Our Travels Archives - A Familia Adventure

Dec 30

2022 – Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas Y’all

By Mary | Canada, Musings, Our Travels | No Comments

I have written so few family updates this year I am embarrassed it is the end of another year in Canada and our life is a mystery to so many people we love around the world. It is no joke that the years fly by faster as you get older, and especially as kids get bigger, taller, busier and full of the joys of teenagedom. I’m not sure how we’ve arrived at this stage already, but we now have a teenager in the house, and another not very far off! So let me give you a recap of what has been a very eventful year, with some wonderful highs and thankfully not too many lows.

After 2 full years in Canada we were finally able to get back to South Africa in March this year! It was chaotic and joyful, full of laughter at all the things we’ve all been through in the last 2 years, but also full of tears – catching up after 2 emotionally hard years of missing our people back home in SA. Three weeks wasn’t close to enough time to see everyone we love, even though we tried our best to zoom around the country fitting in breakfasts, lunches and dinners with all our peeps. Leaving was even harder this time than it was when we left in February 2020 – I think I ‘ugly-cried’ solidly for 2 hours in the plane after saying good-bye to the family. My teary-ness at every opportunity is something I’m having to embrace as I rocket into middle-age. Not only do I cry for sad things, but I am also now incredibly capable of crying at any and all events, much to my children’s chagrin. So, with that said, I’m now going to drink a glass of wine while I write about my children’s considerable talents and have a good cry about how lucky I am. Read More

Jan 19

Malawi – Utter Beauty, tangled with the Raw Truths of Africa

By Mary | Hikes, Our Travels, Parks | One Comment

The unsettling reality of Africa, when you look behind the beautiful façade, managed to take hold of me as we wound our way through Malawi. It had been gnawing at my ankles for the 4 months we’d been on the road, most of the depressing things falling under the heading “governments are not about the greater good”. But the disparity between the ‘tourist’ version and the ‘real’ version of Malawi was hard to stomach. It’s not exclusive to Malawi though, it is true of most African countries, I think I had just reached my quota. I want to paint a fair picture of Malawi, because it is without a doubt one of the most magical places we have visited. But I can’t completely ignore the emotions that were stirred up while we were there. So this is my shot at an honest account. Read More

Feb 13

Tanzania – Made Me Appreciate All We Have Back Home

By Mary | Family Travel Tips, Our Travels, Parks | No Comments

I’ve been delaying writing about Tanzania for a few reasons. One, it’s been an absolutely non stop ride since we left there, and I feel like I’m only getting on top of life again now. And two, I am struggling to paint a happy picture of the place, and I didn’t want to let our brief experience taint anyone else’s travel plans. It wasn’t all bad, but let me explain… Read More

Dec 07

Rwanda – A Country of a Thousand Hills

By Mary | Hikes, Our Travels | One Comment

As you trundle over the growing hills and across the Rwandan border, the countryside changes dramatically around you. The dry, flatter land of Tanzania gives way to rolling green hills, so fertile with rich volcanic soil that crops of all description bulge in size along the sides of the road. The biggest change is that everything is green. A change I welcomed with open arms. Read More

Nov 25

Rwanda, and the Power of Unity

By Mary | Our Travels | 3 Comments

I’ve wanted to write about Rwanda since the moment we set foot in the country. It is nothing like I imagined it to be. This may be because I was 12 when the genocide happened, and in the back of my growing mind I filed Rwanda away as a war-torn African country with starving people and useless government. It is a poor excuse, and I feel embarrassed to admit it, but I knew little of the area, what it had to offer, and the history of what happened 24 years ago. It is going to be difficult to give you a full run down of events here, but I will try my best, because to understand the country now, you must know where it has been, and what it has overcome. So for those of you, who like me, did not know, here is a summary… Read More

Nov 11

Too Much of a Good Thing?..

By Mary | Hikes, Our Travels | No Comments

The last few weeks seem to have screamed by in a whirl of muddy roads, border crossings and spectacular African destinations, but it has left me far behind in filling in the little details. As I sit here, looking out over Lake Kivu, I have to fight the urge to jump ahead and tell you about Rwanda, a country we have so far found truly remarkable – but I will get to this soon enough. I have our time in Zambia to recount, as long ago as it feels now, and a fleeting trip through Tanzania to get us to this point. Read More

Oct 28

I Left a Piece of My Heart in Zimbabwe

By Mary | Our Travels, Parks | 2 Comments

Lake Kariba and Mana Pools

We left Victoria Falls after a really great stay and chartered a course across the country. We had to make it to Kariba town, on the Eastern side of the 220km long lake. Our next escapade was house boating on Lake Kariba, getting there was going to pose an adventure in itself however. Read More

Oct 16

Zimbabwe Off-limits

By Mary | Our Travels | 2 Comments

My whole life I have heard tales of how incredible Zimbabwe is, the beauty of the country and the friendliness of its people – but sadly the state of the government meant the country was in a shambles. With fuel shortages, a currency so unstable you could flush million dollar notes down the toilet (literally), and almost no food in the shops, it has been a place off-limits to its neighbouring countrymen. But with a recent change in government and hope in our hearts, we decided now was the time to give it a go. So we left Botswana after a few days of getting on top of ‘life chores’ and work in Maun, and headed in the North-West side of Zimbabwe. The border crossing was a breeze, and the locals couldn’t have been friendlier. Read More

Oct 12

Life On the Okavango

By Mary | Our Travels, Parks | No Comments

Be warned, this is not a tame tail. Life in the wild can be exactly that – wild! Before any of you think we are negligent parents, I just have to say that we didn’t know we were going to be camping 100 meters from 6 lions, or that our guide would take us right to them. For us this was about experiencing mokoro life, living like the people of the waterways. It turned out to be a more game-filled experience than we ever could have imagined though.

Oct 03

Botswana .. And the Elusive Cat

By Mary | Our Travels, Parks | No Comments

What a wild ride it’s been! Long over due for a post on what we’ve been up to, but everyday seems to be filled with life. Whether it’s crazy animal encounters, extreme trips, chilling on a river, or doing bundles of laundry, I don’t seem to have had a moment to pull my thoughts together and give you all the update you deserve. So here goes…

The Call of Africa
A poem by C. Emily-Dibb

When you’ve acquired a taste for dust,
The scent of our first rain,
You’re hooked for life on Africa
And you’ll not be right again
Till you can watch the setting moon
And hear the jackals bark
And know that they’re around you,
Waiting in the dark. Read More

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Category Archives: Our Travels

2022 – Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas Y’all

Malawi – Utter Beauty, tangled with the Raw Truths of Africa

Tanzania – Made Me Appreciate All We Have Back Home

Rwanda – A Country of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda, and the Power of Unity

Too Much of a Good Thing?..

I Left a Piece of My Heart in Zimbabwe

Lake Kariba and Mana Pools

Zimbabwe Off-limits

Life On the Okavango

Botswana .. And the Elusive Cat

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