Author: Kathryn Costello

I travel. I read. I get up to mischief. I write about what I have been up to.
I also have fun writing down the stories that I told my daughter when she was little about a dolphin named Michaela.
I am a tourism consultant. Owning and managing a successful guesthouse, working for tourism organizations and travelling has given me a lot of insight about what makes a tourism orientated business successful.

Pacaltsdorp in the Western Cape

Once upon a time, near George, in the Western Cape, South Africa, there was an area called Hoogekraal, whose leader was the Khoikhoi, Kaptein Dikkop.

Friemersheim

Friemersheim in the Western Cape, South Africa, is the home to wonderful murals on many houses.

The Bridges at Kei Bridge

The second bridge which had served as the rail bridge over the Vaal River at Fourteen Streams, near Warrenton in the Northern Cape, was dismantled and erected over the Kei River. This historic bridge at Fourteen Streams saw skirmishes during the Anglo Boer War and for a while, it became a Boer stronghold, when the English stationed there, withdrew to Kimberly.

The Sao Joao Tragedy

This was the undoing of Dona Leonor. Having survived a walk of over a thousand kilometres through African bush and jungle, hunger, and all sorts of hardships that a noble woman had never dreamed of in her worst nightmares of ever enduring, her nakedness was the last straw. She buried herself in the sand, refused to move, and she and her children died of starvation. Her husband, who seemingly had gone mad from his wife’s actions, disappeared into the wilds and was never seen again.

Magwa Falls and Magwa Tea Estate in Pondoland, South Africa

Magwa Falls, at 146m, are the highest falls in the Eastern Cape. They are part of the Egosa Fault, which resulted in the formation of many precipitous cliffs and narrow gorges being formed north of Port St Johns.

Nkanyamba – the river monster of Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa

When the monster gets angry, it takes its frustrations out on the people of Kwa Zulu-Natal, in the form of massive wind storms and rains which cause flooding. The December 2023 storm around Ladysmith was said to be an Nkanyamba unleashing its fury over the area. An Nkanyamba was also blamed for causing the devastating destruction of Tongaat in June 2024.

uMamlambo – The water People of the Eastern Cape

….a ‘half horse, half fish brain sucking monster’ was reported to be killing people in the area. Nine people, including children had been killed….

Graskop Gorge, Panorama District, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The Graskop Gorge Lift Company has ensured that a good part (but not all) of the amazing winding boardwalk at the bottom of the Graskop Gorge is accessible to everybody.

Bourke’ Luck Potholes, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Mpumalanga is well known for being an ‘overdose of prettiness’ – it doesn’t matter where you go, there is always a sight to marvel at.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes is no different. This amazing river gorge which is part of the Blyde River Canyon opening is nothing short of awe inspiring.

A trip up the Sani Pass

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Historically, what is now a sensational road, was a bridle path, and was used to convey goods between South Africa and Lesotho, by donkey, mule and oxen.

A Crazy Idea: Sir Conan Doyle and an attempted salvage of the Grosvenor treasure.

A crazy idea: the attempted salvage of the Grosvenor treasure What does the Wild Coast of South Africa and Sherlock Holmes have in common? What does an Anglo Boer War doctor and Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis, Moriarty have in common? The answer is Conan Doyle, as in Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle KStJ, DL (1859 –… Continue reading A Crazy Idea: Sir Conan Doyle and an attempted salvage of the Grosvenor treasure.

Deelfontein: Home of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital

Mrs Google Maps when getting the directions to Deelfontein must have been playing broken telephone, because we took a seriously long scenic route. But hey, I don’t do lost, so we enjoyed the Karoo scenery. Flat land. The odd koppie (small flat topped mountain). Sand. Springbokke. Knee high scrub bush. Repeat. Repeat again.

Pondoland, Transkei and the tragedy of the SS Mendi.

‘You are going to die, but that is what you came to do… let us die like warriors. We are the sons of Africa. Raise your war cries, my brothers, for though they made us leave our assegais [spears] back in the kraals [villages], our voices are left with our bodies.’

What’s in a name? Kwa Zulu-Natal, South Africa.

Kwa Zulu-Christmas.
That doesn’t sound quite right, does it?
What if the history books wrote about Port Christmas?
Or the Colony of Christmas?

The Umzimvubu River and Port St Johns

…..as usual, the European powers that were, had no respect for local knowledge, so the Umzimvubu River is called the St Johns River on all maps, and in all books written up until the early 1900s.

The Trekbokke of the Karoo

An extermination party shows off their success.

The springbok treks in the late 1800s were akin to swarms of locusts moving over the land, and as devastating to sheep farmers, who often gave up farming after their grazing land had been destroyed by the springbokke.

The Beervlei Dam

It does not supply any towns with water. Considering that this the dry, almost desert like Little Karoo, you will think that strange, or a waste of precious water.

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, aka HIP

South Africa's oldest game reserve

…a huge black mamba, one of Africa’s most deadly snakes, rose up between them. They froze, and the snake went on its way, but came back when……

The Shongweni Falls and Railway Tunnels

As waterfalls go, it isn’t very spectacular, but if you venture down to the bottom of the gorge you will be awestruck by the railway tunnels there.

The Flowers of Hogsback, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

……the eclectic collection of residents is well known to the fairies that inhabit the beautiful surrounding forests and gardens. The waterfalls are extremely beautiful, the mountains are breath taking, and so on and so forth…..

Barberton – home to daisies and brave dogs

Not that well known of Barberton,, is the story of Cockney Liz, the high class call girl who travelled from England to South Africa to find her fiancé. Not finding him, she started off as a barmaid, and eventually earned fame and fortune; the fortune having started when a night with her was auctioned off – sometimes payment was made by the highest bidder in gold mining shares.

Pécs, Hungary

Hungarian Train Stations are wonderful; trains are greeted and given a send-off with the most delightful jingle, the MÁV Szignál, and the staff are in uniforms, and a cap, that reminded me of illustrations in a children’s story book.

India: Mumbai, Kerala and Rajasthan

The Mosque is beautiful, shimmering white against a bright blue sky. A word of advice: always, in your bag, carry a ‘modesty’ scarf or shawl, or preferably two. Many cultures and religions disapprove of us western females going bare headed, having bare shoulders, and wearing pants or shorts. Modesty shawls and scarves can quickly be wrapped around you as a skirt, and thrown over your head and shoulders, making you instantly welcome at a site. Respecting the peoples’ cultures will ensure you enjoy the country more and that you will see much more.

Bornholm, the island in the ‘Eastern Sea’.

Many of the megaliths found on Bornholm are inscribed with runes, the ancient Nordic script, with Christian messages on them. These megaliths are commonly found in churchyards, in  churches, or have often been used as lintels when repairing or adding to  churches over the centuries.

Uganda – of Gonoleks, Piapiacs and Plantain Eaters

Murchison Game Reserve is awe inspiring. It’s huge. It has a rain forest with chimpanzees. It has the Nile River. It has Murchison Falls. It has hundreds of animals. Thousands actually. Buffalo. Elephant. Hippo. The biggest wickedest Nile Crocodiles you’ll ever see. It has the Uganda Kob, which is Uganda’s special version of an impala gazelle. It is bigger and heavier than the common impala. It has Rothchild’s giraffe, lots of them, and until very recently, only on one side of the Nile.