South African Crafts: The Wallet

You will need:
1 x empty carton (1L)
1 x roll of insulation tape
Stapler
Scissors
1 x set of metal buttons (available at craft/sewing shops)

Step 1: Find a carton with an awesome, bold, colourful design. Consume. Clean. Dry. 

Step 2: Carefully take apart at the seams. Cut off bottom and top tabs.

The awesome African brand designs are awesome

Step 3: Cut away 9 cm (narrow cartons)/ 7cm (normal/squarish cartons) off the top of the three panels. The last panel will become the overlap to form the clutch/lid for the wallet.

Step 4: The 1st and 3rd panel will become the sides of the wallet (looks like an accordion). This is perfect because it's usually those panels that have the ugly nutritional info table and stuff. If your carton is narrow, make 3 folds (see image) in each panel, so that you can open the wallet wide and have more space. If it's more of a normal/squarish carton (think long-life milk size), then only make one fold (inward) in those two panels.

The template for the South African wallet

Step 5: Round the edges of the tab that will become the wallet lid flap.

Step 6: Line all the edges with insulation tape and fold over. Please pick a colour that compliments the design.

Insulation tape for the edges of the wallet

Step 7: Fold the panels to make the wallet. Join the edges of the 1st and 4th panels by adding an extra strip of insulation tape to the inside and outside of that edge.

Step 8: Fold wallet in half. Staple the two compartments together with two staples in the centre.

Easy peasy japaneasy

Step 9: Fold over top flap and hold closed. Use a pin to push through the centre of the top flap where you want the metal button to go. Make sure it penetrates the top flap and the first compartment (giving enough leeway so that the wallet will be able to close even if it's full of coins) so to serve as a guide of where to place the studs. If the flap isn't long enough to fold over the front a decent amount, cut away a bit more at the top (step 3) and re-insulate. Remove pin.

Step 10: Place the tiny bits of the metal button on the first compartment. Lightly bash them together against a hard surface so that they are fastened. Do the same for the flap.

Done! Well done!

The South African wallet. Bananas not included.

Backpacking South Africa: Wild Lubanzi

I've been living on the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape, South Africa for over 6 months now. I can consider myself to be a local, right? It wouldn't be an easy place to adapt to after living in South Africa's capital for 5 years, but I found I fitted in quite easily (probably because I've always been a hippie at heart). It's more rural and beautiful than I expected, and by far the most beautiful province in South Africa.

One of my happiest discoveries this year was all the backpacking accommodation. It's almost a proudly Eastern Cape thing - the Wild Coast map is speckled with them - all lined up for the main attraction: Coffee Bay. And it's exactly what you'd expect: Dreadlocked surfers, dirty hippies and travelling gypsies. Bob Marley is idolised and eco-friendly is not new. The most surprising thing however is that often you'll be the only South African there among a community of Germans. Germans love Africa man. I don't know what it is. But not only is it because it's not marketed well to South Africans, but there's also not a huge amount of information about these places online/ in print when you are interested.


The first thing you'll need to get yourself is a copy of the free 'Coast to Coast: A Definitive Guide to Backpacking Southern Africa' - available at most backpackers. It's really so handy. However, in addition I'd like to feature a rating guideline to review each place I've been. Yeah, for the cynics, to provide you with info that you might not get in print. It's mostly good though.


So first up is Wild Lubanzi Backpackers and Trail Lodge. It was the first one I stayed at and I've been back. It's one of the better ones. This is what the Coast to Coast has to say about it:

Coast to Coast reviews Wild Lubanzi Backpackers

And now for my review:

Personal review of Wild Lubanzi Backpackers: Part 1

Personal review of Wild Lubanzi  Backpackers: Part 2

 If you don't like reading:

Sunrise at Wild Lubanzi

Surfing on the secluded beach at Wild Lubanzi

Main lounge/reading area at Wild Lubanzi (with fireplace)

Free filter coffee each morning!

Local girl on beach near Wild Lubanzi. The amaXhosa use clay as sunblock