Khuluma January 2019

Sugar free – indulge guilt-free!

Remember your granny’s Apple Pie, your favourite aunt’s Milk tart, sitting around the kitchen table for
the birthday cake your mom baked? These memories are more precious than gold. As we become more
health-conscious and aware of the harmful effects of excess sugar, we deprive ourselves of these innocent
indulgences. And, when we do indulge, it leads to a guilt trip.

Although sugar provides energy for the body’s organs and brain to function properly, it has severe
consequences, when consumed in excess, over time.
In these stressful times, we are forced to watch our sugar consumption and severely limit our indulgences.
Not anymore! You now have the option of indulging without going on a guilt trip and, as a consequence,
continuing creating memories with your favourite sweet treat.
Zydus Healthcare’s consumer division has introduced its new range of sweeteners under the brand name,
Sugar Free. Sugar Free is a sugar substitute that replaces sugar without compromising on the sweetness.

There are three variants of Sugar Free

• Sugar Free Gold
• Sugar Free Natura
• Sugar Free Green

Sugar Free Natura contains sucralose, a sugar derivative and recommended as an additive in food and
dessert preparations. Sugar Free Green is made from the stevia leaf and is a 100% natural sweetener.
Sugar Free offers one of the biggest range of sweeteners to suit almost all consumer needs. Sugar Free is
available as tablets, baking concentrate and, most importantly, as concentrated drops (the only one of its
kind in South Africa).
Sugar Free is suitable for the health-conscious, diabetic patients and, most importantly, for those with a
sweet tooth. Now you can indulge guilt-free with Sugar Free.

For more information on Sugar Free, please visit www.sugarfree-sa.co.za



A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE EXPLORE

Words: Keith Bain, Picture: From the Library of the Parliament of South Africa EXPLORE
People. Ideas. Things.

BACK IN THE DAY

Safaris have come a long way since this illustration of François Levaillant
appeared at the front of his first book recounting his travels in Africa. The
explorer, naturalist, animal collector, and ornithologist is the subject of a new
book, The First Safari – Searching for François Levaillant, a scholarly telling of
how author Ian Glenn spent 25 years tracking down the Frenchman’s travel
notebooks in order to piece together his 18th-century adventures on this
continent. Forget Dan Brown – this is weighty, honest stuff about what it takes
to put history into proper perspective. And, like this illustration, it also puts
conservation into perspective. Today, we take places like Kruger National Park
for granted and assume there’ll always be a giraffe in the background when
we set off to see the Big Five. But Levaillant, who is credited with creating the
first safari, was here at a time before game reserves became necessary and
way before the news resounded with sickening stories of animals being killed
for their horns, skins or scales. Published by Jacana, it’s worth reading, even if

only for a saddening sense of our ever-changing reality.

Lesser-hyped parks 61 testing waters 88 and finding ubuntu 99 JANUARY 2019 53
PLUS Time-travelling with Tsitsi 54 Virgin hiking 70 Karoo cruising 79

kulula.com

TomTsirtsoiwilnand

We go time-travelling with Tsitsi Chiumya
whose most recent comedy tour took him

to Southeast Asia, where he says the
future is now

54 JANUARY 2019 kulula.com

TALES OF THE FUTURE EXPLORE

S ingapore’s beautiful, the blew my mind. And another one was are pretty much anti-trend. They seem
cleanest place I’ve ever been. like a gigantic greenhouse, plants to embrace ideas of what fashion might
It’s probably the cleanest growing everywhere. In some respects, look like in the future. No matter how
city on earth. So much of it the city looks like it’s not quite in this weird or bizarre.
world; being there, you become part of
looks like it’s a botanical garden. Even a futuristic lifestyle where every bit of On the other hand, Singapore is very
technology is the latest, most advanced, expensive. The basic cost of living is high
the airport is beautiful. The first thing we most sophisticated. The latest phones, and as a result, you tend to see a lot of
the latest earphones, the latest fashion. older people still working quite late in
did when we landed, though, was go to In fact, the fashion is on another level. life. Many people can’t afford to retire.
It’s got a lot to do with the way people I found those older working people a
Nando’s for a South African meal – after express themselves through what they little grumpy – as you’d expect. And
wear. They seem ungoverned by trends I guess the high cost of living balances
a week in Thailand, I wanted something and instead embrace very forward- out the beauty and the sophistication.
thinking, out-the-box, personal style. It’s Even a slick-looking country like
familiar. As a bonus, they were playing not about being cool or on trend or ‘in’; Singapore has its underlying issues.
when it comes to fashion, Singaporeans And I guess these might be the kinds of
South African music. issues we face in the future.

Besides the cleanliness and beauty,

Singapore looks and feels as though

it’s sometime in the future. The

architecture is so advanced – many of

the buildings look like objects. There’s

one building that looks like a boat – it

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 55

EXPLORE TALES OF THE FUTURE

FRIENDLINESS NEVER the culture of people a street food culture – and
GOES OUT OF FASHION doing entrepreneurial you can find anything from
things. All over the take-away stands to sit-down
Thailand? It's very interesting to be in city, you find people restaurants set up on the
a country where everyone is friendly. living upstairs with a pavements. And there are
Everyone, every single person, in Thailand shop downstairs. It’s markets all over the place
is friendly. People are very eager to help. part of the culture, in their selling all kinds of traditional
That blew me away, because Bangkok DNA. They sell whatever dishes. I don’t think it’s
is a big, bustling city where it’s hard to they need to in order to get possible to go hungry
imagine that they would have time for by, to survive, to thrive, to in Bangkok.
strangers. But they do. keep busy. The hustle on But, ultimately,
the streets in fact reminds the thing that
What struck me about Bangkok is that me a bit of Joburg – the sticks out for me
its people live within their means. They only difference is that about Bangkok is
work hard and they hustle. Everyone there are far more Thai the friendliness. It’s
is selling something. There’s a huge people on the streets such a very peaceful
entrepreneurial culture here. People selling things. place. I was actually
are selling all kinds of things on the overwhelmed by
streets and nobody looks down on that. All of this also just how lovely
That’s how people get by. The official means that there’s a lot everyone is.
unemployment rate is less than of street food –
a percentage and it’s because they push kulula.com

56 JANUARY 2019



TERXAPVLEOLREBLTOAOLMEISNOGFWTOHNEDFEURTSURE

BACK TO THE FUTURE in our garden. And, like Thailand, forward. There’s a fast-growing Interview: Keith Bain, Pictures: Sven Kristian, StephAndaman/shutterstock.com,
Lebowakgomo is very friendly; culture of young people who are anurakss/shutterstock.com, Singapore Tourism Board
Phuket is an island, and a lot more rural all the neighbours know
than Bangkok, although – in the city – it one another. They’re hustling, creating new things,
does have nightlife, upmarket hotels, very patient people taking their ideas into
smart restaurants. In the strangest way, who don’t complain. the future.
Phuket reminds me a lot of Limpopo. People are polite It may not yet be
Except, Phuket is how I imagine Limpopo and hospitable and a place where you’ll
in the future… very rural but with the warm. Growing up, I find supermarkets
vibes of a city. You can get anything was taught that not operating at four in
here at any time of the day. There are a greeting someone was the morning. There’s
lot of 7-Elevens and markets that run rude. So I grew up with still a laidback, chilled
24 hours. I grew up in Lebowakgomo respect, for people lifestyle that comes
in Limpopo. It’s a small rural town and for tradition. with the territory. It’ll
established in the 1980s – it’s 45km That’s why I love my get there, I guess.
from Polokwane. It’s flat, tinged red hometown. I love it to Sometime in the
because of the colour of the earth, and death. I love Limpopo – future. It’ll get there
surrounded by mountains. Every home its beauty, its culture, its in its own good time.
has trees in the garden – growing up, traditions. And it is moving Because the future is
we had guava, peach and orange trees tomorrow, not today.

5588 AJPARNIULA2R0Y182019 kulula.com





LESSER-KNOWN NATIONAL PARKS EXPLORE

René de Klerk picks a few lesser-known national parks
for deeper exploration and smaller crowds

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 61

KAROO BEAUTY kulula.com

Karoo National Park near Beaufort West
earned a spot in the limelight when
a headline-stealing lion named Sylvester
escaped, keeping the team somewhat on
their toes. After escaping twice, once for
more than three weeks, he was captured
and released in the Addo Elephant
National Park. The rest of the felines are
better behaved, but it is not easy to find
these big cats in the nearly 83 000 hectare
protected area. Keep your eyes open for
Cape mountain zebra, oryx, red hartebeest,
eland, springbok and kudu. To spot the
resident klipspringers, head to Klipspringer
Pass and, while you’re at it, check out
the 3.2km rock wall built by hand using
the Andrew Bain dry-stone rock-stacking
method. Another good reason to visit is
the palaeontological history. The Karoo
Basin preserves the best of Gondwana’s
geological and fossil history. Strange
creatures by today’s standards, albeit
fossilised, are on display on the Fossil Trail
in the rest camp. The displays are sure to
captivate with everything from petrified
plants to fossilised creatures such as
Bradysaurus and amphibian monsters.

Stay in the Karoo
Instead of staying in the busier
rest camp, opt for Afsaal Cottage. An
old shepherds’ hut that has been restored,
the cottage offers an early start to game
viewing in the park as it is situated approximately
35km from reception in the heart of the park.
With very limited cell reception, a raised deck for
sundowners and a private floodlit water hole, not
much will disturb your peace. It comes with two
single beds and is very rustic, but has hot water,
a braai and gas stove and cutlery. The unit will
not be serviced during your stay.

sanparks.org, 023 415 2828,
[email protected]

62 JANUARY 2019

LESSER-KNOWN NATIONAL PARKS EXPLORE

Stay at Golden Gate
The most serene sleeping quarters
within the park are at the Highlands
Mountain Retreat. These wooden cabins
are tucked into the mountainside with
astonishing views over the surrounding
Maluti Mountains. Situated 2 200m above
sea level, the units are designed to retain
coolness during scorching summers

and warmth when it is chilly.
sanparks.org,
058 255 1000

GOLDEN CLIFFS The park’s geology is especially a safe food source in an age where
impressive. Apart from the golden vultures are often poisoned by poachers.
Situated near the small town of Clarens, sandstone cliffs and other impressive Apart from vultures, other scavengers
Golden Gate Highlands National Park formations, you will find it hard to miss such as ravens and jackals also visit,
is the ideal destination for active people the black marks running like smudged leading to interesting interactions. Look
who love getting their legs moving and mascara from the surrounding cliffs. out for bearded vultures, which don’t feed
hitting the trails. The best time to truly These result from water seeping through on the meat, but collect bones and drop
understand the origin of the park’s name permeable sandstone rock layers. The them on the nearby rocks, smashing them
is at sunset when the last rays hit the manganese dioxide from the top layer open in order to get to the marrow.
sandstone cliffs, transforming them into causes these strange marks.
magnificent hues of gold. Visit the Basotho Cultural Village for
Love palaeontology? The first fossilised a taste of true Basotho culture. Meet the
Hiking here is hugely popular and there dinosaur eggs were found at Rooidraai with chief and his wives, taste traditional beer
are plenty of options. The route to the road construction work, and the area is rich and soak up the Sotho tradition. At this
top of the Brandwag Buttress, the park’s in fossil history. A private operator offers living museum, you’ll meet real Basotho
most famous rock formation, may seem dinosaur tours from Clarens (contact people, enacting the roles played in
daunting from below, but it is not nearly as David on 083 469 4703 to arrange one). traditional society. You can also join the
challenging as expected. For avid hikers, village’s traditional healer for a walk to
the 28km overnight Ribbok Hiking Trail and For those with patience, a worthwhile learn more about the medicinal plants of
four-hour guided Cathedral Cave hike offer stop is at the vulture hide. Park the area.
more variety. management places carcasses here as

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 63

EXPLORE LESSER-KNOWN NATIONAL PARKS Stay at Augrabies
With its large glass sliding doors,
WATERFALLS AND the Oranjekom Gorge Cottage
VIEWPOINTS below the Oranjekom viewpoint brings
the view of the Orange River gorge right
Find silence and rest for the soul at the into your room. With the option to
place of great noise just 120km from cook inside or braai outside, it will be
Upington at Augrabies Falls National difficult to decide where to kick
Park. For an opportunity to explore the
beauty beyond the largest waterfall on up your feet. sanparks.org,
the Orange River, pack the snacks, get 054 452 9200
in your vehicle and take a leisurely drive.
The entire route is 94km and will take kulula.com
approximately six hours, but there are
plenty of stops with viewpoints where
Mother Nature shows off her beauty.
The first stop is moon rock, a massive
exfoliation dome and prominent landmark
in the park. Look out for rock hyraxes
soaking up the sun when you make your
way to the top. From here, wide vistas of
this rocky wonderland await.

Further along, you pass Oranjekom and
Ararat viewpoints. Oranjekom is one of
the most spectacular spots in the park.
Here you get to soak up the unparalleled
views of the spectacular gorge with the
Orange River’s thundering rapids barely
visible 240m below. Listen to the call of
the African fish eagle echoing through
the gorge as you take in the scenery.
If you can pull yourself away from the
view and get back on the road, one of
the next stops is Swart Rante. This
distinct landmark of black hills is made
up of quartz-poor rock, forming a kind of
boundary line between the more barren
gorge region and the fertile area on the
other side.

Although a bit of a drive, the fertile
areas offer up plenty of game viewing.
The park is a refuge for the Hartmann’s
mountain zebra, giraffe and numerous
antelope species such as red hartebeest,
springbok, gemsbok, kudu and eland.

Summer temperatures are scorching
in this part of the world so prepare for
blistering days.

64 JANUARY 2019

Moms making moves
in the workplace

Companies are fast enjoying the benefits of hiring skilled Moms. They are
reaping the rewards of reduced training time, immediate skills, cost savings,
and high levels of productivity.

The business sense behind recruiting flexible
and part-time Moms

As a pioneer for part-time and full-time When Phillipa Geard launched
flexible work, RecruitMyMom.co.za RecruitMyMom.co.za in 2012, her
has created a different model for first task was to challenge this kind of
thinking and demonstrate to employers
professional women to remain active the many benefits of employing skilled
in their careers and has harnessed women into high level positions while
a previously untapped, skilled offering flexibility in exchange for
workforce. productivity.

As a working mother herself, HR “From day one, we were intentional in
manager Jill Wright appreciated ensuring that the message we gave
the flexibility that her own position employers was to source highly skilled
at A-Gas brought to her. When moms,” says Geard. “The women
her company needed skilled we place are often exceptionally
candidates to fill in for employees, trained with years of experience in
they turned to RecruitMyMom. accountancy, compliance, finance,
co.za to provide a list of suitable marketing, IT and digital marketing, to
candidates. “We were looking name just a few. They worked hard at
to tap into a skill base that was their careers and are not willing to lay it
professional, experienced, current all down. By offering them a degree of
and could fit in and adapt quickly flexibility, employers are fast reaping the
to the assignments we had rewards.”

available.”

Traditionally, moms have faced As a human resource manager, Wright
the dilemma of having to choose has returned to RecruitMyMom several
between their professional lives or times over. “They are professional,
raising their children as stay-at-home- timeous and able to deliver quality
moms. Without an in-between solution, candidates in line with the required job
it was either return to work full-time or specifications.”
watch your years of training dissipate.
And for those who sought to work Go to www.RecruitMyMom.co.za or
part-time, most positions available call head office 021 2011190
required lower skills and no training.

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LESSER-KNOWN NATIONAL PARKS EXPLORE

Stay at Agulhas SHIPWRECKS AND
The historic Lagoon LIGHTHOUSES
House dates back to 1898 and is
constructed from limestone mined in The southernmost point of the African
the vicinity. Situated right on the rocky continent, where the Atlantic and Indian
shore, the unit offers 270 degree views of Oceans meet, is situated in the Agulhas
the ocean. Lagoon House is ideal for groups National Park near Struisbaai. As part
as it sleeps up to eight people. The weather of the Cape Floral Region, the park is
can turn fast in this part of the world, but dominated by fynbos and is a paradise
the inside fireplace and living room, along for birders.
with some good wine and company,
will fix this quickly. sanparks.org, This coastline is known for its rough
waters and is extremely rocky so most of it
028 435 6078 is not ideal for swimming. Here at the Cape
of Storms, it’s no surprise that many ships
have sunk over the years – most of them
buried in a watery grave. One exception
is the Japanese fishing vessel Meisho
Maru No. 38 that ran aground in 1982. It
is still visible on shore and makes a great
backdrop for silhouette photos at sunset.

The Agulhas Lighthouse with its red
and white tower dominates the coastline.
Climb the 71 steps to the top, but only if
you are not scared of heights and small
spaces. It might be daunting, but once you
reach the top, the views are worth the
effort. Remains of the ancient fish traps
used by the Khoisan people are visible
from above during low tide. Shell middens,
stone hearths and pottery are found at
many spots along the coast and form part
of the park’s cultural heritage.

Another heritage site is the Springfield
pans, exploited by the Springfield Salt and
Farming Company until 1950. The ruins
and original ponds can still be seen and the
area is a birding hotspot. Birders should
explore the Struisbaai-Elim route as the
Agulhas plain attracts many species. Years
of work to eradicate alien species have
resulted in the return of indigenous fynbos,
and, as a result, the reappearance of birds
that left due to an unsuitable habitat.
Although there is wildlife in the area, don’t
expect spectacular sightings in the
dense fynbos.

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 67

EXPLORE LESSER-KNOWN NATIONAL PARKS

Stay at Mokala
Book in advance to get
into the popular Kameeldoring
Treetop chalet. This way, you can
spend a night closer to the stars and
wake up with the birds surrounding you.
The unit sleeps two people in a double
bed and has a shower, gas geyser
and fridge, plus an outside braai.

sanparks.org,
053 204 8000

RED SAND AND the Riet River for catch-and-release offers a great vantage point at sunset. Pictures: René de Klerk, Alta Oosthuizen/shutterstock.com,
SPECIAL SPECIES fishing at several spots. The red sand To view game from another vantage ModernNomad/shutterstock.com, Jan Erasmus/shutterstock.com,
is the perfect backdrop for beautiful point, stop at the interpretive centre. Supplied
Some 70km from Kimberley, between images. Go on a drive and search for One-way glass in the main display area
the hills and wide open plains, Mokala the wild residents. Apart from the offers close-up views of animals at the
National Park is South Africa’s special species, Mokala is also known water hole, just outside. While there,
youngest national park and is known for giraffe, eland, zebra, springbok and the kids will love touching animal hides
as the park where endangered species other smaller antelope. If you don’t see and learning more about the different
roam. It is known for disease-free the sable at the Mosu waterhole, head animals found in Mokala.
buffalo, tsessebe, roan, sable and rhino. towards the Lilydale plains. These open
grass plains offer a sharp contrast to For a true African safari experience,
The waterhole at Mosu Rest Camp the rocky outcrops found in most of book a bush braai. After a game drive to
attracts plenty of wildlife, so it is not the park. In times of drought, many reach the destination, dinner is served
even necessary to go on long drives to grazers migrate to this side of the under a 400-year-old camelthorn
see game. The roan and sable antelope park. A viewing deck with water hole tree. Book this at least two weeks in
are often seen lapping up the water advance. sanparks.org
here. Fishing enthusiasts can head to

68 JANUARY 2019 kulula.com



stepsBABY kulula.com

Clambering over boulders, trudging more than
5 000 steps each day, and getting swept out
to sea… For ardent non-hiker Luane Lavery,
making it out alive at the other end of the
Otter Trail was the first step in a burgeoning
romance with the outdoors

70 JANUARY 2019

BUCKET LIST BLISTERS EXPLORE

H otel Queen, that’s me…! I like I figured I’d have 12 months to prepare
my linen clean, my bedroom an myself mentally and physically. With that
easy walk down the passage kind of build-up, I might even work myself
from the elevator, and food that’s prepared into the right mood for a hike.
by a chef, not carried on my back. I am – or
was – the ultimate non-hiker. I’m no tree- Applying was the easy part, though. The
hugger, either. I like my gadgets, I enjoy the reality only sank in a few months later
stable temperatures of the Great Indoors, when my husband and I finally received
and I appreciate the uncomplicated confirmation that our hike was booked –
predictability of a swimming pool that’s now we had the added challenge of finding
unaffected by tidal fluctuations. 10 friends to join us. It’s no easy task
convincing sane adults with jobs
Which is why signing up for the Otter and comfort zones to slip away for
Trail – apparently one of the country’s a potentially torturous five-day, 44km
more daunting hikes – was probably an act hike. Especially difficult when you’re barely
of momentary madness. Apart from the convinced yourself.
prospect of much-needed one-on-one time
with my better half, there was no rational The funny thing is that each time
reason for me to voluntarily carry a 20kg I explained the plan in hopes of goading
backpack, eat camp food and go on the someone else to join, the more it sounded
longest walk of my life, no matter how like an adventure and less like punishment.
romantic the views. By the time we had buy-in from the rest of
the crew, I was actually looking forward to
Since we had to book a year in advance, it myself…

pictures: xxxxxxx

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 71

EXPLORE BUCKET LIST BLISTERS Chasing waterfalls
There’s a cave you pass on
DAY ONE: ‘FOR REALZZZ?’ day one and – just beyond it, over
a couple more boulders – there is a
Just 4.8km, but it can take up to four lovely waterfall really close to where the
hours. Two hours if you’re rushing, waves are crashing. Below the waterfall
four if you take in the aromatic forest is a lovely spot to swim, but if your timing’s
scents and stop often to snap views of off as you cross the ledge to reach it, there’s
the ocean. Pumped up after the long every chance of being knocked into the
drive to get to the start, we set off full water by a big wave. Pretty scary if you’re
of adrenaline and just the right amount not expecting it. Still, the waterfall is
of nerves; I quickly realised that the a lovely spot for lunch and cold
trail was going to be tough. It wasn’t beers followed by a dip in
long before we were clambering over
boulders right next to massive waves the bracing water.
assaulting the rocks and drenching us
with spray. The deafening sound and Pictures: Keith Bain
size of the waves was breathtaking, I’ll
admit, and I was silently transfixed at the No biggie
thought of spending the next five days in On day two you will cross
an unmitigated paradise. your first river after about
4km. It’s no biggie, really, unless
DAY TWO: ‘NO the tide is high, so usually a simple
TURNING BACK’ task of jumping over a couple of
boulders. The trick is to watch out
Eish! Day two sees you climb a total of for slippery rocks or you could
1 480m vertically and walk a total of end up face down hugging
7.9km… Yip, if you haven’t yet realised
you are hiking then this will be the day! one of them.
Certainly, my tender shoulders knew
they’d been carrying a laden backpack. kulula.com

Most of the day is spent hiking through
forest, but there is loads of climbing –
a lot of ups and downs and many more
big ups and big downs – and it gets
pretty sweaty. I repeated the mantra
‘pain is just weakness leaving the body’
and pulled through.

After the first ‘little’ hill for the day,
there was a bit of an extra climb to reach
the view from the top of Skilderkrans
Koppie – really worth it as we could
see all the way to Plettenberg Bay. We
held out for lunch on Bloubaai Beach,
a beaut of a spot flanked by rocky hills
and pretty secluded. It’s not too far from
the day’s end-point which is set on
a magical cove-like beach.

72 JANUARY 2019



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BUCKET LIST BLISTERS EXPLORE

Unpredictablepictures: xxxxxxx DAY THREE: ‘%&*$# spring tide, we were up super early
by nature DAY THREE’ to start walking at around 5am
(headlamps essential) so that we
The Bloukrans is a mighty river and On day three you realise that day two could reach the Bloukrans River while
demands respect. Everything you’ve was a total breeze. The laughter, the the tide was at its lowest. At around
heard about getting the timing right for tears… on day three they kind of melt 13km, the day is the longest and there’s
your crossing is true. Plenty of people will into one weird emotional outburst. ‘Why?’ 1 905m of climbing in all. We had to
walk through ankle-deep water. But if the I found myself asking myself. ‘Why, why, push hard to reach the crossing in
tide is high or it’s that time of month or the why?’ Over 7.7km you rack up 1 257m time, although the terrain wasn’t
weather is acting up, it can get pretty of vertical ascent – a huge mental test too technical.
wild. You might witness your friends for me. And it includes two proper river
gliding across gracefully only to find crossings. Depending on the tide (and your Timing or no timing, two of us (yes,
height), you might be lucky enough to me included) were washed into the
yourself pulled out to sea a few cross simply by taking off your shoes. Or ocean by a riptide. All I could think to
minutes later. you could end up enjoying a nice swim. do was mutter the words ‘I am going’,
accompanied by a goodbye gesture and
kulula.com We were lucky with the first river – no doubt really big eyes.
Elandsbos – which had a sandbank that
allowed us to walk across, knee-deep. But, when disaster strikes, you reach
Trickier, though, was the Lottering, deep. And somehow I found my way
essentially the baby brother of the to some rocks that I was first able to
Bloukrans River. Some of us walked cling onto and then climb up and over.
through waist deep, others had to take I did my finest Spider-Man impression
a dive. Needless to say, I was drenched for and miraculously exited the ocean,
the rest of the day’s hike. albeit with shaky knees. They
were accompanied by
DAY FOUR: ‘I AM GOING’ a baffling sense of having
conquered the world and
It’s essential on day four to time the earned my afternoon nap.
tides right. Since we were there during

JANUARY 2019 75

EXPLORE BUCKET LIST BLISTERS

DAY FIVE: ‘TIME FLIES’ smooth sailing all the way to Nature’s PACKING ESSENTIALS
Valley. Like most hikers, we went straight
Admittedly, despite sore legs and to Nature’s Valley Trading Store for our e Otter is de nitely not a
impromptu swims, by day five I was sad to celebratory ‘Otter’s Arsehole’ shooters slackpacking hike. You need to carry
leave the hut as we headed back towards and well-deserved lunch and beers. Our all your supplies for four nights and
civilisation. As you approach the end of the hike wasn’t officially over, though; it only ve days on your back – including
hike, you can see bits of Plettenberg Bay ended once we’d signed in at SANParks’ that valuable three-litre papsak of
creeping closer along with the realisation De Vasselot office. As I put my signature white wine and frozen steak for your
that it’ll all soon be over. Your only really in the book, I could hear that voice inside braai on day one. A er a tough day
steep climb for the day is from the hut asking, ‘Where are we hiking next?’. on the trail, it’s these small luxuries
to the top of the hill and then it’s pretty that will make you feel human again.
Don’t panic if your pack feels a little
too heavy at the start – as soon as you
begin dishing out those luxuries, the
load will lighten. Just don’t stu your
pack with nonsense you don’t need –
food is de nitely more important
than a second set of clothing. Here are
a few essentials:
Trekking poles. Don’t laugh. You will
use them.
Proper hiking shoes. And socks. No-
one needs blisters on a ve-day hike.
Waterproof bags. You’re carrying
everything across unpredictable rivers,
so you need a bag for your backpack.

e right backpack. Because
everything goes in there and you want
a functioning back at the end of it all.
A hydration pack (bladder). Because
it’s just easier to suck hands-free than
to li your arm every time you need
a sip of water.
Treats. ere is nothing like a Lindt
chocolate, glass of wine or biltong to
keep you motivated a er a long day.
And do take at least one really tasty
meal such as vacuum-sealed meat for
your rst night – because two-minute
noodles for ve days doesn’t quite cut it.
Good company. At night,
entertainment’s scarce, so it’s worth
having great conversation and maybe
someone who rocks charades.

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Heartland
Samora Chapman discovers the
joy of time travel
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W e were six humans squeezed Of course, finding a song we could possessed of a tranquillity that could not
into a VW Caddy, my old all agree on soon seemed likely to sink go unnoticed, not at least until the silence
man at the wheel, fancying our mission before it had even begun. was punctuated by howls of pain as we
himself the captain of a silver ship. It’d No sooner had we squabbled over the discovered the underfoot devil’s thorn
been more than a decade since the last merits of a few mindless songs than the that protected the land.
Chapman clan road trip and our nuclear radio was silenced in favour of the wind
family had evolved thanks to girlfriends blowing in through open windows. We wiped away the tears, posed for
and offspring added to our motley crew. the requisite ‘family snap’ and hit the
Squashed into the confines of our metallic As we left humid Durban and the highway in search of the fabled hamlet
steed, we were ready for whatever lay misty Midlands behind us, a vast blue of Nieu-Bethesda. Ahead lay a 900km
waiting in the dusty heartland… Eastern Cape sky welcomed us with its stretch of empty road, seldom turning,
arms wide open. The inky road snaked strangely deserted.
Though it would be joyful, this was no into the shimmering distance. First stop
joyride. Our pilgrimage had a purpose: was the edge of nowhere somewhere Around noon, we stopped at the
a wedding somewhere in the Karoo, in on the R56 beyond Kokstad, where the tiny town of Cradock where the home
a blip on the map called Matjiesfontein. men in our family haphazardly weed of renowned feminist writer Olive
Still, as road trips tend to go, the journey into the wind and looked out across the Schreiner is now a museum. The arid
became the destination, scenes through grassy plains. The change of landscape landscape that enfolded the town
the windscreen would become our story, between KZN and the Eastern Cape was inspired her famous novel, The Story of
tunes on the rickety radio our soundtrack. tangible and breathtaking. The air was an African Farm, which told the tale of an
unconventional heroine eking out an

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KAROO SONG EXPLORE

Scenes from the JANUARY 2019 81
Karoo: On this page,
a man rests outside a public
restroom in Nieu-Bethesda;
and, on the opposite page, the
church in Aberdeen, with
its off-kilter 50m-high

steeple

kulula.com

EXPLORE KAROO SONG

This picture:
Windpumps, tin-roof
houses and dirt roads in

Nieu-Bethesda.
Below: A youngster sells
souvenir artworks near

The Owl House.

existence in the apparent emptiness These creaky machines are still seen
of the Karoo. all over the region, drawing water from
deep underground to sustain quiet little
As Schreiner’s landscapes sped past in settlements and sheep farms.
a blur, it got me thinking about the people
who had come before. Who would trek What remains from long before the
through such an endlessly arid, rocky settlers, though, is the subtle, undeniable
wilderness to settle in such a remote, beauty of the place – a tiny purple bloom
forgotten place? in the brush, a riverine rabbit spotted
at dawn, the desolate expanse of the
The first inhabitants here were the landscapes rising up to an endless sky, the
Khoisan, who lived in small family groups, whitewashed walls of a roadside padstal.
hunting game, gathering bulbs and roots Never mind the colours you see at dusk
and drinking from springs. In the 17th and dawn… and the stars in their infinitude
century, European settlers made several at night.
unsuccessful attempts to penetrate the
Great Karoo. It was only in the late 1800s After 11 hours on the road, we wove
that the invention of the multi-bladed down into the Nieu-Bethesda valley
windpump transformed the Karoo into just as the sun dipped behind the
a habitable place, a place where farmers Compassberg, which pokes into the sky
could plough and plant and run their herds. like a giant sundial.

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KAROO SONG EXPLORE

As night descended and we settled into and took her own life at the age of 78. Obesa Cacti Nursery in Graaff-Reinet.
our accommodation, the sound of hooves Her house, now a museum, is part of Founded by Anton Bouwer 35 years ago,
thundered through the darkness – wild it’s one of the biggest privately owned
horses from the surrounding hills galloping her legacy, but her work also serves as succulent and cacti nurseries in the world,
through town. inspiration – and opportunity – for the its 7 000 species of plants covering 10
local artists who line the dusty streets hectares of land. The phallic shapes,
In the morning, we walked the village, selling replicas of the owls and angels hidden flowers and ruthless thorns
a quiet place with quaint cafés, art she created. reminded me of an inland coral reef
galleries and patient folk, unfettered by swimming against the flawless indigo sky.
time. The Owl House is the heart and soul Back on the road, we ventured forth,
of the place. Home of the outcast artist next stopping at the bizarre and beautiful Further along the infinite desert road,
Helen Martins, it is a magical sanctuary our band paused once more in the quiet
transformed into a large-scale work of town of Aberdeen, an architectural
art. Crushed glass adorns the walls and conservation area of the Karoo. The Dutch
spooky, mesmerising sculptures fill the Reformed Church in the centre of town
garden. As we traipsed through Martins’ claims the tallest steeple in South Africa
home, light and colour danced and played, – it rises some 50m into the sky. True to
bouncing between surfaces, shimmering in the imperfect beauty of the Karoo, that
the countless shards of glass. steeple leans almost half a metre off-kilter
and is fondly known as the ‘Leaning Tower
During her creative spell, Martins of Aberdeen’.
created more than 300 sculptures, many
of them owls, camels and processions One Aberdeen resident told us the story
of mystical figures, mostly facing of a time when massive herds of springbok
east or looking up to the heavens with used to migrate across the plains here.
outstretched arms. She worked with the The migration could cause a whole village
help of local artists and artisans, men to come to a standstill for days on end, as
named Jonas Adams, Piet van der Merwe thousands of animals devoured every
and Koos Malgas. She lived in near poverty,
enduring physical and emotional hardship

This picture:
The yard at The Owl
House, Nieu-Bethesda.
Above: Obesa Cacti

Nursery in
Graaff-Reinet.

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 85

EXPLORE KAROO SONG

sign of foliage and the sound of hooves precisely the Victorian village it was in the the colonial relic was transformed into Pictures: Samora Chapman
drumming the ground filled the air. The 1880s when it was built as a health spa something akin to how I imagine it might
herd was followed by human hunters and where well-to-do folks could escape in have been when the village was haunted
animal predators. order to benefit from the dry Karoo air. The by celebrities and socialites during the
lone road through town is lined with quaint early 20th century. I imagine the music
We were also reminded of a time old buildings that no longer serve any ‘real’ might have been different, but spirit no
when quaggas roamed the Karoo in great function beyond their historic and cultural doubt soared just as freely.
numbers. The quagga, someone told value. The old post office is now an art and
us, was gentle and easily domesticated, curio shop and a café occupies what was The following day we drove out of the
which also meant they were easy prey for once the general store. Vintage cars line desert, back towards reality, silent smiles
hunters who shot them for sport rather the road, gathering dust in the sun. plastered across our faces… We hadn’t just
than their meat. By 1883 they were gone. travelled through the country’s heartland,
At its heart is the Lord Milner Hotel, but across time itself. Someone leaned
With these sad tales still ringing in our pretty much the palace of the little theme forward from the back seat and cranked
ears, we hopped back on the road and park village, which is where we gathered the radio coaxing some long-forgotten
finally rolled into Matjiesfontein. We wore with the other wedding guests to party track from the scratchy speakers. None of
cracked lips and dusty shoes as marks the night away. Thanks to celebrating us knew the words, but it was a tune we
of pride, having navigated parts of the guests and jollity and free-flowing drinks, all remembered how to hum.
country that seemed so strange to those
of us more familiar with the subtropical
east coast.

Matjiesfontein was a time warp.
Seemingly steeped in aspic, it resembles

Matjiesfontein resembles
precisely the Victorian village it
was in the 1880s

86 JANUARY 2019 kulula.com



EXPLORE WATER THREE WAYS

waterTHE SHAPE OF
Slip into your Speedo, inflate your lilo and grab an oar…
It’s that time of year when aqua-enthusiasts take to KwaZulu-
Natal’s inland waterways in search of battered hulls, bruised egos

and epic moments of personal glory

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WATER THREE WAYS EXPLORE

pictures: xxxxxxx

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 89

EXPLORE WATER THREE WAYS Navigating down and we’d witnessed the Umkomaas
through Black River in spate on the way up. We really
SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED Murray rapid on Drak were like lambs to the slaughter. No-one
Challenge day one knew the river at all. It starts with a very
‘When you drive out of Underberg into the (above); and the calm steep rocky section now called The Valley
uMzimkhulu Valley for a paddle, you never before the storm of a Thousand Rapids. I will never forget
quite know what you are in for,’ says Dave coming around the first corner and seeing
Macleod, who completed his 23rd Drak (below) this forlorn human trail of paddlers,
Challenge in 2017. That uncertainty ‘adds without their boats, walking out of the
to the spice,’ he says. ‘When it’s low, it’s valley after being smashed by the river in
a devilishly technical paddle, and when the first big rapid. Around 90% of the field
full, it’s a nerve-jangling rollercoaster didn’t finish that first one.’
ride. No matter what the water level, it is
majestic, exhilarating and intimidating.’ Nevertheless, the pristine surroundings
– coupled with mountain-fresh water so
Which is why adrenaline-addicted clear that trout can be seen below the
paddlers cannot get enough of the surface – make the race a ‘must’ for many
N3TC Drak Challenge, a two-day canoe paddlers. ‘I love the Drak because of the
marathon that starts in the foothills of the natural beauty of the river,’ says champion
Southern Drakensberg at the confluence marathon canoeist and surf-ski racer Hank
of the uMzimkhulu and the uMlambonja McGregor. He admits though that it’s not
Rivers. Invariably, though, it’s a brutal all plain sailing – even for a paddler of his
way to start the year… If there is rain, the stature, and especially if the rains haven’t
uMzimkhulu River will be thundering down fallen and the river is low. ‘For me the
the mountains in a furious tumble of water. most challenging part is the water level.
‘I was one of the hordes of eager paddlers The Drak is a natural flow release from
who trooped up the Drak Gardens road the mountains. When the water’s low, it
in 1994 for the first ever Drak Challenge,’ becomes super-taxing on the body and on
says Macleod, who was among the first the boats and invariably the race drags on
of many brave souls to be put to the test much longer than anticipated.’
by this popular race. ‘It was bucketing 19–20 January, drak.co.za

90 JANUARY 2019 kulula.com





WATER THREE WAYS EXPLORE

Around
13 000 swimmers
tackled the Midmar
Mile last year; Olympian
Chad Ho (below) has
won seven times

GO THE EXTRA MILE held in 1974, when ago, aged 91. The
three swimming- event also attracts
Every year, hordes of swimmers of all crazy chums, Mike internationally
fitness levels and ages (around 13 000 Arbuthnot, Dick Park acclaimed
in 2018), descend on the sleepy town and Brian Glover, swimmers. Charlene
of Howick in the KZN Midlands to take found that they couldn’t Wittstock, who swam
part in the world’s largest open water get to the Buffalo Mile in for South Africa at the
swimming event – a mile-long swim race East London because of petrol 2000 Sydney Olympics, took
in the Midmar Dam. There are so many restrictions, and decided to stage part in the 2011 Mile just months
swimmers that, even though the masses a race in KwaZulu-Natal. An impressive before marrying Monaco's prince – it
are divided into various categories, it’s 153 competitors entered the first event, was her first open water swim. Another
still a bunfight to get into the water, often with the youngest being a swimmer of 10 Olympian with a Midmar track record
through cloying mud if the water is low. years old. The race terrified 47-time Dusi is Chad Ho, who says he loves the
stalwart Lyle Wheeler when he first gave it ‘unpredictability’ of competitive open
Work on Midmar Dam, the single biggest a go. ‘You’ve got to be tough,’ he laughs. water swimming. In fact, he loves it so
engineering feat ever undertaken in the ‘I was kicked, bashed in the head; I thought much, he’s won the race seven times. ‘It
KZN Midlands, began in July 1961 – it was I was drowning the whole time.’ might be a dam,’ he says, ‘but when the
designed to be the main water supply for wind picks up, there will be currents and
Pietermaritzburg and Durban and officially Oldies aren’t afraid to take on the waves.’ So it’s no swim in the park. 9–10
opened in 1965. Today, the total surface Mile either – Lorna Cochran from Benoni February, midmarmile.co.za
area of the water extends for a staggering completed her last swim a few years
1 788 hectares. The first Midmar Mile was

kulula.com JANUARY 2019 93

EXPLORE WATER THREE WAYS It is the hardest
canoe race in the world
THE RIVER RUNNERS
kulula.com
Seeing guys running with canoes on
their shoulders in the dry years of the
1970s piqued the interest of Dusi Canoe
Marathon legend Lyle Wheeler, who
holds the record for completing the most
consecutive Dusis. He’s finished 47 times
(one more than legendary ‘Dusi King’
Graeme Pope-Ellis). ‘They were basically
running from Pietermaritzburg to
Durban,’ he chuckles. ‘I’d just gotten out
of the army and was very fit so decided
to give it a try. Once I got into the water,
I was hooked!’

The Dusi is the biggest canoeing event
on the African continent and gets its
name from the Msunduzi River that runs
through Pietermaritzburg where the
event begins. The race was conceived
during World War 2 in Italy, where
a homesick Ian Player (who later
became an iconic conservationist) kept
himself occupied by planning a race
down the Msunduzi and uMngeni Rivers
between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

The initial race in 1950 was
abandoned halfway, but the following
year, eight paddlers set off just before
Christmas. After a gruelling six days,
eight hours and 15 minutes, Player was
the only one to finish, having survived
low rivers, a flash flood and a snake bite,
in addition to losing his partner Miles
Brokensha, who quit at Mfula Store
on Christmas Eve. As a single paddler,
Player didn’t comply with the rules but
was nevertheless the first person to
complete the Dusi. He won the next two
races with Fred Schmidt before retiring,
unbeaten. In 1956, the race changed
from the daunting non-stop format
to a three-day event with compulsory
overnights stops.

‘This is the hardest canoe race in the
world,’ says current Dusi organiser

94 JANUARY 2019



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Top to bottom: WATER THREE WAYS EXPLORE
Easy peasy on day one
of the Dusi; last year's K2 feeding and watering the paddlers and
champs, Andy Birkett and their seconding teams, and ensuring
Hank McGregor; and rough- everyone’s safety. We have divers in the
water enthusiast and Dusi water at all major rapids and medics at
star, Sbonelo Khwela, strategic places.’

on form The race attracts the cream of
local and international paddlers,
Steve Botha. ‘Simply because nowhere including South African K2 champs
else in the world does an athlete run Hank McGregor and Andy Birkett, who
with a canoe on their shoulders for large together took first place in 2018. When
parts of a race. It is a race that takes asked to identify the most difficult part
place over three days, in February, in the of the Dusi, Birkett says it’s the running.
Msunduzi Valley where temperatures ‘The Dusi is more of a biathlon than
can easily go as high as 45 degrees. It’s a paddling race. Day one has about
long (120km), it’s hard, it’s tough.’ 13km of portaging [running with your
canoe on your shoulder] and about
Botha should know – he’s taken on 28km of paddling. Not only is running
the Dusi 21 times, and manages the with your 12kg canoe enough of a battle,
event’s many logistical challenges but it’s also the hills and tough trail
with a clear understanding of what is running – in summer heat – that you
required. ‘The logistics are enormous,’ have to endure.’
he says, ‘from setting up the three
finish venues – at Dusi Bridge, Inanda Still, the challenge is irresistible and
Dam and Blue Lagoon in Durban – to – as Birkett explains – the hardship is
mitigated by the fact that they get to
kulula.com race through the beautiful Valley of
a Thousand Hills. ‘The Dusi isn’t just
a race,’ he says, ‘it’s really an adventure.’
14–16 February, dusi.co.za

Words: Gaynor Lawson, Pictures: Kelvin Trautman/Red Bull Content Pool,
Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media, Supplied

JANUARY 2019 97