Winter’s here — the kettles are working overtime, the windows are fogging up, and somewhere in the distance a neighbour’s already testing their fairy lights.

This week we’re taking inspiration from a South African who looked at Earth from above — Mark Shuttleworth, the first African in space — to remind us that even when the nights are long, we come from a nation of sky-high dreamers.

We’ve got a clever Fairy Liquid hack to beat the cold snaps, the brightest events across the UK, and a proud SA story that proves you can leave home without ever losing where you’re from.

So grab a cuppa, pull up a blanket, and let’s make November a little brighter.

• UK homes are warm inside, freezing outside — that clash makes condensation.
• Condensation feeds black mould, which triggers allergies and wrecks window frames.
• The cheap fix? A drop of washing-up liquid (like Fairy Liquid) wiped thinly over the glass.
• It leaves a microscopic film that stops moisture beads forming — fewer drips, less mould.
• Dry with kitchen roll and repeat every few weeks through winter.
• Add a moisture trap or bowl of rock salt near problem panes for bonus protection.
• Keep bedroom doors open after showers and wipe sills weekly — airflow is gold.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: Most South Africans aren’t used to UK-style damp. This one-minute ritual keeps the windows (and your sinuses) clear all winter.

Whether it’s a misty drizzle or a sideways downpour, the UK loves to surprise you with rain at the exact moment you leave the house. So here’s our golden rule:

👉 Always have a brolly. Everywhere. Always.

And because we believe in being prepared and proudly South African…

We’ve added umbrellas to the SA Connect UK Shop — your one-stop South African survival kit:

☔ A South African-flag umbrella — instant spirit-lifter on grey days
🎒 Compact, good-quality fold-up brollies — keep one in every bag and car

Everything is synced with Amazon so you get:

✔️ The exact same price as Amazon
✔️ Never a single penny extra
✔️ Free Prime delivery if you have Prime
✔️ Reliable quality — we only recommend what we trust

We earn a tiny 1–3% commission to help keep this newsletter free ❤️
You get to stay dry and keep a little piece of home with you in the drizzle 🇿🇦

👉 Take a peek and upgrade to brolly-pro status
(Your future self — the warm, dry one — will be very grateful)

SA Connect UK Shop

🎶 Music & Festivals
• EFG London Jazz Festival (London) – 300+ gigs across Southbank Centre and Barbican. Catch Nate Smith (16 Nov) and Dee Dee Bridgewater (15 Nov). Pure jazz joy.
• Simple Things Festival (Bristol, 16 Nov) – Indie and electronic magic at the Old Biscuit Factory. Art, street food, and high energy.
• Tortoise Live (Bristol, 23 Nov) – Chicago post-rock pioneers in an intimate set. Atmospheric and brilliant.

🏉 Sport & Outdoor Spectacle
• England v New Zealand (15 Nov) – Twickenham roars as the All Blacks arrive. Pints, chants, and pyrotechnics.
• England v Argentina (23 Nov) – The Pumas close the Autumn Internationals with a bang. Family-friendly zones and street food.

🎡 Immersive & Festive Experiences
• Winter Wonderland (Hyde Park, London) – Ice rinks, rides, markets, circus shows and mulled wine. A 350-acre sparkle fest.
• Lander 23 by Punchdrunk (London) – A sci-fi exploration game meets immersive theatre. Teams race through an alien city.

🌍 Regional Gems
• Cheltenham November Meeting (18 – 20 Nov) – Horse racing meets Cotswolds charm; live music and kid zones.
• IEWA English Wine Fair (Bristol, 22 Nov) – 70 artisan wines in one cellar. Fizz, rosé and good chat with the makers.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: These events fill fast — book ahead and layer up. Mid-November magic is best enjoyed warm and unhurried.

We have to say — London in December is pure magic.
Last time we went, we felt completely safe, the city buzzing and bright.

If you can, spend a day just wandering the shops — the window displays are extraordinary.
For families, Selfridges is fantastic with its decorations and treats for kids, Hamleys is pure magic for little ones (and the young at heart), and Harrods is an experience all on its own — even if you’re just browsing.

And don’t skip Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Whether you’ve got kids or grandkids, it’s an absolute blast: lights, rides, mulled drinks, and that infectious energy that makes London feel like Jo’burg Station on steroids (in the best possible way).

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: Go mid-week or early evening for smaller crowds and maximum sparkle.

The South African who took Ubuntu to the stars — and kept his heart in the Mother City.

Most of us dream about space as kids.
Mark Shuttleworth just went ahead and booked a ticket.

Raised in the Free State and shaped at UCT, he founded Thawte from a student bedroom in the ’90s — writing the code for one of the world’s first web-security certificates. By 26, he’d sold it to VeriSign and officially put South African tech on the global map.

Then he did something wilder.
In April 2002, he became the first African in space, spending eight days aboard the International Space Station — and running scientific experiments designed by South Africans.

Back on Earth, he built Ubuntu — a free, open-source operating system now used worldwide, from Hollywood studios to cloud servers and even the ISS itself.
Its name means “humanity” — the belief that we lift each other up.

Today, though he’s based in London, his focus is still proudly South African: funding education, backing African innovation, and proving success abroad can still flow homeward.

His story reminds us of something important:
A passport can change — but your roots don’t.

Mark Shuttleworth: proof that South Africans don’t just reach for the stars… sometimes we get there.

• Go Ice-Skating – Rinks are popping up everywhere: Somerset House (London), Cardiff Castle, and Edinburgh St Andrew Square. Nothing like a twirl, a laugh, and a hot chocolate to end it.

• Take a Scenic Winter Walk – Wrap up, grab a flask, and explore free National Trust spots like Morden Hall Park or Castlefield Viaduct.

• Host a Board-Game Night – Stay in and get competitive. Catan, Scrabble, or even 30 Seconds — all pair perfectly with mulled wine.

• Try a Pub Sunday Roast – Warm pub, roaring fire, crispy potatoes, and good gravy. The ultimate UK comfort ritual.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: When the cold hits, swap “outdoorsy” for “indoorsy with heart” — pubs, games, fires, and friends.

• 🇮🇹 Boks vs Italy (15 Nov) – Third Autumn Test in Turin. Fire, pride, and pub banter.
• 🏏 Proteas v India (14–18 Nov) – First Test in Kolkata; early-morning streams or Sunday replays.
• ⚽ Premier League – Spurs, Arsenal & Liverpool in action; Saffas everywhere in the stands.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: Find a pub showing both rugby and cricket — multitasking at its finest.

Keep More of Your Extra Income — Legally

• The UK lets you earn up to £1,000 a year tax-free through the Trading Allowance — perfect for small side projects.
• You can claim it even if you already have a full-time job or other income.
• Applies to freelance work, online sales, tutoring, crafts — basically anything that’s a personal side gig.
• If you earn less than £1,000 from self-employed work in a tax year, you don’t even need to declare it.
• Earn more than £1,000? No problem — you can either deduct the allowance or claim your actual expenses instead.
• Keep simple records of income and receipts so you’re ready at tax time (Excel or Google Sheets works fine).
• Set up a separate bank account for your side hustle to make tracking easy.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: The £1,000 allowance is per person — couples can each earn £1,000 tax-free if they run separate mini-ventures.

📘 Learn More: Check Trading Allowance rules on gov.uk

Part 3: How to Turn Your Side Hustle into a Small Business — Without the Stress
Step-by-step tips on registering, keeping it simple, and staying compliant while you grow.

It’s getting darker outside — but brighter everywhere else.
Windows sparkle, strangers smile more easily, and the first notes of Christmas music sneak into the shops.

If the world has felt heavy lately, let this be your reminder that seasons turn, warmth returns, and joy shows up in small, ordinary ways — the smell of coffee on a cold morning, a laugh with a friend, a walk past glowing lights.

South Africans have a knack for finding celebration wherever we land.
So this week, do something simple that lifts you — light a candle, phone home, plan that trip, or just pause to notice how far you’ve come.

Christmas in the UK really is magnificent — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s shared.

See you next Saturday, with more reasons to smile.
Troy & Sarah