In South Africa, our diversity is our greatest asset. 

Nowhere else on the continent can you visit world class vineyards, go on safari, and encounter penguins in the beautiful city of Cape Town in the same holiday. Our diversity also extends into our food, art & culture, and people. 

In the first season of the Leopard podcast, I interview 8 people from different backgrounds and professions. These passionate people share what they love most about South Africa. From their secret beach spots to photographic tips and entertaining stories from the early days of conservation, my guests generously share their knowledge and give listeners a unique perspective on what South Africa has to offer. 

We start with Scott Ramsay who, many years ago, quit his office job to become a landscape and wildlife photographer. He famously did “A Year in the Wild”, which became 3 years continuously exploring our wilderness areas. Ngoni Mtizwa, a distinguished sommelier from Singita shares his knowledge about South Africa’s world class wines and how to make wine tasting less intimidating and more fun! Then Jo Buitendag tell us stories from Joburg. She talks about our famous residents Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo with as much respect as the graffiti artists and the everyday people she encounters in the city.

Les Carlisle, one of the foremost conservationists of our time, speaks of the plight of our iconic wildlife, mixed with some delightful stories of his time in the field. DuduBloom More tells us of her journey as a young black female artist in South Africa. She gives us insights into her abstract art and her creative process. I haven’t met a more passionate marine biologist than Pavs Pillay. She speaks about the sea creatures who inhabit our waters with a real enthusiasm and love.

Sean Privett describes a little known aspect of our biodiversity, our flora: specifically the Cape Floristic Region. His story about the ecology of the pincushion, clearly explains the interconnectedness of components in an ecosystem, and why we should care about preserving our flora. Chef Marnus Scholly, loves nothing more than the evocative smell of coffee and freshly baked bread. He talks about the launch of Klein Jan, a fine dining restaurant in the remote destination of the northern cape. 

Voilà! I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed creating! You may listen to the podcast on your favourite platform (linked here) or on my website (linked here). 

I hope this inspires you to travel to South Africa. And if it does, we are waiting to hear from you!

Happy listening,

Diana

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