As I set out for my fifth visit to South Africa, I was amazed to hear my friends ask the same odd questions as before. My approach to the journey was much like Ernest Hemingway, having never woken up in Africa feeling sad. My friends, on the other hand, were obsessed with unfounded fears. Although it might not be the first choice for many Europeans, travelling to South Africa is always an adventure and let me explain why.

The hardest part of travelling isn’t the plane ride 1,000 miles away by yourself, the foreign food, or the strange bed you sleep on. The hardest part of travelling is coming back home. It’s wonderful to explore the world, meet amazing new people, gain new experiences, and ultimately find yourself, but then reality hits when you return home. When you get back, it’s a high for about two weeks. Basically a celebrity, you are the revered person everyone wants to hang out with, and hear about your trip and your experiences, but what happens when you become just a regular person again?

If Cape Town is to avoid Day Zero it will not be because of a silver bullet from the government. It will only happen if Capetonians completely change the way they use their water. These past few weeks I’ve been asking locals what they think about the water crisis and Day Zero. It’s easy to tune into what is happening in the news – but what is filtering through to the people?

Some people will give up right away. Others may wonder where they’ll end up. Of course you get scared. Even if you are brave and determined enough to get on, you will still find yourself praying that everything goes well. My first week using the train in Cape Town, there are many emotions running through my head. Despite being an experienced commuter back home in Rome, I feel completely out of my depth facing Metrorail in South Africa.

On 27 July, former President Jacob Zuma was seen dancing and singing with supporters after his third appearance in court this year on charges including corruption, money laundering and fraud. The appearance in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, which was ultimately postponed until November, was almost ten years to the day since Zuma was first seen in court on corruption charges in August 2008.

Roughly 70% of our planet is covered by water; however, only 2.5% of that is freshwater. The majority of that small quantity is inaccessible, with 68% being found in icecaps and glaciers. Despite this, water is such an everyday part of our lives that we consume it instinctively. For this reason, it is only in its absence that we realise the impossibility of a life without it. Cape Town is experiencing this harsh reality with dam levels at a quarter of their capacity. A drought of this gravity is unprecedented for a major city, with the municipality scheduling to turn off the reticulation system on 9 July. If this happened, Capetonians would have to queue daily to collect their water from specific points.

Cheerful colours and chanting crowds once again greeted the Cape Town Carnival (CTC), reminding us how essential art can be as a form of communication. This kind of arts festival celebrates difference and brings people together. CTC not only relates to the politics of ethnicity and identity but also communicates the issues that affect Cape Town as a community. The theme of this year’s carnival, ‘Mother City, Mother Nature,’ reflected upon Cape Town’s latest concern: the drought.

Is the Mother City vegan-friendly? According to The Vegan SA Directory, in Mother City there are about 60 vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants. We tried three of them to dispel the myth that vegan cuisine is ‘boring’ and to prove that being vegan is easy, with a little creativity and balance in your dishes.

When renowned cyclist Lance Armstrong was proven guilty of doping, it was not only his awards and seven Tour de France titles that he was stripped of, but also his accumulative reputation. While cycling remains one of the sports where the use of performance-enhancing drugs (doping) is most common, many other doping cases involving famous athletes have been revealed in the last few years.

It is 10:30am, Muizenberg is slowly waking up. A strong southeastern swell surges. The sun still shining through slightly overcast skies, sending shimmers across the ocean. As the sun continues to rise, the wind has taken over the small town. Despite the beautiful scenery, shivers shoot down our spines as our small staff of four approached the Lifestyle Surf Shop in Muizenberg for our surf lesson. We were nervous – and cold.

Have you ever thought to yourself: ‘Travelling is too expensive. How do I find the money to do it?’ Well, if so, you are not alone. The near universal reason people don’t travel is that they don’t have enough money. However, with a few tips and tricks, it is possible to save up enough for a low-budget trip.

With an increasing pressure on students to know exactly what they want to do when they finish school, many decide to postpone the decision and take a gap year. Whether that means delaying the inevitable decision or finding a completely new path, the benefits of taking this break are significant.

While President Jacob Zuma is in town for yesterday’s annual State of the Nation Address (SONA), my colleagues and I decided to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and head to Vrygrond, a township near Muizenberg beach, on the False Bay coast, about 20km away from Cape Town central.

Uber is an app designed by a multi-national transportation network company. The app connects you to hired drivers who will pick you up and drop you off at your desired location for a fee. Once you’ve signed up with your credit or debit card, your ride is cashless, cardless and paperless.