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2 weeks of total craziness... First it was a short 16km walk at the Sisters with Blisters event in the scorching sun - and then, I got free tickets to see Cinderella on Ice at Montecasino.

Sisters with Blisters

I learnt that bloggers can walk and not have the energy to blog or twitter about it after the first 4km.

The early starters on the 16km did not expect the heat to be quite so much, but by 8 am it was unbearable. By 10 it was just ridiculously hot.

The route was just 4km x 4 but a real steep hill claimed many victims that barely made it up at a snail's pace.

After our walk we trawled the after event exhibitions and activities - including a 20 minute bootcamp!

Cinderella on Ice

I don't know if I was more in awe of the fact that these skaters could do so much on such a small slab of ice or that ice on a stage in Africa is possible...

The performers played their roles so convincingly - while skating - with no mistakes. Memorable characters included the wicked step mom and sisters, the tailor in red, the prince and of course Cinderella herself.

The Pretoria Zoo is big, really, really big... 85-hectares with over 3000 specimens of mammals, birds, fishes, invertebrate, reptiles and amphibians - and trying to see all in just a day really takes a toll on your feet. (I would recommend hiring a golf cart for the day.)  I have seen animals in there I forgot even existed.

I also took a ride on their cable car track – this is something I would not recommend to the faint of heart. It was the most terrifying experience ever (counting that I stood at the top of the Eiffel and walked down the stairs of the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona). The cars are very small and the wind just swings it around as if it is nothing!

You can also visit their Aquarium (very nice specimens to be seen here) and Reptile Park that are part of the Zoo facility. They claim their Aquarium is the largest inland marine aquarium in South Africa but I think Ushaka Marine is (don't quote me on that though!).

Tree huggers and eco fanatics will love the Pretoria Zoo as it boasts a large collection of exotic trees.

... sounds romantic, doesn’t it?

I’ve finally settled on a date for my Mozambique beach wedding – and found a venue. The last 2 weeks it took quite a bit of convincing to get all 18 guests to pay their share and to actually commit to going... but they might have reason for concern considering the things below.

Photo: Stig Nygaard

The location is remote (well, not that remote considering it is less than 100km from Maputo) and cannot be reached by car (only 2x4 and 4x4 vehicles). The establishment does not have 24 hour electricity, but generators running certain times (meaning limited hot water). There is no restaurant or shops in a 20km radius (and cannot be reached by a normal car).

I know, you might now be asking yourself why in the world anyone would get married at such a rustic beach location. The answer is simple... I want a beach wedding, but really don’t see the point of spending R30 000 on something that will last only a few hours... if you could use it to travel the world – and I really want to go to Mozambique!

So anyway, here I am 6 months away from a beach wedding and have so far booked the accommodation for my small wedding with a list as long as my arm to take with and do in the next few months.

What to know about beach weddings:

• Legally South Africans (and many other countries’ citizens) cannot get married in Mozambique (legally that is... but for show only) – so you will have to get married back home and have a “sham” wedding on the beach.
• You can find something in your budget if you look hard enough and if you’re willing to do some work.
• You do get travelling ministers (from South Africa) in Mozambique or you could ask the establishment that will be hosting your wedding to organise a Mozambican Priest/Pastor.
• Flowers cannot be bought just anywhere and you won’t always find the exact type you want.

Other things you should know:

• South Africans currently don’t need visas to get into Mozambique (European passport holders do).
• The local beer is not that bad (thanks to a friend that brought me back some) and you can buy them in cans if you don’t have a crate to buy glass bottles.
• Mosquitoes roam freely and in masses in most places. See a doctor and discuss malaria pills. Buy lots of mozzie repellents. There is no such thing as too much.
• There isn’t a McDonalds for a quick bite – but you can buy fresh fish from local fisherman.
• Mozambique looks idyllic on photos, but it is not developed fully.

Travelstart angels - Priya Raghavan, Charlene Pereira and Diana Coetzee

Four months ago, three Travelstarters sat down for lunch and struck up a conversation, which ended in tears of laughter. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that no doubt will last a lifetime.

From this friendship, began the glimmer of an idea - to give back to our community and to help those in need.  Circumstances and events enforced this idea and we made up our minds to start a charity drive to give back, expand consciousness, create awareness and essentially create a platform for other Travelstarters to get involved.

Months of hard work, laughter & planning culminated in today - 7th August 2009 - the day we presented our initiative to our management team who, as it turns out, are as excited about this as we are. Today marks the day that Travelstart angels - our charity initiative, finally gets its wings.

We will be putting this plan in motion and continuing our journey and we cannot wait to share our experiences and joys with all of you. Watch this space...

Much love,
Travelstart angels

This is the International Year of Astronomy and Namibia is preparing themselves for stargazers from across the world. Namibia offers the stargazer unpolluted clear skies. Apparently you can see 70 per cent more of our galaxy than anywhere in Europe.

The Tourism Board in Namibia advises that Sossusvlei is one of the most ideal settings Namibia offers.

At Sossusvlei Lodge they have their own observatory with the most powerful electronic telescope in the country. The most amazing thing about this lodge is that you can gaze at the stars through an expansive star-viewing window above your bed and you also have your own personal compact telescope in your room!

The Amani Lodge (altitude of 2 150 metres) put up amateur telescopes for stargazers and the Hakos Guest Farm offers guided star tours.

Photo: Paul Watson

March is a great time for being in the Cape - if you are a cyclist competing in the Cape Argus that is. This year's race may have run into the strong Cape winds, but I don't think it deterred the 35 000 odd competitors.

The wind this year seemed exceptionally strong, blowing competitors off their bikes and definitely slowing down the race.

This year Matt Damon also competed (for charity) alongside Francois Pienaar. Damon is in South Africa shooting a movie based on South Africa's 1995 Rugby World Cup win. He will be playing Pienaar (the captain of the 1995 team).

To view photos:

• SocialiteLife
• The Times
• CelebTrashTalk

Upcoming events in South Africa that you may not want to miss:

• The Comrades Marathon 24 May 2009
• Vodacom Durban July (horse racing) 

Photo: SA-Venues.com

Johannesburg is alive with dance and music with the FNB Dance Umbrella the next couple of weeks.

Performances can be seen at various venues around Johannesburg: Wits Theatre Complex (Braamftontein), Dance Factory, Market Theatre and Market Theatre Laboratory (Newtown) and the UJ Centre for the Arts (Auckland Park).

If I were you I wouldn't want to miss performances by (some of) the internationally acclaimed performers.

Tickets for the FNB Dance Umbrella are available at the door or can be booked at Strictly Tickets (www.ticket.co.za) on 087 806 5001 and prices range from R60,00 to R100,00. Concessions/block bookings and subscription tickets are available. Booking opens in January 2009.

Remember, Johannesburg is just a flight away - so get clicking and go to Travelstart to book flight tickets.

Howick is a town with many historic buildings including St Lukes, which was Howick's first church (1864), then there is the old Howick Falls Hotel just outside of town, other historical buildings worth mentioning is the Old Agricultural Hall and the Howick History Museum.

Probably the most well-known attraction is Howick Falls. The water plunges over a 100 metres right into the Umgeni River. You can admire the falls from a viewing platform at the top, or you could look at it from the bottom, to reach the bottom you will have to take the two-hour (return) Gorge Trail Hike.  For a different view of the falls you could abseil down the Howick Falls for an adrenalin rush.

Howick is a definite must for any visit to the Kwazulu Natal province with its walking, hiking and scenery prospects!

Photo: Krusty

This year has flown by so quickly for me. I looked forward to visiting Europe for so long and then finally booked my trip, went on it and came back home to sunny South Africa.

My trip to Europe was wonderful and now, only a few weeks later, I'm already missing being there. This holiday also marked the longest holiday I have ever taken - so according to me, 2008 was a great year.

Christmas this year will be a family affair once more - somewhere in Magoebaskloof (near Tzaneen and Polokwane). Christmas looks like it is going to be a scorcher with rain in the afternoon - if I read the weather patterns correctly. Traffic between Johannesburg / Pretoria and Tzaneen is always horrendous this time of year (and any long-weekend). Tollgates will hold up traffic and I will most probably again have the get in a 1km queue to pay and drive off.

I will welcome the new year at home in Johannesburg with my bottle of South African sparkling wine (because South African wine is the best) and probably fall asleep before midnight.

2009, well, I make no promises or resolutions - but it will be a good year to live in South Africa, where the sun shines and the lions don't roam the streets.

The last day of 2008

I spent my new year's eve at the Brazen in Fourways with the Irishman's family. Live entertainment by Hat-Trick and 25 dishes on the menu (including a glass of champagne at midnight). I wore my favourite T-shirt that I bought in Ireland and quite a few Irish people came to say just how much they loved my Lansdowne T-shirt.

The first day of 2009

I got up quite early, but thusfar, I have done nothing but look out over my patio onto the open field.

PS. HOWZIT is a South African greeting. It means "Hello" and "How are you?", all in one.

I love Christmas, decorating the tree, wrapping presents, eating lots of fruit cake and drinking homemade “ginger beer”.

Every year, since I moved to Johannesburg, I would drive up to my parents and spend Christmas on the farm. My dad would cut down a tree from the plantation just because I’m coming. My mom’s fruit cake would have had a few weeks to soak up the whisky and the ginger beer’s sultanas would be floating at the top, tightly blown and ready to steal when nobody is watching.

My mother always makes little presents for the children on the farm. Little sweets and small toys – just enough to make their eyes twinkle. Then, just after the 16th of December, my parents would drive down from their house up in the mountains to the houses by the road and call the children to get their little presents.

I could never sleep the night before Christmas and everybody knew why... I needed to open my presents and always tried to get it earlier. On Christmas day we would have a big South African potjie lunch with vegetables, chicken and rice that my dad makes on an open fire. My mom would make a “roly poly” with apricot jam, a recipe that my grandmother handed down.

The best thing about Christmas in Africa, the sun is always shining and by noon the heat sometimes gets unbearable enough so that you could go swim in a river and eat cooled watermelon as a snack before the next round of ginger beer and fruit cake.

Spare a thought...

This year has seen many a Zimbabwean crossing over into South Africa due to economic conditions back home. Some of these people arrive over the border with little more than what they are wearing. If they are lucky they will find a job and be able to send money to family in Zimbabwe.

Spare a thought in 2009 for Zimbabweans in dire need, far from home and families.