It is winter in South Africa, and being such a large country, we have a huge variety of climates ranging from Mediterranean climate, to sub-tropical and everything in between.  Cape Town, at the very bottom, suffers from the most severe winter rains, but my o my, is the land beautiful, fresh and green after some good rain!  The same rain causes the West Coast to explode in a fairyland of veld flowers come spring too.  As you go more inland towards the Northern Cape and North West Province, the nights become freezing cold, only for you to peel of the layers of clothing as the days warm up after noon.  Here, the summer rains drench the dried-out, parched land, so winter landscapes are harsh and pale.  The Kwazulu-Natal region hosts our highest mountains, the Drakensberg, and these are a winter-wonderland of snow, even on low-lying areas such as the Midlands.  But, driving down to the coast and into Durban, you’ll be caught if you have not packed summer clothes, as the difference in temperature between Pietermaritzburg and Durban could be as much as 10 – 15% warmer in Durban on any given day!!  I was such a sucker for a few years before I learnt my lesson, with us flying from a blistering cold Cape Town winter, to sunny, warm weather in Durban to go and watch the Durban July horse-race every year.  Year after year I had to go and purchase some cooler clothes once we got to Durban, or swelter in my warm clothes that I foolishly packed yet again.

Winter started early this year, and I would love to share some of our strikingly beautiful winter landscapes with you: