5 Hotspots On My Post-Covid Travel Hitlist! Oh yes, I know – chances are that unless you’re an Instagrammer ‘inspiring’ your fans by traveling anywhere sunny where a travel corridor remains open, your travel adventures are on hold for the foreseeable future. That’s okay, the post-covid life is on the horizon.
[Read more…] about Check out the 5 Hotspots on my Post-Covid Travel Hitlist!The Highlights of a Trip to South Africa
South Africa is a popular destination on travel bucket lists, and a quick glance at what the country has to offer can help you understand why. It’s a beautiful country combining the charm and adventure of rural Africa with bustling urban destinations and pristine coastline. There’s an international flavor to much of the country given that it attracts visitors from all over the world, and the truth is it’s pretty easy to enjoy yourself there. Even so, we’re going to point to some of the highlights you should be sure to check out if you’re fortunate enough to travel there.
A Resort In Cape Town
Cape Town tends to be the main draw for people who are traveling to South Africa, and it’s largely because of what the city looks like. Looking up images of the city, one gets the image of a cliff-side party town up against the water on the southern tip of Africa. It seems all at once impossibly exotic, wildly attractive, and intriguingly luxurious. It’s also the last point that you can really explore by staying at a resort, and you may recall that we’ve actually highlighted the best one before. The One & Only Cape Town suites are about as good as it gets, and are well worth their hefty price tags if you’re going all the way to South Africa for a vacation.
A Horseback Safari
When you look up fun activities to enjoy in South Africa, you don’t get your typical vacation checklist. There are a lot of wild things to try in the country, and one that you won’t find in a lot of other African destinations is a horseback safari. One list of awesome South African activities noted that you can try this at the Isimangaliso Wetlands, and the experience is like nothing else. You can ride horses alongside wild wildebeests and giraffes for an up close and personal view of African wildlife.
Kiteboarding Lessons
Kiteboarding is becoming one of the trendier watersports in the world, and some of the beaches near Cape Town are particularly well known for it. Destinations like Langebaan, Bloubergstrand, and Cannon Rocks are all noted as good spots to give it a try, though you may need to cough up a bit of cash to have some lessons if you’ve never tried this sport before. It’s tricky to get the hang of, but it’s a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. This is also a great opportunity to try one of the better spots in the world for the sport.
A Casino Visit
Casinos rarely pop up as factors in travel decisions anymore, and it’s easy to understand why. Online versions of casino games have become incredibly sophisticated, and offer a wide range of classic games to play. This includes everything from traditional slots and card games to games like roulette, which has been enjoyed by casino goers all over the world for generations. With so many options available at their fingertips, it’s no surprise that real life casinos have fallen by the wayside, but ignore visiting one at your own peril. Throughout the world there are still casinos worth seeing in person, and a few of them are located right in South Africa. The Sun City Resort outside of Johannesburg is truly a sight to behold, built like a palace sticking up in the middle of the bush, and filled with all the fun and amenities of a classic casino.
Diving Expeditions
Cape Town boasts a lot of great scuba diving activities, including both reef and wreck dives. But that’s not all you can find there. You can also find dives that put you in close proximity to friendly seals. If you really want to give yourself an adrenaline rush, you can sign up for a dive where you’ll be in an underwater cage swimming with the sharks. These activities aren’t necessarily unique to South Africa or Cape Town, but many find the diving at this destination to be particularly good.
A Tabletop Mountain Hike
Last but not least, you should also make time for a hike up Tabletop Mountain, which is the cliff-like plateau that looms over Cape Town. This is a manageable hike for those inclined to try it, and we’re not talking about monstrously high altitudes. It’s definitely something to try, if only to enjoy the view from the top. It’s truly a sight unlike anything you can see elsewhere in the world.
Guest blog by Philip White
Conservation or Con?
Last night I watched a documentary called Blood Lions on MSNBC. Depressing? Yes, and horrifying.
It was about “canned hunting”, and the raising of lions for “the bullet”. Of course, consumers who want to volunteer in lion conservation programs, or who want to aid in conservation efforts, are told that these “farms” are all about introducing lions back into the wild. In South Africa, that is most definitely not true.
Lion cubs, who normally stay with their mother for 18 months at least, are removed from their mother after 3 days to a week. Why? So mom can go into heat again and produce more lions who will grow up so people can shoot them.
Lions are kept fenced in, but people come and pay to pet them, walk them, play with them. When they grow older, trophy hunters come to kill them.
These are “canned” hunts. The lions are raised by humans, so they have no fear. They are “tracked” in fenced areas, and even baited. Seeing these animals shot and killed on film was devastating.
Why do hunters want “canned hunts”? Because it guarantees them a trophy, a trophy that is perfect, not marred by living life in the wild.
We should all watch this documentary. Lions are endangered, and finally people are reacting. Botswana has made it illegal in the aftermath of Cecil’s death. If you don’t know who Cecil the Lion is, pick up a newspaper, or surf the news. Do you want to help outlaw the poaching of lions? Sign here! Zimbabwe outlawed hunting…for nine days. Check this out: http://www.luxuryhunts.com/zimbabwe_lion_hunt.html. So where do these lions come from on these hunts? I cannot find the answer. Does anyone know??
Fortunately, many corporations are coming on board (finally!) in regards to the transport of “trophy parts”. Air France, KLM, British Airways, United, American, Delta…have responded by disallowing transport of endangered animal parts like lions, shark fins, tiger, rhino, elephant, etc. Please, before you travel, find it if the airline allows transport of these items. If they do, don’t fly them. Before you ship anything, find out if the shipping company still ships endangered animal parts.
I probably won’t be here in 50 years, but my grandchildren will be. I want them to see wild animals in their habitats, I hope they can snorkel or dive and see sharks. And a coral reef. However, at this rate, they won’t be able to. Can you imagine an earth where these animals are extinct? The ocean dead? It is coming, unless we stop it.
My family walked with lions in Zimbabwe. Afterward, I found out it is a “for profit” operation, Lion Encounter. I still am unsure if they are truly trying to help or if they are exploiting animals. It does not sound good, though, I hope those beautiful creatures are still alive. We will never do it again, nor will we do a penned dolphin swim or go to a sea world. Once you know the harm that it is doing, the only thing to do is stop contributing to the harm.
Joburg 2012
May 6 2012
I am exhausted! Traveling for two days is tiring, even when you’ve travelled in the utmost comfort. I arrived at the Da Vinci Hotel in Nelson Mandela Square at 7 a.m. and thankfully they had a room ready for me, even at that hour. Beautiful room…I love the style. I was asleep by 8a, and didn’t wake until 330p. I have no clue what that means as far as my body’s clock is concerned; the only thing I know is that my body is tired, and not only from the travel, but from losing items on every plane and every security stop along the way. I swear, being ADHD can be very inconvenient. I have a “stick” with me, it looks like a walking stick but it is actually a mount for my new camera. I lost it no fewer than 3 times, and I found it all 3 times if you can believe that. I lost my hat, but it caught up with me at the baggage claim here in Joburg. Of course I had to check my backpack dozens of times for items…glasses, power chargers, medicine, etc. I really am a walking, talking tornado. No wonder I am always exhausted!
I am awake and planning to stay conscious for an hour or two…well, maybe less. The car comes at 730 a.m. to take me to OR Tambo Joburg Airport and my flight to Inhambane, Mozambique. I confess to being nervous about it….first, the plane is a prop which seats 70, and LAM (Mozambique airline) is one of the airlines banned by the European Union as having “safety concerns”. Well, this flight goes every single day, so there is no reason to suppose that tomorrow would be the day something would happen. I shall follow my usual coping method which is to make the decision to do it (which I have) and ignore the rest. The volunteers on the project will be on this plane as well. I have no idea how many of us there will be, or the ages of the volunteers. I have a feeling I will be the oldest at 52. 52! When my parents were that age I perceived them as old…I do not feel old, at all. I worry about being able to keep up because of my bad back which is held together by 4 rods and 8 pedicle screws, but that worry has been with me all of my life, it is not an age thing. Hopefully my fellow volunteers will be an interesting group. I am a little embarrassed about all of my (heavy!) luggage, but I have to have my cameras and strobes, and my new GOPRO Hero 2 with its different mounting systems. I must have my computer to process the photos and videos I plan to take. I have to have clothes for the safaris Randy and I will take after the volunteer trip. So. I will just have to be embarrassed.
Well, tomorrow will be the big day of meeting my fellow travellers, arriving at my destination, doing an orientation. I am eager for the work to begin.
Great White Sharks and the Cape
The next day was our Great White Shark Adventure, which turned out to be a pretty lousy day. Did we see a Great white shark or two? Yes…a BIG one. But no breaching, and the visibility was so bad that they could not be seen from the cage. The weather was awful, swells of 8 feet or more, there was definite seasickness on the boat. One poor woman was completely passed out. Seal Island has over 30,000 seals living on it…they make quite a noise and one does not want to be downwind. It is sickening, absolutely. Overall, we were tremendously lucky with animals…but the weather did not cooperate with the sharks. The boat and captain have been on Nat Geo, it was just a lousy winter day. Worth a try!
We spent our last day going to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, driving and seeing wildlife, and of course, having a fabulous meal on the waterfront. Our guide took us to a marina to see the “seal man” who has “tamed” a wild seal who comes daily to visit and be fed. We all enjoyed feeding this huge guy! He is in his thirties we were told…he is hugely fat!
We stopped at an ostrich farm and fed ostriches….it was great fun, but I was really the only one that loved it. They are so funny….and strange looking! But I loved them. I laughed so hard and could not stop when they pecked my fingers…I heard Ran say to the kids, “Now you know why I married your mother!”. Ran is so sweet. sigh.
We drove up the Cape Point and saw baboons, one was even sitting on a car! One needs to be a little careful with these guys. If they decide to sit on your car, that is tough luck for you! You’ll be waiting until they choose to get off! We also saw a baboon family of three…they are so human! The baby was so pink and only a day or so old.
That evening was one of the best sunsets we have ever seen….we have a great view from our balcony of the ocean, but we walked down to the water to see the sunset.
Africa has been a revelation in so many ways…we all want to return. It has been a tremendous adventure and one of the best experiences of our lives.
Boulders Beach
Outside of Cape Town is Boulders Beach, a beautiful spot where a South African Penguin Colony lives. They are the cutest …birds you can imagine! They are birds, but of course, they don’t fly in the air, they fly underwater! The penguins are nesting at this time of year…I had no idea that penguins made little dens and sat on their eggs. These little babies are brown and furry! We always hear about the Emperor Penguins, but most penguins do not live in such arctic conditions. These penguins are known as Jackass Penguins. I’m not kidding. They are called Jackass because of the “heehaw” sound they make! They really do sound like donkeys! We walked among them, saw their nests and their young, then walked on the beach where a small group of them came out and swam. I sat near the water and enjoyed watching them in their little tuxedos! It was a cloudy day, and “winter” (to them) as well, so we pretty much had them to ourselves. The beach was pristine, with huge boulders (hence the name Boulder’s Beach), and tidal pools filled with sea stars and crabs and other little critters. Incredible experience!
We also met a new animal, the Rock Hyrax or “dassie”. Strangely enough, their closest relative is the elephant! They look like rodents….they are absolutely adorable. I’m sure you will agree that Ally took some wonderful photographs of them.
The Rock Hyrax, or “Dassie”!
We stopped for lunch in Simon’s Town where Ally took a bit of a tumble (fell on her ass, actually). It is usually me, but Ally took the fall on the continent of Africa! (Of course, I have fallen on Africa too….just not on that trip!) Afterward we went up Table Mountain to see the view….endless vistas…
Another beautiful day in South Africa!