«Choosing just three memories from twenty years at Get Africa Travel feels a bit like being asked to choose a favourite child. There are simply too many!» was Zaithoon’s answer when we asked her to share memories from her time at Get Africa Travel.
Even so, she shared three wonderful stories that capture the fun, the people, and the unforgettable moments from her 20 years with Get Africa.
The day I almost became a Norwegian travel expert…
and got people lost!
One of my earliest memories takes me back to my second or third year at Get Africa Travel when we were still a very small team. In those days, everything for our Norwegian clients was done in Norwegian. Elin and Thale Westad (former Norwegian employee) would prepare the itineraries, while the consultants handled bookings, supplier confirmations, costing, filing, and eventually printing the final travel documents.
And when I say filing, I mean actual paper files!
There was no booking system. Requests were handwritten by Elin on pieces of paper, which we then had to decipher. Losing one of those pieces of paper was the equivalent of a modern-day IT system crash. If the cleaners accidentally binned it, we were in trouble!
Feeling rather brave one day, I decided to take matters into my own hands and prepare one of the Norwegian itineraries myself. How difficult could it be? I simply copied the format and changed a few details.
For someone who didn’t understand a single word of Norwegian, that seemed perfectly reasonable.
Unfortunately, somewhere between confidence and reality, I managed to confuse left turns and right turns in the driving directions. The result? Some poor self-drive clients found themselves taking an unplanned adventure instead of heading directly to their game reserve.
Needless to say, Elin was less than impressed!
In response, the itineraries briefly became bilingual, with both Norwegian and English appearing side by side. Looking back, I probably succeeded in creating far more work for everyone involved than I’d intended. Thankfully, once we eventually moved onto proper booking systems, English became the standard language for client documents and peace was restored.
To this day, I’m fairly certain that my short-lived career as a Norwegian itinerary writer played a small role in that decision!
Going Dutch at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was an unforgettable time to be South African.
As hosts of the tournament, the entire country was buzzing with excitement and Get Africa Travel fully embraced the occasion. Graham and Elin even secured match tickets for staff to attend games at Durban’s brand-new Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Since South Africa unfortunately exited in the group stages and Norway didn’t qualify at all, there was only one logical choice left: support the Netherlands!
So, armed with orange wigs, scarves, and enough Dutch spirit to rival Amsterdam itself, Briony Smith and I headed off to watch the Netherlands take on Slovakia.
What followed was one of the most memorable sporting experiences of my life.
The atmosphere was electric. Thousands of Dutch supporters had transformed Durban into a sea of orange, and they welcomed us as honorary Dutch fans for the day. Somewhere amidst all the singing, cheering, and celebrations, we even found ourselves being interviewed by a Dutch TV station.
To this day, I have absolutely no idea whether anything we said was broadcast, but for a brief moment Briony and I were international football celebrities.
At least in our own minds.
The travels, friendships, and moments money can’t buy
While there have been many unforgettable experiences over the years, some of my greatest memories have come from our staff educational trips and annual get-togethers.
I’ve been fortunate enough to experience destinations such as Namibia, Botswana, Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Thonga Beach Lodge, Amakhosi Safari Lodge, and many others.
One of the incredible privileges of working in tourism is that we don’t just sell experiences, we get to live them.
I still remember catching my very first tiger fish (strictly catch and release, I dare say) during a boat cruise on Jozini Dam. Considering it was also my first time fishing, I felt like a professional angler for at least a week afterwards.
Then there were those unforgettable Amakhosi trips when Graham seemed to take over the entire lodge. Heading out on safari while lightning cracked across the sky, rain poured down, and lions roared somewhere in the distance felt less like a game drive and more like a scene from an action movie.
And I’ll never forget standing on the sidelines at Thonga Beach Lodge’s soccer field watching our Mabibi soccer team take on local opponents, with the beautiful backdrop of Lake Sibaya behind them. The celebrations when they scored were every bit as exciting as any World Cup moment.
Those are the experiences money simply can’t buy. They create memories and friendships that last a lifetime.
How I Got Hired: The «Ole Dole Doffen» Story
No reflection on my time at Get Africa Travel would be complete without the story of how I ended up here in the first place.
Ironically, it all started because of a Norwegian nursery rhyme. Back in 1977, my family left South Africa and went into exile in Mozambique because my parents did not want to raise their young children under Apartheid. We settled in Matola, a suburb where many South African activists, diplomats, aid workers, missionaries, and Scandinavian families lived. A few years later, a Norwegian family moved into our neighbourhood. Their daughter, Christine, was about my age, and before long we became best friends. We communicated through a mixture of broken Portuguese, imagination, and childhood determination. While I never learned Norwegian, Christine taught me a hand-clapping rhyme which began:
«Ole dole doffen kingkliyana koffen…»
I memorised every word without having the slightest idea what it meant. Eventually, circumstances forced our family to leave Mozambique and return to South Africa. We left so suddenly that I never had a chance to say goodbye to Christine. But somehow, «Ole Dole Doffen, Kingkliyana Koff, Koff Kliyana Berka Banne Ole Dole Doff» stayed with me.
Fast forward many years later.
My friend Briony Smith who was working for Elin and Graham at the time, told me that Get Africa Travel was looking for additional staff, and I landed an interview with Graham and Elin Paton. During the interview, I learned that Elin was Norwegian and that the company specialised in Scandinavian travel. Excitedly, I told them about my Norwegian childhood friend and proudly recited the entire «Ole Dole Doff» rhyme from memory.
Whether it was my enthusiasm, my story, or my very questionable Norwegian language skills, I’ll never know. But shortly afterwards, I received a call to say I’d been hired!
And twenty years later, here I am. The rest, as they say, is history.
A Few Words About Elin, Graham and the GAT Family
One of the greatest gifts of working at Get Africa Travel has been the people.
Graham and Elin have always placed their trust in their team. Their leadership has never been rooted in micromanagement, but rather in fostering a culture where employees are empowered to take ownership of their responsibilities, excel in their roles, and support one another.
When the Covid-19 pandemic brought global travel to a standstill and borders closed, the tourism industry was among the hardest hit. Faced with this unprecedented challenge, Graham and Elin worked closely with their staff to find a meaningful solution. Together, they conceived the idea of creating a Black women’s empowerment company for South African employees to help mitigate the economic impact of the crisis. From that vision, Zintokazi Afrika was born. Its creation stands as a powerful example of Graham and Elin’s forward-thinking leadership, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the wellbeing and empowerment of their people.
Over the years, colleagues have become friends, and friends have become family. Our team spans different countries, cultures and generations, yet somehow, we all work together seamlessly. Whether it’s our Durban team, colleagues in Cape Town, our Norwegian team members, or Elin dividing her time between Norway and South Africa, there is a genuine sense of connection that keeps us all aligned.
I’ve watched Graham and Elin build not only a successful business but also a beautiful family. Seeing their children grow from youngsters into grounded, respectful young adults has been a privilege, and they are a true reflection of their parents» values.
What has kept me at Get Africa Travel for twenty years is simple: the people, the culture and the shared passion for what we do. And perhaps the most emotional moment of all is still to come.
Thank you to all my colleagues, past and present.
And wherever you are, Christine… thank you for teaching me Ole Dole Doff.
Without knowing it, you helped start a journey that has lasted twenty years… and counting, God Willing. 😊❤️
Soon, for the very first time in my life, I will be travelling to Norway. For me, that feels like a full-circle moment. Forty years after a little Norwegian girl taught me «Ole Dole Doff» in a neighbourhood in Mozambique, I’ll finally be visiting the country that unknowingly helped shape my journey. Life has a funny way of connecting the dots. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last twenty years, it’s that very little happens by accident.
My path led me to Get Africa Travel, and I feel incredibly blessed that it did. So thank you, Elin and Graham.
Written by: Zaithoon Maziya
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