Living Our Sunshine with Susann Deysel
0 Shopping Cart
Category

Travel

Category
2 Mins Read

Travel Tips: Book your own trip online

It sucks that the Rand is such a volatile currency and just when you think, OK I’m going to do it, it tanks. Then you have to go back and talk to the travel agents again to see if there isn’t some special or other trip you could afford.

Well, to be honest I don’t use travel agents anymore. I make my own amazing holidays happen by doing all the work myself and using a few websites to get the cheapest flights and accommodation.

Check www.flightfactory.co.za to find and compare flights. You can even search multi city flights. Plus, book your flights online. It is not just for local flights either!

Accommodation… well, this is where it gets interesting. AirBnB has extra charges compared to Booking.com. It really comes down to after you’ve added all the costs, found spaces in the right places which site would work for you. I prefer Booking.com and even have the app on my phone with my itinerary and details of all the places I’ve booked.

Forex – sigh, you can only buy from 60 days before your trip. Subscribe to your bank’s forex newsletter and stay on top of the exchange rates. Some destinations it is easier to just take your credit card or a currency card, but other destinations like Zanzibar and the Maldives you need cash for the smaller informal transactions.

Anyway, I am finalising my list of things to do, places to go on Reunion Island and know that it is going to be epic!

by
Keep Reading
2 Mins Read

Planning a visit to Reunion Island (Part 1)

It’s weird, it’s one of those destinations where not even the tourism site has a lot of info. Travel agencies still look at you… weirdly and all you can do is trawl a lot of accounts of previous visitors to this little island in the Indian Ocean.

So this is what I know, we are going and soon. We have a car and accommodation. I’m not sure if there is a festival on or not, because dates on it is sparse. I kind of have an idea what we will do and see – but I don’t have a 100% plan.

We are definitely seeing volcanoes

Saint-Denis

St Denis, the capital city, offers a number of cultural sites that I am keen to explore.

  • Musee Leon Dierx which boast an impressive collection that include works by Picasso, Gauguin and Cézanne.
  • Cascade du Chaudron – apparently the pool at this waterfall is bluer than blue.
  • Grand Marche – a market or 2 is definitely on the list.
  • Kali Kampal Temple (Hindu Temple)
  • Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de La Réunion
  • Saint-Denis Cathedral
  • Vanilla plantation

2 volcanoes

  • Piton des Neiges – which has been inactive for a very long time. Maybe we will hike a bit here. There is also a biological reserve here.
  • Piton de la Fournaise – one of the world’s most active volcanoes (fingers crossed to see some lava from a VERY safe distance). Hiking to Furnace Peak…

Hellbourg on the edge of Cirque de Salazie

Rumour has it that it is being lauded as the “most beautiful French village”. The Creole architecture is apparently amazing here and I’m a sucker for architecture. We are also going to eat our way through the local cuisine in this little town.

What I’m really looking forward to is a cultural and gastronomic experience. So my research is taking me to all sorts of weird and wonderful pages.

Be on the lookout for my next posts about planning for our Reunion Island trip – everything from packing lists to places to see.

by
Keep Reading
3 Mins Read

Keys and portables will never go missing in action again

My aunt visited the day before we left for KZN over the Easter long weekend. When she left I checked that her handbag was in her car’s boot – because the last time she left it on her passenger seat and her bag got stolen. Next morning at 6.30 am just as the Doom Foggers filled the House with billowing clouds of poison and we had locked the front door I got a frantic call…

My aunt wanted us to look for her phone that she may/may not have left in our house. I protested and declined to go back into a house filled with poison on the off-chance that it may still be on a couch my husband occupied after her departure

4 days later she phoned to let us know she found it in the back of her car in the jacket she wore that day. True story.

It made me wonder what can be used to help older people and adventurous travelers keep track of valuables – and then I found this…

Keys and portables will never go missing in action again

Keep track of everything you cannot afford to lose with nifty Orbits to call you to their location – wherever and whenever. Laptops, wallets, mobile phones, cameras and keys will never go missing in action with Orbit, a family of Bluetooth trackers.

Now in South Africa thanks to Gammatek, a leading distributor of branded technologies and accessories, Orbit is the ultimate portable possessions locator. Linked with the downloadable Orbit App, an Orbit – stuck on valuables or attached to keys – makes anything that is lost, found.

According to Gammatek’s Zev Cherniak, there are three varieties of Orbit available in South Africa; Orbit Stick-On, Orbit Card and Orbit Keys.

Orbit Stick-On is perfect for remote controls, laptops, mobile phones, tools, guitars and more. With the keyring attachment, it can be used on house and car keys, backpacks, luggage and cameras. Orbit Card is a non-obtrusive card that can be slipped into a wallet or purse, while Orbit Keys is designed specifically for keyrings.

“Using the app you can make your Orbit ring or check its last known GPS location. All of your Orbits can be tracked using the Orbit App. Orbit can also find your phone by making it ring even on silent. An added bonus is that Orbit can be used as a selfie remote,’ says Cherniak.

This puts an end to frenzied searches for misplaced valuables. To locate something that is missing, simply press the “Find Orbit” button on your mobile phone. If in range, the Orbit will play a melodic tune to alert you. When out of Bluetooth range of 30 metres, you can locate the missing item by means of its last known GPS location using the Orbit App. If it is your phone you are seeking, press the button on the side of your Orbit Card, Orbit Stick-On or Orbit Keys and it will make your phone ring. To take a selfie or group shot, open the in-app camera and use Orbit as a camera remote.

The Orbit Stick-On is powered by a replaceable CR2025 3 volt battery which can last up to a year. Orbit Card comes with a charging cable for recharging time and time again. Orbit Card will last about three months once fully charged. Orbit Keys is also powered by a replaceable battery.

Orbit is made available by Gammatek at leading retailers in South Africa. These include selected Vodacom stores, takelot.com, Loot.

by
Keep Reading
4 Mins Read

Salt Rock like a local

It was a whirlwind romance with the sea that made us buy a “huisie by die see” and that irritating check out by 10am thing at the hotel. Now here we are, 5 years later…

We feel like locals. We’ve seen Ballito and Salt Rock expand, new shopping centres built, found our favourite eateries and places to spend time away from the beach – and somehow we’ve managed to get to know a few neighbours.

…and I love to tell people about the amazing places around Salt Rock/Sheffield Beach that we frequent when we are home.

Sasol Garage for a Bunny Chow

I don’t have a tolerance for Durban curry, but once per visit we will stop at the Sasol garage and get our Bunnies. I love the chicken and hubby has the lamb. The best place to eat them is on the beach (no jokes).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY0fExlgqhQ/?tagged=sasolgaragebunny

Burnedale Farm

A little slice of farm heaven. You can have your nails done, do shopping and have a bite at Burnedale. All independent stores, all local – and I have to give a special shout-out to Find The Stoke (surf shop). Be sure to check out the pottery shop and One of a Kind.

Bonus, there are a few farm animals to look at and a play area for the kids.

Litchi Orchard

Spoiler, the food here is amazing! Get your ice cream from Scoop, lunch at Delish Sisters and coffee next door… You can also do a bit of shopping here.

They have night markets with live entertainment at the Litchi Orchard – just check their Facebook page.

In December you can get your freshly picked litchis right here.

Sage Centre

One of my favourite places… You will easily think you got lost in an upmarket Jozi suburb, because the shops at Sage Centre is just amazing. Get gifts, baked goods, décor and your Tsonga fix!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcr-b5fgO6F/?taken-by=sagecentre

Before the big revamp Sage was an OK place to go to, but now it really is a jewel on the North Coast.

Flag Animal Farm

This is a must-visit if you have kids. The animal farm is really neat and kids love it. Lexa wasn’t yet ready for the (barrage of) animals, but when we go down (soon again) she will be treated to a day at Flag Animal Farm.

 

Chow down

Tiffany’s Shopping Centre is our local place and here you will find a number of small eateries. My favourite is Jack Salmon. For a quick takeaway Zebro’s fish and chips is always a winner.

For some odd reason my husband loves eisbein and one of the best places to get this and a traditional German meal is at Siggi’s. They have been there for as long as I can remember and I’ve been going that side for a really long time.

Just outside Salt Rock and Ballito you will find The Great Railroad Brewing Company (8 minutes from Tiffany’s). They produce 8 types of beer and you can also get them from a number of stores in the area (and further afield).

If you venture into Ballito with the holiday crowds, go to the Ballito Lifestyle Centre. The centre had a major revamp recently and the restaurants here are to die for – don’t even get me started on The Market!

The beaches…

Salt Rock main beach is one of my favourites, but it isn’t really toddler-friendly. We are now visiting Granny’s Pool – and yes, there are always plenty of kids – this rock pool is by Siggi’s German Restaurant, you cannot miss the parking.

Sheffield Beach is OK, but not the best swimming beach if you like to really get in there – plus, no lifeguard.

We have driven up to Tinley Manor once to check out the beaches, but I can definitely say that Salt Rock is the best beach with very few rocks.

So that is it, next time you go to the Dolphin Coast check out these lovely places and let me know what you think.

by
Keep Reading
2 Mins Read

It’s Black Flyday (hint you can get cheap flights)

Last night I saw a post liked by one of my cousins (and I have like 24) and the story was just so heart-warming that I had to share…

After more than 10 years of service a gardener and housekeeper got a surprise from their employers. They would be taking a flight to see the ocean – both a first in their lives.

I looked through all the photos and videos and had to hold back a tear. It was so heart-warming to see these people looking out over the clouds with smiling faces. (Do you remeber the first time you flew?) The best however was to see them on the beach… it was pure joy. They played in the small surf close to the beach and loaded up on bottles of sea water and picked up shells to take back home. Apparently one of the two asked if the sea moved like that by itself (“loop die see so vanself”) – that just got me 6-0.

PS. I have made contact and will be posting a story about the employers and the lucky duo.

Save BIG with Travelstart this Black Flyday

After that story I feel like I need to fly down to Durban from Johannesburg! If you feel the same get your flights from Johannesburg to Durban.

…it gets even better Travelstart Black Friday has started!!! You can call it Black Flyday Flight Sale because it is going to go fast. They’ve pulled out some favourite destinations like Mauritius, Bali, Portugal or India from only R3,999 return, fly local from R299 one way and lots more! As if this isn’t enough, they’re giving you additional (app only) discounts on their trusty flight booking app, Flapp. These sweet deals won’t be around for long so book now or miss out. Hurry, sale ends on 27 November 2017.

So until I see you in Durbs, you can look at this beautiful pic taken in Soweto.

by
Keep Reading
2 Mins Read

Kids need passports? This is what you should know…

Have passport, will travel everywhere… if I had all the money in the world. Do you feel the same?

A while ago I wrote about how you can apply for your South African passport and ID online. Now I’m going to tell you what you need when applying for you kids’ passports.

Complete the online application for a minor. Choose where you would like to complete the biometrics (photo, verification, etc) and upload a copy of both parents’ ID documents. ( They also have an option if one parent is no longer in the picture.) Pay the R400 and wait for your confirmation SMS.

On the day of your kids’ passport appointment this is what you should take along:

– Both parents
– Both parents’ IDs
– All the kids’ unabridged birth certificates

When you arrive to the home affairs (at FNB or other bank) find the greeter to put their ID numbers in a book and get a number – without this even if you have an appointment you don’t exist to the officials…

They will first take a picture of the kid, then fingerprint both parents – and voila, you’re done!

Home affairs will send an SMS when you can pick up the passport/s.

How our appointment with Lexa went…

Not well, not well at all. The day of our appointment their system was offline. We waited for an hour – with – a – kid – that – got – bored. We eventually left after more than an hour with instructions to return another day.

We returned two days later. Second group through the door. Unfortunately my number 2 ticket didn’t guarantee us the second spot… oh no, we had to wait for 13 people to first get through their appointment… that took more than an hour.

Thank goodness I don’t have to take Lexa with when I pick up her passport!

by
Keep Reading
2 Mins Read

Slap me with a feather and call me the luckiest girl in the world… because I am going to an island – with – my – whole – family!

This is the story… I wanted to go on a 2 week trip to Cape Town with my parents next year. Then the drought persisted and well, it’s ugly when drought has you in its grip. I then suggested that maybe we go to Mapungubwe National Park in Limpopo as I know they haven’t been there before.

…but then the unimaginable happened. My mom and I both won a flight to Reunion Island! Ok, I will give you a minute to get your jaw back in place!

My mom has never been on a plane… has your jaw dropped again? She also has never been off this continent – other than a 4 day cruise. Totally ridiculous when I have traveled so much, right?

When I broke the news to my parents that my mom won a ticket and that I would pay for my dad’s flight I wasn’t sure if I would be able to convince them to come along… My dad I knew would want to, but my mom is a difficult old lady sometimes.

3 hours after breaking the news my mom said she will definitely be joining us – but my dad will just check his leave and depending when we can go… but he really wants to go!

Then we waited for the email from Reunion Island Tourism… and some good news, we could travel until next year sometime! I was on that booking email, paid the airport taxes and now I have to plan a holiday with my parents, hubby and the kid on Reunion Island! Super excited!

Luckily I have made an appointment to get Lexa’s passport done – for next week. So she will have her first passport stamp before she turns 2 or has a sibling!

Now the planning for a holiday on Reunion Island starts… well, it will after the mad holiday rush to get a bunch of work done.

by
Keep Reading
Voortrekker Monument
3 Mins Read

A visit to the Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria

I don’t think I will ever get bored of visiting the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. The architecture and murals absolutely fascinate me.

When you walk up the stairs and the monument peeks over the top step you start realising just how huge it is. Then you get to the Koeksuster sculpture and the whole monument just looms like a big block in the middle of a pedestal.

Standing out right in the front is the statue that pays homage to the Voortrekker women. She has children at her skirt. Her face is generic, but beautiful, you can almost see her kappie move in the wind and hear her skirt ruffle.

You make your way up the stairs and try to look at the top but half bend over too far and feel dizzy. The sun just pelts down and wraps its arms around the top. So beautiful, so strong…

…and then you walk in under the buffalo guarding the front door. You don’t expect to see white marble and a big open space in a building that stands so firm and strong. You are immediately drawn to the circle in the middle to look down at the cenotaph and then up at the skylight that will only fall on “Ons vir jou Suid-Africa” on the 16th of December.

You don’t have to be an Afrikaner to feel the goosebumps. Its enough to just be an African that loves Africa to feel proud and patriotic of this small country at the tip of Africa.

Then you just have to take the time to look at the carved marble story on the walls. The expressions so vivid. A story that tells of a people that left the relative safety of the Cape of Good Hope with ox wagons and their families in tow. There is drama, tragedy and more. It’s a story of courage, heartbreak and eventually unity.

Next you go up a floor. Here you have views over Pretoria. This is also one my favourite spots to take a photo under the arches. Sometimes you just have to wait until the other visitors are out of the way to get the perfect shot.

The most beautiful view point awaits you yet another floor up. This you can only access via stairs, but the view is spectacular! You get to stand 3 floors above the cenotaph. I don’t like heights and by the time I get up there my hands are shaking and I feel dizzy – and then I stick my hand over the barrier to take a photo. I have never actually had my head over that open circle that looks into a “deep abyss”…

Finally make your way to the floor the cenotaph is on. They usually have an exhibition, some family bibles and donated items on display. It is also worth looking at the tapestry.

Lastly visit the museum. There are so many items to look at and it is really interesting to see the old clothes and buttons, lace and more.

[Totally unrelated clue for something happening here… Globetrotter]

…and as you leave behind the monument you can read the “Die Gelofte” in one of three languages. It is a promise that is still kept by the descendants of the Voortrekkers.

…and a final view of the Voortrekker Monument…

Still not had enough of the Voortrekker Monument? Well, good news… I have another article you can read.

by
Keep Reading
Visit the Johannesburg Zoo
2 Mins Read

When baby has a fever… and a visit to Joburg Zoo

Phew, it has been a rough few days (weeks). Lexa was running a fever… so she wasn’t a happy camper at all. She also made sure the rest of the world felt miserable. I was running up and down the stairs to keep an eye on her temperature every hour. We even took her to the doctor… and now she is using an asthma pump on top of the ear infection and fever meds she had to take.
She is all better now and back to her normal talkative self.
On the plus side, Prima Toys sent her one of these Rhino Coin Banks and she gave it a soppy kiss. BTW if you buy one a portion of the sales go towards the conservation of Rhinos – you can also donate online: https://www.givengain.com/cc/primatoys/ (I did).

So we took her to Johannesburg Zoo

We finally took Lexa to the zoo on heritage day… and she was interested in the animals but quickly got bored. Apparently the animals we not black cats scattering at the mere sight of her.
I took this awesome shot of her in front of the elephant and rhino enclosures. She will never be able to say that we didn’t take her places!
I think I was more excited to see all the cats (as I’m a cat lady) – more than anyone else. I was already half dehydrated, but I dragged hubby and the kid to each cat enclosure… Yes, I prefer seeing them in the wild as it makes me sad to see them so sad looking.

Other animals at the zoo…

There is one exhibition that really wowed me… the fish in the Amazon exhibition. The have a tank that you can walk under in a tunnel. The fish swim above and to your sides… it is amazing.

Anyway we will attempt to take her back when she is a bit older – hopefully she will appreciate the sight of a rhino more.

by
Keep Reading
Pretville, movie town
2 Mins Read

Have you heard about a dorpie called Pretville?

Pretville, not a town you will find on a printed map… but rather a movie (set) town. It is out by Harties in North West province – so just over an hour from Jozi.

We took the drive one Saturday as my sister wanted to check it out. It was interesting, but with a baby… not so cool. The town wasn’t really built for prams or babies running around… and shade was a bit scarce. However… it was a cool outing.

The first signs you get already forewarns that this is one quirky place and once you get inside…

…and then finally you get inside and its old cars, fake facades and bright colours.

… and if you really want to you can have your meals in one of two (repro) Cadillacs.

They even have a building filled with old movie and editing equipment. It is all big reels and tables.

I think my favourite thing of the day was this silly sign!

If you are out in Harties you might as well stop here. Kids will love it and you can let them run down a main street without the danger of cars.

by
Keep Reading