I'm Audrey, and I ride a small bike through the back roads of South Africa. This is where I keep the honest notes: gravel passes, farm stalls, cheap guesthouses, and the everyday business of living simply near Johannesburg and the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
No polished travel magazine here. Just real mileage, breakdowns, and the places worth pulling over for. If you're planning your own trip or thinking about simplifying your setup, start with the recent posts and see what fits.
Every post on this site starts the same way: a question about a road, a town, or a practical problem. From there it becomes a notebook full of fuel prices and guesthouse names, then a proper write-up. This is the process I follow, whether I am planning a weekend loop or a longer trip down the coast.
I start with a map and a question. Maybe it is a gravel pass I have heard about, or a town that does not appear in the usual guides. The route has to make sense for a day ride or a longer loop, with realistic fuel stops and places to sleep that do not cost a fortune.
The actual riding is the research. I stop at farm stalls, talk to people who run the local guesthouses, and write down what works and what does not. I keep track of road conditions, distances between towns, and which coffee shops actually open before nine in the morning.
Back home, I go through the notebook and decide what a reader actually needs. Not every pretty view makes the cut. What stays is the practical detail: how much a room cost, where the nearest mechanic is, and whether that shortcut is worth taking on a smaller bike.
The writing stays direct and unpolished, the way I would explain the trip over coffee. I keep the tone honest, including the parts that did not go smoothly. A snapped chain or a rainy afternoon is often more useful to read about than a perfect day.
Before anything goes live, I double-check the details that matter. Fuel prices change, roads get resurfaced, and guesthouses close. I verify the numbers and update older posts when I hear that something has changed on a route I have written about.
Once the post is up, the conversation continues. Readers write in with their own experiences, questions about bike setup, or tips about a town I missed. Those replies often become the starting point for the next route, which keeps the whole thing moving.
If you want to see where this process has led recently, the latest write-ups are on the blog. For a quicker look at what other riders thought of the routes and stops, the reviews page collects the honest feedback. And if a route or a place needs a practical question answered, the contact page is the easiest way to reach me.
A few things I get asked about most often, answered the way I would tell a friend over coffee.
I keep it simple: no more than 250 to 300 kilometers a day when the roads are tarred, and around 150 when gravel is involved. Fuel range on a 250cc is usually the limiting factor, so I map out petrol stops before I leave and always carry a spare liter. The goal is to arrive early enough to find a guesthouse and still have time to wash the dust off.
A chain breaker, a spare link, a small tire repair kit, and a decent multi-tool cover most situations. I also carry cable ties and duct tape because they have saved me more than once. You don't need a full workshop under the seat, just enough to get to the next town where a mechanic can do the real work.
I ride alone most of the time and I feel comfortable doing it, but I take precautions. I share my route with someone at home, check in at the end of each day, and avoid riding after dark. Small towns are generally welcoming, and I've had more help from strangers than I ever expected. Common sense goes a long way.
I look for guesthouses and farm stays rather than hotels, and I call ahead instead of booking online. Talking to the owner directly often gets you a better rate and a more honest description of the place. I also ask locals at petrol stations and coffee shops; they usually know which spot is clean and which one to skip.
I pack a loaf of bread, some cheese, and fruit in my top box, and I stop at farm stalls whenever I see one. It's cheaper than restaurant meals and you get to taste local produce. Coffee is the one thing I don't compromise on, so I always know where the next decent cup is coming from.
The same rules apply at home and on the road: cook your own meals, buy second-hand when you can, and fix things before replacing them. I track every expense in a notebook, not an app, because writing it down makes me think twice. It's not about being cheap, it's about spending on what actually matters.
If you're planning your own trip and want more detail on routes, bike setup, or budgeting, I've written about all of it in the blog. Start with the recent posts if you're new here.
This blog is a working notebook more than a polished travel magazine. It is built around the things I actually deal with when riding through South Africa and trying to keep a simple home at the same time. The posts are practical, direct, and written from the road.
I write about secondary roads in Mpumalanga, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal with real distances, fuel stops, and overnight prices. You get a sense of what a day on a 250cc actually feels like, not just a list of scenic names.
Expect gravel passes, small-town mechanics, and honest notes on road conditions.
From chain adjustments to carrying spare tubes, I share what I have learned the hard way. These posts focus on simple fixes you can do with basic tools, so you are not stranded when something wears out far from a workshop.
Practical advice for riders who prefer to understand their own machine.
A running record of farm stalls, bakeries, and roadside tables between Pietermaritzburg and Underberg, or wherever the road takes me. I note what is worth the money, what opens early, and where parking is easy on a bike.
Honest food notes without sponsored recommendations.
Posts about moving to a smaller flat, decluttering without a fuss, and setting up a home on a modest budget. The focus is on what works when you travel often and do not want to spend weekends maintaining a large space.
Downsizing notes from Johannesburg, written without a minimalist manifesto.
How I manage remote work while moving between towns, including finding reliable internet, setting up a mobile desk, and keeping a routine without a fixed office. These are field notes, not productivity theory.
Real situations and the small adjustments that make them work.
When I am not riding, I look for short trails near Johannesburg and the KwaZulu-Natal coast. These posts cover easy half-day walks, what to carry, and why a slow morning in a small town is often the best part of a trip.
Simple outdoor ideas that do not require a full expedition.