I was born in England, but I am half South African and also hold a Canadian passport. I have lived in the UK, Australia and South Africa. From childhood trips to Mossel Bay, South Africa to visit my grandmother, I have never been able to stop travelling. I lived in Cape Town for a while in my twenties, where I learnt to sail, this led to seasons of yacht skippering around the world, eventually leading to a solo nine month drive around Southern and East Africa that truly cemented the continent as my favourite place to visit.
My most memorable trip
Zimbabwe
When I was 24 I joined my Dad in Harare, Zimbabwe and drove through six national parks, and three countries over six weeks. It is still my favourite trip that I have ever done, the mix of countries and cultures on that trip was completely eyeopening, and to share it with my Dad is something I will cherish forever.
On my bucket list
New Zealand
I am itching to travel to New Zealand; the scenery, people and culture are all so in tune with what I love in a destination. I still regret not visiting while I was living in Melbourne.
See where I’ve travelled
Namibia
"I loved camping in the Ugab River Rhino Camp in Namibia, completely on my own with no phone signal and a herd of elephants that visited three times a day - absolutely stunning."
Explore destination
South Africa
"Waking up every morning and looking out over the Atlantic Ocean from my bed while living in Scarborough, South Africa is something I will never forget."
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Tanzania
"Swimming with whale sharks off the coast of Tanzania was an incredibly humbling experience."
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Zambia
"While I was in Livingstone, Zambia I tried to really get my heart rate going by swimming in a pool right on the edge of the falls and also trying a bit of white water rafting, it is also where I did a bungee jump many years ago."
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The best hidden gem
Zambia
Zambia is somewhere I would love more people to travel to. The locals are lovely and the national parks feel very exclusive and are absolutely teeming with game, it's a fantastic combination.
My favourite hotel
Wilderness Chitabe
The camp itself is great, with excellent service and a gorgeous design and setting. The amount of animal interaction and density of predators is remarkable.
We went to Marrakesh, Essaouira and Oualidia with Jacada. Our only regret was not having had more time to spend in Morocco. It was absolutely magical. James from Jacada must have been able to read our mind putting the perfect vacation together, which not only the adults but also our 6 and 10 year old boys enjoyed. Everybody we came…
Excellent 2 week experience with Jacada Travel guidance. It was comforting having someone there to meet and greet us at our many relocations. We thoroughly enjoyed our guides. Great personalities, knowledgeable and upbeat. Our vacation went way beyond our expectation or imagination. We would definitely use Jacada Travel again.
Jacada planned us an incredible bucket list trip to Africa. Our travel designers really took time to get to know us, our travel preferences, and what we were looking for, which was so important since it was our first time to Africa and first time booking a trip through a travel company. We didn't know where to start between Southern…
We have just returned from a wonderful holiday...the absolute best! Starting at the Victoria Falls, viewing from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides and topped it off with a view from above (helicopter).....was stunning! We then went onto Botswana staying at both Selinda and Mombo Camps....both camps were outstanding! Accomodation, food, game drives, guides and the 'team' on the ground…
Jacada is beyond incredible and we look forward to planning future adventures with them. Our experience was flawless from beginning to end. Iain listened to our dream trip ideas and came up with a bucket list itinerary to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. James took over and guided us with his amazing care til departure. Such peace during our travels…
My top tips
Make sure you have a really good pair of binoculars to help you spot everything your guide points out.
Pack as light as you can no one is expecting you to be in anything other than comfortable clothing - one of the joys of Africa, if you ask me.
Make sure you try and get to the top of Lions Head before sunrise to avoid the crowds and see just how stunning the city of Cape Town is.
Make sure you ask your guide every question you have; you'll kick yourself when you come home and don't have their experience at your disposal.