my views

Arniston is a magical place. For me, it’s synonymous with relaxation and that ‘holiday feeling’. For Kygo, our rottweiler, it means freedom and magnificent adventures every day.  Waleed, my husband, has been going to Arniston since he was 6 years old. So when I went there for the first time over 10 years ago, I also fell in love with the place. It’s hard not to. It is a small fishing village, about 190km outside of Cape Town, famous for its lime-washed houses with thatched roofs. It remains unspoiled and has been declared a national monument.  Arniston Harbour with the Hotel and the fishing village in the distance The town is named after a ship, The Arniston , an East Indiaman that made eight voyages for the British East India Company. She was wrecked on 30 May 1815 during a storm at Waenhuiskrans (later renamed Arniston), near Cape Agulhas (the southernmost tip of Africa). Only six people on board The Arniston survived and 372 lives were lost.  The shipwreck museum in Bredasdorp is a

What started out as a crazy idea in preparation for trail running, has become the cure for Monday morning blues. What is it, you ask? A hike to start the week off right, first thing on a Monday. 10 weeks in, I’m more energised and my body clock has reset. I'm now a member of the 5am club, waking up without an alarm, even on weekends, and absolutely love it! The best part is that we do a different trail every week and get to witness the most beautiful sunrises. We usually start around 6:30 am and aim to do about a two-hour hike. When we’ve completed our hike, there’s enough time for a shower and breakfast before we start our workday. The sense of accomplishment also adds to a more productive day. Week 1 (4 Jan) We (my friend Shaheema and I) did the Pipe Track (10kms). It is a relatively flat trail along the lower part of Table Mountain in the direction of the 12 Apostles.  Pipe Track has the most stunning views of Lions Head and Camps Bay. Week 2 (12 Jan) we did Kloof Corner (6.3k