Kelley Ferro, travel expert, video journalist and contributor to Tripfilms.com just finished traveling in Australia’s Northern Territory with Goway Travel for our Travel Together campaign. Full videos of Kelley’s travels are coming soon, but in the meantime, enjoy a preview of her time in Australia’s Outback:

My first 4-wheeling experience was quite thrilling- especially when we were told "go as fast as you want but watch out for feral camels." Um ok...

My first 4-wheeling experience was quite thrilling- especially when we were told “go as fast as you want but watch out for feral camels.” Um ok…

Learning about the Aboriginal stories at Uluru (Ayers Rock) on an early morn in the Outback.

Learning about the Aboriginal stories at Uluru (Ayers Rock) on an early morn in the Outback.

Meet Wally, my ride to dinner. Not the fastest or most comfortable ride of my life but it was definitely the most memorable!

Meet Wally, my ride to dinner. Not the fastest or most comfortable ride of my life but it was definitely the most memorable!

Her name is "Milkshake" & she us a diva. She kept eating my shoes & nuzzling me to pet her. Who needs a dog when you can have a pet camel!

Her name is “Milkshake” & she us a diva. She kept eating my shoes & nuzzling me to pet her. Who needs a dog when you can have a pet camel!

Kelley Ferro is a travel expert & video journalist living in NYC. She films her show, Get Lost, around the world–hopping on a plane at least twice a month She is also the executive producer for Tripfilms.com. For more on her travels, follow Kelley’s Facebook page.


Kelley Ferro, travel expert, video journalist and contributor to Tripfilms.com, turns her perceptions of tours upside down while in South Africa. USTOA Members like Swain Destinations provide flexibility, access to hot spots and lesser known hidden gems, and insider knowledge of the best places to sip regional wine, see the best sunset, meet locals and explore natural wildlife… resulting in a customized trip perfectly tailored to meet travelers wants and needs.

For more up close and personal looks at the people and experiences of South Africa, check out these specialized videos from Kelley Ferro on wildlifeluxury travelfood and touring like a local.

Kelley Ferro is a travel expert & video journalist living in NYC. She films her show, Get Lost, around the world–hopping on a plane at least twice a month She is also the executive producer for Tripfilms.com. For more on her travels, follow Kelley’s Facebook page.


by Nina Dietzel, AFAR Ambassador

AFAR’s co-founder Joe Diaz likes to boil ‘traveling like a local’ down to “Get off the tour bus and sit at someone’s kitchen table”. On our first day in South Africa with Collette, that’s just what we did. We got off the bus and visited Alina Mlotshwa’s home in Soweto to have lunch.

Alina’s carport/restaurant

Alina’s carport/restaurant

Alina’s story is quite infectious. She used to take visitors through Soweto, but over time there was too much competition and work became scarce. Soweto was flooded with ‘guides’ taking visitors to the famous Vilakazi Street, but neglected to share Soweto’s vibrant Township life. Alina decided to change that, and began to invite strangers into her home for a more authentic experience.

Fearless owner Alina Mlotshwa

Fearless owner Alina Mlotshwa

She covered her carport (the only space able to hold a fair amount of people), put up a sign, and opened her home/restaurant to locals and travelers.

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

It’s impressive, that four generations of her family still live in small 4 room township home, most of them actively involved in the business. A good number of her Dobsonville neighbors have also been employed, which has ensured goodwill from all sides. Alina’s fearless entrepreneurship has paid off. The place is buzzing, and we were excited, and grateful to be part of it for a while. We sat, chatted, and dined with locals, and other foreigners–feeling home with Alina’s family and friends.

First helping from the buffet, uhumm ; )

First helping from the buffet, uhumm ; )

Of course it wasn’t just the original venue and charming Alina ‘family’ that made our visit so special. We ate good food. Real. Good. Food. African dishes accompanied by ice cold Castle beers and a few Stoneys (a sugary South African ginger ale/beer).

Alina’s kitchen prepares around 10 fresh dishes every day. We sampled lamb and beef stews, roasted chicken and fish, plenty of vegetables, salads, dumplings and of course the ominous ‘pap*’ from the kitchen buffet.

*traditional porridge/polenta made from ground maize, a staple food of the Bantu inhabitants of Southern Africa (the Afrikaans word pap is taken from Dutch and means ‘porridge’)

The Pantsula dance performance–don’t try this at home

The Pantsula dance performance–don’t try this at home

After leaving Alina’s home, young local dancers waited for us outside, wildly drumming. They proceeded to perform the crazy energetic pantsula for us, a typical Sowetan dance, that originated in the townships during Apartheid.

Our Sowetan guide for the day ‘big Ben’ with two of his local friends

Our Sowetan guide for the day ‘big Ben’ with two of his local friends

Get off the tour bus and hang with the locals. It is one of the best decisions you can make while traveling. Our hours in Soweto were real, fun and will forever be remembered with a big smile (or three ; ).

Nina Dietzel is a photographer and AFAR Ambassador based in San Francisco. Between travel and photography assignments, she continues to consult on select projects for destinations, hospitality, cultural organizations and non-for-profits in need–tapping into her vast experience as brand strategist with 300FeetOut, an award winning creative agency she launched and lead for over 15 years. Read more about her work here.