Road Trip to the Platteland

LIFE IN SMALL-TOWN SOUTH AFRICA

Ever wondered what it’s like to move from the city to a South African dorp?

In their years of travel, Karoo-based photojournalists Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais have encountered all kinds of new arrivals to the platteland. They include animators, sculptors, cartoonists, movie set designers, geeks, hotel owners, chefs, stock market analysts, writers, editors, photographers, nurses and teachers, tattoo artists and moonshiners.

Julienne and Chris are also part of this ever-growing group of former city-based semigrants now based in the countryside. Moving to the Platteland records some of what they experienced when they left Johannesburg and moved to Cradock in 2007. But even more valuable are the recorded insights, observations and advice from dozens of other people who have also made the leap from the city to the platteland.

How did they do it? What made them do it? Where do their children go to school? How did they get their restaurants, guesthouses and businesses going? How did they find their niche, their creative sweet spot, their perfect little dorpie?

The answers to these and many more questions about life in the country are tackled in Moving to the Platteland. This illustrated (black and white photographs) and author-signed book offers you nearly two decades of insights, warts-and-all experiences and advice on the practical and the social aspects of thriving in a small South African town.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

This is a book that reveals the secrets and delights of one of South Africa’s finest and most affordable regions to visit and, possibly, settle in.

Road Tripper Eastern Cape Karoo has been compiled and designed as an easy-to-use and compact illustrated guide with a map, 130 insights and an extensive directory to point you to the best of the region. Road Tripper takes you through the 14 towns and villages of the Eastern Cape Karoo, introduces you to faces and places you’ve never seen before.

You might well end up moving to this magical region after reading these books, visiting us and making some astute real estate enquiries.

Julienne and Chris are offering a two-book special, Moving to the Platteland and Roadtripper: Eastern Cape Karoo, for only R520 (including courier charges in South Africa). Email co-author Julienne for details: julie@karoospace.co.za