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South Africa Highlights

Groot Constantia Winery Cloete Cellar On Pond

South Africa. It’s complicated.

Cape Town Township Tour

It would be folly for me to claim to understand the place after three months. South Africa’s challenges can make it unsettling at times.

But I’ve loved our visit here far more than I ever imagined and would recommend it to any traveler.

Cape Town Street Parade 2019
Mitchell’s Plain Allstar
Cape Town Street Parade

We’ve enjoyed it so much that we’ve decided to return here after a bit of land travel in Namibia and Botswana rather than sailing onward by the end of January as originally planned.

Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town
Noordhoek Beach
Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa

Let me share some of the highlights as we make way on our road trip.

The passage from Durban to Cape Town – A Notoriously ‘Treacherous Coast’

After waiting over two weeks for a decent weather window, we finally departed Durban for Cape Town on 14 December. Sadly, our beloved friend and crew Lucio had to return home to Italy and wasn’t able to join us for the last leg of the Indian Ocean.

Umhlanga Lighthouse, South Africa
Umhlanga Lighthouse
Greater Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa

I’d like to boast of a swashbuckling passage around the southern tip of Africa, telling tales about how ‘we were barely hanging on as we faced storm-force winds head-on with waves crashing over the bow in raging 12-meter seas’ …but in reality, we motored most of the way in flat calm conditions under moonlit skies having timed the weather for comfort and safety well (with many thanks to Des Cason – if you are sailing the Indian Ocean, you want to include him on your virtual crew).

Mossel BayWestern Cape South Africa
Departing Mossel Bay
Western Cape South Africa

It was somewhat boisterous for the first 28 hours as we sped along under sail on a 4+ knot current in 3-meter seas with a strong breeze (albeit from stern), but far from our toughest passage. The weather was favorable enough to make it from Durban to Cape Town in two hops, anchoring only at Mossel Bay long enough for a short system to pass.

Circunavigating Sailors Arriving In Cape Town
Back In The Atlantic!

But even if it wasn’t a wild ride, it was still a momentous one. I was euphoric as we passed Cape Agulhas before dawn the morning of the summer solstice, remaining on watch an hour longer just to savor the moment. And the celebration continued as we sailed around The Cape of Good Hope later that day, arriving in Cape Town before the sunset.

7 years ago, I transited The Atlantic for the first time. 5 1/2 years ago, Captain Fabiolous and I left her shores aboard Amandla to sail across the Pacific and Indian. With this passage, we’d returned to The Atlantic once again.

‘Behind The Scene’ Tour with Mapanya Sogoni

Possible. That is the word that comes to mind when I think of Mapanya Sogoni.

Mapanya Sogoni, Behind The Scene Township Tour Cape Town Gugulethu
Mapanya Sogoni
Gugulethu Seven Memorial

A former gang member of the 26s and a one-time inmate at Helderstroom Prison in Caledon, Mapanya now dedicates his time to social change and giving back to his community, in a way where young individuals can be prevented from walking his previous path.

Laundry Day Gugulehtu, South Africa
Laundry Day Gugulethu

Mapanya gave us a local’s view into Township culture through his Behind The Scene tour with visits to his home base in Guguletu and the surrounding areas of Nyanga, Crossroads, Barcelona, and Heideveld. The tour gave us a deeper understanding of South Africa’s history and life for some here today.

My friend Cheri and I so enjoyed spending time with Mapanya that we took the tour twice! You can watch his sold-out TEDx talk here and learn how he overcame his gangster legacy, transforming himself into an agent for positive change.

Cape Town Street Parade

Good luck found us in prime position for the annual Cape Town Street Parade or “Tweede Nuwe Jaar” (second new year).

Cape Town Street Parade
Cape Town Hawker

This Minstrel Carnival started in the mid 19th century when slaves were given one day off a year (2 January). It continues today to celebrate culture and freedom for all people.

Photographing beautiful people is my thing, and they were here in abundance draped in a rainbow of color, so it was a day of heaven for me.

The Captain was a good sport as I took us on a wild goose chase to get in prime position for pictures.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve

Within the 30-minutes driving from the reserve entrance to our self-catered cottage, we spotted rhinos, elephants, giraffes and impala grazing along our route.

It just got better from there the next morning when we saw more of the same along with buffalo, lions, zebra, nyala, wildebeest, hippos, warthogs and baboons.

Zebra, Black And White Image

Most of the animals were within 50 meters of us and not at all skittish. Only the lions and hippos (thankfully) were viewed at a greater distance.

I was beside myself with glee at every turn. Even The Captain managed to enjoy himself in spite of his richer experiences photographing wildlife across Tanzania while living there over a two-year period.

Elephant Hluhluwe–IMfolozi Game Reserve

My favorite was a very large male elephant who seemed to seek out the cameras, greeting us on three different occasions near the divide between parks.

The only animal missing was the leopard, but I had the good fortune to glimpse one in Sri Lanka to round out my ‘Big 5.

Hiking in Krantzkloof, Central Drakensberg, and Cape Town

Life at sea, often surrounded by blue, beaches, and palm trees had me craving for long walks in verdant mountains and South Africa delivered. The Captain and I spent a few glorious days hiking in Central Drakensberg.

Champagne Castle Central Drakensberg
Champagne Castle
Central Drakensberg

Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the most awesome pictures (argh!) but the pain of that loss was mitigated by the opportunity to experience the place.

Birds-Eye View Krantzkloof
Krantzkloof

Nearer to Durban (an Uber ride away if you don’t fancy renting a car) I hiked twice at Krantzkloof Reserve. First with my cousins who delighted us with a four-day visit in Durban (Umhlanga) and then with Jan and Rich from SV Slip Away to celebrate Jan’s birthday.

Ascending Table Mountain Platteklip Gorge
Table Mountain Ascent

But my favorite ascent was up the somewhat challenging Table Mountain in Cape Town with the crews of SV Wakanui, SV Tehani Li and SV Slip Away where we enjoyed a combination of mountains and sea with resplendent 360 views of Cape Town to savor once we reached the top.

Panoramic View of Cape Town From Table Mountain
View of Cape Town From Table Mountain
Walking The Bo Kaap

Second only to bluewater sailing, my favorite thing to do is wander the streets with a camera, energized by the awesome people that I meet along my way. Cape Town’s historic Bo Kaap provided the perfect stomping ground with its colorful houses, cobblestoned streets and very friendly residents.

My most enjoyable morning there was spent in the company of Faldie Kalam who shared with me his family’s history in the neighborhood and his continued love for the place today.

Man Watching Birds Fly Up Dorp Street In The Bo Kaap
Early Morning Bo Kaap With Faldie Kalam
The Comfort of Cousins and Condominiums

Every other year, my cousins Penny and Peter circumnavigate the globe (the fast way via air) and delight us with a visit en route wherever we are sailing at the time.

The Captain Making Tiramisu For My Cousins … I Did Dishes Later
Image Credit: P. Blanton

The timing for this go-around had us meet up in Umhlanga, about 20 minutes north of Durban. It was a great excuse to take a bit of shore leave in an affordable apartment near my cousin’s swanky Oyster Box hotel.

Umhlanga On The Rise
Balcony View – Umhlanga On The Rise

The Captain sprung for a studio at The Capital Pearls using points and we were upgraded to a two-bedroom, two-bath with full kitchen and washer/dryer. After months at sea, I found great comfort in a visit from family …and in the glorious confines of four walls with two balconies.

Meeting Fellow Bloggers

Brita SiepkerLife is Water

I met Brita virtually in 2014 when I was crossing the Pacific and she was planning to start a life at sea. After years of sharing virtual anchorages, we finally had the opportunity to meet in person both in Richard’s Bay and in Cape Town where she was sailing as crew on Blue Pearl.

Life Is Water Brita Siepker
Image Courtesy Nadine Jenkins

She has left me in her wake, sailing onward with the World ARC fleet to Brazil via St Helena and is on track to complete her first circumnavigation in St Lucia in April 2019. I look forward to sharing an anchorage or two with her again in my future.

Aletta Crous  – Now At Home

A shared love of photography and travel brought Aletta and me together virtually as well in 2014. Visual stories from her doorstep in South Africa have had me excited about journeying here ever since. It was a real treat to finally meet up with her and her husband over the holidays in Cape Town. Our meeting gave me additional insight into life in South Africa today.

Aletta Crous
Image Courtesy D. Crous

I’d hoped to see them again for a Braai when we hauled out Amandla in Saldanha near their home, but we will likely defer the haul out until we reach Trinidad.

Wine Country

With delicious, affordable wines in abundance, South Africa has been the perfect place to restock Amandla’s wine stores.

Winery Fields Beau Constantia
Beau Constantia

And the wineries are just a hop, skip and a jump from the center of Cape Town, so I had the pleasure to visit a few.

Groot Constantia
Constantia

The HoHo Bus ferried us to the closest ones with our friend Cheri Slotta.

franschhoek wine tram
All Aboard The Franschhoek Wine Tram With Cheri, Mylėne, Captain Phil and Karel

A ‘Rent A Cheapie’ helmed by designated driver Captain Phil Tenney brought us to a few more in Franschhoek.

Leopards Leap Winery Entrance
My Favorite Was Leopards Leap

I would love to find our way to Stellenbosch before we leave here…but just for a visit as Amandla’s wine stores are brimming at this point!

African Penguins

Loved them! To learn more, you can read about them here

Whew! Sorry for the super long post. I could go on and on but I think I’ve taken enough of your time already. I hope I’ve encouraged you to visit South Africa if you have not done so already. And if you have, I hope you’ve enjoyed visiting her once again through my lens.

******

I’ll close here with a shout out to the awesome person who nominated me for the 2019 Annual Bloggers Bash ‘Best Travel Blog’ Award. Seriously honored!!! Thank you whoever you are. You rock!

Annual Bloggers Bash Award

136 comments South Africa Highlights

Skipah says:

My life…………..boring. Your life……………………no words to define it. Great to see you living it up! Will never get sick of your photography.

I am a very lucky girl Gary! But your life is far from boring my friend! A beautiful new wife and your combined crew certainly keep you on your toes. Never a dull moment in Skipah’s Realm that is for sure. I’m delighted that you find the time to sail with me virtually. Always a pleasure to have you aboard!

I am not a sea person but enjoy your seafaring posts……reminds me of Sinbad’s Travels (school days).

I love Sinbad and the Seven Seas adventures and am tickled that my posts evoke fond memories of his tales for you Indra! In fact, you have inspired me to download a copy of those tales for our upcoming passage to Brazil (via Namibia and St. Helena) as it has been years (many) since I’ve read them.

Love reading your posts Lisa. And it’s great being able to see other places so clearly.

Awww! You are lovely to say, Richard! Thank you so much for traveling along with me.

Winding down the weekend this Sunday evening here in Melbourne, it is such a delight to see a post from you, Lisa. Lovely to hear you have been well and looks like you have explored South Africa a great deal. A calm ride is still a ride, and lovely you got to Cape Town on time and return to the Atlantic, the part where your world-wide passage started 🙂 What a privilege to have Mapanya Sogoni as your tour guide. It does seem he has been through a lot and turned his life around. His tour looks like it shows the everyday local lifes of those in Cape Town – bare unlike what so many of us have in the modern world but people so happy to have what they got and your photos capture that so well. I am sure you have a lot more amazing photos (like all the ones here) even after accidentally deleting some good ones 🙂

Congrats on the Travel Blog nomination and hope you win.

Lovely for your cousins to meet up with you at Bo Kap. You know it’s family and a special kind of love when peopl emake time for you. It is a lovely shot of you and the Captain having a laugh over making a meal at home (could be a front cover magazine shot for a family magazine lol)…such a different shot from all the ones of you sailing and being out at sea. Mr Wobbles is delighted to see you met some monkeys along the way again. He gives you a wave and hope to cook banan bread with the Captain at some point ?⛵?

Ahoy from Cape Town Mabel! Always a pleasure to hear from you and the whole Wobbles clan. We are now back on Amandla after a lovely road trip through Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia and readying Amandla for her next crossing! That shot of The Captain and I laughing over the Tiramisu is my favorite of the whole blog post. Although we are ashore rather than ab sea, it captures our essence perfectly!

PS. We managed to meet more of Mr. Wobble’s monkey friends on our road trip and made me think that perhaps you should take him on a safari to meet them.
PSS. The Captain would love to do some baking with Mr Wobbles.

So many wonderful highlights in your post. And now you are heading to our beloved Botswana where my husband and I were married in 1982. 🙂 Another lovely surprise was seeing how close you were to the home of a penfriend of mine ( yes we have been in touch since the days of penfriends). She lives in Boggomsbaai and often talks about and sends photos of Mossel Bay. I am glad you continue to enjoy South Africa, a country I couldn’t explore when we lived in Botswana and Zambia in the mid 80s. It was a no go area for UN employees back then.

Ahoy from Cape Town. We are back now after a marvelous road trip. How totally cool that you were married in Botswana! And I did not realize that you worked for the UN in Africa back in the day! How long did you live in Africa? We enjoyed visits to Ghazi, Maun, Moremi National Park, Chobe National Park (Savuti and Kasane) and Mahalapye while visiting Botswana. Was your work near any of those places?

We sailed right past Boggomsbaai but sadly did not get to walk the shores there. I really wanted to drive the Garden Route from Cape Town but it was not meant to be. Next time around.

Apparently the Garden Route is beautiful, so, yes, next time around for you and maybe some time for me.:) My husband travelled throughout Botswana. I didn’t travel much. We were 18 months in Botswana and then 4 years in Lusaka. My husband’s job in Lusaka was regional so he travelled to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. I only made it to Malawi and Zimbabwe. Oh, we had a holiday in Kenya which was great.

How I would love to hear your stories of your time on this spectacular continent. Have you written about it anywhere?

Strangely, no. It’s so long ago now I would have to dig out my letters from that time to remember details. 🙂

Well I for one woud love to see you write about that time. So few people get to have the experiences you have had in your life and you are such a wonderful story teller.

Oh you have encouraged me to visit South Africa! Wonderful post, and photos. Where are you now?
We’re in Paris, flying to Delhi today for a month in Rishikesh.
Alison

Ahoy from Cape Town Alison! Just back from our road trip which was marvelous. Now preparing Amandla for her next big passage to Brazil. Thank you so much for your visit and lovely compliments!. Just had a look at your Instagram and can’t wait to see more gorgeous photos like this from your visit to Rishikesh #jealous!

<3

Dominique Guenot says:

Always a treat to read your blog

Always a delight to see you here ??

Such a colourful and inspiring post.

Delighted to know you enjoyed it Peggy! Thank you so much for your visit!.

Such a pleasure to read on gloomy and cold Shropshire day, Lisa. Ebullience – that’s the vibe that comes bubbling through. I’ve only transited through SA on the way home to the UK from Namibia, but a taxi ride outing to Johannesburg’s ‘Museum Africa’ with a very lovely driver called Aidan who insisted on escorting us did indeed reveal some of SA’s complications. Happy onwards safari-ing, you and the captain.

Ahoy from Cape Town Tish! Back in Cape Town after a lovely visit in Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia. Now readying Amandla for her sail to Brazil via Namibia and St Helena. I have always loved your way with words and ‘Ebullience’ is my new favorite one! Thank you as always for brightening my day with your lovely comment.

Bon voyage, you marvellous seafarers.. It’s lovely to keep crossing your paths around the globe.

??

Marjorie K Moeling says:

Between reading your blog and Michelle Obama’s book, I feel spiritually refreshed. Thank you for taking us along on a journey that goes deep. Just love your blog!

How awesome do you make me feel saying that you find something that I have written as refreshing as something by Michelle Obama?! Love you! Ahoy from Cape Town. Just returned from a wonderful road trip to Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia and now readying Amandla for her next voyage. Big hug to your entire family! Stay warm.

lexklein says:

South Africa is colorful and gorgeous and entertaining and …. (unsettling and complicated), too, I know, but my absolute favorite shot here is you two beaming over that tiramisu! Maybe you won’t have as much trouble adjusting to land life as you think! But I digress from the main theme here …

I’m very glad you are getting so much time to experience that beautiful country. I had to try to absorb it in way too little time. I might still summarize the same way you did in your first sentence, but you’ve really dug in there and seen so much. I never got to really hike (except for Table Mountain), and your wide city wanderings leave me quite envious. Thanks for taking the time and effort to sit down and get this all into words; I know how hard it was, but you’ll be happy to have it someday and we are thrilled to have it today!

Ahoy from Cape Town! Back after a fantabulous road trip to Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia (got my way in the end and saw Vic Falls). Totally exhausted from the trip but no rest for the weary here…we are busily preparing Amandla for her next journey to Brazil. Just think, soon I will only be three time zones away ?! I thought of you the whole time we were in Namibia and wanted to tell you that while it was truly amazing, it is no Hawaii 🙂

That shot of Fabio, me and the Tiramisu is my favorite in the post as well! Totally captures our essence. And I am seriously craving more condo time!

Thank you for your very supportive words about the blog! You are right. I will definitely be happy to have this remembrance. But I’d really like to be more disciplined, writing shorter pieces more often, so that I can dig deeper on subjects and avoid overwhelming readers with TMI in one post. I journaled every day of our land trip in hopes of providing greater depth, but with so many more destinations coming up in the next month, I may throw discipline to the wind yet again

Come visit [again]!

J.D. Riso says:

Don’t even apologize for doing a long post! It’s fabulous to read that you’re fully experiencing all of S.Africa’s diverse facets. Your photos of the carnival are a feast for the eyes. A human kaleidoscope. I loved Capetown…despite a close call with being robbed at an atm in broad daylight. I regret never making it to Bo Kaap. It’s always so refreshing to meet up with friends/family after being in solitude. It brings a new level of appreciation. That’s a shame about those photos you deleted. That’s always my fear when traveling. Namibia and Botswana will be awesome. Looking forward to those impressions.

Thank you for your supportive words! I really need to learn how to stop apologizing for everything I do :-).

Horrifying to think of you nearly being robbed at ATM in Cape Town. I’d heard many stories about the dangers of South Africa before we arrived here which were really offputting, but with the exception of the Durban CBD, I have not felt at risk. Perhaps things have improved here or maybe I have just been super lucky.

Namibia, Botswana (and Zambia – made it to Vic Falls – yay) were A-MA-ZING but challenging as well. More to come on that shortly. Currently, we are scrambling to ready Amandla for her next passage (Brazil via Namibia and St Helena). All this traveling is exhilarating but exhausting. I find myself fantasizing about more condo time :-).

Big Hug.

Janice Trottier says:

Another inspring post! Thank you for sharing your experiences and the photography …. Wow!

Thank you for being part of our virtual crew and for your lovely compliments. A post or two on our wonderful Southern Africa road trip are forthcoming. Sailing onward to Brazil now!

Britta says:

So happy to hear from you, Lisa! You’re photos are wonderful, as usual. South Africa looks gorgeous! Happy to hear that you are doing well. Oh, and your best travel blog nomination is certainly well deserved. 🙂 Sending well wishes and safe travels from The District.

Ahoy from sea Britta! Thank you as always for your visit and kind compliments. The road trip was a blast and full of lots more gorgeous. We are now underway to Brazil. My ‘niece’ Genevieve is a college student in Minnesota and just started an internship in Washington. Sent her Mom your blog in hopes that Genevieve will reach out and connect with you. Nice kid. Big hugs!

Britta says:

Safe travels as you set sails across the Atlantic!

I would love to hear from your niece. Hope she’s having a good start to her DC internship!

Ahoy from Lüderitz! We’ve started our sailing passage and will be here until Saturday when we’ll continue onward to St Helena and then Brazil. Life is good. Niece is having a grand old time. I’ll let her know that you’d be open to meeting up. Cheers

What a wonderful experience from the vibrant festival colors to the animals roaming free in nature. Always a pleasure to read your blog and see the world through your eyes.

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Trish. Thank you for joining me for the experience and for your lovely compliments.

Cristina Stacchezzini says:

Always fantastic! Good sailing, Lisa

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Cristina! Had a lovely drive through here on our road trip and then a completely different experience of the place when we arrived here under sail yesterday. Very comfortable anchorage after a bit of a rolling passage. Leaving Saturday for St Helena!

Lisa, you are making me seriously homesick with this post!! I am amazed you got to see and do so much. Love the concept of the ex gangster now leading behind the scene tours and I love the photos you took during this tour. My favourite is the laundry day shot. The carnival is totally unexpected and you definitely got some noteworthy photos of it and captured it so well!

Some of the places that bring back childhood memories: We ALWAYS included Stellenbosch in our vacations to Cape Town, and often went on safari (compared with American kids who go to Disneyworld, we went to Kruger), and Drakensberg mountains was a place we often escaped to for weekends as it was not too far a drive from our home in Johannesburg.

So cool that you have family that fly to meet you somewhere different every year. What a great tradition.I thought you were going to say that you missed the open seas when you went inside, so it was funny to read you were happy to have four walls around you for a change.

Thrilled you loved my home country so much!

Peta

What a magnificent place that you grew up in! Much better than Disney indeed :-). You ‘toured’ my home country for many years (ah life on the North Shore) and now I am blessed enough to visit yours. I wish we could have made to Joburg and to Kruger, but I am happy with what we did manage to see in our visit here. Some friends that went to both Etosha in Namibia and to Kruger said that they found Kruger to be superior!

Your comment had me roaring about your expectations of my missing the high seas when I was living in the condo. The sea is still where I find my greatest peace but a walled-in enclosure with hot running water and a stationary bed offers a sailor the perfect ‘vacation from the vacation’.

We sailed away from Cape Town on the 16th and much to my surprise, I actually started crying. Unexpectedly, South Africa captured my heart.

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia. Sailed in yesterday and enjoying a few days here before carrying on to St Helena and then Brazil. Thanks for much for the love!

Wow love that Cape Town captures your heart – not surprised though!!!
Kruger over Etosha Pan, wow interesting!

Ahoy from St Helena. This is a very charming place (filled with Whale Sharks!!!!) with a serious logistics problem that could benefit from Ben’s insights. Thank you for the shout out on your Penang blog (I saw it in your blog notification email). I’ll be by to read that post and the subsequent ones you’ve published just as soon as I reach Brazil and have an easily accessible/affordable internet connection. Hugs to you both!

Susi says:

Oh my goodness, don’t stop…..keep going on and on and on. I look forward to your posts and those feelings of jealousy and thrill of seeing you and the captain. What a rich life you both have chosen. I am so happy you share with us. Hugs to the Captain. You both look marvelous. Hugs and aloha, Susi

Ahoy from Namibia Susi! Always a pleasure to hear from you! Our invitation for a visit still stands. You are welcome anytime. The Captain sends hugs back (as do I). We are leaving for St Helena on Saturday and then onward to Brazil as we slowly make our way back to the Isle of Big! Come visit!

Congratulations on the nomination. Well deserved.

Thank you so much for your congratulatory note on the nomination Peggy. I am certain to appear at the bottom of the list of ‘Best Travel Bloggers’ when the votes are tallied, but I am thrilled to have appeared on the list at all.

Trish says:

I just lost my comment so if it didn’t come through…..Great Post! Was wondering where you had got to. I love the colour (and I love the black and white zebra shot)…as I love all your photographs. With a fur baby South Africa is not on our itinerary however you are not the only person who has recently recommended a visit (the other recommendation came from a South African). Our boat of course was ‘born’ there. The place sounds amazing….and looks spectacular. We are currently anchored off Geelong in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria (down the bottom of the Australian mainland) waiting for a weather window to cross to the west coast of Tasmania. With much love to you and The Captain. xxx Trish

So sorry that your initial comment got eaten by my blog ;-(. Thank you so much for giving it another go and for your lovely feedback. I wonder if Tiger would enjoy a trip to South Africa. Certainly, lots of kitty cats to play with here (and lots of Leopards for Sengo to play with as well – Leopard seems to be doing a booming business in Cape Town. Our marina was the launch point for the new Leopard builds and they are gorgeous). It is certainly worth the visit. You must be on your way to Tasmania by now, perhaps you’ve even arrived. Looking forward to see what you find there. We’ve sailed onward from Cape Town after a mad rush of land travel through Southern Africa. We have arrived in Lüderitz, Namibia under sail and are here until Saturday when we sail onward to St Helena. Hugs to Andrew.

tlundbech says:

Hey Lisa, great post!!! I’m glad I get to see the world through your lens. The cultures and wildlife you get to experience are breathtaking. I can’t wait to see your next adventure.

Travis

Thank you so much for your visit and kind words Travis! Greatly appreciated.

Lisa! Your post is just chock full of so much this time! Love your photos and a look into the culture of South Africa! That elephant sure has a playful glint in his eye! So cool to meet fellow bloggers (Aletta joins me for Sunday Stills with her fab images) on your trip! Nothing more fun than that. Hubby and I are heading back to the Big Island of Hawaii next month to work on the house. I hope to connect with a fellow blogger there! Congrats on your nomination, and so happy to see more specific blog categories this year! Safe travels, my friend!

Ahoy Terri! Sorry for my delayed response. Full-on land travel through Southern Africa followed by a sail to Lüderitz, Namibia has kept me away. Thank you so much for your kind compliments and heartfelt congratulations. My guess is that when the votes are tallied I will be on the bottom of the ‘Best Travel Bloggers’ list but I am thrilled to be on the list at all. Speaking of thrilled, delighted to hear that you and Hans will be returning to the Big Island next month. My heart is calling me back there! It was a treat to meet Aletta. I look forward to the opportunity to meet you face-to-face one day…maybe in Hawaii?!?

Good to see you again, Lisa! South Africa looks like an amazing place full of contrasts… and lovely people. I always thought that one would have to sign up for a safari in order too see wildlife like that. I would have been in heaven! That parade reminded my of the Los Locos parade we saw in San Miguel de Allende last year – so much color and exuberance. Congrats on the nomination… you will definitely get my vote!

Honestly, Janis, the self-drive safari experiences that we had in South Africa (and more recently in Botswana) far exceeded my wildest expectations. Fabio lived in Tanzania for two years before I met him so he felt super comfortable acting as our safari guide. Some of the other boaters here opted for safari tours rather than self-drive and others did a combination of both (and said that suited them really well). I truly hope that you have a safari or two in your (near!) future, regardless if you use a guide or go for it on your own.

Enjoyed your colorful pictures from Los Locos. One more reason you’ve given me for finding my way to San Miguel de Allende.

Sorry for my delayed response. Full-on land travel through Southern Africa followed by a sail to Lüderitz, Namibia has kept me away. Always a pleasure to see you here. And thank you in advance for voting for my blog in the Blogger Bash. It may just be you, me and my mother in the end, but that is good enough for me :-).

This is a wonderful post Lisa! I’m a complete chicken when it comes to rough seas and have seen the waves at Cape of Good Hope. Just your description of what it could have been like gave me the heebie- jeebies…glad it was relatively smooth.

Your post brought back such great memories of S.Africa. We loved Cape Town, hiking in the Drakensberg and magical Hluhluwe-iMfolozi (just wish I could remember how to spell it). Your animal photos are amazing. I especially love the B&W zebra. Did you get out to the east coast—Kosi Bay, near Mozambique, another one of my favourites. How wonderful that you were in Cape Town during the annual street parade. Again, your photos are incredible and that one of the guy with the silver face paint is mesmerizing.

Hope you have a great time in Namibia and Botswana (love them too)!

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Caroline! Apologies for my delayed response to your welcome visit and kind compliments. Full-on land travel (7000 kilometers in 20 days and every one of them was fantastic) followed by our sail here has kept me away. We are in port here until Saturday soaking up the last few days on this glorious continent before we sail onward to St. Helena and Brazil.

I surprised myself by breaking out into tears as we sailed away from Cape Town. I truly fell in love with the place. Delighted to know that this post brought back such fond memories of your time there. While we did make it to Saint Lucia and sailed past Kosi Bay on our way from Bazaruto, Mozambique to Durban, we never did manage to step ashore there. It looks MAGNIFICENT.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely compliments on the photos!

Lisa says:

Wow, Lisa such a fabulous post filled with sunshine, beautiful colors and heartwarming smiles! I can feel your joy on the other side of the globe here in the snowy PNW. Safe travels, I’m already looking forward to your next post!

Ahoy from Lüderitz Lisa! Thank you so much for your welcome comments! Sending sunshine your way. Hoping that you get some respite from the winter’s chill soon. We are off to St Helena tomorrow. Excited for new ports but sad to leave beautiful Africa in our wake.

It’s been a long while since I’ve seen an update from you … and it was worth waiting for!

The shocking contrast of South Africa at the beginning was offset by the beauty and colour of this amazing country. You summed it up perfectly – it is complicated.

Although I’ve seen many photos from the top of Table Mountain, you provided the first photo I’ve seen of the hike up. I think of all the gorgeous photos you showed us, that one was my favourite. I could get lost in that image!

Nice to see so many photos of you – and always smiling ?

Looking forward to the next update!!

Definitely much to smile about in South Africa. I surprised myself by crying as we sailed out of town, having really fallen in love with the place (we are now in Lüderitz, Namibia with the boat and sailing onward tomorrow to St Helena) I am glad that you enjoyed the ascent up Table Mountain with me virtually. It was one of my favorite kind of hikes; it stretched me but didn’t break me. My pace was slow but I never stopped to rest once (which is saying something as many did). I cracked up as the young hikers on the trail would rush up from behind only to stop for a rest shortly after progressing beyond me, as if was okay to enjoy a rest once they’d passed ‘the old lady’:-)

I’m in the same category as you – slow and plodding along. I’m happy to let anyone pass me … but there’s a good probability I won’t be passing them later ?

Ohh, Lisa, there is no post from you that could ever be too long. You again capture joy so effortlessly because you live in it and bring it with you. What I’m curious of is the water situation. I know how hard it was last year. I’m glad you can stay if you like it and change your plans accordingly. The smiles and the colours and the penguins and the wine tram, all just glorious. <3

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Manja! We have finished our land travels (fantastic every mile) and sailed here on our way to Brazil via St. Helena. It has been a wonderful whirlwind which sadly caused a delay in my response to welcome blog comments.

The water situation in Cape Town is still a challenge but not as much so as the previous year. There are signs everywhere reminding us to conserve. My favorites are ‘if its yellow let it mellow if it is brown flush it down’. The marina we stayed in made its own water using a large desalinator so we didn’t worsen the situation with our showering and cleaning the boat.

Thank you for your supportive, kind words on the blog post. We set sail again tomorrow for St Helena after a few enjoyable days ashore here in Lüderitz.

Yeahh, Lisa is here! Great to hear from you and that all is going better than well. Carry on!

??

Joe says:

Wow – wonderful stories and photos!!

?Awwww, thank you Joe! South Africa was an unexpected delight! We’ve completed our land travels and are now with the boat in Lüderitz, Nambia enjoying a few days ashore before we sail onward to St. Helena. Yo Ho it is the pirate’s life for me.

Amazing travels, and stunning photographs as usual, Lisa.
I am sure that you had numerous nominations for Best Travel Blog (equally could have been Best Photographic Blog). Congratulations! This is extremely well deserved!

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Donna! Thank you so much for your lovely compliments and fervent congratulations on the ‘Best Travel Blog’ nomination. Apologies for my delayed appreciation. The full on land travels through Southern Africa followed by our departure from Cape Town under sail has kept me away from the blogosphere. We leave for St Helena tomorrow and then onward to Brazil.

As always, I really enjoy reading your posts. There is so much here I could comment on but I think your rhino shot is what will stay with me today.
Cheers, Amy

That Rhino shot was the only one I managed to get of them not eating! I thought of your beautiful Serengeti shots the whole time that we were land traveling across Southern Africa (more to come in my Botswana post). I feel blessed to have finally experienced ‘wild-Africa’ first-hand, even if we didn’t manage to make it to Tanzania. Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia Amy! Thank you so much for your visit and lovely comment.

Wow, I’ll look forward to that upcoming post!

Natalie says:

Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time to write such a fabulous post with stunning photos. I’ve always wanted to visit South Africa and enjoyed reading about the various places that you’ve explored. I was in Guatemala in January. The vibrant colours that I saw there brightened up my stay and long after I returned home. Your photos gave me more colours to think about, especially today when we have a major snowstorm with white-out conditions outside my window. Congratulations on your well-deserved blog nomination! You’re already a winner in my book. Safe travels!

Thank you for taking the time to read through the whole thing and leave such a kind compliment along with heartfelt congratulations Natalie. I do hope your travels bring you to South Africa soon. I was surprised to break into tears as we departed her shores recently, I’d unexpectedly fallen in love with the place.

I long to visit Guatemala. The Captain has been there twice and raves about the place.

Sending color and sunshine your way as you wait patiently for spring to arrive up north.

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia where we are enjoying a few days of shore leave. We set sail for St. Helena tomorrow.

That’s more excitement than I could summon from a year’s posts, Lisa 🙂 🙂 What a time you had! Fantastic memories and photos, both! Safe onward travels, hon.

??You always know how to make me feel loved! Thank you for that. But you have a way of making a single ‘walk’ feel as vibrant as three months in a new country. You never fail to dazzle me.

You say the nicest things, Lisa. I’m happy to have a mutual admiration society. 🙂 🙂

This post manages to have photos of beautiful places, beautiful people and beautiful animals in in one spot. The colors on those parade photos are unreal- so vibrant. Bo Kaap too, almost unworldly color. I did not associate South Africa with so much color. I had a student from there a couple of years ago. He described it as both dangerous and beautiful. I can see that here.

South Africa is both dangerous and beautiful, but less dangerous and far more beautiful than I was lead to believe before I’d visited here. Honestly, if it wasn’t on my way to somewhere else, I would have never come to South Africa. But I was surprised to find myself crying as we exited Cape Town on 16 Feb (in Lüderitz, Namibia with the boat now and sailing onward to Brazil via St. Helena tomorrow.) I unexpectedly fell in love with the place.

MythRider says:

Congratulations on save journey around the Cape.
Beautiful colors make for amazing photos.
You’re an inspection to the rest of us to go exploring. If we can go to Africa we can do it in our home state.
I used to be out and about a lot, but got sick. I’m all better now, and have put my body on notice. I’ve been exercising every day, 1/2 half mile walk & weights, or 30 minute bike ride, or yoga.
Come spring, friends are going to have difficult time finding me, because I’m not going to be home any more. I’m going exploring. ;0)

I am so delighted to hear that you are finally on the mend Phyllis. Its been a long journey but you are not a quitter and your ‘stick-to-it-ed-ness’ has found you back to health.

And you are spot on about the joy of ‘exploring in your own state’. I have always said that the best adventures start right in your own back yard…actually, yours start with your great writing at your desk. Looking forward to seeing what adventures you will take us on in 2019.

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia. Setting sail from here tomorrow to Brazil via St. Helena. Looking forward to some time at sea.

Thanks for your visit and kind compliments.

Wow, wow, wow, Lisa! You have made me want to visit South Africa even more than I did before. The wildlife is just incredible and that would be my main attraction, despite so many other fascinating facets about the country. I’m happy to learn that you’ll be back after doing some land travel. I seriously can’t wait to travel in Africa long-term one day… She says as she looks out of the widow of her camper van, only seeing the dreary landscape of a barren, cold, and cloudy California desert… One day! Amazing post!!

Ahoy from Lüderitz, Namibia. Our second visit here, first during the road trip and now under sail. I so hope you find yourself in Africa soon. It was way beyond my high expectations. Its been so much ‘WOW’ that I have exhausted myself. We set sail for St Helena tomorrow and I am looking forward to the 8-10 day passage to get some sleep. I hope that California is finally behaving herself and that you are now experiencing sunshine and warmth every day. That picture on Facebook of the green desert from all the rain was amazing.

Prior... says:

Lisa – I enjoyed this a lot and thanks for putting it together – and I actually like posts like this that are a bit long because sometimes I miss a lot from a blogger when they share a couple pics daily/ so this was mine to indulge and come back to certain parts as needed.
As usual – the cuiture rich shots get me – esp the laundry day!
And nice to see you with aletta – and your other friend – ☀️?

Ahoy from St Helena Yvette! I thank you for indulging me with you welcome visit and generous compliments. I am sorry for my very lengthy delay in responding. Seriously limited internet connection during full-on land and sea travel have kept me away far too long.

Hi Lisa. Happy “Chinese new year”! I see you are enjoying Africa. 🙂
Can’t blame you for that. Good to hear from you.
Cheers
Brian

Ahoy from St Helena Brian!!! Southern Africa was awesome beyond my wildest expectations. I wish we’d lingered there longer and done Tanzania and Kenya as well. We’ve sailed onward to Napoleon’s last domicile and are looking forward to touring the Napoleonic sites on Monday. Sorry for my lengthy delay in responding. Seriously limited internet during full-on land and sea travel has kept me offline. I’ll be by to visit your adventures as soon as we arrive in Brazil and find more accessible, affordable internet access.

Ciao Lisa, Ciao! 🙂 Lovely to hear from you. Sainte-Hélène of infamous reputation! 😉 Quite a milestone too. All the best on your visit. Must be… quite “poignant” to walk in the steps of someone who made so much history. Fair winds to Brazil. Where’re you headed? Rio? Santos? Salvador? Boa viagem. (You will love Brazil)

Oh. You’re sailing to Brazil now. Wow. When is that planned?

We will leave St Helena for Brazil on Tuesday or Wednesday and arrive there about 12-15 days later. Headed to Cabedelo.

Cabedelo? Where on earth? I will look it up. 12-15 days straight sailing? Wow. Bons vents my friend. My regards to il Capitano.

Got it. Between Recife and Natal. Makes lots of sense. (Been to recife and natal. Not to Cabedelo). You MUST sail down to Salvador and Itapoa. 🙂

Buon viaggio.

Lovely photos and I enjoyed your use of the word “swashbuckling” 😀

? #swashbuckling! Thank you so much for your visit, kind compliments on the photos and shared sense of humor. Apologies for my lengthy delay in responding. Full-on land travels through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia followed by a 1700 nm sea passage has kept me offline for too long. We are currently in charming St Helena that makes up for its limited internet capacity with a rich history and Whale Sharks. I’ll be by for a visit to your pages when we arrive in Brazil and are greeted with a more robust/affordable connection

Wow, what a life you’re leading! I wouldn’t spend much time online, either, if I were in your shoes! Enjoy your travels!!! ?

You know I’m such a fan, Lisa. I loved every picture and detailed account of your journey. I couldn’t pick the best picture because they’re all so amazing. But the one that stood out for me was the one of you smiling and looking up. You’re spreading smiles all over the internet. A big thank you for that! We’re taking a break from travel and it’s nice to travel through your eyes and words. Sending you a warm hug! xoxox

Ahoy from St Helena Cheryl!!! South Africa most certainly kept a smile on my face. I had never really wanted to travel there but the place captivated me so much that I surprised myself by breaking into tears as we sailed away. I apologize for my long delay in responding to your very lovely comment. Full-on land and sea travels with limited internet have kept me away. I look forward to visiting your pages when we have a stable/affordable connection in Brazil at the end of the month. Your doorstep is a place that I dream of visiting one day so your ‘everyday’ offers me an exciting opportunity for a virtual travel adventure.

Take your time, Lisa. We’ve wanted to visit Brazil for a long time. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures. xoxoxo

wow Lisa what an astounding time you had in Africa. Loved revisiting Capetown with you. the parade looks tremendous and perfect for your joy of photography. Looks like the weather for your summit of Table Mountain was perfect too. Safe travels ahead my friend. I think you are getting closer to Canada. 🙂

Ahoy from St Helena Sue! I thought of you and Dave often during our South Africa travels as I retraced many of your steps. Your blog helped me to create the perfect ‘to do’ list. And I thought of you again when we made it to Victoria Falls (magnificent) although our visit was a very last minute drive-by that paled in comparison to your well thought out adventure. Still, it was magnificent and you were my inspiration for going there. We are in St Helena now after a 1700 nm sail. Apologies for my very late response given seriously limited internet. I’ll be by for a visit to you pages when I reach Brazil and find a more affordable/accessible connection.

Carolyn Greenberg says:

Love to see your smile, Lisa Dorenfest! Your blog always makes me smile, too. Fantabulousness.

Your visit to my blog has me smiling even more. Thank you for reading my posts. We are slowly making our way stateside and one option is to make our way to California (2020 or 2021) Would be lovely to see you again. Ahoy from St Helena. Sorry for my seriously delayed response due to limited internet on the sea and on this historic little landfall in The South Atlantic.

Wonderful photos, Lisa. I loved seeing my special lighthouse in Umhlanga. Wish we had been there to meet up with you. It looks as though you had an awesome visit to South Africa and did all the best trips to get a real feel for the country. Safe travels onward for the Captain and his first mate. ?

It would have been wonderful to experience Umhlanga and all of KZN with you as our local guide! One negative about covering my entire South Africa experience in one post is that I didn’t get to showcase my love for the KZN area in more detail. We spent almost two months there and enjoyed it immensely. Umhlanga could have merited a full post on its own. Definitely encourages me to return for another visit. Apologies for my delayed response to your welcome comment. Full on land travel through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia followed by a 1700 mile sail to St Helena with limited internet access has kept me offline. I’ll be by your pages for a visit as soon as we arrive in Brazil and have a more stable connection

I especially love your photos of the parade, something I didn’t get to experience while in Cape Town.

I love a parade and given that we won’t arrive in Brazil in time for Carnival, I’m delighted to have experienced Cape Town’s minstrel carnival. We’re in St Helena now (charming town with Whale Sharks to make up for the archaic, usuriously priced internet) and sailing onward shortly to Brazil. Will visit your pages as soon as I have a stable/affordable internet connection. Thanks so much for your visit here

thefolia says:

What a vibrant post and what a wonderful way to start the New Year. I enjoyed traveling vicariously with you here…I can only imagine the feelings that stir when on such alluring grounds. Happy sails, and hopefully less tumultuous next time.

Ahoy from St Helena. We had a lovely sail here and hoping for a safe, comfortable passage from tomorrow to Brazil. Always a pleasure to see you here and to receive your uplifting compliments. Will be by your pages for another dose of your positivity as soon as we each Brazil (with more stable/affordable internet)

Loved the post and beautiful photos!

Left you a comment on another post about Tehani-Li – you do know Phil & Karel, I haven’t seen Mylene for years – small world! Think you’re a little ahead of them as they left SA last week headed for St Helena.

I was supposed to meet them in Madagascar then SA but my Italian visa renewal took 7 months to arrive.

Ahoy from Porto De Galinhas, Brazil! We are a bit ahead of Tehani Li (the should be arriving in St Helena any moment now. I do hope we have the chance to share an anchorage with them again soon. They are truly one of my favorite crew out here. Thank you for your visit and generous compliments.

Fantastic news and glad to hear you arrived safely.
Please give P&K a big hug when you see them. 🙂

George Shaw says:

Lisa – I know that Fabio had many years behind a camera but your photos are absolutely stunning. What camera(s) are you using (if it is not too rude in inquire)?

Ahoy from Porto de Galhinas George. How lovely for you to come through to the blog and leave such a welcome compliment. I use a Panasonic Lumix GX8 with Olympus lenses. Very lightweight but with image quality comparable to a full-frame DSLR. Fabio often shares your humorous Facebook posts with me #lovethem

Dave Ply says:

It seems you live an interesting life. Terrific photos. I’m surprised I haven’t landed here before, especially considering how many of your commenters I recognise.

Ahoy Dave! Thank you so much for coming by for a visit and for your very kind compliments on the photos. I too am surprised that we haven’t connected before as we travel in the same circles. Looking forward to seeing the world through your lens going forward.

What an amazingly enjoyable post, Lisa. It was lovely to see my favourite lighthouse again. I’ll be saying “Hello “ to it again next month. 👯‍♀️ Glad you had a good trip to Cape Town. What wonderful photos of the parade. That’s something I have never seen. You really did get around and it was nice to see that you met up with Aletta whilst in the fair Cape. I was interested to see that you hiked in Krantzkloof. My sister lives right next to it and it’s also where we scattered our darling Mom’s ashes. 😍

I think that Krantzkloof is a wonderful place to have one’s ashes scattered. I felt a real connection to the place. How lucky is your sister to be able to live right next to it?!?! I’ve recommended a visit there to every sailor that comes through Durban.

Honestly, I wish we’d slowed down and spent a year traveling Southern Africa with South Africa as our base. I surprised myself by weeping as we sailed out of Cape Town having unexpectedly and delightedly fallen in love with the entire country. There is actually more to our South Africa story as we traveled to a few more places on our way to Namibia and back from Botswana, so watch this space.

I look forward to returning to South Africa with you virtually next month. And I’ve told Aletta that we’d love to come back and visit her should we be fortunate enough to take a ‘victory lap’. She is a lovely lady and her hubby is great too. It was a treat to meet them both. Hope we will have the pleasure of meeting you one day :-).

What a wonderful tribute to Africa, Lisa. I’m so happy you loved being there and obviously immersed yourself in the culture. I would be so happy if one day we could meet up. One never can tell what may happen. 😘

Looking forward to that day 🌞

Amy says:

Amazing! The Minstrel Carnival is very cool!

Glad you find it so Amy! I still smile when recalling that colorful extravaganza.

Awesome photos and storyline! I hope we have as much fun here as you did!

Honestly, I wish we’d stayed there a year. South Africa is an incredible base from which to explore Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries would be a great addition to your explorations along the northeast coast

Great advice. We will likely be in S Africa for a year. But the first part…will be working on the boat. A maintenance treadmill! I will have to live vicariously through your posts for a while 😉

I feel your pain. I hope you will indulge yourself with a visit to the nearby parks from time-to-time. Hluhluwe–iMfolozi and St Lucia’s beautiful waterfront are just one hour away!

It sounds like you had great time and the photos reflect that, but the country has a reputation problem or maybe it’s confined to the large cities?

The reputation definitenly precedes the place, but our visit was without issue in the country and the city.

Same with Mexico. I was warned about going there but loved it. Bad reputations are hard to dispel.

Sarah Wilson says:

You make a trip to South Africa sound very appealing. My father’s side of the family come from that part of the world but I’ve yet to visit. Maybe it’s time!

Honestly, before we sailed to South Africa, the place was not even on my list, thinking of it only as a stopover on our way to somewhere else. But from the moment we arrived, South Africa captured my heart and continued to surprise me throughout our visit. My niece followed in my footsteps a year later and had the exact same connection. I do hope you find your way there. Would love to see the place through your lens.

GGeorgina says:

Your adventures in South Africa is incredible. Thanks to people like Mapanya who is dedicated now to make a difference in young people’s lives – watched his video, an incredible journey. Love the colours of the carnival and so many happy faces must surely be an unforgettable memory. So nice also that you met family and friends while in South Africa – if you are ever in London, Lisa, drop me a line, would love to do high tea at Fortnum & Masons with you.

Thank you so very much for your love and for clicking through to Mapanya’s TED talk. He is such an incredible person and doing great things for the community. I would welcome the opportunity to join you for high tea next time I am in London. Adore your city and long to return for a visit.

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