CULTURE VULTURES

By Debashine Thangevelo

With this being Women’s Month, we’ve decided to ask these women about their travel experiences

CHLOE-ANN CLARK

THE South African-born singer and songwriter lives in The Netherlands with her husband and toddler. However, prior to getting married and becoming a mom, travelling was one of her favourite things to do.

She shares some of her travel memories, especially those solo trips and as a new mom.

When did you first embark on your solo travel trip, where did you go, how old were you and how would you describe the experience?

When I was 27 years old, I booked a trip to Mauritius and booked a small tour around the island (I’m a jazz singer). While I was on the island for 10 days, I managed to meet a delicious pilot and this was the beginning of a wild adventure of a solo duo and now family adventures!

One of my first solo trips was to Paris to eventually meet up with the said pilot. I caught the night flight

out of OR Tambo to land in Paris the next morning. Using rebate travel has its perks but you also don’t always know up until the last second if you’ll get on the flight due to availability!

I landed early and set out to discover the streets and pastries. The experience was magical, I discovered the gorgeous little areas (I didn’t book a hotel in the best area) and so when I went back a few months later to do a little girls’ trip with my cousin, I booked us a spot in the quaintest area surrounded by all the sights and feels of Paris!

What are the positives of taking a solo travel trip?

Solo travelling, I feel is dependent on your personality. I have loved my one or two days alone on an adventure, but I much prefer to share the experiences and joys with loved ones.

The positives of solo travel are that you can do what you want when you want. If you’re a free spirit, you can go with the flow and not have to worry about schedules and other people’s agendas.

It can also be an incredible way of meeting other people and getting to know yourself better!

You've also done a few girls’ trips. Tell us a bit about that, where did you go, how difficult/ easy was it to co-ordinate and what were the things you were most mindful of?

I did the most incredible girls’ trip to Bali and Hong Kong when I was 26, with two of my favourite humans. When doing a girls’ trip, I would say it’s best to travel with ladies who have similar interests to avoid drama.

The three of us were very compatible travellers and we were keen to adventure, see different places, hike up volcanoes and explore as much as possible.

We had booked a couple of places and earmarked a few different spots that we wanted to explore so we left some space for adventure but had an overall plan.

Flexibility is the key when it comes to travelling in a group. I have also done a girls’ trip with my darling cousin to Paris (as mentioned earlier) and Rome.

My sister lived in South Korea for several years, and I had the privilege of visiting her twice while she was there; we explored different parts of Korea.

My last girls’ trip to mention would be travelling with another great friend to New York for a couple of days. We checked into the YMCA (yes, that became the theme song for our trip and was one of the only spots that our lovely rand could afford).

Tell us about your top destinations to travel to, from a safety perspective

There are so many amazing destinations to consider if you are looking at doing a trip whether it be solo, duo or group. If you want to stretch your rand there are brilliant options in Asia, whether it be Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.

I have had several friends do solo travels around Sri Lanka and have loved every moment. I think wherever you go, you will need to be wise and do some research as there can be better/worse areas depending on your destination.

Always read the reviews of the places you’re staying, send the hosts any questions if you have any and make sure you put your safety first at all times.

There are often lovely guided tours that you can join with local tour guides if you want the feeling of a group or feel a little uneasy about doing something by yourself.

A great example would be when we hiked in a guided group up a volcano in Bali. We met some amazing people from across the world while on the hike. The host even allowed us to try the ‘cat poo’ coffee as part of a stop on the way to the adventure.

I am living in The Netherlands and have the privilege of travelling extensively through Europe while being on this side of the world. Italy is one of my favourite all-time destinations.

If you have the ability to travel through Europe definitely make a stop in Italy. The history, the food, the culture and the beauty are top of the list!

I am in a little rural town in Italy, sitting in the middle of a vineyard with my little 18-monthold, while we wait for my husband to finish one of his work tours.

Travelling alone with a little toddler, I have found people most helpful, whether it be helping with a pram, offering to carry your bag when your flight lands in the middle of the night and you have a sleeping baby in your arms.

I would also highly recommend learning a little new language (The app Duolingo has been a tremendous help just to get around and know what I am ordering).

Having travelled with your little one, what was that experience like? Would you encourage moms to consider this as an option in these Covid-wary times?

The initial thought of leaving home and packing for a trip can be overwhelming, but the memories we have made as a family are worth their weight in gold.

We did our first trip when our baby was 6 weeks old. We set off back to South Africa as we were pining for family and for the grandparents to meet our new addition.

CHLOE-ann Clark in Venus, Italy. | Supplied

We have since been to Italy, Greece, Portugal, Sardinia and the UK in the last 18 months. I say to moms who are reluctant and have the means, just go.

CHLOE-ANN Clark now lives with her husband and little one in beautiful Amsterdam. | Unsplash

While your child is under 2 and flights and accommodation are still free, just go.

In these Covid-19 times, it’s often easy to stop living. Let’s keep being wise and safe but also not forget that life goes by so quickly and we need to live every moment.

Carry your masks, sanitisers, wet wipes and pack your bags for your next adventure.

THE Pont Neuf bridge in Paris. | Unsplash. Right: A GIRLS’ trip to Paris with friend Sandra Wilmot. | Supplied

MPOTSENG “MMAKAMO” LEBENTLELE

FOUNDER of MmaKamo Tours, Mpotseng “MmaKamo” Lebentlele offers bespoke 5-star experiences in Lesotho and South Africa.

That said, before she launched her company, she gleaned all she needed to know about the tourism industry and on starting a tour company, on the internet.

Her larger-than-life personality combined with her background in marketing held her in good stead for what can best be described as a bold move. She shares her journey with us.

What inspired you to start your tour company?

I was inspired to start my company by my love for travel and my experience having worked on the South African Tourism brand doing their advertising in 2008.

My core markets at the time were the following: Domestic market (South Africa – Sho’t Left) Australia, Asia; SADC; Kenya and Nigeria. I was tasked to delve deeper in each market and under the different nuances that appeal to each market instead of using a blanket approach in our communication.

Understanding what resonates with each market was imperative to be able to lure the target market to visit South Africa.

Tell us about your company.

My company is called MmaKamo Tours and it was established this year. Our unique selling point is that we create bespoke trips for people who love to travel and we give them experiences worthy of the money they spend.

We are giving Joburg travellers an experience to travel and explore Lesotho’s heritage sites and indulge in the beauty that is the Kingdom in the Sky.

The same applies to Lesotho citizens who have money to spend. Trips are organised for them to explore what South Africa has to offer. The focal point in terms of the pillars is shopping, safari, music concerts, rest and relaxation and scenic beauty.

ONE of the tours provided by MmaKamo Tours provides is to the Elephant Sanctuary. | Supplied

How has the business been doing since you opened?

The concept sells itself because people are looking for an experience and they want to be wowed, so it has been great.

Are you getting a lot of traction from the international market as more are looking at South Africa/Africa as a destination?

At present, the focus is only on Africa because my vision is to explore Africa and this beauty that is our continent.

The next trips in November and December are to Kenya and Ghana.

How important is social media as a tool when it comes to promoting a tour business?

Social media is a powerful tool that helped me to build this business and that is all I’m currently using. I will be starting a YouTube channel to promote the different deal offerings but the content will be driven by visuals.

As a female in this sector, what are your words of inspiration to others looking to make their mark?

So for me when I started this business, the idea was driven by my love for three things: travel, music and connecting with people.

My background is in marketing and advertising and all of these collide because for me to create bespoke trips, there is a thought process and concepts I need to put together.

For example, I’m taking people to Maletsunyane Falls in Semonkong in Lesotho.

The word Semonkong is derived from the word “Smoke” of the impact of the waterfall when it hits the ground … it creates smoke.

So my travellers will have yoga on their first day as part of the itinerary then a long elaborate lunch with a table set up on top of the mountain. A chef will curate meals and I have two female DJs entertaining the guests with mellow tunes.

All this will happen on top of a mountain, in a stretch tent, so guests can take in the scenic beauty of the place and be closer to God in the Kingdom in the Sky.

MPOTSENG ‘MmaKamo’ Lebentlele’s passion for travel, music and socialising led her to start MmaKamo Tours. | Supplied