How to Live UP your First Expat Year in South Africa

ZA  100 - First Year Bucket List (100)

This isn't another brag post. It certainly isn't another long monologue about being an expat! Although I tend to write a lot of those.

This is a list…. Pure and simple!!!!

If you are into outdoors, you'll meet your bucket list here.. But if you also like to wear a flowery dress and put on a big sun hat that totally matches your pointy shoes, then head out 

for a dainty High Tea, then this list is equally for you.

If you are a traveller at heart and you wish to raise your family flag on each and every province, then HELLO partner :)

The idea is to give you a hint, a clue, a little nudge in a certain direction and a search word to open up the magnificent world of #Google, #Trivago and #Tripadvisor for you.. enjoy and let me know if you have a cool idea for my 2016 list

-    Fifteen hikes 

a.     Saamrus

b.     Vergenoeg

c.      Groenkloof

d.     Windy brow

e.     Tswaing Crater

f.      Robberg Island

g.     Wilderness River

h.     Wonderboom

i.       Rustig

j.       Sugarbush

k.     Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens

l.       Uytipik

m.   Shelter Rock

n.     Mountain Sanctuary

o.     Cape Town Botanical gardens

-    Five High Teas 

a.     The Silver Birch tea garden (disappointing), Go for the Saxon by all means

b.     Michael Angelo – Piccolo Mondo

c.      54 on Bath

d.     Kirstenbosch Tea Garden (Cape Town)

e.     Maslow

-    Nine provinces 

a.     Gauteng

b.     North West

c.      Kwazulu Natal

d.     Mumalanga

e.     Western Cape

f.      Limpopo

g.     Northern cape

h.     Eastern cape

i.       Free State

-    Camping 

a.     Borakalalo

-    Ten cultural places 

a.     Soweto on bikes

b.     Arts on Main (Thursday monthly night market is cool)

c.      Stanley 44 (Lunch)

d.     Melville - Amazing arts scene

e.     Parkhurst - Cool restaurants and galleries

f.      Midlands Meander - Kwazulu Natal, this is a TRUR MUST

g.     Oriental Plaza - Indian heavenland 

h.     Kyalami (nice meanders and artsy shops)

i.       Cradle of Humankind

j.       Fordsburg - Oriental and Middle Eastern hub close to Oriental Plaza

k.     Melrose Arch - Safe Haven in all this chaos

l.       Bryanston Organic Market - a little artsy island worth going to

-    Ten cultural events 

a.     Opera dinner (really cool experience with Gauteng Opera)

b.     Barnyard theater (Cheesy but loads of fun for the whole family)

c.      Jo'burg Theater

d.     PJ Powers (She's a national icon)

e.     Ultra (if you're a late comer to the Rave scene like me, this is a must)

f.      St. Pietersberg Ballet (there is always an international production a year)

g.     Johannesburg Ballet (to compare notes)

h.     Trevor Noah (H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S)

i.       The Little shop of Horrors – Camps Bay

j.       La Traviata (Some classics to balance to the cheesy shows out)

k.     Parker’s Comdey Club (I actually understood most of the jokes)

-    Five Picnics and fruit pickings 

a.     Strawberry Farm (Tangaroa)

b.     Hartbeerspoort Dam (lots of activities)

c.      Wine tasting and Cheese (Cape Town)

d.     Powers Park

e.     Nirox Sculpture Park (worth checking their events calendar)

-    Five Game drives 

a.     Kruger

b.     Pilanesburg

c.      Lion Park

d.     Monate

e.     Pilanesburg (It's close and convenient, that's why we keep coming back)

- Five Touristic Sites 

a.     Red Bus

b.     Apartheid Museum

c.      Satyagraha (Ghandhi's house) +Make sure you combine with lunch

d.     Elephant Sanctuary

e.     Cableway (Hartsbeerpoort)

f.      Bird Garden (Monte Casino )

g.     Ushaka (Durban) a must for kids

h.     Museum of Transport (Cool under explored) + Combine with picnic by lake next door

- Five new activities (Done) (You can tell, there is a bit of everything for everyone's taste)

a.     Stand Up Paddling

b.     African Fusion dance

c.      Cuisine Thai

d.     Accrobranch

e.     Cookie icing

- Five kids activities 

a.     Avalanche

b.     Surfing

c.      Paddling

d.     Ziplining

e.     Hiking

f.      Quads

g.     Horsebackriding

- Five South African books - I've become a D Meyer addict

a.     Deon Meyer .. Devil’s Peak

b.     Deon Meyer,, Thirteen hours

c.      Deon Meyer,, Cobra

d.     Deon Meyer,,  Trackers

e.     Blood Safari

f.      Dancing with a poor man’s daughter

- Five sports related excursions 

a.     Canoeing the Wilderness River (Garden Route)

b.     Biking Park (PWC on Main Sreet)

c.      Biking the river path (behind our house)

d.     Quads  (Cullinan)

e.     Horseback riding (Cullinan, North Pretoria)

-   - Five cool restaurants 

a.     Four Seasons Westcliff Brunch with a view

b.     Cube (Atomic and weirdly yummy)

c.      A la Turka (oriental fake palace with belly dancers and the whole 1001 nights atmosphere.. surreal)

d.     The Blue Crane (Pretoria) Better for Sun downers and early lunch, serene and Blue Cranes are in full presence

e.     Col'Caccio (Chain like Pizzeria but I like it cause it's not junk and they give dough for the kids to shape and cook while they wait for their food)

   - Blog about the bucket list at least 10 times :)