Highway family garner 3.1 million followers

HIGHWAY content creators Jonty and Candy King have grown their followers on TikTok to 3.1 million.

After the Highway Mail did a story on them in 2021, we caught up with the intrepid travellers, and they now have a third member, three-month-old baby Aurora. They have now changed their handles on social media from ‘Candy and the King’ to ‘Candy and the Kings’.

Candy is a former Hillcrest High School learner, while Jonty is a Westville Boys’ High old boy.

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The couple joined TikTok while stuck in Laos during lockdown in 2020.

Jonty and Candy, who love exploring and experiencing different food, said they have learnt on their journey that all the countries they have visited have their own version of ‘uphuthu’.

“The weirdest thing I have eaten would have to be a giant worm and a packet of crickets,” said Candy with a smile.

Asked about what they have been up to, Jonty said they moved to Thailand in November 2021.

“We invited our followers to visit us where we had a group trip. We also spent a few months in Bangkok where we were working in one of the hotels – it was one of the greatest times of our lives,” said Jonty.

Even with the new member added to their family, the couple said they would still continue exploring the world.

“At the end of this month, we are heading to the Philippines, and we are taking Aurora with us. Babies should not be used as an excuse to put your dreams on hold or to leave them behind.

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“We are now a travelling family, not a travelling couple. We want to have fun and make memories with her although she might not remember, but it has been said that travelling with children develops who they are,” said Jonty.

Candy added that they want to expose her to international communities, different languages and food.

“Nelson Mandela once said, ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his [own] language, that goes to his heart.’”

“With the baby, things will be different – we will be embarking on different activities, and we will take things slower,” she said.

Their future plans include hosting group trips in Thailand.

They added that they also have a good following on Instagram, but they engage on TikTok more. “What we love about [TikTok] is that it is real and authentic,” said Jonty.

Candy added, “Whenever we are in a certain country, we engage with the public, and we show our journey and try to learn the language and local trends. People find that amusing. Anyone can sign up for TikTok.

“People must not undervalue themselves. All ages, even elderly citizens, share very interesting and fun content [on TikTok].” Candy advised people to try not to copy other people but to be themselves.

“You need to find something that you enjoy and show your character. Videos that use a local, trending song, which people can relate to, are also very popular on the platform,” she said.

Their handle is Candy_and_the_Kings.

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