There are no shortages of weekend getaways in South Africa for all budget types. Nothing beats a short escape to a tranquile environment where the air smells fresher, the water tastes sweeter and time goes slowly. With my toddler and friend visting from out of town in tow, I drove 3 hours out of Jozi to a quaint little town in the Free State province called Clarens. The town which is close to Lesotho, is surrounded by the majestic Maluti mountains. We stayed at a family owned guest farm called Baris. It took me back to my dreams of living a life of natural of abundance.  The farm boasts a vegetable garden you can only dream of, endless fields to explore and a goat farm which provides milk for their in-house cheese factory. The town of clarens is only 10kms away from the farm. There, we enjoyed a lovely pizza and ice cream in a rustic artisic environment and even made time for a drive in the Golden Gate Game reserve. It is amazing what two days away from the daily grind can do for one’s soul. And it was a great reminder of the joys and simple pleasures of living in Africa. Enjoy the photos and don’t forget to take time out to recharge and explore your local surroundings. Peace and Love!

 Photo credits: Nana Boateng and Cecilia Aipira