Title: More things to do in Moer and Gone Places
Author: Jacques Marais
Publisher: MapStudio
2nd edition. Cape Town, South Africa 2018
ISBN 9781770269668 / ISBN 978-1-77026-966-8
Softcover, 17 x 24 cm, 312 pages, throughout illustrated
MOER & GONE is a feeling. It is that sense of headspace you get when you realise you have - against the odds in our crowded contemporary world - managed to get away from it all. Sure, these MOER & GONE places more often than not equate to an off-the-beaten-track destination, and (for me personally, anyway) they get extra brownie points if they are properly off the grid as well. Remove internal combustion engines - especially those irritating quad bikes and jet skis - as well as cellphones and Wi-Fi connectivity from the usual tick list, and I'm good to go. For ear-to-ear smiles, add miles of gravel road, rugged mountain scenery, trails and footpaths meandering in every direction, and maybe a lake, river or some ocean access to add an aqua adventure edge. A big plus is no external light, so you can spend your evenings staring in gobsmacked wonder at the billions of stars lighting up the night.
Speaking of destinations, we have tried to highlight both action and leisure options at the hundred-plus spots we covered in the guide More things to do in Moer and Gone Places, and we've tried our best to make sure there is an even geographic spread. That sounds much easier in theory than in practice, as the Gauteng region does not really brim with off-the-grid places. With the help of my researcher/co-writer/ fact checker/brainstormer of a sister, Lize-Marie Marais, we called on friends and adventurers far and wide to tell us where they go to get away from it all. Then we visited as many of the spots as we could, spoke to the owners and guests, got their feedback, and compiled all of this info into an easily readable and no-nonsense guide.
So, in the end then, this is very much our take on MOER & GONE places, and I certainly do not expect everyone to agree with either the definition or the list of destinations. Instead, treat this as a short list of options, go and test them at your leisure, and then add to them as you delve into this vibrant and beautiful country that is South Africa. And if the only thing you take away from these pages is a few days of downtime away from the rat race, then I feel we have succeeded in a small way in improving life as we know it. Enough chatter; go forth and reset your mind, body and soul. This, then, is what I hope you'll get from More things to do in Moer and Gone Places byMapStudio, a short introduction to a bucket list of
destinations that will hopefully get you back in touch with your inner caveman.
That MOER & GONE Feeling
Quickfinder
Go Camp!
Map of destinations
Eastern Cape destinations
Free State destinations
Gauteng destinations
KwaZulu-Natal destinations
Limpopo destinations
Mpumalanga destinations
Northern Cape destinations
North West destinations
Western Cape destinations
Other country destinations