The next time you need a weekend away but going away is out of the question, I can recommend a holiday in your own backyard. By which I mean Ballito’s own caravan park, Dolphin Holiday Resort.
Friends of ours, ex-locals Bruce and Tineke Speirs, were keen to take their caravan out for a spin and they suggested a beach weekend just down the hill from us.
Daniël (he’s four) was thrilled! He has only been camping once before because since the arrival of his younger brother we have been too sissy to take the baby camping.
Well the baby is now two and sleeps a dream at home but like a nightmare anywhere other than his own cot.
So, one of the main attractions of camping local was that I could take Ruben home each night while dad and Daniel roughed it in the tent. Perhaps that’s cheating but we were back in time for breakfast the next morning, so to me it counts.
Piet and I were just so pleasantly surprised at how delightful the weekend was that I cannot stop telling people about it.
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Truthfully, I had to drag Piet there complaining no end about how it wouldn’t feel like going away being spitting distance (for an Olympian spitter perhaps) from our own backyard. He was proved to be so wrong.
The caravan park is so tucked away in plain sight that many locals don’t even know its there. Between Waterberry Coffee Shoppe and the ocean inside a grove of beautiful trees is the grassy caravan park with over a 100 sites with electricity points.
I also spied a few quaint looking self catering cottages and log cabins that I will keep in mind for when visitors ask me for accommodation ideas.
Our site was right next to the trampolines and jungle gym, which provided hours of entertainment for the kids. It felt like a world apart.
Surrounded by trees (with our own tree frog) and the simple things like a braai and a glass of wine after a day on the beach, and it was the perfect weekend away.
We missed the twice daily cream scones because we were at the beach (I feel quite regretful about this). Anyway we made up for it by walking to Waterberry to indulge in cheesecake and cappuccinos. Heaven!
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A nation is not defined by its bad news and neither is the Dolphin Coast.
The #ImStaying movement is bringing people of all colours and languages together in a way that for me for the first time shows the true power of social media if harnessed for good.
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If you don’t know what I am talking about then you need to get on Facebook and sign up. The #Imstaying Facebook group has grown to more than 350 000 members and it’s still growing. It is filling my Facebook feed with truly inspirational stories about love and friendship across racial lines (no more mundane food posts and cat videos for me).
It gives me such hope to see so many like-minded South Africans.
There are even a number of ex-Saffers on the group who have shared how the posts have shifted their perspective. One man who had been living in England for many years and was now returning because they had had children and wanted them to know their grandparents said this: “Whilst it’s been keeping me worried and up at night reading all the negative news [about SA] this group has helped make the decision a lot easier for me. God bless our people and God bless South Africa #ImComingHome.”
We have featured a few locals who are part of the movement in this week’s edition and we’d love to share your story too. Email us and let’s get sharing the good news.
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