Flow

Flow Movement, Meditation & Creation
Noordhoek, Cape Town Flow

In life there is a magic at work that defies explanation…

Sometimes things just FLOW. I welcome you.

Your body, mind and emotions are in harmony, there’s a sense of liveliness and possibility, creativity blossoms. But why do we just leave it up to chance, hoping that the heavenly Flow will catch us up in its tingly embrace, when truly it’s up to us to kindle that flame, to dance that dance, to sing that song? To live this life. I invite you to join me in a safe, nurturing space where you can brea

the, move and create. This, I believe with my whole heart, is why we live. Let’s share and enjoy our time together. Over an hour session or longer workshops we will engage all facets of our selves. Body: movement in the form of yoga, dance, qi gong, breathwork, etc

Mind: stimulating and informative discussion, writing exercises, visualization, meditation

Emotions: deep listening, relaxation techniques, tapping, art therapy, mindfulness

You bring whatever you need to sort out, celebrate or sit with. We are meeting here to allow our separate streams to flow together and refresh us

22/06/2026

A looooong overnight bus from Arequipa to Cusco (S/105). Unfortunately Cruz del Sur | CDS Envíos doesn’t offer those amazing 180 seats that lie flat on this route (why????)
Spent a good deal of it loving my book 😵‍💫

At dawn we arrived in Cusco (3400m) and I managed the uphill 2km walk to the collectivos (much like our South African minibus taxis) without even shortness of breath 😅

The collectivo dropped us in the very charming town of Pisac (S/6) where I did a lil walkabout

The town was still asleep but the notice boards speak volumes on the number of facilitators doing their thang 🤪

Picked up a few pricey groceries
And caught another collectivo (btw there’s a chicken in the box marked fragile) up the mountain (S/2,50)

I LOVE where I’m staying -
Sonidos del Ande Wasi (all of S/40 per night!)

Complete peace & quiet & killer views of Incan terraces

Just before lunch I noticed a little stream of tourists, so I followed them to this remarkable community project, Tinkuy, where the loveliest women you will ever meet serve up empanadas made from quinoa, kiwicha (amaranth) & tarwi (Andean lupin) stuffed with veg, cheese or banana. Yum!!!! They demonstrate cobbing and traditional bead making and pottery. Delightful.

I’m taking it easy after the rough night and also to acclimate… it’s so lekker lying in my warm sunny room. The icy morning has me a little nervous for tonight 🥶

Tomorrow the ruins 😍

22/06/2026

It’s Solstice & Father’s Day
And my last day in Arequipa

Went to the market and decided to try the little cookies I’ve seen everywhere -
Alfajores. They’re a traditional Arequipan melt-in-your-mouth cornstarch bikkie filled with dulce de leche. I thought my darling Oli Coetzee would love them and then noticed that this batch was made on her 19th bday 🥹
I’m missing my fam something silly

They call Arequipa the Rome of Peru and there is a (big!) church on every corner and it seems they stagger their Sunday services, so I got to attend a few. Packed. Every one of them.

Those conquistadors hey.
Spanish and Christianity reign supreme.

Sat on the Paza des Armes again watching the adorable munchkins and sharing my alfajores with the senior citizens who chatted away to me in Spanish. I’m getting a *wee* bit better at communicating.

I strolled down to enjoy more of the Alianza Francesa Arequipa Music Festival
And lay happily on a bench reading Bel Canto which is truly wonderful.

From Lima Maya Endo shared her Indie folk
& Gala Brie pop rock alternativo
Then French rap from R.WAN + DJ Dirty Cut (I actually caught some Peruvian youth in the middle of a rap battle on the Plaza des Armes last night)

I was in for more musical entertainment at the mall adjacent to the bus station

Honestly the highlight of the day!

About to board the overnight bus to Cusco 🚌

See you at altitude 😮‍💨

21/06/2026

I went from 18 intense days in Brazil 🇧🇷 to the excitement & stimulation of arriving in Peru 🇵🇪 , to buses 🚌 , new environments 🏙️ 🏜️ 🏖️ 🌋 , constantly making decisions 💭 , watching my non-existent budget (like a hawk) 💸 , being away from home ❤️‍🩹

To just sitting in a cold & noisy room in a foreign city feeling untethered… like I’ve been in Arequipa for too long. I had harboured hopes of finding a cost effective way to see the condors in Colca Valley, but alas…

I hit that midpoint slump that many solo travellers experience.

The roads here are lined with very elderly and differently abled folks selling sad little handfuls of sweets, or offering a beat up scale to weigh yourself, or a shoeshine….
It’s enough to break your heart 1000 times a day 💔💔💔

I knew I needed Nature to set me straight.
I considered the Sillar mines - did you know that this white stone is made of the ash of volcanoes and that it blocks signal?! So they’re not building with it anymore cos heaven forbid we should get off our phones for a minute 🤪

I headed to the rural outskirts of town and bundu bashed my way down the Inca terraces to walk alongside the Rio Chili

Made my way back to the park I sat in… yesterday? Only to discover a whole new plateau replete with grazing alpacas (they use them as lawnmowers here). I got to see one spit at a cheeky young boy 😋 🦙 Enjoyed the delicious salsa I made from their excellent avocado 🥑 pineapple 🍍 & the red onions 🧅 that they grow in Arequipa for use in ceviche throughout the coastal regions of Peru 🐟 Read my book. Felt better. Especially after treating myself to more of my new favourite thing 🍫 Chocolates La Ibérica - Perú where have you been all my life 🥰

The Alianza Francesa Arequipa happens to have a music festival on this weekend (& she shall have music wherever she goes?)

I had the great honour of being moved to tears by singing about Señor Misti 🌋through Música Arequipeña, Dúo Lágrima delighted us with Folklore peruano

The darling little girl next to me, who is from New Mexico but going to school here to learn Spanish, sang along and provided some much needed translations from the Quechua

Another sweetie pie got up to dedicate her song to all the dads for Father’s Day 😭😭😭

To end off the perfect evening .Sinfónica.UCSM performed some música clásica.

All of this under the waxing moon - home of the Ice Maiden - one of many sacrifices the original people made to appease the surrounding volcanoes (who were thanked by the performers).

And then cos I was having one of the best nights, I went across to the Teatro Municipal
to catch some more stirring música arequipeña 🎶

Travel has this strange habit of becoming beautiful again about 24 hours after you think it’s all doomed.

Tonight I catch an overnight bus to Cusco. This one doesn’t have seats that lie flat 😭 Say a lil prayer for me 😅

Happy Fathers Day Alan Louw This is us on one helluva adventure in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 Still one of The Best… in a life that’s h...
21/06/2026

Happy Fathers Day
Alan Louw

This is us on one helluva adventure in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
Still one of The Best… in a life that’s had its fair share

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree 😅
Thanks for showing us that intrepid exploring is not only possible but *essential* to a good life. And thanks for your support on this one 🇧🇷 🇵🇪
I will carry you with me to Machu Pichu … & beyond 🏔️ 🥾 🪽

Love you dad 👨🏻

20/06/2026

Every time I walk anywhere I take a different route and every time it’s a revelation. Today I stumbled upon Centro de las Artes UCSP with beautiful art exhibitions and my favourite thing is catching glimpses of locals doing local things. Yesterday it was a group of trainee bartenders, today a senior dance class 🕺🏾

I finally timed it right to enter the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa where they are renovating & got to listen to the extraordinary acoustics of a mass being held in the one wing 🥹
(Hot tip - hours are pretty random & restricted for most of the many beautiful places in Arequipa)

I reconnected with my life as a cloistered nun at Monasterio de Santa Catalina where nuns lived in silence & completely isolated for almost 500 years before they opened it to tourists in 1970. It is SO beautiful & I happily spent 3 hours going through the labyrinthine city within a city.

Starving, I decided to brave the Mercado San Camilo for my first meal (not prepped by me) in Arequipa. It’s a historic market designed by students of Gustave Eiffel (according to local legend). Amazing fruit, local cheese, bread, olives, nuts & inexpensive lunches. I got my papaya juice for S/3 (not the 16 on the menu!) and then had a delish ceviche & pastel de papa (layered potato bake often served alongside other dishes)
For dessert I tried the local chocolate La Ibérica.Chocolatier which was fab. Then got to the Museo de arte contemporáneo Arequipa starring Milko Torres & revisited Mundo Alpaca ’s incredible textile museum before chilling in Parque Selva Alegre.

En route home the Andes chill descended. It’s boiling hot in the sun, but then suddenly very cold. The air is dry, my sinuses aren’t happy & lips are chapped. So
I made my first purchase of the trip - a poncho of course. Made in China🙄Because the actual alpaca products are waaaaay outta my price range 🤑 I sat in the Plaza and watched little ruddy faces chasing pigeons. When a huge marching band arrived as part of a political campaign 🐥Chirmula for supper - tastes like a delicate candy floss 😋

19/06/2026

I decided to do a “free” walking tour this morning, more outta loneliness than anything. Juanita our guide was a font of information and kindly answered my 10000 questions, so it was 💯 worth it

He explained that the main squares are called Plaza de Armas because it’s where people were executed 😳 He showed us a bullet hole in the Basilica Cathedral window and also how the clock towers were rebuilt after a big earthquake in 2001.

He showed us the blend of traditional beliefs and ways of life with the new Christian iconography on Iglesia de la Compañia de Jésus.

We walked to La Canasta Bagueteria Bakery which was the residence of the famous former president of Peru, Don Eduardo López del Romana y Alvizuri

The Cloisters of the Company, with its famous carved facade, is a jewel of Andean baroque. One of the eateries let us try the chicha - slightly fermented purple corn

We then walked through the very lovely San Lazaro area with its Spanish buildings built over the original Incan remains. The Incans decamped after Misti erupted in the 1400s

Mundo Alpaca let us feed the little darlings and watch incredible craftswomen at work. I’ll go back to visit the museum and read all the signs, like the good girl I am 🤓

We took in another view of the volcanoes. Juanita explained that El Misti is the father, Chachani the mother and Pichu Pichu the children.

I returned home to watch my Aunty Rose’s funeral and shed many tears of love for this wonderful woman and her family, all so very dear to me.

Dragged my sadness out to see Tristán del Pozo’s beautiful home. The Mario Vargas Llosa public library & Iglesia de San Francisco … & so many beautiful people & places in between.

I crossed the Puente Grau and ambled along the Malecon Bolognesi littered with canoodling young lovers.
Checked out yet another marvelous church - Parroquia San Juan Bautista de Yanahuara - then watched the sunset from Yanahuara Mirador along with all the queso helado (“frozen cheese”…actually a cinnamon coconut desert that reminds me of melktert) eating tourists

18/06/2026

Oh the joy of lying flat!
I don’t know about you but I can’t sleep sitting upright 🫥
These Cruz del Sur 180 degree buses are Next Level! I feel like I now know what it is to fly first class (it’s amazing).
S/195 for the 13 hour trip.
Unfortunately a road is not like flying and we did get thrown around a fair amount by rough surfaces and what felt like a lot of twists and turns. Still a much better night than I was expecting.

Note to self: For my next overnight bus I would love a cushion and a blanket. Perhaps an alpaca poncho is in my future 😉 🦙

I was super duper excited to throw open the curtains this morning, convinced we must be in the high Andes after 9 hours!
We were not…
In fact we were still chugging along the coast, & I got to wave goodbye to the Ocean for the last time this trip.

The desert is a sight to behold & interrupted by river valleys in verdant bloom

Then the magnificent view of Arequipa’s iconic 3 mammoth volcanoes -
El Misti (5,822 m ) is the iconic, symmetrical symbol of Arequipa. It is an active volcano.
Chachani (6,057 m ) is considered one of the most accessible 6,000-meter peaks in the world
Pichu Pichu (5,664 m )is an inactive, multi-peaked volcano that features ancient Inca ceremonial platforms.

Arequipa is called La Ciudad Blanca (The White City) because many of its beautiful buildings are made from white volcanic stone (sillar), and it’s framed by these three snow capped volcanoes.
Altitude is around 2,300m, so it’s my gateway to the high places I’m heading. My airbnb host is The Sweetest - made me brekkie because she thought I must be tired and hungry from my journey 🥹

After a much needed shower I wandered towards the truly magnificent Plaza de Armas. And stumbled upon MUCEN Arequipa which is free and such a tranquil and engaging museum.

I went to get groceries & scratched my head over the many unknowns as well as the mannnny potatoes including tiny rainbow coloured ollucos which are the second most consumed tuber in South America after the potato

There’s unfortunately a monstrous carnival across the Rio Chili from me and the noise is … 😱
I’ve never used ear plugs as much as I

17/06/2026

Youth Day 🇿🇦
I’m surrounded by youth when I travel on a budget

Huacachina is fulllll to overflowing with them doing all the adrenaline things that you couldn’t pay me to do 🤣

I did love climbing the dune at sunset and was up with the birdies before sunrise
A big mist accompanied me in the heavenly tranquility (before all the dune buggies start carving it up 🫨)
So much plastic detritus everywhere
Makes the heart sink 💔💔💔The best parts of travel are the unplanned bits…
My Tuktuk (uber moto) driver played some of his fave Peruvian beats for me and then wanted to hear South African tunes…so I introduced him to amapiano and laughed all the way to the station where thankfully I could check my bag

I ate lunch at another hole in the wall - A comer rico Donde Rulo - with absolutely no indication on the outside that there’s an eatery on the inside (thanks Google Maps!)
Accompanied by blaring TV (seems to be the in thing, was the same where I was staying, which could have been peaceful 😖) and cops lunching around me watching things loudly on their phones 🤣

S/15 for Caldo de gallina(Chicken broth, noodles, egg, yellow potato & scallions) + chicken with rice and delicious sweet potato and that giant corn + a carafe of Chicha Morada ~ the juice made from purple corn, pineapple, cinnamon, & cloves.
All delicious!

I walked the busy dusty town of Ica and visited the Museo Regional de Ica “Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins” which was fascinating and boasts such beautiful ceramics and textiles. The mummies made me very sad. Buried so beautifully only to be on display in perpetuity. It feels disrespectful (& mighty creepy).

I didn’t visit the Javier Cabrera Scientific Museum which is a collection of 11,000 engraved stones found in the district of Ocucaje, 40 km south of here.
Or the Nazca lines - a collection of over 800 massive geoglyphs etched into the arid desert floor (500 B.C. - 500 C.E.) that feature over 70 massive animal and plant figures alongside hundreds of geometric shapes which are further south…both are too pricey 🤑

So with 7 hours to go till my bus departure
I kicked back with the birds under the trees & read my book till sunset 📖
Which was heeeeeavenly
It’s the simple things

Dinner - I missed the luncheon ceviche thang (damn! Truly the best I’ve ever had!) but ordered causa, the famous, cold Peruvian appetizer made of seasoned yellow mashed potatoes layered with savoury fillings like chicken, tuna, or seafood, combined with avocado and a hint of lime and ají amarillo (yellow chili pepper). The name is believed to come from the Quechua word kausay, which means "life" or "necessary sustenance.” In coastal Peruvian slang, calling someone "tu causa" means calling them your "bro"

Feeling like I might just sleep for the entire 13 hour bus ride to Arequipa
🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾

16/06/2026

Due to a clerical error
I ended up with only one night in Lima
I thought the deal was too good to be true for two nights

Similar thing happened with a place in Cusco….turns out the quote was in USD not ZAR … biiiig difference … as in x16!!! That spot has given me a fat discount for my one luxe night post-Macchu Picchu ⛰️ and pre long haul to the Amazon

It was so lekker to have such a lush landing in Peru
Delicious bed and breakfast
How fun to have my fave superfoods on offer at the buffet (cos this is their home) - Maca, chia, quinoa… I drank the juice of a star fruit and cut open a self-inscribed “bol” that turned out to be a kind of granadilla 😋

I’m bussing on Cruz Del Sur | CDS Viajes 🚎

I’ll be experiencing every one of those seat options on my long hauls

Starting out with the shortest leg - a mere 4h20 from Lima to Ica (S/55=ZAR263) and then a short tuktuk hop (that made me long for India) to the desert oasis of Huacachina for sunset 🏖️

It’s the only natural desert oasis in South America which has suffered from water depletion in recent years due to local “development”

En route I casually glanced out the window in Lima to see an ancient Huaca (spiritual site)
Then wild pure white islands jutting out of the turquoise sea - Islas Cavillaca Pachacámac

The desert changes all the time
A week ago I was wrapping up the first day of Domitor
Time is a trip 🌀

Chose La Casa de Bamboo for my overnight stay because it’s known for its vegetarian and vegan-friendly fare, also one of the cheaper stays

I will not be sandboarding or going on dune buggy rides (the noise pollution is real 😖). But I will be reading by the lagoon which was formed by the tears of a princess

According to local Quechua tradition, the name translates to "crying woman". Huacca China mourning the death of her beloved warrior, cried so many tears that they formed the lagoon, and as she submerged herself in the water, she transformed into a mermaid who protects the oasis 🧜🏻‍♀️

It became an exclusive wellness retreat for wealthy Peruvians in the 1960s. During this "Golden Age," developers built elegant colonial-style hotels, private homes, & a paved boardwalk

13 hour overnight bus to Arequipa tomorrow 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

Ok, I did the research (of course 😂) on some of the unknowns during my walkabout in Lima yesterday. Super interesting so...
15/06/2026

Ok, I did the research (of course 😂) on some of the unknowns during my walkabout in Lima yesterday. Super interesting so I’m sharing…

1. This terrifying fellow is the Corochano, a central character in the traditional Peruvian dance Los Negritos de Huánuco.
You’ll know him by the white mask featuring a long, bushy white beard & a prominent red nose. An ornate outfit typically consisting of a red coat adorned with gold embroidery and sequins, paired with gold trousers and a tall, embellished top hat, often decorated with feathers or insignias.

Can you guess what the character represents?! Spanish slave owners

Unlike the more rhythmic and orderly movements of the “Negritos” (the main dancers), the Corochano acts as a joker or master of ceremonies.

2. “Yana Runa” (Black Man/People of Earth) was painted by Roberto Peremese. It depicts Susana Baca, Peruvian singer, songwriter, and ethnomusicologist - one of the most prominent figures in the revival of Afro-Peruvian music and culture.

3. A traditional Peruvian street cart selling classic limeño sweets, a well-known fixture in Kennedy Park (Parque Kennedy) in Miraflores

Turrón de Doña Pepa is a layered, anise-flavored shortbread cookie “cake” drenched in a thick fruit-based chancaca syrup and topped with colorful sprinkles. You can see both the “Turrón Suave” (soft) and “Turrón Crocante” (crunchy) varieties.

Torreja de Cachanga: Large, thin, flat discs of fried dough, typically served crispy and often drizzled with honey or syrup.

Melcocha con Maní: A stretchy, artisanal toffee or taffy-like sweet made from boiled sugar or chancaca, often mixed with peanuts.

4. Jade Riveia’s gorgeous murals are alllll over Barranco

5. Torito de Pucará (Little Bull of Pucará) is a traditional Peruvian symbol of protection, prosperity, and good fortune. This one in Parque Kennedy in Miraflores.

They represent Andean duality and are traditionally placed in pairs on rooftops to represent the fusion of positive and negative energies, creating balance and harmony in the home. This blue symbolizes harmony, wisdom & celestial protection. Red for love, green for economic prosperity. Hole at the sacrum represents fertilization. Handle symbolizes the union of marriage. Wide eyes Represent human alertness and self-observation.

6. In the Barranco Central Park this mural of the famous Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda by Eric Cárdenas. It’s close to the Bridge of Sighs and the La Ermita church (both in picturesque states of decay).

And then I didn’t get photos but saw mannnnny dogs in dresses…some very beautiful traditional Peruvian.

Apparently they get chilly easily 🤷🏻‍♀️ (guys I was legit sweating in a tank top). This one makes more sense - sun protection for hairless breeds.
The Peruvian Hairless Dog (Perro sin pelo del Perú) lack fur (I honestly thought they had mange 🤫) so owners often dress them in lightweight dresses to protect their skin.

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