Generally, tourists stick out. This is no less true for Eastern Turkey, or what we call ‘The Other Side’. Not only did we stick out due to its quiet tourist stream, but The Other Side of Turkey is more remote, higher in altitude, therefore a little more extreme, older in antiquity and arguably more beautiful than the more well-known Western-side of...
Being driven in a dolmuş (a South African equivalent of a taxi, but not quite) down a valley in central Turkey into Göreme - a town of Cappadocia, we were reminiscing about how the word “cappuccino” can be ‘rhymed’ with “Cappadocia”. We came up with Cuppaccidocia! Extended travel can have this effect on one… Well, to our surprised (T...
Laidback. That pretty much sums up Cyprus. With the history we were after, we managed to meander through some amazing scenes and places – some off the beaten track and some with the flow of tourists. This, while enjoying some Third Wave coffee vibes at Gloria Jean's. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus St Hilarion Castle (inspiration for Wal...
Tales are easy to read. Even writing a Tale is somewhat easy. Yet, some Tales are not so easy to create. This is true for the Jesus Trail. This 72 kilometre, 5 day, 4 night hiking trail which traverses the lands of our Saviour Jesus from his home town of Nazareth to Capernaum (Matthew 4:12-17) alongside the Sea of Galilee has probably been one of o...
It was hot, very hot. Not only this, but sojourning through our forth country in as many weeks brought about a weariness that something had to fix. Well, we found the fix – Cofix. Found only in Israel, Cofix was formed simply because there was a gap in the market – a gap that needed filling by a simple solution of providing each and every product i...
Just a little further north from Wadi Rum lies an expansive reserve known as Dana Biosphere. This part of Jordan just drew me, Joseph, to experience this part of nature on the trails, on the run… This is my Tale: Before I set off, a little fuel was required…a blend from Athanor in Dahab, Egypt! 16km in total – trail running bliss! Behind every grea...
Drinking tea, lots of tea, is a favourite past time, or rather, a favourite beverage for the Bedouin living in the Wadi Rum of Jordan. This tea, experienced in the smallest of cups, is a mixture of natural resources grown in the desert. These ingredients consist of hibiscus, cardamom and a bit of cinnamon, as well as added sugar or honey. Prep...
The exit from South Africa was historical in nature, progressive in time and advancing in antiquity. Backwards! From the modern skyscrapers in Dubai to the white marble of Athens, to the even more ancient dusty sandstone sculptures and mountians in Egypt, it was a literal stepping back in time as we commenced our sojourning... Dubai, Un...
Nestled amongst a souk in the original part of the city of Dubai, so this small, cosy, relaxed gem of antiquity stands out like the aroma of a contemporary speciality café. The Dubai Coffee Museum is a melting pot of cultures and showcases a connection of the past and present of the world of coffee – everything from the first methods in roasting an...
What is in a title? What does it mean? It is this very title that has come about by our own interest – our interest of travelling, travelling then staying and then travelling some more. A journey you ask? Yes, but more than that – sojourning. Getting to this point has been a journey – a journey in obtaining the right equipment for the journey,...
Every journey requires a break, or does it not? This journey, as outlined in Coffee Journeying is a break in and of itself in two ways: firstly, as a reader of this, take a break and view this coffee journey, part 2; and secondly, there is a ‘break’ in a new development that this journey promised in the last Tale, namely, three improvements&nb...
Planning for and making way for an 8 month trans-continental trip exposes some things. These things are none other than complicated. Complex in their essence, complicated in their existence and complicating in their influence, some things we realise cannot come with us… We realise our lives are complicated, very complicated. So, yes, we tick that b...