Getaway
November 2021For more than 25 years, Getaway Magazine has been inspiring people to explore and experience Africa. Enjoy weekends, wildlife and wonderment every month with Getaway's fun and informative articles and breathtaking travel photography. Expect a mix of all the very best places to go and things to do in Africa.
in this issue
notes on a mugging
The same brute had mugged my wife and sister-in-law when they were weekending in Rooi Els. The sisters were walking back to the holiday house after picking up coffee and pastries from the local cafe. He emerged from the bush about 50 metres ahead and ran straight at them. They had little time to think. Running away was out of the question – he was much faster – best to stand their ground and throw something. A steaming hot latté exploded on his head, but he kept coming without missing a beat. The only thing to do was to hand over the goods. So they threw the bag of pastries down and cowered as he scooped it up, making off with four buttery croissants and a sugar doughnut laced with jam. I…
contributors
Scott Ramsay LESSONS FROM THE WILD (P 72) Scott Ramsay is a photographer and writer focusing on Africaʼs wild places and the conservationists and safari experts working to protect them. While travel outside the country was restricted during Covid, he signed up for a two month guide-training course with EcoTraining in the lowveld. ʻI went to a good school and university in Cape Town, and learnt much, some of it good and useful. But the African wilderness has been my greatest teacher by far. The more I explore Africa, the more I realise how much I have to learn … and how much I have to unlearn.ʼ Justin Fox THIS IS LIFE, A JOURNEY TO THE SERENGETI (P 92) Our former editor, Justin Fox, recently ticked off a bucket-list destination by travelling to the Serengeti…
this day in history
2 November 1947 Howard Hughes’ H-4 Hercules Spruce Goose flying boat has its maiden – and only – flight in California. It weighs 181 436kg, flies about 1.5km at an altitude of 21m and costs $23 million. 3 November 1957 Laika the dog is the first living creature to go into Earth’s orbit, in Russia’s Sputnik II, the world’s first inhabited space capsule. 5 November 1605 Guy Fawkes, a conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot, is found with barrels of gunpowder (intended to blow up the English Houses of Parliament and King James I) in the parliament cellar at midnight. He is later tried and executed for treason. 8 November 1656 Astronomer and mathematician Edmond Halley is born in London. He is the first to sight the Great Comet of 1682 (now named Halley’s Comet) and predict its…
what’s on this month
WINES2WHALES 5–14 November From Onrus to Oak Valley to Lourensford, enjoy three days of mountain biking through the Western Cape on trails that will have even seasoned cyclists grinning from ear to ear. Split into three events, the Chardonnay, the Pinotage and the Shiraz, the Wines2Whales offers something for everyone. From R11 400 per team wines2whales.com GREYTON WINE WEEKEND 12–14 November Head out to picturesque Greyton in the Western Cape for a weekend of wine, small town hospitality and local art and cuisine. Hop from stoep to stoep, sampling the region’s finest wines and meeting the people who make them. Tickets start at R400 quicket.co.za 94.7 RIDE JOBURG 21 November Back for the 25th year, the 94.7 promises to be as exciting and adventure-filled as ever. Starting and ending at the FNB Stadium, this year’s race will be 97km long, showcasing the city…
november – it’s a fishy month
What can we do to help combat overfishing? 1. Only eat certified sustainable seafood.2. Reduce food and plastic waste.3. Support small-scale fisheries in South Africa.4. Support organisations such as the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.5. Educate and inform people, starting with family and friends. Sustainable fishing For centuries, indigenous cultures have fished sustainably, understanding that for humans who depend on fish to survive, the fish must thrive. The more forward thinking fisheries of today are taking a leaf out of the books of centuries-old fishing practices. These include fishing by hand (rod and reel) or spear, so targeted species may be caught and others left alone, as well as fishing certain species seasonally so different fish are given time…
social media
We asked: What is your favourite Kruger memory? Five-metre long black mamba just before we checked into a lodge and we never slept an inch. He came for the squirrels – Elelloang Lesei Getting married! – Byron-John Woods Walking wilderness trails! – Mike Wood Seeing the Big 5 for the first time on my 40th birthday, on my first trip to Kruger – Mark Geyer Witnessed an 11-pack successful wild dog hunt. On my birthday, nogal! That place is pure magic – Neels van Jaarsveld My hubby’s surprise proposal during an early morning coffee stop overlooking the river along Biyamiti Road – Hemisha Misra The smell of thatch at the gate. That’s when you know magic is about to happen – Carmel Carmichael Being charged by a leopard at Simbambili – Lisa D'Oliveira Watching dozens of fireflies around the campfire at Balule under the big baobab next to…
