Nicki Grihault

3 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Anna Selby |Claudia Winkleman |Nicki Grihault |Johnny Prince

The bureaucracy is frustrating and vigilance is required, but this country's natural beauty and affordable cost of living are hard to beatI first landed in Cape Town back in 2004, at 22 years old, for a one-year study-abroad programme with the University of Edinburgh. I'd never set foot on the African continent before, but I was completely hooked the moment I stepped off the plane. My mind was blown, seeing a buzzing city surrounded by incredible scenery, from Table Mountain to the Atlantic Ocean.

1 month ago | telegraph.co.uk | Anna Selby |Claudia Winkleman |Nicki Grihault |Sarah Baxter

In this glorious region of southern Africa, the only crowds are the herds of magnificent wildlifeIn Botswana, they named their currency, pula, after their most precious commodity. Their diamonds? No - it's the rain. The word means "blessings", too, and perhaps that's hardly surprising given the Kalahari covers 70 per cent of this parched country. The Kalahari, though, is not the endless expanse of sand that might first appear in your mind's eye.

1 month ago | telegraph.co.uk | Claudia Winkleman |Nicki Grihault |Sarah Baxter |Michelle Jana Chan

But in the spirit of change (honestly, just writing that made me feel nauseous) I decided to "go along" (I do this a lot but happily it never materialises into anything). "Sure" I said, smiling to myself as I knew he'd find nothing. Somewhere fast, quick, easy, possibly offering a deal this close to the school holidays. "Why not?" I lied as I made notes on my 2026/7 wall planner and bought next year's Christmas ribbon (crimson velvet, wide). I'm afraid I had to step in.

Feb 17, 2025 | inews.co.uk | Nicki Grihault

“Rodrigues is the most beautiful place in the world,” says our hiking guide Marie Paule, as we stand on Mont Limon. At 398m (1,306ft), it’s the island’s highest peak and from its summit we can see forested ridges and valleys stretching towards a lagoon studded with coral islets and fringed by a reef. She points out a golden-backed Rodrigues fruit bat, with a wingspan of almost a metre, gliding over the canopy.