To all you beautiful people and ‘pre-friends.’ Let me introduce and tell you a wee bit about myself.
I am a freelance writer (mostly travel) based in Durban, South Africa with publications in print – mostly in-flight magazines, airport VIP lounge magazines and online.
Towards the end of my schooling career, I found my school subjects boring and uninteresting -algebra, geometry, logarithms and so forth bored me to death. I had a penchant for languages which was English and Afrikaans taught at our ‘then’ South African schools. I had a vivid imagination which started the ball rolling and that’s when I started writing short fiction stories. I sent out my manuscripts to local magazines and was bitterly disappointed with each of the responses. Those days emails were unheard of, so I had to patiently wait for the postman.
Though I cannot say I’ve travelled extensively – truthfully, I haven’t much at all, it was just within a tiny corner of my continent, or should I say my hometown. I would like to someday say that I have travelled extensively.
It all started when my husband and I took our 2 little babies for long weekends away, and when I returned, always wrote back and complimented on their warm hospitality, the new additions on their menu, their comfortable beds, or new décor at their establishments – anything. Although I received nothing for my comments and praises, it just made me feel good about our well-deserved break, or maybe somewhat happy at the same time, I think.
Architecture and historic buildings are not really appealing to me. What truly intrigues me are the people, their culture, their local hangouts and their cuisine, (the food, wow!) and not forgetting ‘the shopping.’
When I travel abroad, I would most definitely not join a tour group, although it might save you a couple of hundreds, or maybe even a thousand rands, but I would certainly not be governed by time – I am my own boss, I do things at my own pace. If I prefer to spend a few more hours or even a day or two, so be it – I’ll do just that.
India was my first and only trip abroad, with my children. I was advised by many to make use of tour groups, as it would be easier, trouble-free and of course, cheaper. I googled and booked hotels that I found fascinating and in good locations, and just as well we decided to change hotels as we were not too chuffed with the shower – and we would have been unable to do so, had we booked with a tour group. We found places of interest that might not be interesting to others, but us. We enjoyed going to the movies, finished our popcorn at the bus shelter, ate at restaurants were locals frequented, tried homemade ice-cream from a small family-run parlour, that sort of thing.
Ate at a run-down restaurant that was not so classy to an uptight tourist, but the food was divine and obviously cleanliness is of utmost importance – overall surroundings were clean, but the building cried for a slap of paint.
I love food and sweet treats, eating out at new restaurants is my forte – so expect some reviews on that. Day visits to parks and gardens, animal sanctuaries are also one of the favourite past-times, as that doesn’t require much preparation – just rising early and forgoing your beauty sleep for that day.
Look out for my blog posts at least every fortnight, though it would be much sooner.
Social Media –
Twitter : @SarahRamnath1
Instagram : sarah_ramnath
I am also an active member of ITWPA (The International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance)
