The Blonde Abroad • Solo Female Travel Blog

An award-winning solo female travel blog featuring travel tips, packing guides, videos and photography from around the world.

An award-winning solo female travel blog featuring travel tips, packing guides, videos and photography from around the world.

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About Kiersten

You can call me Kiki! I'm a California native who left my career in corporate finance to explore the world. I split my home between South Africa and San Diego and have traveled to over 70 countries!

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South Africa

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My “not so little” 9 month old 🐧
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It’s been a big month for Oliver here in Cape Town! He is growing like a weed — it feels like we have a new baby every week.

He is “run” crawling now and pulling himself up and scooting around furniture—I swear he’s gonna be ready to walk by 10 months 🥵

We still have yet to try a food he doesn’t like—and now we need to have food for him anytime we’re eating or else he gets FOMO—and isn’t shy about letting us know lol.

He loves his scrambled eggs, coconut chia pudding, and croissants (bread was a new adventure on this trip and he can’t get enough!).

I’m also feeling more comfortable introducing solids—we started Baby Led Weaning at 6 months and I was so afraid of him choking. But, those early months really helped him “learn” to eat so that now he can actually eat (it that makes sense!).

He’s such a confident eater and, even though we are still waiting on teeth (still not even ONE 🦷), he knows to chew and can feed himself!

He finally got to meet his ouma and oupa and so many of our friends and family here in South Africa! I can’t tell you how sweet it is to see the people you love fall in love with your baby. My heart could explode ❤️❤️❤️!

We’ve had a lot of adventures—he went on his first Safari, met African penguins, took the cable car up Table Mountain, and spent lots of time at the beach!

We get home next week and he already starts ISR swim lessons! I know everyone said the time flies but WOW it really does!
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#babytravel #bouldersbeach #thebabyabroad #africanpenguins #9monthsold

📍 The Middle of Nowhere, South Africa 💛
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We spent the weekend at @high_country_cottage — an absolutely stunning refuge in the Breedekloof Valley.

Though it feels worlds away, it’s only a 90-minute scenic drive from Cape Town.

Our friends built the cottage, and we’ve gotten to follow along on the build through the early stages of construction. We even took Bailey when he was just a few months old to see some of the first bricks being laid!

It was a dream come true to finally see the finished product in person—the architecture, decor, and views truly take your breath away!

(We are so proud of you boys!)

We cozied up listening to the rain, watching the stars, and sharing stories around the braai.

We also paid a visit to @adeneflowers farm nearby. I’ve been buying her flowers pretty much every weekend for years at the Oranjezeicht Market.

So, it was really special to visit her wholesale farm and see all of her dahlias and hydrangeas in full bloom!
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#southafrica #perfecthideaways @perfecthideaways #luxurytravel

Safari at Ulubisi House at @gondwanagr 🐘🦒🦓
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If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’ve most likely seen Gondwana come up a few times on my Instagram or blog.

It’s one of my favorite game reserves for safari because it’s conveniently only a 4 1/2 hour drive from Cape Town. It’s also our choice reserve for my all-female tours @TBAEscapes!

This was a particularly special trip, because we got to travel as a family with Oliver (who is only eight months old) and take him on his first safari!

We stayed at Ulubisi house, a private, luxury, 3-bedroom villa with a huge living area, pool + jacuzzi, personal chef, butler, and a private safari vehicle!

One of the most important factors of bringing a baby to a game reserve is safety. So, one of the big benefits of staying at Ulubisi house is that it is in an area of the game reserve that’s protected from predators. We could fully enjoy the villa, lay out by the pool, and take Oliver on a “Bokkie Drive” without fear.

Gondwana was also able to organize a for-hire babysitter (who was so sweet) so that the adults could still enjoy the regularly scheduled game drives.

I’ve shared some tips for safari with a baby in my “👶🏼 Safari” highlight and will share a full blog post soon!

It was such a special trip that I will never forget!

Out of curiosity, has anyone stayed at Gondwana or been on safari per my travel tips? Would love to hear about your trip in the comments!
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#safari #familysafari #babysafari #gondwana #ulubisihouse

Bathtub of my dreams ✨
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📍 @tintswalo_atlantic #tintswaloatlantic #capetown #luxurytravel

One of the most romantic properties in the world 😍
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Tintswalo Atlantic, located just outside of Cape Town, is one of the most special lodges I’ve ever stayed at.

Even the coastal drive to get to the property is jaw-dropping!

With only 10 luxury suites, it’s the perfect destination for anyone looking for peace and privacy. It feels like you’re staying in a secluded seaside cottage!

Each suite has a deck overlooking the ocean as well as fireplaces to cozy up in front of.

I appreciate every tiny detail here—like the heated floors and incredible views in the bathroom. We watched sea lions play in the surf from the bathtub!

There’s also an award-winning restaurant onsite, Chef’s Warehouse, featuring fresh, local, and sustainable dishes.

It is the perfect place to get away from it all, all year round!
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You can find stunning boutique hotels like Tintswalo Atlantic on @Expedia! With everything in one place, you can easily plan and book your trips from the widest selection of deals on airfare, hotels, car rentals, and activities. #EGPartner #sponsored

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