Articles by Verne Maree

Born and raised in Durban, South African Verne is a writer and editor. She and Roy met in Durban in 1992, got married four years later, and moved briefly to London in 2000 and then to Singapore a year later. After their 15 or 16 years on that amazing island, Roy retired in May 2016 from a long career in shipping. Now, instead of settling down and waiting to get old in just one place, we've devised a plan that includes exploring the waterways of France on our new boat, Karanja. And as Verne doesn't do winter, we'll spend the rest of the time between Singapore, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand - and whatever other interesting places beckon. Those round-the-world air-tickets look to be incredible value...

Castelnaudary Part Three: All about Gretige Henriette

Living the dream – Bill and Winnie Post talk to me about their gorgeous old tjalk, Gretige Henriette

I first saw Gretige Henriette and met her owners Bill and Winnie Post two years ago, when Roy and I arrived in the port of Moissac after our three-month-long journey on Karanja from England.

Originally hailing from New York, they have been living in California for many years. Now, though, they spend four to five months each year in France aboard their unique vessel.

Winnie and Bill Post, with Gretige Henriette in the port of Castelnaudary

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Castelnaudary Part Two: Port Stories, 3-7 July

Pizza, fisticuffs and the drunken sailor; Bill, Winnie and Gretige Henriette; antiques and anchovies; back to Chez David

 Castelnaudary – or simply “Castel” to locals or wannabe-locals – is one of the Canal du Midi’s prettiest ports.  We had a great first visit in 2017; click here to read all about that.

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Castelnaudary Part One – Getting there from Toulouse, 30 June to 3 July

Port Saint-Sauveur vanishing bike act; champagne at Castanet; Bo Peep and her boathook; my many and multifarious roles; lunch hour rules; important-little-towel philosophy; sympathetic éclusier at Sanglier; Le Diné at Port-Lauragais; the insightful M. Riches from La Rochelle

In the wee hours of our last day in Port Saint-Sauveur, Toulouse, neighbour Hans (Comtesse) had a bike nicked from our shared pontoon. In full view of the surveillance camera, someone had come through the gate – must have had a key – and carried the thing away, lock and all.

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Everything Toulouse! – 24-29 June

Welcome to the Canal du Midi; high drama in Bayage lock; Victor Hugo market; Toulouse dry docks; IKEA is cool; double martyrdom at Saint-Sernin; cultural cuisine at L’Ouverture

Having waved off daughter Wendy, who was returning to her job in Marseilles, we set off from Grisolles. Lock Emballens was followed by Castelnau, l’Hers – and it was at L’Hers that Roy resolved to push on to Toulouse, rather than moor somewhere overnight. (L’His decision, not L’Hers.)

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Easing into Summer 2019: Moissac to Montech, 12-21 June

 

Summer itinerary; travel travails; party people; broken bones; fetching the Twingo; music in Montech

Summer plans

So, after two months in Durban, what’s on the cards for the next four months in France aboard Karanja? Nothing hectic, it must be said. We’ll start the cruising season by heading eastwards along the Canal de Garonne to Toulouse, and spend a week in that lovely city. Then we may continue along the Canal du Midi to Castelnaudury for a few nights, before retracing our steps back to Montech. There, you can  join the Canal de Montauban, which takes you to – you guessed it! – Montauban.

Flashback to August last year, aboard Karanja on the Tarn River

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KZN Midlands: Indigo Fields Bush Spa – 22-24 May

Just two hours from Durban in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is Indigo Fields Bush Spa, a unique and world-class destination that I would recommend to anyone who likes an idyllic natural environment, a lot of pampering and oodles of warm, discreet and personalised service.

Seriously, what do you give such a thoroughly spoilt man as Roy for his 68th birthday? Such men already have everything they need or want – or, at least, everything in my limited price range.

It can only be an experience,  preferably one he hasn’t had before. So, having heard good things about Indigo Fields, I surprised my husband with a two-night mid-week stay there. (Click here for spa and accommodation packages.)

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Malongane, Mozambique – 17-24 April

A few days after our arrival in Durban, BFF Sally and her husband Jon Chapman picked us up in their 4×4 double-cab Ford Ranger for a blissful, week-long Easter getaway.

Ponto Malongane is the next headland after the more famous Ponto do Ouro in Mozambique – and 430km from our home in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban.

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Viking Sun Cruise: Sydney to Durban – Part 4, the Three M’s

Mauritius, Madagascar and Mozambique – how exotic they sound! And after eight days of prolonged pampering at sea, we were itching to go ashore at Port Louis.

#1 Port Louis, Mauritius

It’s only a four-hour flight to Mauritius from Durban, so it may be surprising that this was my first visit to this African island.

Berthed in Port Louis, Mauritius – and taking on fuel from that bunker barge alongside us

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