voyage in design

chapmans to kommetjie

Posted on April 4, 2013 by voyageindesign

Chapmans to Kommetjie : 5 hours 3 minutes

Yesterday we finished walking at Constantia Nek, but today we decided to skip the section leading up to Silvermine and down into Hout Bay (due to time constraints), and went straight to East Fort at Chapmans. The weather unfortunately was not great to start with – low lying clouds and a bit of drizzle greeted us at the start, but there was no turning back.

The trail from East Fort essentially traverses from the road higher and higher up the side of the mountain, to finally join up with Hoerikwaggo Trail again. In the beginning the gravel path is a more gently sloping trail, surrounded by lush green fynbos vegetation, so the setting is very picturesque. Whenever there was a parting of the clouds we used the opportunity to take a photo.

At first you don’t realize how high you have climbed as the trail turns from one that traverses to one that has plenty of ups and downs over the peaks, but when you look down to the road below you quickly get an idea. By this point you have started to work a little more and the length of the mountain now seems endless. Luckily it is a very easy path to follow and the views back towards Hout Bay are fantastic.

Once we ‘turned the corner’ the path joined up with the Hoerikwaggo Trail and flattened out quite a bit. It was easy walking and good views over the other side of the mountain now, looking out towards Fish Hoek. Until we reached little champans that is. It took us 2 hours and 40 minutes to get there. This was the final peak before starting our descent down to Noordhoek beach.

It was at this point we came across three guys hiking, and they looked shattered and desperately asked us if it got any easier. After a few words of encouragement we sent them on their way and felt quite good about ourselves, until we started the descent. It was a long, steep descent that seemed never-ending! I do not know how they made it up from the beach to the peak and no wonder they looked so shattered. Just as well the views are so spectacular!

Gosh, we were pleased to finally make it to the beach! My legs were starting to get that shaky feeling you get after going down many many stairs. It took us 3 hours 46 minutes, so you get an idea of how long the downhill section is. The beach was a welcome flat walk and nice change of scenery, but by no means is it short and sweet. Noordhoek beach is several kilometers long and it took us over an hour to get to Kommetjie beach (it is possible to walk from one directly onto the other). The view back along the beach of the mountains is fantastic.

Time for a well earned shower, meal and drink!

Categories: amazing places, south africa | Tags: cape town, chapmans peak, hiking, hoerikwaggo trail, hout bay, kommetjie, long beach, noordhoek | Leave a comment

table mountain to constantia nek

Posted on April 3, 2013 by voyageindesign

Table Mountain to Constantia Nek : 2 hours 56 minutes

The housemate and I decided that on this trip to Cape Town we would finally walk the Hoerikwaggo Trail from Cape Point to Table Mountain, except that due to work time constraints we decided to break it into smaller sections, and go the other way…

Our planning for day one was to start at Table Mountain and walk to Constantia Nek. After a morning of work we set out in the heat of day, but decided to catch the cable car up instead of walking to save time. For those wanting to walk up, Skeleton Gorge only takes about an hour (give or take depending on fitness). You will however pop up about 10 minutes along the trail so will miss the first section from the cable car station, which I think has some of the best views over Cape Town and Lions Head.

Starting from the meeting point just outside the cable station, we followed the yellow footprints and HT signs (Hoerikwaggo Trail). The trail takes you along the front edge of Table Mountain, with your views extending out over Lions Head, the city bowl and up the west coast. The views are excellent and the flat rocky terrain make for easy walking.

Having read other reviews, people were saying that there is no signage and it’s a difficult path to follow, which is simply not true. The yellow feet show periodically along the trail, the trail itself is obvious, and there are also maps and signposts enroute. Just be aware that the signs posts are on embedded in the ground.

The trail starts moving ‘inland’ towards to the first marker, Maclears Beacon, which is the highest point on Table Mountain. The walk from the cable car station to Maclears Beacon took us 42 minutes. From this point you will start meandering downwards past Eco Valley and picturesque dams. Be aware that Eco Valley is part of another route, so make sure you are following the correct signposts to your destination, which in our case was Constantia Nek.

Once you start descending into the Eco Valley area the vegetation changes from rocky and sparse fynbos to a thicker and greener lusher vegetation. There are a few ups and downs over peaks, but in general it was a descending climb. Walking downhill is often easier than going up, but at some points there were larger steps that required sitting down to make the drop. When we passed people huffing and puffing walking the other way it did seem as though we had chosen the easier direction, although overall I would not rate this section as being difficult or challenging.

One you reach the camping huts (which took us 2 hours) you know its just a matter of making your way down to constantia nek along a meandering path. The final section and the traverse path down is rather dull, but thankfully they have put in a stair path to cut straight down through it. Day 1 complete.

Packing your bags? We arranged lifts to drop us off at Table Mountain and to collect us at Constantia Nek, but the Cape Town sightseeing buses do stop just across the road from Constantia Nek so you can always hop on one of those. The one way ticket up the cable car cost R105 per person.

While some people are concerned about personal safety on the mountain, this is not something that we felt was an issue at all. The mountain is very safe and we passed several people throughout the day. If you do not know the mountain and do not want a guide, be sure to take a hiking map with you. We bought ours here - http://www.slingsbymaps.com – and they were detailed maps of the whole trial and very user friendly. Pack lots of water as it gets very hot on the mountain and there isn’t anywhere to fill up along the way, this goes for snacks too. And incase of an emergency, take a mobile phone with you. Safety first!

Categories: amazing places, south africa | Tags: cable car, cape town, constantia nek, hiking, hoerikwaggo trail, maclears beacon, table mountain | 1 Comment

africanismo

Posted on March 31, 2013 by voyageindesign

It seems that every time I travel to Cape Town – or anywhere in Africa for that matter – I become more and more besotted with African curios. African tribal masks, statues of giraffes (the taller the better), colonial houseboy statues and of course, the bokkie. You name it, I either want it or already own one. I mean, I do start out the trip strong, determined to go home empty handed, but the longer the trip the weaker I become.

With that in mind it’s only natural I pay a visit to Greenmarket Square, probably the most well known place for buying Africa curios in Cape Town. As a repeat visitor I was slightly disappointed by the lack of variety – or lack of change in variety – and seemingly lower quality and higher prices for the ‘usual’ stuff, but I still believe that it holds value for those on their first visit to Cape Town. If nothing else it certainly is a lovely setting with the cobblestone streets surrounded by old colonial buildings, leafy green trees and street cafes.

Next stop was Long Street where I happened across a shop called Tribal Trends that was not on the list. Looking far more chic and modern than any other Africa curio shop I have been into it, I was slightly hesitant that it was going to be an overpriced tourist trap. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised! Instead I was greeted by a well curated selection of African objects soured from throughout the Africa continent, all of which were beautifully displayed throughout the space. The feather headdresses originating from Cameroon and the collection of ostrich feathers were amazing. Naturally it was the bokkie that caught my eye….both hands were full when I left!

Other not to be missed stops on Long Street include Imagenius and Still Life. So much to do, so little time!

Categories: cape town, inspiring spaces | Tags: african, decor, design, greenmarket square, tribal | Leave a comment

cape town heart flutter

Posted on March 30, 2013 by voyageindesign

A trip to Cape Town gets my heart racing at the thought of the amazing South African design overload that I am about to experience. To get the down low on the latest and greatest places to visit I always turn to my two favorite Cape Town based design blogs, iwantthat and lanaloustyle. Their knowledge and reviews of all the best places to go make putting a list of hot picks together not only a breeze, but super exciting. With shops spread all over Cape Town I inevitably plan my days by area, and this trip started in the southern suburbs.

An old favourite Block & Chisel has such as great mix of classic home furnishing pieces combined with quirky accessories, that seem to be sourced from all over the world. As with all design shops, or make that any retail store, its the design and layout of the shop itself that is half the reason we love what is inside, and desire – yes desire – its contents. And Block & Chisel is very very good at this. As someone slightly obsessed with all things bokkie and anything sporting an antler, their wall display of real and ceramic heads had me in a spin.

A little further down the main road is Ebony & Ivory, who tout themselves as a ribbon emporium, but have so many other bits and pieces on the go too. Absolutely their ribbons are beautiful and set out in stunning displays. I was also very taken with their selection of party favours and table decorations. I just love the retro vintage feeling they have going on in-store!

While you’re in the area be sure to pop into Farriers centre and have a look see at Farriers shop and Smitten. Two more shops that are sure to get the design pulses racing!

Categories: cape town, inspiring spaces | Tags: block & chisel, decor, design, ebony & ivory, farriers, iwantthat, lanaloustyle | Leave a comment

island hopping…malapascua

Posted on February 14, 2013 by voyageindesign

Trying to get to Malapasuca didn’t come easy. Arriving back at San Remigio ferry pier we were inundated by taxi drivers asking excessive amounts to get to Maya pier not even 30kms away. After rebuffing them all we found ourselves alone and stranded at the pier. Hmmm, sometimes its better to pay a little more!

We happened across a man with his motorbike tuk tuk taxi, and for a more reasonable amount we agreed on the exchange and squeezed inside. It soon became apparent why we had reached our bargained rate…our driver only sort of knew where he was going, and every 20 minutes or so was stopping and asking for directions. Then it started to rain….

I did laugh when the plastic sheet came out and was pegged into place as the protective windscreen. The duct tape holding some bike pieces together was slightly alarming, but from the prices we paid I can understand why. Nevertheless we made it one piece and got a fantastic tour of the surrounding countryside on the way.

Arriving at the pier we joined the group of people huddled under the small shelter at the pier edge, all clearly waiting for the next ferry across. We immediately received offers of a private boat across to Malapascua for 1,000 pesos, which we certainly scoffed at considering the public ferry costs a mere 80 pesos. We were eventually herded onto a small rowing boat with a few local people and taken out to a larger ferry boat. I was asking prices and no one was answering. Until we were out at sea that is, and then the ‘captain’ told us that we owed him 500 pesos for the boat trip as we were on his family boat. We had clearly been scammed and even with finger pointing and discussions no one was backing down. We were unceremoniously dumped on a random beach (after paying up) and had to make our through the local village to find our way to the main beach. Thanks so the friendly locals for pointing us in the right direction.

After drying out at the hotel we put it behind us and decided there was nothing that a delicious seafood lunch overlooking the ocean couldn’t remedy!

The beach front of Malapascua is far more picturesque and user friendly than Bantayan. The bars and restaurants are separated from the beach front by a lovely sandy pedestrian path, and the back of the beach is lined with palm trees. The sand slopes down gently into the clear water and several old style wooden fishing boats are tethered to the palm trees. It’s a great beach setting.

When we arrived the island seemed deserted, but then we realized that since Malapasuca is know for its diving and is full of diving schools, everyone else was clearly out on their dives. It seemed as though we had the island to ourselves…. follow blissful relaxation.

In the early evening when everyone returned from their day of diving, the music was cranked up a couple of notches notch and there was a very social vibe on the island, with beach front bars and restaurants aplenty.

Malapascua is the perfect setting for doing very little! We used our mornings when the tide was out for walks as far round the island as we could go. Low tide means exposed rocks and the water recedes quite far out, so swimming was saved for high tide only. Lazy lunches sitting with your toes in the sand were followed by afternoons swimming and lying on the beach. Post siesta meant time to for a few cheeky drinks and to indulge in yet more seafood.

A Little Gem!

Packing your bags? Our tuk tuk transfer from San Rimigo to Maya piers took 1 hour 40 minutes and cost 500 pesos. The public ferry from Maya to Malapascua costs 80 pesos, but a ‘private’ boat can cost around 500 pesos. The journey lasts about 35 minutes. We used our same car transfer from Maya to Cebu airport, which took us 2.5 hours. Don’t forget you need 550 pesos departure tax per person, to be paid at the airport.

Sleeping over? We stayed at Slams Garden Resort, which was quite pleasant for budget to mid-range accommodation and also a little secluded from the noise and the action of the beach front. If I had to choose again I would stay in the area of Exotic Beach and Dive Resort as the beachfront there was the nicest.

Eating out? Craic house definitely served some of the best food on the island. An unlikely irish bar on the beach, it has a mix of dish styles, but my personal favorites included the aubergine, tomato & feta salad, the chorizo quesadillas and the squid. Ocean Vida also had a few tasty treats on the menu, except for the calamari. As with Bantayan service and food orders are extremely slow, so keep that in mind.

Categories: amazing places | Leave a comment

island hopping…bantayan

Posted on February 13, 2013 by voyageindesign

My sun seeking self had the great need for blue skies and hot hot weather, so we decided on some island hopping in the Philippines for a mini break.

Bring on Bantayan!

Arriving on the ferry from San Remigio we were very surprised to see our names on a welcome sign. Our little hotel had someone waiting for us at the ferry pier, even though they didn’t know what time we would arrive that day….amaze!

This was a clear step up from what we were mentally prepared for. Research had not produced much beyond the budget accommodation category, so the shower shoes and silk liner sleeping bags had been strategically packed. A kind of wind-blown rustic charm met us at our hotel, as well as many many smiles as one comes across in the friendly Philippines.

There was some serious tuck and roll action into swimwear as we beelined into the sunshine. The beach was an interesting one… not quite the paradise were expecting from all the hype. The shoreline is clearly being washed away so they are in the process of putting in sandbanks to save it, but at the same time it is creating quite a sheer drop down to the water and an issue of how to go for a swim. Nevertheless we soldiered on and day one was spent soaking up the sunshine, combined with either sleeping, eating or reading the day away. Until the afternoon showers set in… after a 2 hour mini storm the skies cleared and it was time to head out on the town.

I am not quite sure how it is possible to get lost where there is just one main street on the island, but somehow we detoured down some back streets and were wondering just how deserted the island was. Once put right we came across the main street, taken up with bars, restaurants and street food sellers selling some of the best barbecued chicken on a stick I have ever eaten!

Blue ice restaurant appeared to be the most popular place in town, and I think it was down to their really unique set up. The had a large bar taking the far side of the restaurant, with a combination of sand floor and concrete paths in the restaurant making you feel as though you were back on the beach. The seating was a combination of long and round wooden tables with heavy wooden chairs or stools, and the ceiling had an assortment of sea shell chandelier hanging throughout the restaurant. The chandeliers screamed 70’s style timeshare by day, but by night they cast a glowing charm over the restaurant, all of which is essentially outdoors with just a protective thatch ceiling.

The main street was a fun street to walk up and down, with good bars lining the street to sit and watch the comings and goings. The street was most definitely not tourists only, and we could have spent hours watch the local kids playing their games. The girls were involved in dancing competitions – with some great moves – while the boys were racing and chasing each other through the streets.

Day two in Bantayan started with more glorious sunshine and blue skies. Nothing like reliable Philippines weather to make a great holiday!! While there is probably more to Bantayan island, our plan was most definitely chilling on the beach for a couple of days.

The beaches around our hotel weren’t that great. A beach walk around the corner to our right had a glorious looking stretch of beach and we were greeted by a vibey little bar. The sand however was a little shelly and rough and flip-flops were required. Walking along the beach towards the ferry pier took us through a local village area, and the beach was sadly strewn with lots of rubbish washed up on the shoreline.

Coming out of the village on the other side of the pier we found the beach front and sand was much softer and finer, and the beach was lined with gorgeous palm trees. Here the hotels even raked and cleaned their beach fronts for their guests – what a difference it makes! We got ourselves a spot outside placid beach hotel, which certainly had the best stretch of beach that we came across, and spent our afternoon there.

After a big day of doing nothing we caught a bicycle tuk tuk into town. We initially thought we were negotiating for two tuk tuks but somehow we both landed up in the same one. It was both extremely embarrassing and hilarious to see us cramped into the seats with the driver pedaling hard with his two heavy passengers onboard. We focussed on soaking up the scenery along the road from placid beach to the main street.

Then it was back to the main street to soak up the scene on our last night, before an early morning ferry out. What a cool little place!

Packing your bags? Getting to Bantayan island is not very convenient. We flew into Cebu airport at night and had organised a car transfer to Hagnaya Beach resort near the San Remigio ferry pier where we stayed overnight. The drive took 2 hours 20 minutes and cost us 2,500 pesos. We used a driver by the name of Danny (dannymar07@yahoo.com.ph) who was very good and reliable. San Remigio ferry pier is a hive of activity, and for those looking for a snack a barbecue chicken on a stick will cost you P40 and P15 for a bottle of water. First class ferry tickets cost us P185 each and P10 in tax.

Sleeping over? We stayed at the Hagnaya beach resort close to San Remigio ferry pier. The hotel then gave us a transfer to the pier in the morning. On Bantayan we stayed at Marlins Beach Resort, which is considered budget to mid-range accommodation. Basic rooms, clean and neat. The biggest downside was the restaurant, which took at least 40 minutes to serve you your food, even when the place was empty. Full reviews on tripadvisor – look for voyageindesign.

Eating out? Blue Ice was seemingly the most popular restaurant in town, with great interiors, a vibey bar and decent food. The service, as it seemed on the whole island, was desperately slow. We weren’t in any great rush to go somewhere so it wasn’t too bad, but just make sure you don’t sit down super hungry otherwise your patience will definitely run out. Directly across the road is what I considered to be the second most popular restaurant in town, but without a name?! It had a very popular bar, but the restaurant seating layout was a bit weird leaving a massive space in the middle which is what I think put people off. The food was decent and the service was probably the best in town. Definitely the nicest waitresses and bar staff around. A sizzling dish of prawns or squid cost P195, a pasta dish cost P175 and a caprioska cost P80. Cou cou bar was an easy little place for breakfast, with a nice garden set up, free wifi and okay meals.

Categories: amazing places, philippines | Tags: bantayan, beach, blue ice bar and restaurant, san remegio | Leave a comment

kiwengwa beach

Posted on January 30, 2013 by voyageindesign

Zanzibar is of course an island, and no visit is complete with taking in some of the islands well reputed beaches. Unfortunately due to our limited time we only made it to one area – Kiwengwa beach – chosen after much research.

The beach had what I would describe as a rustic feeling about it. It was a long beach and good for the morning walks or runs, and became very wide at low tide. The sand was nice, rocky in parts, but clean and pollution free. However, if you’re looking for maldives esque white sand palm tree-lined picture perfect beaches, this is not the place for you. It is definitely the place to go if you want to get away from it all and just relax.

And that is what we did!! I specifically booked us into Shooting Star Lodge because of the pool overlooking the beach below. I knew that at the end of our African adventures pure, ever so slightly indulgent, relaxation is what we would be looking for. Shooting Star Lodge is set on a little cliff edge at one end of Kiwenwga beach, and the views from the pool deck are fabulous!

When you walk along the beach you will notice there are several large resorts lining the beach, but very unusually none of them actually made use of he beach itself for their guests. All the hotel deck chairs and loungers seemed to be set back on the grass. As you walk along the beach you do get the odd local person offering you fishing and diving tours, or trying to persuade you to visit their shop, but nothing too aggressive or annoying. However from the vantage point at our swimming pool, the beach looked deserted and empty most days – like our own private stretch of beach.

We spent our days moving between the sun loungers and the pool, with the further movement to the dining table to eat during meal times and then back to the sun loungers until the sun set. It seemed like everyone else had the same idea, and there was very little noise throughout the day as people lazily read books or quietly went about their business. Pure relaxation!

Packing your bags? To get from stone town to Kiwengwa beach cost us tsz50,000 in a taxi and took 50 minutes. We bargained for this price but after speaking to a few taxi drivers the prices seemed fairly similar. Our driver was Moh’d A Abdalla (on +255 777 419125 / +255 768 195481) and he was a great guy, very mellow. We also arranged our airport transfer with him on our way out, and he was completely reliable coming to collect us in Kiwengwa.

Sleeping over? We stayed at Shooting Star Lodge. What an amazing setting!!! A fantastic boutique lodge with a rustic feeling to it sitting on the cliff edge with a stunning overflow pool, and oh so relaxing and quiet. The reviews on the food is what sold the place to me, however I found the food to be average on some days and just good on others, so a bit hit and miss. Instead of doing the full board package I would consider half board and head out to the surrounding hotels for lunch. Since Kiwengwa is very secluded, heading out at night and arranging taxis requires more effort, than walking along the beach during the day. Be sure to bring along any snacks and potentially some alcohol if you want. We didn’t see a shop for miles. The bar prices are reasonable on some things, and not on others. Bottles of wine ranged from ok to quite expensive, but the selection was fairly decent.

Categories: amazing places, zanzibar | Tags: kiwengwa beach | Leave a comment

stone town – the sights

Posted on January 30, 2013 by voyageindesign

I was finally forced out of the back streets and into the daylight to see what else stone town had to offer…

By day a trip on a dhow is a definite highlight! Dhows are the old style local fishing and sailing boats, made from solid wood with the striking sails. We hired one for a few hours to take us out to a sand bank off the shores of stone town. At low tide there are several isolated sandbanks that pop out of the water off the coast of Zanzibar. It sounded like a perfect morning adventure. The guys work hard and fast to get the sails on the dhows up to catch the wind, but once they are up it is smooth sailing all the way.

It took us about an hour to sail out to the sandbank, which looked like nothing more than an isolated beach in the middle of the ocean. Amaze!

At the ends, the sandbar was only as wide as our feet before disappearing into the water. In the middle it was probably only 15 metres wide at most. The surrounding water lived up to expectations with amazing shades of turquoise and aquamarine, and crystal clear too. It’s quite a phenomenal sensation to be on a tiny sandbank (or island) in the middle of the ocean with nothing around you for miles (not counting the boat).

Back on dry land, the old fort is another place of interest, although it isn’t a very large fort. The high stone walls are still very imposing and the amphitheater inside is a great setting. Inside the fort the locals are catering to the tourists with all the internal rooms turned into curio and art & craft shops.

Having tried a few options, I believe THE spot for sundowners is Maru Maru rooftop bar. The rooftop bar has a mediterranean feel with low white walls affording you fantastic views across the rooftops of stone town and out over the ocean. The low cushioned seating, vibey background music, tasty bbq snacks and happy hour drinks are just the finishing touches to the amazing setting.

By night Foodharni Gardens at the waterfront is a very popular spot where they hold a nightly fresh food market – not for the faint of heart. It is buzzing with people – tourists and locals alike – as well as the essential ingredient, the street food vendors. Zanzibar pizza seemed to be one of the most popular dishes on offer. It’s fascinating to watch them make it from tiny piece of dough about the size of a large coin which turns out more like a savory crepe, which they fill with different toppings and then fry. Another highlight is the local sugar cane drink. It’s made using an old school grinding machine that they feed the sugar cane through to squash it and squeeze out the liquid, which runs over ice cubes and is mixed with sugar, before being served. And if you’re like me and love anything barbecued on a stick, expect a feast!

Packing your bags? Our dhow sandbar excursion we just arranged from a man on the beach and it cost us tsz80,000, for 3 hours in a sail boat. Be sure to specify sail boat or motor boat depending on what you want. Maru Maru rooftop bar had tsz5,000 cocktails during happy hour.

Categories: amazing places, zanzibar | Tags: dhow, foodharni gardens, maru maru, sand bar, stone town | 1 Comment

stepping back in time

Posted on January 30, 2013 by voyageindesign

When I arrived in stone town I thought I was going to hyperventilate from over excitement. The look, the feel, the architecture, the design, the vibes….this is EXACTLY my kind of scene!

The architecture of stone town is such a mesh of different styles with Arabic influences, Indian influences, Malay influences, African influences and colonial European influences – it creates a building landscape unlike any other I’ve seen. The added charm in the buildings themselves is their very rustic look – run down and falling apart in a very charming way. I really wish we could build new cities with this much character and charm!

To help with the preservation of the area several historic buildings have been converted into museums, or taken over by hotels, so that at least the buildings are being restored and maintained. In general each building is only a few stories high, most of them with beautiful brightly colored windows and shutters, and all with the most amazing doors!!

Stone Town is well known for its amazing door makers and I immediately started collecting photographs of the different doors. Of course I would have preferred to collect the doors themselves, but slipping them into my backpack would have been ever so slightly awkward. The doors are made of thick solid wood, and each door has its own combination of carvings etched into it, with metal studs and decoration covering the doors in different designs. Some doors are finished in brightly coloured washes, while others are made from raw wood and metal. They are quite simply beautiful!

This part of town is all about walking the streets and exploring the back alleys – in my view anyway. It’s as if time has stopped and every corner you turn there is more to discover and explore. The cobblestone streets set the tone, and the narrow alleys keep you cool from the heat of the day, but all you need to do is look up to see the bluest sky. The vintage shops are fantastic, there is amazing local artwork on offer and the interior design shops…shoo, do not even get me started!

It’s very easy to get sucked (and lost) in the back streets, but do yourself a favor and be sure not to neglect the water’s edge right there! The water comes right up to the stone wall that is the edge of the town. The ocean is a striking turquoise color, and the shoreline is dotted with local sailing boats, making you feel as though you have stepped back in time.

If you want to mix in some food with all this culture, be sure to visit Livingstone Beach Resort. When we were there it was very much still in the construction phase and only the restaurant and bar area were finished. However the owner was kind enough to give us a tour of the rest of the building which, if the restaurant design is anything to go, has the potential to be a seriously amazing place.

Coming in from the street you walk into a large open room with a sky-high ceiling, that is highlighted by the wooden beams set across it. You can’t help but be drawn to the sweeping old wooden staircase across the room. They have built an oval shaped bar in the middle of the room, to match the interior style, with gorgeous blue-glass ceiling pendants suspended over the bar counters. They turned out to be hand made in New York. I loved the space immediately.

The restaurants outdoor seating has prime position on a great stretch of beachfront, with wonderful large trees providing shade for everyone. Sitting back with your feet in the sand and soaking up the vibes is the only thing on the agenda. Pure heaven! Don’t forget to hang around for sundowners and to watch the sunset…

Packing your bags? We flew precision air from Moshi, via Dar Es Salaam, as we flew a day earlier than expected so they had to re-route our ticket. The change cost US$20 per person.

Sleeping over? Our first night we stayed out of town at the zanzibar beach resort. The place was ok – very authenticaly decorated rooms – but the whole resort have a deserted feeling to it. Our dinner was very good and my king prawns were delicious. Dinner cost us tsz 104,000 for starters, mains and a few drinks. The transfer to stone town cost tsz10,000. Accommodation in stone town is not cheap. We stayed at the stone town cafe B&B, which is very conveniently located. It is basic accommodation with decent clean room and facilities in the budget – mid range level, and a convenient cafe downstairs. Full reviews on tripadvisor.

Eating out? Livingstone beach resort was a personal favorite. Fabulous interior design, sand in the toes when sitting outside, good music and vibes and good food choices. A typical meal with starters and mains, cocktails and spirits cost us tzs120,000

Categories: inspiring spaces, stone town | Tags: design, doors, stone town, zanzibar | Leave a comment

homeward bound

Posted on January 8, 2013 by voyageindesign

Day 5 : Machame Route : Barafu Camp (4681m) to Mweka Camp (3090m) : Total of 6.3km : Time of 2 hours 56 minutes

The day had only just begun even though the summit was completed. After a post summit siesta it was time to keep walking. The walk was downhill all the way on a fairly nice path that was lined with scrubbish plants on either side. The very steep downhill from Stella Point to Barafu camp, followed by the semi steep downhill to Mweka Camp play havoc on my knees and very soon the poles were out and being used as makeshift crutches.

It felt much longer than 3 hours and on reaching the campsite I was very torn between keeping going all the way to the bottom, or setting up camp. Unfortunately the knees were having none of it. If you’re feeling strong and are keen to get off the mountain, I would say it is definitely possible to make it all the way down in the same day.

At the camp our porters gave us high fives and thumbs up, and more excitingly – hot water to clean with – before letting us sleep more. That is when the real pain came flooding in as the adrenaline ebbed away. We were feeling a little stiff and sore, and my toes still hadn’t got their sensation back.

Later we were talking to our team to hear the news on the other people making the summit, as of course you are coming across the same people each day so you are hoping your ‘friends’ make it too. Turns out the large group we passed on the way up took 14 hours for their round trip (I can’t imagine the motivation to keep going for that long!), and so far they hadn’t heard of anyone else taking less than 8 hours for their round trip that morning. That was when proper relief set in….and the sense of achievement on making the top. Well done me, I had made it!!

Day 6 : Machame Route : Mweka Camp (3090m) to Mweka Gate (1641m) : Time of 2 hours 5 minutes

I could not get up early enough. I was beyond excited to get out of the tent, back to a town and hotel with running water and to ‘real food’!

The path for the final stage was very similar to our first day. We were back in the rainforest, the path was a very gentle gravel path and it was easy walking. I felt euphoric!!

We were chatting to our guides about the summit, as we noticed they themselves had not drunk any water on the way up. Our guide said he didn’t need water as he is so used to the conditions by now. We worked out that by now he must have gone to the summit over 350 times in his a career. When he is by himself, he can get to the top in less than 2.5 hours and down in less than 45 minutes. Amazing!

I literally skipped to the ranger station to sign in when we reached the bottom. It was over. No more camping and no more camping food for me for a VERY long time!!!!!

Thank you for the amazing memories and good-bye Kilimanjaro!

Categories: amazing places | Tags: africa, hking, kilimanjaro | 1 Comment

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