Category: Lifestyle

Every South African knows we have our own special way of doing things – we say “shame” to cute babies, “now now” when we mean “just now” and “howzit” to say hello; but did you know we’re also unique when it comes to our driving habits?

Here are the top 5 driving habits that South Africans have. How many can you spot in yourself?

1. Use our hazards to say ‘thank you’

Hazard lights are used to alert other drivers if you’re stopping or slowing down without warning, but did you know that you technically aren’t supposed to use your hazards for anything except an emergency?

Apart from South Africa, Japanese drivers also use their hazards to be courteous to other drivers, but the practice isn’t well-known in most countries – so if you’re the designated driver while travelling in another country, think twice before using your hazards and confusing the locals.

2. Flash our lights to warn about a roadblock

It’s an age-old South African tradition to warn oncoming motorists about a roadblock by flashing your headlights at them, and it’s helped countless South Africans adjust their speed and save themselves a fine.

While it’s almost impossible for law officials to control whether a driver flashes their lights to warn someone, if a traffic officer spots you, you can receive a fine. Maybe.

According to court decisions on the matter, there have been conflicting judgements.

Here’s the first judgement:

“If a motorist warns other motorists of the presence of a speed trap by flashing his lights, he interferes with the due administration of justice. According to the decision in Naidoo [1777 2 SA 123 (N)], the motorist commits an attempt to defeat the course of justice. 

And the second judgement, which says the complete opposite:

However, in S v Perera [1978 3 SA 523 (T)] in which the facts were materially the same, it was held that the person committing the act will only be guilty if he has reason to believe that the vehicle approaching him is exceeding the speed limit, or that the driver of this vehicle has the intention of exceeding the speed limit. In as far as these two decisions are irreconcilable it is submitted that the latter should be followed. This type of conduct is in effect nothing more than a warning to others to obey the law”

So what’s the truth – can you actually be fined for flashing an oncoming motorist to warn about a roadblock or speed trap?

Howard Dembovsky, the National Chairman of the Justice Project South Africa, says, “Flashing your lights at oncoming motorists to warn them of a speed trap ahead is not specifically illegal. Those law enforcement authorities [using “defeating the ends of justice” as justification] have found themselves getting sued for unlawful arrest.”

3. Never leave space between your car and the car in front of you

According to a social media post that went viral a couple of years ago, the rule around leaving a safe space in South Africa is:

“Under no circumstance should you leave a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, this space will be filled by at least 2 taxis and a BMW, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.”

While we encourage motorists to drive safely and follow the rules of the road, it’s always possible that the gap will be filled by drivers you never intended to let cut in front of you. That’s just life in South Africa!

4. Call traffic lights ‘robots’

Legend has it that before we had traffic lights in South Africa, the police used to control traffic intersections with their hands (as they still do when traffic lights aren’t working).

When the police were replaced by traffic lights, it created the impression that a human job was replaced by machines – hence the name ‘robot’!

Do you know a different story about why we call traffic lights ‘robots’? Let us know on our Facebook page!

5. Keep coins in our car

Did you know that car guards are unique to Southern Africa, which includes South Africa, Egypt, Mozambique, and Namibia?

According to the research paper The Car Guards of Cape Town: A Public Good Analysis, high unemployment in South Africa means that the informal market absorbs the excess supply of labour and, as of 2012, almost 16% of the informal sector was employed as car guards. With the unemployment rate in South Africa increasing over the years, it’s likely that in 2021 even more of the informal labour sector is made up of car guards.

A study done by Business Insider in 2019 showed that most drivers tip car guards anywhere between R2 and R10, which means that South African drivers tend to keep smaller coins and notes in their cars for easy access to tip car guards.

But what will happen to car guards now that the country is increasingly moving towards digital payments?

A new system called TiPPED allows drivers to tip their car guards – at no additional fee – either through a QR code or even your online banking app. Pretty innovative, huh?

Another uniquely South African product? dotsure.co.za Name Your Price™ car insurance! Get insurance you can trust at a price you can choose by switching on and off cover limitations as you need them. Get a free online quote in under 5 minutes today.

It’s time for change. Or an upgrade. Whichever way you approach your career, it’s going to involve interviews — a lot of them!

At the moment, those will probably be screen-to-screen video chats. By “chats” we mean an uncomfortably deep psychological survey of your education, skills, personality, career, and future. In a short space of time. By someone who has countless more candidates to get through.

Stressed? Don’t be! Beyond power dressing and knowing your work history, skills, and achievements, (and the prospective company’s as well!) there are a host of tricks that can help you climb the ladder.

We’ve put together a cheat sheet to help you win at your next job interview.

Clever mental tricks for your next interview

1. Give them what they want

First, what are they looking for?

Every recruiter or potential boss will be asking themselves some questions throughout the interview. It’s your job to answer them along the way, even if they don’t ask. Classy Career Girl lists them:

• Why do you want to work with us?
• Can you do the job?
• Will you fit the company culture?
• How do you outshine other candidates?

2. Mirror your interviewer

Mimic their words and motions but remember that mirroring doesn’t mean parroting. As Classy Career Girl advises, “It’s a subtle reflection. If you’re too much of a chameleon, copying every nuance, you’ll alienate the recruiter.”

3. Show what you know

If you’ve done your homework, you’ll be up to date on the company’s recent news, and if you know how to use social media, you’ll have identified and reached out to existing and former employees to get the low-down on company culture, vision, and more. Bring this in-depth knowledge into your interview to show how passionate you are about being part of their professional family.

4. Match answers to your interviewer’s age and role

A 33-year-old Millennial department manager is going to be interested in different qualities and skills than a Baby Boomer. That’s because they have different mandates when it comes to hiring and different cultural languages depending on their generation.

Give some thought to their role and responsibility as well as yours. How might you best serve the company, its business goals and the person interviewing you? Point this out clearly in a language they understand.

The Ladders breaks each generation down and suggests suitable focuses for each:

• Millennials (25 to 40 years old): Show your work through visuals (physical portfolio or a SlideShare presentation) and emphasise your multitasking skills.
• Generation X (40 to 50 years old): Illustrate your creativity and how you balance personal and professional life to be more successful at both.
• Baby Boomer (50 to 70 years old): Show that you work hard and demonstrate respect for what they’ve achieved.

Don’t forget Generation Z – professionals in their early twenties. It’s entirely possible to have a manager younger than you if you’re interviewing in certain sectors, such as start-ups or technology. If you’re interviewing with a Gen Z’er, make sure to show visuals, videos if possible, and keep it short and to the point.

5. Practise beforehand

This is especially useful for Zoom interviews, where many of the visual, audio, and psychological cues we’re used to picking up on in person  may be missing. Here are some top tips:

• Get a friend or family member to ask you typical and trick interview questions. Try different approaches to answers each time.
• Make eye contact with your interviewer. On video calls, train yourself to look directly into the camera lens.
• It’s good practise to check if your hair and outfit look okay throughout, much like you’d check your blind spots regularly and quickly while driving.
• Make sure you look relaxed but focused.
• Avoid a fake video background. You could drape a sheet (securely) for a clear temporary background. It won’t hurt to pick a neutral colour that suits your skin tone.

What to do when it doesn’t work out

You can do everything right and still not get the job. Maybe another candidate beat you out by a hair, or the company decided to rethink the skills and experience needed for the job. If you’ve invested your time heavily in multiple time-consuming interviews or skills assessment tests the bad news can feel even worse.

Here’s how to pick yourself up again when it doesn’t work out.

• DO send a polite email thanking the interviewer for their time, even if you feel hard done by. A little professional courtesy goes a long way.
• DON’T badger or beg. If you hit it off with the interviewer, you may (politely!) ask if there was anything you could have done differently or areas you can improve on, but don’t keep contacting them if you don’t get a response.
• DO ask to be kept on file. If you just missed out on the job by not having, for example, an important qualification or skill set, there’s no harm in asking to be considered for the next appropriate role.
• DON’T let it get you down. Job hunting is more difficult than ever, and in these times companies may be scared to commit to a candidate. Remember, there are factors out of your control that affect their hiring decision, so try not to take it personally.
• DO take a break if you need it. Job hunting can be mentally exhausting; rejection even more so. If you find yourself getting worn down by the search, don’t feel guilty for taking a break for a few days or weeks.

Feeling prepared and ready? Great. Now go get that job!

It might be available, but a lot of the content you consume online isn’t free, or even legal.

We’re not just talking about getting one month free of Netflix with each new email signup (they’ve figured that one out) or memes of your best friend’s hair on the finsta  account y’all made her for her birthday, which she actually loves. We’re talking stuff you download on the internet that is of dubious origin and uncertain ownership. Or – AHEM – the stuff you upload…

Anyone who’s had their hilarious home-video edits of famous footage “disappeared” from YouTube might relate  (even if it’s not necessarily justified). There are rules around content and ownership online, whether it started there or not, whether it’s moving images or static text. Much of the English-language content is created in America, and platforms based there have guides about it, like this one from YouTube:

Even if it’s only your conscience that’s costing you and you don’t get caught, the growth of Artificial Intelligence means there are more and more eyes on you online , so there’s every reason to stay within the confines of law.

But free stuff is always in fashion. So how about 100,000 books that weren’t (technically) free before? A retro fix might be all you need to address your screen time restlessness.

The New York Public Library recently found that “80 percent of books published between 1924 and 1963 are (or should be) in the public domain”. This means they belong to the public as a whole and are not copyrighted. In its foresight and filial spirit, the Library scanned many of these of books and put them on the World Wide Web.

If you know the title or author of a book that was published in America between these years, you can look for it on the Hathi Trust and it might be there (they aren’t all uploaded). If you don’t feel like searching for a specific title, let this bot suggest a new one to you every few hours.

Thank you, NY Public Library. We’ve definitely got time for that.

Keen on festivals but like to hide away at home, too? Popular events mean lots of lovely people, and while you may enjoy the masses on a mission, you might want to stay somewhere quiet and calm when the show’s over. These two-day getaways in or near towns with big festivals might be perfect for revelling and relaxing.

National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, Western Cape – 27 June to 7 July 2019

Heralded as “South Africa’s biggest and boldest celebration of the arts,” this is one winter stay you’ll want warm clothes for. If you’re into theatre, fine art, fringe events and wandering the streets of a small town, this one’s for you.

https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/

Stay at: The Robin’s Nest

Why: As the name suggests, this stylish, cosy spot is a hideaway you’ll be happy to return to after shows, beers and laughs. You can walk to Kingswood College from it, and it’s only 1.6km drive to town. 15 minutes if you walk.

A guest suggests that “if you’re looking for a clean, stylish, yet comfy place to stay, this is the place for you. White percale linen, chocolates on our pillows, coffee, tea, milk, a bottle of water and a bowl of fruit were all things that made our stay comfortable. My favourite was the setting though… our room overlooked gorgeous fruit trees. We just loved that! “

-Karen 

Whale watching, Hermanus, Western Cape – June to November

Dubbed one of the world’s top 12 whale watching spots, Hermanus is the mating and breeding grounds of the Southern Right Whale during the winter and spring months. October is the most crowded time (on land and in the ocean) but you can visit most of the year. “The Southern Right Whales migrate from the Antarctic around June to calve and mate,” advises the Hermanus website, and “calving takes place in August and September and the males arrive for mating in October when the whale population peaks.”[1]

http://www.hermanus.co.za/whale-watching

Stay at: Harbour View, Gansbaai

Why: Quaint and affordable, it’s close to town but not in the heart of whale-watching central! All recent guests gave check-in 5 stars.

One guest gushed that, “Accommodation was spacious, private and comfortable. Safe secure parking puts your mind at ease. And the view. Just incredible! Very thoughtful, accommodating, and friendly hosts. I would stay there again in a heartbeat.“

-Wian

Hilton Arts Fest, KwaZulu-Natal – 13 to 15 September 2019

This is the “largest theatrical event of its kind” in KwaZulu-Natal. It’s been running for 26 years. If you love the idea of lectures, workshops, talks, theatre shows, crafts and fine art, you’ll be in the right place.

https://www.hiltonfestival.co.za/

Stay: at The Gate House of River Goose Cottages

Why: Angela is a superhost (gets top reviews consistently), and this secret spot in Hilton is nestled in a gorgeous 2-hectare garden. A great central base in the midlands and a piece of paradise when you’re happily worn out by the festival.

A guest called it, “a lovely place to refresh and recharge. Loved the country feel and the garden. The Gatehouse was clean and spacious, we really enjoyed our stay. We will definitely go back.“

-Di

Ficksburg Cherry Fest, Free State – 21 to 23 November 2019

Farm tours, baking comps, traditional cherry liquor, golf events, cycling routes, circus shows and LOTS of cherries for your belly… sound like your idea of a good time? This is the oldest crop fest in the country in the ‘Cherry Town’ of Ficksburg.

http://cherryfestival.co.za/

Stay at: Tempelhof Guest and Game Farm, Log Cabin

Why: It’s 12km from Ficksburg, with a majestic view of the magical Maluti mountains.

One guest said, it’s “a little paradise in the middle of the Eastern Free State, with the most amazing view, surrounded by wild animals, entertained and watched over by Lassie (a loving Border Collie), greeted by the most loveliest of hosts.”

-Thys

Camping is supposed to be a fun activity. It shouldn’t feel like you’ve been thrown out of your comfortable bed into an inflatable nightmare. You and nature should unite and be a tranquil force capable of handling the obstacles your tent tosses at you.

Struggling to stay calm during camping? Don’t tie your sleeping bags in a knot-We’ve got your back with these 10 camping hacks:

1. Tea isn’t just for drinking…

You can light your bonfire with teabags!

Every time you sip a cup of tea, throw the used teabags in a bowl and allow them to dry. Once you’ve collected your teabags, soak them in paraffin or saturate them with melted candle wax. Once they have absorbed the paraffin, or the wax has cooled down, seal them in a container and you’re ready for a legendary campfire.

Not a tea drinker? No problem! You can also turn a normal packet of Doritos into dancing flames. No skill needed here. Just gooi it on.

2. Bugger off Bloodsuckers!

Tired of mosquitos bugging around with your tranquillity? Don’t worry we’ve got something they won’t buzz about.

Simply add bundles of sage to your campfire to keep the mosquitos away from your red liquids. The strong fragrance of sage repels the noisy flyers.

3. Don’t be silly, wrap that… meat!

One beer too many can turn your meat into charcoal. Which will force you to go vegetarian for the night. Wrap your beef/chicken or pork in cabbage to stop it from burning. The moistness of the cabbage creates the perfect barrier against the radiant coals.

4. Make breakfast with your bonnet-WTFudge

If you’ve run out of matches or would like an environmentally friendly morning. Make sure the weather is hot and your car’s bonnet has been in the sun for at least 2 hours. Clean the bonnet well, crack an egg on it and fry.

Please Note: This attempt might fail due to bad weather conditions or impatience.

5. Keep your tent room temperature

Tired of waking up in a sauna? Use an emergency blanket to cover your tent. The blanket’s silver coating will reflect the sunlight and keep your tent protected from its blazing rays. You’ll get more sleep and feel less cranky when you wake up to nature’s face.

6. Don’t get carried away by ants!

Ants can be a real pain in the bottom. Even if you eat at a table, they can quickly crawl up the table legs and become a pest.

A good way of combating this is to put a small tray of water under each table leg. The ants won’t be able to navigate the water and will leave you to worry about the bees instead.

7. You don’t have to skip the morning brew

Coffee is the fuel to our mornings. We can’t start our early hikes without it’s comforting aroma.

Make a cup of caffeine while camping by placing a scoop into a coffee filter and tie it up with dental floss. When you want to make coffee – use like you would a tea bag. For best results boil over the fire/gas cooker for a while.

 8. Sleep like a log

If snuggling up to a bottle of hot water goes against your better judgment, try some dry clothes instead. They will soak up any moisture in the bottom of your sleeping bag and keep your freezing feet warm.

9. A little lube goes a long way

Keep your zippers zippy by applying a little bit of candle wax from a very un-lit candle.

• Natural selfies are the BEST!

Want to experience life from a stick’s perspective? Attach your GoPro to a stick! It’s free and super convenient.

Happy camping!

You’ve tried to shy away from the sun, but life got in the way and the waves were calling. You didn’t think you’d have 50 shades of pink after your refreshing 2-hour dip in the world’s largest aqua pit, because a few squirts of factor 30 should have blocked the burn. Unfortunately, your skin’s melanin and the sunblock couldn’t shield you from the sun’s blazing ultraviolet rays.

After a look in the mirror at home, a few sympathetic stares from strangers and a burning sensation, you realize it’s time for some damage control. You google “Home remedies for sunburn” and come across the following awesome tips:

7 Home remedies for sunburn

1. Ice-ice baby

How do you take the sting out of a sunburn? You stop, cooperate and listen!

Cool it down with a classic cold compress. All you need is a few ice blocks, a plastic bag and a hand towel. It will remove the burns and reduce inflammation. Simply chunk the ice in the bag and wrap the towel around. Press the pack on your fried body parts and feel the burn fade away.

   2. Aloe Vera

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using aloe vera to help reduce the effects of sunburn. You can simply cut an aloe vera leaf open and squeeze out the juices or make some aloe ice cubes.

Make aloe vera ice cubes for pain relief. Keep them in your freezer or take them with you to the beach in a cooler bag. Your sunburn will melt away as the ice cubes and natural treatment ease the burn. Re-apply frequently (like you should have done with your sun block – then you wouldn’t be in this mess right now).

Tip: Buy aloe vera water and freeze in an ice cube tray. It’s easy and super cool.

      3. Freezing soak

Taking a steamy hot shower is a no-go after getting a burn, but a cool bath can do wonders for sunburn relief.

When you’ve got 15 minutes or so, fill a bath with cool water and jump in. Add a cup of baking powder to your bath water for some extra soothing power. Baking soda can help your sunburned skin and return its pH levels by balancing acid and alkaline levels. Hmm…maybe it’s worth keeping some healing powder in your toiletry bag.

       4. Black magic

Studies show that black tea may have anti-inflammatory properties, and its ability to reduce inflammation could prove to be a source of relief for sunburnt skin.

You’ll need a bathtub, pitcher, water, facecloth, and three bags of black tea. Fill the pitcher with warm water and soak the tea bags in it until the water is almost pitch black. Don’t worry this magic potion isn’t supernatural or evil.

After stripping down to your birthday suit, soak a facecloth in the water and apply to the heated areas.

      5. Apple healing

An apple a day keeps the sunburn away! Or in this case a cup of apple cider vinegar…eeuw. It’s nasty but it will speed up the healing process. It maintains the skin’s pH levels which can help reduce peeling and blisters. Apple cider vinegar is a natural antiseptic that helps the infected skin tissue to recover.

Forget about the bad smell and apply some to your sun roasted skin. You’re going to smell like a walking “slap chip” but it will reduce your pain!

       6. Yogurt squeezes

Yogurt’s yummy and you’d hate to waste a drop. Fear not, you won’t be wasting if you apply some of the dairy delight to your burns. Just grab a container of any flavour from your fridge and feel the sweet relief from the heat as you gently dab the cool diary to the affected areas.

       7. Witch Hazel spells

Witch hazel isn’t a potion made by witches who live in the woods. It’s basically just some liquid extracted from the hazel plant.

The extract contains essential oils and tannins that have been reported to reduce inflammation, draw skin tissue together for improved healing and fight free radicals. Once applied to burned skin, you’ll feel relieve from stings and itching.

You can buy witch hazel at Dischem or pharmacies in your local area.

“I love talking about funeral cover right before the holidays!”- said no one EVER. We don’t get why they even call it a FUNeral, there’s nothing “FUN” about saying goodbye to someone you love. Unfortunately, we must accept death as a natural part of life. The Grim Reaper doesn’t go on holiday, when we take a break from our office cubicles or homes.

We can’t force Mr Reaper to quit his day job, but we can prepare for his arrival. You’ll need funeral cover for the prep, which we’re more than happy to help with.

dotsure.co.za will take care of your family members when you’re no longer there. All you have to do is choose from a range of customized life product cover options.

Things you need to know about our funeral cover

Funerals could cost between R10 000 and R50 000.

What is funeral cover?

A funeral plan is a policy that provides money to pay for the policyholder’s funeral expenses when they die.

Why dotsure.co.za funeral cover?

The dotsure.co.za Essential Life product is a market leader in so many ways! Unmatched flexibility, unwavering reliability, unshakeable security and, did we mention, you can Name Your Price? It’s so easy! You select the cover options that suit your family’s needs and choose a price that you can afford. Leave the rest up to us.

Cover options

ACCIDENTAL

The insured is covered if injuries and death happened due to certain accidents, ex a car crash. If the insured is however responsible for the accident in cases like drinking and driving, cover limitations will apply.

ACCIDENTAL PERSONAL DISABILITY BENEFIT

Your personal disability cover is a functional impairment benefit which covers you for loss of limbs and for when you become unable to perform your day-to-day functions as a result of an accident.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• • Medical emergency benefits

In the event of a medical emergency, we will assist you with a team of qualified call centre professionals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Medical assistance is limited to incidents occurring within the borders of South Africa.

• Crisis Line

Medical operators will guide anyone through a medical emergency situation involving an insured life. You will receive advice or have the necessary support organised, by utilising our 24-hour Contact Centre Doctor.

This service provides access to the following:

• Poison hotline
• Suicide hotline
• Rape and HIV counselling
• Family and domestic abuse advice
• Child abuse advice
• Bereavement counselling

• • Legal assistance

We have a panel of qualified attorneys available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide you with legal advice and support on South African legal issues.

And there you have it! Follow this link for an online quote: https://funeral.dotsure.co.za/

Now go have some FUN!

Does it feel like Rihanna wrote a song about your life? “Work, work, work, work, work, work, he said me haffi dur dur dur…”.  The rest of the song doesn’t even make sense, but you can relate to it somehow because the rest of your life is a blur. Ugh, that song is like your annoying colleague who creeps up on you while you’re taking your 30 min me time for the day. That 30 mins is crucial for your sanity!

Did you know?

We work way more than we should. Your fatigue and lack of focus without the assistance of boosting stimulants isn’t just a millennial thing. Your body is broken, and your mind is cluttered with bullshiz. According to studies you’ve been living your worst life. The long working hours has an impact on your mental, physical and relationship health.

The Research

In the United States, Americans are working an average of 47 hours a week. 40% of Americans work more than 50 hours a week. Even though some leave the office after they’ve survived their 8-hour working day, they’ve got mobile devices which constantly connects them to their bread and butter.

When phones buzz with a new mail, it’s hard to resist checking that inbox and not replying on the go. According to the Harvard Business Review people often feel the need to respond to work related communications after hours due to ambition, pride and proving that they’re valuable to their companies. Does it really add value to the company or is it slowly killing productivity and passion?

Well, research confirms that long working hours is the reason why you’re constantly sipping on coffee to stay awake. Work is your Jockey and you allow it to race you into complete exhaustion. Stop your workhorse behaviour right in its tracks! That’s what companies in Sweden, like Toyota, is doing. They are reducing working hours and making sure that their employees remain focussed.

The 4-day work trail by Perpetual Guardian

A company in New Zealand, Perpetual Guardian, created a trail where employees worked 4 days a week and got paid for 5. It sounds ridiculous, but the results payed off. Over 8 weeks in March and April the employees worked for 4 full days and chilled for the remainder of the week.

Independent surveys gathered from researchers at the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology indicated staff stress levels during the trial dropped from 45 percent to 38 percent, while work-life balance improved from 54 percent to 78 percent.

“What we’ve seen is a massive increase in engagement and staff satisfaction about the work they do, a massive increase in staff intention to continue to work with the company and we’ve seen no drop in productivity,” – says company founder Andrew Barnes.

Perpetual Guardian will make this 4-day structure a permanent thing, due to the positive effects of the trail.

3 Health risk of working waaay too much

1. Heart attack

The risk of heart disease increases by 67% for people who work long hours compared to people who work the standard 7-8 hours a day, according to a report by The University College London.

2.  Risk of obesity

Lead researcher Nicole Au, who led a work time study at Monash University in Australia, said, “Extended work hours may reduce the time spent preparing home-cooked meals, exercising and sleeping, which are risk factors for obesity.”

3.  Increased fatigue

Fatigue sets in when you work extended hours over a long period of time. Symptoms of fatigue from extended workdays include sleepiness, weariness, poor concentration, irritability and increased vulnerability to illness. These symptoms influence productivity and can cause mental breakdowns. We’re not robots, dammit!

Stop what you’re doing right now! Jump off the labour treadmill and talk to your boss about a 4-day work trail. Take time out of your busy schedule for recreational purposes. Remember all work and no play makes Jack a dull workhorse.

Friday, 23 November, is on like a 75% OFF SALE sign. It’s almost time to purchase that fancy rose gold watch you’ve been eyeing for months now. Don’t get too excited just yet though, all legendary shoppers strategize first. Planning ahead of the retail rush will get you in front of the line when it comes to getting the bargains you can boast about.

Here are 10 secret strategies for smart shoppers:

1. Plot your plan

If you don’t plan, how would you know about Markham’s 50% sale and Sportscene’s Nike Blazer sneaker “giveaway”? Before clothes fly from hangers to wardrobes on Black Friday, you should know exactly where to shop and what to expect. Do your homework and decide which stores you would like to visit according to the best bargains.

Visit the following websites to guide you:

• Black Friday Bargains
• Where to shop for Black Friday?
• Black Friday Big Savings

2. Sign-up for emails

Once you’ve decided on which shops you’d like to buy from, sign-up for their email newsletters. It’s best to do this at least 2 weeks before Black Friday to avoid missing out on the best bargains. Plus, it takes time to get added to the email lists. Remember, the early buyer catches the bargain!

3. Make a list and stick to it!

You don’t have to grab a notebook and pen for this. That’s sooo…2001! Use your mobile or tablet to make a list of the items you’d love to own. You can use apps like Todois or Evernote to compile your wish list. Keep the list relevant and updated. Make sure to add the amounts you are willing to pay for your Black Friday wants (and needs) to the lists. Make sure your phone stays charged during the consumerism chaos.

Remember, not every item you want will be on sale, so you need to take a moment to see if you can find it lower elsewhere.

4. Scout for prices at stores

Don’t wait around for Black Friday to knock on your bank account. Take a trip to the mall and add the prices of your goodies to your list. Visit at least 2 different stores for every item to compare prices. If you don’t have the time for that, visit PriceCheck online to compare prices of various products. You might find that your Nike Airs are cheaper at an online store than at that fancy sport shop in your local mall.

5. Use Apps to your advantage

You’ve got secret shopping tools in your pocket. Use them to maximize your Black Friday Bash!

The following apps are awesome for shopping:

• Bidorbuy
• Zando
• Takealot.com- SA’s #1 Online Mobile Shopping App
• The food app
• Banggood
• Superbalist Fashion
• Shopkick
• Wantitall

All of the above apps will guide you to the best sale prices. You will be able to browse for products and compare prices thanks to these nifty tools.

6. Timing is everything!

Late shoppers won’t find the perfect buy! If something is cheap, it won’t wait around for your purchase. If you don’t take it for that trip to the till in time, someone else will. The best time to shop online for Black Friday is just after midnight on Thursday 22 November. As for physical stores, you shouldn’t go too early. Move away from the average thinking behaviour. The best time to visit a store on Black Friday is after 9 in the morning. Make sure that you know what you want and use time to your advantage.

7. Shop from your comfy couch

Stay in your pjs, grab a steamy cup of caffeine and shop from the comforts of your living room. You don’t need to sit in heavy traffic, walk marathons in the mall and stand in endless ques. Set-up your laptop and create bookmarks to the websites you would like to visit for a convenient shopping experience. Make sure that your internet’s connectivity is good and keep your laptop plugged in. Don’t open too many tabs at once though, that might cause confusion and crashes.

Find out which online store to visit here: Our Top 10 online shops for Black Friday

8. Fuel your body and brain

If you think back to school, your teachers always told you to get plenty of sleep and to eat a hearty breakfast before a big test. While shopping for Black Friday isn’t a maths test, the same rules apply. If you don’t sleep at least 7-hours you won’t be able to think straight and to make logical decisions about what you need to purchase. You also risk the chance of running low on energy when you need your strength the most. Carrying bags can running around can drain you!

In addition, with enough shut-eye, you need to keep your body fuelled with a healthy breakfast and snacks. Eating balanced meals before the rush will give you the power you need to perform at your best.

9. Get those finances on fleek

If you decide to visit stores instead of shopping online, draw the amount of money that you’re willing to spend and keep it in your wallet. Just be careful not to walk around with stacks of cash. If you plan on spending 5K, rather keep it safely in your bank account.

Make sure your finances are in order and that your daily spent limit isn’t too low.  Also make sure that you know how much money you have available in your account. A declining card is super embarrassing!

If your finances aren’t in order, you might miss out on all the specials. Since time is of the essence, make sure that your debit and credit card is fully functional. Call your bank or check online to see if your accounts are ready to support your wild shopping spree.

10. Get that mindset right

Your mind is extremely powerful. If you think that Black Friday won’t bring you any good bargains and you don’t put in some effort, your thoughts will turn into reality. Share the experience with your best friends and just enjoy the day. It’s not a competition, no one’s winning anything (except extra earthly things).

At the end of the day, you should look at the bright side of Black Friday and ignore all negatives that sometimes get thrown around in the media. Data shows that in 2014, the average Black Friday discount came out to 40% off! That should feed your shopping appetite.

We know you’re a busy guy/gal. You don’t always have time to call us for a chat about your insurance policy. That’s perfectly okay with us and we understand that you’ve got emails to check, meetings to attend, kids to pick up from school and weights to bench. Your priority lists are infinite, and time is pricey. That’s why we’ve got a brand-new Online Manage Portal to simplify your life and to make sure that your time remains YOURS!

You’re able to manage your policy online without sending emails or calling. You can choose a convenient time and place (even in your bed) to check your policy details.

You can also do things like:

1. Change your personal details

We know that change is inevitable. People move, get married, lose their numbers and some even change their identities. The new Manage Portal allows you to update your profile picture and personal info in less than a minute.

NB – Remember to always update your details ASAP!

2. Make policy changes

You can manage your policy details online. You can view your pet insurance policy details, change your nominated driver, add or remove standard accessories for car insurance and change your security details for household insurance. It’s super easy!

3. Submit a claim

You can submit a claim on the new Manage Portal and upload any documents we might ask of you. You can also view the status of the claim and see your claims history.

4. Change your banking details

If your ka-ching moved to a different bank or something, you can DIY when it comes to changing your details. It’s effortless and simple.

Click here to sign into your online manage portal profile.

Enjoy your new position as insurance manager! Should you need any assistance from your personal assistant (us), please feel free to get in touch with us. You can give us a ring at 0861 dotsure (368 7873) or pop us a mail at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Go boss around!

Not drinking at the mo? We’ve got your taste buds and your social life covered. Party clean with these dirty virgin cocktails that have more flavour than danger…

0% hangover, guaranteed.

Damn Dirty Martini

This deliciously bitter mocktail will curl your ear hairs not blur your vision…

Ingredients

2/3 cup Olive juice

1/3 cup Water

Steps

1. Mix
2. Pour
3. Sip
4. Not quite the kick you wanted? Try the next few, bru…

Ravishing Raspberry Daiquiri

Tart but innocent, this refreshing frozen favourite tastes like drunk texting without the facepalm the next morning.

Ingredients

1 cup ice

1 cup frozen raspberries

¼ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup honey

Secret ingredient – ¼ cup oversteeped black tea*

Steps

1. Combine ice, raspberries, lime, tea, and honey.
2. Blend
3. Drink!

*to make oversteeped tea, use 2 teabags in 1 cup of water, soaked till cool.

Bloody Hot Mary*

This all-ages combo will blow your mind. Bring on the placebo, yo.  And easy on the tabasco.

Ingredients

240 ml tomato juice

Dash lemon juice

4 (or more) drops tabasco sauce (the red one)

Pinch or two of celery salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Secret ingredient – 30 ml beef stock*

Steps

1. Combine ingredients.
2. Mix them together well.
4. Garnish with a celery stick.

*SIDENOTE:  this is not a vegetarian cocktail recipe.

Melt-In-Your Mouth Margarita

Dying for something sans alcohol that tastes like the real thing? Get your citrus-bitter ratio on, baby.

Ingredients

60 ml lime juice

15 ml lemon juice

22 ml grapefruit juice

15 ml apricot nectar

½ teaspoon chilli powder

¾ cup ice

Secret ingredient: 2 drops almond extract

Steps

1. Combine ingredients
2. Add ice
3. Blend/shake hard
4. Rim the glass with salt and chilli powder
5. Serve

And there you have it folks! Bottoms Up!

“South Africa is not in a recession, despite the latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures released by Statistics SA”, says economist Roelof Botha. Sounds ridiculous, right? We all know about the recession and its nasty side-effects. We experience the unemployment pains, corruption scars and political bleeds daily.

In fact, SA is in a technical recession which is defined as two successive quarters of negative GDP     growth. A recession can also be defined as “an economy performing below potential”. But according to Botha there is more than one way to define a recession. “The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) says one should compare GDP on a year-on-year (y/y) basis rather than on a quarterly basis. If you compare the second quarter of 2018 to the second quarter of 2017 one can see SA is not in a recession. That is a fact,” said Botha.

Forget the recession definitions. The shocking economic stats can’t be ignored. Unemployment in Mzansi has increased from 0,5% to 27,2% in the second quarter of 2018 and the quality of life has diminished. Traffic robots are buzzing with beggars and the country’s finances have been mismanaged by some authorities with poor judgment and questionable morals.

4 Reasons for the recession

Okay, we know that money is tight for the country and its dwellers. The Dollar throws its punches and the Rand tumbles to the ground. But what (or who) else is to blame for the economic downfall?

1. Minister Merry-Go-Round:

South Africa has gone through five finance ministers in less than 10 years. Before President Jacob Zuma came to power, it took 25 years to go through the same number of treasurers. In December 2015, the country had three occupants in the post. Absurd!

Switching ministers is never a great idea. After the dismissal of Pravin Gordhan, SA’s credit rating jumped to junk status, which compromises international markets.

2. Corruption Chaos

Yeah, this one is a serious pain in the butt. How can a country’s economy flourish when an authority faces charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering? Let’s not go into too much detail here. We’d just like to know where they stack our tax money…

3. Land expropriation

The sensitive subject of land redistribution is still causing a bit of disorder with the rand, and it is currently stifling South Africa’s business landscape. Foreigners are no longer investing in land and property in SA, since they fear monetary loss.

The proposed expropriation without compensation will have a terrible effect on the South African economy. According to NEWS 24 South Africa might experience Zimbabwe-like economic conditions, see a massive flight of foreign capital due to the weak protection of private property, and see subsistence farming crop up where commercial farms with access to capital had once provided food security and export markets.

4. Agriculture “poorformance”

Agriculture is in ‘n sticky situation. “Right now, we are facing what people are saying is a technical recession and it’s largely due to the performance of agriculture. Agriculture did not perform as highly as we thought, and some people are saying it’s because of the late rains and late harvest and it’s bound to correct itself in the next quarter,” says Ramaphosa.

Is there hope for Mzansi?

“All is not lost”- says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“I am saying we should not be fearful and think that we are in a recession, we are not, and this is going to be corrected. I have no doubt about it and secondly, and we should not forget that we have faced such a situation before, economies go through cyclical processes and economies grow and go down all the time”, added Ramaphosa.

Mountain passes mean incredible selfies and spectacular picnic stops and the Western Cape will leave you spoilt for choice… Get outta town and into the passenger seat for a road trip upgrade with a ‘lord of the rings’ mountain view coming right up.

Chapman’s Peak Drive, M6

Show visitors how to use the sun visor on a Cape Town summer’s day along the windy, winding ribbon from Camp’s Bay to Kommetjie.  It’s a twisty one with frequent pullover spots for a snack and steep slopes to the sea. Great for sunset shots.

NOTE: there’s a toll for this one, and no falling rocks for this fee.

Want more info on Chapman’s Peak Drive pass? Tap here.

Clarence Drive, R44

Cut snugly between Kogelberg Nature Reserve and the Indian Ocean, this single-lane experience is more Sunday morning drive than mountain pass. Its slow curves, gentle inclines and vast, ocean views over False Bay are ridiculously romantic. On a clear day you can see a huge stretch of Cape Town peninsula’s mountainscape.

TRY: it in a convertible. Nuff said.

Curious about Clarence Drive? Click here.

Du Toitskloof pass, R101

Give the toll and the tunnel a miss and cash in on stunning views between Paarl and Rawsonville. Expect wild stone peaks and stunning waterfalls on the East side, and lush farmlands to the west. Bilbo would be jealous.

EEK! Watch out for trucks doing 20km per hour on that hairpin bend …

Learn more about Du Toitskloof Pass by clicking here

Outeniqua pass, N9

On the one side, Garden Route, on the other side, The Klein Karoo, this steep, snaking pass connects two major areas of the region with double lanes, virgin forest and views that will impress your mom and your best friend alike. Unless your mom IS your best friend, in which case, double tap.

TIP: if you’re feeling adventurous, take a hike along the old pass on the other side of the valley into George.

Click here for more about Outeniqua Pass

Get the full list with an A to Z of Western Cape mountain passes here

PHOTOGRAPHY PROS Take pics at the peak of the pass for a sense of drama, from the bottom for a sense of grandeur, and use panoramic for the bigger picture.

How many times a day do you check your phone? According to NYU professor Adam Alter, the average young adult picks up their smartphone 150 times a day. In total that’s over 28 hours a week, 56 days a year and 10 years of your life.

You probably don’t personally keep track of your intimate encounters with Mr Apple or Ms Samsung, but you should. Too much chill time with your mobile, can be bad for your health.

Tech is our modern mandrax with a few similar side effects like weight loss and sleep difficulty.

Possible side effects of Technology Addiction include:

Believe it or not, there are real, physical manifestations of having a tech-diction. These include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Headaches
• Neck or backaches
• Dry, red eyes
• Depression, bipolar and anxiety
• Lead to other addictions like drugs, alcohol, smoking and/or sex. Studies have shown that using technology can bring about the same chemical reaction in the brain as is found in those with these types of addictions.

The main cause of the above side effects is the internet. We surf the web like zombies in search of a brain feast. Some internet dwellers even develop an illness called Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD).

What’s IAD?

Internet Addiction Disorder is a real disease that effects your brain function. It’s similar to suffering from a chemical dependency, such as drugs and alcohol. The disorder makes paying attention and remembering details difficult. A person with IAD struggles to keep a conversation offline flowing and feels depro without their legal online high.

The treatment

Internet Addiction Disorder is treatable. *Phew*.  Although some believe it’s just a “fad illness” that can go away by itself, other professionals argue that medications are effective in the treatment of Internet Addiction Disorder – because if you are suffering from this condition, it is likely that you are also suffering from anxiety and depression.

Studies have shown that anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications can decrease online activity from 35+ hours a week to 16 hours a week. Other psychotherapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and light shock therapy can also treat the disorder.

The verdict

Technology and drugs have a few things in common –  Both can give you a high with unhealthy consequences. Sure the 1000 Friends on Facebook gives you a confidence boost and levelling-up on Dota makes your inner geek want to jump out of its shell, but what’s next? After every high comes a low. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the luxury of technology, it just means that you should try to take a break from the blue screen every hour or three.  Track your on-screen activity here: Moments

Logging out…

Coping with little rascals can be challenging. Sometimes it feels like their ears aren’t very functional and they babble non-stop, especially after one too many sips of sugary soda…Ugh, sometimes keeping the youngsters in their rooms with mountains of toys feels like the only solution to the endless bundles of energy. Is grounding however the healthiest solution to discipline a toddler? Not according to some experts, it turns out.

Keeping your kiddos indoors might seem like a safe and harmless act of good parenting, but it can be harmful to their health.

Did you know?

Children are very vulnerable to the impact of poor indoor climate and toxins, because their lungs and brains are not fully developed yet. Researchers from the University of Leicester studied 100 healthy people, whose age ranged from 7 to 21, using a range of breathing tests. Children can hold approximately one litre of air in the lungs compared to four litres in an adult.

Kids’ rooms are one of the worst places in your home when it comes to air pollution and toxins. Many toys and electronic appliances are to blame for harmful emissions. A recent Danish survey found that around half of the study’s participating families had higher than recommended night-time amounts of CO2 in kids’ rooms, and that around every fourth room had three times the recommended maximum CO2 levels.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning

• Headaches
• Troubled sleep
• Fatigue and difficulty concentrating
• Chest pain
• Seizures
• Blurry vision
• Nausea

If your children experience any of the above symptoms, please visit your local Paediatrician for immediate medical attention.

Solutions to healthier indoor climates

Here are some effortless ways to reduce CO₂ levels and improve the indoor climate in your kids’ rooms.

1. Less air isn’t more

Open more than one window to make sure that natural air fills your kid’s lungs. Indoor air isn’t great for their health. It contains gasses, particles, biological waste and water vapour. Gross, right?

Hint: Air your rascal’s room out for at least 40 minutes every day. Keep their bedroom door open.

   2. Plastic isn’t that fantastic

When plastic heats up, it releases toxic fumes. These fumes are especially found in toys older than 10 years. Keep your childhood action figure tucked away in a box far away from your little angel’s grip.

Hint: Don’t leave plastic toys in the sunlight or on heated floors. Make sure that your toddler doesn’t spend too much time exploring their rooms. Rather let them follow you into the living room. A little game of Simon says won’t hurt.

    3. Less damp, no mites

Don’t leave any wet towels or clothes in your children’s rooms. That’s an opportunity for nasty mould to cultivate in your ceiling. Also remember to clean sheets and matrasses regularly. Mites love beds even more than we do.

Hint: Vacuum mattresses at least once a week. Keep the room dust free and dry.

Keep the above in mind the next time you see your kiddo spending too much time in their toy kingdom. Don’t punish your toddlers by forcing them to stay indoors. Enjoy the fresh air and make sure that your kids spend enough time in the great outdoors.

Every day, little ones are born without limbs, or lose them to accidents or abuse. Prosthetics are human-made arms, legs, fingers and thumbs that do the work that nature can’t.

Thing is, prosthetics are also extremely expensive, and every design case is unique, whether it’s for a puppy or a baby. Enter 3D printing, which can tailor each and every design at super-low cost. That’s important for super-individuals in need of palms or paws.

Humans can struggle to adjust to a limb-less life and the social stigma can be hard to live with. Animals missing vital body parts often come to a premature end in the wild, and pets tend to be put down if vets and guardians can’t put their finger on a suitable solution soon enough. Enter modern technology…

Handy 3D-printed prosthetics for kids

How do you say no to a child who needs a hand? You don’t, if you’re Stephen Davis and Drew Murraybeen. They’ve been voluntarily supplying kids around the world with free 3D-printed prosthetic limbs for a while now.

If they started out of a backyard shed, you can too. “All our work is shared as open source for the benefit of all,” say Stephen and Drew, “for non-commercial use”. Thumbs up, Team unLIMBited.

(Photos reproduced with kind permission of Team unLIMBited)

E-nABLE is another community project putting their best design foot forward for kids. E-nABLE keeps it simple – no motors, no sensors, no heavy batteries.

This collaborative project was inspired by Jon Schull, a research scientist at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, USA.

He came across a YouTube story of a South African carpenter named Richard who had lost the fingers of one hand in an accident and approached a puppet-maker, Ivan, to design a replacement.

People were offering the use of their 3D printers in YouTube comments, and Jon began to coordinate these offers. “Then something beautiful started happening,” E-nABLE says, “designers started joining and doing exactly what Ivan had hoped they would – they started innovating, collaborating and re-sharing the improved design files back out into the universe!”

Youth groups, schools, maker spaces and laboratories are joining the movement.

Tech to the rescue – 3D-printed limbs for animals

Working together, humans are helping animals lead full and active lives no matter what situation they came from or how many of their limbs or other exterior body parts work.

A sanctuary in New York county, USA, takes in animals in need. Some of these rescues need more support than others and they get it, thanks to co-founder Jenny Brown, herself an amputee, and certified prosthetist, Erik Tompkins. Their efforts are a great example of the collaborative power of individual commitment and compassion.

Then there’s a Brazilian goose called Vitória who needed a new beak. Her injury left her completely dependent on humans for her daily sustenance. It took two tries for Miamoto, custom prosthetics manufacturer for wild animals and domestic pets, to design her the perfect pair of 3D-printed goose “lips”. What is really her jaw, not her lips, is made from a biodegradable polymer with corn and sugarcane. Take a gander!

No 3D-printer? No problem. Here are HANDMADE limbs for pets and rescues

With a little training and a lot of love, a professional prosthetist in applied his human-oriented training to animals.

Derrick Campanna sends casting kits to vets and animal lovers with pet amputees all over the world. They cast the limbs, send the cast back and soon the Animal Ortho Care team crafts a bespoke solution with a brace and limb.

“If a dog gets his leg amputated,” Derrick tells PetMD, “a lot of times [his] other joints will degenerate very quickly,” he says. “But when we put a prosthetic on, you can redistribute the weight back onto the amputated side and essentially give the dog a couple of added years of high-quality life.” He’s helped everything from a llama to a 5-tonne elephant bull in Botswana.

Need pet prosthetics in South Africa?

Check out these other local suppliers for prosthetics, support harnesses, wheelchairs and mobility products:

Orthopet South Africa

Rehab-a-Pet

Dersal Mobility

PRE-S: Prep your pooch like a pro – less is not always more

Remember, if it’s an option, pre-operative preparation is everything. The problem, says Dr Megan Kelly, a vet and educator based in Cape Town, is that clients make contact when the vet has already amputated, by which time it’s often too late for a good fitting. “Vets are taught to amputate as high as possible and when we attach the prosthetic, we need some bone to attach it to,” the doctor told IOL

Charge your phone faster with these 7 simple hacks and latest tech. There are quite a few ways you can speed up charge time without buying a new phone.

Whether you own a brick or the latest (greatest?) handset from leading mobile brands, charging takes time. Or, it used to. But it doesn’t have to! There are quite a few ways you can speed up charge time without buying a new phone.

Easy hacks for a quicker phone charge

1. Charge in aeroplane mode. This cuts out unnecessary energy without shutting your phone.
   NOTE: it also cuts calls.
2. Kill all the apps you aren’t using. They may be set to run in the background, which chews power.
3. Keep your phone cool/remove phone case. Lithium-ion batteries refill faster when they’re cool. The optimal temperature range is 5 to 45 C. “Obviously,” Make Use Of Advises, “the battery temperature is in part controlled by the ambient surrounding temperature and removing your case will help lower it.”
   TIP: try a fan, not the fridge.
4. Switch your mobile off if you can. Without apps and software running, you’ll clock a much quicker refill time.
5. Use a charger that plugs into the wall. It’s far faster than a laptop/USB charge.
6. Use original chargers. If they break, buy original again. It’s worth it.
7. Replace the battery if it’s old or you suspect it has a manufacturing fault (often covered by the warranty/guarantee). Again, original parts mean optimal performance.

New tech to charge mobiles faster

Smart chords FTW! A few simple tweaks to your hardware accessories could see exponential improvements in the time it takes to juice up your phone. USB-C (Android) and Apple’s Lightning cable give you hours of charge in minutes.

The Verge is confident that we can soon expect an estimated optimal charge speed of 0 – 50 % full charge in fifteen minutes thanks to improvements in electronics. At least, from the next, newest models from top-performing mobile brands.

So, the future of fast charge is exploding, but your batteries must not.

Watt do you mean, my battery exploded!?

Power surges, faulty chargers and sub-standard, non-approved substitutes can mean sudden flashes of power that fry your poor phone’s brain. So, don’t use your friend’s cheapo charger, or plug in during an electric storm, use that smart chord if you’ve got a newer phone.

Not sure what kind of chord you’ve got or if you should invest?

Get into the geekery by gauging your charge cables’ speeds…with this app for Android or iOS (iPhone)

DIY enthusiasts beware

If you’re going to tweak your technical kit, the magic formula is volts multiplied by amps gives you watts (volts x amps = watts). So, increase the volts and/or amps, and the phone charges faster. Increase them too much, and – ka-BAM! – the battery might melt.

Winging it? WARNING!

Smart chargers are designed to control volts and amps intelligently. If you haven’t done a crash course in electronics, don’t hack any hardware. It could also affect your warranty/guarantee, or worse. #justsaying

What next?

If none of these approaches make much difference to your phone’s charge speed, or the tech costs more than your older phone is now worth, or you did, in fact, fry your phone (because science), it might be time for that upgrade, after all …and household insurance? We got this.

Need a break before you break? Weekends away are easy to book online.  Escape the noise and wake up on top of the world. Literally.

Get a new perspective and change your view with weekend mountain stays. All of these mountain retreats around South Africa are 2 hours from an urban centre.

Find a mountain retreat for your next weekend away

Mountain range: Cederberg

Tall and twisty rock formations and an abundance of wildlife make the Cederberg a favourite inland getaway.

Gecko Creek Wilderness Lodge near Clanwilliam offers a quaint cabin in leopard country and has been Lonely Planet’s top choice for 5 years running.

Stay at: Gecko Creek Wilderness Lodge

Region: Western Cape

Drive from : Cape Town

Cool because: weird rock formations, and wildlife.

Things to do: star gaze, hike, rock climb, wildlife photography, scenic flights and aerobatics

Budget: starts at R330 per night

Guests said: “We were here for 3 days – but it felt like a week.”

Book now

Mountain range: Drakensberg

South Africa’s tallest peaks belong to the majestic Drakensberg with mild summers and icy winters.

The undulating grass slopes boast magnificent views and Fisherman’s Cottage lets you float a fishing line while you take in the pristine surrounds.

Stay at: Fisherman’s Cottage

Region: KwaZulu-Natal

Drive from: Pietermaritzburg, Durban

Cool because: early civilisation vibes. The Drakensberg mountains house the largest array of San rock paintings in Southern Africa.

Things to do: fish, hike, explore caves with San art, horse ride, landscape photography

Budget: R880 per night

Guests said: “Beautiful surroundings, cottage in the pine forest and a short walk to the dam and stunning view of Giant’s Cup. Definitely a place to switch off and reconnect with nature.

Book now

Mountain range: Amathole Mountains

Peering over rural lands, the Amathole mountains are niched with friendly folk and secret stays.

“The fox den” has views of the three Hogs and Tor Doone peaks and its rustic charm will awaken your senses.

Stay at: Wild Fox Hill eco-cabin

Region: Hogsback, Eastern Cape

Drive from: East London

Cool because: Sandile Heritage Route nearby. This is part of a tourism initiative that remembers Xhosa kings whose bloodlines brought us Nelson “Madiba” Mandela.

Things to do: visit Madonna and Child Falls and The Big Tree, make snow angels (in Winter), visit local art galleries (all year)

Budget: R370 per night

Guests said: “Stunning little cabin with amazing views. It made it even better that it’s dog friendly. I will definitely be back!”

Book now

Mountain range: Magaliesberg

Older than Everest, The Magaliesberg mountains are a favourite getaway for urbanites from big cities.  Its quarzite cliffs and tumbling waterfalls are a breath of fresh air.

Plug out of your daily routine in a rustic, clean cabin and forget about your phone as you listen to the animals calls.

Stay at: Kokopelli Eco Farm

Region: Gauteng

Drive from: Johannesburg, Pretoria

Cool because:  off-grid life

Things to do: hiking, bird watching, photography

Budget: R800 per night (sleeps 2)

Guests said: “A perfect escape from the busy-ness of the city. Amazing views and quiet surroundings. Great to disconnect and recharge.”

Book now

Do you enjoy daily smokes in the courtyard with your fellow smoky Joes and Janes? Sure, you do; it’s a communal ritual that makes you feel good. One taste of nicotine and you’re wrapped in a cloud. You sometimes try to escape, but keep crawling back to the comforting call of tobacco. Is that what it is…an addiction that’s been around for millennia.

More recently, Native Americans used it for medicinal purposes and soldiers smoked it to cope with the psychological after-effects of the American Civil War. It only started mainstreaming in 1881, though, when James Bonsack invented the first cigarette-making machine. It produced 120 000 cigs a day. Wow, give that man a Marlboro Gold! OR not…

Did you know? (You probably did)

There are over 20 cancer-causing chemicals in a ciggie. Here is a list of its toxic ingredients:

Toxic Cigarette Ingredients:

• Nicotine – Stimulates the nervous system and increases blood pressure.
• Lead – Attacks the brain and central nervous system. This can cause comas, seizures and eventually death.
• Arsenic – Large amounts can lead to cancer, liver disease, coma, and death.
• Ammonia – Can cause coughing, nose and throat irritation, and mouth cancer.
• Benzene – Causes anaemia and leukaemia (blood cancer).
• Carbon Monoxide – Also known as the “silent killer”. The toxin can cause anaemia and respiratory problems.
• Nitrosamines – Can lead to cancer.

Okay, let’s stop right there. Enough dissing cigarettes for now.  Let’s get to the vapes (e-cigarettes). Studies found that there are fewer chemicals in a vape than in a normal cigarette. What’s up with that? Does it mean vaping isn’t bad for your body’s built-in airbags?

 Vape Ingredients:

• Nicotine – The addictive chemical. When people say they’re addicted to smoking, they’re dependant on nicotine.
• Propylene Glycol (vegetable oil) – also known as e-juice, it keeps the vape’s liquid moist and the cartridge well-lubricated. It’s not a serious health risk but can cause damage to the lungs when inhaled.
• Vegetable Glycerol – A non-toxic colourless liquid with a naturally sweet taste. When used in vape juice, it enhances the flavours and greatly improves vapour production!
• Acetaldehyde – a colourless, flammable, non-toxic liquid used in the manufacture of acetic acid, perfumes, and flavours.
• Nitrosamines – carcinogenic agents also found in cigarettes and processed meats.

When you add grape to a vape, you are simply adding flavour to it. Although, the flavouring is designed to be ingested and not inhaled, so it can be harmful to the lungs, just like smoking is. The real question is, which of them causes the dreaded “popcorn lung”?

Popcorn Lung

It sounds silly and strange, but popcorn lung is a serious lung disease caused by diacetyl, a flavouring chemical found in foods like popcorn. This flavouring is also found in some vape juices. When you inhale vape smoke deeply, you’re allowing diacetyl to attack your lungs directly. This results in coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and, potentially, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Black lung and the bottom line

Turns out vaping is bad for you, but it’s still the lesser evil when it comes to smoking. Smoking ciggies is worse for you since your body is exposed to more harmful, cancer-causing chemicals. Although vaping can give you popcorn lung, cigs can give you “black lung” (lungs that are black instead of pink), which can ultimately lead to you suffocating to death. Although popcorn lung is irreversible, vaping has comparatively more benefits than smoking does.

Anyways, if you are planning to quit smoking completely, we’re in full support and we’ll reduce your life insurance premiums. Find out more here.

It’s finally Saturday! You’ve caught up on your beauty sleep, made a family brekkie, maybe dropped the kids at a birthday party, and now there’s time to kill before the kiddos return to home base. What to do now? The couch is staring at you with its voluptuous curves and suddenly a glimpse of Altered Carbon catches your eye on the screen. One thing leads to another and before you know it, you’re on top of the sofa and glued to the telly.

3 hours later…

The kids return home and you feel guilty. Not about eating an entire sleeve of Oreos by yourself, but about binge-watching a series instead of grabbing a coffee or a beer and catching up with the gang. Stop feeling guilty! It’s okay to be a couch panini sometimes…

What’s green about watching series at home?

Studies recorded in Joule, an online American journal of research and analysis on energy and sustainability, show that spending time on your couch uses far less energy than leaving home in search of entertainment.

We must give digital technology the cred here. Thanks to its advances, we can shop online and watch Netflix on demand without leaving the house. We don’t have to drive to the mall and have our 4-wheel baby’s gasses dirty the atmosphere. Spending more time at home gives us a chance to change our homes into eco-havens. This is great for our pockets and the planet.

5 Ways to make your home cinema more energy efficient

1. Buy ENERGY STAR products

ENERGY STAR products save energy without sacrificing features or functionality. Look out for the ENERGY STAR label on electronic devices like TVs and computers. These appliances use less electricity than products without the label do, which means that you save money on your monthly bills.

Buy an ENERGY STAR TV for your home cinema for a guilt-free and greener lifestyle. You’ll save up to 27% more energy without compromising on quality. TVs are available in ultra-high-definition (UHD) with internet connectivity.

How much moola do you save?

A home with ENERGY STAR TVs, set-top boxes, Blu-Ray players, and soundbars, can save nearly R2000 every 2 years.

2. Pull the plug

Want to take a nap while New Girl is on? Switch all your devices off and unplug them before you go into snooze-mode. TVs and stereos still use 10 – 60% of power on standby. Smart Boxes cost nearly as much to run in standby mode as when they are switched on!

Use a power strip for your home cinema to easily turn multiple devices on and off in one go and unplug all your devices when you’re not using them or are away from home.

3. Switch devices

Laptops generally use less power than television screens do. If you’re just chilling alone at home, consider series binging on a fully-charged laptop. Not a huge laptop fan? Consider a 42-inch LED TV instead of a 50-inch UHD TV. Remember: The bigger the TV, the bigger the electricity bill.

In general LED screens use less energy than UHD TVs. If bigger is better and you want to feel like you’re sitting in a VIP movie theatre, you need to change a few settings for a greener lifestyle.

5 Green TV Settings

• Lower your screen’s brightness.
• Set your theme to a darker colour.
• Select an energy-saving mode.
• Turn off your telly if there’s no audience.
• Unplug your devices when you’re away.

4. Dim the lights

Bright lights are for board-games and other night-time activities. You don’t need (and mostly don’t want) to feel like you’re in the spotlight when an episode of Grey’s Anatomy gives you red cheeks and swollen eyes.

Install a dimming light controller and change the brightness of your living room with just the touch of a button. You’ll save 20% more power while your emotions run wild. Together with the dimming action, LED and fluorescent bulbs don’t need to be changed as often as halogen bulbs.

Did you know?

Lighting counts for about 20% of an electricity bill in the average home. Dimming lights just 25% saves 20% in energy usage. Replacing a standard light switch with a dimmer can save up to R400 a year.

5. Switch sound

Add a sound damper to your sound system. It will reduce echo, vibrations, and enhance listening quality. This device makes the sound of your favourite movies clearer at a lower volume and uses less energy. It’s literally music to your ears.

Tip: Download Decibel X on your Android or iOS device to find out if your volume is too loud.  The highly-rated app is free and can calculate sound levels. It has a standard measurement range from 30 to 130db.

Go ahead, jump into that bamboo-fibre panda onesie and enjoy your green movie marathon!

Happy earth, happy life.

Pssst! Check out the top shows on Netflix here

Thousands of spectators visited PyeongChang for the Winter Olympics. Crowds were cheering, athletes got high on electrolytes and clouds of adrenaline draped over the ice rinks and snow-covered landscapes of the majestic town in South Korea. The views were good enough to capture in a snow globe and the entertainment was top-of-the-slope.

Beneath the snow glazing, however, lies what some may frown-upon. Metres away from the Olympic Games events, thousands of dogs are slaughtered for human consumption every month. According to the Humane Society International, a shocking 2.5 million South Korean dogs are killed for cooking every year. Although eating dog meat is not against the law in South Korea or in many parts of Asia, it snowballs the anger of dog-lovers and animal activists across the globe.

So, why do some South Koreans eat dog meat?

In South Korean culture it’s part of their tradition. It’s like eating a beef steak for a Westener…it’s normal and part of everyday life.*South Koreans don’t usually keep dogs as pets and that’s part of the reason why they don’t really think it’s wrong to dish a dog up for dinner. There’s also a belief that dog meat is beneficial because it boosts energy and heats you up during chilly days.

*Korea has Westernised over the years and lots of modern South Koreans keep dogs as pets and don’t believe in serving them for dinner. It’s taboo to even mention “gaegogi” in some Korean families.

What’s being done about the dog-killing?

The South Korean government is on the situation like a snow mobile. They’re moving steady and every gear-change brings them closer to a more conscientious republic. Unfortunately, the ride hasn’t been smooth so far and the slopes they’re on are slippery ones.

The South Korean Government is aware of many foreigners’ distaste of having pooches on dinner plates and they’ve taken measures to limit it. Officials offered restaurants 2 million won (around R22 000) to remove dog meat from their menus before the start of the Olympic Games. Only two restaurants welcomed the won but lost business from it. The bribery was clearly not enough to stop the South Korean cooks from boiling “gaegogi”.

Despite its government’s efforts and the global public’s protests and petitions to boycott the Winter Olympics, not much has changed, but the public knows more about the dog slaughtering now. More than 1 million dog-lovers have signed a petition to stop dog-meat farming. The petition is driven by the Soi Dog Foundation which respectfully requests the Government of South Korea to take all the necessary steps to ban the dog-meat trade in the region.  This includes declassifying dogs as livestock in the Enforcement Rule of the Livestock Industry Act.

Some Olympic athletes also fought against dog meat consumption in PyeongChang. They used media to make their voices heard.

Olympic figure skater Meagan Duhamel of Canada rescued Moo-tae, her four-legged friend, from South Korea in 2017, and during the 2018 Winter Games she planned to save more pups from ending up in pots and on plates. Duhamel told CNN, “Any meat farming is wrong, whether it’s cows, pigs or dogs. Of course, in our culture in North America, slaughtering and eating dogs is so far from our reality. We see dogs as companions and man’s best friend. We can’t imagine anything bad happening to our beloved pets.”

Duhamel hopes that all the dog meat farms will shut down and that the slaughtering will end soon.

Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy would also like to see the South Korean farms shut down. He told CNN, “I’m going to focus on my sport, and while I’m there, I’d love to try and raise awareness for the dogs. … I would love to bring a dog back.”

The voices of the athletes, the 1 million-plus petition signatures together with the publicity gained by The Olympics started an animal rights snowstorm which is now starting to blow the sensitive subject open. Resulting, potentially, in an end to dog meat on chopsticks.

The Winter Olympics was not only an economic boost, it was also an event with global coverage that could end the serving of dog meat in restaurants.

Do you think eating dog meat is wrong?

Here’s what you can do to stop it:

There are many actions you can take to help stop the dog-meat trade. It’s most important to educate yourself and others. Dog meat is a risky food and most people are not aware of the dangers of eating it. Diseases like Rabies and other bacteria can be spread during slaughtering and after ingestion. After you’ve educated yourself, educate others and get involved.

Find more info and ways you can help on the Humane Society International’s website.

Go for Gold!

Human impact is altering weather patterns and bringing water-scarce Western Cape full circle. Are you concerned about your water consumption? Maybe you’re suffering level six water restrictions like 4,3 million others in the Mother City. Our extreme hacks and serious suggestions can help keep hope afloat. Remember: you are not alone and you are not a victim.

You ARE living through a challenging time, and that calls for resilience and innovation. If it doesn’t rain soon, Cape Town’s restrictions are going to seem like a luxury and Main Road might have to be renamed “Fury Road”. “Day Zero” pegged at 11 May 2018 at the time of publishing and subject to change, is when the water will be switched off and every person allotted a maximum of just 25 liters of municipal water (for everything) per day. Quite apart from developing the patience that makes queuing for rations with 200 000 other people at a time possible, residents will be forced to learn how to drastically save more and use less water. They’re not the same thing, you see.

To harmonize the hum of dry alarm that makes the usual lists completely redundant, we asked around and compiled a list of extreme water hacks to help you cope. As the climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, we encourage everyone to try these, whether it’s in Cape Town or it’s pouring down. Weather patterns and water supply are no longer guaranteed; your needing water to survive and thrive very much IS.

Extreme Water Hacks

Use less water

In the bathroom

• Use germ-killing hand sanitiser to clean your hands.
• If you must wash your hands with water – actually, you must – use liquid hand-soap to make it easier to lather without water. That way you only use water to rinse.
• Use biodegradable soaps – they are easier on the greywater you’re going to repurpose and they rinse off more quickly, too.
• Skip body washes with a few, well-placed, biodegradable wet wipes (the other ones poison the earth).
• Ditch the shower. Wash with a basin and a bakkie (decanter). A good ratio is 1 kettle hot and 2 cold depending on your comfort requirements. The least we’ve used for the entire body, including long hair, is 3 liters. 5 liters is more comfortable. You can lather up the same way you would with the liquid hand-soap.
• If you must shower, stand in a big basin. This will catch the water while it warms up and the water you use. Just remember, depending on the water pressure, that’s 15 liters per minute…! and re-use the grey water for flushing and car washing.

Use less water

In the kitchen.

• Wash your dishes in one go (not lots of little ones. Saves eco-dishwashing liquid, too)
• Wash dishes in a tub (not under running water)
• Re-purpose all water used for cooking and rinsing perishables into pot plants/garden. Must use non-toxic cleaner, though.
• Use vinegar and bicarbonate of soda as cleaning products. They’re greywater friendly
• Don’t pour fat from frying pans etc down the drain – they’ll clog it.

Use less water

In the toilet. Oh wait.

• • No flush toilets from Day Zero. Practise these in the meanwhile:
  • Water your plants with wee, they love it.

TIP: spread it out because, although it’s sterile, it smells when concentrated. You don’t want to know.

• Buy a no-flush loo or build a compost toilet. The organic farmers can advise.
• If you can’t afford a readymade water-free loo – or don’t know anyone to build you a long-drop out back. Just kidding. Or maybe not – improvise with a DIY no-flush loo. A pool noodle around the rim of a bucket lined with an airtight lid and the correct enzymes to control bacteria. Remove the noodle when finished and close the bucket for hygiene. Empty it regularly with someone producing humanure. Yes, you read right.

Use less water

In general

• Wear hardy trousers and shorts twice or even thrice (for exercise if they’re soiled)

TIP: hand wash single-wear items like underwear.

• Swim in oceans and rivers more to stay cleaner for longer without washing. Deodorant also helps.
• Stockpile drinking water (from retail suppliers, not from the municipality – you can be fined) and keep it far away from heat or the sun. Remember to account for your pets, too!
• Get large, 5L jerry cans with a tap for drinking water. If you can’t afford metal, get the plastic ones without BPAs and all the other acronyms.
• If you’re unusually sensitive to chemicals, it’s worth storing your drinking water in glass decanters with taps or bottles with lids. Re-used whiskey and wine bottles work wonders. Just rinse them out properly! If you get plastic ones, turn them into eco-bricks when they’re empty.
• Drink less coffee, eat fewer sugary drinks and go slow on the salty snacks. They all make you thirstier than normal.

What about the animals?

• Empty old water in pet bowls onto your plants/into your toilet cistern.
• Stockpile drinking water for homeless animals. Animal relief groups and shelters will need support. Thank you for this thoughtful post, Herman!

Save more water

Catch and keep rainwater.

Lots of water simply runs over the surface of the ground and down drains and is lost forever.

• You can do so much with harvested rainwater – water your veggie garden, clean your clothes and linen, wash your body, hair and car, use in cooking and cleaning.
• It can be active (store in a tank) or passive (redirect to garden); simple (putting a big bucket on the balcony or a funnel in the garden) or advanced (redirecting your gutter water to a tank or empty pool).

TIP: Keep your gutters clean and lids on to avoid blockage and bacteria

WARNING: Don’t drink, cook with or rinse fresh produce using rainwater without checking and treating it properly. Otherwise, cholera, anyone?

Save more water

Install a greywater system.

A good greywater system is an investment, not an expense, for you as well as for mother nature.

• Installing a long-term solution lets you re-use your household’s water waste.
• And even if you don’t treat and repurpose the water for re-use inside, you can keep your garden lush and help replenish the water table outside.
• Swales can capture and direct rainwater to create a lush wetland in your garden, no hose required.

Save more water / Use less water

Help your neighbours.

If you are curious about others’ hacks, or if it comes to queues (Cape Town), you are not alone.

• Share knowledge and work together.
• Check with your community and see who needs help.
• Making new friends through generosity and consideration goes a long way to creating a sense of goodwill and positivity at a challenging time and this applies outside of #thinkwater crises too.
• You never know, Jo, there might be a day when you can’t make it to the pickup point.

More here

Good to get going? If you’re in Cape Town, keep your eye on the city’s progress here and get water updates here. Good news, for now, is that the drought levy (water tax) is probably going to be shelved. Thanks for that, Pat. Now, how about finishing those desalination plants so that we don’t suck the aquifers dry?

P.s. Dot’s thought for the day:

“Rain dances are okay but positive action is the way”