Tabla de contenidos para March 2019 en go!

I formed a relationship with the Free State on 25 September 1976, the day the burly legs of De Wet Ras kicked my dreams to smithereens on a rugby field in Bloemfontein. I was nine years old and I might have cried that day. Earlier that afternoon, the whole Steyn clan had gathered in front of a brand-new Telefunken. The miracle of television was only a year old. Before 1976, we listened to rugby on the radio, and you could relive your team’s victory by buying an LP record with a recording of the match commentary not too long afterwards. In fact, I’d already started saving up for one such LP, even though it hadn’t been recorded yet. The 1976 Currie Cup final was between my beloved Western Province and…

OSSEWA FARM STALL, CRADOCK A farm stall is a wonderful thing because it can change your life, whether you’re a pie eater and ginger beer drinker on a long drive, or if you’re the person who owns the farm stall. Had you passed through the Cradock area a year ago, you wouldn’t have seen a farm stall in this spot. Instead, you would have seen a storehouse selling irrigation parts. When the business closed down, Fritz and Mara van Staden, and their daughter Marna, opened the Ossewa farm stall. Ossewa quickly made a name for itself, possibly because the Van Stadens are so friendly (you’re greeted with a handshake), but also because their pies are delicious and big, with a generous filling, their ginger beer won’t give you “colic or…

NEW MOON 6 MARCH SPRING TIDE: 7 MARCH HIGH TIDE: 3.56 AM & 4.05 PM FIRST QUARTER 14 MARCH NEAP TIDE: 15 MARCH HIGH TIDE: 9.55 AM & 10.58 PM FULL MOON 21 MARCH  SPRING TIDE: 21 MARCH HIGH TIDE: 3.31 AM & 3.54 PM LAST QUARTER 28 MARCH NEAP TIDE: 29 MARCH HIGH TIDE: 10.46 AM & 11.50 PM These are the high tide times for Cape Town. For other places, add or subtract minutes: Saldanha: +5; Hermanus: -4; Port Elizabeth: +19; Durban: +26 Tide information reproduced with permission from the Hydrographer, SA Navy. The Hydrographer is not responsible for any transcription errors. sanho.co.za SUNRISE & SUNSET (15 MARCH) Cape Town 6.46 am & 7.03 pm Bloemfontein 6.16 am & 6.31 pm Johannesburg 6.09 am…

What is your earliest Bosman memory? I first encountered his writing at school. Our English teacher, David Brindley, read one of the Groot Marico stories aloud to the class. I borrowed the book from him afterwards. It was the late 1960s and I clearly remember “In the Withaak’s Shade”(still my favourite),“A Bekkersdal Marathon” and“Willem Prinsloo’s Peach Brandy”. I explored Bosman further as a university student, including the wonderful chronicle of his imprisonment, Cold Stone Jug . Tell us about how Cape Rebel, your weekly e-mail, became the inspiration for this book. I came up with the idea of distributing weekly stories via e-mail to people who wished to receive them – usually an extract from a book. Nowadays the mail is accompanied by a podcast of the…

How does it work? You can do the walk over three or four days. You leave your car at the first night’s accommodation and you’re taken back there at the end of the hike. How fit do I need to be? Moderately fit. You’ll walk between 10 km and 17 km each day. The terrain is relatively easy-going, with a few up- and downhills, but it can get hot. What should I pack? Tick spray, hiking boots or trail shoes, a light windbreaker or a rain jacket, a small daypack, sunblock, a camera, cash and a hat. You only carry your daypack; the rest of your luggage is transported to your next overnight stop. When can I do the hike? The walk only operates in autumn and spring due to…

WHY? We publish a selection of reader pictures every month. Don’t be shy, haul out those shots you’ve been hoarding on your computer and send them to us! We like just about anything: wildlife, landscapes, portraits, holiday snaps or bugs in your garden. HOW? Send your best photos to takeyourpic@gomag.co.za  Don’t send files bigger than 4 MB – if we need a bigger version, we’ll ask for it. Give the name, surname, home town and contact number of the photographer. Also include info about where and how the shot was taken, and what equipment was used. If you manipulated your photo in any way, tell us what you did. THE FINE PRINT We reserve the right to use your photos elsewhere in the magazine, on our digital platforms…

Abring-and-braai is a fabulous way to share good times with family and friends – and to share the costs of the catering! Breads, salads and side dishes are an integral part of a braai, often forming an entire meal just by themselves. Here are some pairing suggestions for when your side dish becomes the main event. Salad and rosé are a match made in heaven. Think garlic, thyme, olive oil, feta… All the flavours of the Mediterranean go so well with pink wine. The Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Cinsault Rosé 2018 (R56) is made from a grape that originally comes from the south of France. The Stellenbosch-grown version is just as fresh and zesty, packed with ripe red berries with a touch of acidity. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a…

For 300 years the Xhosa have been the custodians of this wild part of our country. The area is still very rural and traditional, with a basic road network. It is on these roads, and many kilometres of legal jeep tracks, that we will explore the rugged coastline, shipwrecks, estuaries and waterfalls. Your tour leader is an experienced nature conservationist and adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times and impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and four-wheel-drive knowledge. This is not a very technical 4x4 trip, but should you experience any difficulty, the Bhejane crew have the know-how and recovery equipment to assist with any off-road problems. RATES AND DATES  When? 8 – 12 May and 13 – 17 May 2019 How long…

GRASKOP GORGE LIFT COMPANY, GRASKOP The Graskop Gorge has always been a good pit stop – a place where you can peer into the Lowveld from a high cliff. Far below, you can see a river flowing through an indigenous forest, fed by the Motitsi waterfall on the opposite side of the chasm. Previously, however, the only way you were able to get close to this unique forest was if you did the Big Swing. And let’s be honest: How on earth can you take in anything when you’re free-falling with your eyes closed? Things changed in 2017 when a huge, one-of-a-kind panoramic lift was built, which descends 51 m to the forest floor. Once you’re in the forest, you can do a 600 m circular trail along a boardwalk…

ANZISKE KAYSTER, curator of Reinet House “There’s a wholesomeness here. Everyone knows everyone and there are good schools – it’s a town where everything works.” XOLISWA JANTJIES, caretaker of the Hester Rupert Art Museum “I’m not one for city life; the slow pace here fits me like a glove. It can get a little too quiet sometimes, but during the holidays the town gets busy and it’s nice to meet new people.” KOOS GROBBELAAR, manager of the Graaff-Reinet Club “The town has a rich heritage; you can learn a lot from its history. My love for the Karoo keeps me here.”…

LESOTHO SPECIALS  Two eyes glowed in the deep, dank tunnel. What could they belong to? I froze as my mind cycled through a hundred possibilities. I was exploring an access tunnel below the wall of the Mohale Dam in Lesotho. I inched closer, while a cold rivulet of water found its way into my supposedly waterproof boots. I was searching for a Cape eagle-owl, but surely, down here, those glowing orbs could only belong to Gollum? The eyes stared back. Unblinking. Then suddenly they jumped right at me! My torch beam careened off the wet walls and came to rest on an ugly, oversized and oh-so-special creature: Amietia umbraculata , the Maluti river frog. Back on the surface, my uncle was still droning on about the intricacies…

There I am, buoyed by a bright-pink life jacket, face-down and peering into the curious world of the Mombasa Marine National Park. At this point it would be worthwhile to recount my relationship with water as anything other than a consumable liquid and cleaning agent. I have vague memories of my childhood in the university town of Ile-Ife in Nigeria. I hear splashing sounds and the laughter of children as we plunge feet-first into the over-chlorinated Staff Club swimming pool for yet another game of Marco Polo. Later, red-eyed and shivering, we clamber out and go looking for our mothers and fathers so we can extract money to buy suya – spiced meat on a stick – and yam chips. I know I participated in these games, but I can’t…

What happened? There are an overwhelming number of places to stay around Bela-Bela, Modimolle, Mokopane, Vaalwater… Choosing which to visit was like trying to order a meal in a restaurant where the menu is as thick as a dictionary. I finally narrowed it down to five places and visited them all, but when I got back to Cape Town, there was a break-in at my flat and my laptop was stolen. I lost all my photos and the work I’d done. I learnt my lesson and now I back everything up on Google Drive. ( Thanks to Lawrette McFarlane who travelled to all the places on short notice to take new photos. – Ed. ) Best place you visited in the Bushveld? The Waterberg, without a doubt –…

THE LATEST IN CAMPING AND CARAVANNING Visit the go! and go! Drive and Camp stand at the Caravan/Camp & Destination Show in Midrand. You can buy some cool merchandise, subscribe and meet the team. The show is a space for exhibitors to share the latest caravans and tents, camping gear and outdoor-focused technology. Holiday destinations will also be showcased and, best of all, you’ll be able to score some exclusive deals. Where? Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand When? Friday 22 February from 9 am to 6 pm; Saturday 23 February from 8 am to 5 pm; Sunday 24 February from 8 am to 4 pm. Tickets available at the gate or webtickets.co.za Cost: R100 per adult; R60 per student or pensioner;…

Where did the idea come from? I’ve always loved the outdoors, and I’ve always loved a challenge. I’ve done the Comrades (once was enough!) and I’ve cycled the Cape Town Cycle Tour five times. Our family loves cycling and we enjoy doing it together. My wife Clara and I did a five-day bikepacking tour of the Marico area: We slept in tents and carried everything on our bikes. I’ve been looking for an unusual challenge for a while. At first I considered cycling to Cape Town from our home in Buffelspoort, Rustenburg, but I decided that it might be too dangerous on the roads. Then I thought of hiking the distance instead, and the idea took hold. How did you plan your route? I worked out how far I would…

I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone R99 at Google Play Store Nina Simone (1933 – 2003) was a legendary American jazz singer and pianist with an unrivalled voice. On this album, released way back in 1965 by Philips Records, she explored the pop genre in her own unique way. It’s lovely road music. The title track is indeed spellbinding. When Nina declares “I put a spell on you / ’Cause you’re mine” you truly believe her. And when the saxophone solo is in full swing it takes some holding back not to floor the pedal out of sheer pleasure. Soon afterwards the mood changes completely when her interpretation of Jacques Brel’s ballad “Ne me quitte pas” gives you goosebumps. By the time you get to the seventh…

Have you been somewhere you think other go! readers would enjoy? Write about the experience and we might publish your story. Please keep it short (1 500 words maximum) and send us some sample photos. If we do decide to publish, we’ll need the original, high-resolution photos so make sure your camera is on the right setting. We reserve the right to use your photos elsewhere in the magazine, on our digital platforms and in marketing material. E-mail your story to editor@gomag.co.za…

Kirsten Frost’s debut portfolio appeared in go! #36 in 2009, when he was just 17 years old. We featured some of his bird photography in go! #104 in 2015 and this time, a decade since his images first graced these pages, we travel with him to wild and mysterious Lake Turkana in Kenya. Turkana is a massive salt lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, near the border with Ethiopia. The Omo, Turkwel and Kerio rivers flow into the lake, and the only water loss occurs via evaporation. The surrounding volcanic landscape is hot and desolate. Violent wind storms are common. Some of the earliest hominid fossils have been discovered in the area, and many tribes still eke out an existence in the unforgiving desert. After school, Kirsten studied nature conservation…

1 Energizer Vision 100-lumen headlamp This inexpensive headlamp is good for kids and casual campers. It puts out 100 lumens on high mode – plenty bright enough to pack the car in the dark or find your way to the ablution block. There’s also a low mode for tasks that don’t require as much light. Three AAA batteries come supplied: Energizer claims you’ll get 10 hours of use on high mode and up to 50 hours on low mode. You can use it in a drizzle and it will survive being dropped from up to a metre, but if it’s durability you’re after, consider something from LED Lenser or Black Diamond. R150 at Cape Union Mart 2 LED Lenser MH2 LED Lenser has a huge range of headlamps for everyone…

RATES AND DATES  When? 26 May – 3 June 2019 How long is the tour? Nine days, eight nights Accommodation: Tents and beach lodge Price: R12 350 per adult sharing. Half-price for children under 10. DAY 1: You will meet your guide at the Kruger Park’s Phalaborwa gate in the early afternoon. From here we drive a private road to our camp for the night. The campsite has basic facilities and is unfenced. DAY 2: This morning we continue exploring parts of the park not accessible to the general public before we rejoin the open roads. Lunch consists of a packed picnic and in the afternoon you’re free to drive the park’s roads, heading towards Satara, our camp for the evening. DAY 3: Today we move camp to the south…

DUIWELSBOS, MARLOTH NATURE RESERVE A short trail, a place to swim, interesting plants and bugs, a grand finale… Add some snacks and you have the ideal child-friendly hike. Indeed, the Duiwelsbos Trail in the foothills of the Langeberg near Swellendam meets these criteria with a smile. It follows the course of the Koringlands River (more of a stream) and it could have been called the Fairy Forest Trail. You hike through a forest where sunbirds sing. You’ll reach a set of stairs that take you deeper into the woods until you can no longer see the sun. Ferns line the path and moss covers stones and trees; arum lilies grow down near the water. During the summer months, see if you can find the spur flower (pictured left) – it…

1. Experience the desolation Graaff-Reinet is surrounded by the Camdeboo National Park, which includes the Valley of Desolation. The park has three sections with separate entrance gates, on the R61 and R63. To see wild animals, drive one of the game-viewing routes in the north of the park; use the gate on the R61 towards Middelburg. The routes are traversable in a sedan. Kudu, eland, wildebeest and buffalo are abundant. The park has two hiking trails: the Gideon Scheepers Trail (2 km), with scenic views of Sneeuberg to the north, and the Eerstefontein Day Walk (5 km, 11 km or 14 km). There are also two 4x4 trails: Koedoeskloof and Driekoppe. You have to drive through town to reach the different parts of the park, which slightly spoils that far-from-civilisation…

“I visit the Pilanesberg regularly and have been doing so since I can remember – my heart pumps Pilanesberg soil! In 2018, on my 38th birthday, I decided to give up my career in sales and swop my office for a place with a view and lots of space. “I have a passion for the leopards of the Pilanesberg and I joined Wild World Tours, a tour company owned by a friend of mine, as a specialist guide – I focus on leopards and help tourists get their leopard sighting.” Follow Johan on Instagram: @fatman_j…

Azure waters hug white, sandy shores along the pristine coastline of Vilanculos, Mozambique. The town’s dazzling views and warm sea have contributed to its status as one of Mozambique’s top holiday destinations. Sun-seekers love the long, untouched beaches, the water, and feasting on Mozambique’s famous prawns and delicious beers. You can spend many happy hours shopping and browsing in the town’s vibrant markets, with their bright colours and traditional arts and crafts. For adventurous travellers, the beautiful Mozambique countryside is a short 4x4 drive away, and well worth exploring. The sea surrounding Vilanculos and the Bazaruto and Benguerra islands attracts scores of water lovers. The ocean is crystal clear, with visibility of up to 40 m for snorkellers, swimmers or scuba-divers. You may spot the rare dugong on a dive,…

If you’ve had enough of shopping at Canal Walk in Cape Town, and the rest of the family still wants to watch a movie, leave them at NuMetro and head to Intaka Island, a 16-hectare wetland in the middle of the Century City development, for a guided full moon walk. The walk is a kilometre long. It starts at dusk and takes about an hour. Along the way, the guide will point out chameleons, bats, birds and – if you’re lucky – an elusive grysbok. Bring something to snack on; a glass of sparkling wine is included in the cost. There will also be non-alcoholic sparkling wine and cooldrinks for the kids. When? 21 March at 6.15 pm for 6.30 pm. Where? Intaka Island Eco-Centre, 2 Park Lane, Century City…

The Last Hurrah by Graham Viney Jonathan Ball R285 in bookstores On 17 February 1947, the great battleship HMS Vanguard docked in the Cape Town harbour. Tens of thousands of people – across all racial divides – lined up to welcome the very important guests aboard: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and their two daughters, Princesses Elizabeth (20) and Margaret (16). It was the beginning of the Royal Tour, during which the British royal family travelled thousands of kilometres over two months in southern Africa, mostly on the famous White Train (described as a “Palace on Wheels”). In this remarkable book, Viney reflects on the Royal Tour with plenty of historical and political depth. His research is astonishing – he gained access to the Royal Archives…

Tales from the Old Karoo by Guy Butler AD Donker Publishers, 1989 (republished in 2018) R225 in bookstores What do I mean by the Old Karoo? I mean a time before the triumph of the internal combustion engine over horses and oxen; when the trains were pulled by steam engines; when only a few roads were tarred; when most cooking was done on wood-burning ranges; when fridges and radios were unknown, and land barons as rare as pondhase. When Karoo towns were racially easy-going places without buffer strips and barbed wire fences patrolled by conscript-filled caspirs. This is how Guy Butler (1918 – 2001) writes about the Karoo in the introduction to his collection of short stories, Tales from the Old Karoo , first published in 1989.…

Road conditions: The dirt roads in the Namib section of the Namib-Naukluft National Park are regularly graded and can be driven in a 4x2 with decent ground clearance. The road from Bloedkoppie to the Tinkas rock arch and Tinkas Dam is rougher. You’ll need more ground clearance, but you don’t need four-wheel-drive. Fuel: Only available in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. Solitaire also has fuel – the village is about 80 km from Kuiseb Canyon. I travelled about 500 km in total, mostly driving slowly, and managed on one tank. Accommodation: The campsites are indicated on the map. You don’t book a specific stand, just drive around and choose the one you like best. There are enough stands and they’re far apart from each other, so you won’t be disturbed. The…

Tuna, beans and edamame salad Serves 2 Preparation time 5 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes With a quality, store-bought sauce you can whip up a delicious salad in no time. This tuna salad will also make a great baguette filling. You need • 2 eggs • 2 cups edamame beans or peas • 2 tins (115 g each) tuna, drained • 1 red onion, finely chopped • 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted • 1 tin (400 g) butter beans, drained • 1 jar (130 g) Pesto Princess chimichurri sauce (or any flavour of your choice) • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 2 spring onions, chopped Here’s how 1 Boil the eggs for 6 – 8 minutes. Dunk them in cold water before peeling them. 2 Blanch the edamame beans or peas in boiling water for a few minutes until…