Cruising Along the Eastern Cape’s Route 72
There's a beautiful stretch of coastline in the Eastern Cape, about halfway between Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and East London. Sometimes referred to as "the Sunshine Coast", this area stretches along Route 72 and includes several small and medium-sized beach...
A Whiny American in Joburg Files Her U.S. Taxes
I've been staring at this screen on and off for the past two days, trying to figure out how to write a blog post about U.S. taxes. I don't know how to write it in a way that doesn't suck, because let's face it: Taxes suck. No one likes paying them, no one likes...
Dinner at Johnny Guitar Drive In (Roadhouse) in Alberton
Third in my Roadhouses of Gauteng series. The Johnny Guitar Drive In, a roadhouse in downtown Alberton on Joburg's East Rand, has a long and complex history. I'll try to summarize what I know in a few sentences. The Johnny Guitar Drive In. Nearly 70 years ago, a...
The Blogitects Spend a Night in Wild Wepener
I waited until the last minute before deciding where to stay on the last night of the Blogitect Road Trip. The first eight nights of the trip were meticulously planned, but I delayed choosing a stopover town for the ninth night. I wanted to find an unusual town --...
I Climbed a Mine Dump in Soweto
In my recent post about the Chilli Pepper restaurant, I briefly referred to a mine dump at the end of Immink Drive in Diepkloof, Soweto. The big hill in the background is a mine dump. Another look from further down the street. Like many Joburgers, I've always been...
Pilgrimage to the Big Pineapple
I'm not sure when I first saw a photo of the Big Pineapple. It might have been in a blog post, or maybe somewhere on Instagram. But I do know one thing for certain: The moment I saw the Big Pineapple, it rocketed to the top of my South African must-see list. I can't...
A Visitor’s Guide to Bathurst
Last year, before the pandemic, I started a campaign called #10SouthAfricanTowns. I planned to visit ten small towns all over South Africa during 2020. Bathurst, 20 kilometers inland from Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape, was one of the first towns I put on the list....
Back to Bethulie and the Royal Hotel
Six years ago, during a wild road trip in a van full of bloggers, I spent a night at the Royal Hotel in Bethulie. I was enchanted: Bethulie is a charming, tiny South African town and the Royal Hotel was one of the quirkiest guesthouses I'd ever stayed in. I vowed to...
Phyllis Drives the Blogitects to the Eastern Cape and Back
Thorsten and I decided to take a long road trip from Joburg to the Eastern Cape, down through the Free State to the Sunshine Coast and back. We were super excited and had everything planned. But we had a vehicle problem. Our driving options were: 1) My beloved but...
View From the Top of the Nizamiye Mosque
Although the Nizamiye Mosque is huge and impossible to miss when driving north on the M1 highway, it remains one of Joburg's best kept secrets. The Nizamiye Masjid (mosque) in Midrand. I think most Joburgers know there is a mosque there (since it's impossible not to...
Chicken Dinner at Chilli Pepper on Immink Drive
Due to poor planning, I probably won't have time to visit a roadhouse in March. But if you're eagerly awaiting the next installment in my Roadhouses of Gauteng series, the Chilli Pepper Restaurant on Immink Drive in Diepkloof, Soweto, is a great substitute. Saturday...
Braamfontein From Above
On Tuesday evening, South Point properties invited me to check out 56 Jorissen Street, a brand-new, high-rise student residence in Braamfontein. The whole building is beautiful -- I almost wished I could become an 18-year-old college student again and move in. But the...
Where to Eat Outside in Joburg: Blind Tiger
For obvious reasons, lots of people have been asking me for outdoor dining recommendations -- specifically restaurants with gardens. And considering this city has one of the best climates on earth, restaurant gardens are surprisingly hard to find in central Joburg....
I’m Obsessed With Sourdough Bread (and other pandemic thoughts)
Since the pandemic started a year ago, I've developed many thoughts and opinions about things that I hardly ever thought or had opinions about before. Sourdough bread is one of these things. Joburg's most beautiful (and tasty) loaf of sourdough. Before covid, I didn't...
Heather Mason
I’m an American writer/blogger/photographer living a quirky life in Johannesburg. Follow along as I explore Johannesburg, South Africa, and the rest of the world.
