I’ve been living in Jo’burg for a very long time – long enough to be an official “Joburger”. So it began to bother me when it was clear I was missing out on something quintessentially Jozi. Something so many Jozinauts do that it must be considered one of our ‘habits’. And that is, to get out of Jozi.

More specifically, to leave for the popular but quiet town of Clarens. Friends from every group were telling me about lovely weekends away in the darling place, so when it came to deciding on a birthday activity, I figured Clarens would be it. People speak about it so fondly and I was dying for a mini break.

Plus, everyone speaks about it like it’s an hour away.

First tip: it’s not. It’s in the Free State on the way to Lesotho, so it is in fact three and a half hours out of Jo’burg. I would recommend a day off on either side of the weekend. It wasn’t enough to put me off though, so off I went for a quiet stay in the teeny town of Fouriesberg, a few kilometres outside of Clarens.

On an average city weekend you’ll wake up and decide to go for a lovely, relaxing brunch with your loved ones. So you’ll fight off a bit of highway and a few traffic lights to get to your favourite spot, only to hit the inevitable queue you were only half expecting. Then if you decide to go somewhere else it’s highly probable that you’ll have to pay for parking and drive somewhere else.

The small town’s set-up has all the desired convenience we could only dream about. All the action fits snugly around a street block of grass that’s left open for the town’s art festivals. You can happily navigate your way in and out of every single shop the town has to offer, on foot and sans traffic danger. The stores are scattered around and you have a grand selection of eateries despite the tiny size of the place.

My favourite place was unsurprisingly, Clarens Brewery. Their craft beer is some of the most delicious I’ve had – and they don’t make it easy to choose after giving you a taster of each of the house brews. They offer traditional German/Austrian food, served to match the strong flavours of the beer. The interior is also totally unique in a place like Clarens, that’s been around for so long there’s a certain familiar look to everything. Modern, beautifully crafted wooden bar stools line a very industrial but shiny bar. They have every beer ever made decorating the high walls. It’s like being a mini barn where you can watch rugby. It also catches some of the best light, so it’s perfect for those chilly winters.

Personal tastes aside, the short visit reminded me how wonderful our country is. No matter how much we love our big city – because we do – she’s sometimes a bit of an abusive partner, and we need a break every now and then. Sweet little places like Clarens still exist, lying there just waiting for you to take a step back from the hustle and breathe. They haven’t been hit by too much commercialism yet, so they aren’t overpriced, which lends to the stress-free vibe you’re after. Weird people, crafty people, arty people – it’s like travelling to a foreign country in a way. It’s everything a busy city isn’t, which is why it’s the perfect choice if you need to create a bit of balance in your life.

Forget queuing for food or even waiting for food. Expect big smiles and friendly hospitality. Expect oxygen, with wonderful views of mountains and yellow autumn trees and bunny rabbits. Yay! *Skips into the sunset*

Kim Schulze

Follow Kim on Twitter, @KimSchulze and Facebook, www.facebook.com/TheKimSchulze