By Domi Roux
My name is Domi Roux and I’m so pleased to be able to share this with you. l am wife to Brett Roux, a mum to a 2-footed bush babe, Roan, and two French bulldogs – Dart and Bijou.
Wellness, adventure and travel get me so excited. I am passionate about yoga, I love beautiful places and spaces, sunsets (and sundowners), delicious food, nature and nothing makes me happier than exploring it with my family and spending quality time with the people that I love.
Together with Brett, we are a husband and wife duo with a business called “Our African Footprints.” We specialise in travel into Africa and essentially curate and design bespoke safaris and adventures for local and international guests. This includes the African bush, Rainforest jungles, The Indian Ocean islands and City experiences. Both Brett and I are creatives at heart and it’s our unique synergy and diverse experience that enables us to create life-changing travel into Africa. Africa is a land of unrivalled opportunity and possibility. It yields a magic unlike anywhere on earth and has the ability to crawl into your heart and never leave! To find out more about our story and business please visit www.ourafricanfootprints.com
Finding the delicate balance between being a mompreneur and still being totally present in my role as a mum and wife can be challenging at times but I have found that the key to making this manageable is by beginning with something that you love, and also a little bit of planning goes a long way. When passion meets purpose, that is where the magic happens and ultimately where one can find the time (and space) for all the things that make you happy in life.
Being a mompreneuer is busy – but so rewarding – and as Shanny described in one of her recent posts, if we flip the perspective and see our lives as ‘full’ rather than ‘busy’ this holds a whole lot more value - becoming something meaningful and something that I for one am completely grateful for.
I also believe that in between it all, we need to prioritise time for ourselves, even if it’s a few minutes or more spent in a grounding ritual or practice that makes you feel whole. For me this is yoga, it grounds me in so many ways, allows me to show up in my life completely present, connected and aware. You know what they say about an empty cup…and this fills mine to the brim and from this place I can show up fully and give focused time to my business, to Brett and to my children (both two and four footed!)
I also believe in a dedicated family ritual each day – for us, it is our evening walks together. I think every mum has experienced the feeling of ‘mom guilt’ in the struggle to find balance in our lives. By having dedicated time to our family, it becomes about quality rather than quantity and this time together is absolutely everything to me, making the juggle that much more manageable – it’s my favourite time of day and something I always look forward too (and the beautiful sunsets is an added bonus for us all!) This time together is also the perfect daily reminder that the little things are actually the big things…
Our African Footprints (OAF) is an independent travel company. This means we have a vast portfolio with exceptional diversity which allows us to draw from a number of destinations when designing travel. Our long standing relationships within African travel has been nurtured over many years, essentially this means we have partnered with large famous corporates as well as small independent operators so our guests get the best of both worlds. Booking through us opens your network to any destination you can imagine. Our strength is in our diversity but also in our personal touch, we take great care in understanding our client’s unique needs and facilitating “surprise and delight” moments for them. OAF places tremendous value in reconnecting you to Africa on a very intimate level through curating bespoke experiences with memories that will last a lifetime.
Our African Footprints has a unique advantage, and we are perfectly positioned to understand what makes travel into Africa unique, and how to dream and design that for guests. We focus on the important bits, the inbetween bits, and the details that make an experience go from good to great. When you share love it isn’t halved but doubled and we are fully committed in sharing our love for Africa. Our highest intention for our guests is for them to leave this beautiful continent having fallen in love with her. This is achieved through a reconnection to the people, the animals that call her home and the land that is more rich and abundant than anywhere else on earth in terms of beauty and diversity. We are proudly African and it’s a privilege to share our home.
My son, Roan, has been travelling from a young age, specifically into the bush and into nature, going on his first game drive at just 4 months old and our real life ‘Mowgli’ child ever since. He adores being a part of our adventures, he has learnt so much from nature and our hearts expand seeing him find joy in all of it, especially those ‘first time’ moments.
Travelling with kids always seems to bring up mixed emotions. Understandably, there are certain types of African travel that make travelling with small children a little difficult. Sometimes from a logistic point of view or from a safety one- after all the allure of the wild is part of the appeal. There are however travel options that are perfect for children, in fact they are hugely rewarding.
Here are some key points to consider when travelling with kids:
Does the destination allow children under 12 (some don’t)
Are you traveling to a lodge or are you camping? Children thrive off camping adventures and learn a huge amount, but think about the practicality of where you are going- There is an age point for levels of roughing it and an uncomfortable child is not 1st prize during a getaway- After all, this is your holiday too.
Is it safe? Certain areas like Chitake Springs in Zimbabwe are very wild and often have lions and elephants going through camp. Enquire about suggested ages first.
Are you self-driving or are you going somewhere that does open top game viewing? If you are self driving make sure you have books that can spark the imagination of a child even before you leave. This is a wonderful chance for them to read about the world around them and get lost in all the fascinating details. If you are at a lodge with a ranger and an open game viewer ask the ranger to point out all the small things like grass types, trees, birds etc Children are not biased to what excites them.
A walk with ranger, even if it’s around the lodge so children get to experience what its like to track and see all the things on the ground.
Make sure you are well protected - from ticks, mosquitos and the Sun. Many lodges have sprays available but we always travel with a first aid kit to cover us for any unexpected events. Some places are maleria area's, so just double check.
Buy a cheap camera for your kiddo to use. This will keep them inspired and excited and will create their very own memory bank for when they return home.
Enquire about kids programs at lodges, many of our partner properties offer the most incredible kids wildlife programs and are incredibly family friendly - for example, &Beyond has their ‘Wild Child’ program which is especially designed for children getting them involved in fun, interactive activities offering them opportunities to learn and discover new experiences, nature and culture, all deeply rooted in a love for the African bush and encouraging a connection to the planet, it’s magnificent creatures and the interesting people and cultures that call it home.
I am one of those mom’s that always has a healthy snack pack or lunch box ready and this has saved us on many occasions on game drives. The bush is full of surprises and you never know what you might spot along the way – so always be prepared as you might find yourself spending time outdoors longer than expected, absolutely intrigued by all that it has to offer – a bush snack pack is a life saver for these times when the kiddos feel like a nibble!
Holidays and travel expand the mind of children. They open their eyes to different environments and cultures. Travel helps children to fall in love with the world around them, it teaches them to respect the natural planet and the diversity of its animals and people. Travel also allows such valuable time for families to step away from the day to day and connect on a deeper level. Exploring and adventuring together brings families closer and nourishes those relationships.
I believe the African bush holds a very unique energy. It’s a place that returns you to yourself. It’s a place that can heal you by stripping away stress, anxiety and routine from our busy lives. Nature in its many shapes and forms is the greatest teacher on the planet, it slows down your mind and clears your thoughts. It’s inspiring and raw and in so many ways an ancient reminder of what we truly are.
Travelling into Africa is safe and highly efficient. There is a misconception that Africa is unsafe and backward. I have never seen anything of the sorts. Travelling into Africa is well organized, very safe and exceptionally professional, especially when planned and designed to suit your family preferences.
We search for the little moments! The sunsets, the views, the sounds of the bush and the unique tracks in a riverbed. We hold dear the campfire guitar sessions, the shooting stars and the wonderment in our Boys eyes when he discovers all the magic Africa holds. We believe the little things are actually the big things and if you pay attention to them you won’t miss a thing.
Make sure you capture these moments with a camera. Take a guitar to sing yourselves to sleep. Always pack great walking shoes - to explore the world around us. Never forget a torch - the African night gets very, very dark. Oh, and water bottles. Water is life in Africa.
For more information:
Website: www.ourafricanfootprints.com
Instagram & Facebook: @ourafricanfootprints
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