One of the benefits of my previous relationship was the luxury of experiencing New Year in a different country every year. Why one would give up such a luxury seems absurd:-)

In 2015 we started in Hong Kong, great place to use as a stop over, not one you need too man days to explore. There’s the added benefit if you South African, you don’t need a visa. What I would highly recommend though, is that you get permission to visit Main land China while you there. On a second visit we took a ferry to Macau and discovered that main land Chin was just one ferry away from Macau, but we needed a visa to visit China.

There are many MUST DO things in Hong Kong, google will give you that. My trip was made special because it was full of awe, wonder and the most delightful people. Hong Kong has brilliant, affordable public transport.  I boarded a “Junk Boat” to deliver me to a floating restaurant. The journey on the “Junk Boat” was quite an experience, you pass many boats on the bay, most of which are inhabited by locals and you almost question your sanity about trying the floating restaurant.

Fortunately when the Junk Boat pulls up alongside the Floating restaurant, it’s splendor, makes you comfortable enough to get on board. Aboard the restaurant, there is lush opulence, a real experience of how the upper class lived. The food and the service were exemplary. The setting felt surreal, almost like you were back in the day of Sovereignty.

But once off the boat, you take a bus to visit the Tian Tan Buddha, when there if your health/ego permits, climb all the way to the top. The temple and the view are priceless. Great tip, stand in line and ride down in  cable car. Breath taking, a tad chilly for your bum in winter though, so make sure you wearing pants.

The cable car takes you back to the Hong Kong waterfront. I was suitably hungry, by this time and we headed to The Peninsula, at 19-21 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
for a British colonial high tea. Truthfully, I enjoyed the china (pardon the pun), more than the meal. Of course, my belly would not forgive me for such a tease of tiny food and we had to get some delicious, wholesome, appetite satisfying food hen kuai (quickly). It helps if you learn the basics of mandarin, the locals are so much more receptive to you if you do.

With my large appetite satisfied and the sun having set, we headed out to the waterfront again for the Symphony of Lights. This is a show of lights, played off different high rise buildings on the waterfront. What a feast for the eyes. And it’s FREE.

Once your senses are stimulated you can’t exactly go to bed. Head out to Lan Kwai Fong Street – it is where Hong Kong houses its pubs and clubs. Perfectly safe, accessible and so much fun. You also get to meet amazing people from around the world. What a treat!

You may also think you a DJ and take over a deck at a random place….but that’s another story. 2015 was my first visit to Hong Kong, I’ve been back and I can assure you, if it’s an option as a lay over I will do it again and again. PS, you can check in your luggage at the airport (in the middle of the city) and then explore and revisit place you have come to love in Hong Kong, before its time to jet off again. I wish more countries would do this, its not fun roaming an airport for 3-4 hours between flights.

Ahhh before I forget, my highlight was of course DISNEY. Park tickets if you are converting from rands are expensive but worth every penny in any currency. There is a direct train from Hong Kong city to Disney. Please don’t try and experience the whole park in half a day, give yourself a full day. Its not just about what you see, it’s what you feel, hear and experience at Disney. I have to admit, I do not believe that Disney is the bench mark for customer service. Their staff lacked the enthusiasm and wonder that goes with the park, fortunately for me though, I had enough for us both:-)

 

I have lived in KZN almost my entire life. Despite travelling a fair amount of the time for business and pleasure, I had never considered staying at  Garden Court Hotel. I can’t give you an explanation as to why.

So I was off to Durban to enjoy some RnR, with family and friends and opted to check out the Garden Court Umhlanga. I was pleasantly surprised. It is less than 20 minutes from King Shaka International and despite being positioned in the busy hub of Umhlanga, it offers a feeling of quiet tranquility. I arrived really late and was so thankful that my check in too less than 5 minutes.

When I got to my room, I found a hand written welcome note. This was such a surprise, as I could not remember the last time someone had taken the time to hand write me a note. I have kept this note as a reminder of how simple things can mean so much…..especially to a weary traveler. I was also surprised by how spacious the room and bathroom was. I would definitely stay at this hotel again, convenient, comfortably and quite classy.

If you wanting to book, I highly recommend you check out bookings.com or hotels.com for a competitive rate. However you book, the hotel provides such value for money without compromising on the quality and level of service and experience. I loved the pool at night, the view from my 5th floor room was magical.

Oh, I have to tell you rugby teams often stay here, so you might be delightfully surprised when you sit down to breakfast and one of our favorite rugby players are seated right next to you….. did I mention that their house wine is delicious!

 

 

So many of us put off travel, for when we “have time”, when we older, when things have settled, when we have enough money.

Truth is there is never an ideal time, there is “enough money”, nor is there is an age when it will be right. But I can assure you the best time to travel, explore and have an adventure is RIGHT now! It doesn’t have to be an exorbitant international, bucket list trip. It can be as simple as discovering something on your door step that you have never explored before and making a trip of it.

I moved to the city, Johannesburg from a coastal city in Durban called Umhlanga. It has been an adjustment, after all, I don’t have the luxury of watching the ebb and flow of waves at my peril, neither can I enjoy the sweet lullaby of crashing waves on a golden shore as often as I used to. However I discovered Little Paris here in Johannesburg.

If you are ever n the mood to reminisce  about a previous visit to the iconic Eiffel Tower or the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, or experience a part of what you will see when you do get to France, make your way down to French Toast, enroute to Hartebeespoort Dam. You can find all the information you need at  http://frenchtoastharties.co.za/.

They have a mini Eiffel Tower, an impressive love lock bridge and the quaintest french bistro. It’s a 40min drive from Jhb, but well worth it. I would highly recommend you buy your own locks to take along though, the ones on sale are very over priced.

I spent the mid morning with my son here, so it will always be special to me. We don’t share many common interests.

I had also recently returned from Paris, having experienced this first hand, so it was a wonderful way to reminisce about my European adventure. But that adventure deserves it’s own story……in my next article.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton