We have been in need of a family holiday for a while now and so took the chance for a Malaria Free Safari in the Eastern Cape of South Africa along with a few days on the spectacular garden route.

When I say we I mean, my wife Jane and myself and our three small children, Michael (6), Thomas (4) and Beth (18 months).  What we experienced was an outstanding family holiday filled with excitement, fun and great memories.

Here is a short diary of our Travels;

Day 1 Sedgefield
We enjoyed a slow drive to Sedgefield about 440Km outside of Cape Town. With a number of stops for farm stalls and lunch and arrived in time for a quick trip to the beach and then off for supper. 

Day 2 Grahamstown
We got off to an early start as we wanted to get to Grahamstowns by lunch.  We did make the occasional stop along the route, including time spent watching the world’s highest commercial bungi jump at the Bloukraans.  Despites Michaels determined request, I choose not to participate.

Grahamstown is famous for two things, the world renowned National Arts festival held each July and Rhodes University.  Jane had spent her university years at Rhodes and we enjoyed an afternoon wondering round the town, playing in the Botanical gardens,  strolling through the beautiful campus, reminiscing and taking in the vibe of the student town.

Day 3 , 4  Marks Camp , Lilebela Game Reserve
What a treat, located in the Eastern Cape between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown Lilebela offers Malaria Free Big Five experiences.

Michael and Thomas were in awe, and could not get enough of the experience.  We saw Lion with cubs, Elephant, Rhino, Cheetah ,  Giraffe, Wildebeest, Zebra , Kudu... the list goes on.  The guides were excellent and catered fantastically well for the children. 

We had baby sitting on hand allowing us time to enjoy dinner with the other guests, special children’s meals, a play room and children’s game drives.  The staff ensured every detail was taken care of and even Beth was a settled and happy was could be.

Our accommodation was excellent, two large rooms both en suite, sitting room and a deck overlooking the bush and watering hole. 

Thanks to Michael and Thomas encouragement we came back with hundreds of photos as well as a few other bits and bobs for “show and tell” at school.

Day 5 St Francis Bay
After another outstanding game drive, which saw an Elephant walk within spitting distance, much to Beth’s amusement, it was with heavy hearts and a few tears from some disappointed children we packed and got ready to move on.
A quick drive to St Francis bay and an opportunity to play on the beach, watch the surfers and see the Penguin colony and we were now on our way to enjoying the Garden Route.

Day 6 & 7 Hunters Hotel, Plettenburg Bay
Five star luxury, was an outstanding way to end our holiday.  Hunter’s is a real treat, stunning setting, elegant and luxurious thatch roofed cottages with fireplaces and private verandas overlooking the gardens.

The experience is made through the attention to detail and service. Our children were in there element and no detail was forgotten in making this a wonderful family friendly hotel. Thomas and Beth quickly made friends at Cubs corner, the children’s play area, whilst Michael made the most of the splash pool.

The restaurant options at hunters are world class and the main restaurant offers outstanding fine dinning, whilst Jane and I loved our evening at Zinzi which offers an African fusion menu in a stylish setting.  I would recommend it as a must.

Our days in the area were filled with so much to do and so much to choose from.  There are an excellent selection of beaches, forest walks and drives and the area is home to Elephant, Cheetah and Monkey sanctuaries.

We choose to explore the Storms river mouth, Kynsana, the Wilderness and the beaches at Plettenburg bay. We could easily have spent another few days in the area, exploring but unfortunately it was time to head back to Cape Town. Our journey home was spent planning our next African adventure.

Now back at work in Cape Town I’m even further inspired by the awesome beauty and the world of adventures and experiences on our doorstep here in Africa.

 The 2010 world cup is now only months away and the whole footballing world will be descending on South Africa. I have compiled a list of sites that will help you on your travels;

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html - World governing body of football and organisers of the world cup
http://www.sa2010.gov.za/ - South African government website for 2010
http://fifaworldcup.durban.gov.za/Pages/Default.aspx - Official Durban world cup website
http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/2010/Pages/default.aspx - Official Cape Town world cup website
http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/654/167/ - Official Johannesburg world cup website
http://www.southafrica.net/sat/content/en/za/home - Official South African tourism website

http://www.thefa.com/ - The English football association
http://www.ussoccer.com/ - Official USA soccer home page
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/ - Football Association of Autralia
http://www.figc.it/index_en.shtml - The Italian FA

http://www.capetownactivities.co.uk/ - Cape Town Activities
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1071886.stm - Basic over view of South Africa from the BBC
South African Safaris - African Travel Experts South African Safaris
Great white shark diving - Great white shark diving in South Africa from White Shark Ecoventures

Camps Bay - The Sexy and Glamorous Holiday Hub Of Cape Town

Camps Bay is one of the most beautiful and sought after areas in Cape Town, South Africa. Residents enjoy panoramic sea and mountain views, beautiful beaches and a bustling cosmopolitan beachfront with trendy restaurants and bars within a few minutes drive from Cape Town City Centre and it’s about 27km (17 miles) from Cape Town International Airport.

Tucked at the foot of Table Mountain, trendy Camps Bay is Cape Town’s most exclusive resort.  It has some of the most sought after, and expensive real estate in Africa, and regularly attracts celebrities and film shoots.

Camps bay is a dazzling, self-contained holiday resort where you can shop at exclusive boutiques, dine at a vast selection of restaurants, party in glamorous style, tan, paraglide, enjoy mountain walks and view cutting-edge architecture.



Restaurants and bars are dotted all along the hip and happening beachfront and spill over onto the pavement, creating a real café-culture, cocktails-in-the-sun feel. In the summer, the sun sets only around 9 0’ clock and provides the most beautiful sunsets and views.

Over summer from October to April, Camps Bay is packed with European tourist and local visitors and attracts affluent people looking for luxury in a beautiful setting. This time of the year daytime temperatures generally reach 22-250C (72-770F), perfect for lazy days on the beach.  The Beach is marked by beautiful white sands, a row of palm trees and a lovely grassy picnic area, ideal for families.  Camps Bay beach has been granted Blue Flag status, and is the place to do a spot of people watching.

Camps Bay boasts a fine selection of gourmet dining with many different restaurants to choose from. From casual light meals to five star international cuisine, Camps Bay offers it all. After dark Camps Bay’s bars and restaurants become a strip for fun and laughter that buzz well into the night. After dinner move on to a sophisticated nightclub or The Theatre on the Bay which regularly host cabaret and light entertainment and numerous shows for all tastes.

In short, Cape Town and more specifically, Camps Bay has become one of the holiday destinations of choice and is considered to be in the top 10 of places to see and beseen. Other notable destinations are as follows;

• Cape Town
• Rio De Janeiro
• St. Tropez
• Portorino
• Aspen
• Cannes
• Monte Carlos
• Ibiza
• St. Moritz
• Miami

5 things you should know about Etosha (other than looking for the animals):

1. The gates open at sunrise and close as sunset – there is generally a mad rush to get to the gates for sunset so make sure you don’t get caught in  someone else’s dust otherwise you will miss the magnificent sunset

2. If the sign says stay in your car, they mean STAY IN YOUR CAR!

3. The only accommodation within the Etosha National Park is run by the Namibia Wildlife Resorts.  Visit the old German Fort of Namutoni – great views and a super waterhole with a resident group of very entertaining striped mongeese

4. You should not miss out on Sproukieswoud (Fairy Forest), the amazing Moringa Trees – known to feed people as well as animals.  In Etosha these are growing uniquely in soil and not on rock

5. The main road in Etosha runs from East to West or visa versa.  It can easily take a day to drive just along this road (there and back) so don’t get caught out by thinking it is not that far!

5 Things you should know about driving in Namibia:

1. Always have at least 5 liters of water in the car with you.  It is very hot, and dusty and there are not a lot of water stops

2. Know how to change a tyre and make sure your car comes with a spare one!

3. Fill your car up regularly – don’t chance it to “make it to the next town”

4. Have plenty of music and plenty of battery life in your iPod.

5. Estimate the time you think it will take you and then add on another hour or two (don’t always rely on the map) – road conditions are generally good but driving on dirt roads makes for a longer trip

5 of the amazing things to see in Damaraland:

1. Views Views and  more Views
 
2. The Organ Pipes – a series of dolerite pipes that resemble organs pipes - though these ones were created 100 million years ago.  Caught at the right time, the colours are amazing and this is a geologist’s dream stop.
 
3. The mighty Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia (2,573m).  Its name meaning “Fire Mountain” which comes from the glowing colour it can get around sunset.  It also houses the famous “White Lady” rock painting of the San (Bushman) tribes – a spiritual site.
 
4. The imposing silhouette of Spitzkoppe – the Atlantic wind blowing sand particles and significant temperature changes between day and night have sculptured the ochre granite of these mountains into polished curves, arches, columns and countless extraordinary shapes.  The light generated by the setting sun is magical – rock and sky merging together in a blaze of gold, crimson and deep purple…..

5. Twyfelfontein – 2 thousand rock carvings created over 2 thousand years – in 2007 this was approved as Namibia’s first World Heritage Site

5 amazing things about Sossusvlei:

1. The colours and scenery here is some of the most contrasting and remote that you will find anywhere in the world

2. The combination of Sand Dunes, Grasslands, Mountains, Desert & Game – which all make for a photographers paradise

3. The highest Dune is Big Daddy at 300m

4. The closest dune to the road is Dune 45, which is what makes it the most popular one

5. The most amazing way to witness this phenomenal place – is from the heights of a hot air balloon

 

I thought I would compile a list of all UK airlines that operate within the UK, most operate over seas but not all.

Air southwest
http://www.airsouthwest.com/

Aircraft Charter Passenger and Cargo
http://www.aviation-consultants.com/

Astraeus
http://www.flystar.com/

Aurigny Air Services
http://www.aurigny.com/

Avianca
http://www.avianca.com/

Blue Islands
http://www.blueislands.com/

BMI British Midland
http://www.flybmi.com/

BMI Baby
http://www.bmibaby.com/

British Airways
http://www.britishairways.com/

Eastern Airways
http://www.easternairways.com/

Easyjet
http://www.easyjet.com/

Fly BE
http://www.flybe.com/

Fly Globe Span
http://www.flyglobespan.com/

HD Air
http://www.hdair.com/

Logan Air
http://www.loganair.co.uk/

Lydd Air
http://www.lyddair.com/

Monarch
http://flights.monarch.co.uk/

Scot Airways
http://www.scotairways.co.uk/

Thomson Fly
http://flights.thomson.co.uk/

Titan Airways
http://www.titan-airways.com/

Virgin Atlantic
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/

RyanAir at times get bad press and in turn have a bad reputation. Unfortunately for them, its blatantly obvious to see why;

An Irish blogger pointed out a small and minor bug with their session handling (a fancy way to ensure your booking process goes smoothly) at their main website. The Irish blogger (Jason Roe) was then abused several times by Ryan Air staff calling him petty name and calling him liar. Also noted, this is terrible command of the written English language!

Full blog post;

http://www.jason-roe.com/blog/free-ryanair-free-flight-bug/

Secondly RyanAir plan to charge all people who fly with them 1GBP to use their toilets!

More news on this from The Times;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5814577.ece

This company has no concept of customer service!

This list will grow over time, but here in my opinion are a few of the best interactive travel websites;

Trip Advisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/
A large review site where members of the public can read and write reviews for many millions of hotels around the world.

Lonely Planet - http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
Many of the worlds top destinations reviewed

Travel Buddies - http://www.travbuddy.com/
A free service for members of the public to create their own travel blog with specific travel tools to enrich their blogs

WAYN - http://www.wayn.com/waynsplash.html
Lists members of the public and where they intend to travel - a social network for people who are constantly on holiday

Unusual Hotels of the World - http://www.unusualhotelsoftheworld.com/
The worlds most unusual hotels reviewed

Sleeping in Airports - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/
The worlds airports reviwed and slept in!

Travelistic - http://www.travelistic.com/
Travel the world by user submitted videos

The cold weather getting you down yet? I thought so...

Well the travel team at The Times have come up with a list of holiday destinations to rub salt into the wounds, the top 10 destinations for winter sun - but with the current credit crunch in full grip these places might be out of most peoples reach for the next few years!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/winter_sun/article5155909.ece

The UK flight company are in talks with the Australian airline company Qantas about a possible merger. Its seen as a possible big move as this years pre-tax profit from BA totalled £52m between April and September, down from £616m a year earlie which is a drop of over 90%!

Qantas on the other hand have posted a healthy profit of 1.408bn Australian dollars which was up over 30%.

More information over at the BBC

Its cold in the UK, with plenty of snow on the way! But as we all know the UK cant handle snow, most things come to a complete stand still as the roads are blocked and people (eventually) moan about the snow.

Why not get away for a real Christmas holiday to some desireable locations such as Iceland, Sweden or even Lapland! These places are great when it snows, its what they are best at...

Knysna has fast become one of the most popular places to visit in the Western Cape. But with its warm weather and attractions it’s no surprise that tourists flock to this small town when holidaying in South Africa.Knysna is the type of place you will leave thinking that you wished you had more time to explore. Its abundance of tourist attractions means that there will be activities and sights that will suite all visitors.

If water sports are on your agenda then Knysna is a perfect destination. Knysna has a beautiful lagoon which can be explored by either hiring a boat, or you are welcome to bring your own. You can also take a ferry across to Featherbed Nature Reserve or to the Knysna Heads. You will also find a lot of good surfing spots which friendly locals will be able to tell you about.

Adventure activities are very popular around this area. Whether you are into paragliding, abseiling, or experiencing the thrill of hanging from a cable and gliding from one tree top to another in the dense Tsitsikamma Forest, you can find it all here. Horse riding on the beach is another popular activity. Organised horse-trails can be arranged through various companies if exploring forests and other trails are more your thing. If leisure sports is what you are looking for, then a trip to Knysna’s 18 hold gold course is waiting there for you.

When it comes to wildlife, Knysna has various Animal farms right on its doorstep. You can see game, crocodiles, elephant, cheetah and ostrich, or leopards at a lot of wildlife ranch. There are many Nature Reserves in and around the Knysna area. Knysna is also famous for the Knysna Seahorse which can be found in the Knysna Lagoon. It is considered to be one of the most endangered seahorses in the world. A visit to see this celebrated African fish should definitely be a must on your stay.

Knysna accommodation is of a exceptionally high standard as well, with many 5star guest houses and bed and breakfasts around.

This article was brought to you by House Hammond - a luxurious 5star Knysna guest house

The 2010 world cup is getting closer and closer, with the qualifying rounds now fully underway around the world. Below is a quick list of where the games will be played in South Africa.

• Green Point Stadium Cape Town
• King Senzangakhona Stadium Durban
• Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Port Elizabeth
• Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit
• Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg
• Soccer City in Johannesburg
• Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria
• Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein
• Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg
• Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane

In order to get the full low down on all the World Cup news please visit Fifa.

Spend Christmas in Lapland!

Visit Lapland for a festive break with a difference and discover a true winter wonderland! Lapland, the home of Father Christmas is the perfect winter holiday destination. Try your hand at husky sledging - cruise past snow-capped mountains and trees covered in powdery snow, while you keep a look out for reindeer and other winter wildlife. Or get a quick adrenalin fix by driving a snowmobile across the vast white wilderness!

You can be as adventurous or as relaxed as you like on a holiday to Swedish, Norwegian or Finnish Lapland. Try out sleeping on ice in one of our ice hotels, including the world famous Icehotel  in Sweden, or stay in an idyllic log cabin where you can curl up in front of a crackling log fire. Travel to Norway for a winter holiday in breathtaking surroundings, or visit beautiful Finland and go walking amongst spectacular scenery.

By day you can explore Lapland’s snow dusted countryside as much or as little as you like, and by night you can look for the magical Northern Lights. If you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the mystical natural light display, you’ll be awe struck. If conditions are right, watch in amazement as swirling, shifting colourful patterns appear in the night sky.

Lapland isn't just about reindeers and snow. You can choose from a wide range of activities designed to inspire everyone - why not combine a breathtaking Orca Safari off Norway's stunning coastline, with a chic stay in the World famous Icehotel© in Sweden? Spend Christmas or New Year in Lapland and you’re guaranteed to discover a winter wonderland. Let your winter adventure begin and experience the magic of Lapland!

My wife and I are taking a trip to Knysna in the next month and we are both really looking for ward to it. We managed to find some Knysna accommodation with a 5star guest house called House Hammond. Seems to be a very lavish establishment at a reasonable price.

While we are in Knysna we have a few things planned;

• Take a boat trip through the Knysna logoon
• Go diving in the lagoon
• Visit the elephant park
• Visit monkeyland
• Hiking around the mountains in the Knysna region

In the past three weeks I have flown four times, a return flight from South Africa to the UK and a return flight from the UK to Italy. Each time I went through passport control and customs I was left amazed at the shabby treatment and most of the times the lack of staff. Here are just a few of the blunders I saw;

• A line of at least 80 people waiting to go through a metal detector while three other metal detectors stood switched off with 4 or 5 members of staff standing chatting about their weekend (I heard them clearly as I walked through to departures)... this was in Venice (Marco Polo airport
  
• After collecting luggage and coming towards the area where you declare items there was no one around... not one person was there to check peoples bag after a plane with 300+ people had just landed... this was at Heathrow
  
• After landing at Cape Town airport I had to tell three people the purpose of my visit then have my bag searched by two people, the first who did not believe that I had nothing to declare (no shoes, DVD's, CD's.. he said looking surprised) the second then asked if I had anything to declare, I told him the guy at the front had already asked and I told him I didn't... he then stuck his hand forcibly into my bag and began to rummage around asking if there were any dairy products, after 5 or so seconds he said to move on and then began to harass the next person

My opinion of  the state of the airports is they are in a poor state staff wise! The people do not give a shit!

Greenland Voyages

Voyage around Greenland, the world's largest island, for a completely unique holiday experience. Few other holiday destinations on earth can rival Greenland's natural grandeur. Dominated by the world’s second largest icecap, Greenland is a vast and beautiful land. If you like magnificent, unspoilt scenery then a holiday to Greenland will be ideal for you.

Imagine exploring a vast remote wilderness, gazing out at Greenland's sparkling ice-bound landscape and breathing in crystal clear air. A holiday to Greenland offers visitors a true sense of adventure and inspirational landscapes. Explore the frozen outdoors - go on a musk ox safari tour where you will see some of Greenland 5,000 musk ox and keep a look out for reindeer, arctic hares and foxes along the way! 

A holiday to Greenland is exhilarating and awe-inspiring whatever time of year you visit. But during winter the sea freezes over and giant icebergs are locked in place. On a winter voyage to Greenland you can explore and unwind as a sense of timelessness envelopes you in this cold, silent and strikingly beautiful world.

Visit Greenland when the fleeting Arctic summer arrives and you'll find twenty four hours of daylight and North of the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun. Watch as the landscape comes to life, as the pack ice breaks up and giant icebergs drift through the fjords. Migratory birds arrive, breed and depart, and hardy Arctic flora bloom and scatter seed before the first snowfalls herald the onset of another winter. The world’s largest island remains one of the last unspoilt wilderness areas. Pure air, magnificent scenery and a fascinating culture make Greenland one of the most exciting holiday destinations on offer.

This article was brought to you by Discover The World - world wide leaders in Arctic holidays.

In a rather bold move British Airways has decided to ban surf boards from all of its flights as well as wind surfing boards and their sails!

British Airways states:

Due to the large size and handling complexities, some sporting equipment cannot be accommodated through the airport baggage system or within the aircraft hold. Therefore we no longer accept the following equipment at check-in as part of your sporting equipment allowance.

• hang gliders
• windsurfing boards and sails
• surfboards
• kayaks, canoes and oars
• pole vaults
• javelins

For more information head on over to the British Surfing Association: http://www.britsurf.co.uk/Releases/October2007/PR-31OCT07.htm

Well, its not long now till I am married (Dec 8th) and I can announce that I have booked a trip to Venice for our honeymoon :) I have been once before but it is my favourite city in the world - I cant wait!

We plan to go in January of next year, while this is winter in Europe the prospect of visiting Venice in summer (peak tourist season) does not grab me, I know it will still be busy in January but it wont be as manic. Also living in Africa I dont feel the need to go to a sunny destination as Jan will be peak summer in Cape Town.

The only thing I will need to be aware of visiting at this time of year is the potential for flooding, known as the Acqua Alta (High Water in Italian). This is caused by high tides, low atmospheric pressure and a strong wind blowing in from the shallow Adriatic Sea which blows water into the Ventian lagoon. This has nothing to do with Venice sinking (which has actually slowed down and is set to stop completely if measures from the Italian government are successful), but instead mother nature going through its winter motions.

I just need to make I pack a pair of wellie boots!

Can some one tell me where the year went?!? No I thought not, it seems that another year has flown by and I am left sitting back wondering where it went... yet again, the same thing happens every time around.

This year I have the prospect of a South African Christmas holiday season, I am told that the 25th will be warm (maybe 28C+) but there could be a few drops of warm rain in the morning but for most of the actual day it'll be hot! Beats cold, windy rain in London I guess :)

Lapland Holidays

There couldn’t be a better winter holiday destination than Lapland - home to Santa and his reindeers, and one of the best winter holiday destinations in the world!

Lapland is the perfect winter holiday location for all the family – with plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained on a Christmas holiday or New Year break to Lapland.

The allure of Lapland lies not just in its association with Father Christmas himself, but also in its spectacular scenery and the chance to glimpse the Northern Lights on a winter break here. The Lapland region covers the Northern parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway.

In Sweden you can stay at the world famous Icehotel©, go dog sledding or simply relax on holiday amidst spectacular scenery. Travel to Norway for a holiday in breathtaking surroundings or visit beautiful Finland, the choice is yours.

Whichever country you decide to visit this winter you’ll experience the true magic of Lapland and you’re guaranteed to find a true winter wonderland!

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This article was provided by Discover The World - The Lapland specialists.