Blog 2020 Something you normally wouldn’t really deal with suddenly becomes quite important for anyone who wants to visit South Africa. A piece of South Africa that, as an “Afrikaner,” you regularly experience. When you live in South Africa, things change constantly. This often leads to confusion and dissatisfaction among the people, which then frequently results in protests. The same protests I’ve written about before. It’s usually not something tourists notice. As a tourist, you mostly visit the highlights, go on safari in search of the Big 5, enjoy the hospitality, and sip that delicious South African wine. Luckily, tourists visiting the Netherlands also stick to Madurodam, Giethoorn, Scheveningen, and Keukenhof. They seek out the well-known sights and avoid getting caught between tractors at a farmers' protest on the Malieveld. But unfortunately... things are a bit different now. Because of the virus that has gripped the entire world, South Africa’s political (un)clarity has become

Juli 2018 Daily Adventures with a Camera! When you live in South Africa, you need a good camera! Because like it or not, game reserves filled with wild animals, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable photo moments are almost a part of everyday life. But it’s not just about the game reserves. Life in Africa is a life full of surprises… Honestly, you should always keep your camera in the car. Even when I’m just picking up the kids from school, there’s often something unexpected... It’s not unusual that as I drive up the gravel road from our driveway, I suddenly find myself face-to-face with a jackal, a group of mongooses, monkeys, or even a snake slithering across the road. In the evenings, we often spot hares and porcupines, those beautiful creatures with their black-and-white quills. Two weeks ago, we were driving home from dinner, and at the spot where we often see some BIG (and I mean really big) porcupines, we saw something on the road. Frozen still. We stopped, reversed the car

Did you only see the country? Een land gezien hebben? Or did you meet the country? Of een land leren kennen? Traveling has been part of my life for as long as I can remember! Vacations were part of our upbringing, and that’s exactly what I want to pass on to my children. Towing a caravan to the south of France or Spain? I’ll save that for when we’re 60+. If you want to be able to speak about the world, you need to have seen it and felt it. After many holidays in South Africa, we now live here. Whenever we get the chance, we take our children to explore local places. We talk to the people, learn from each other—and the curiosity and wonder from their children toward ours (and vice versa) is something truly special. The discovery, the hand gestures, the smiles—it’s real communication. We visit underprivileged communities and always bring something along. We also visit animal rescue centers and try to support them in our own small way—from bringing bags of food to donating old blankets fo

South Africa, our home. The country we dreamed of, the place where we want to grow old. A land full of potential! A country that still holds so many opportunities! The land of breathtaking nature, wildlife, sunshine, the braai—and above all, the Rainbow Nation we long to be a part of. The Rainbow Nation, in a country often referred to as "the world in one country." And in many ways, it truly is. The dry north, with its vast grasslands. Pilanesberg, a wonderful, easy-to-navigate, malaria-free Big 5 reserve. The Panorama Route, with its stunning waterfalls and wide-open views. The incredible Kruger Park, where you drive from north to south—from dry savannah to lush, green forests. From the elephant and buffalo herds in the north to the south, where the big cats are the stars. The Drakensberg mountains in the heart of the country, bordering beautiful Lesotho. The spectacular East Coast—St. Lucia with its wetlands teeming with crocodiles and hippos, right next to the Indian Ocean. A warm o

Blog 2017 In 2001 bezochten mijn man en ik Zuid Afrika. Ik herinner het me nog als de dag van gisteren... Familie en vrienden dachten dat we knettergek waren. Naar Zuid Afrika? Met zijn tweeen? Een ticket boeken, een auto huren, en gewoon gaan. Heerlijk jong en onbezonnen... Vanaf het allereerste moment dat wij toen nog op het oude vliegveld van Johannesburg uit het vliegtuig stapten voelden we ons thuis... We keken elkaar aan, en wisten... Dit word de reis van ons leven! Na 7 weken kris kras door Zuid Afrika reizen waren we verliefd... Ooit... Dan mogen wij dit mooie land ons thuis noemen. 16 jaar, 3 kids, een huwelijk en Zuid Afrika verslaafd is eindelijk het moment daar! Het heeft lang geduurd, maar we mochten naar Den Haag om onze paspoorten op te halen. Met jaja... Onze visums! Geloof me, daarvoor moet je heel veel geduld en heel veel doorzettingsvermogen hebben. Het is een bureaucratie, alles raakt zoek, wetten veranderen per uur, en jij moet gewoon maar ja en oké zeggen. Best mo