Now that the speaking commitments are over for the month, I can finally focus on our upcoming holiday (vacation). Last night's talk on organising your time went well but I had way too much info (this was a new take on my time talk so I was practising).
Anyway, back to the holidays.
So next week we are going to Dullstroom for 4 days.
Dullstroom and Clarens feel very similar (to me) in that they're both tiny towns but very, very cute :)
We went to Clarens last year and so this year it's time for Dullstroom.
Hopefully next year when the babies are a year older we can go further, maybe to the Drakensberg.
D and I LOVE this area of the country because of its lovely, crisp weather and it's so, so beautiful. We used to drive through Dullstroom to go to Sabie (Sabie is one of my favourite places - beautiful waterfalls, warm during the day at this time of year and lovely and cold at night) often for our anniversary (next week Friday - 16 years!).
We're staying in a two-bedroom, self-catering apartment in town.
I don't think I told you this before but after night 1 at the hotel in PE in December (terrible time getting the babies to sleep), I went to a computer shop and got the guy to transfer their sleep CD onto my netbook (it doesn't have a disc drive) and from then, no problems.
So hopefully sleep will not be a problem.
Here's how I like to spend holidays:
I like to do one activity (planned or not) every day but the rest of the time, I like lots of down time.
One of our most productive and yet restful holidays was Thailand - we had a tour every second day and then on the in between days, we'd laze at the hotel pool or the beach opposite our hotel and wander the streets doing a bit of shopping.
That is perfect for me.
D and I love, love, LOVE tours when we travel. Left to our own devices we'd laze far too much :)
I don't know what this says about me but here is a cool article on the Myers Briggs profiles and how you like to take your holidays.
Just enough so I don't feel like I could be doing this at home but still lots of resting.
However, with active toddlers, especially Connor who loves to RUN everywhere, I don't think I'm going to get much rest while they're awake unless we strap them into their car seats or eating seats in restaurants.
I am going to meet up with a blog friend who will travel about an hour or two.......... can't wait to meet her as I have HUGE respect for the work she's doing with orphanages in Mozambique!
So tell me, have you been to Dullstroom?Anyway, back to the holidays.
So next week we are going to Dullstroom for 4 days.
Dullstroom and Clarens feel very similar (to me) in that they're both tiny towns but very, very cute :)
We went to Clarens last year and so this year it's time for Dullstroom.
Hopefully next year when the babies are a year older we can go further, maybe to the Drakensberg.
D and I LOVE this area of the country because of its lovely, crisp weather and it's so, so beautiful. We used to drive through Dullstroom to go to Sabie (Sabie is one of my favourite places - beautiful waterfalls, warm during the day at this time of year and lovely and cold at night) often for our anniversary (next week Friday - 16 years!).
We're staying in a two-bedroom, self-catering apartment in town.
I don't think I told you this before but after night 1 at the hotel in PE in December (terrible time getting the babies to sleep), I went to a computer shop and got the guy to transfer their sleep CD onto my netbook (it doesn't have a disc drive) and from then, no problems.
So hopefully sleep will not be a problem.
Here's how I like to spend holidays:
I like to do one activity (planned or not) every day but the rest of the time, I like lots of down time.
One of our most productive and yet restful holidays was Thailand - we had a tour every second day and then on the in between days, we'd laze at the hotel pool or the beach opposite our hotel and wander the streets doing a bit of shopping.
That is perfect for me.
D and I love, love, LOVE tours when we travel. Left to our own devices we'd laze far too much :)
I don't know what this says about me but here is a cool article on the Myers Briggs profiles and how you like to take your holidays.
Just enough so I don't feel like I could be doing this at home but still lots of resting.
However, with active toddlers, especially Connor who loves to RUN everywhere, I don't think I'm going to get much rest while they're awake unless we strap them into their car seats or eating seats in restaurants.
I am going to meet up with a blog friend who will travel about an hour or two.......... can't wait to meet her as I have HUGE respect for the work she's doing with orphanages in Mozambique!
If yes, what do you recommend me do and where do we have to eat?
(Last time I asked about eating places and a friend pointed us to a fabulous place in Clarens where we practically camped out!)
Otherwise, what is your ideal TYPE of holiday? Lots of activities, lots of rest, seeing people, no people, tours/ no tours, lots of food/ lots of shopping???
PS Have a look at these pics that Jeanette (my fabulous photographer) took when she was in Dullstroom
We were not at Dullstroom before but I only hear good things about it. Maybe some day we will go that way.
ReplyDeleteWe are not people who like to go anywhere while on vacation because of how busy with lots of people it can get. We prefer silence, non busy areas like our home :)
We like to plan as little as possible and take it a day at a time. The only commitment we have made is to meet another blogger - I can not wait.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a Harrie's pancake in Dullies- we just go to the pub across the road as it is dog friendly and we had our puppies with us.
Cat, that's right - there is a Harrie's pancakes. I've been to the ones in Graskop and CT - will have to go to this one too. In fact, I told D the only thing I know I want to do is Harrie's Pancakes.
ReplyDeleteHow sad am I? :)
Which blogger are you meeting?
Our vacations are full of bike rides and local eateries! We also like to plan a nice dinner out, and always make it a point to try a lot of local food venues. Essentially, we eat!
ReplyDeleteWith the kids in tow I'm not sure how we'll handle things. I'm not totally sure we're even going away this summer. We are considering a cruise though. How popular they in SA? We figure the family cruises have something for everyone, and they have baby sitting services and kid activities to free us up to enjoy some time to ourselves.
PS-You'd love the weather here today, it smells of spring and is very gray. There is thunder starting to rumble through the area and thunderstorms for tonight!
Pre-kids, our vacations were more activity-focused than they are now. As the girls get bigger, I am sure we will get back to that (i.e., the trips will be based around activities we will enjoy as a family and will include theme parks, etc.).
ReplyDeleteFor our cruise, I am literally looking forward to doing NOTHING. I plan to claim a lounge chair and park myself in it for the week. I should get through at least 3-4 books, I think.
And of course, eating is a huge part of our vacations. I don't expect that to change, and I plan to take FULL advantage of the buffets on the cruise! : )
All of our vacations seem to be trips to see family.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Dullstroom once for an adventure camp - I thought it was breathtakingly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhen I go on vacation I like to set up "base camp" and then do excursion from there, whether that means going to the beach or whatever, or going to see people I know in the area or sites and attractions. I can't imagine a worse holiday than one spent in the car moving from spot to spot - which is probably why I have never bothered to go to the Kruger park. I like to get somewhere, unpack my stuff (which is a lot more these days) and chill. I don't plan down to the last minute what we'll get up to when we're there. I always have one or two things I'd like to get to, one or two bad weather day things I wouldn't mind to get to, and then a rough idea of an activity or lack of activity that I'd like to fill the rest of the time up with.
Right now my ideal holiday would be if D and the kids went on holiday :-p so I could sleep and sleep!!
ReplyDeleteGenerally I like a mix of doing nothing and doing stuff especially if its a new place we are staying at!
Dullstroom is very pretty - ENJOY!
Have never been to Dullstroom or Clarens but would love to go there. I need to have something planned at least once a day and the rest of the time nothing. Holidays are for relaxing. I don't like to do too much but I love going for walks, visiting markets and quaint little shops and eating out.
ReplyDeleteWe took our kids on holiday three times. Twice up the West Coast and once to Hermanus. Have no plans to do it anytime soon unless I can take someone with to watch them while DH and I have downtime. So much work and no rest makes me a miserable mommy on holiday.
Having never had a "wonderful" holiday ... I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteBut I dream of a holiday where I can take a cruise maybe - or the mountains -
someplace where somebody else does all the cleaning and cooking.
I love to travel - and love to visit museums and local sites. I love to visit relatives.
I even enjoy camping.
BUT ... the closest I've come to vacation in the last 11 years, were the hospital stays when LaRue was born, and after our car accident and her head injury.