The tale of one city
There is a trend on TikTok (yes, I’m a scroller), where creators ask random people on the street geography questions. Some questions are relatively difficult (which country’s flag is this?), and some are deliberate. These are calculated questions that the interviewer knows might elicit viewers’ reactions, because the answers are so gob-smacking. There is no […]
A cliché away from normal
I’m quoting an article I read recently on the web: “Clichés are mental shortcuts to familiar concepts. Your brain processes the phrase quickly—having heard it many times — and ascertains the meaning without needing to visualise the image or think about the writer’s intention.” So true, but cliches are so useful – sometimes. A change […]
The clued-up traveller
When I was small, we used to play a game. We would open a folded map of the world, close our eyes, while someone spun the map around (has Google Maps caught on to this yet?), then at the command, press down a finger. Wherever that finger landed, that is where you will be going […]
Why we’re still here
The Covid 19 pandemic has hit tourism hard. The experts predict that 120 million jobs are at risk worldwide, and the economic damage can exceed $1 trillion – that is R14 885 200 000 000 – a figure no politician should attempt to put into words. But as the world around us changes, whether for […]
We’re local
“Now Main Street’s whitewashed windows And vacant stores Seems like there ain’t nobody Wants to come down here no more” Those are not my words. It belongs to Bruce Springsteen’s hauntingly melancholic “My Hometown”. But lately, when I look at Cape Town’s city centre, the lyrics seem unsettlingly apt. Yes, this is a plea to […]
Spare a thought for tour guides
We have all been locked down in one way or another, depending on “how essential” we are or where we live. But thanks to the internet, we can still tour the world at a fraction of the cost of real travel and without having to stand in line for tickets or share our space with […]
Walk the World
We’re not saying because we do walking tours that a lockdown is harder on us than on the non-guiding population, but we do struggle to come to terms with the fact that our toilet or front porch does not have historical significance – not any that we’re aware of anyway. And walking down the hallway, […]
uBuntu – Try it
For those that don’t know what Ubuntu is, here is an explanation by the Humanity’s Team South Africa: Ubuntu is generally seen to be pointing to the values and principles that it represents and our humanness and the value of community. It is also thought to be about caring and sharing. This Nguni term is […]
Things to do on a budget in Cape Town
Travelling on a budget does not mean you need to forfeit on experiences. In fact, in a city such as Cape Town you get some of the best experiences by exploring the city on sidewalk level. And the Mother City on a budget is totally do-able, with loads of things to do and to see. […]
Cape Town’s Winter Heartbeat
Just because Cape Town is blessed with stunning beaches and has a culture of outdoor living, it does not mean she “switches off her lights” during winter. Au contraire. When the days get shorter and nippier, the Mother City tends to reveal her uniqueness, her comfort zones and secrets. Here are a few good reasons […]