obvious choice.

It’s the street Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu grew up on – the only street in the world to be home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners, so tourists aren’t a rarity here.

Service is superb at The Wine Bar and the food is lovingly prepared. Definitely come here when you visit this fascinating part of South Africa.

We travel down to Lebo’s Hostel deep in the township. Lebo, the owner, has created a wonderful space for visitors to come and locals to work, and is a pillar of the community. 

He has also started these tuk tuk tours of Soweto, which gives you a unique way to see life here. Locals wave and say hello as you pass, and although you’re exposed to the poor way of life the denizens of Soweto are living, the tour guide makes it very clear that this is not poverty tourism.

It’s an important exposure of life that terrible things like Apartheid can create. Lessons to be learnt and understood.

The tuk tuk tour culminates in a quick visit to Nelson Mandela’s house – now a museum.

Read more about Soweto and what you can see here in our write-up.

This morning, we’re on the road once more driving out of town to visit the Cradle of Humankind.

There are two parts to this feature – a visitors’ centre, Maropeng, which is like an educational theme park in its design but illustrates well the area, and a cave visit at Sterkfonatein.

The Cradle of Humankind is a massive network of limestone caves which has produced almost half of all humanid fossils ever found. It’s been so prolific that paleoanthropologists have been able to trace the origins of our species and many others before us.

The cave climb is in stark contrast to the easy, fun visitors’ centre. Small groups are brought down 60 metres below the surface through tight cracks and crannies, and up and down many flights of steps. A good level of fitness is important for this experience.

This evening, we’ve travelled to the other side of the city for what will be our last dinner together. We’re at the beautiful Epicure by Chef Coco and the menu has been carefully crafted to represent the best features of African food.

We get to meet Chef Coco, who was brought up in Belgium, shows his talent for French style cuisine and his passion for the taste of Africa.

This tasting plate is called the NEWS plate, with flavours from the north, east, west and south of Africa. My main of ostrich fillet is absolutely superb – this is well worth a visit.

We go into a lot more detail about this excellent restaurant here.

This morning – our last in Africa – we are on a walking tour of the street art of Maboneng. This super-cool part of town is full of amazing art on the city’s towers.

This is by Belgian artist Roa, who paints endangered animals everywhere he goes. It’s side to South Africa I hadn’t expected to see.

The street art walking tour is conducted by Curiocity, a fantastic civic company showing the different sides to places around South Africa.

On from the art tour, we drive to the Apartheid Museum with our guide Tony. He’s from Soweto – still lives there in fact – and was a young activist in the anti-apartheid movement. 

It’s a harrowing, shameful experience learning the terrible things that happened and that white people did as a result of stupid racial prejudice. 

The museum is a harsh enough lesson, but with Tony beside us, we learn even more from a first-hand survivor of those terrible times. 

From the front of the museum, we see the seven pillars of the South African constitution structured by the likes of Nelson Mandela. They hold up what is considered to be the best constitution in the world to date: democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom.

After such a necessary, confronting experience, it’s a wonder we’re hungry, but lunch beckons us to Moyo at Zoo Lake.

Possibly the best meal we’ve had in South Africa apart from last night’s dinner, we feast on two huge mixed grills of different meat, Mozambican piri piri chicken and prawns, fascinating sides like samp, nhapi dovi and chakalaka, and a bread platter with a chilli chickpea dip. 

A fitting end to our trip together and the final piece of the puzzle for our South African Food Safari.

We do have one last stop before the airport though: the Rosebank Art and Craft Market for some souvenir shopping. This underground market is packed full of pots, masks, blankets and trinkets – almost none of which we’d be allowed to bring back to Australia. 

The vendors are friendly, though when we mention where we’re from, they’re a little stumped. They know probably better than we do that trying to get a carved bone object or an exquisite wooden animal into the country is asking for trouble. 

We find a few things though and it’s an interesting experience.

There’s time for just one more photo of all of us (minus Alexis, who’s had to catch a different flight) and Grant, who’s behind the camera. What a great crew. We feel very lucky to have travelled with you guys.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this snippet of our time in this remarkable country. There’s plenty more to come, don’t worry. But for now, this is all we’ve got.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

We travelled to South Africa with South Africa Tourism and South Africa Airlines

The post In and out of Africa appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

As the departures gate makes its last call on September, we ready ourselves for an October so full of travel it’s kind of crazy.

In a good way!

With travel to Africa and the USA coming up, by the time October comes to an end, we’ll have taken almost 20 flights in just one month. And we can’t wait!

But this week, we’re prepping for this incredible trip to South Africa, we’re checking out a new release on some wine from WA and we visit Luke Nguyen’s restaurant in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens to learn more about Visit Britain’s latest travel trends.

It’s hard to believe we’re getting ready for our first ever trip to the African continent. Christina and I are so excited – we’ve tried a number of times to get to Africa, but plans never seemed to work out.

Now, thanks to South Africa Tourism, we and three other Australian travel journalists are travelling to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park to begin our epic trip through South Africa.

It’s hard to know what to pack on a trip like this, but one thing’s for certain: our photography kit is complete! Olympus is very generously lending us these two incredible lenses to take on safari, which is going to make all the difference.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-200mm F3.5-6.3 on the right is a new lens from Olympus and is so versatile. It’s also really light compared to other lenses that give the same amount of zoom (this thing can basically double in length) so it’ll be perfect for wide landscape shots of the Kalahari Desert while also getting in close when the wildlife shows up.

We’re also taking with us the impressive M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO from Olympus, which has so many features like 5-axis internal stabilisation, it’s dust and splash-proof and mind-blowing resolution it’s going to take our wildlife photography to a different level.

Before we head into the wilderness of the Kalahari, we’re making the most of one of our favourite Sydney specials I’ve got a feeling many locals don’t know about.

It might come as a surprise to learn that El Loco – the Mexican-themed restaurant at the Slip Inn in Sydney does a really amazing burger. We were certainly shocked the first time we had one.

Even better than that, every Monday, you can get a burger for $15, and pints are $6 too. Hard to beat.

Now that the sun’s back out here in Sydney, we’ve taken a break from packing and are enjoying a glass of wine this afternoon.

Houghton, which has been making wine since 1836, is one of Australia’s most awarded wineries, and their new Reserve range looks like it’s going to carry on that trend.

The Reserve Chardonnay is wonderfully drinkable, finding that tricky balance of fruit-driven freshness and creamy oaked richness, and there’s plenty of length on the finish too.

As for the Reserve Shiraz, it’s also a beautifully balanced wine. The careful play between elegant tannins and the umami sweetness of cocoa create a perfect medium-bodied example of a modern Shiraz.

Both these wines will react well to cellaring – if you have the willpower. As for pricing, they’re both $14.95RRP from major and independent retailers across Australia.

It’s been a while since we enjoyed a wine from Western Australia. It’s a much-overlooked wine region with some superb wines, and the Houghton Wisdom range really represents.

The Wisdom Chardonnay 2018 is quite a wine. superbly full-bodied, this is what a WA Chardonnay (and I wish other regions would take note) should taste.

This is without a doubt a well-crafted wine, barrel-fermented and left on its lees for nine months has given this wonderful Chardonnay plenty of cereal notes and smooth texture.

And I even like the label!

Find your bottle from Dan Murphy’s or from Houghton’s direct here – $40 RRP.

A kookaburra on a sign to the Opera House – this should probably be an add for Sydney city, which is ironic as we’re off to lunch in the Botanic Gardens to meet with Visit Britain tourism board when we spot this guy!

Lunch is in Botanic House, right in the middle of the Botanic Gardens overlooking the bay.

Of course, we’re excited about chatting the the Visit Britain team, but with Chef Luke Nguyen running the show here, we know the food is going to be something special.

We’re welcomed with a Hendricks gin and tonic, and a table covered with different garnishes – from rosemary to raspberries – to add to our drinks.

Combinations of flavours give our G&Ts a taste of England, Wales and Scotland – strawberries and basil, raspberries and mint, and cucumber and rosemary respectively. And while we decide, a Beetles tribute band entertains us.

We’ve seen from our menus that there’s an English tone to the food, but as lunch is served, the humble fish and chips with mushy peas is a little more than that.

This crispy-skinned seared barramundi, its house-made tartare and dense mushy peas is a bit further down the road than your average chippy back home.

As for the beef option, this thick-cut striploin is tender and tasty, the roasted beetroot and confit eschallots is excellent.

While we eat, the Visit Britain team talk us through a number of different projects in place at the moment in the UK to continue the steady flow of visitors to their shores.

In spite of all the political nonsense happening there at the moment, the UK is still hugely popular in the tourism sector, and an important part of the GDP (around 40% in fact).

Although London is the obvious drawcard for the nation, Visit Britain is working hard to encourage visitors to explore further afield, to see life beyond London.

In England’s northeast, the building of a parkland is underway that will be four times the size of Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, while our last trip to the UK certainly highlighted the depth of the culture goes much deeper than just the capital.

Here’s a perfect example of that from our trip to the beautiful town of Lavenham, Suffolk.

Dessert comes in the form of either cheese (a wonderfully savoury brie, a crumbly cheddar and an unctuous stilton) or this Eton mess.

For some reason, the cheese isn’t popular, so I swap my ice cream, Pimm’s marinated strawberries and meringue for all the dairy goodness I can reach!

Tonight, we’re at a party for our awesome friends Ken and Heidi’s birthdays. We’ve mentioned these guys before when Heidi launched her book Her Middle Name Is Courage.

Their epic soiree tonight is in Balmain and has the theme of ‘reincarnation’ – either someone you think you were in a previous life or someone you want to come back as.

Obviously, I’ve gone for a Guru look, while Christina’s come as an Italian contessa, which fits as she bought that dress from a little vintage store on the shores of Lake Iseo in Italy.

It’s an epic party with lots and lots of Scarborough Chardonnay – Heidi’s and our favourite.

Everyone’s really put in the effort for the party with so many great outfits. Heidi’s come as a Spanish gypsy and Ken to her left is the most amazing ’60s throwback you’ve ever seen. He’s even got the goldfish platform shoes!

In the background of Heidi’s speech you can see Marilyn Monroe and a Roman soldier. There are also a couple of Einsteins here, a rugby player and his WAG, Mother Teresa and even a Princess Leia.

It’s the perfect evening and the perfect venue. The Balmain Rowers’ Club sits right on the water looking out to the west. A memorable night with some wonderful people.

It’s a slow start this morning, the plentiful pourings of Chardonnay got the better of us last night.

But we’ve moved far enough to work out lunch.

Knowing that we’ll be away from home for most of next month, we’re getting a super-charged bowl of Japanese goodness at Gumshara Ramen in the city.

The ramen bowls here are quite extraordinary, made with a bone broth that is out of control.

Christina’s got a Hakata ramen that has a light soup, but I’ve gone whole hog with a spicy tonkotsu ramen thick soup and a soft-boiled egg on top.

The ramen here is so delicious and feels quite wholesome too. The pork is tender and the noodles perfectly cooked. So good.

If you haven’t been here before, this is now your priority. It’s in the Eating World food court at the back of Chinatown, and it’s cash only.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Weekly Edition – the next one will be coming to you from South Africa!

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

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