Cristina Armesto

Cristina has already named Chapter 1 of her hypothetical African travel textbook: “How to Fall in Love in Africa.” She speaks from experience. Originally from Spain, she first followed the sun to the Canary Islands, then kept going until South Africa stopped feeling like a destination and started feeling like home. Thirteen years later, Cape Town still has her firmly under its spell. Mountains on one side, ocean on the other, Winelands within easy reach, wildlife close by, and enough good food to keep things interesting. These days, she shares it all with her husband, two young children and two dogs. Her version of a great trip is similarly full-flavoured. Cristina wants you out in it: spending time in nature, tasting the food, trying the wine, meeting the people and paying attention to the details that make each place different. A landscape, a wildlife sighting, the atmosphere around you... she’s happiest when there’s time to take it all in. And should you need a snapshot of Cristina perfectly content on safari? An Amarula on the rocks, somewhere within earshot of a lion roaring. Preferably with a little more breathing room than the bull elephant that once turned a Lower Zambezi sighting from exhilarating to very, very memorable in about a second.