I was born in England, but I am half South African and also hold a Canadian passport. I have lived in the UK, Australia and South Africa. From childhood trips to Mossel Bay, South Africa to visit my grandmother, I have never been able to stop travelling. I lived in Cape Town for a while in my twenties, where I learnt to sail, this led to seasons of yacht skippering around the world, eventually leading to a solo nine month drive around Southern and East Africa that truly cemented the continent as my favourite place to visit.
My most memorable trip
Zimbabwe
When I was 24 I joined my Dad in Harare, Zimbabwe and drove through six national parks, and three countries over six weeks. It is still my favourite trip that I have ever done, the mix of countries and cultures on that trip was completely eyeopening, and to share it with my Dad is something I will cherish forever.
On my bucket list
New Zealand
I am itching to travel to New Zealand; the scenery, people and culture are all so in tune with what I love in a destination. I still regret not visiting while I was living in Melbourne.
See where I’ve travelled
Namibia
"I loved camping in the Ugab River Rhino Camp in Namibia, completely on my own with no phone signal and a herd of elephants that visited three times a day - absolutely stunning."
Explore destination
South Africa
"Waking up every morning and looking out over the Atlantic Ocean from my bed while living in Scarborough, South Africa is something I will never forget."
Explore destination
Tanzania
"Swimming with whale sharks off the coast of Tanzania was an incredibly humbling experience."
Explore destination
Zambia
"While I was in Livingstone, Zambia I tried to really get my heart rate going by swimming in a pool right on the edge of the falls and also trying a bit of white water rafting, it is also where I did a bungee jump many years ago."
Explore destinationThe best hidden gem
Zambia
Zambia is somewhere I would love more people to travel to. The locals are lovely and the national parks feel very exclusive and are absolutely teeming with game, it's a fantastic combination.
My favourite hotel
Wilderness Chitabe
The camp itself is great, with excellent service and a gorgeous design and setting. The amount of animal interaction and density of predators is remarkable.
The trip was perfect from start to finish which I completely attribute to the communication with James and Eugenia. I really felt as if our needs were anticipated and our style of travel understood. They truly picked the best accommodations and made transfers between easy. I've never had such a seamless and well-organized travel experience. It is so worth it…
We booked our travel to Tanzania and Kenya for our 25th wedding anniversary. Jacada travels This one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken. They were always with us throughout the trip without being overbearing and constantly in communication as we were traveling with younger kids. The places that jacads suggested Were top-notch and we felt like we were…
We had an excellent experience booking an epic African journey with Jacada Travel. The trip included visits to seven countries but everything from the logistics, accommodation, transfer staff, guides and support staff was superb, well planned, and perfectly executed. Special thanks to James from Jacada who worked with us from the booking process until we got back home. I would…
Communication with Jacada hit the right cadence and persisted before, during and after the trip. The team was great, supportive and very responsive and helped planned an itinerary with the perfect events for our family.
We booked our honeymoon in South Africa with Jacada. James helped us book the trip and he was really helpful walking us through different itineraries and helping us stay organized while deciding what we wanted to do from all the amazing options. Once we got to South Africa, we felt really well-taken care of - with a dedicated WhatsApp group…
My top tips
Make sure you have a really good pair of binoculars to help you spot everything your guide points out.
Pack as light as you can no one is expecting you to be in anything other than comfortable clothing - one of the joys of Africa, if you ask me.
Make sure you try and get to the top of Lions Head before sunrise to avoid the crowds and see just how stunning the city of Cape Town is.
Make sure you ask your guide every question you have; you'll kick yourself when you come home and don't have their experience at your disposal.
