What local travel means to us as two young South African women

We are Thando and Thina, two young Durban based girls who find thrill in exploring popular and hidden gems around us. We love adventures and experiences and have decided to not keep these cherished moments to ourselves but rather invite the community around us through a visual diary.

Having a trip planned always gives us something to look forward to – something to take our minds off the long 9-to-5 days. Although there are a number local travel agencies that offer flexible and affordable packages, we thoroughly appreciate curating our own trips to achieve a bespoke experience.

We started intentionally traveling from July 2019, and since then we’ve realised how much freedom traveling offers us. Being in a foreign space with unfamiliar faces has a way of enabling us to be our free spirited selves and affords us an opportunity to learn. Other than learning about the place, we learn about the people. It’s mind boggling how much the locals can influence the experience (both negatively and positively).

Growing up (from a black, middle class background), we only got to go away when there were school trips, and we decided to change that. And what better place to start other than our own diverse country. The landscapes in Mpumalanga are breathtaking! The spectacular view of the coastline and the majestic mountainous backdrop in Cape Town is world class! Oribi gorge, in the south of KZN, is exhilarating for adventure seekers. The scenic trails in Drakensberg are a breath of fresh air for nature lovers. The list is endless. We mention all of this to say, we have stunning places to explore and experience right at our doorstep!

Much as traveling is seen as leisure and a privilege (to which we agree) rather than a need, we strongly believe that it’s good for ones mental health. This is also why we opt to travel locally – it makes it accessible and tangible to most people including us.

So with the current pandemic that besets us, it’s really discouraging not being able to travel and explore. It’s certainly made us cherish the lived moments and look forward to creating more. We support the president’s decision to lockdown the country for the betterment of everyone. We can only hope that after this period of being indoors, people will be encouraged to explore the world around them.