EUROPE 2026 : VENICE

Saturday 30 May to Thursday 4 June

I love Venice and I feel so at home when I'm here; 6 days is not enough. We shared an apartment in Cannaregio with Larry and Jean. Very local. Down a narrow lane and at the end of our, a hidden supermarket! Our group included Fred and Terri and Mandy and Tommy too. We came for the Art Bienale, we visited some neighbouring islands but my best thing about Venice is hanging out in Canneregio and the less touristy areas; strolling about and enjoying the food and wine! One of my favourite spots is Paradiso Perduto and this year, it's literally our local. 

We headed straight there for live music and a very late and noisy dinner on Saturday night. Venice is not a late night city but Saturdays on Fondamenta Misercordia are a bit of an exception. We enjoya stroll, stopping for a drink or a coffee or a plate of cicchetti. Osteria Dei Mori and Antica Adelaide are a couple more gems we've added to our list this year.

EUROPE 2026 : MUNICH AND FAREWELL TO HOMER

Monday 25 to Friday 29 May

We flew from Joburg to Zurich on our favourite Swissair. The train ride to Munich was easy. Munich station is still one big construction site with massive closures and disruptions on both S and U bahn services. In the end we took an Uber all the way out to Altomunster to fetch Homer there for the very last time.

Tommy and Mandy are taking over Homer and he's going to become Irish.

We arrived at Campingplatz Thalkirchen to find it's also one big construction site. We spent a few hours going through all our stuff and throwing a lot away.

Our last night's sleep in Homer was so comfy and on Wednesday morning we left the campsite feeling very nostalgic.

Homer has been a big part of our travelling life for the last 18 years. If you add up all the months we've lived in this camper since 2008; it's over three whole years! 

We met Tommy and Mandy at the vehicle registration agent to hand over the license plates and registration papers. And then all 4 of us plus their luggage got stuck in the very small and very hot lift. For over an hour!

When the technicians got the lift doors open we were between floors and had to scramble out of a narrow gap. Needless to say we went directly to the nearest bar for water, beer and pizza.

The summer weather was glorious for beer gardens and outdoor dining and we got to catch up with quite a few special friends over the next few days.

Farewell Homer!

KZN CAMPING TRIP 2026 : MAHAI CAMPSITE, ROYAL NATAL NP

Saturday 16 May and Sunday 17 May

We spent the last 2 nights of our trip at Mahai Campsite in the Northern Drakensberg. A great, well maintained campsite with stunning views.

The only thing to put me off- the very cold nights!

Thanks to Hanlie and Andrew, also Tommy and Mandy for a great month on the road. 

Feeling a bit nostalgic packing the caravan up for another year.

KZN CAMPING 2026 : UP AND DOWN SANI PASS

Thursday 14 May

Neil and I have done this before but it's a first for Hanlie and Andrew.

From Himeville, the tarred road up to the SA border is a pleasure.

Clearing immigration is easy. Sani Pass is 8kms of treacherous and dangerously narrow rocky 4x4 track in no-man's land switchbacking up to the Lesotho border at the top of the Berg.

The views are breathtaking; the drive is nerve-wracking.

At the top is Sani Mountain Lodge; the highest pub in Africa at 2874m.

A tip -  New owners now require you to book online in advance and pay R200 pp, which you offset with lunch and drinks. Probably too many entitled, freeloading tourists in the past!

We had amarula coffee and tasty chicken bunnychow in homemade bread!

Then back down the mountain again. Another tip - allow an hour for the pass each way. On the downward trip you have to pull over and wait for any upcoming vehicles to pass where it's wide enough.

Yay! We made it!

KZN CAMPING TRIP 2026 : COBHAM NATURE RESERVE, SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG

Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th May

An easy drive from Pmb to Underberg and a quick stop to shop. Good coffee and toasted sandwich take-aways too. We have the whole campsite at Cobham ( KZN Ezemvelo again) to ourselves; what a pleasure is that?

We do have to share with a few horses and a zebra that thinks he's a horse.

Sadly the ablutions are not that well maintained but we can cope. The Drakensberg is cold and it's my own fault for not packing enough warm clothes. I find winter layers so uncomfortable! I'm just not a cold weather person. The Drakensberg is also amazingly beautiful- even to me who is not a mountain person.

Sitting around the fire under cold, starry skies has it's moments but having heating in the caravan is a bonus. There's no power hook up here but we can use our solar inverter. Doing the prep for dinner before dark helps but that means eating early.

Even after lots of drinks and card games in the caravan, bedtime is 8pm!

I'm not liking spending 12 hours in bed waiting for the sun in the morning but the others don't seem to mind.

We spent a bit of time in Himeville on Friday for a museum visit and connectivity.