Living Our Sunshine with Susann Deysel
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I love the Dolphin Coast – and it’s perfect for family holidays

I love the North Coast! It is my other home. My parents brought us here after my matric year – and I’ve been back so many times since. Even crazier than that, my husband briefly went to school here and used to surf the waves down on Willards.

When we bought a place out here we never could’ve dreamt just how this place would become our little hideaway home. At first it buying a place here was so we didn’t have to check out early from a hotel then it became about bringing my cat, Genie. It also just happened to be the perfect place to wait for the births of our 2 daughters and finally now it is a place for our little family.

We feel like locals. We have our favourite spots like Burnedale, Sage and Litchi Orchard. We always eat bunnychows from the Sasol in Salt Rock, donuts from the new Checkers at Mt Richmore and go to Mica every single week we are here. We love the revamp of Ballito Lifestyle and the shiny new mall down the road. We still haven’t been to the Railroad Brewery down the road and we always say we want to visit more spots but somehow when we’re here we end up on the beach or the old familiar places.

The best thing about the Dolphin Coast… dolphin sightings duh!

What to do in Ballito and Salt Rock with kids

Sage Centre

I think I love Sage Centre a little more each time we go – even if Tsonga is no longer there. The little shops are stocked with South African made products – offering such temptations for my wallet. A huge plus of this place is the play park… that you can see from your table at Sage Cafe & Deli.

My favourite shop definitely is Willow and Ruby. Maybe I’m a little biased because they stock IY Apparel bags or maybe it’s the gorgeous jewellery…

Burnedale Farm

We visit Burnedale during every stay. This place has one major attraction for kids that we love… the donkeys! Lexa loves spending time with them and then I get snap happy.

Burnedale is also home to Natural Living, one of my favourite shops. I won’t spoil it, but it’s something between treasure island and heaven when you’re in the shop.

Another not to be missed eatery that is family friendly is Burnedale Cafe but you can also pop into another little gem for a slice of cake and coffee called The Meeting Place.

There are so much more you can do in Ballito and Salt Rock with kids…

  • Flag Animal Farm
  • Litchi Orchard… especially when they have litchi picking season
  • The Great Railroad Brewing Company / Ballito Brewing Company

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South Coast vs North Coast

Hubby has really done his best to try and convert me to the South Coast (Pennington) as our retirement destination. Unfortunately the South Coast has not captured my heart…and this is why:

  • Pennington will be getting a Hibiscus group hospital. It might be small and still send you around for tests like Kingsway in Amanzimtoti.
  • There is no nice grocery shop like a PnP or Checkers Hyper. If my shoulders almost brush the shelves it is too small.
  • I don’t play golf and going for lunches at a golf club is not what I want to do as a retiree. I want my Spur grilled chicken burger and nachos. I want fresh croissants for breakfast and vegetarian options for the weeks I revert to my previous way of life.
  • I want a choice of doctors, dentists, optometrists and at least a chiropractor within 20 mins of home.
  • I would also like to know that I can buy a bit of clothes without bumping into all the old ladies wearing the same thing.
  • I don’t want to live out in the sticks. Yes I understand that we can buy a bigger house on the South Coast with a lot less, but I love the North Coast. The infrastructure is already there and I really just need 2 bathrooms, 3 beds, 1 living room and a garage – I’m never going to become a housebound non-beachgoing person.

I just don’t see myself giving up the Dolphin Coast unless a miracle happens.

I grew up in the Transvaal that became the Northern Transvaal and is now Limpopo. I moved to Johannesburg when I was 19 and and also sometimes stay in KZN now that I’m older. Maybe we will end up living on another continent like so many other South Africans or maybe we will hop the border to Namibia or Botswana…

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Where is your happy place?

So this is how it feels to know that maybe you are living in the wrong city…

Hubby and I have been in Ballito for almost 2 weeks. We have spent so much time on the beach (I put in 8 hours most days) and I still can’t get enough of being able to hear the waves. I love playing with the sand and attempted to build a sandman…


I have enjoyed every minute of our stay in our tiny apartment with our 3 cats. I have realised that the smaller a place is, the faster it looks full of cat hair. I also realised that you don’t need a huge place to be happy by the sea.


Our 3 cats have adjusted quite well to our little place down here – and the travel. My cat, Mr Genie, loves sleeping on his chair on the patio. Miss Penny usually invites strange cats home just to get upset when they try to eat her food. Miss Mona has unfortunately found her place under a blanket on our bed… Everybody has their problem child – right?


Factory shopping in Durban

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love finding factory shops. I love paying less for labels that I love and Durban is the perfect place to get surf brands a little cheaper.

My favourite brands include Billabong, Lizzy, Roxy, O’Neill and my all time favourite, RipCurl. I shop all of these in Durban – except Billabong. RipCurl Ialways find something – and most importantly they cut to true size every single garment.


Finding the best beach from Salt Rock, Ballito to Umdloti

This trip we explored all the beaches from Tinley Manor to Westbrook. The best beach in my opinion is still Salt Rock.

  • There are no rocks on the swimming beach
  • At low tide it is the best swim
  • At high tide you can still swim, but need to work a little harder to stay within the flagged area
  • The beach is clean

If however you have small kids, this is not the beach for you – unless you go to the tidal pool. Willards, Sheffield or Umdloti offers rock pools or tidal pools that is less intimidating to the small ones.

When Gautengers arrive…

I do have one complaint – as soon as the rest of Gauteng arrives the beaches suddenly become ashtrays. It really is a disgusting habit to leave cigarette buts on the beach – seriously. Disgusting.

All good things must come to an end

Soon we will be returning to Joburg with its traffic and doctors appointments – and I am not looking forward to that.

 

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Things I loved in October

I have a very “slow” lifestyle that revolves around “when can I get to the beach”. As you might have read, I am based mainly in Johannesburg but with a little slice of heaven in Ballito. I always miss whichever place I’m not.

Number 1 on my list of things I loved in October – going to our little beach house for a weekend with all 3 our cats. I really needed the escape to sit on the beach as the water was FREEZING!

While in Ballito we stopped for a Bunny at Salt Rock Sasol. The Bunnies are really the best and my husband swears by that.

My mom won serviettes from Stuart Graham Fabrics and she gifted them to me as she knows that I really adore SG Fabrics.

I also visited the Hey Bunny studio and found some amazing jewellery and crochet stuff. Check out their website, click here.

Absolutely also love that the roses are in full bloom in the complex!

The best thing that happened was that I had a dinner for 2 of my friends on Halloween. It was awesome to mix my new and old friends.

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See you soon Ballito!

I can hardly wait to go home in a few days to my sanctuary in Ballito. My bags are packed and ready and my cats have been notified that we are temporarily migrating and that they should bid farewell to any friends they may have.

My arrival will be celebrated with watermelon, a dip in the sea and a belated birthday cupcake on the beach. This will be repeated daily sans the cupcakes until we leave.  I cannot wait to have Pizza at Salt Cafe and visit Siggi’s for some German cuisine. Maybe we will even treat ourselves with a dinner at Salt Rock Hotel. Now that would be epic!

The time away will do me good – and hopefully give me some strength for the rest of the year.

 

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Taxis, Easter and more great finds

It has been a few days, I know… I’m seriously considering just packing my bags and moving to Ballito. Seriously. If I have to hoot at one more taxi for driving like an a*hole I will become a murderer.

On a much lighter note it is almost time for long Easter weekends – and I will be off to my other home, Ballito. Yay for me.

Other great finds this week:

  1. Personalised name ring (R650) on Hellopretty.co.za
  2.  From We Heart This we love the thick (R310) & skinny (R230) word/name rings
    Word rings word rings, name rings
  3. We are also totally in love with these pendants from We Heart This (R350)
    Geometric Silver Heart Necklace Everyday Lucy Heart Necklace
  4. Loving the different options for personalised word rings – this time from Thula on From The Heart Emporium
    Personalised Hand Stamped Ring
  5. To infinity & beyond – so beautiful from Jacqui’s Jewels (R580)
    Infinity Personalized Necklace With Birthstone Of Choice

…and that is it for this post. Happy almost end of the week!

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I should’ve been a beach bum

It’s all the little things in life that matters like walking with hubby in a nature reserve, visiting family and having time for the 3 critters that live with us.

I am renowned for my laid-back lifestyle and my ever urgent need to go to the beach – and I live in Joburg. It sounds wrong that I’m a Joburger and laid-back – right? When we get to the Ballito house and unpack the 3 critters my husband suddenly gets the same lazy look I have until we get there. It is food and water for the cats and then beach. I don’t like to clean house unless I have dipped toes in the sea, neither do I want to know that we have to buy food. I just want the sea.

Then at the end of the breakaway we pack the critters and make our way back to Joburg and soon wish we could go back or live in Ballito forever.

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Beach Sand Decor Shop – Sheffield Beach

I discovered this little gem at Tiffany’s Shopping Centre in Sheffield Beach near Ballito just before Christmas. The shop is located on the top story of this centre, but make the trip up the stairs and an amazing world of beach house decor awaits you.

I couldn’t take any photos as there was a HUGE sign at the entrance that says “No Photos” so all photos are from their website.

The shop is literally stocked to the brim with baskets below tables, stuff on tables and hanging from walls, standing on the floors. They are a bit pricey, but the decor available is amazing.

According to their website they import from India which is a pity because we have amazing artists in South Africa that can make all of these.

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Ballito Times

8 days into the year and here goes my first post for 2014

My holiday was amazing. I love Ballito and I love the sea. For me staying in Ballito is like being in one of those sleepy towns (if you don’t try to shop). At 7 in the morning you have the waves all to yourself and by 9 you can still venture into “town” for a bite.

The biggest wish I have is to move down to Ballito full-time and get paid as well as a Sandtonite. I would love to open a beach bar with a big screen TV – just like in Barcelona. A girl can dream, can’t she?

My holidays may be amazing, but getting to the point of being able to afford a holiday home wasn’t easy – and it still isn’t with all the work that went into making it ours. On this stay we painted the remainder of the “little apartment” and next time we will have to do paint touch-ups (apparently laziness trumps the will to paint perfectly).

Rainy days at the coast never go to waste either. These days are earmarked as Factory Shopping days in Durban. Thanks to my friends at www.everything4less.co.za I knew where to go for the most amazing surf labels. I dragged my poor husband around Durban for 6 hours. I loved that he hated it…because I am evil that way.

The sad day of finally saying goodbye to the beach and Ballito came far too soon, but 3 days into work and I am settled and dreading the return of peak hour traffic.

Luckily I can start counting the days to Xai-Xai in Mozambique…

Useless fact: I now have 18 bikinis in my closet.

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