South Africa: Cape Town and Winelands (2026 Adventure)

I’m back from South Africa and safely reinstalled in England, where the weather is doing its usual trick of pretending the sun was a rumour I once heard about. Luckily, I’m only here for two days before heading to Dubai this weekend, so morale remains intact.

This trip marked a historic first for me: I went to Africa and did not go on safari. A personal growth moment, if by growth I mean confirming that I really, really like safari and knew there was a reason I’d never done this before. That’s not to say this wasn’t a wonderful trip, because South Africa is offensively beautiful. At one point I even convinced myself I was a landscape photographer (see below).

There’s also something new happening. Not only will I be reviewing all the properties — Belmond Mount Nelson, La Residence, Perivoli Lagoon House, and Delaire Graff — but I’ll also have videos for La Residence and Perivoli Lagoon House. I attempted video a few years ago, gave it a half-arsed try, decided it was too much work, and promptly retired from my filmmaking career. This time, however, I’ve found a format that works and people cleverer than me to help. The original plan is simple: I film everything, send it to an editor, and then narrate it with my usual level of insight and modesty. That is still happening, but in a beautiful version of “ask and ye shall receive” a cinematographer messaged me a few days before I landed in Cape Town. Done. The first two videos will look suspiciously professional, followed shortly after by a dramatic decline in production value once my own footage enters the conversation. Expect those over the coming weeks along with the full reviews.

Of course, innovation never comes without sacrifice. So now is the time to observe a brief moment of silence for Droney McDrone, my dearly departed DJI Mavic 4 Pro. He discovered — bravely, courageously, fatally — that obstacle avoidance is more of a suggestion than a guarantee when a tree decides to exist. The collision occurred a heroic 20 metres from the house on the final return shot. So close to glory. May he rest in pieces.

La Residence

Perivoli Lagoon House – river boat tour.

Perivoli Lagoon House – river boat tour.

Delaire Graff

Delaire Graff