SPOTS BOOK GIVEAWAY

Spots by Judy Brummer is a delightful read. Her stories and adventures portrayed through her eyes as a child were absolutely beautiful. There are so many lessons to be learned through children and their innocent demeanor and this book shares just that. The relationship between the three girls was cherished enough that even growing up on a farm in Africa where cultural and racial turmoil was all too familiar, there was fun to be had and endless love to be shared. 

DREAMING OF SOUTH AFRICA

With the new year here, we're already mentally creating a wish list bucket list for all the places we'd love to go. After stumbling across Travelbag and their recent travel deals, all we wanna do is jump on a plane to South Africa and bask in the hot sun and get a nice tan on those beautiful beaches!

Capetown has been on our wishlist for longer than we can remember! From June-October there are humpback whale watching opportunities right from the beach, and we are dying to see the wine country (helloooooo, gorgeous landscapes!). We'd also enjoy visiting the island where the well-respected and honorable recently deceased Nelson Mendela was imprisoned, as he is a man who made history in an effort to resolve conflict in South Africa.

Being mountain girls at heart (growing up in that environment), we'd love to see the Drakensberg mountains and explore the outdoors together. We'd camp along the way and have the roadtrip of a lifetime with just a map to guide us. There are so many cool places to see and vistas that'll blow your mind, we would be totally gaga to see that in real life! I mean, look at those clouds. Spectacular.

Where are you dreaming of going in 2014? 

GUEST POST - AFRICA

Africa has been on our bucket list for some time. It's one of those places in the world that seems so surreal. This past year our friend Robyn here spent some time in Africa with only a couple bags and an attitude of adventure. We are so excited to hear more about her adventures! Thanks for sharing your story with us, Robyn, and to all our readers out there - enjoy!

This past spring my boyfriend, Connor, and I set off for Eastern Africa equipped with two carry-on backpacks and open minds. We visited Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya over 5 weeks, filling our days with exploration, relaxation, and cultural experiences. Much of our trip was planned independently, although we did have contacts in Burundi and Kenya to house us and show us around.

Our first stop was Burundi where we had amazing hosts who arranged meetings with NGOs, showed us their own projects, and toured us around the city, even taking us to the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo briefly. From there we headed to Rwanda where we partook in a mountain hike, basket-weaving lessons, muzungu markets, and a visit to one of the genocide museums. While in Uganda, we visited Kampala and Jinja, spending most of our time soaking up the sun – a welcome treat after 6 months of the Canadian winter!

In Kenya, we spent three weeks in a rural village called Kikima living in a children’s home for orphaned and abandoned children, Creation of Hope. As children living in a group home, they don’t always get the one-on-one attention that other kids get and it was obvious that they loved the individual attention and playtime we could give them. While in Kenya we also had to go on safari. We visited Amboseli National Park and it was amazing! The experience was made all the better by being able to bring Connor’s sponsored child (and his Uncle) with us – a once in a lifetime opportunity for them! 

My advice for any of you who are looking to travel in Africa: expect the unexpected and embrace everything. Some of my favourite moments were the unconventional experiences, like flying down dirt roads in the back bed of an open Land Rover as the African rains poured down on us. I discovered that travel through these countries is about what you learn, who you talk to, and what you choose to make of the experience. This adventure was humbling, educational, and novel. Eastern Africa is so beautiful and a visit is highly recommended!