I was once asked the question – “where do you think Paradise is?”
Wow, I thought. This is a really tough one. I could name a hundred places that I thought could evoke the image of paradise. But is it really that hallowed place?
Ballito in KwaZulu Natal for me will always have a special place in my heart as it holds many happy childhood memories of long summers on sandy beaches and swimming in the warm Indian Ocean.
Tinga Private Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park is another as this is where I went on honeymoon and apart from the thrill of this romantic holiday, being set in the heart of this world renowned Game Reserve with wild animals in their natural habitat all around you is truly awe inspiring! For peace and tranquilly
Victoria Bay, one of the smallest and most hidden beautiful bays on the Garden Route is just perfect! Victoria Bay is a cove enclosed by cliffs with a gently-sloping beach that makes bathing safe and for surfers has one of the best right hand point breaks on the south coast.
What about the Drakensburg? Climbing steep cliff paths up Cathedral Peak and reaching the summit feeling like you are the only soul on earth!
The Fish River Canyon? It is absolutely magnificent and breathtaking in its immensity. Allegedly the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in the USA, rock stratas of purples, pinks and greys stretch along a 100-mile course. Here you truly feel inconsequential! According to the San Bushmen the twists and curves were carved by the serpent, Kouteign Kooru, in its attempt to escape capture.
So many places!
Ultimately, I think my idea of Paradise is The Tsitsikamma National Forest - a fantastically magical location on the Garden Route with the Indian Ocean breakers pounding rocky shores beneath high cliffs and the ever-green forests and fynbos rolling down to the sea as far as they eye can see. It is a little like stepping into a fairy world of magic and peace.
I asked my husband the same question and he thought about it for a moment and then he too rattled off a long list of places – Elands Bay on the West Coast of South Africa as this is where he spent many happy holidays waiting in the line up to catch that perfect wave. Tinga Private Game Reserve as he too felt the magic of “wild Africa”. Cape Town as this is his home city and is of-course one of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities in the world…. But ultimately, he thought St Francis Bay, situated mid way between Port Elizabeth and Knysna was his idea of Paradise with its glorious beaches, excellent water-sports, leisurely lifestyle and the magical beauty of its unspoilt surroundings.
Where is your Paradise?