Eddie Koch

The Grace in Rosebank, one of Johannesburg’s oldest hotels, is soon to unveil a new conference venue. Work is under way upgrading the hotel’s function rooms, which up until now have only been able to accommodate groups of up to 30 delegates. When work is complete in September, The Grace will offer conferencing facilities for groups of up to 120.

When you are stuck knee-deep in a crocodile-infested bog — your way lit only by the twinkling of the Milky Way and the black night filled with a cacophony of croaking, singing, snoring and bonking toads — it is easy to be swamped by three paradoxical impulses: lust, loathing and learning. <i>Escape</i> explores the murky world of toads on a trip to northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Traditionally going on safari meant jumping on to the back of a Land Rover and checking out the wildlife in the Kruger. Now we have baby-making safaris, healing safaris, yoga safaris and … pink safaris. Fuelled by our liberal Constitution there has been a surge of queer safaris on offer in South Africa. <i>Escape</i> investigate the post-Uhuru travel market.