About us
Our goal? To make sure you are fully prepared for your first or next self-drive safari adventure and love it as much as we do
Hey there! We are Sam & Stephanie Taale - yep, the name of our blog does not have a typo, it's our last name. We're Dutch and currently living in Scotland. While we met each other over 13 years ago in South Africa we have both left a piece of our heart there and try to go back as often as we can.
Our goal with this blog, is to make sure you are fully prepared for your first or next self-drive safari adventure and love it as much as we do.
Why Southern Africa and why safari?
Well, our story and love for Southern Africa started before we knew each other. By now, it's over 13 years ago that we were in our third year of university where both of us had the great opportunity to spend 6 months in South Africa. Our school had a branch campus in both Port Alfred and Alicedale (1.5 hours inland from Port Alfred). While Sam stayed in Port Alfred for the full duration as part of his hospitality management degree, Stephanie spend 3 months in Alicedale and 3 months in Port Alfred to study wildlife conservation and lodge management as part of her event management degree.
After the first 3 months, we had a 2-week break and both travelled with our classmates from the east coast along the garden route to Cape Town. And while we now know we must have met each other during this trip, as the different groups met up and Stephanie is even on a picture in the background while Sam is getting photographed behind the Cape of Good Hope sign, we both don't remember meeting. So it wasn't love at first sight.
And it still wasn't when we did meet as Sam came barging into Stephanie's bedroom in the middle of the night looking for one of his friends. But when we did actually speak to each other our first date was planned soon after.
Fast forward 3 years and we came back to South Africa for our honeymoon. We have both left a piece of our heart in that country and try to go back as often as we can. Because as soon as we're on the road, feel the sunshine on our skin and take up the smells when we're in a game reserve we feel a certain kind of peace and calmness that we don't get anywhere else.
So while together we have also travelled to New York, Washington DC, London, Paris, Rome, Lake Como and road-tripped across Florida and Australia and have both travelled for work we keep coming back to Southern Africa and are passionate about wildlife conservation.
And even though we write in English, we're Dutch and after living in England for 2.5 years we're now living in Scotland with our border collie Robbie. Currently exploring all that Scotland has to offer but we hope to be back on the road again in a Toyota Hilux with a rooftop tent.
When we're not on the road, Sam is a Front Office Manager in a 100+ room hotel. And after 9 years in hospitality, Stephanie now runs her own business as a Business Strategist & Mentor where she helps passionate business owners built a sustainable business that can support their life instead of it keeping them tied to their desk.
Want to get in touch with us? You can do this here.