'The roads we've traveled (so far)' in pictures

How to get accommodation right

Recently I had the opportunity to stay at Gibbs Farm near the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania and was blown away from the second I arrived…every single detail had been attended to in the most perfect way. Nothing was ostentatious, but it all felt special and you could tell that everything about the working farm is geared towards the guests’ needs.  From the car wash for your dust-ridden vehicle as you arrive and the pre-dinner canapés served to guests while the resident bush babies are also being fed,  to the in-room post safari massages to ensure no amount of game viewing results in a stiff neck, Gibbs Farm has got it all right! What was most striking, however, was the ways they showed that ensuring your guests’ stay is an unforgettable experience is not complicated nor needs to cost the earth.  So, based on my incredible break from reality at Gibbs Farm, here are 5 simple guidelines that can help you do the same…

1) Great food from fresh produce – sounds simple but too often the focus is on variety of food rather than quality. The number of ingredients required to offer this variety means the quality and freshness suffers – there’s just no way around this, and that’s regardless of the skills of your chef.  Rather stick to a few dishes you do fantastically well and with great ingredients, this means your food costs will fall even though guest satisfaction will improve. Gibbs Farm, as already mentioned, is a working farm and 90% of all food served – the cheese, meat, vegetables and even the coffee – is grown or made on the premises. And you can tell with every bite. The lunch buffet I just sampled only featured 8 dishes, but each was mouth-watering and so much more enjoyable than a typical 30 meal buffet filled with 27 bad dishes that must be suffered through to find the 3 decent ones. To ensure you really feel spoilt Gibbs Farm have added a cake & coffee buffet in the afternoons, again not massive in variety but to die for in taste…so still far from the 30 meal buffet in quantity but also far more enjoyable, luxurious and unforgettable. This learning applies to more than just the buffet but even the size of your menu – nobody likes being faced with a 20 page menu anyway, guests and chefs alike!

First: Matt helping with the daily harvest. Second: Pre-dinner snacks as only Gibbs Farm can do! Third: Ishtar taking the freshly harvested produce up to the Gibbs Farm Kitchens to be cooked 

2) Put yourself in the shoes of your guest                                                                                          

Think about where they’ve had to come from, how they get to your accommodation and what needs arise from the specific conditions related to these questions and your establishment. So if getting to you means a long dusty road offering a car wash as guests arrive, and get whisked off to their rooms, shows that you not only understand their journey but care about making it as comfortable as possible. If you know they have traveled through a particularly cold region ensure the hand towels waiting to greet them are heated. Think about what facilities they are most likely to require as they arrive and ensure they are immediately accessible: for example if the warm water in rooms needs to be switched on and requires time to heat up ensure this is done before your guest arrives. Make sure that the number of guests per room is accommodated for – in terms of the number of towels, glasses for water etc.  Little things like this easily convert a mundane experience into something luxurious, and each little special touch may not specifically be remembered but will contribute to an unforgettable overall experience.

3) Think of alternative ways to meet guests’ needs, think of local ways to meet guests’ needs

Too often establishments rush to look and be exactly the same as millions of others around the world forgetting that by looking to solve challenges with local solutions they can not only save money but develop a point of differentiation and interest. This can be as simple as the alternatives to non-drinkable tap water that don’t need to mean costly bottled water! At Gibbs Farm water filters are used, and the water served in beautiful hand crafted glass jugs – much classier, environmentally friendly and best of all for proprietors, cheaper.  Even better these jugs are made locally using glass bottles recycled from the farm - proof that a really simple solution can have a positive impact, not only for the establishment and guests but for the surrounding community too. They take this a step further and even the lamp shades for the wall lights in the rooms are made locally from the farm’s recycled glass, resulting in décor that is note-worthy, unique and cheaper, even though this is in no way visible in the end product.

4) Keep your guests busy                                                                                                                    

The more remote your establishment the more important this becomes – and while remoteness can be a major pull factor, unless it is coupled with something to do the visit will never be for more than a few days. Gibbs Farm offers a range of daily activities for almost every hour of the day – starting with bread-baking classes, wildlife censuses and coffee roasting in the morning; to vegetable harvesting and volleyball during the day, all finished off with Bush Baby feeding and sometimes even live music in the evenings. It is impossible to get bored at Gibbs Farm regardless how long your stay. So if you want to encourage guests to stay longer all you need to do is offer an incentive to do this – and free or low-cost activities are much more likely to do this! 

First: Coffee Roasting with guests first thing in the morning. Second: The Rhythm of the Farm - & how guests can get involved. Third: Matt & Ishtar taking a tour of the studio of the Gibbs Farm artist in-resident, Athumani Katongo.

5) Offer free Wi-Fi

The fact that this still needs to be offered as advice to accommodation establishments astounds me, especially with the large number of very reasonable uncapped data packages available on the market.  Yet even some of the biggest hotel chains in the world do not offer this, or even worse do offer Wi-Fi but at an additional cost to guests. This has become a non-negotiable factor, like clean rooms, for many travellers and I know I am not alone in actively boycotting places that do not offer free Wi-Fi. Gibbs Farm is in an incredibly remote location – part of its charm – and if they can get fast and reliable Wi-Fi out at the edge of the Ngorongoro crater you have no excuse!

Words by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

A Photo Essay...

Travel Tips for Southern Namibia

Having just spent a magical few days exploring southern Namibia we learnt a couple of things we thought were worth sharing - from how to drive, where to stay and what to see. Here's our top 8 tips: 

Draw cash before you cross the border from SA, or before you head south from Windhoek.  There are ATMs in most towns but they often seem to have run dry!  The first working ATM we found was in Keetmanshoop, and you’re likely to need fuel before then.  Petrol stations accept garage cards but not credit cards for fuel purchases.    

     
 Refuel regularly.  The distances are vast, and most of southern Namibia has a landscape that looks like the surface of Mars – desolate, rocky and searingly hot – the sort of place you really don’t want to run out of fuel in.  The people are exceptionally helpful, friendly and welcoming, but there are very few of them around.  Pick up a couple of five litre water bottles and keep them full, just in case.

     Take regular stops or change drivers frequently.  The roads are in very good condition, even the dirt tracks, but they are so long and straight and the landscape can get monotonous, making it much easier for the driver to lose concentration.  After 200km without a single village or even a bend in the road, a goat or gemsbok can appear out of nowhere and catch you completely off guard.

        Ideally, find a place to rest up around lunchtime when the heat is fiercest.  One of the best places to do this is the Canon Roadhouse, at the northern edge of the Fish River Canyon.  After miles of dusty nothing you stumble upon an oasis of retro quirkiness – a restaurant filled with beautiful old cars, classic old signs, good food, cold drinks and excellent hospitality.  Hippies must enter through the side door, as per the sign:)  You can spend the night if you like, or just take a couple of hours to absorb the ambience, refresh and recharge before pushing on.

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The other great place to stay in the Canyon area is the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort.  It is well serviced and well run and the starting point for some great hikes up the canyon.  There is a large swimming pool which is incredibly inviting after a long day through the desert, but you’ll get a bit of a shock when you jump in and find its actually a warm spa pool fed by the Ai-Ais hot spring nearby!  Getting out is the refreshing part, but the water is great for tired and sore muscles.  The restaurant is excellent.  Secure your tent/room well – the baboons are a bit of a nuisance.  It is a much better bet than the Hobas camp further north (near the Fish River Canyon viewsite) which is near this spectacular location but not as well run as Ai-Ais.

      As you get further north, Namibia begins to get busier.  Rehoboth, a town about an hour south of Windhoek, is the first place that shows signs of recent development.  Its quite a bustling little place and has a fascinating history.  Rehoboth was founded in the 19^th century by a group of Griqua trekkers from the Cape Colony.  They founded a de facto independent state, much like Stellaland near where Kimberley is today, and became known as the Rehoboth Basters.  Their descendants still live there today, but it has also become something of a commuter town for people working in Windhoek.  Watch out for the sudden increase in traffic between Rehoboth and Windhoek, especially in the evenings.

        Always stop at the police roadblocks, even if it doesn't seem like there is anyone around. The police just want to check your driver’s licence and ask if you’re carrying any drugs.  It also seems to be illegal to transport fresh meat from the south to the north (probably to control livestock diseases), so finish your stock before you head out or you might have it confiscated.

        Enjoy!  The landscape may be empty but it is hauntingly beautiful, and it will help you appreciate the relatively lush terrain further north.

Words by Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt) & photos by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

What's in the box?

We've been packing for a while now and the newest addition to the packing table is this box. Ishtar & Matt have no idea what is in it or when it will be opened...Tracy's keeping mum. Any guesses from your side? Check out the discussion on Facebook for more hints & clues!

T2T Visa Requirements

T2T & Thundafund Crowdfunding Round-up

443 seedling trays and 45 hose pipes funded by 88 people to create 45 school food gardens in 24 African countries! Who knew 88 people had the power to make such a massive difference! That's all it took to raise R63000 in only 60 days with Thundafund Crowdfunding Cafe. And while we have truly been astounded by the power of the people and what they can achieve when working together, that's not what this is about. This is a plain and simple heart-felt thank you. 

Thank you to Andrea & Patrick at Thundafund who ensured our campaign had the largest chance of success as well as offered endless patience and support. We literally could not have done this without you and really appreciate the time you took to engage with us (and we know every other project on your books too!)

Thank you to all friends and family from all across the globe who constantly shared our project in every way possible and truly were better PR agents than any money could buy.

Finally thank you to every single financial supporter. We were truly humbled by your willingness to support our project but also to support us as individuals. Your contribution will make a lasting difference and what we show below is just the beginning!

Words and Infographic by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)