Category: People

Why to visit the Royal Hotel, Bethulie, Free State

10/4/2019

By Roxanne Reid
It’s like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole to a wacky world where there’s no front door, walls are made of books, friendly ghosts walk the passages, and you’ll meet a character just as intriguing as the March Hare. Find out why to visit the Royal Hotel, Bethulie, Free State.

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The Owl House Nieu Bethesda: a world Helen Martins created

11/4/2018

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By Roxanne Reid
The dusty little village of Nieu Bethesda is 55km from Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo. It's a detour off the N9 so not a place you ‘pass through’, but a destination. Most people who make the trip are lured here by The Owl House Nieu Bethesda, a world Helen Martins created. Using glass and cement she crafted something strange, sometimes disturbing, but always riveting.

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Makgadikgadi pans: San experience at Jack’s Camp Botswana

6/3/2018

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Makgadikgadi pans: San cultural experience

By Roxanne Reid
When you visit the Makgadikgadi pans and Jack’s Camp Botswana, you can tag along on a San experience to learn from the Zu/’hoansi Bushmen about their culture and way of doing things.

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Voices of Botswana: the jovial host

8/12/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
When you arrive on the main deck of DumaTau Camp in Botswana’s Linyanti, you’ll be blown away by the fresh, neutral-toned spaces and the sweeping views over a lagoon. The next thing you’ll notice is a skinny man peering at you from behind thick glasses, a broad grin on his face. He’s the front of house supervisor affectionately known as Mr B.

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Voices of Botswana: honey badger vs black mamba

27/10/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
The honey badger, also known as a ratel, is a relatively small animal. It weighs only about 12kg but has long claws curved like knives, powerful jaws for crushing, and a giant-sized attitude. I’ve seen documentaries in which it stands its ground against much bigger animals like lions and leopards, or is bitten by a puff adder without long-term effect.

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Voices of Botswana: the female guide

20/10/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
Gobe Motshidisi is part of Chobe Game Lodge’s team of 16 women who are professional guides. Some people also refer to them as the Chobe Angels. How did her journey begin and what’s it like to be female in a male-dominated profession?

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Voices of Botswana: the cub whisperer

6/10/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
Every safari lover worth her salt wants to spend time in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The landscape is beautiful, with water channels, floodplains and mokolane palms. The wildlife is superb, from elephants, big cats and wild dogs to giraffe and red lechwe. And the professional guides are clued-up and enthusiastic to share the wonders of their environment.

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Meet Hout Bay’s Zimbabwean artists

29/9/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
Think Hout Bay is about horses, mansions and seafood? It is, but there’s an edgier creative side too. Venture all the way along Harbour Road to the Harvest Centre and a different world will open up when you meet Hout Bay’s Zimbabwean artists.

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Voices of Botswana: the dancing queen

15/9/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
The night is dark, the stars and moon reflected in the Chobe River behind us. We’re in a boma overlooking the water and the smell of good food mixes with the swirl of smoke from the braai and the sound of marimba music. Food, dust, music and smiling faces – this is the meat and marrow of Botswana.

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Voices of Botswana: the guide who likes to learn

1/9/2016

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By Roxanne Reid
Spending a morning poling through the Okavango Delta in a mokoro with guide Spongy Makgetho was one of the best moments of our Botswana safari. From our perch just above the water level we floated among water lilies and watched fish eagles, African jacanas, malachite kingfishers and a long reed frog. We also found out more about the guide who likes to learn.

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