Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma

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Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
April 2021

yours forever - download me please                                       e-edition

      utter                                              Alan Committie
                                                           (virtually)
 nonsense*

             * Soaring in the Midlands, scaling rocks in the Cederberg
                   + Could a Cape Town octopus win an Oscar?
Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
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Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
her
                                      u s Teac
                                    p
                                Octo
                           My

         View from
               ro THE TOP
 D
               iamonds are forever, but it’s Octopussy who has stolen our hearts.
                 No, nothing to do with 007. The heart-stealer in question is the octopus who
               became a Netflix sensation last year. She’s the (spoiler alert) posthumous
               star of a documentary that happens to be South Africa’s one shot at winning
 an Oscar this month.
    In the film, the timid, tiny octopus spends most of her short life minding her own business,
 fending off hungry pyjama sharks, and figuring out ways of using her eight limbs and ballerina-
 supple body to achieve breathtaking feats of engineering. She builds temporary houses out of
 shells, camouflages herself against rocks and scurries into dark crevices in the blink of an eye. In
 one scene, she plays a game of tag with a school of fishes; in another, she pretends to be an old
 lady carrying her groceries and walks along the ocean floor on two legs. It’s mesmerising stuff.
    Sharp as she was, she was also quite shy, but overcame her natural fear of humans to
 forge a friendship with a guy named Craig Foster.
    In the movie’s most Meryl Streep-worthy scene, this cautious mollusc reaches out her
 tentacles of friendship and not only makes physical contact with Foster (who, crazily, dives each
 day without a wetsuit), but manages to touch the hearts of just about anyone watching.
    Without saying a word – no ‘speak to my agent’ diva antics – she soon has an award-
 winning film crew observing her every move, recording her vast repertoire of curious
 behaviours. And, ultimately, she causes Foster himself to emotionally crack up as he
 recounts his tender relationship with her.
    The movie’s called My Octopus Teacher and has managed to not only make the entire world
 sit up and take notice of octopus-kind, but has drawn attention to one of South Africa’s lesser-
 known wonders: the amazing kelp forest that bounds our southern coastline. Foster’s friend is
 probably the best marketing the frigid waters of Cape Town have ever had; even if you’re poep-
 scared of the cold, you might want to jet off to Cape Town, squeeze your lockdown bod into a
 wetsuit and go see if you can befriend some of the Cape’s shy residents.
    Here’s to our very own Octopussy bringing that Oscar home to Mzansi – either way,
 she’s made South Africa proud.

@iflykulula              @iflykulula                 @kulula             kulula.com              kulula.com

   kulula.com                                                                                      APRIL 2021   1
Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
April 2021

yours forever - download me please                                       e-edition

      utter                                              Alan Committie
 nonsense*                                                 (virtually)
                                                                                                       All the web addresses
                                                                                                       you see in this magazine
                                                                                                       are clickable. Just hover
                                                                                                       your cursor over the URL
                                                                                                       and click.

             * Soaring in the Midlands, scaling rocks in the Cederberg
                   + Could a Cape Town octopus win an Oscar?

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Contents                                                                                                                                                          PICASSO HEADLINE

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APRIL 2021                                                                                                                                                   Parktown, Johannesburg 2193
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                                                                                                                                                                 EDITORIAL
                                                                                                                                                               Editor Keith Bain
                                                                                                                                                           Copy Editor Nicci Collier
                                                                                                                                               Content Manager Raina Julies – rainaj@picasso.co.za
                                                                                                                                                      Content Co-ordinator Vanessa Payne

                                                                                                                                                                       ART
                                                                                                                                                     Head of Design Studio Jayne Macé-Ferguson
                                                                                                                                                        Senior Designer Mfundo Archie Ndzo
     31                                                                                                   35                                            Production Editor Shamiela Brenner
                                                                                                                                                    Cover Photographer/Retouching Sven Kristian

 EXPERIENCE                                                                                                                                                          SALES
 7   THE SOCIAL SPACE                                                                                                                                    Project Manager Merryl Klein –
     Take care out there.                                                                                                                            merrylk@picasso.co.za, +27 82 895 7260
                                                                                                                                                Sales Consultants Stephen Crawford, Randall Grace,
 11                            AND THE OSCAR GOES TO…                                                                                                         Andre Potgieter, Richard White
                               The bald statues are being handed out this month.                                                                   Advertising co-ordinator Johan Labuschagne
 EXPLORE
                                                                                                                                                                  management
 17 REST ASSURED                                                                                                                                      Business Manager Lodewyk van der Walt –
     It’ll always be the Friendly City.                                                                                                                       lodewykv@picasso.co.za
 23                            SCHOOL OF ROCK                                                                      15                                  Management Accountant Deidre Musha
                                                                                                                                                     General Manager, Magazines Jocelyne Bayer
                               Hang on!
 31                            SAFARI WITH A TWIST                                                                                                               Kulula.com
                               There’s more to it than a Big Five checklist.                                                                    Chief Executive Officer Comair Ltd Glenn Orsmond
                                                                                                                                               Executive Manager Sales and Marketing, kulula.com
 35	MIDWAY TO HEAVEN                                                                                                                                               Brian Kitchin
    From flying to feasting in the KZN Midlands.                                                                                                   Brand Communictions Manager, kulula.com
                                                                                                                                                                  Luane Lavery
                                                                                             DISCOVER
                                                                                             42 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH                                                 Comair Limited
                                                                                                 What you eat can change the future.            1 Marignane Drive, Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, 1619
                                                                                                                                                   Tel: 011 921 0111 | kulula.com | contact centre:
                                                                                             45   HOME AND AWAY                                                0861 KULULA (585852)
                                                                                                  Innovations, new-fangled gadgets and
                                                                                        42        creative footwear.                                Copyright: No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form
                                                                                                                                                without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for
                                                                                                                                                  unsolicited material. khuluma is published monthly by Picasso Headline.
                                                                                             53   A FEW GOOD BOOKS                              The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline, kulula
                                                                                                  Haunted histories, political monsters, and   or Arena Holdings. All advertisements/advertorials and promotions have been
                                                                                                                                                paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher. While
                                                                                                  a high-octane crime thriller.                  every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither
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                                                 c
                          t
                      moo
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Say

4                                    April 2021
                                                                                                                                        7                                           kulula.com
Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
small airport, BIG benefits
        4 reasons why you should be flying through
        Lanseria International Airport

                SLOW XS Lounge                                                          ample convenient parking

Unwind and recharge at the SLOW XS Lounge just                          Ample parking which is easily accessible from the
before taking to the skies. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi,                  terminals building.
beverages and munchies, reading material plus TV and
much more to keep you relaxed and entertained. Visit
www.kulula.com for more details.

                     fast check-in                                                           avoid the crowd
The airport’s small and compact size means fewer                       Fewer crowds allow you to have a less stressful airport
crowds, making it faster to navigate through the                       experience while being able to maintain social distancing.
check-in and boarding queues.

For more information on Lanseria click here.
All strict COVID -19 protocols are observed.

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Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE EXPERIENCE

             KEEP IT SAFE

THE SOCIAL SPACE
                        1 Before it’s too late
                            One look at these doughnut-resembling
                            creatures and you kind of know they’re
                            doomed. In Extinct, a pair of these
                            Flummels – adorable, fluffy, highly
                            entertaining prehistoric creatures – are
                            magically transported from 1835 to
                            present-day Shanghai. They encounter
                            congested streets and trans fats and
                            many more modern-day quirks. They
                            also learn that their species is extinct.
                            Their task? To travel back in time and
                            prevent the eradication of Flummelkind.
                            It’s a cute way of introducing young
                            people to a serious concept – and
                            perhaps getting their minds to grapple
                            with ways of preventing other species
                            from going the way of the Flummels.
                            It’s terrific fun, and with lots of great
                            voices adding to the comedy madness.
                            In cinemas from 2 April.

kulula.com                                             APRIL 2021       7
Utter nonsense* Alan Committie (virtually) - Khuluma
EXPERIENCE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

                                                                                                                 4

                                             2

                                                                                 3

    2 It’s all Greek to me                   3 Alanocalypse Now!                         4 Run in a forest, run
     The saucy drag-queen trio at Cape           After months of delays and                With its mix of mountain
     Town’s Gate 69 cabaret theatre              postponements, our cover star –           and forest trails, stimulating
     have never been known to hold               Alan Committie – will (hopefully,         views and good company,
     back. Nonetheless, lockdown                 fingers crossed) finally be               the Savanna Origin of
     curfews interrupted their planned           performing his stand-up show,             Trails Trail Run Experience
     summertime run of Eros, their               Apoca-LAUGHS Now!, this month.            happens in Stellenbosch
     Greek tragedy-inspired grown-up             The veteran jester has had tons of        on 24 and 25 April. You can
     musical romp. The show must go on,          time to theorise about where the          enter for pure enjoyment or,
     however. Hotter, fleshier and more          promised R500 billion has actually        like Gimo Matusso and Chris
     risqué than ever, the naughty adult         ended up. And he’s finally figured        Visser (pictured above),
     musical riffs the mythical Aphrodite,       out TikTok. Join him in the socially-     run more competitively. It’s
     refiguring her as an agony aunt             distanced Theatre on the Bay in           a stage race, with around
     whose son, Eros, is one big raging          Cape Town as he comically unpacks         25km on day one, and 17km
     hormone. It’s running until 1 May.          the current end of the world.             on day two.
     gate69.co.za                                computicket.com                           stillwatersports.com

8      APRIL 2021                                                                                            kulula.com
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE EXPERIENCE

                                                                                                                                                                                       7
                                                                                                                               6

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   7

                                                                                                                                                                                   7

                                                                                          5

                                                                                           5 Back to life                      6 A hairy, scary, fairy tale 7 A feast for the eyes
Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Justin Dingwall, Douglas Condzo, Chris Hitchcock, Supplied

                                                                                              With theatres empty for so           Hänsel und Gretel is traditionally          Until 29 April, Cape Town’s
                                                                                              long, it’s exhilarating to see       a feel-good, family-friendly opera          Eclectica Contemporary is
                                                                                              Cape Town’s dancers back in          despite the dark themes (poverty,           hosting 11:11, a group exhibition
                                                                                              action. Pictured rehearsing          child abduction, cannibalism)               encompassing artworks, furniture
                                                                                              are Johnny Bovang and                that haunt the original fairy tale          pieces and design artefacts.
                                                                                              Janet Lindup, who’ll be on           upon which it’s based. Cape Town            Above are three of the works
                                                                                              stage for Robin van Wyk’s            Opera has turned up the heat by             on display: Justin Dingwall’s
                                                                                              production of Coppélia, the          engaging photographer Roger                 Rise, a serene Madonna-like
                                                                                              classic comic ballet about           Ballen (whose work inspired hip-            photographic portrait of model
                                                                                              the outrageous Dr Coppélius          hop duo, Die Antwoord) to design            Thando Hopa; Fishermen by
                                                                                              who creates a life-size              sets for the production. It’s going         Mozambican photographer
                                                                                              doll that can dance. It’s at         to be unlike any opera ever seen –          Douglas Condzo; and hexagonal
                                                                                              Artscape Opera House from            and not for children. At Artscape           stack tables by designer Haldane
                                                                                              15 to 17 April.                      Opera House from 3 April.                   Martin. Also viewable online.
                                                                                              computicket.com                      capetownopera.co.za                         eclecticacontemporary.co.za

                                                                                          kulula.com                                                                                          APRIL 2021           9
SILVER SCREEN GREATS       EXPERIENCE

                          And
                          the
                          Oscar
                          goes
                          to…

         The pandemic has changed movie-making, movie-going, and even the nature of
         the world’s most famous award ceremony. These are a few of the films likely to
                                   be honoured on 26 April

                Oscar who?                                     Farewell to legends
          Solid bronze, coated in                              Even with the incredible Viola Davis
        24-karat gold, the Oscar                               in the role of Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey –
     statuette is just over 34cm,                              ‘Mother of the Blues’ – it’s Chadwick
   almost 4kg. It began as MGM                                 Boseman who’ll get much of the
   art director Cedric Gibbons’s                               attention for his fiery performance in
    sketch of a knight gripping a                              Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
     sword standing in front of a                              Adapted from August Wilson’s play, it’s
film reel. Los Angeles sculptor                                set in Chicago on a single day in 1927.
      George Stanley turned the                                Tensions – racial, musical, sexual –
    sketch into a statue in 1928.                              mount as a group of musicians wait for
 Officially named the Academy                                  a recording session to begin. Boseman
   Award of Merit, its nickname                                (who was Black Panther in the Marvel
   has been in official use since                              mega-hit) plays a headstrong cornet
    1939 – legend has it that an                               player. Fellow cast members marvelled
         Academy librarian said                                at his commitment to what was to be his
       the statue resembled her                                final performance – Boseman died last
            Uncle Oscar and the                                year, aged 43, having battled cancer for
                name caught on.                                three years.

      kulula.com                                                                       APRIL 2021         11
EXPERIENCE SILVER SCREEN GREATS

                                                                            It happened one night
                                                                            One Night in Miami is another play
                                                                            adaptation, this time from Amazon.
                                                                            The night in question takes us back
                                                                            to 1964 when four titans of Black
                                                                            history gather to celebrate after
                                                                            Cassius Clay – a boxing underdog
                                                                            who was soon to rechristen
                                                                            himself Muhammad Ali – defeats
                                                                            heavyweight champion Sonny Liston
                                                                            at the Miami Convention Hall. It’s
                                                                            among the biggest upsets in boxing
                                                                            history and when Clay meets his
                                                                            friends – Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and
                                                                            Jim Brown – they end up discussing
                                                                            the part they’ve yet to play in the
                                                                            history that’s coming.

                        Payback time
                        Promising Young Woman is pretty
                        much a revenge thriller – albeit
                        with comedic elements and a
                        cerebral script – that tackles the
                        lasting impact of gender-based
                        violence. Carey Mulligan gives
                        the performance of a lifetime as
                        a woman who inadvertently
                        grabs an opportunity to avenge
                        a sexual crime that destroyed the
                        life of one of her college friends.
                        It’s a genuinely unpredictable
                        film that maintains the kick of
                        its opening, and keeps you
                        guessing – not to mention
                        slightly disturbed.

                                                 Searching for the American Dream
                                                 Like last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Minari centres on a
                                                 Korean family, albeit a more traditional one than the offbeat clan
                                                 in Parasite. Minari also differs in that it’s effectively an American
                                                 film, looking at the Korean immigrant experience. Filmmaker
                                                 Lee Isaac Chung has turned to his personal experience to paint
                                                 this portrait of a Korean-American family in rural Arkansas in the
                                                 1980s – it feels incredibly intimate and real and opens in local
                                                 cinemas on 16 April.

12   APRIL 2021                                                                                          kulula.com
SILVER SCREEN GREATS           EXPERIENCE

                                                     The wanderer                                                               Courtroom injustice
                                                   In Nomadland, Frances                                                      Even if you’re not into courtroom
                                           McDormand plays an itinerant                                                         dramas and have zero interest
                                                  worker – ‘houseless, not                                                     in activist politics, you’ll still be
                                         homeless,’ she says – who lives                                                         gripped by Netflix’s The Trial
                                        in her truck, nomadically drifting                                                      of the Chicago 7. It follows the
                                        from one trailer park to the next.                                                      trial of a group of anti-Vietnam
                                           Every day is a kind of mystery:                                                    War activists who were arrested
                                        periods of freedom, solitude and                                                          on spurious charges during
                                            grand vistas are interspersed                                                       the 1968 Democratic National
                                            with moments of unexpected                                                           Convention – they’re accused
                                               community and belonging.                                                           of inciting violence during a
                                               There are lonely times, but                                                       peaceful demonstration. It’ll
                                            also love and new friendships                                                     have you furious with frustration
                                        between the hiccups. In cinemas                                                             at the power of a system
                                                             from 16 April.                                                   designed to squash reason. And,
                                                                                                                                yes, that’s Sacha Baron Cohen
                                                                                                                                   (aka Borat) pictured below
                                                                      Chance encounter                                            (right) with the wild, hippie-
                                                                      On Netflix, News of the World is one                       era hair – he plays one of the
                                                                      of those epic period films made even                    activists on trial and might even
                                                                      grander by the presence of Tom                                       win an Oscar.
                                                                      Hanks. It’s 1870 and Jefferson Kidd,
                                                                      a former Confederate officer, makes
                                                                      his way in the aftermath of civil war
                                                                      by going from town to town charging
                                                                      to read newspapers. He finds an
                                                                      upturned wagon and strikes an unlikely
                                                                      friendship with a young girl who has
                                                                      survived. Striking out together, each
                                                                      dangerous encounter they share
                                                                      deepens their allegiance. It’s violent
                                                                      and deals with some tricky racial
                                                                      dynamics, but it has the vast vistas
                                                                      and enough action-packed shootouts
                                                                      to make it hugely entertaining. Still,
                                                                      not good enough for a Best Picture
                                                                      nomination, nor one for Hanks.

                                                                                                  Black Panther backstabber
Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Supplied

                                                                                                  There’s more history and more politics in the Shaka King-directed
                                                                                                  drama Judas and the Black Messiah which follows events leading up
                                                                                                  to the 1969 murder of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton – at
                                                                                                  the hands of the Chicago police. Focus is on FBI informant William
                                                                                                  O’Neal who infiltrates the Black Panther’s Illinois chapter in order to
                                                                                                  keep tabs on Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya of Get Out fame).
                                                                                                  The film plays out as a battle for O’Neal’s conscience, and is packed
                                                                                                  with moving speeches and powerhouse performances.

                                          kulula.com                                                                                                 APRIL 2021        13
THE UNBELIEVABLE
POWER TO RIDE
MORE TRAILS

                   TURBO LEVO
                   SPECIALIZED.COM/ T U R B O - L E VO
RIDE, RIDE, RIDE YOUR BIKE EXPLORE

                                                            EXPLORE    Here. There. Everywhere.

                                                                                                               Hit the trail
                                                                                                               There’s G-Spot and
                                                                                                               Bartinney’s Skyfall. And the
                                                                                                               iconic ‘floating bridge’ at
                                                                                                               Mont Marie. Just a couple of
                                                                                                               the legendary route sections
                                                                                                               cyclists tackle during the
                                                                                                               Savanna Origin of Trails MTB
                                                                                                               Experience in Stellenbosch
                                                                                                               on 24 and 25 April. The two-
                                                                                                               part stage race divvies up its
                                                                                                               network of world-class trails
Words: Keith Bain, Picture: Tobias Ginsberg

                                                                                                               into a 45km and a 40km
                                                                                                               stretch; there’s also a half-
                                                                                                               marathon race over 27km
                                                                                                               and 22km. Entries close on
                                                                                                               20 April (or when capacity
                                                                                                               is reached); Covid-19
                                                                                                               protocols will be enforced.
                                                                                                               stillwatersports.com.

                                                Bed down in Gqeberha    17   Rock the Cederberg   23     Meander the Midlands       35
                                                                       PLUS Safari beyond the Big Five    31
                                              kulula.com                                                                         APRIL 2021     15
FRIENDLY CITY BOLTHOLES   EXPLORE

                                              SAY IT RIGHT

   REST ASSURED
             1. Home sweet home
             It’s Gqeberha now, so be sure to
             practise your clicks before you go. If
             all else fails, ask the obliging staff at
             Singa Lodge to help you get your
             tongue around it. Besides isiXhosa
             pronunciation lessons, Singa’s staff
             will remind you why this will always
             be the Friendly City, starting with
             the generous and homey
             environment they’ve created for you
             here in laid-back Summerstrand.

kulula.com                                                                        APRIL 2021   17
EXPLORE     FRIENDLY CITY BOLTHOLES

                                                                                       Clicking in
                                                                                       Gqeberha
                                                                                          Explore the coast
                                                                                   Gqeberha’s sun-drenched beaches
                                                                                   see plenty of action, and there’s a
                                                                                    string of paved promenades and
                                                                                     raised boardwalks leading you
                                                                                     past surfers, joggers and sun-
                                                                                      worshippers – key landmarks
                                                                                   include the Boardwalk Casino and
                                                                                             Shark Rock Pier.

                                                                                           Raggy Charters
     Things about Singa Lodge that’ll make you smile?                               For a sea-going adventure, set off
     It feels like it’s part of the neighbourhood – a sprawling home tucked        with this boating outfit to explore St
     away between the houses, and just 100m from the beach, where                  Croix Island marine reserve where
     you can hop on the boardwalk and walk along the coast for miles.                20 000 African penguins breed.
     It’s aesthetically charming, too – arranged around a pool and lush                     raggycharters.co.za
     garden, the huge suite-sized rooms are rich with screens, mosaics,
     hand-stencilled wallpapers, and embroidered silks. A mix of African
     and Eastern artworks and artefacts serve as decor throughout, giving                         Tabú
     it a personalised feel.                                                         If you crave a good sunset view,
     Good to know? Singa has long been a popular spot among                            head up to the Radisson Blu’s
     foreigners for pre- and post-safari stays. Which means they                   ocean-facing pool deck. From here
     understand full-scale relaxation and also know how to connect you                you can witness sunset with a
     with local experiences – and can make loads of arrangements on                 cocktail in hand and an eye on the
                                              your behalf.                         surf – sometimes you catch surfers
                                              OMG factor? Aside from the                 cavorting with dolphins in
                                              miniature resort ambiance, you                   the breakers.
                                              should check out the open-plan                radissonhotels.com
                                              bathrooms – some of them feel
                                              like you have your own in-room
                                              spa. They also know about food
                                              here, and so it’s worth staying in
                                              for dinner at least once.
                                              Not for you if… you prefer
                                              a hotel where you feel
                                              anonymous. There’s an intimacy
                                              here, a feel-good factor.
                                              How deep are your pockets?
                                              There’s a special rate for South
                                              Africans until September;
                                              from R896 per couple,
                                              including breakfast.
                                               singalodge.com

18   APRIL 2021                                                                                              kulula.com
FRIENDLY CITY BOLTHOLES            EXPLORE

                                                      Werk_
                                          In the Baakens Valley, this is an
                                          old industrial warehouse – now
                                             pronounced ‘werk space’ –
                                         reconfigured as a community hub
                                          with shops, workspaces, places
                                         to eat and grab craft beer or visit
                                        the tiny rum distillery for a tasting
                                          of hard tack. There are lounge-
                                          like nooks, a pottery studio, art
                                        galleries and a jeweller. Werk_ also
                                          hosts regular food truck events       2. An oasis in the city
                                         that help support the community.       Forest Hall Guest House occupies an enchanted old English manor
                                                  werkspace.co.za               in a fantastically leafy part of Walmer – the 1.5-acre estate is full of
                                                                                immense trees, flower beds and birds singing their lungs out. Plus,
                                                                                there’s a wonderful pool and outdoor lounging area.
                                              Savages Fine Food                 Things that’ll make you smile? It’s family-owned and -operated
                                          Never mind the name, the food         and the consequence is that you are looked after like you’re visiting
                                          is superb. In an historic house       royalty. A lot of love has gone into creating and maintaining immaculate
                                          opposite St George’s Park, this       guest quarters. There’s a range of options – from a three-bedroom attic
                                            is where you’ll get gourmet
Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Supplied

                                                                                unit with a full kitchen for self-catering, to a room made just for solo
                                        breakfasts or world-class lunches       travellers.
                                         and find dishes for almost every       OMG factor? Well, those gardens take your breath away. And – just
                                         dietary restriction. Look out for      imagine – there are tennis courts, a trampoline, and even a second
                                         the truffle-fried wild mushroom        swimming pool.
                                          sandwich with artichokes and          How deep are your pockets? From R1200 per couple including
                                                marinated peppers.              breakfast, it’s an absolute bargain.
                                             facebook.com/savagesPE             foresthall.co.za

                                         kulula.com                                                                                       APRIL 2021       19
ALAN COMMITTIE MEET

                            Take off
                               with Alan                                         There is no time
                                                                                   for regrets

                         Hello, lovely people! It’s me, Alan Committie!
                           As we stumbled into 2021, hoping against all
                           hope that things might suddenly change but
                           knowing they couldn’t with any immediate effect,
                           I challenged myself to do things I had always
                           aspired to do but neglected because real life
                           always reared its silly head.
                              First up, I took an introductory flight as a
                           potential pilot of a small Cessna – it was as
                           glorious and eccentric as I had hoped. Watch this
                           space for plans to get my fixed-wing pilot licence.
                              In the spirit of winged adventures, I also
                           paraglided – or is that paraglayed, or para-glied,
                           maybe paragilded… Stuff it, I flew with a
                           paraglider from the top of Signal Hill over the
                           kugelled rooftops of Sea Point and onto the
                           promenade grasses…
                              Both adventures ignited my courage to
                           undertake some live outdoor garden performances
                           for 50 audience members in February. Performing
                           to real laughing (albeit masked) faces and
                           giggles that filled the starry night sky instantly
                           skyrocketed me right back into the orbits that I
                           experienced with the other two activities.
                              I cannot wait to fly again. On and off stage.
Picture: Sven Kristian

                              So, what will you be doing next in order to
                           ensure you have no regrets? While you ponder
                           that, please have a great flight and be safe
                           wherever you are.

                                kulula.com                                                      APRIL 2021   21
IT’S BOULDERING
  SEASON in the Cederberg!
  Rocklands, in the northern Cederberg, is the world’s
  premier bouldering destination. Here, a timeless
  landscape of rugged rock invites outdoor adventurers
  to explore. Test your skills on the boulders, rope up
  for sport climbing or go for an invigorating walk.
  Then let the spectacular views and deep quiet of
  Rocklands wash over you. Just over three hours
  from Cape Town, you will be within reach of
  hundreds of first-rate boulders. Come experience
  natural thrills in this one-of-a-kind wilderness.

  Buy your permit through Quicket

                                                                         Conserve. Explore. Experience.

For more information visit        www.capenature.co.za    087 087 8250                    T&Cs Apply
VERTICAL LIMIT EXPLORE

    School
    of rock
    Nicci Collier goes
    adventuring in the
    Cederberg

      I am climbing a 10.
      Sunrise Arête.
     Beyond easy if you’re a climber,
     tricksy for an absolute beginner like
     me who doesn’t know what to do with
     all these big chunks of jutting-out
     rock I’m supposed to get around as I
     ascend. At the top, I scramble onto the
     ledge – awkwardly, ungracefully, full of
     relief and delight. The route is as tame
     as it gets, but feels to me like Everest.
        Up here, the evening wind carries
     a serious chill as we soak up the last
     rays of the day. The rock glows amber
     in the setting sun, and across from
     us, on the other side of the lush river
     bed, a shadow creeps up the slopes,
     engulfing a lonely cottage.

kulula.com                                             APRIL 2021    23
EXPLORE VERTICAL LIMIT

                         Having conquered the         to push myself out and away from the
                         route, I’ve somehow been     rock face, I glide down easily towards
                         persuaded into the next      the earth. It’s over too quickly. Once four
                         adventurous pursuit:         of us are down, we sit and watch Ewan
                         abseiling back down.         descend with the first of a billion
                           I watch the first of our   stars twinkling against the darkening
                         group disappear over         sky above.
                         the edge of the cliff and       We head back to base: our beautiful
                         successfully land back       campsite at Nuwerust Rest Camp in the
                         on terra firma. Then,        southern Cederberg is perfect for those
                         huddled close to Dan         between-adventures pursuits – whether
                         for warmth, I listen as      making whirlpools in the campsite pool
                         Ewan explains how to         or cooking slow potjies while watching
                         survive this. How to         the heavens light up.
                         safely position myself          The next day we’re up early, emerging
                         as I take that first step,   from our tents to another clear, crisp
                         where to place my            morning that quickly sends the mercury
                         hands, how to control        climbing as the summer sun bakes
                         the weight of my body        down on the rocky landscape.
                         on the rope as I lower          I’ve been told you can’t come to the
                         myself down towards the      Cederberg and not hike to Wolfberg.
                         ground. As I lean back       It’s a full day; a hot and exhausting,
                         into my harness, I don’t     exhilarating and unforgettable day. The
                         look down, don’t think       hike is steep – with a small climb onto a
                         about how my life relies     ledge at one point – but the higher you
                         on this equipment and        go, the better the views become. And the
                         the knot-tying skills of     deeper into wilderness we go, the more
                         my camping crew. I take      meditative the hike becomes.
                         a deep breath and walk          Eventually we reach the famed
                         backwards off the ledge,     Wolfberg Cracks: a long, narrow
                         into thin air.               passageway hewn into the ancient
                           It’s a strange feeling.    rock, with otherworldly caves and
                         Thrilling, though. Gently    extraordinary erosions at every angle as
                         releasing myself along       you ogle, crawl and clamber your way
                         the rope, using my feet      through to the other side.

24   APRIL 2021                                                                kulula.com
Kromrivier farm is the oldest          THINGS TO DO:
                                       Accommodation & camping
and one of the most popular
                                       Eatery
tourist destinations in the            Wedding & events venue
Cederberg. Bordering Truitjieskraal    Kromrivier vineyards
                                       Nieuwbrew craft brewery
and other popular climbing areas,      Hiking
this resort offers an ideal base for   Climbing ( Trad & Sport )
                                       Mountain biking
climbers, while others can be kept     Horse riding
busy with a variety of additional      Swimming
                                       Picnic Areas
activities.
                                       Fishing

    +27 (27) 4822807
    bookings@cederbergpark.com         kromriviercederbergpark
   www.cederbergpark.com
ADVENTURE
AWAITS
Here at Agear.co.za                                        We’re a team of adventurers in the outdoor equipment industry
we pride ourselves                                          that strive to deliver exceptional service from pre-purchase
on being the start of                                                  queries through to after-sales support.
any adventure.
                                                            Whether it is hiking, climbing, running, trekking, camping or
                                                                         industrial, agear.co.za caters for all.

                                                                   Agear, created for adventurers by adventurers

                        Drop us an email at info@agear.co.za or our website: www.agear.co.za
VERTICAL LIMIT EXPLORE

   ‘a long, narrow passageway hewn into the ancient rock, with
otherworldly caves and extraordinary erosions at every angle as
you ogle, crawl and clamber your way through to the other side’

                    A bit further on and the Wolfberg Arch      off the top. Not me. I lie back in the sand,
                 finally comes into view, although it's still   and stare. I stare at my friends lowering
                 around 1½ hours away. Over a water             themselves through the air. I stare up at
                 break, half the team decides to head back      this majestic monument of stone. I stare
                 to the campsite. I grit my teeth, determined   across the endless rocky landscape,
                 to make it all the way. And I do.              undulating into the distance as far as the
                    Reaching the Arch is worth every hot,       eye can see.
                 thirsty, heavy-backpack step. The serious        And I stare inwards to a heart
                 Spider-Man types among us climb up the         overflowing with gratitude for this indelible
                 Arch, then set up their ropes and abseil       moment in time.

    kulula.com                                                                                APRIL 2021        27
EXPLORE VERTICAL LIMIT

     Rock steady                            Bed down with boulderers
     In the northern Cederberg, near        Whether or not you’re tackling
     Clanwilliam, probably somewhere        boulders, you can fortify in
     in the vicinity of Pakhuis Pass,       charmed surrounds at De Pakhuys,
     you’ll notice clumps of people –       an olive farm with lots of space,
     like Spider-Man impersonators          sandstone all around, and a
     kitted out by Cape Union Mart          location right in the heart of all the
     – seemingly adhered to rocky           bouldering action you could need.
     overhangs and giant boulders.          They even have their own on-site
     They’re members of the                 climbing area where you can solve
     international climbing fraternity      bouldering problem like ‘Witness
     that – since 1996 – has discovered     the Sickness’ and ‘Gliding Through
     the bounty at Rocklands, a             the Waves Like Dophins’.
     mecca of ochre-tinged boulders            There’s a choice of digs – wooden
     concentrated primarily along a         cabins, luxury tents, permanent
     20km stretch of road that experts      caravans, a campsite, and even
     say affords a lifetime of world-       fully kitted-out houses (like the
     class bouldering (rock climbing        three-bedroom Blokhuys, which
     without climbing aids and typically    is a stroll away from the rock

                                                                                     Pictures: Tatami_Skanks/ istock.com, subman/ istock.com, Udo Kieslich/ istock.com, de Pakhuys, skilpad/ istock.com, Supplied
     limited to heights of under 8m).       faces you might want to climb
     The fine-grain, medium-hard            and surrounded by the kinds of
     sandstone is rough but said to be      views that make the Cederberg
     great for climbing, and those in the   so special). There are trails to
     know say there are at least 1 500      hike, rock art worth seeking out,
     identifiable bouldering ‘problems’     wineries, a farm dam in which to
     against which to test their skills.    cool off and historic Wuppertal
     They have names like Adultworld,       town to explore. Your hosts
     Biscuit Wall, Rubik’s Cube Wall        can point you in the direction of
     and The Bastille; Tea Time,            whatever your heart desires.
     meanwhile, is where you can            depakhuys.com
     imagine you’re climbing up a teapot
     spout. Some hands may have
     grown smooth during lockdown,
     but as global travel reopens, it’ll
     be among the top places in the
     world to re-callous fingers and
     strengthen wrists.

28     APRIL 2021                                                     kulula.com
Jule Wurm bouldering in Rocklands
                                                        Photographed by Micky Wiswedel

066 304 5854
173 Longmarket st
vertigogear.co.za

                     Accredited Rock Climbing Skills courses
                     Accredited Hiking Skills courses

                    Retailers of premium brand gear for your climbing,
                    hiking or trail running needs. Owned and operated by
                    climbers, our advice is backed by 25 years of
                    globe-trotting (and a few trips to the Cederberg)
R E D C A R N AT I O N H OT E L S .C O M
BEYOND THE LAND CRUISER EXPLORE

  Safari
  with a
  twist
      There are plenty of ways to get out there and experience wild nature without
                               being in the back of a 4X4
                                                                        Participating alongside rangers and vets, trekking out with
                                                                     ecologists and conservationists as they do the stuff that’s
                                                                     usually ‘off camera’ is now something of a privilege, adding an
                                                                     extra layer of sophistication at luxury lodges where guests can
                                                                     pay a premium to join the working crews conducting their
                                                                     field duties.
                                                                        While hardly inexpensive, such experiences afford a strong
                                                                     sense of being part of something meaningful. In the malaria-
                                                                     free Waterberg in Limpopo, guests at Tintswalo Lapalala in the
                                                                     48 500-hectare Lapalala Wilderness can join the conservation
                                                                     team in rhino and elephant research and monitoring activities
                                                                     which include ear-notching, DNA sampling, and fitting animals
                                                                     with microchips. The reserve’s 27 elephants are carefully
                                                                     monitored and, with advance planning, you can sign up to join
                                                                     a collaring mission when one of the animal’s tracking collars
                                                                     needs replacing. Guests meet up with the helicopter used to
                                                                     locate and dart the elephant, and then assist by helping to

F
                                                                     monitor the elephant’s vitals while DNA samples are collected
         or many, a wildlife safari is a kind of live David          and the collar replaced. Time is always of the essence and
         Attenborough-narrated documentary – experienced in there’s a sense of accomplishment once you’ve completed
         4D thanks to the bump and grind of a 4x4 navigating         your mission.
         through a legit bushveld that’s alive with stereophonic        Meanwhile, at Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve in
sounds, extreme Technicolor, and the promise of bumping into northern KZN, guests can join dedicated on-foot rhino tracking
increasingly rare creatures.                                         expeditions led by a specialist rhino monitor. They also host
  Always thrilling, it’s usually a sit-back-and-watch experience. a half-day activity dedicated to taking you close to the action
  But there are countless other ways of being on safari,             as a rhino is identified from the air and then darted before you
whether your thrill is ticking birds off a list, glimpsing insects,  assist the team in notching the sedated animal for research
or perhaps participating in activities that – to rehash the wildlife purposes. It’s not cheap, since there’s the cost of the helicopter
documentary metaphor – take you ‘behind the scenes’.                 to consider, but such a rush!

 kulula.com                                                                                                     APRIL 2021         31
EXPLORE BEYOND THE LAND CRUISER

                                                                 Beach safari
                                                                 Namibia’s Skeleton Coast
                                                                 National Park covers
                                                                 two million hectares of
                                                                 gravel plains divided by
                                                                 ephemeral rivers, and
                                                                 vast dunefields facing
                                                                 a 500km shoreline. Its
                                                                 eeriness is unmistakeable
                                                                 – among the bones on
                                                                 the beach, there are
                                                                 human skeletons. Plus,
     Notching rhino               Run wild, run free             occasional scenes of
     Apart from participating     They always tell you,          lions picking on whale
     in its reserve’s elephant    ‘Don’t run!’ But at Thanda     carcases, or, more
     collaring missions, guests   Safari, this month’s Run       horrifically, hyenas         Up, up and away
     at Tintswalo Lapalala        Wild experience affords a      feeding on live seal pups.   You need to be up super
     can sign up for one of       chance to break that basic     And yet, as much as it is    early and there is always
     four dedicated rhino         rule. This trail-running       littered with the corpses    a chance that some gust
     experiences happening        adventure is a chance to       of ships and seal skulls     of wind will scupper your
     once a month from May        explore the reserve while      jumbled with turtle rib      plans to fly, but nothing
     through August. The          hoofing it at whatever pace    cages and the bleached       on earth compares to the
     veterinary team will         you can muster, safe in the    vertebrae of whales, it’s    thrill of a hot-air balloon
     dart and immobilise a        knowledge that you’ll at all   undeniably beautiful.        ride above the Busanga
     white or black rhino and     times be under the watch of    Guests at Shipwreck          Plains in Zambia’s Kafue
     participants may assist      the reserve’s anti-poaching    Lodge are taken on           National Park. With ace
     with monitoring the          team. It’s a bargain           game drives along the        pilot Eric Hesemans
     animal during the capture.   weekend, too, with a super-    dry riverbeds and get to     flying, you look down
     A vital part of Lapalala’s   low rate of just R2 995 per    explore the dunefields.      on an incredible mosaic
     rhino security initiative,   person sharing per night,      At Cape Fria there’s a       of grasslands laced
     guests will help monitor     including accommodation,       massive seal colony and      by water channels
     the tranquillised animal     two game drives daily, all     you’ll see scuttling ghost   and lagoons where
     while vets collect DNA for   meals, and most beverages.     crabs, terns soaring         hippo pods and crocs
     the Rhino DNA Indexing       thandasafari.co.za             above the surf, and the      congregate. Squint
     System, a forensic                                          odd black-backed             and those moving
     library where every                                         jackal loping across         shadows turn out to be
     rhino’s unique genetic                                      the dunes or feasting        elephants, the faster
     fingerprint is stored. The                                  on seal corpses (like        dots are lechwe trying
     Conservation Experience                                     the one below).              to outpace the balloon’s
     costs R16 000 for two                                       shipwrecklodge.com.na        shadow. Conditions only
     people, and excludes all                                                                 permit flights August
     other costs.                                                                             through October. But
     tintswalo.com                                                                            Heseman’s company flies
                                                                                              year-round in Namibia,
                                                                                              above Sossusvlei and
                                                                                              neighbouring reserves.
                                                                                              balloon-safaris.com

32    APRIL 2021                                                                                    kulula.com
BEYOND THE LAND CRUISER EXPLORE

                                                                                                 Big city safari
                                                                                                 Safari in Joburg? ‘It’s
                                                                                                 possible at Melville
                                                                                                 Koppies Nature Reserve,’
                                                                                                 says Wendy Carstens,
                                                                                                 chairman of the volunteer
                                                                                                 committee that manages
                                                                                                 the park. ‘You won’t see
                                                                                                 the Big Five. But you
                                                                                                 will see other intriguing
                                        Desert safari                                            natural beauties as
                                        The scale of the           Rockpool safari               you meander through
                                        Kalahari consumes          At De Hoop Nature             grasslands, rocky ridges,
                                        you in a spiritual way.    Reserve a highlight           cool forested areas
                                        Here, in a desolate        is searching for the          and a bubbling spruit.
                                        land of saltpans,          strange creatures that        European bee-eaters
                                        rust-red sandveld          live in intertidal rock       can sometimes be
                                        dunes and wide-open        pools. Dalfrenzo Laing        seen swooping over the
                                        nothingness, are 12        (above) has been showing      grasslands hoovering
                                        cabins arranged along      guests this patch of          up insects. You may see
                                        a raised embankment        coast for years – his         a tortoise, hedgehog         Walkies
                                        overlooking a heart-       knowledge of the unusual      or shongololo crossing       Whether you’re getting an
                                        shaped pan. !Xaus Lodge    creatures is intimate         a trail. We have a 5km       up-close understanding
                                        (below) is situated on     and encyclopaedic. The        trail with lots of ups and   of cat scat or learning
                                        the 91st dune from         stories get gory: urchins     downs, and a heritage        about hyena turds,
                                        the Auob River some        are gruesome killers;         trail.’ mk.org.za            there’s nothing like a
                                        30km away. It’s owned      certain starfish digest                                    walking safari to deepen
Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Supplied

                                        by ‡Khomani San and        their prey by turning their   Meerkat safari               connection with the
                                        Mier communities. By       stomachs inside out.          It’s probably the most       wilderness. Walking
                                        day, San trackers can      And, after Dalfrenzo’s        curious arrangement          Safaris of South Africa
                                        take you on game walks     thrilling tales, you might    of animals you could         (Struik) is a new book
                                        across dunes traversed     spy whales or dolphins        hope to find here in the     by seasoned hikers
                                        by big-maned Kalahari      surfing in the waves.         middle of a big empty        Hlengiwe Magagula (in
                                        lions, cheetah, oryx,      dehoopcollection.com          nature reserve just          blue above) and Denis
                                        and elephant. After                                      outside Oudtshoorn.          Costello – they cover
                                        dark, you’ll hear geckos                                 Devey Glinister, a meerkat   59 guided walks across
                                        barking while jackals                                    enthusiast who has spent     21 big-game parks and
                                        and hyenas scream into                                   countless hours observing    reserves, unpacking the
                                        the night.                                               these creatures in their     options available in each
                                        xauslodge.co.za                                          natural environment,         park, from short walks
                                                                                                 has habituated them to       to multi-day wilderness
                                                                                                 visiting humans. You have    trails. A highlight is
                                                                                                 to be up long before the     Magagula’s vivid first-
                                                                                                 sun to see them – but it’s   hand accounts of
                                                                                                 definitely worth it.         exploring the bush
                                                                                                 fiveshymeerkats.co.za        on foot.

                                        kulula.com                                                                                       APRIL 2021       33
Visitors are treated as friends
                                                                  Harrow Hill is an elegantly furnished English 3-star
                                                            establishment providing bed and breakfast facilities, in a quiet,
                                                                           luxurious and peaceful haven.

                                                            The Bed & Breakfast has lovely bedrooms with full bathrooms, a
                                                            guest sitting room with interesting books and antiques, a large
                                                                        pool set in a magnificent country garden.

                                                      Situated in Howick, the centre of the Midlands Meander Arts & Crafts route.
                                                      Close to Midmar Dam & Nature Reserve and the Karkloof mountain range.
                                                                                Wifi, laundry facilities.
                                                                                 Credit cards accepted

                                                                    Bed & Breakfast in Howick, Kwa-Zulu Natal
                                                                                Caroline Gemmell

Contact details: Email: harrow@lantic.net | Website: www.harrowhill.co.za
MIDLANDS, ABOVE AND BEYOND   EXPLORE

                     Midway
                     to
                     heaven
Strap in with Nicci Collier for a bird’s-eye
view of the KZN Midlands

 I
        would love to wax lyrical about the
        gorgeous views of the Drakensberg
        from up here. But the truth is, I’ve
        no idea which direction to look, nor
        which way is up or down, left or
 right. We are spiralling through the air
 like a spinning top and I’m so dizzy that
 my focus is mainly on keeping down my
 breakfast. Some people do experience
 motion sickness, our hosts had warned
 as we bumped along the winding gravel
 road to the clifftop from where we would
 leap.
    Turns out I am one of them.
    To be fair, it’s only this initial roller-
 coastering part that’s made me queasy.
 For the rest, I feel a bright, sweet-tart
 fruit salad of feelings: Freedom; thrilled
 to the very core; immense peace;
 marginally terrified; incredibly humbled;
 and somehow empowered.

kulula.com                                                           APRIL 2021    35
EXPLORE MIDLANDS, ABOVE AND BEYOND

       Clockwise from above
          Hop on a steam train
       in Creighton during the
        Aloe Festival; Wildsky
        paragliders launching
       from Bulwer Mountain;
              idyllic Cleopatra
        Mountain Farm House;
      children can fly through
         the sky on a zipline at
               Piggly Wiggly in
                    Lions River

     Yes, all these distinct feelings all at once. Because    it from Bulwer to Underberg (about 25km as the, um,
     I am flying. Soaring, bobbing, bouncing, dangling in     crow flies) from early in her career.
     the air.                                                    Here at the main paragliding site on Bulwer Mountain,
        And, yes, when we finally stop spinning and are       once you've ‘thermalled’ up above the peaks, you can
     gently gliding – floating – through the air, I feel      indeed see the southern Drakensberg – and plenty more
     absolutely awed by the endless views over hills and      besides. Come winter, there’s likely to be a smattering
     valleys, fields and forests. Paragliding above the KZN   of snow on the ground.
     Midlands, all those endless green rolling hills below       Also known as Amahaqwa (‘misty one’), this
     me, is like nothing I’ve ever felt before.               mountain is the major backdrop to the Midlands town
        We are here to meet the Fokkens (no, really).         of Bulwer, which is the perfect stop-off to refuel before
     Hans and Ria Fokkens run Wildsky – a professional        entering the wild beauty of ‘The Berg’. The village’s
     paragliding operation at the foot of Bulwer Mountain.    yellowwood church, built in 1886, is worth a look, and
     Hans started paragliding in 1989, then went on           twitchers will appreciate the feathered inhabitants of
     to be part of the South African team at the World        Marutswa forest. Despite its international renown as a
     Championship in Japan in 1995 and was crowned the        year-round paragliding destination, Bulwer’s very low-
     South African Champion in 2001.                          key, which makes it a great base, and there are so many
        Ria, also a competitive paraglider, met Hans when     worthwhile places to see, eat and stay in the region that
     she started flying in 1998. She’s long had a knack       even passionate paragliders will want to explore all it
     for distance (cross-country) flying and was winging      has to offer beyond the misty mountain…

36     APRIL 2021                                                                                          kulula.com
HOME
             DELIVERY

AUTHENTIC
 TASTE        THAI
 THROUGH
Eating out
Relaxation at its Best                                                   The journeys, tastes, accumulating flavors and experiences of
                                                                         “TASTE OF THAI”
Welcome to Taste of Thai Restaurant and Spa. Our Multi Award winning establishment       offers are ready,once again, to #Homedeliver
                                                                         the taste of an authentic traditional Thai cuisine to your place
a little genuine glimpse of Thailand in Hilton KZN. Through a journey of accumulating tastes
                                                                         of  LOCK    DOWN.
and flavors of an authentic traditional home-cooked Thai cuisine, to experiences of authentic
Pampering Thai massages. It is all about Relaxation at Taste of Thai.

                                           E achandofnurture
                                                      our massage treatments are designed to sooth
                                                             the body, mind, spirit and soul. Choose from
                                                  an exotic selection of spa packages that bring a truly
                                                    holistic approach to the Thai Spa Experience.

                                                         J oin us for a meal in our elegantly decorated
                                                         Multi Award winning Restaurant. We offer Lunch,
                                                         afternoon tea, and a wonderful fine dining experience.         Please follow us on
                                                                                                                        Facebook : tasteofthai.sa
                                                             W e contribute to the preservation of Thailand’s      Instagram: tasteofthaisouthafrica
                                                              rich cultural heritage through the art and           Youtube: Tasteofthai South Africa
                                                               practice of Traditional Thai Cooking.
                                                                                                                         For more Information
                                                              Taste of Thai has a special, tranquil atmosphere    Booking: 033-343-1234 / 0741809450
                                                                in a beautiful, peaceful indoor and outdoor          Email: tasteofthai@mweb.co.za
                                                               setting, surrounded by lots of running water             www.tasteofthaisa.co.za
                                                               and Natural Beauty.                                  Taste of Thai Restaurant and Spa
                                                                                                                      Lower Quarry Center Hilton
                                                               If you want a break from the hustle and bustle
                                                              of your busy life, you could not do better than
                                                             to treat yourself to a visit to taste of Thai.
Restaurant, Weddings and Functions
                                               100% KZN ESTATE WINES
                                    WWW.HIGHGATEWINEESTATE.CO.ZA
                                   info@highgatewineestate.co.za

                                      There is something for everyone!
      Piggly Wiggly is the perfect place for friends and families to get together and enjoy the fresh country air.
  Your trip to the Midlands is not complete without visiting Piggly Wiggly Country Village. From its humble beginnings,
                  as a roadside farm stall, to what it is today there is something for everyone to enjoy.
    Whether you stop for a delicious farm-style lunch or indulge in some chocolate or ice-cream tasting or maybe you
decide to take the kids on a train ride, to candle dip or play a round of putt-putt, everyone ends up leaving with a smile.

   “We are conveniently situated just off the N3, between Howick and Nottingham Road, and we welcome a wide range
 of visitors every day. As a family-run business, from the moment you step into our establishment, we hope that you will
                           feel right at home as you experience the best of the KZN Midlands.”

    P.S. Don’t forget to stop by our very own Highgate Wine Estate to sample our KZN-certified wines produced
                                         from the grapes grown on our farm
                                  www.pigglywiggly.co.za info@pigglywiggly.co.za
MIDLANDS, ABOVE AND BEYOND         EXPLORE

                                                                                              A million ways to              This little piggy…
                                                                                              meander in the Midlands        On Highgate Wine Estate
                                                                                              With its array of highways,    in Lions River, part of the
                                                                                              byways, back roads and         Meander is Piggly Wiggly,
                                                                                              routes through magically       a one-stop everything-at-
                                                                                              tucked away hamlets            your-fingertips gathering
                                                                                              steeped in countryside         spot for shoppers,
                                                                                              charm, lush forests and        foodies and fun-seekers.
                                                                                              voluptuous valleys, the        Among the shops in this
                                                                                              Midlands Meander may           Midlands version of a
                                                                                              just be the country’s          mall is Chocolate Heaven
                                                                                              most well-organised            with its messy-but-fun
                                                                                              collection of fabulous and     trademarked ‘Dippingz
                                                                                              fun things to do on a day      Experience’ (think
                                                                                              out. Or for a weekend, a       chocolate fondue) – their
                                    Savour, sleep and soar                                    week, or however much          flavour imagination runs
                                                                                              time you can muster. Its       to chocolate infused
                                    in the Midlands                                           website is brimming with       with biltong, curry and
                                                                                              quaint places to pull into     koeksisters. Also at
                                    Feast on a farm               Hang in a hammock           for a snack or a feast, to     Piggly Wiggly? A petting
                                    Indulgent five-course         Farther north, Antbear      sample craft beers or          zoo and reptile park,
                                    dinners by award-winning      Lodge (above) – near        try out state- of-the-art      children’s zipline, Zulu
                                    chef, Richard Poynton,        Giant’s Castle – offers     coffees. You can visit with    Lulu arts and crafts
                                    are just one reason to        unique stays in a cosy      alpacas, learn to throw a      gallery, mini golf, a
                                    stay at dreamy Cleopatra      cave with Jacuzzi spa       pot, discover countless        candle dipping studio,
                                    Mountain Farm House.          bath and a fireplace.       crafters, artisans and         and to buy there’s
                                    With its roaring log fires,   Built under a rock,         artists working to the beat    everything from furniture
                                    Copper Pot Spa, and           glass doors open onto       of their own drum. Plus,       to imaginative toys
                                    luxurious, individually       a wooden deck with          partake of all sorts of        (at Eclectic Magpie).
                                    themed rooms, it’s            hammock chairs and          adventuresome pursuits.        pigglywiggly.co.za
                                    an idyllic base for           Drakensberg views.          You can cast for trout, hop
                                    mountain hikes, horse         Dine by candlelight         on your mountain bike,         Taste of the sublime
                                    riding, or trout fishing.     under the stars, take       hike lush hills, visit the     If all this sightseeing
                                    cleopatramountain.com         a hot-air balloon           Mandela Capture Site, all      and exertion puts you in
                                                                  flight, or enjoy the        while savouring expansive      need of another holiday,
                                    For high flyers               star-gazing hammock         views, and ogling fields in    plot a course to Hilton,
                                    Wildsky is operated by        camp… Mlindeni gets         which cows chew the cud        where Taste of Thai not
                                    serious professionals with    everyone settled into       while shadowy mountains        only dishes up authentic
                                    decades of experience.        their hammocks with         loom overhead. It is a         fresh and fragrant dishes
                                    Apart from tandem flights     blankets and hot-water      place straight out of a        from the Land of Smiles,
Pictures: Nicci Collier, Supplied

                                    and paragliding courses,      bottles, then – with the    fairytale, with loads of fab   but also has a super
                                    they have a backpacker        sounds of the night as      places to spend the night      spa where experienced
                                    lodge at the foot of Bulwer   a backdrop – shares         while you dream of what        hands will soothe your
                                    Mountain, and a forest        the folktales his           to do next, and where          fatigued muscles – ideal
                                    cottage for you to stay in.   grandmother told him        to visit in the morning.       after flying above Bulwer.
                                    wildsky.co.za                 as a child. antbear.co.za   midlandsmeander.co.za          tasteofthaisa.co.za

                                    kulula.com                                                                                           APRIL 2021        39
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Miss Mara Water Safari,                                                                   River Lodge,
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Ivory Lodge,                             Tinyeleti Treehouse,                             Mountain Lodge,
Lion Sands Game Reserve                  Lion Sands Game Reserve                          Marataba Luxury Lodges

Get in touch with us (or your preferred travel agent) to find out about our incredible promotions.
MORE Family Concierge | concierge@more.co.za | +27 (0)10 109 4900 | more.co.za
SOLE TO SOUL DISCOVER

                                                    DISCOVER      People. Ideas. Things.

                                                                                               Giving sexy back
                                                                                               A bit of a wonder plant, bamboo
                                                                                               not only grows up to 40mm an
                                                                                               hour, but produces a magical fibre
                                                                                               that’s cooling in hot weather and
                                                                                               helps keep you warm in winter. So
                                                                                               it’s an ideal sock fabric. Bamboo
                                                                                               processing is also kinder to the
                                                                                               environment, which makes local
                                                                                               brand Sexy Socks pretty, um,
                                                                                               sexy. They’re superbly soft, resist
                                                                                               odours, and have anti-bacterial
                                                                                               properties. We also love that Sexy
                                                                                               Socks founder Dave Hutchinson
                                                                                               thinks with his heart: for every pair
                                                                                               sold, his company donates a pair
                                                                                               of school socks to a needy child.
                                                                                               And when he and his Sexy team
                                                                                               visit schools to drop off socks, they
Words: Keith Bain, Picture: Supplied

                                                                                               talk to the youngsters about social
                                                                                               entrepreneurship – how business
                                                                                               can be a force for positive change.
                                                                                               To join the campaign, simply
                                                                                               invest in a pair of Sexy Socks; you
                                                                                               can check out some of their new
                                                                                               designs on page 50.

                                                What you eat matters   42   Now and tomorrow    45      Novel tales        53
                                       kulula.com                                                                            APRIL 2021   41
DISCOVER THE GLOBAL SYNDEMIC

                               Enough
                               is
                               enough

                           In this extract from her book, Enough*,
                       Dr Cassandra Coburn outlines the link between
                      climate change and human health – and how our
                        food systems are the vital link between them

42   APRIL 2021                                                        kulula.com
W
                                                                                                                                                                                                           THE GLOBAL SYNDEMIC DISCOVER

                                                                                                                                                e may think of factories belching
                                                                                                                                                out clouds of noxious gases as the
                                                                                                                                                main culprit, but food systems
                                                                                                                                                                                                              * Dr Cassandra
                                                                                                                            form the single biggest driver of environmental
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Coburn’s new book,
                                                                                                                            change on the planet. Agriculture uses half of all
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Enough: How your
                                                                                                                            habitable land, while food production as a whole
                                                                                                                                                                                                              food choices will
                                                                                                                            emits 26% of global greenhouse gases and uses
                                                                                                                                                                                                              save the planet, is
                                                                                                                            70% of fresh water. If cattle were their own nation,
                                                                                                                                                                                                              published by Gaia
                                                                                                                            they’d be the world’s third-largest emitter of
                                                                                                                                                                                                              and distributed
                                                                                                                            greenhouse gases. Even if we magically switched
                                                                                                                                                                                                              locally by Jonathan
                                                                                                                            to renewable energy overnight, much of the harm
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ball Publishers.
                                                                                                                            done by mass-scale agriculture would continue.
                                                                                                                               It’s not just that we’re using too many of our
                                                                                                                            resources. We’re spoiling them while we’re at it.        lost their nutritional value: they had reduced zinc
                                                                                                                            Just under a quarter of the world’s land is less         and iron levels compared to normal crops. If the
                                                                                                                            productive than it was because poor agricultural         crops we grow have a lower nutritional value,
                                                                                                                            methods have degraded it. Fifty million hectares         we would have to grow more of them to feed the
                                                                                                                            of forest were cleared between 1980 and 2000             same number of people, taking up more land and
                                                                                                                            for farming and ranching, leaving about 68% of the       emitting more greenhouse gases.
                                                                                                                            world’s forests intact, compared to pre-industrial          Climate change is expected to affect food
Words: Book extract courtesy of the author and Jonathan Ball Publishers, Pictures: AGB Photo Library/Alamy, Supplied

                                                                                                                            levels. Over half the ocean is used for commercial       production in two ways: while gradual changes in
                                                                                                                            fishing, and a third of all marine stocks are over-      ambient temperature and weather patterns will
                                                                                                                            fished. Food production drives much of the change        adversely affect the crops which now grow best
                                                                                                                            that is contributing to the Anthropocene’s erosion       around the world, increasingly frequent extreme
                                                                                                                            of the ecosystem we’ve known for millennia.              weather conditions such as floods, hurricanes
                                                                                                                               Our growing population exacerbates the problem.       and droughts could wipe out regional food stocks
                                                                                                                                                                                     entirely. The frequency of these ‘climatic shocks’
                                                                                                                                                                                     is estimated to triple by 2040. Such huge loss
                                                                                                                        If food is the thread that runs through this                 of food in our extremely interconnected and
                                                                                                                       syndemic, then we as consumers have the                       interdependent world will affect food availability
                                                                                                                               ability to influence how it plays out.                and prices.
                                                                                                                                                                                        We are living on borrowed time, and we are
                                                                                                                                                                                     borrowing that time from our children. The world’s
                                                                                                                            Current projections predict the world population         food systems are producing food that is harmful
                                                                                                                            will hit ten billion by 2050. To feed us, scientists     to us and to the planet as a viable ecosystem – an
                                                                                                                            estimate that we’ll need to produce more food            increasing population will worsen these effects.
                                                                                                                            in the next 35 years than we have done in all of         In a recent report produced by the World Obesity
                                                                                                                            human history. Assuming we keep producing it             Federation, the authors coined a new term to
                                                                                                                            in the same way, this would require 120% more            describe the synergistic interaction between the
                                                                                                                            water and 42% more arable land than we now use;          epidemics of obesity, malnutrition and climate
                                                                                                                            it would also destroy 14% more forests and cause         change: the Global Syndemic.
                                                                                                                            77% more greenhouse gas emissions.                          If food is the thread that runs through this
                                                                                                                               However, in one experiment, cereal crops and          syndemic, then we as consumers have the ability
                                                                                                                            legumes were grown under changed atmospheric             to influence how it plays out. Altering what we
                                                                                                                            carbon dioxide levels. When scientists increased the     eat means it is possible to ameliorate, maybe
                                                                                                                            carbon dioxide up to the elevated levels forecast        even reverse, the harms that we are enacting on
                                                                                                                            to be the norm by 2050, they found that the crops        ourselves and the planet.

                                                                                                                       kulula.com                                                                                            APRIL 2021    43
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kulula.com                                      APRIL 2021     45
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