10 Questions For: Guillaume Marais & Nadia Krige

Guillaume Marais (founder) and Nadia Krige (editor) are some of the people responsible for Slow Drive, a unique travel magazine that has recently been birthed in South Africa

1.  How would you describe what you do for a living?
Nadia:  I’m a travel writer for a news website, which means I spend my day getting to find out about amazing places and people all over the world, which feeds quite well into our passion project: Slow Drive.

Guillaume: I’m responsible for tourism development in the Hessequa region of the Western Cape. That’s the area between the Breede River and Gouritz River, stretching from the coast to the Langeberg Mountains. We do the destination marketing of the area and development of the local industry.

2.  What is your most vivid childhood memory?
N: I have so many childhood memories, but I guess the most vivid would be playing in our green back garden in Pretoria. Sometimes having ‘sword’ fights with my brother after watching Brakenjan and other times having extensive dress up games with my cousins – we had a box full of dreamy (mostly very puffy) dresses our mothers used to wear in school plays.

G: Must be in the back of the car travelling the country with mom and dad. I remember my pillow always went along - propped up against the blankets and bags on the seat next to me - and when I didn’t sleep everything would be new, strange and exciting, flickering right outside the window.

3.  If you could invite any three people, dead or alive, for dinner, who would they be and why?
N: 1. My great grandmother ‘Oumaleen’ for sure! I never got to meet her, but from the sounds of it we’d have a lot to talk about. She liked books and stories and travelling and had a great imagination. 2. Pablo Neruda – he was such a great poet and probably quite a charmer. 3. Jack Black – he’s hilarious! I hope he comes in the Nacho Libre luchador outfit.

G: Definitely Inus Wiehahn, I learnt so much from him back in the day working at the shop together and it’s part of his passion for life that went into the creation of Slow Drive. Also mom and dad, those are the best dinners as we always just end up laughing over silly little things.

4. If you ever found yourself auditioning for a music reality TV show, what song would you sing and why?
N: I would sing ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’! Simply because I sing it SO DAMN WELL at 2am on the dance floor – moves and all. Sure it would be a hit.

G: Tenacious D’s “Tribute” without a doubt. I killed it back in the day!

5.  How would you complete this sentence?  

The South African cabinet should include a Minister of _____________________________.
This one has us stumped! A minister of Stoke? [‘Stoke’ refers to Slow Drive’s aim to stir, inspire and feed a desire for travel].

6.  What would you say is the biggest misconception about you?
N: That I’m very cool, calm and collected. While I tend to keep a pretty cool exterior, I’m really filled to the brim with all sorts of fireworks and sparks and emotions.  

G: I might appear chilled or laidback, but I’m super organised. (Or perfectionist, as Nadia would say - and don’t even ask her about when we were on the deadline with the first volume of Slow Drive!)

7.  What is your (honest) opinion of Cape Town?
N: Hmm… tough question! Let’s just say – whenever I take a walk through the CBD during a lunch break I am always left with a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty and energy and diversity. I know things aren’t always smooth sailing here and that there are lots of battles to be fought, but I think, if nothing else, it’s a city that’s trying it’s best to be as beautiful inside as it is outside.

G: I’ve always loved it. Through skating its streets when we were little the raw side of it always stood out for me and the beauty found beyond postcard photos. All my firsts lie scattered around the city, a map of memories marks the whole Peninsula for me as I think how fortunate we are to call Cape Town home.

8.  What's the greatest fear you've had to overcome to get where you are today?
N: The fear of being alone/forgotten. There have been a lot of times I’ve had to let go of people, places, things to step out into a next frontier. Every time has been terrifying, yet exhilarating. And you know what I learned? I was never entirely forgotten or alone – there were always kindred souls keeping pace somewhere. We're finding the same thing with Slow Drive now - we've found an amazing amount of people who are so stoked about it with us.

G: Maybe not so much fear, but more the realisation there isn’t going to be a ‘perfect’ time. That if you go out every day and give it your all with passion you can’t help but do great work, and through that make a difference. That as long as you’re trying, learning, and making the most of your time you’re on the right track.  

9.   What's the one thing you'd like to achieve before you die?
N: To live at least one day without worrying about anything! Haha! When I’m not worrying about something, I worry about the fact that there’s nothing to worry about.

G: I want to create something beautiful and lasting with Slow Drive that will inspire people to get out there and look at the world with fresh eyes, alive with possibility, to know that they can achieve anything they put their minds to if they want it bad enough and work hard every day.

10.  Which well- known South African personality would you , without a doubt, be able to beat in a street fight and why?   
N: Nataniël… but he would totally beat my ass in a cake-off!

G: Riaan Cruywagen… even though he doesn't age, he’s retired now and maybe a bit out of practise!

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ABOUT #CapeTownMag10Q:

CapeTownMagazine.com’s 10 Questions project gets to know some of the Mother City’s most creative and inspiring people. From television personalities and musicians to politicians and entrepreneurs, we find out more about well-known and up-and-coming Capetonians. You can follow #CapeTownMag10Q on Twitter and Facebook to track recent interviews or read more here about our other awesome 10 Questions candidates. 

A FEW OF OUR OTHER 10Q CANDIDATES:

10 Questions For Co-founder of Newkidz on The Block Michael de Beer

10 Questions For Music Blogger Tecla Ciolfi 

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