text: This was my first trip to South Africa and I was blown away, almost literally, by this vast and exposed Western Cape, with the famous Table Mountain dominating the distant horizon. The white sand was warm but the strong South Westerly wind was actually chilly. It formed ripples across the surface of the soft dunes here at Duynefontein. I’d heard so many horror stories before visiting Africa, about being mugged at gunpoint, bitten by snakes or stung by scorpions that I was super nervous for months beforehand. I can’t say my fears disappeared completely, but walking barefoot on the sands in this incredible landscape on my first evening, made me realise that it’s a very big planet, and that with your wits about you, you could actually thoroughly enjoy a new world nevertheless. We are returning to Africa but this time with a lot less nerves and a lot more wisdom about what to expect and what not to do. It is without doubt a captivating country even if you have to be constantly aware.