South Africa is still one of the most beautiful and diverse countries I have been to, plus it was my first time out of Europe so everything was new and exciting!

Everywhere I went there was a stunning this or a fascinating that to take a photo of, but I found that some of the most amazing scenery was in between destinations which I got to snap whilst on the road.

All of the images below were taken when I was travelling from one place to the next, which offered me a greater insight into the country as a whole as opposed to just pockets of cities and towns. The South African countryside is particularly peaceful and I would travel for hours some days just looking out of the window and taking in the surroundings.

The road from Durban to Coffee Bay was rich in scenery such as this. Despite it being the South African winter, the land still looked pretty parched with the odd green bush breaking the monotony every now and again. This particular view makes me feel hopeful for some reason – I think it’s the vastness and the stillness of it.

Every now and again we would pass a community like this one where the colourful houses provided a great contrast against the sepia foliage. Many of the small villages seemed deserted as we soundlessly passed them, but sometimes there would be a few residents milling about who would smile and wave as we went by.

The landscape seemed almost neverending but the villages nestled in the hillsides provided some fuel for daydreaming.

I caught this sunset as we were approaching Hogsback, the land of the Lord of the Rings! Even the sunsets in South Africa were more beautiful than any I had seen anywhere else and these small houses appeared like a dream beneath the vibrant colours. This was one of the first sunsets I had seen during my trip and it was a particularly overwhelming and emotional experience.

This photo was also taken during sundown, a time when the colours in South Africa seem to multiply in beauty. We were quite high up at this point – the bus struggled to get round tight bends and my head and ears hurt from the altitude but these views definitely made up for it.

This photo was actually taken on an evening safari at Addo Elephant Park – but technically I was still on the road. Again, the landscape seems neverending and I remember feeling incredibly humbled that we were sharing the same ground as some of Africa’s most beautiful animals.

Photos from the road remind me of the journey I went on in South Africa – not just the physical act of travelling, but also the psychological changes I went through whilst there. I was eighteen and had never really travelled before. As I said earlier, everything was so new, exciting and beautiful and I want to remember how I felt then to remind myself of how amazing the world is when I start to question it.

Do you take photos whilst on the road? Do you have any ‘on-the-road’ stories to share? Please share in the comments below!

About the author: Lizzie is a full time marketing assistant and part-time travel blogger promoting the ways to get the most out of grab-it-when-you-can travel. She spends her time creatively thinking of ways to plan trips around her job and advocating the idea that you don’t have to be ‘homeless’ to enjoy the perks of frequent travel. Aside from this, Lizzie likes questioning why people travel and the psychology behind it, watching crap American TV programmes, and drinking too much tea (cider). You can find out more about Lizzie here (go on – I know you want to see what’s behind the melon…)