#a trip to jozi

[ascen-sion]

Street art in South Africa 🇿🇦

[hyenaswine]

everything is ok 🙏 my art is already at the post office in LA 🙏 i'm going to see if jozie wants to go on an arcade date tomorrow 🙏 stressed about the trip but it will all work out 🙏

[colesmurf23]

(OC) Monnie The Weretoad

Bio: Monnie WereToad

Name: Monnie

Nickname: Monn

Gender: Female

Age: 26

Sexuality: Pansexua;

Birthday: June 26th

Species: Weretoad

Relationship/Boyfriend: Jordy

Family Members: Mitsue (Sister) Monna (Sister in law) Jozy (Brother in law) Mozelle (Sister in law) Jordi (Brother in law) Jordin (Brother in law) Joanne (Sister in law) Morvan (Brother in law) Joretta (Sister in law) Janelle (Sister in law) Myron (Brother in law) Maxie (Brother in law) Mora (Sister in law) Jordana (Younger Sister in law) Molly (Younger Sister in law) Moxxie (Youngest Brother in law) Lycan (Brother in law)

Personality: Playful, Hunter, Caring, Protector, Brave, Smart, Friendly, and Adventures

Friends: Sassette Smurf Smurf Lily Smurf Papa Smurf Snappy Smurf Smurf Willow Smurf Jokey Smurf Clumsy Smurf Cira (Best Friend) Coleta (2nd Best Friend) Cyan Julianne (3rd Best friend) Ebbe Clova (My bestie's oc) Keira (My bestie's oc) Roxelana (My bestie's oc) Rosara (My bestie's oc) Sierra (my bestie's oc and 4th best friend) Marcy (Our oc and 5th best friend) Kalila (Our oc and 6th best friend) Keara (Our oc) Annaliese (Our oc) Bellaria (Our oc and 7th best friend) Bleu (8th best friend) Lavonne (My bestie's oc and 9th best friend) Quila (Our oc) Sonia (Our oc and 10th best friend) Phyllis (Our oc)

Favorite Color: Dark Purple

Favorite Season: Summer

Favorite Holiday: Halloween And 4th of July

Likes: Camping Being a Weretoad Saving her sister Sweets Stakes The Moon Night Time Her Claws Climbing on trees Hunting Running

Dislike: Getting Bitten Taken Baths Regular Fruit Seeing her sister in danger Seeing Blood Getting Check Ups Every Month The Sun Someone taking her meat

Fun Fact: Monnie is a weretoad. That got bitten by a wolf doing a summer vacation camp. As a weretoad. she have to take regular baths now, so her fur doesn't stink. She hates taking baths. she also have to get regular check ups every month. Since she is a half animal

Backstory: It was just a normal day. Moonie and her family wanted to go camping for a couple of days. They only go on camping trips during the summer. So they was getting ready to go camping. They pack of their stuff. And started heading to the campsite. The campsite had cabins. Since no one else used tents for camping anymore. Monnie and her sister, was put in the same cabin. While their parents had the other cabbing to themselves. So Monnie and her sister was put in a cabin together. So they can bunk together. And one night during camping. Monnie and her family went to the lake to find water and maybe food. At the lake. They all have to find some food. So Monnie and her sister was put to a task to go find some food and barriers. To last for the night. During the night. Monnie and her sister spots a strange cave. Filled to the brim with a lot of food. So they went to get some food. And 1 minten later. A very hungry wolf came out of nowhere. Guarding the food. The food was for the wolf's babies. But Monnie and her sister didn't want to give it up. So the wolf was about to pounce on her sister. But Monnie, jump in front of her sister. So they wouldn't attack her. Instead of her sister. Monnie and the wolf was in a fight. They just that fathtul moment. The wolf took a big bite out of Monnie's arm. The wolf was biting on her arm so bad. That her blood start coming out uncontrollably. Monnie was bite pretty bad. While Monnie and the wolf was fighting. Her sister got really scared. Until a baby wolf came out of the food pile. When her sister seen the baby wolf. She thought she was the cutest wolf. She tried to pet the baby wolf. But the baby wolf. Start to bite her to. The baby wolf may be weak. But have a very strong bite. The baby wolf didn't let go, until 2 minutes later. So they both got bitten pretty bad. Her sister was bleeding, but not as bad as her other sister. After the fight. Monnie and her sister, rushed out of the Forest, into their cabin. While both their arms are bleeding out. Lucky for them, there was a doctor at the campsite. At the doctors cabin, the doctor noticed the big bite marks on both their arms. the doctor asked what happend. They explained that they got bitten by two wolfs a baby and a grown up. They both were bleeding so bad. That the doctor rushed into his room, and grab a bunch of medical kits. To wrap up their arms. So the doctor said that he have to take a sample of their blood to see, if there is anything wrong with them. After the doctor took their blood. He sent them back to their cabin

Extra Information: And that one night, where both the sisters was sleeping. They both didn't feel so good. They was so i'll they can't barely walk. And then they noticed the bite mark on both their arms went away. But that didn't help them none. They was still feeling sick. So they told their parents. That they don't feel so good. They was so sick. That they start to fall over a bit Then a few moments later. They start to grow wolf ears on their head. There parents looking really scared. then next, they both start to grow really sharp teeth like a wolf. The sister are both painking. Seeing what is wrong with them. They parents was so scared, that they rushed them back into the doctors cabin. While they rushed into the doctors cabin. Then they start to grow claws. on hands and their feet. Then next they grow some fur on their feet, hands, and tummy. And lastly they grow a wolf tail. The parents is so scared. What there kids was going threw. So the doctor came in with their blood. and noticed they have changed. Monnie is half toad half werewolf. And her sister is half yoshi half werewolf. The doctor had nothing to say. That there results came in positive. That they got bitten by a werewolf. That's why they haven't felt so good. After the wolf transformation. They starting to feel alot better. Since they got bit by a werewolf. There was no cure for them, to go back to normal. So they'll be wolf hybrids for the rest of their lives. Poor Monnie and her sister. As both of them being werewolf. They have a really great scent. And have really good hearing. They love hunting, and running at night. They both howl at the moon at night.

Monnie belong to: me

Toad Species: Nintendo

Art made by: me

Toadhybrid #bio #toadoc #toadnintendo #hybrid #werewolf #toad

[lindsaywincreationlab]

Le Viet Cuisine (Royal Center) + JD Farms (Langley) + Jozy - Broken Love

See Clickbait: A Daily Story + Euro Trip + 6 Photos + More

www.lindsaywincherauk.com

[zasttra]

Escape the ordinary! 🌊⛵ ⠀ .⠀ To be featured: tag @zasttra and use #zasttra #epicsimplemoments⠀ .⠀ #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #love#wanderlust #instatravel #adventure #travelblogger #trip #vacation #traveling #explore #travelling #holiday #beautiful #beach #naturephotography #sunset #mzansi #southafrica #amapiano #soweto #capetown #durban #johannesburg #jozi #africa

[iges]

sitting in bed listening to 5 senses sipping on peach green tea  & remembering 

sitting in a cafe in durban, & then walking around downtown to get a chocolate monkey dessert i saw a picture of online & a dollar bottle of wine at the liquor store next door. take it back to the spot & sit with my wine and weed smoke watching the waves wrap around me on a day where they are angrier than usual. skies gray and cloudy, ocean roars loud as ever. i write in my journal that’s what i love about the ocean. doesn't give a fuck what else is happening, you gonn hear her roar.

or during Daisies waking up to the ocean's sounds right outside my tent. waking with sunrise yoga with 100 strangers brought together by music and movement. where the music is loud but the ocean roars louder.

or smoking a j in the back of the spot i was staying at, watching the sun set over the city in PE. chatting with a grown man about his insecurities about women, faith, and money & wondering how the music we raise children with influences the rhythm of their lives. says he's seen a man take another man's diamonds off his bare hand when he's asleep. seen a man take another man's dime off his hand when he's sleeping on what he got on his arm. says you must carry your woman like your most prized possession i ask him how much he values the prize over the possession i ask him what the fuck is mens' obsession with ownership ask him how a man's touch always fades into a grip fingers start to slip and fade once he feels the end of a trip...

or sitting in a cafe in PE chopping it up with zwai about hip hop, culture, and fatherhood while the guys behind me bury their feelings in their brunch

or standing on our rooftop in jozi watching the sunset. overlooking a city both shutting down and coming to life in the same breath. light comes down while the lights come on and qgom starts blasting from ma’s pub downstairs & the men return from a long day at work to see it through the bottom of another bottle. 

[jo-the-schmo]

Rules: Answer 21 questions and tag 21 people you’d like to know better

Tagged by @lennysvmmers

Nickname: Jozi is my real name so Jo, JoJo, and Mojo are all my nicknames but I’m fully willing and expecting to be called “world’s biggest disappointment

Height: 5’2 and furious

Last movie I saw: The Notebook, we watched it in my English class and I cried like a lil bitch

Favorite artists: Shawn James, Gorillaz, Matt Maeson, Hozier, my girl Ariana Grande, fuck yes Rob Zombie, and Baby Metal because it’s my aesthetic

Song stuck in my head: Take me to Church by Hozier, Pendulum Swing by Shawn James, and the Smooth Criminal cover by Alien Ant Farm

Other Blogs: my adult blog is @lady-after-hours and the other two are either dead or I’m about to revamp

Do I get asks: yeah, sometimes. Not as much as I used to but yeah

Following: 223 blogs

Amount of sleep: either 13 or 2 hours, no in between

Lucky number: 3, I like odd numbers, they’re perfect for symmetry

What I’m wearing: baby pink track pants and a cropped black hoddie because I gotta look snatched even in my sleep

Dream job: Makeup Artist, beauty and special effects

Favorite food: All

Dream trip: Naples, Italy. My great grandparents are from there and it’s wicked cool

Play any instruments: I used to play clarinet, saxophone, cello (sorta), and any percussion instrument but then my life spiraled and now I don’t care

Languages: I’m a simple white bitch so I only know English and little bit of ASL

Random fact: Some people are weirdly intimated by me apparently which makes no sense because although I am trained in self defense I’m literally a burnt marshmallow. Gooey and falling apart

Describe yourself as aesthetic things: Doc Martens, fishnets, red flannels, floral prints, Shakespearean sonnets, sweet coffee, paint stains, lightning bugs in mason jars, light reflecting on black oil

I’m either pretty close to all my mutuals or too awkward to talk to them so y’all can do this too! It’s free game, fam!

[gullivertrips]

Everything You Wanted to Know in a Guide about Johannesburg and Pretoria, Gauteng

If you’re planning a trip to South Africa, you’re likely to spend time in Johannesburg and Pretoria, two of the country’s largest cities. Although they’re often thought of as one entity (“Johannesburg-Pretoria” or “Jozi-Pretoria”), they’re actually quite different. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide which city is right for you. Johannesburg is the commercial and financial heart of South Africa. It’s a bustling, cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of over 3 million. If you’re looking for nightlife, shopping, and a taste of the “big city,” Johannesburg is the place for you. Pretoria, on the other hand, is the administrative capital of South Africa. It’s smaller and more laid-back than Johannesburg, but still has plenty to offer visitors. If you’re interested in history and politics, Pretoria is definitely worth a visit. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your time in Johannesburg and Pretoria: Getting around: Johannesburg is a huge city, so getting around can be a challenge. The best way to get around is by car, but be sure to use a reliable GPS system as traffic can be heavy and getting lost is easy. If you don’t want to drive, you can also take advantage of the city’s extensive public transportation system. Pretoria is much smaller than Johannesburg, so getting around is relatively easy. You can easily walk from one side of the city to the other, or take a bus or taxi. Accommodation: There are plenty of accommodation options in both Johannesburg and Pretoria. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel, Johannesburg is the place to be. But if you’re on a budget, you’ll find plenty of affordable options in both cities. Things to do: Johannesburg is home to a number of popular attractions, including the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, and Nelson Mandela Square. Pretoria is also home to a number of interesting attractions, including the Union Buildings, Voortrekker Monument, and the Pretoria Zoo. Johannesburg and Pretoria are two of the most vibrant and interesting cities in South Africa. Whether you’re looking for nightlife and shopping or history and politics, you’ll find it all in these two great cities. Read the full article

[meujwaraworld]

I finally watched The Tinder Swindler Documentary on Netflix today. I must say that I have dealt with some swindlers in my life. Not on the scale of the Tinder Swindler of course but I have been swindled before, which is why my eyes are now wide open. One of these swindlers was actually someone I went to primary school and church with, infact my Dad was his baptism sponsor. Dude called me just after midnight one night, stuck at a garage somewhere on the N3. He said he was expecting his salary was gonna come through at midnight but it hadn't. He had passed two toll plazas on reserve tank in his new car, so going back to Jozi wasn't an option and he was going to refund me as soon as he got to Pinetown. Totally believable, right? 17 years later, he still hasn't reached Pinetown. Still owes me R1000. That's why imali yami ingalali kamuntu. One asked for a R2k loan to go home and bury uyise, never paid it back. Was the father really dead? The draining emotional blackmailing which followed made me forfeit the money, yho🙄. Another one wanted to gift me 'money' & asked for my bank account details 😂, his anger when he realized that the information I had given him was false! Forgot he had been using an American accent for the entire duration of our fb friendship. I have PayPal but NO, he wanted SA bank account details. That's when I stopped entertaining DMs. We need to name and shame these types of people, because trust me they are all over. One targets young doctors in Pmb abe uMr Romantic for a few weeks, then boom HUGE cash requests. It's definitely a huge redflag when someone is overly affectionate and 'vulnerable' from the onset or spending on expensive gifts and trips for practically a stranger essentially. Huge red flags 🚩🚩🚩. We can blame Disney fairy tales for this partly but let's look deep within also. My parting shot: if he asks you for money sis (whether it's R1 or $250000), run ngenyawo zombili? 🤔I wonder who Simon swindled in Capetown? https://www.instagram.com/p/CZr9feRqrUK/?utm_medium=tumblr

[tokyotwosome]

A French Excursion

Toulouse 

7/29/2018 - My first taste of Europe began in the south of France, in the city of Toulouse. My expectations of France stemmed from books and movies, which truly limits you to two senses; sight and sound.  Naturally I expected to see breathtaking architecture and streets filled with centuries of European history. What I hadn’t anticipated were the other senses we would experience; the smells, the flavors, and the feeling. As I write this segment of the blog, I’m sitting on the terrace of our hotel as the sun rises to awaken the city. You can hear the vrooms of mopeds weaving through the alleys. You can feel the fresh breeze of the crisp morning air with a hint of a summer scent drifting with it. It’s something capable of forcing a pessimist to smile. The temperature is a comfortable 69°F (about 20°C). I’m sipping my morning “café – coffee” as I wash down my “chocolatine - a chocolate croissant”, that we bought just last night while walking around the markets. While other visitors come out to their balcony, you greet them with “bonjour” as if you’ve been saying it for years. There isn’t a skyscraper in sight. Just brick buildings upon brick buildings that look like they all have a story to share. Rob has spent several days already completing an extended business trip at Airbus. While he’s at work today, I am off to spend my first day exploring the city, solo. 

As mentioned, Rob had been spending some time at Airbus, providing product support. Through work, he made a friend at Airbus (Julien), who invited us over for a late dinner at his place. Julien’s girlfriend and I spent the day sightseeing in Toulouse. At dinner, Julien, prepared us duck soaked in red wine, served with rice, French pâté, cheeses of all varieties, meats, and more. Then we washed it all down with some rum, where our new friend showed us how to prepare it properly. Julien told us about his home country; a tiny island nestled to the east of Madagascar. A fun and delightful way to spend our last night in Toulouse. 

[a free tour inside the Capitole de Toulouse Building, pictured above] 

To sum up a few interesting facts I learned in my first few days in France:

There’s a TV tax - used to fund local French TV networks. 

Business isn’t always open – With Paris being the exception, hours of operation tend to vary in France. Sometimes it’s too late in the day for a croissant at a café. Or sometimes it’s too early for dinner and all restaurants don’t open until 7:30 PM. A way to avoid this is by going to bakeries for baked goods and then going to a local park. It’s much more efficient if you’re on the go, downside being you miss the outdoor café on the street atmosphere. Apart from food, boutiques are typically not open until 10 AM  or so. Oh and Sundays? Forget about it. Many of the French truly live by exercising their day of rest. That goes for shops as well. Need not worry! There may be a local outdoor market open.

Bakeries are no joke – Bread is the staple of this country. It was a major player in the French Revolution. Seeing passersby with a baguette in their bag is in no way unusual. There’s a bakery around every corner, each item a soft, fluffy, piece of heaven. You can smell the bakeries in the street, making it impossible not to stop and snag a pastry. 

Cheese is also no joke - The French cheese puts our cheese to shame. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a nice Wisconsin sharp cheddar as much as the next guy...but French cheese is savory on a whole other level!

Bordeaux 

7/31/18 - Next stop, that’s right you guessed it; wine country. We decided to rent a car, a manual no less. A French car; a Peugeot. It was about a 2-hour drive north of Toulouse. Having experience driving a manual, I thought what a thrifty idea. Let’s not get into the narrow European one-way streets...eventually, we made it to Bordeaux. The city itself is just that, a city. Where were the acres of vineyards? We would soon travel 20 min east to Saint-Émilion to find out. But before we head out of the city, we stop by the Bordeaux Wine Museum. The Museum included a tasting and allowed you to explore the smells and sights of wine around the world. It was cool to see Yakima Valley (a Washington region) being recognized as a world-renowned wine within the museum. Wine is a big contributor to romance; the museum touched on that countless times. An interesting take on wine. After grabbing a French lunch buffet, we head out towards Saint-Émilion. The streets start to quiet and those vineyards finally make their grand appearance. 

Our Airbnb sat within vineyards and the city we’d just left behind was a world away. This is the kind of countryside life where you can really forget about your troubles. The next day we had an electric bike tour planned through the  Saint-Émilion chateaus and little did we know what an exceptional experience it would turn out to be. 

Our tour consisted of 8 riders and one guide. Our guide Julie was a local French gal, sharing her knowledge of the area’s history as we zigged and zagged through the back roads of vineyards. We learned about the importance of the soil; the area mostly comprised of limestone and clay - the perfect soil suitable for merlot and cab franc. The other 6 riders in our group were all Australian and what an entertaining lot they were! As we made our way through the hills, we eventually made our first stop at Château Panet. Here we walked through the Château where the wine was being made, learning about the process along the way. We ended the tour with an outdoor picnic of wine, cheeses, meats, and breads. We chatted with the rest of the group, learning that they all are from Melbourne. One of the riders complimented me on my accent, which was the first and likely the last time that will ever happen. Who ever thought an American accent could be “charming”? 

Our final stop on our tour was Château Saint-Georges, a true castle once owned by the king of France. We walked around the breathtaking grounds, stopping to try the smells and flavors in the garden. Each item in the garden was carefully chosen to help represent different notes within the wine. They also told us about how much the weather impacts the harvest, and why you often hear wine connoisseurs say things like, “2015 is an excellent vintage” or “that’s a good year”. We learned how you identify older wines vs younger by the color. We discovered so much about wine that we didn’t know, in such a short span of time.

Paris

8/3/18 - Paris, the world’s most visited city in the world, is its own breed. Comparing it to the rest of France isn’t a fair comparison really. We stayed at an Airbnb apartment within the heart of the city. Everything was within walking distance, with places like Notre Dame just a short walk away. Sure, in a city like Paris you’re going to come across a few homeless people digging through the trash and you have to be mindful of the possibility of pickpockets. If you’re able to avoid this and/or not allow it to spoil your visit, Paris can be very charming. Keeping a loose agenda and simply walking along the river, stumbling across places as you go, is the best way to do it. We stopped by a cafe, where a friend of a friend had just opened business (Jozi Cafe). He gave us some great advice on things to see and things to avoid. We joked with him about how he’d never been to the Louvre, much like we’ve never gone on Ride the Ducks in Seattle and how you’re often not the tourist in your own city. We visited Shakespeare and Co. bookstore to check out the 1920′s gathering spot for famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. We even bought Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, a nonfiction that he wrote describing his time in Paris. Don’t forget to have the store clerk stamp your book with a Shakespeare & Co. stamp before you go! 

The Eiffel Tower - the symbol of romance in Paris. You can find an Eiffel Tower in the states on shirts, bags, or home decor. Seeing it in person really depicts its grandness. We needn’t bother go up the tower; we simply wanted to see it up close and in-person. Our 4th Wedding Anniversary we spent at a restaurant on the water, just beneath the tower. While enjoying our meal and our view, we did our favorite thing to do when we travel; people watch. We noticed our server speaking Spanish to the table to our right and French to the table on our left. He spoke English to us, so this was pretty impressive how he could just switch gears in a matter of moments. Tipping is not a custom in France, but you can certainly leave one if you feel the service was superb. While the boat tour on the river had been going on for hours, we opted to skip it during the day. The weather was hot, muggy, and uncomfortable. Instead, we did the tour during the sunset which proved to be both romantic and a much more comfortable and rewarding experience. 

We spent our last day at The Louvre. We managed to see all of our favorites within 3 hours. The renaissance paintings being our favorite. Liberty Leading the People left the biggest impression on me. It was a must see and I wouldn’t recommend skipping it if you’re in Paris. Overall, we loved France and have every intention of visiting again one day. Travelling really teaches you a lot of lessons and opens your eyes to the big beautiful world out there. You also learn a lot about your own country through the perspective of other countries. Our craving for travel continues so stay tuned! We aren’t certain where our next trip will be. Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, Iceland, and the UK are all on the horizon. Thanks for reading; until next time.

[lindsaywincreationlab]

Five Guys Burgers + Friendship + On the Road + Jozy - A Bloom

Away See Clickbait + Euro Trip + 6 Photos + More

www.lindsaywincherauk.com

[lemongrasspout]

Oslo.Do you love me?

When I was four years old, my parents insisted on embarking on the arduous journey of studying overseas while raising a small family. We left Canada where my Mum was completing her Masters to join my Dad in Nottingham England. By the time my Mum was my age she had already given birth to a baby boy and was chasing a doctorate. Levels. This is why in some far fetched way I consider Europe my home and why I was often teased relentlessly for always sounding different. We left England for Africa just as I was starting high school and once again I was reunited with my people, culture and family. Since then I’ve been back to visit family in Nottingham over summer holidays and more recently was on tour with artist Naima Mclean  in Paris and Glasglow. 2018 sees me back in this strange yet familiar land fortunate enough to hold the position of tour manager for the #Akiobadandyellowtour featuring GingerTrill, P_Kuttah and Dizzy Monks. My Kool Out business partner Akio has spent the past five years painstakingly building networks and relationships across Europe with his music and he has worked himself up to a point where he can invite African acts on his tour in order to foster an international relationship and platform for the artists. We are scheduled to visit over five countries and I constantly need to pinch myself as we are visiting countries I have never but always wanted to set foot in;

Oslo is done and dusted, we stayed in the city for about a week. The trip was a grueling ordeal as we docked into one airport after the other. We arrived in Oslo and immediately freshened up as the boys wanted to catch one of the World Cup matches. We met up with some fellow Africans at the basketball courts which was a clear indication of where the peeps of colour link up in Oslo. We were shook by the Sun still being high up in the sky at 22:00 shining as bright as ever. Oslo reminded me of any and many of the various University campuses I grew up in due to my parents being academics. But what really struck me was the freedom I felt walking down the streets in my aztec mini dress and camisole top. Not once was I greeted with the familiar “Baby girl” ,*whistle blowing*, “my size” comments that haunt me on almost every Jozi street. No one stared at me suggestively as if mentally undressing me and at 01:08 am I felt as safe as if it were noon. “There it is” whispered my soul, as I finally got to relax and drop a couple of guards down. Perhaps Oslo was sensing my familiarity and comfort and needed to remind me of where exactly we were. It seems these European folks don’t take too kindly to large congregations of black people on their streets, I guess its all reminiscent of those apartheid laws that forbade more than a certain number of blacks congregating as this was seen as a threat to the government. Now I see where that paranoia stemmed from as we were often met with drunken hostility and darting eyes on the street as we minded our own business as a crew of blacks. The more outlandish the random racist outbursts became the more I felt i was being tested...this couldn’t be real. The truth is it wasn’t it was just a simulation, a peep into another’s augmented reality more so because these pathetic fears and insecurities were so mild in their intent we couldn’t help but laugh but also rage.

Pic 2: @Calvin_axe Titled: Rage

The next day we got out of the city to a secluded beautiful beach called Hovedoya. I had met Akio’s Norwegian contacts the day before and Berryl had organised a beach day and picnic. Finally we were away from the towering sky scrapers, bustling traffic and hurried people and had ventured into the unknown. Oslo’s natural beauty took my breath away, little did I know that hopping on to a short ferry ride would transport me into the wild. The beach was not what I was use to, there was no sand just rock and seaweed but the water was crystal clear and the forrest trees and rolling hills made me feel at home. It was at this moment while walking into the water it finally dawned on me that I was away from home, lost but safe and my heart slowly began to expand.

Pic 3: @goproakio

I guess something had shifted or I began to connect with Oslo. We even learned a Norwegian game called Kubb! The next couple of days I began to venture on my own, it seemed the Norwegians were a lot more accommodating to a young, seemingly non threatening black women who could do them no harm. There is no questioning that Oslo city is breathtakingly beautiful..and clean. I loved getting lost and having to navigate narrow streets and gorgeous parks. Before our event at Paul’s Boutique the night life was okay... nothing to instagram home about though. Paul’s Boutique was rumoured to be a jump and I couldn’t wait!

Pick 4: Flier Design: akio_Kawahito

The venue was just on the bank of the water, during soundcheck I had met a Kenyan youngster who said he was on holiday and made it a point to tell us that his father was a well known Minister. When we came back for the show there was definitely electricity in the air, the Kool Out Dj’s and DJ Asi (UK/SA) killed the decks and I beamed with pride as Gingertrill and TopGogg took to the mic along with D(US)T and Young Nativv from the Dizzy Monks stable. We set the roof on fire with sweat dripping and drink sipping I was in my groove. The memory of this night has been stored in a precious little bottle in my mind only to be retrieved for the grandchildren.

Pic 5: Chalk Illustration: @lerole_maru

I was finally getting to the point where I was falling in love with Oslo...how embarrassing. There was something so quaint about this city village and the more time we spent connecting with people the more at home I felt. My love for modern contemporary art had me visiting the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art which displayed an impressive collection of some beautiful, strange and sometimes downright weird installations. Kyla and Noel accompanied me on this excursion and they were clearly underwhelmed. Look, I wasn’t walking around with my jaw dropped but there were some pretty gnarly pieces that have been etched into my memory for eternity such as this ;

Art Installation: Dan Colen

https://garage.vice.com/en_us/article/59ybpk/dan-colen-takes-over-damien-hirsts-london-gallery

I even got to do a yoga class taught in norwegian which was sick and did a shoot with @goproakio (Instagram). Fore more on my Yoga and Vegan journey abroad follow @organic_nomad on instagram and like the Organic Nomad page on facebook.

pick 7: @goproakio

Congratulations to the boys for a stellar show in Oslo!!! You guys make me so proud to be from Africa and already I feel i have a vault of memories to entertain me for a life time. 

pick 8: @goproakio (from left to right) @calvin_axe, @ginger_trill, @strawberryarmpits @akio_kawahito @stateofmindmusicsa @lerole_maru

We are now in Sweden and I feel like i’m experiencing a mild whip lash, my mind is struggling to keep up with all that it is taking in. Look out for my next blog on Sweden. If you are familiar with any of the places we are checking out, or know some cool peeps please make the connection, I’m learning more and more about the importance of solid networks and relationships across the world. Oslo Lesson: “Never underestimate the power of connection”

Instagram: @Banesa.Creative, @organic_nomad 

website: www.koolout.co.za

[bootiful-explosion]

The Ying, to my Yang

Have you realised how most of the time you close one door, only for 5 doors to open simultaneously, I am applying this concept to the adulting growing pains. 

It seems that I keep climbing a corporate ladder that requires for me to constantly keep tripping and falling into the broken  steps. What I mean is that aspirationally I go through continuous topsy turvey worlds. Most of the time, I feel I am barely catching my breath between the waves of highs and lows. 

Regardless of the amount of wins one succeeds on, the are twice as many losses. But that in no way is me doubting my capability of success, but damn does it have to be that hard. 

So I have dabbled in the two industries that I told myself would be my ideal career choice, and the 1st dable is always the greatest, I feel like R Kelly’s I’m the worlds greatest, but as time goes by, then suddenly it feels like its the end of the worlds “ R.E.M” gosh, can I just AKA’s run Jozi but in  the world sense. Can I develop a sudden greed for success that even I become an envied force to be reckoned with. I keep trying my best, and from quotes of God, the Universe and Ancestory, it always encourages a so called victory lap, but how many K.O’s do I have to endure before I feel myself successfully running up those stairs that Rocky ended up on to teach us that hard work pays off.

Does hard work really pay off, or are we all waiting for that lifeboat that only comes after a series of bad choices in those feel good documentaries? All I am saying is whatever Higher Power is there, I am tired and I am ready to have a successful victory dance, until then I shall push Gladys Knights I hope you dance” 

[goranga]

Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the primary gateway for international visitors. Historically it is where money is made and fortunes are found. The city has a (perhaps rather unfair) reputation for being an ugly, dangerous place you ought to avoid on any trip to South Africa. On the contrary, much of Johannesburg is quite pretty, largely because of the millions of trees that cover it (it has, purportedly, the largest human-planted forest in the world), and statistically speaking it is less dangerous than Cape Town.

[travelingcheapskates]

For us, by us!

Since its inception, Travellingcheapskates has prided itself in offering trialed and tested offerings and so it was not a rare occasion when the team took on Magaliesberg for 2 days. On the 9th of Feb, the one and only ‘the people’s ntatheli’ joined the team for the awesome experience.

The mission was to experience a group itinerary, and Koester Farm was the chosen location. Located over an hour away from Jozi, the base was a fully furnished home with a touch of sophistication and glam. The rustic décor, high wall and windows, and wooden bookshelves made you forget about entertainment such as TV or social media.

The journey was what would be expected in a group travel, chaotic but lit. All the little stops and welcomed distractions had us running 2 hours late. Even though check in was later than anticipated, we still managed to get the braai started, drinks pouring and midnight conversations on lock. Sharing life experiences, talking growing up in KZN and the evolution of black conscious movements such as ‘respect the doek’.It was a beautiful session that ended at 3am, and then we disappeared into our respective rooms for power naps. We needed to be well rested for the day ahead!

Sunrise broke in and the excitement of exploration began. Pearl recreated her own luxury garden bath, with aloe leaves and scented bubble bath foam. Philile claimed the outdoor shower located behind the couple glamping corner- and soon became a convincing advocate for the benefits of cold baths. Nontobeko, kicked off the day with her amazing energy…cueing us to get up with her jump shots and begging us to see the land beyond the farm.

Hennops Hiking trail 

Hennops Hiking trail was the first stop of the morning; the game plan had to change with so much time lost in the backyard- the trio agreed to rather go 2.5km route as opposed to the intended 5km. The route was not short of attractions; with trips down the Hospital cave, as well as a suspension bridge crossover that tested Philile's character. Singing and chats cut the route short and the final obstacle had the group working together as they hoisted each other from one end of the riverbank to the other on a cable car.

Harties Cableway

With the first stop out of the way, ‘the dynamic trio’ pulled bundu stunts- deciding on a wardrobe change in the car park just before taking flight up to the Harties Cableway. The slow ride up nearly bought the spirit to a halt, however it proved to be an ideal mood for taking in all the beauty of the lushy Harties Mountain range. A group of land occupants tried to interrupt the panoramic viewing moment with offside racist remarks but saving energy mode would not accommodate retaliation- a speed boat stop needed it more. Thinking about it now, with more time on our hands a drink or two on one of benches scattered by the peak or even in the restaurant would have been ideal.

The Speedboat Ride 

The speedboat ride on the Harteespoort Dam proved to be the perfect send- off… the usually talkative dynamic trio, got pulled into their own world, with gentle humming and arms spread out wide on opposite ends of the boat. Then the skipper flared across the dam making doughnuts and front boat lifts as the ladies cheered him on, chanting primary school songs from malume's van.The 1923 manmade dam certainly amped the trio to avail this experience to all Africans. Look out for more trail sessions and glamping experiences starting from only R800 pp sharing…the ‘opulence has arrived’! 

A post shared by Travellingcheapskates (@travellingcheapskates) on Feb 11, 2018 at 10:08pm PST