How South Africans can afford to live the high life in Tuscany for at least 10 days

On my very first independent overseas trip, I stayed in the smallest, most uncomfortable hotel room in the whole of Europe. I'll spare you the full description of the giggle-inducing discomforts (the shower for very thin people for instance) because you've probably been there.  It was all we could afford and we had a great trip, lack of home comforts notwithstanding.

That was 35 years ago. We've come a long way since then.

Yes, there are thousands of excellent hotels all over Europe but with the South African Rand, you almost need to take a second bond on your house to be able to afford them. By default, I've become a live-like-a-local snob and almost always opt for self-catering digs. The sterile, impersonal environment of a hotel, housekeeping's nagging morning knock when you haven't brushed your teeth yet and the air-conditioner that never seems to work properly in the height of summer has, over the years, conspired to drive me permanently into the welcoming arms of independent living. Sharing with friends; a stylish apartment with a balcony, a handpicked villa with a pool, a beach hut, a canal boat, even a campervan have all served as my temporary home when exploring distant destinations. At a fraction of the cost had I done it all independently.

Welcome to trip-share, an independent travel concept with communal benefits.  In fact, it's like staying in an upmarket commune but with all the comforts of home.

What all these places have in common is freedom. Feel like a sandwich or a pot of tea?  Simply pop down to the kitchen. How about a cold beer?  In the fridge, help yourself.  Anxious about finding a laundromat? There's a washing machine down the passage. By sharing a well-appointed villa (often with a pool), the transport and the shopping bill, South Africans can effectively live like proverbial kings, or at least at a standard which they're accustomed to. All without compromising the intimate nature of independent travel. You still stay in a private room with private bathroom but because the cost is shared, you can afford to stay in above-average comfort and avoid that tiny room in Hotel Drab on the outskirts of town. Besides the fact that it's up to you to make it feel like home, sharing with a bunch of like-minded individuals can be pretty jolly.  (Saffanese: a jawl)

After a recent trip all over Italy, squeezing in far too many destinations in far too short a time, I started toying with a friend's idea of doing it again, this time at a slower pace with a small group, basing ourselves in one place and doing frequent day-trips. I started making the post-trip sums and looking back, the total cost per person was remarkably agreeable. We managed to find below-average airfares, avoiding those long layovers in one of the Gulf states. We lived well, often eating fairly extravagantly "at home" (think fresh scallops bought from the local fish market), but with a respectable number of trattoria pizzas thrown in. We made extensive use of local transport and shopped at neighbourhood grocery stores.

Which brings me to my planned trip to Tuscany in May of 2020. I've never been a fan of group tours but essentially, that's exactly what I've been doing for the past 20 years or so. It's always been with friends (usually with me doing all the arrangements) but my thinking is: if I can travel with long-time friends, why not travel with future friends? The done-deal-moment came when an acquaintance said she has never had the courage to do something like this on her own, but she's aching to experience Tuscany in-depth.

If you’re not into tour groups yet dread the daunting task of arranging everything yourself, this group tour in Tuscany might just be for you. Here are my ten benefits of trip-sharing with like-minded travellers and why they make sense, especially on a unique, “once-in-a-lifetime” experience that ticks all the boxes:

1. Sharing the cost of a villa, transport and food equals substantial savings for everyone, especially with our meek Rand. Example: a very basic hotel room can easily cost in the region of €100 per night (that's R820pp at current exchange rates). For the same price or less you can share a fabulous villa with all the bells and whistles.  These are very large houses with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, large grounds and are usually beautifully furnished.
2. Most villas are rented weekly, so you're staying in one place for the duration and that has the heavenly reward of not having to haul luggage around airports, train stations or in and out of tour buses every other day.  It has the added benefit of cutting down on intercity transport.
3. Unpack and pack only once.  Bliss.
4. Being an ardent independent traveller myself, this trip is based on what most slow travellers want to experience on an overseas holiday: the food, the wine, the music and the local culture.  Big benefit: no rush.
5. With a small group of devotees-to-all-things-Italian (carefully selected on similar likes and dislikes to your own), the trip doubles up as a social outing with jovial acquaintances.
6. No traipsing around town with a bag of dirty clothes every few days: laundry facilities are in-house.
7. No rigid timetable, with special avoidance of the early morning herding to a waiting bus.
8. Having our own shared transport, frequent day trips to explore off-the-beaten-track villages of Tuscany is a breeze and the best, in this case, is: you don't ever have to drive on the "wrong" side of the road.
9. Usually, you'd split the grocery bill equally and the foodies in the group do the cooking, but on this trip we do all the cooking.  We've included all breakfasts and nearly half of all other meals (we've even planned a locally sourced braai).  The idea is that everyone has the freedom to break away and discover their own intimate trattoria from time to time.  Of course, you're not banned from the kitchen!
10. Because we're based in one place, everyone can do as much or as little as they want.  Some might want to visit as many museums as possible, while others prefer just meandering through an ancient village for a few hours.  Flexibility is key.

On this particular trip, having full-time hosts means you never have to try and tackle the small things like finding transport or navigating a grocery store on your own, fun as that might be for some of us.

In summary, this type of travel can be seen as being a group tour for people who hate group tours. Yes, you're not always alone with your partner (a blessing for some?) and yes, you do sacrifice a bit of your privacy but it makes overseas travel a lot more comfortable, more affordable and in the end, much more sociable.  I'd love to hear your thoughts:
allanbarnard100@gmail.com

Immerse yourself in Tuscany for 10 days and live like a local

More info?  Complete the contact form below and e-mail to: allanbarnard100@gmail.com

More info?  Complete the contact form below and e-mail to: allanbarnard100@gmail.com

Piazza del Campo - Siena

Monteriggioni - just north of Siena

Salivating yet?  Let me put your name on the provisional list of "interested-but-just-looking" travellers in the meantime.  The booking process will begin once that list has a sufficient number of guests on it to make the trip viable.  Once that happens, I'll send you a travel questionnaire so we can see if we're all a travel match made in heaven.  When the viability evaluation is over (probably end of January 2020), we'll need to start booking and paying deposits and would therefore require your deposit of 50%, with the balance payable approximately 45 days before departure. Send an e-mail to allanbarnard100@gmail.com, telling me how many in your party and which is your preferred departure airport.  We'll also need to know if you're planning to extend your trip before or after our 10 days together.  Ciao!

The idiot's guide to putting a restaurant out of business

View from the cauldron; by a weary proprietor

I have been a partner in an owner-managed countryside restaurant for the best part of two decades.  When a customer has a less-than-satisfactory experience at my place, I am naturally dismayed but waste no time in rectifying the problem and expressing my profound apologies with an explanation, which I believe is the logical reaction from any businessman who wants to succeed.  But sometimes, it appears, we are expected to self-immolate.

While it is an undeniable fact that restaurants do take their eye off the ball and standards do slip on occasion, sometimes even unbeknownst to the owner, I am willing to lay a wager that with few exceptions, most restaurateurs are quite simply mortified when a customer’s experience is genuinely disappointing.

In my experience, the vast majority of restaurant patrons are perfectly regular folks who simply want to have a decent meal in pleasant surroundings, pay for it and go home.  They might, at times, be subjected to mishaps, but they are usually quite happy to have the problem resolved there and then.  They accept the restaurant’s apology and efforts to compensate and move on.

But then, along comes the Culinary Crusader, a.k.a Tripadvisor Trev, or as I prefer to call them; Guest From Hell, my go-to sobriquet which I've code-named "GFH".  Smartphone firmly in hand, his Review Website Honouree badge hidden from view and grumpy attitude resolutely intact, the GFH sits down and the fun starts.  

The omnipresent sword of Damocles that hangs over a restaurant owner’s head is the terminally Tripadvised guest who feels he has not done enough to verbally punish a server or owner into submission and is then hell-bent on venting his anger.  Where best but on social media, especially the “reviews you can trust” type websites?  Incidentally, I was amused when that famous slogan was changed to "reviews from our community".  Some pretty hard-core members in that community, I mused to my partner.  No matter what act of contrition a restaurant may try to perform in addressing this patron’s trivial grievance, he simply refuses to be pleased.  His mind is made up: “F*%k ‘em, I’ll put this place out of business”.  

What has become clear to me over the years is that the satisfied customer feels no pressing compulsion to spread the word about his experience, but the less-than-happy customer has a burning need to warn the world.  I am under no illusion that negative reviews do plenty of damage, just as they were intended.  The beautiful comfort is that the vast majority of our customers express their satisfaction personally by returning; not to Tripadvisor, but to happily spend their money at my establishment again. 

Consider this enthusiastic encouragement I received from Tripadvisor after I recently reviewed two overseas accommodation establishments (Tripadvisor incessantly reminds travellers to do this): “Allan Barnard, you've written 2 reviews, but haven't reviewed any restaurants. Want to try it? You can collect your Restaurant Specialist badge with just 3 restaurant reviews.”  

Excuse me?  Just three reviews and you’re a Restaurant Specialist?

To these “I’ve eaten all over the world” gurus, the concept of a hard-earned reputation cannot possibly apply to a restaurant owner.  When the GFH is even slightly annoyed, he demands obsequious service, unquestioning compliance and complete subservience from restaurant staff, no matter how fussy his demands are or how trivial the restaurant’s blunder may be.  For them, the term “constructive criticism” does not exist.  Polite disagreement with a manager or owner who, incidentally, believes he is doing his best, is out of the question.  The GFH is there to teach this wretched place a lesson; to loudly impart their vast experience as world travellers and to demonstrate their intricate knowledge of every dish ever conceived since the beginning of time.

There is, for the GFH, only one course of action: punish, punish, punish.  From their recklessly written reviews it is obvious that they are completely indifferent to the grinding effort and über-human fortitude, sacrifice, not to mention mammoth patience it takes to run a restaurant for not-so-rich rewards.  It is totally irrelevant that chefs, waiters, managers and owners are fallible humans and therefore, restaurants can and do screw up.  Yet, strangely, these are the only humans on this planet who are strictly forbidden from getting anything wrong, ever.

Lawyers and advocates may lose the obscenely expensive lawsuit against your litigious neighbour after assuring you that it’s an open and shut case, your dentist may miss a microscopic hole in your molar that still causes you numbing agony, your hairdresser may bungle your costly coiffure just before Carol's wedding, even politicians get away with stealing taxpayers’ money, but God help the waiter who doesn't bring the extra ice in a nanosecond or the chef that puts a teaspoonful too much Hollandaise on the fish. 

Judging by the sheer number of reviews that some of these self-proclaimed foodies post, it is not unreasonable to conclude that some of them are so flattered when their harsh reviews are published that they turn it into a cruel ritual.   They gleefully set out to visit restaurants, seemingly with the sole purpose of "testing" these establishments, whilst honing their newly-discovered writing and well-oiled culinary skills.  They excitedly boast to each other about how they “nailed” a restaurant, reading and re-reading their tongue lashings with zero regard to how their sometimes spiteful reviews and often wildly exaggerated account of what really happened may affect real lives.  

Inexplicably, an amateur food critic is allowed to be obnoxious, his complaint exaggerated and unreasonable, yet waiters, managers and owners dare not respond in any other way than with total servitude.  They are at all times required to slavishly observe the 1^st commandment of business; “the customer is always right”, a medieval adage that affords unfettered bullying rights to any person with a gripe.  Dare to challenge this religiously abused cliché and you are summarily deemed unfit to be in business, let alone the hospitality business.

The converse idea that some customers are simply unfit to be restaurant patrons is dismissed as crazy.  Like the "widely-travelled" gentleman who had me called over to his table, to bellow in disgust that he requested his Steak Tartare medium but “they brought it to me raw”.  God help us all.  Then there was the folksy gentleman who just about licked his plate of lamb curry clean before dismissing it as the blandest curry he’s ever had and demanded it be taken off his bill.  Or the snooty diner with the made-in-Turkey Rolex which he proudly points to whilst loudly proclaiming that he’s "been waiting for almost half an hour” for his drink when the computer’s time stamp clearly indicates he waited no more than six minutes for his third double gin and tonic in a very busy eatery.  One glance at his intimidated wife and I couldn't help thinking "surely it ought to be her getting sozzled in such a hurry?".  Why are people so aggressive when they go to restaurants?  They wouldn't behave that way in a bank, or in the doctor's waiting room?

I have witnessed more than one instance where a ranting guest’s party is so utterly embarrassed by their GFH’s behaviour that they feel obliged to apologize to the waiter behind the bully's back and proceed to have their dinner in awkward silence.

Could it be that a GFH holds the view that some restaurateurs simply don't care whether their guests are enjoying the food or having a good time?  Because I cannot fathom why a restaurant owner, who is totally dependent on making a living out of his business and would therefore logically endeavour to attract more customers with good food and good service, would deliberately subject patrons to an appalling experience.  Any restaurateur who has a passion for his business will tell you that an unfavourable but rational critique conveyed to him or his staff is, more often than not, treated as an alert to improve.  So yes, there are genuinely helpful reviews too and I made a point of thanking patrons who constructively bring my attention to something I missed.

Undoubtedly, there are operators who reap what they sow but for most non-franchise, sole proprietors trying to make a living, the daily ordeals of survival in this brutal industry are taxing enough.  The worst is when a dissatisfied patron says nothing whilst at the restaurant, then rushes home to express his disgust on social media under the feeble guise of "I didn't want to make a scene".  Why should there be a "scene"?  What defense does a restaurateur have against the savage onslaught of a harshly subjective opinion, anonymously published as a “review” on a worldwide forum like Tripadvisor?  The reader has no way of gaining perspective and the critique is often blindly taken as fact.  Negative review?  Avoid the place like the plague.  Issuing a management response is the only (somewhat ineffective) recourse, but by then the damage is usually done.  And who likes to be accused of being defensive?

Through all this trauma, websites like Tripadvisor continue to thrive, regardless of their inconsequential efforts to verify a review.

Inevitably, the rebuttal from these review zealots will almost certainly include the naive narrative that "sensitive" restaurant owners like me should “get out of the restaurant industry” or deliver that knee-slappingly funny but utterly meaningless little vignette: “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.  News flash:  the longevity of an establishment under the most severe economic circumstances defies this idiotic judgment.  I cannot believe that a restaurant would stay in business for years, serving thousands of guests, if it consistently under-performs.

So this is an invitation to pop into your local eatery and try the diabolical “worst meal ever" and the non-existent service.  I'm sure they'll try their best not to exceed your expectation and serve it to you in under two hours.

Incidentally, I have, on the odd occasion, discovered to my utter astonishment at random dinner parties that the host's own cooking is not exactly five star and certainly does not match the loudly proclaimed standards to which they hold restaurants for an almost identical dish.  They would rant endlessly about their recent experience at some undeserving eatery but I'm just too damn polite to say anything while chewing my way through the over-cooked lamb.

To the consummate GFH I have this humble request: either be fair and balanced in your attempts to be a food critic or leave the reviewing to the almost-forgotten professionals.  We restaurateurs really don’t deserve you.  And hopefully one day we'll be able to rate your rant on a website called GFH-Alert.

Allan Barnard

Riebeek West

South Africa

The sweetest "dream team": Nyasha, Chipo and Chengetayi

Six reasons why you should consider tag-along campervan glamping

When the campervan travel bug bites, it becomes an itch you can't scratch.

For most of my adult life in South Africa, I could think of nothing worse than spending a holiday in the cluttered space of a caravan, never mind using those charming ablution blocks that always smelled of Jeyes Fluid (a pungent antiseptic chemical) or urine or both. And did you notice how boldly floral the inside of a caravan always seemed to be? No, those flappy tent walls and the endless unsolicited chatter from the neighbour simply did not appeal to me.

Until I went campervanning along the Rhine many moons ago. The photo below is a perfect slice-of-life example of that wonderful experience, but fast-forward to 2019, and you will find a plethora of websites and Facebook pages that specialize in finding really cool spots in Europe, like this one: @CoolCamping

This was such a sublime experience, I became a convert literally by the 3rd kilometer. We had our own bathroom with shower on board - yay, no more public ablutions - own little kitchen which was extremely functional and cute dinette with picture windows. Even an air-con!

Now, with my plan to invite like-minded travelers to try this new way of independent travel, I think the traditional camping experience has been upped a few notches.  Imagine having a designated driver and personal assistant for an entire road trip in Europe, at a cost that is significantly less than staying in hotels and renting a car.  And substantially less hassle than renting and driving a campervan yourself.  The route is pre-planned, you simply join when and where it suits you.  Tag-along glamping is like ride-sharing; it simply means that while I drive my campervan with you in the passenger seat, your private digs - a comfortable and stylishly appointed caravan with own bathroom - is tagged along for the ride.  Can it get any better?

Far beyond my expectations, the feeling of independence and of never having to be anywhere specific at any time, (like an airport) of being able to choose a road simply because you want to see where it goes, completely outweighed the comforts of a sterile hotel with its uniform furniture, tiny soap and never-enough coffee sachets.

I have to admit, driving a vehicle with a large hump above my head was, at first, intimidating and it took getting used to.  It was barely visible whilst driving, ever so precipitously leaning over the top edge of the of the wind shield, as if to keep an eye on my driving.  At first, whenever I approached one of those low bridges in southern France, I had a 10-second panic attack.  In vain, as it turned out.  And trying to squeeze into that only parking spot directly in front of the restaurant was always going to be a challenge.

But out on the open road, the luxury of having your whole house with you all the time and moving on when you feel like it changed my perspective on campervanning forever.

So here are a few things you might want to consider when reconsidering your less than enthusiastic stance on campervanning and particularly my concept of tag-along touring:

• You never have to worry about finding a place to sleep.  We've all been there:  it's almost dark and you've been on the road since just after breakfast.  You've got buttock cramp, your partner has scoured the 'Net and made you stop at four potential places to overnight, none of which you particularly liked (too noisy, too cramped, too smelly, too surly) and all you can think of is a shower, some dinner and bed.  Sorted.

• You unpack only once.  You've done it a million times: schlepping your luggage from airport to hotel to airport, up and down stairs, squeezing into small elevators (fun fact: Parisian budget hotels have the smallest elevators in the world), squeezing into standing-room-only buses and sweaty metro trains, packing (then unpacking and repacking) the boot of your teensy hire car.  All gone when you're tag-along touring. 

• There's only one check-in and one check-out.  Those long waits at reception, those bookings that have mysteriously disappeared from the system even though you confirmed them months ago and those officious desk clerks have never been fun.

• You never have to search for a loo while on the move.  Who doesn't know the physical pain of having a HUGE need and there's nowhere to go!  On a tag-along tour, that will never happen because your loo goes where you go.

• In my proposed new way of travel, someone else does all the driving - especially handy if you're used to driving on the left.  This means that if you feel like grabbing an ice cold beer or glass of wine whilst gazing at pastoral meadows rolling by, you simply reach over to the fridge and help yourself.

• It allows you more freedom of choice.  There are hundreds of towns, villages, view spots and natural beauty off the beaten path that you can stop off at - even for a few hours - and you're always assured of having your creature comforts with you.

If you would like to know more about upcoming tag-along trips in 2019 and 2020, including costings, possible routes or if you have any other questions, simply fill in the contact form at the top right of this article.  You can also share to Facebook by clicking on the tiny icon just below.

See y'all soon!

Allan B

The cost of glamping vs conventional travel in Europe

glamping

/ˈɡlampɪŋ/

noun or verb

An amalgamation of glamour and camping.  A form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.

Eg.: "glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature—without foregoing any of life's luxuries"

or "they're on a glamping trip along the coast"

or "we're glamping for two weeks this summer"

My concept of tag-along glamping is to set out a route, provide the means of transport, the camper accommodation, assume all driving and invite others to share the experience as well as the costs.

The Internet is packed with detailed travel research, done by countless travelers in real time every year.  Thankfully, a ton of these sites include costings down to the last minutiae.  Two of the most comprehensive such sites that I regularly consult are www.priceoftravel.com (updated annually) and www.numbeo.com.

Grand ride, grand digs!  A perfect example of the tag-along glamping vehicles

This last site is spectacularly up-to-date and compares the cost of living in your home town to virtually any city in the world, even providing a detailed breakdown of the average grocery list!

To determine whether my plan to travel through Europe by campervan for a few months is viable (see my previous post), I had to compare it to the cost of conventional travel, going the hotel-and-car-hire route.

Priceoftravel.com compares the cost of travel in 56 European cities.  Here's how they calculated the costs for each city (February 2019):

• One night in the most moderately priced 3-star hotel available with a desirable central location and mostly positive reviews. Hotel prices are per person based on double occupancy per night (breakfast excluded)

• Two x 3-km taxi rides per day (one ride paid per person)

• One cultural attraction, such as a popular museum, per day

• Three meals per day using the top end of the range of the “budget meals” for each city

• Three drinks (beer or wine) each day as an “entertainment fund.” Non-drinkers might have dessert and coffee or attend a local music performance instead, so this is a general benchmark that should be proportional for each city.

I compared three of these cities to illustrate the low-to-medium-to-high price range, starting with Bucharest, then on to Lisbon and finally, Venice.  In the Priceoftravel model, none of these cities included inter-city transport, so I researched what it would cost to hire a car for 7 days, in order to compare it to campervan travel between destinations.  I included all the related costs that are never reflected in the initial rental rate but which pop up on your credit card statement long after the holiday.

The true average cost of hiring a compact car in Europe, including all related charges: 

• Car rental for 7 days from reputable company: €338 

• Insurance/CDW: €136 excluding excess, usually €1000 (blocked on your credit card) 

• Diesel: €155 

• Tolls: €65 

• Road tax: €16 (Italy)

• Parking: €158 

Car rental per day: €62

Total: €868

Of course you can get it MUCH cheaper in a lot of European destinations, but the point here is to add up every cost item related to your car hire.  The example above pretty much covers all your bases and anything cheaper is a bonus.

Cost of a stay in Bucharest, Romania (moderately priced) 

1. Best cheap & central 3-star hotel: Smart Rooms Bucharest @ €14/night
2. Local transport: €4
3. Meals: €14
4. Drinks/Entertainment: €6
5. Attractions: €3 
6. Compact car hire: €62 (shared)

Total daily 3-star Traveler Index for Bucharest: €72 per person

Cost of a stay in Lisbon, Portugal (medium priced)

1. Best cheap & central 3-star hotel: Dom Joao Residencial @ €47/night 
2. Local transport: €6.00 
3. Meals: €29.00 
4. Drinks/Entertainment: €15.00 
5. Attractions: €8.00 
6. Compact car hire: €62 (shared)

Total daily 3-star Traveler Index for Lisbon: €136 per person

Cost of a stay in Venice, Italy (expensive)

1. Best cheap & central 3-star hotel: Hotel Santo Stefano @ €117/night 
2. Local transport: €16 
3. Meals: €39 
4. Drinks/Entertainment: €18 
5. Attractions: €12 
6. Compact car hire: €62 (shared)

Total daily 3-star Traveler Index for Venice: €233 per person

In summary:

• Average cost of a stay in the above three cities: €147 per person per day.
• Cost of tag-along glamping: €100 per person per day
• The above costs are inclusive of accommodation, transport, meals, drinks, attractions & getting around locally.
• Average cost of renting and driving a campervan yourself: €110 per day.  Excludes all the above (except transport!)

In the above comparison, tag-along glamping turns out to be significantly cheaper.  Bonus:  there's never a block on your credit card. 😌

The biggest, most priceless bonus when tag-along glamping?  TOTAL FREEDOM!

See y'all on the road!

Allan B

Carefree ambles on Europe's alternative roads

Hello, my name is Allan Barnard: 58-year-old semi-retired radio announcer and restaurant owner in Riebeek Kasteel, South Africa. After 30 years in broadcasting, during which I also spent 17 years in the hospitality industry, I’ve decided that for a year or three, to do what I’ve wanted to do for a long time: to sell up and saunter through Europe in a campervan.

This is an invitation to you to share a small but memorable part of it with me, and your response will help determine which routes I take.

My plan is to acquire a motorhome and a caravan in Germany or the Netherlands in 2019 and to take on the slow roads of Europe, wherever they may lead. The purpose of inviting co-travelers with a similar dream to share in this experience is two-fold: to always have company who speak my language and to share the trip's accommodation and transport costs. In this way, we can travel further, see more, wine and dine without skimping and altogether enjoy a richer experience. I take care of the ride, the stay-overs and see to it that we’re always connected. 

A perfect example of what I have in mind

For the rest, you take charge of your requirements according to your own needs; own flights, own visas, own meals and beverages, own local transport and own access fees to local attractions. According to my research, after accommodation and transport have been deducted, you can budget approximately R280 per person per day for everyday expenses like groceries, drinks, local transport and the like.

To make it easier, I have researched a comprehensive circular route that covers the less crowded roads of Europe (my first thought: go coastal!).  Where, for instance, it is not necessary to stay in a crowded, noisy campsite. Where quaint villages with lively eateries are the norm and where the beauty of the environment takes your breath away. The spectacular fjords of Norway, the majestic castles of Germany and the pristine lakes of Finland are all, among others, in my saunter sights.

With the knowledge I have gained in the restaurant industry, I’d also like to put my cooking skills to the test by stopping in smaller towns en-route and cook regional dishes with local chefs. I’d like to capture this on video for a blog on YouTube, in the relaxed style of the famous TV chef, Rick Stein. 

My "Tag-Along" ride-share concept is simple: for the duration of the European summer, I drive in generally one direction on a "Grand Circle” Route. I break up the route in 1000-1500km sections that last for approximately 10-14 days, which, for planning and budgeting purposes is the minimum stay. You then need to select one of the route sections which has an airport that you can fly to from South Africa, because this is where I will meet you. You can also suggest a route, as long as it's practical and do-able.  Along the way we stay at least two days at a place, either in a campsite or “wild camping”. At the end of the trip, I drop you off at a return airport, from which you can either fly back home or to your next destination.

An uncomplicated example: fly to Münich and ride-share with me on the route between Münich And Copenhagen (or Oslo) via Nüremberg, Leipzig, Berlin and Lübeck. This is a distance of about 1200km which we drive in sections of 300km, roughly every third day.

The greatest thing about touring like this is that you never need to drive, and you never need to be at a loss anywhere, because I am always on hand to assist (along with my trusty travel companion: Google!). When we are on the open road, you’ll travel with me in the campervan and when we overnight, the separate caravan is your private space. Comfortable and stylishly equipped, it come with its own kitchen, toilet and shower facility. You’ll never need to step inside a public ablution block!

From time to time, we will undoubtedly do our grocery shopping together, or braai together, or sip on sundowners whilst gazing at a sublime view but, by and large, your time is your own.

To summarize: This is carefree self-catering at its most laid-back at a fraction of the cost of doing it all by yourself.  For my proposed routes, airports and various cost estimates, please send me an email, indicating which parts of Europe you would most like to visit and please feel free to ask questions!

My e-mail address is: allan@kasteelberg.com.  Greetings until our rendezvous at the airport!

Allan
Riebeek Kasteel