The Unwitting Traveller

A Year After Zaïre – Part 2

I remember seeing no beggars on the streets. I’ve since realised that there was no need to beg for hand-outs. Everyone offers a service of one sort or another – and nothing is done for free. In fact, everyone forces their services on you then demands payment – whether you wanted that particular service, or not.

A Year After Zaïre – Part 1

If ever there was a trip in my life that encapsulates the name of this blog “The Unwitting Traveller” – then this is it. It was 1998 – I was 25. I was still very naïve in the arena of African Travel, despite having been to Mozambique and Namibia by …

We Are Northern Lights – I’m a Co-Director!

In the dying moments of 2011, I squared up to Edinburgh Castle, held my camera aloft and pressed “record”. I wanted nothing more than to try and capture the fireworks show that heralds the start of a New Year. For fun, I posted the video to YouTube. I was not expecting what happened next…

Tombouctou Manuscripts Project in conjunction with South Africa

Timbuktu Manuscripts

What happened this week in Timbuktu is inexcusable; there can be no justification. In case you haven’t heard: there were reports coming out of Timbuktu that with the advance of the French troops on the town, the rebels torched the library as they fled. However, it is with interest – …

In To The Blue

And so, to the last port of call, in Iceland, for us. We had circled the country, admired much hot mud and ice and now it was to time to unwind. The Blue Lagoon is possibly the ultimate destination for anyone visiting Iceland (everyone tells you so – it must …

Weekly Photo Challenge: Smappathy and Beyond

Ok, here’s a new Portmanteau for you all to muse… I’ve Googled it – it doesn’t exist (the closest Google got was sympathy) so you can consider this term coined here and now on The Unwitting Traveller! So, what is it? SM – Social Media + App – Applications (as …

Make Time

For Christmas, when my husband asked me what I would like for a present, I replied with all sincerity – 3 extra hours a day. How is it that the older I get, the faster time disappears? What happened to those days at boarding school, where weekends dragged on in …

Edinburgh Zoo

Wildlife photography: It’s something that I’ve long had an interest in and grab every single opportunity that comes my way to dabble in it. Despite having numerous opportunities to spot wildlife in the wild, here in South Africa – nothing beats going to a zoo for a close up. Here, …

A Sparkly New Year To You All!

“Wishing you a Splendid New Year full of Sparkles” was how the eldest Pink Tornado, in full song and dance, went around greeting everyone during the Christmas Holidays. Despite our seeing in the New Year pent up in a rather tired looking room at the Garden Court Hotel at Johannesburg …

Merry Christmas from Edinburgh

With 55 minutes to go before the midnight bell tolls brings us to the festivities of Christmas Day, “The Last Elf Standing” gets a few moments of peace and quiet! There are so many people and bloggers I would love to wish “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings” directly, but alas, …

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