Travel Treasures

QE2 in Cape Town

2012-01-29T21:00:00.000Z

The cruise liner, which was scheduled to dock at Durban Harbour tomorrow morning, was delayed in Cape Town due to bad weather.
The 150 000 ton vessel, the largest passenger liner every built, is taking it easy, as there are strong winds blowing at sea.
A shipping agent has told Newswatch the transatlantic ocean liner only left the Mother City this morning.
She will arrive in Durb's on Sunday at around 6am.
The Durban Harbour's north pier will be open to members of the public who would like to view the majestic ship. She will depart that evening.

Oldest ever Dinosaur discovered

2012-01-29T14:45:00.000Z

Golden Gate, South Africa

The earliest ever dinosaur nesting site has been discovered by paleontologists in South Africa. A team from the University of Toronto has uncovered sites in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Free State, which date back to over 190 million years ago, the Telegraphnewspaper reported. The site contains clusters of fossilised eggs, several of which hold dinosaur embryos. The Canadian team found ten separate nesting sites, some containing over thirty eggs. The find puts the new record at over 100 million years older than previous sites.”Even though the fossil record of dinosaurs is extensive, we actually have very little fossil information about their reproductive biology, particularly for early dinosaurs,” said Dr David Evans, the team leader and curator of vertebrate palaeontology at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.
Crucially, the sites reveal the dynamics of dinosaur parents and their young, Evans said. The fossils show that early dinosaurs cared for their young, and that mothers were protective of their brood and returned to sites more than once in their lifespan. The type of dinosaur is suspected to be Massospondylus, which grew to over six metres and was an an ancestor of long-necked sauropod dinosaurs
“This amazing series of 190 million year old nests gives us the first detailed look at dinosaur reproduction early in their evolutionary history, and documents the antiquity of nesting strategies that are only known much later in the dinosaur record,” said Dr. Evans.

Welcome to Cape Town

2012-01-02T06:56:00.001Z

seasons greetings

2011-12-22T17:52:00.000Z

Mozambique?

2011-11-21T17:19:00.002Z

Next Voting Campaign

2011-11-12T07:58:00.001Z

http://cities.new7wonders.com/nomination/en

Vote for Table Mountain before 11-11-11

2011-10-17T18:51:00.000+01:00

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-for-Table-Mountain-to-be-included-in-the-NEW-7-WONDERS-OF-THE-WORLD/127500847279956

http://www.facebook.com/Outoppie/posts/222189784510261

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Great Pyramid of Giza
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Statue of Zeus at Olympia
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Mausoleum of Maussolos at Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse of Alexandria

Read in detail on 7 wonders of the ancient world.

Seven Wonders of the Medieval World

Stonehenge
Colosseum
Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Great Wall of China
Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
Hagia Sophia
Leaning Tower of Pisa

Vote for Table Mountain

2011-10-13T18:34:00.000+01:00

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-for-Table-Mountain-to-be-included-in-the-NEW-7-WONDERS-OF-THE-WORLD/127500847279956

http://www.facebook.com/Outoppie/posts/222189784510261

Hawaii's Volcano/Vulcano Nat Park

2011-09-20T08:12:00.001+01:00

It's Flower Time again

2011-08-15T09:45:00.001+01:00

Incredible Photo

2011-08-15T09:32:00.000+01:00

Malmesbury Swartland

2011-07-29T14:06:00.000+01:00

In the heart of the Swartland Wine Route, not even three kilometres from the closest wine farm, the historic town of Malmesbury rests in a simply gorgeous setting surrounded by mountains, wheat fields, and in winter, yellow blazes of canola and indigenous wild flowers. The largest town in the Swartland, Malmesbury is only 40 minutes’ drive from Cape Town and makes getting away for a weekend a simple matter that includes wine tasting and some superb hikes.

Malmesbury might have a rural setting, but the town has a vibrant community that plays host to the annual Swartland Food and Wine Festival during winter, where wine tasting and good food are the measure of the day. The secret to Swartland wines is the cool sea breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, and the low-yielding bush vines that do so well in the dry land vineyards surrounding Malmesbury.

The original settlers in Malmesbury were drawn here by a sulphur chloride mineral spring, renowned for its healing ability. Today there is a wonderful ‘historic walk about route’ through Malmesbury that takes in the local museum and includes the landmark Dutch Reformed Church - the fifth oldest congregation in the country.

Malmesbury is a mere 30 minutes from the coastal towns of the Cape west coast and an hour from Stellenbosch, Paarl and Wellington which - other than the attraction of the Mediterranean climate, the vineyards and the tranquillity of a rural setting so close to a major metropolis - make it an attractive proposition for any traveller.

Namaqualand Flower Route

2011-07-11T13:30:00.004+01:00

Namaqualand Flower Route

The spring wild flowers are a phenomenon that never ceases to amaze and delight, even for those who live in what is considered South Africa's "outback" – Namaqualand. What at first glance appears to be a wilderness of semi-desert - arid, dusty plains that stretch before one, dramatic mountains in the background, with little by way of colour or animation - is suddenly transformed, as if by a painter with a manic palette, into a pageant of flowers.

The Namaqualand Flower Route lies roughly 5 hours north of Cape Town. You can already see evidence of flowers even in Cape Town, and Postberg, a small section of the West Coast National Park close to Langebaan, gets the juices flowing, but the real flower show belongs to a series of drives that centre on the towns of Garies, Springbok, Kamieskroon and Port Nolloth, way up the N7.

Included in the wild flower route are the Richtersveld National Park, Goegap Nature Reserve, and Skilpad Wild Flower Reserve. Try and include Alexander Bay and the Orange River mouth and estuary in your itinerary. (You can arguably see wild flowers all over the Namaqualand, West Coast and Olifants River Valley, and towns such as Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Lamberts Bay, Nieuwoudtville and Vredendal will not disappoint either).

The riot of flowers is a highly volatile exhibition. Almost 4,000 different species of plant seeds lie awaiting germination that depends entirely on what the weather is doing. Thus every year between July and October brings a different formula, and a different selection of flowers. A requisite stop is at the local tourist information bureau to find out where that year's best flower displays are.

Namaqualand Flower Route

It is hardly surprising that the spectacle is such a draw card to the Namaqualand, where you will need at least two to three days to take in the torrent of colour and the extent of the floral display, if the desert is experiencing a good year.

And the flowers do not have to be approached by car alone. There are hiking and cycling routes that allow close scrutiny of the flower route's indigenous flora, such as those in the Goegap Nature Reserve that also provide picnic spots and overnight facilities.

Eclipse

2011-06-17T11:05:00.004+01:00

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.180840495306396.48830.158547280869051

See the whole event step by step

Knysna Western Cape

2010-12-21T08:22:00.000Z

Knysna (pronounced /ˈnaɪznə/; probably from a Khoikhoi word meaning "ferns")^[1]^[2] is a town with 76,431 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route

A hamlet Melville appeared on the lakeshore in 1825, and was followed by another, Newhaven, in 1846. Knysna town, a 1882 amalgamation of these hamlets, was named after the Knysna River.^[3]
Knysna's port could provide shelter for up to 50 ships,^[4] and the region's abundant timber was exported from this bay as early as 1787.^[5] Landowner George Rex, who landed at the Cape in 1796, played a significant role in the town's early development and is considered the town's founder. Being a difficult port to enter, a harbour pilot was employed to assist large vessels.

One of the better-known pilots was John Benn, originally a shipwright from Mossel Bay, appointed as pilot in 1868 and whose name is borne by a double-deck pleasure cruiser currently operating as a tourist attraction on the Knysna lagoon. The port was officially closed in 1954.
The Norwegian family, Thesen, played a considerable role in the development of Knysna from 1869 onwards. Arnt Leonard Thesen (1816–1875) and his son Charles Wilhelm Thesen in particular, founded and expanded the family timber and shipping business. Charles Thesen was mayor of Knysna for a number of terms.

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knysna
http://www.visitknysna.co.za/component/flippingbook/book/2?page=1
http://www.visitknysna.co.za/tourist-information/things-to-do/things-to-do-in-knysna-

Wellington Western Cape

2010-11-29T15:05:00.002Z

Wellington is a town in the Western Cape Winelands 45 minutes from Cape Town, in South Africa with a population of approximately 58,300. Wellington's economy is centered around agriculture such as wine, table grapes, citrus fruit and a brandy industry. The town is located 75 km north-east of Cape Town, reached by the N1 motorway and R44 highway.
Wellington is situated at the foot of the Groenberg on the banks of the Kromme Rivier (Dutch for Bend River) and forms the center of the Cape Winelands with its picturesque environment and numerous wineries, Wellington's tourism industry has started to blossom. The town is at the base of one of the oldest mountain passes in the country, Bain's Kloof Pass, built by master road-builder Andrew Geddes Bain. The town is the home of the Boland Rugby Union and the professional rugby team the Boland Kavaliers. The town is also an academic centre, with Huguenot College, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the Timothy Ministry Team, Bible Media, Huguenot High School and Bergriver Senior Secondary School amongst others.

Matjiesfontein

2010-11-01T12:38:00.002Z

Matjiesfontein is 'n dorp in die Victoriaanse boustyl in die hartland van die Karoo. Die dorp in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse provinsie Wes-Kaap, wat aanvanklik net 'n stopplek langs die spoorlyn was, waar stoomlokomotiewe van vars water voorsien is, is in 1884 deur die Britse immigrant James ("Jimmy") Douglas Logan gestig. In 1889 rig Logan 'n mineraalwaternywerheid op die dorp op en verkoop water en ander verversings aan treinpassasiers.
Logan se bekende Lord Milner-hotel is in 1899 opgerig. Die lug van die Karoo-halfwoestyn is destyds ook as baie geskik geag vir die behandeling van longsiektes, maar Matjiesfontein lok vinnig ook bekendes soos Cecil Rhodes, die skryfster Olive Schreiner, wat tussen 1890 en 1892 op die dorp woon, Edgar Wallace en Rudyard Kipling.
Tydens die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog (1899-1902) dien Logan se hotel as 'n Britse militêre hospitaal. Met Jimmy Logan se afsterwe in 1920 raak Matjiesfontein uit die mode. Eers in 1968 herleef die dorpie met die heropening van die hotel. In 1970 is Matjiesfontein tot nasionale monument verklaar.
Matjiesfontein met sy gerestoureerde stasie en 'n nuwe konferensiesentrum is deesdae weer 'n gewilde bestemming vir welgestelde Kapenaars

Bethlehem Vrystaat

2010-09-28T11:44:00.003+01:00

Bethlehem, situated in a fertile valley of the Maluti Mountains on the N5 highway, is the largest commercial, industrial & educational centre in the eastern Free State & the northern terminus of the mountain route.
The original settlers found that wheat flourished in the valley & hence the town was named Bethlehem (house of bread). Bethlehem was founded by the Voortrekkers during the 1840's & is the setting for a number of historical sandstone buildings, many of which are now provincial heritage sites.

Worcester Western Cape

2010-09-28T09:48:00.001+01:00

Worcester is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is located 120 km north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg.
Being the largest town in the Western Cape's interior region, it serves as the administrative capital of the Breede Valley Local Municipality and as regional headquarters for most central and Provincial Government Departments. The town also serves as the hub of the Western Cape's interior commercial, distribution and retail activity with a shopping mall, well developed central business district and infrastructure.

The Breede Valley Local Municipality was formed in December 2000 and includes the hamlets of Matroosberg, Touws River, De Doorns, Rawsonville and the town of Worcester. The people are represented by 39 (soon to be 40) councillors, headed by an executive mayor.

Kimberley "Big Hole" Northern Cape

2010-09-28T09:38:00.000+01:00

As miners arrived in their thousands, the hill disappeared, and became known as the Big Hole. From mid-July 1871 to 1914, 50,000 miners dug the hole with picks and shovels, yielding 2,722 kg of diamonds. The Big Hole has a surface of 17 hectares (42 acres) and is 463 metres wide. It was excavated to a depth of 240 m, but then partially infilled with debris reducing its depth to about 215 m; since then it has accumulated water to a depth of 40 m leaving 175 m visible. Beneath the surface, the Kimberly Mine underneath the Big Hole was mined to a depth of 1097 metres. A popular local myth claims that it is the largest hand-dug hole on the world, however Jagersfontein Mine appears to hold that record.^[7] There is currently an effort in progress to register the Big Hole as a World Heritage Site.^[8]

By 1873, Kimberley was the second largest town in South Africa; it had a total population of 13,000 whites and 30,000 blacks.

But the complex workings made the Big Hole increasingly chaotic as men dug deeper. Fights and riots became commonplace. Some kind of order had to be introduced.

Enter Cecil John Rhodes, a country parson’s son, and the flamboyant stage actor Barney Barnato. Both traveled from England for different reasons and eventually cherished the same ideal — the control of all the diamond mines around Kimberley.

Rhodes eventually gained control of the De Beers Mine, while Barnato became chief executive of the Kimberley Central Mining Company. An intense struggle ensued between the two men, but in the end, in 1888, Barnato was persuaded to sell out to Rhodes. With the 35-year-old Rhodes running Kimberley as well, the diamond industry stabilized, while his company, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. monopolized the diamond markets of the world. This was the start of one of the most important ventures of our time

Exploring Abroad

2010-09-23T12:28:00.002+01:00

Dis 'n great blog om al ons tuisblyers op hoogte te hou met jul dag-na-dag excursions oorsee!

Great way to keep everyone up to date on your day-to-day travel excursions
http://www.offexploring.com/

Kokstad East Griqualand

2010-09-23T11:23:00.001+01:00

The little town of Kokstad sits on the boundary between KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape, nestled in the heart of East Griqualand. Kokstad lies in the shadow of Mount Currie on the outer slopes of the Drakensberg and was, until recently, best known for its cheese. Kokstad lies surrounded by mountains in a predominantly stock farming area. This wild and beautiful part of the country was settled by the Griqua - a hardy group of frontiersmen who, after clashing with Boers and the British in the interior, turned east and settled in what was known as ‘No Mans Land’ - in the 1860s.
Their leader, Adam Kok, was responsible for establishing Kokstad. Today it’s a bustling little town, its history encased in its Museum, a national monument on Main Street, which focuses on the Griqua people.
The area is popular for its many rivers and dams that provide ample opportunity for trout fishing, and there are no fewer than three reserves, Mount Currie, Wilfred Bauer, with lovely picnic spots, and the Mountain Lake Nature Reserve, a small reserve peppered with cattle tracks and little paths that provide wonderful walks, as well as over 220 species of bird for bird lovers.
Crystal Dam provides boating and angling opportunities.

Pofadder Namaqualand

2010-09-23T11:05:00.002+01:00

The very little town of Pofadder lies surrounded by rugged, sparsely populated and very scenic countryside. Here locals make their money from sheep or goats farming, and there seems little more to entice you to visit the town than its position on the main route from Upington to Springbok, just 60kilometres from the Namibian border post.

Surrounding towns have equally sleepy backwater sounding names, like Aggeneys, Kakamas and Pella but there is something about this parched countryside that is appealing and, certainly in spring, the blanket of incredible flowers that brighten this part of the world makes a visit here worth the drive. Pofadder is, in fact a great place to overnight and the wee town provides a more than welcome break from endlessly straight roads through the Kalahari plains.

Pofadder has quite a history too. It might be little more than a couple of tar roads, a café, church and hotel, but there was quite a resistance mounted by the original Koranna people (offshoots of the Khoi-Khoi) who made this part of the country their home back when a mission station was set up here in 1875. The station was named Pofadder, not after the snake of the same name as many assume, but after the local Koranna chief. A few fresh water springs, called the Koranna springs, were what attracted these people here originally, and a town soon followed in 1918, officially called Theronsville. Pofadder, however, stuck, and the official name soon followed suit and reverted.

In August this is a great little base from which to explore the Namaqualand daisies, and there is a hiking trail, called the Pofadder hiking trail, in the vicinity.

Namaqualand Flowers

2010-09-23T11:04:00.003+01:00

In terms of natural selection these flowers have been selected for their ability to survive and indeed multiply in a somewhat hostile environment. Dry and hot and dusty for much of the year, they all bring out their delightful flowers in spring, to make the most of the short period before the drought once again settles in, to be pollinated and produce seed, which may lie inactive in the soil for many years. It is difficult to believe that they bring forth their glory simply to attract bees and butterflies and other insects.

There are enormous stores of seed in the soil of the Richtersveld and Namaqualand. These plants have adapted to remain inactive in the soil for many years, and only germinate when the conditions are right ... rain during mid-winter, and hopefully lasting through to springtime. Many of these species have some sort of built in randomiser, so that in any one year only a small percentage of the seeds germinate. If the initial winter rains do not follow through to the spring, then all is not lost ... there are many more seeds in reserve for the following years. And when a good year comes, enormous quantities of seed are produced, renewing the reserves in the soil for future years. Different seeds germinate under different conditions of temperature and moisture, so the predominant flowers in each area will be different from year to year, depending on when the first rains fall.

Vote for Table mountain

2010-09-20T10:11:00.000+01:00

http://www.new7wonders.com/en/
http://www.votefortablemountain.com/

Cheetah Chase

2010-09-04T13:23:00.000+01:00

Photographer Michel Denis-Huot, who captured these amazing pictures on safari in Kenya ‘s Masai Mara in October last year, said he was astounded by what he saw:

Run

“These three brothers (cheetahs) have been living together since they left their mother at about 18 months old,’ he said. ‘On the morning we saw them, they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together. ‘At one point, they met a group of impala who ran away. But one youngster was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easily’”.

These extraordinary scenes followed.

Got you

To cute to eat

Nature has its own mind!

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

2010-09-02T11:45:00.003+01:00

Although the entire coastline of Namibia was formerly called The Skeleton Coast, more commonly today it refers only to the Skeleton Coast National Park. The park stretches from the Kunene River in the north for approximately 500km to the Ugab River in the south, and protects about one-third of Namibia's coastline.

The Kunene River rises in the remote Angolan highlands and is one of Namibia's few perennial rivers and forms one of the country's two permanent estuaries. The crocodile population is still as large and aggressive as ever, even though the wildlife population has declined over the centuries. The strong flow of the Kunene resists tidal excursion and the fresh water pushes several kilometres out to sea, and beware, the crocodiles follow!

The landscape includes sand dunes, canyons and mountain ranges all of which are synonymous with Namibia. The climatic conditions are not necessarily what you would expect in a desert country like Namibia - dense fog and cold sea breezes – and this is caused by the cold Benguela Current which flows offshore, meeting with the extreme heat of the Namib Desert.

The Skeleton Coast is is normally associated with famous shipwrecks, and stories abound of sailors walking for hundreds of kilometres through this barren Namibian landscape in search of food and water. The name came from the bones that lined the beaches from whaling operations and seal hunts, but more than a few of the skeletons were human. The Bushmen called it The Land God Made in Anger and the Portuguese knew it as The Gates of Hell. Ever since European navigators first discovered it, ships have wrecked on it's off-shore rocks, or run aground in the blinding fog. While small boats could land, the strong surf made it impossible to launch, hence the stories of sailors walking through the murderous terrain.

The coast has scores of shipwrecks, some are barely recognizable, other are still in remarkably good condition. Perhaps these tragedies were meant to happen, as the wrecks provide excellent environments for Cape fur seals, living side by side with seabird colonies, offering unequaled maritime photographic opportunities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_Coast
http://www.namibian.org/travel/namibia/skeleton.htm

Kruger 2 Canyons

2010-07-18T11:14:00.001+01:00

http://www.kruger2canyons.com/home/

Keepflying

2010-07-16T09:06:00.001+01:00

http://www.keepflying.co.za/
download mp3 here
http://www.keepflying.co.za/download/Keep%20flying%20booklet%20and%20song/Keep%20Flying%20Track.mp3

Cape Town's Coffee Route

2010-07-10T11:16:00.000+01:00

Cape Town’s Coffee Culture is a thriving one. Our list of favourite places to stop for a coffee or a bite to eat includes local favourites to coffee boutiques for the connoisseur. Included are perennial favourites such as Newport Deli in Mouille Point and Giovanni’s in Green Point and highly acclaimed Jardine on Bree - but the list also offers a few lesser known gems like The Daily Deli in Tamboerskloof and C’est la Vie in Kalk Bay. To view the full list see Cape Town Coffee Route.

Valley of the Elephants

2010-07-10T10:36:00.000+01:00

Travelling east visitors will discover the rich natural heritage of the Lowveld with its claim to fame, the world-famous Kruger National Park. This region differs markedly from the rest of Limpopo and is loved for its scenic valleys, mountains and lush vegetation.

As its name suggests, this region falls in the valley of the great Olifants River that meanders through the Kruger National Park, forming the southern border of the Limpopo province. The valley forms part of the northernmost section of the Drakensberg, and the Lowveld does not end in Mpumalanga, but stretches further north and surrounds many towns in Limpopo.

Clarens Freestate

2010-07-07T10:59:00.000+01:00

Clarens the jewel of the Eastern Free State.
The village of Clarens is situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in close proximity to the Golden Gate National Park and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Clarens is an Artists haven with many well known artists either living in or frequenting the village on a regular basis with many art galleries scattered around the village square. The tranquil village ambience combined with scenic views and a mild climate makes for the ideal weekend getaway for city dwellers from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Durban. These cities are all approximately 300km from Clarens or a comfortable 3 to 4 hours drive away.

The village has become know as the "Jewel of the Free State" - rich in beauty, with an aura of peace and tranquillity. Clarens is endowed with more trees than most other Free State towns - the fresh, light green willows and colourful blossoms of the many fruit trees are an unforgettable sight in spring time; whilst the magnificent autumn shades of the lombard poplars attract artists, photographers and nature lovers. The town is known for the many Art and Craft shops which offer the visitor a wide range of curios and original artwork. Another feature which adds to the picturesque atmosphere of the village is the many sandstone buildings. The popular Golden Gate National Park is located in the near vicinity of Clarens, and the area attracts many visitors. Courtesy of Clarens Tourism

The 2010 Soccer World Cup Final is here

2010-07-06T10:49:00.001+01:00

Zorbing hit South Africa

2010-06-19T11:12:00.001+01:00

http://www.zorbingsa.com/

Vuvuzela Button

2010-06-19T10:43:00.000+01:00

Vuvuzela Button

Explore the stadiums in South Africa with Street View in Google Maps

2010-06-15T09:17:00.000+01:00

Durban Soccer Fever

2010-06-14T12:57:00.001+01:00

Cape Town Soccer Fever

2010-06-14T12:44:00.004+01:00

Diski Dance

2010-06-09T09:12:00.000+01:00

The word ''diski'' is slang for soccer in South Africa, but is also used to describe the local style of football, which is known for its fluid movements and emphasis on dribbling and other tricks.

There are no words to go with the dance, but it can be punctuated with the occasional call of ''Laduma'', a victory cry at South African soccer matches, which means ''he thunders'' in Zulu
http://www.southafrica.info/video/diski-dance1.htm
all the moves here!
http://www.southafrica.info/video/diski-dance2.htm
and here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fML326GXJPY&feature=related
and here
http://www.learntodiski.com/

Tugela Falls KZN

2010-06-06T10:22:00.002+01:00

ositioned within the Kwazulu Natal area of South Africa, Tugela Falls is known to be the second-maximum waterfall all across the whole world. By means of a totality tallness of almost 3,110 ft (approximately 948 m), Tugela Falls takes account of five breaks up tiers, as well as its tallest solitary drop is almost 1,350 ft (approximately 411 m). The prominent Tugela Falls starts at the summit of a mountain that was similar to an amphitheater as well as acknowledged as Mont Aux Sources. It is a moderately thin falls, by means of a thickness of almost 50 ft (approximately 15 meters) as well as an average quantity of almost 50 cu ft for each second.

Tugela Falls is a great deal easier to way in with compared with a number of various other waterfalls. In addition you can whichever arrive at the pinnacle of this mountain subsequent to a 5 hr ramble as of a car park placed in close proximity, or else you can arrive at the bed of the falls subsequent to a comparatively dumpy ramble of almost 5 miles by the way of the popular Royal Natal National Park located in South Africa. Whichever hotels that you would love to stay at while traveling across South Africa will surely provide you with information regarding getting to as well as from the Tugela Falls.

Tugela Falls are known as the subsequent highest waterfall all across the world. The full amount drop in 5 free-bounding falls is almost 3,110 ft (approximately 947 m). They are positioned within the regions of Drakensberg (commonly known as Dragon’s Mountains) surrounded by the Royal Natal National Park within the KwaZulu-Natal Province, in the Republic of South Africa. The prominent Tugela Falls are with no trouble sighted following a heavy rain on or after the central journey road into this park, gleaming as of the likeness of the tardy afternoon sun.

The starting place of the renowned Tugela River (the Zulu word for swift) is located at Mont-Aux-Sources a number of kilometers as of the escarpment starting from where the falls drop. The water is pure and safe to drink above the falls.

Hiking Tracks to the famous Tugela Falls

The Gorge Walk up to the pedestal of the Tugela Falls

Starting as of Tendele Camp, go on downward up to the Tugela River, at this juncture the foremost Gorge path will be arrived at. Now from this point the course is understandable. There is by no means additional popular or chocolate box walk other than the simple Gorge walk; this walk is surely not be missed any tourists visiting the fall, as well as to facilitate you to formulate the majority of this expedition, take a complete day over the journey. (Return excursion around 22,5 km almost completed in 6 hours 30 minutes).

Sentinel Peak car park is located at the pinnacle of the amphitheatre by means of the sequence ladder. The time required to have a complete return hike is almost 5 hour. This is the no more than a single day hiking trail, which will surely get the tourists up to the summit of the Drakensberg escarpment anytime in a levelheaded day. This path comes to an end at the summit of the huge Tugela Falls.

List of Caves in South Africa

2010-06-06T10:14:00.001+01:00

Here is the list of other superb caves in South Africa:

Baboti Caves
Blombos Cave
Boesmansga
Coopers Cave
Die Kelders
Gladysvale Cave
Howieson’s Poort Shelter

Gondolin Cave
Klasies River Caves
Kromdraai Fossil Site
Makapansgat
Motsetsi Cave
Onmeetbarediepgat
Pinnacle Point Caves
Plovers Lake

Sterkfontein
Sibudu Cave
Sudwala Caves
Wonder Cave Kromdraai
Wonderwerk Cave

So if you are a real adventurous kind of personality then just head towards South Africa and bring a change to your life by visiting all these mind-blowing, spectacular, fascinating, superb and ever seen sites. I do not have any words to define the creation of nature which is actually a gift to us

South African Caves

2010-06-06T10:13:00.001+01:00

Africa is a place where you can experience the ancient days. Africa is a set of historical monuments and if I talk about the caves of South Africa, no doubt, it will be endless. When tourists plan to visit South Africa, their initial locations on the list remains of Cape Town, Winelands, Robben Island or the Garden Route. But if you are a real lover who love to explore the nature and history then here South Africa is waiting for you.

If you are planning for a trip then do think about the South Africa where you will meet the deep, gigantic, pre-historic, amazing caves. These caves will definitely fasten your heart beats and may be a little scary but it is an interesting and fabulous one. Those who are crazy to see such mind blowing, spectacular historical wonder must visit to South Africa at least once in their life.

You may know that every country have caves that may be awesome but South Africa is rich in that and holds the top position on the list. It’s common to wander around the tunnels but what is more thrilling is that when you enter deep down the dark tunnel that never ends and was made before millions of years ago. There are many sites in South Africa where you will find these networks of caves and tunnels. I bet if you once visit these sites you will always miss those for the rest of your life. Let me explore few of the UNESCO World Heritage Site to you that cannot be comparable or you have never dreamt some like these before. Some of the sites are The Cradle of Human Kind, or the huge Cango Caves, Echo Caves and Sudwala Caves.

The Cradle of Humankind:

The Cradle of Humankind is a World Heritage Site which was initially named by UNESCO in the year 1999 and is located at a distance of 50 kilometres to the northwest of Johannesburg’s Gauteng province in South Africa. This site covers an area of about 183 square miles and includes a complex of limestone caves like the Sterkfontein Caves. At the Sterkfontein Caves some 2.3 million year old fossil was discovered by Dr. Robert Broom and John T. Robinson in the year 1947. The name of that fossil is Australopithecus africanus which has its own nickname as “Mrs. Ples”. They also discovered the Wonder Cave.

This fossil is a proof of our ancestor’s existence at this area. Hence, its name is very much similar to what it wants to predict. Here you can realize the base of direct ancestors to the modern humans. At this site you will get over three dozen caves that bears fossil. Sites like Blot’s Farm, Cooper’s Cave, Drimolen, Gondolin, Haasgat, Kromdraai, Minaars Cave, Motsetsi, Plovers Lake, Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Wonder Cave.

Cango Caves:

Cango Caves is one of the well-known caves in South Africa. These caves are situated near the Garden Route and attract most of the tourist from around the globe. Those who love adventure should first go to these caves but should go with the guided tours. As an advice you should only stay at those areas which are open for public as it could be dangerous.
No wonder, you are gonna explore a new world that you have never expected before. This world popular site is a worth visiting place to visit and experience the difference. Cango Caves lie at the foothills of Swartberg range close to the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape Province. The tunnels and chambers cover four kilometers but only a quarter is open to the visitors. You will have to go with the guided tour. So even if you go with the groups you will definitely lost into your dreams. The caves are measured as a part of the Garden Route. You will be offered with a special package which is the Adventure Tour that will help you to explore the caves.

Sudwala Caves:

Sudwala is again one of the oldest caves in the world and is situated at Mpumalanga in South Africa. Normally, this site is not that busy like Congo but will worth your trip. These caves are the set of Precambrian dolomite rock which was initially laid down before 3800 million years. These caves were formed by themselves during 240 million years ago and are the oldest caves in the world.

Sudwala Caves were used as a home in the prehistoric times. The caves were discovered by the Somquba. He and his followers used the caves as refuge till he was killed in an attack. The survivors stayed there under the leadership of an inDuna which is called as the headman or leader whose name was Sudwala. Due to this, the name of the caves was kept after Sudwala.

To explore the caves I will again tell you to follow the guided tour as the caves are thousands of metres deep. You will get two tours at this site. One is the Cave Tour and the other is the Crystal Tour. The Cave Tour will be of one hour after that you will find yourself at 600 metres down the caves.

Echo Caves:

If you reach to the Mpumalanga Region or visited the Sudwala Caves then you should also visit the Echo Caves that lies close to the west of Kruger Park in Mpumalanga Region. The caves were found by a farmer who was searching his cattle that was disappeared. He started looking for answers but it was his own voice that was spreading all over. These caves are over 40 kilometres long and were named due to its spectacular feature of creating echoes.

The Caves is a historical monument and is among the oldest caves in the world. The end point of the cave has not yet found but as per the assumptions the end is somewhere near to the strijdom tunnel. All of these caves are fascinating enough to make you feel like you have spent your life entirely. After finishing these trips you will never stop creating dreams to visit again.

Blyde River Canyon Mpumalanga

2010-06-06T10:09:00.002+01:00

Picturesque Blyde River Canyon

The natural wonder located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga is the world’s third largest canyon after Grand Canyon of USA and Namibia’s Fish River Canyon. Deep by 2500 feet and lengthy by 26 kilometers, the canyon is made up of red-colored sandstones. Three Rondavels is one of the best views offered by the canyon vicinity. Renamed as Motlatse, its magnificent mountain scenery and the surrounding see sights are the best reasons to be there at least once in lifetime. The canyon passes from the Drakensberg Mountain Range and it also contains Lowveld Riparian Forest that is extended upto 100 hectares. The vicinity also locates as Swadini dam and you can also enjoy boating in the dam locality.

Its nearby Kadishi waterfall is also the second tallest tufa waterfall worldwide. In an attempt to provide information to the visitors, two offices are available at Swadini and Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Its nearby Drakensberg escarpment is also a famous region for tourism point of view as infrastructure-wise it offers first-class service.

Lively wildlife and plant life

The place is also known for its rich biodiversity and its wildlife includes Crocodiles, Hippos, monkeys and every ancient animal of South Africa. Even, you can find species of antelope and fish. It is also known as paradise for bird-watchers as it contains almost all type of bird species. From almost 50 bird species few includes African Fish Eagle, Redbacked Mannikin, Green Twinspot, Cape Vulture, Gurney’s Sugarbird, Blackbreasted Snake Eagle, Whitebacked Vulture, and Jackal Buzzard. It contains more than one thousand plant species and some of them are very rare species and are found here only.

Enjoyable activities

Canoeing
Abseiling activities
Rock climbing
Boating in the dam vicinity
Taking a look at Tufa waterfalls

Nearby accommodations

Bona Intaba Lodge

The place will let you take glimpses of the beautiful mountain of Blyde River Canyon. The lodge with all the modern amenities also contains a distinctive swimming pool.

Forever Resorts

Here you will find many resorts, lodges, resorts, conference rooms, and even many adventurous things could be experienced.

Point Panorama

From the premises you will be able to take look at the magnificent views. The staff is very friendly and it offers the tasty food.

Traveller's Choice Destinations! Tripadvisor

2010-05-07T08:00:00.003+01:00

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312659-Cape_Town_Western_Cape-Vacations.html http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312618-Kruger_National_Park-Vacations.html http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g312558- Plettenberg_Bay_Garden_Route_Western_Cape-Vacations.html see the rest eher: http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations-cTop25-g6

Orlando Attractions

2010-04-22T11:28:00.000+01:00

Attractions and Theme Parks in Orlando

Orlando's favorite attractions may be Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World, but don't forget the many other area attractions, theme parks, water parks and dinner shows in and around Orlando.

Animal Attractions (7) SeaWorld (16) Dinner Shows (9) Theme Parks (8) Exhibits, Shows and Display (4) Thrill Rides & Adventures (3) Interactive Gaming (3) Universal Orlando (15) Parks & Gardens (11) Walt Disney World (49) Ride Reviews (9) Water Parks (11)

Unclaimed Luggage

2010-04-22T11:25:00.000+01:00

Did you know that airlines mishandle 7.34 out of every 1,000 bags and that unclaimed luggage finally winds up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama where the merchandise is sold at bargan basement prices which makes the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro one of Alabama's major tourist destinations? Source: How Stuff Works

This is why I will not attend a soccer match

2010-04-18T13:34:00.000+01:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LapFW3vr7HE
very disturbing video!

Message for SA

2010-03-12T13:01:00.001Z

You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

World's largest can sculpture at DisneyWorld

2010-02-12T08:19:00.001Z

115,000 cans

New Gautrain

2010-02-02T07:56:00.001Z

Tour de France 1940

2010-01-29T13:54:00.002Z

Top South Africa Attractions

2010-01-21T09:10:00.003Z

http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/south-africa-saf.htm

The top tourist attractions in South Africa are:

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront: Cape Town
Table Mountains Cable way: Cape Town
The Wine Route: Stellenbosch, Paarl, Boland.
Kirstenbosch Botanic gardens: Cape Town
The Garden Route: Cape Town to Port Elizabeth

Ostrich Farms: Oudtshoorn ,Karoo, Western cape
Kruger National park: Mpulmalanga / Limpopo Province
Durban Beach Front: Durban City
Robben Island: From cape Town Water Front
Cango Caves: Oudtshoorn ,Karoo, western cape
Blyde River canyon: Mpumalanga Escarpment
Pretoria: Gauteng
Drakensberg Resorts: uKhahlamba drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal
Pilgrims Rest Historic Village: Mpumalanga Escarpment
KwaZulu-Natal Game Parks: Northern Natal
Shakaland Cultural Zulu Village: Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal
Gold reef City: Johannesburg
Soweto: Gauteng (only guided tours)
Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape
EasternCape Beaches: Eastern Cape
Eastern cape National Parks: Eastern Cape
Mpumalanga Private Game Reserve: Mpumalanga
Sun City resort and Pilanesberg National Park: North west Province
Namaqualand Wild flower Routes and Parks: Northern Cape

Google Street View to Capture the Big Outdoors in South Africa

2010-01-21T08:55:00.000Z

Google and South African Tourism announced the winners of the online and mobile poll, in which South Africans voted for the first tourist attractions to be photographed by the Google Street View Trike.

The top three most popular tourist attractions will get a visit from the Street View trike and car in the coming weeks. The images it collects will be carefully stitched together with the aim for them to be available in Street View on Google Maps, in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Trikes, which weigh nearly 115kg, is comprised by three bicycle wheels, a mounted Street View camera and a specially decorated box containing image-collecting gadgetry.

The three winners reveal South Africa's passion for the big outdoors: Chapman's Peak and the Cape coastal routes; Kruger National Park; and the Blyde River Canyon. These tourist attractions will be put right on the virtual map, tempting people at home and overseas to explore South Africa's scenery and landmarks in an exciting new way, over the internet.
In addition to the Cape coastal routes, Kruger and the Blyde River Canyon, the voting shortlist of 20 included Tsitsikamma National Park, Simon's Town and Boulders Beach, the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Franschhoek Winelands, Durban Waterfront, Newlands Cricket Stadium, Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves, Addo Elephant Park, Madiba's House, Hector Pieterson Memorial and other Soweto Highlights; Constitution Hill; St Lucia/iSimangaliso Wetlands; the Big Hole, Kimberley; Cathedral Peak; the Apartheid Museum; Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift and Valley of the Zulu Kings; Golf Course Highlights and the Bloemfontein Houses of Parliament.

Project 365: Take a photo a day for a year

2010-01-18T08:10:00.002Z

Photography web site Photojojo suggests documenting your life by taking a photo every day for a year; they call it Project 365. The author gives a few reasons why you might want to do this, most compelling to me being:

Your year-long photo album will be an amazing way to document your travels and accomplishments, your haircuts and relationships. Time moves surprisingly fast.

At first I thought the idea was along the lines of the popular YouTube video where the girl takes a picture of herself every day for three years, but it's actually broader than that. You take a picture of anything (the Photojojo post suggests varying your themes) and post it somewhere (like Flickr) where you can keep all 365 of your photos.

As photo uploading gets easier and cameraphones get better, the commitment required to do something like this isn't that bad. Alternatively, if you have a webcam or something along those lines on your computer (like an iSight), going the picture of yourself every day route seems even easier. So if either of these ideas trip your trigger, it's time to get documenting.

If you've ever taken on similar photo-documenting projects, share them with your fellow life hackers in the comments. — Adam Pash

Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day and See Your Life in a Whole New Way
http://www.365project.co.za/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/project_365/
http://lifehacker.com/207424/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day-for-a-year
http://365project.org/discuss/articles/97/keeping-your-365-images-forever
Places to keep your pics

Looking for: Table Mountain Pics

2010-01-16T09:39:00.003Z

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Africa/South_Africa/West/Western_Cape/Cape_Town_Table_Mountain/
http://www.sa-venues.com/table_mountain.htm

Looking for: Great Wall of China

2010-01-16T09:32:00.001Z

3 Pages of pics here

http://pixdaus.com/index.php?pageno=2&tag=great+wall&sort=tag

Hottest Places to visit

2010-01-15T08:41:00.002Z

With the cold spell in the northen hemisphere this might bwe the hottest places to visit right now:

Best of South Africa

2010-01-07T13:39:00.000Z

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22147110/Best-of-South-Africa

2010 Soccer World Cup South Africa

2009-12-31T08:49:00.001Z

http://goafrica.about.com/od/southafrica/a/2010worldcup.htm

The 2010 World Cup Soccer (football) event is taking place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July. Find out how to buy tickets; where the World Cup Stadiums are and how to get there; what World Cup tours are on offer; how to get to South Africa and more.

Tickets to the 2010 World Cup

Tickets for the World Cup are on sale now, but getting a ticket is complicated. There are 5 distinct "Ticket Sales Phases". The period from 20 February 2009 to 7 April 2010 is divided into 4 separate Ticket Sales.....................

Best wildlife in the World

2009-12-18T08:34:00.000Z

For me, there is one leopard that I feel the most affection for. The Maxabeni Young Male, so called owing to the spot pattern on either side of his shiny pink nose. Unlike his more evasive twin brother, this young male is willing to share his journey into adulthood. Cocky and cheeky but still desperately trying to learn where his place in the world is, every moment spent with him is different, interesting and thought provoking. I have watched him hunt his first antelope, leap away in fright from prowling hyenas and how his body language shifts from fear to confidence in momentary flashes. He has taught me lessons of persistence, courage and the value of cutting your losses. He is only a year old, yet he is wise. http://www.londolozi.com/ http://sarocks.co.za/2009/11/18/the-best-wildlife-in-the-world/

South African Festivals

2009-12-14T11:30:00.001Z

Splashy Fen
Splashy Fen
South Africa's longest-running and most renowned annual music festival, Splashy Fen has evolved into the ultimate outdoor experience for music and nature lovers alike. Apart from music, draw cards include a host of fun outdoor activities for the whole family.

OppiKoppi Music Festival
OppiKoppi Music Festival
One of South Africa's most popular music festivals, held bi-annually at the foot and on top of a hill on a farm in the middle of the bushveld near the small town of Northam, Limpopo.

Football Fever
Football 2010
In June 2010, millions of football-loving tourists will descend on South Africa, and billions of television watchers around the world will watch The FIFA 2010 World Cup being played.

Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Jazz Festival
This proudly South African event are hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre over two days at the end of March or beginning April each year and is known as Africa's Grandest Gathering.

South African Festivals
SA Festivals List
A list of some of the festivals held annually throughout South Africa - from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival on 2nd New Year to the Oppikoppi Bushveld Musical Festival held on a farm near Northam (Limpopo).

National Arts Festival
Arts Festival
The biggest and most vibrant celebration of South Africa's rich and multi-faceted culture is the annual Standard Bank National Arts festival held in Grahamstown. This quaint Eastern Cape city is transformed into the country's creative crucible and for 11 days in July it's the only place to be.

Wine Festivals in South Africa
Wine Festivals
A number and variety of wine festivals and shows are annually held in South Afric

Is travelling in South Africa still save?

2009-11-28T10:29:00.004Z

Only when you are nice with the locals

Eastern Transvaal South Africa (Mpumalanga)

2009-11-28T09:14:00.002Z

Eastern Transvaal - South Africa

Eastern Transvaal in South Africa often referred to as "Big Game Country" is the setting for dozens of sanctuaries teeming with wildlife and birds. Among them, the Kruger National Park is world renowned, as are several of the luxurious private reserves on its western boundary. The entire area of Eastern Transvaal offers exceptional opportunities for bird-watching, hiking, horse-riding and fishing. Streams once panned for gold have become the haunts of eager anglers and lazy trout.

Eastern Transvaal is steeped in the history of pioneers, hunters and fortune seekers, fascinating gold rush towns abound. Barberton and Pilgrim's Rest are among the most famous. A special, additional dimension occurs in the Middleveld region which is inhabited by Ndebele people, notable for their traditional costumes and attractively decorated houses.

En route to the Kruger National Park through Eastern Transvaal, you have the advantage of some stunning scenery. Turn off the N4 to the village of Dullstroom, travel over the Long Tom Pass and its splendid panoramic views to Lone Creek Falls and the charming forestry town of Sabie. Just beyond Sabie, the Mac Mac Falls are worth stopping for; and you can treat yourself to a swim in the crystal-clear pools.

A small detour leads to Pilgrim's Rest; a fascinating historic town, well worth exploring before continuing to Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve. In the reserve, you can feast your eyes on the Blyde River Canyon and the rich bird life. At the southern tip of the reserve, the view from God's Window stretches to eternity across the lowveld. From there, it's a short and easy drive to some of the finest private game reserves in the country and Orpen Gate to the Kruger National Park.

This is the land of baobabs, fever trees, knob thorns, marula and mopane trees underneath which lurk the Big Five, the Little Five (buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion and rhino beetle), the birding Big Six (ground hornbill, kori bustard, lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, pel’s fishing owl and saddle-bill stork) and more species of mammals than any other African Game Reserve.

Best Hotel in the World

2009-08-20T15:09:00.002+01:00

SA het beste hotel in die wêreld!

Having been rated against the finest hotels around the globe, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat was voted the Best Hotel in the World in the 2009 US Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards Reader’s Survey. The exclusive five-star wilderness retreat at the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains, some 270m north of Cape Town (South Africa), also took pole position as Number 1 Lodge/Resort in Africa and the Middle East.
Sister property, The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa performed equally well, winning top honours as both Best City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East, as well as Best Hotel Spa in Africa and the Middle East.
The results of the extensive annual Travel + Leisure magazine readers’ survey were announced in the USA on NBC’S Today Show on Friday (10 July 2009). Winners will be honoured at a Travel + Leisure winner’s dinner and award ceremony at the new Cooper Square Hotel in New York City on July 21st.

Die Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is pas deur die US Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards as beste hotel ter wêreld aangewys.

Hierdie vyfster- wildernis-wegbreekplek is geleë in die Cederberge, 270 km van Kaapstad. Dis 'n ekologiese oase, 'n eg Suid-Afrikaanse erfenisgebied, waar luuksheid en die natuur in harmonie saamleef. Van die aardse dog luukse-verblyf, tot die kontemporêre Kaapse kookkuns, top-klas spa en vlaktes vol vars lug, is dit g’n wonder dat Bushmans Kloof bekroon is. Daar's sowat 130 plekke in die reservaat waar boesmantekeninge nog sigbaar is en talle bedreigde plant- en dierspesies het hier 'n huis gevind.
Besoek www.bushmanskloof.co.za vir meer.

Het jy geweet?
Die Twelwe Apostles-hotel in Kaapstad het die toekenning as beste stadshotel in die wêreld en beste hotelspa in Afrika en in die Midde-Ooste by dieselfde geleentheid gewen.

Dubai Island Abu Dhabi

2009-08-12T10:50:00.000+01:00

Not futuristic and advanced enough? How about “Rotating City” urban concept, which will be built anytime soon on an island in Abu Dhabi. The Rotating City, also by High Rise RE, is a city project where every building rotates and faces different environments according to the owner’s wishes. At 10 million square feet, this city definitely has the closer look to Spaceport in Star Wars. The city will consists of 20 rotating building 300 revolving, floating and flying villas on the water, also able to rotate at wish. Inside the city there are also 5-star hotel tower with 300 rooms, 4-star hotel tower with 350 rooms and Attraction Park with an animation box, magic carpet, river adventure, conference room and wedding room.

Top Disney World Resources

2009-08-06T10:11:00.003+01:00

Disney World A-Z
http://goflorida.about.com/od/disneyworld/a/wdw_azlist.htm
Disney World withou the Theme Parks
http://goflorida.about.com/cs/disneyworld/a/wdw_resortfun.htm
Orlando
http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/orlandowithkids/tp/Orlando_Florida.htm
All about Disney World
http://goflorida.about.com/lr/disney_world/246808/1/
All about Theme Parks
http://goflorida.about.com/lr/theme_parks/246808/2/
Top things to do
http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/orlandowithkids/tp/Top-Things-to-Do-in-Orlando.htm

Namibia Sand Dunes

2009-07-30T10:59:00.001+01:00

Skeleton Coast

Longwall

Cherry Festival Fickburg

2009-07-29T15:15:00.003+01:00

19-21 Nov 2009

The busy town of Ficksburg is situated on the slopes of the Mpharane Mountain near the border of South Africa and is considered to be an important gateway into the neighbouring Lesotho. It is the principal cherry-producing centre in the country and is the regions top producer of grain, corn, livestock, potatoes, fruit and dairy products. Ficksburg has great outdoor and adventure activities to entertain any visitor and is currently the highest altitude dive point in Africa. History and Activities for Ficksburg The area around Ficksburg was always a revered region due to its excellent climate, good rainfall and attractive environment. It was therefore subjected to many ongoing land disputes between different tribes. The European settlers arrived in this area in the mid 1830’s and over the next 30 years remained in a state of turmoil. Commandant General Johan Fick became a renowned figure in this area during these Frontier Wars between the Settlers and the neighbouring Sotho’s. The town was eventually founded in 1867 and named after the Commandant General. The following activities are available: * 4x4 Trails * Abseiling * Altitude Scuba Diving * Architectural significance * Art Gallery * Asparagus Festival * Birding * Boating * Cherry Farm and Tours * Cherry Festival * Cherry Products * Game Viewing * Hiking * Historical significance * Horse riding * Hunting * Memorial * Meulspruit Dam * Mpharane Mountain * Mpharane Nature Reserve * Museums * Music Festival * National Monuments * Quad Biking * Rock Climbing * San Rock Artwork * Skiing (Lesotho) * Water sports

Cape Town Downfall?

2009-07-29T14:01:00.000+01:00

You know, not everything about Cape Town is so spick and span. The city crawls with the undergrowth which every developing city acquires, from homelessness to crime, litter to the daily offerings on Long Street of any drug under the sun.

Scared yet? You shouldn’t be. As far as cities go, Cape Town is actually one of the best in the world in terms of safety, cleanliness and a transportation networks top in its class in the country. Yes, there may be down sides to this seaside town, especially if you are used to cities where the grime of the underclass is hidden from view. If you happen to stay in Cape Town accommodation, from Rondebosch to Roodebloom, Woodstock to the Winchester Mansions, you will inevitably come across someone who is off their rocker on drugs or using a trolley to ferry his or her belongings about town. Should you run and hide? No. You should take it all in. This is Cape Town; this is the Mother City; this is natural life. Although you may not agree with it and want to help out, life is not always so orderly. Your passport entitles you to see the countries of the world in anyway you wish to see them. However, it also entitles those cities to impose their way of living on you – even for just a little bit. If you have a passport and you wish to travel on it, make sure you realise that cities around the world rock to their own metronome, some adhere to the rules you are used to, some do not.

For your next Cape Town holiday, why not take a trip into the ghettos of Khayelitsha or Gugletu. You might find yourself surprised at the welcome you get.

The Lion Whisperer

2009-07-24T09:56:00.005+01:00

Kevin Richardson, a zoologist and animal behaviouralist, has raised and trained some of the most dangerous animals known to man.The Kind of Animals most people come to see on African wildlife safaris are what Kevin refers to as playmates.

To do this he does not use the common methods of breaking the animal’s spirit with sticks and chains, instead he uses love, understanding and trust. With this unusual method of training he has developed some exceptionally personal bonds with his students. He sleeps with lions, cuddles newborn hyenas, swims with lionesses.Kevin can confidently look into their eyes, crouch to the their level and even lie down with them - all taboos in the normal world of wild animal handling - yet he doesn’t get mauled or attacked. Some people call him crazy; others shake their heads at his unique method of interacting with the animals.To others he is a hero because he has been able to tame and handle beasts that haunt our imagination, triggering our deepest fears.This has earned Kevin the name the Lion whisperer.The Lion whisperer’s secret - get to know the particular personality of each animal, what makes them angry, happy, upset, irritated - just like a mother with a child.

Kevin’s interaction with these animals has raised questions, and dispelled certain myths.Kevin goes to show that animals do have individual characters, they do show feelings and most of all they can develop a special bond with a man.Not only does the whisperer get them to do things but he makes these dangerous creatures to show their playful side.The relationship Kevin has with these creatures is that of respect. Both man and animal have great respect for one another. Kevin treats each individual differently, speaking to them, caressing them and, above all, treating them with respect.Richardson who has been working with the animals for the last ten years , has had his share of close encounters. This in the early days of his work when a four-year-old male lion gave him a lesson he will never forget.He says the beast put him to the ground and bit him until something in his passive attitude stopped the lion.Honestly i don’t understand what he means by that. Maybe the lion wasn’t just interested in having him for lunch.I mean how do you put sense in a lion that is about to turn you into a snack?

Having learnt his lesson early on the lion whisperer says he relays on his instincts to gauge situations and will not just approach a creature especially if it doesn’t feel right.He is also more confident with animals he has known since birth.

Main

Popular Cities to visit

2009-07-22T12:18:00.000+01:00

Popular Cities to Visit

Chicago, IL, United States

Mumbai, India

New York, New York, United States

Delhi, India

Los Angeles, CA, United States

San Paulo, Brazil

San Francisco, CA, United States

Most Visited Countries

Great Websites for Travelers

2009-07-22T12:17:00.001+01:00

Some great websites for travelers!

Recently, I have been doing a lot of research on travel and travel writers. I have been keeping track of sites I really like, and, whenever I can, I tweet about them. Since today is #traveltuesday on Twitter, I thought I'd share my fave sites this week with you all in one place! Whether you are seeking travel advice or tips, travel photography, travel stories, bloggers or travel experts, this short list is sure to help you before you make any major travel plans!

For travel news/advice/stories/tips
World Hum - http://www.worldhum.com
Tripso - http://www.tripso.com
Matador Travel - http://www.matadortravel.com/
Travelsense - http://www.travelsense.org
TravelandLeisure - http://www.travelandleisure.com
Away.com - http://www.away.com
Viator - http://www.viator.com
BrilliantTrips - http://www.brillianttrips.com

For travel photography/videos
Digital Apoptosis - http://www.digitalapoptosis.com/
Darwin Wiggett (check out the Canadian landscape!)- http://www.darwinwiggett.com
Travelistic - http://www.travelistic.com/
Virtourist - http://www.virtourist.com/
Reason To Wander - http://www.reasontowander.com/
Travelvice - http://travelvice.com/

For solo travelers
Travel Betty - http://www.travel-betty.com/
Overland Tales - http://www.overlandtales.com/
Where the hell is Matt? (funny!) - http://www.wherethehellismatt.typepad.com/blog/

Cheers,
Katy Lynch
Community Manager
katy@whereivebeen.com

France's Chateaux Directory

2009-07-16T14:10:00.003+01:00

Chateaux de Bourron

French Chateaux Directory [ l'annuaire Châteaux français ] by Region
		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11	Alsace Aquitaine Auvergne Bourgogne - Burgundy Bretagne - Brittany Centre - Loire Valley Champagne-Ardenne Corsica Franche-Comte Ile-de-France Languedoc-Roussillon	12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22	Limousin Lorraine Midi-Pyrenees Nord-Pas-de-Calais Normandy-Lower Normandy - Upper Pays-de-la-Loire [W.Loire] Picardie Poitou-Charentes Provence-Alpes Rhone-Alpes

Learn Afrikaans before 2010

2009-07-16T13:58:00.004+01:00

Learn to speak Afrikaans before you visit South Africa for the 2010 Soccer World Cup
http://www.openlanguages.net/afrikaans

Fastest Water Slide at Walt Disney World Florida Summit Plummet

2009-07-16T11:30:00.006+01:00

Walt Disney World isn't known for its thrills, but Summit Plummet is one of the world's tallest, fastest water slides. And it just may be the single most thrilling attraction at the Florida resort.

Summit Plummet Up-Front Info

Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 9
Insane height and speed for a water slide
Water slide type: Speed slide
Height restriction to ride: 48 inches
Height of slide: 120 feet
Speed: Varies according to rider--approx. 60 mph for adults and 50 mph for kids
Summit Plummet and other Blizzard Beach Scenes Photo Gallery

Big Hole Kimberley and Museum

2009-07-13T14:38:00.003+01:00

Bar-Museum

Old Town

The biggest diamond rush which the world has ever seen. Kimberley (the capital of the Northern Cape, South Africa) is famous with the Big Hole. It’s a huge open-pit diamond mine and claimed to be the largest hole excavated by hand. 50,000 miners dug a almost circular hole with a surface area of about 17 hectares, a perimeter of about 1,6 km and depth around of 215m, right in the middle of the town.
Continue reading The Big Hole, Kimberley

South Africa's Attractions rated by Foreign Visitors

2009-07-13T14:32:00.001+01:00

According to South African Tourism the top 20 attractions in South Africa, as rated by foreign visitors on departure from the country and published in the South African Yearbook (link at bottom of page), are as follows (Africa Deluxe Tours serves all of them):

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (Cape Town)

Table Mountain (Cape Town)

Cape Point (Cape Town)

Western Cape Wine Routes (near Cape Town)

The Garden Route (Eastern & Western Cape)

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens (Cape Town)

Ostrich Farms (Oudtshoorn)

Robben Island (Cape Town)

Pretoria sights (Gauteng)

Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga & Limpopo)

Durban beachfront (KwaZulu-Natal)

Cango Caves (Oudtshoorn)

Drakensberg Resorts (KwaZulu-Natal)

KwaZulu-Natal Game Parks (KwaZulu-Natal)

Soweto (Johannesburg - Gauteng)

Gold Reef City (Johannesburg)

Blyde River Canyon (Mpumalanga)

Pilgrim's Rest (Mpumalanga)

Shakaland / Zulu Villages (KwaZulu-Natal)

Private Game Parks/ Reserves in Mpumalanga

(Mpumalanga)

Internet resources: South Africa Yearbook (pdf files)* - tourism chapter.

South Africa's Top 10 Attractions

2009-07-13T14:26:00.003+01:00

TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS

©South African Tourism	KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Experience the bushveld and romance of 'real' Africa in this extraordinary park, indulge in a holistic spa at a luxury game lodge or get your pulse racing on a cycling safari... More info
©South African Tourism	CAPE TOWN Table Mountain, the Waterfront, Cape Point, Robben Island, Beaches, the Winelands, wonderful things to do, don't miss attractions like whale watching, fascinating history and culture, the fynbos of the Cape Floral Region in Kirstenbosch Gardens... More info
©South African Tourism	DURBAN An invigorating blend of India, Africa and the Colonial past spices up this sub-tropical city with a strong beach holiday and surfing culture... More info
©South African Tourism	BEACHES There's a beach for every season and every reason, from the beautiful, long, lonely beaches on the West Coast or the sultry North Coast to the most hip and hot in Cape Town... More info
©South African Tourism	GARDEN ROUTE Gorgeous beaches, rocky headlands, leafy forests and dramatic river cut gorges, world class golf resorts, so much to do and an abundance of great places to stay... More info
©South African Tourism	WINELANDS A World Heritage Cultural Landscape, the classic Winelands of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek is a sybarites delight with a plethora of delightful restaurants, coffee shops and fantastic places to stay... More info
©South African Tourism	EASTERN CAPE Golden beaches, the Garden Route, Port Elizabeth, East London, great surfing, malaria free game and bird watching, Addo National Park... More info
©South African Tourism	THE KALAHARI & NAMAQUALAND Bright carpets of wild flowers in Namaqualand, the black maned lion of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park... More info
©South African Tourism	CUTURAL VILLAGES & TOWNSHIPS Visit fascinating and colourful cultural villages, experience traditional and contemporary culture in a rural or urban homestay, township tours, music festivals in Soweto... More info
©South African Tourism	DRAKENSBERG Cloaked in emerald green in summer or golden and snow capped in winter, this dramatic mountain range is an awesome scenic destination with beautiful rock art, great places to stay, fly fishing, golfing... More Top 50 attractions in South Africa go to http://www.countryroads.co.za/content/south-africa-top-50-attractions.html

Things to do in South Africa

2009-07-10T12:31:00.000+01:00

http://www.sa-venues.com/things-to-do/

Paris Parking

2009-07-08T09:53:00.000+01:00

Perpendicular Parking!

I'm sure you know what parallel parking is all about, but have you ever heard of mixed parallel/perpendicular parking?! Well, in Paris, we have and here is an example! Smart Cars are so small that some of their owners think they can park either way. Hence, this example that I took near my home. A Smart Car is 2,50 meters long, whereas an average car is 2 meters wide, so it's not that bad... I'm not sure that the Police agree with that though. That is all I just wanted to show you a bit of Parisian life on this Father's Day (for us).
Only in Paris

Kruger National Park

2009-07-07T11:27:00.001+01:00

Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga

Lion in Kruger National Park

Lying in the heart of the Lowveld is a wildlife sanctuary like no other, its atmosphere so unique that it allows those who enter its vastness to immerse themselves in the unpredictability and endless wilderness that is the true quality of Africa.

The largest game reserve in South Africa, the Kruger National Park is larger than Israel. Nearly 2 million hectares of land that stretch for 352 kilometres (20 000 square kilometres) from north to south along the Mozambique border, is given over to an almost indescribable wildlife experience. Certainly it ranks with the best in Africa and is the flagship of the country’s national parks - rated as the ultimate safari experience. The Kruger National Park lies across the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo in the north of South Africa, just south of Zimbabwe and west of Mozambique. It now forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park - a peace park that links Kruger National Park with game parks in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and fences are already coming down to allow game to freely roam in much the way it would have in the time before man’s intervention. When complete, the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park will extend across 35 000 square kilometres, 58% of it South African, 24% Mozambican and 18% Zimbabwean territory.

This is the land of baobabs, fever trees, knob thorns, marula and mopane trees underneath which lurk the Big Five, the Little Five (buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, ant lion and rhino beetle), the birding Big Six (ground hornbill, kori bustard, lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, pel’s fishing owl and saddle-bill stork) and more species of mammals than any other African Game Reserve.

The Kruger Park is a self-drive destination, although there are guided tour operators, with an excellent infrastructure that includes picnic sites, rest camps, waterholes and hides. The Kruger Park is a remarkable reserve offering an incredible experience of Africa at its most wild. (See Kruger Park Tours for overnight and package tours lasting from 1 night and 2 days to weeks long safaris or see Kruger Park Day Tours for single day guided trips into Kruger National Park.

Getting to know Kruger

The Different Zones and Regions

Very broadly speaking, the Kruger National Park is flat with a few gentle hills, and people tend to classify the bushveld of the Kruger as unvaried and dry, which is rather like saying South Africa is sunny - it conceals an amazingly rich diversity. The Kruger National Park is divided into no fewer than six ecosystems - baobab sandveld, Lebombo knobthorn-marula bushveld, mixed acacia thicket, combretun-silver clusterleaf, woodland on granite, and riverine forest.

Four regions make it easier for you to select the type of experience you want from your time in the Kruger National Park.

The central region
Encompassing only 30% of the kruger park’s surface area, the central region supports nearly half the park’s lion population as well as numbers of leopard, hyena and cheetah. Possibly the main reason for this is the quantity of sweet grasses and abundant browsing trees found in this area that support a large group of antelope, giraffe, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest. But this does mean that it’s a popular region amongst tourists, and subsequently there are a number of camps in this region. It’s understandable though, as the chance of sighting even one of the 60 prides of lion that make the central region their home is a huge draw card.

The far north region
This is a rather fascinating part of the Kruger National Park, not least because the ecozones here are noticeably different from other habitats in the Kruger. Sightings of rare birdlife and major areas of sand formed by river flood plains, combined with sandstone formations of the Mozambique coastal plain, make it attractive to visitors. There are also a number of tropical aspects as part of the region lies in a rain shadow and along the banks of the Luvuvhu River is a series of riverine forest. A picnic site on the river bank provides hours of splendid bird viewing.

What you can witness in this part of the Kruger National Park is extraordinary - the knocking sand frog, a collection of bats, the nocturnal bushpig and the rare Sharpe’s grysbok. There are samango monkeys, packs of endangered wild dog, and the major water pans across the Wambiya sandveld are a good place to sight tropical warm-water fish, such as the rainbow killifish, not found anywhere else in South Africa. The sandstone hills, just west of Punda Maria, is the only place where you can see the Natal red hare and yellow-spotted rock dassie, or hyrax. What makes a visit to this remote part of the Kruger park so meaningful is the solitude.

The northern region
North of the Orange River is a semi-arid region covering 7 000 square kilometres that sees very little rain. Vegetation here changes very little from the unvarying shrub mopane, which thrives in hot, low-lying valleys. However, across this great expanse of hot dryness, five rivers forge their way, providing narrow corridors along whose banks grow trees distinctly different from the mopane - the nyala, the sycamore fig, the tamboti and the tall apple leaf. The Letaba and Olifants rivers contain as much as 60% of the Kruger park’s hippo population, and bird life here abounds. There are plenty of bushpig in the undergrowth of the Luvuvhu River and on most of the river banks you can hope to see sizeable herds of elephant (the Kruger National park’s latest estimate is as many as 9000 of these beautiful beasts), buffalo, bushbuck, impala and kudu concentrated near a water supply.

The southern region
Bounded by the Crocodile River in the south and the Sabie River in the north, the southern region is also host to the jagged ridge of the Lebombo Mountains along the border with Mozambique, and the highest point in the park, Khandzalive, in the southwestern corner - almost in counterpoint to Pretoriuskop that lies in the west of the southern region of the Kruger National Park.

Lion Cubs in Kruger National Park

The valleys are home to trees rarely found in other parts of the Kruger park, such as the Cape chestnut, coral tree and lavender fever-berry; and granite lies beneath most of the region, producing distinctive smoothed koppies at irregular intervals, which are typically surrounded by rock figs and form ideal locations for rock dassies or hyrax, baboon and klipspringer, not to mention the odd leopard.

This is the region where you’re almost sure of seeing a white rhino as most of them occur here, particularly around Pretoriuskop, Mbyamiti River and south of lower Sabie. On the whole, there is more game purported to exist in the southern part of the park, so if you don’t make it to the northern reaches of the Kruger National Park , you won’t miss out. This part of the Kruger park is to some extent shrouded in history. Around Pretoriuskop, known for its profusion of trees, is Ship Mountain, its hull-shape the site of an old wagon trail that crosses a stream marking the birthplace of Jock of the Bushveld. The combretum woodlands, also part of this region, attract reasonable herds of kudu, impala, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, white rhino and elephant, and the scarcity of lion in this part of the park, makes way for the cheetah and wild dog.

Highlands Meander

2009-07-07T10:20:00.000+01:00

Highlands Meander, Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Highlands Meander is situated in the higher reaches of the escarpment and it is sandwiched between the Cultural Heartland and the Panorama Route regions and includes the towns of Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Machadodorp and Waterval Boven. The Highlands Meander is a region for both nature lovers and the adventurous at heart.

Dubbed the 'Trout Mecca' this region has an abundance of pristine fishing waters that never cease to lure fly fishers in their droves. The imposing mountains and rivers of the Mpumalanga Highlands presents the opportunity for adrenaline pumping activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, hot air ballooning and paragliding to mention a few. Major highlights of the region include a vibrant arts and crafts community.

Klein Karoo

2009-07-06T13:48:00.001+01:00

Karoo, Western Cape

De Rust, Klein Karoo

The Little or Klein Karoo, which is a long valley bordered by the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountains in the Western Cape, forms the southern sibling of the larger Karoo - the Great or Groot Karoo occupies the northern part thereof. This is the land of succulents - their thick, fleshy diversity unparalleled anywhere else in the world - peppered only by the odd bush and tree that gives the Karoo, at first glance, the appearance of arid, dry and very flat land devoid of living matter and given over to hot days and cold nights.

Herds of buffalo, elephant and kudu once dominated these plains only to be hunted or driven out by modern development. Today the mainly visible animal in the area is the ostrich, farmed for his meat, eggs and feathers, but stay awhile and you’ll hear the rustlings of the bat-eared fox, the suricate or meerkat and the common barking gecko.

This bleak landscape is, on second glance, an area of towering cliffs, clear streams and a unique biome dominated by the aloe and dwarf baobab tree with its yellow peeling bark and midsummer red tubular flowers. Majestic mountains lend a blue haze to the distant horizon and spring flowers draw huge numbers of tourists from all over the world for a few weeks every year when sand becomes a tapestry of flowers.

This semi-arid climate with a winter rainfall gives rise to various microclimates that allow Klein Karoo winemakers to produce a wide variety of quality wines from vines grown typically along the fertile river banks. Little villages and hamlets make intermittent appearances and towns like Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Van Wyksdorp and Uniondale give the visitor a good idea of a typical South African dorp or town.

The Cango Caves, just west of Oudtshoorn, were discovered by a young Hottentot looking for missing cattle and extend underground for over two kilometres. Formed as a result of 20 million years of rainwater scouring and dissolving rock and limestone to form halls and passageways, the caves were declared a National Monument in 1938 and include the Wonder Cave that has some superb examples of drip stone formations and a resident bat population.

Stellenbosch Western cape

2009-07-06T13:38:00.001+01:00

Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands

The beautiful little town of Stellenbosch, roughly an hour from Cape Town, lies surrounded by the Stellenbosch Mountains in the Jonkershoek River Valley in one of the most picturesque settings in the Cape.

The second oldest town in South Africa has fondly been called ‘Eikestad’ or city of oaks and its streets are lined with some of the most beautiful surviving examples of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture in the Cape. Dorp Street is a national monument and taking the time to walk around this cosy old part of Stellenbosch, with its secluded lanes, water furrows, cosmopolitan restaurants and coffee bistros, with superb views of mountain, vineyards and orchards, is an idyllic morning venture.

The name ‘Stellenbosch’ is almost synonymous with the wine industry. Not only does it have the oldest wine route in the country, and arguably the most famous, but the town has one of the most modern experimental wineries in the world, and the only viticultural and oenological department in the country at its university.

Blaauwklippen Estate, Stellenbosch

South Africa’s oldest music school, the famous Stellenbosch Conservatoire, has its home in this important cultural centre, and there is a collection of galleries and museums housing national and international art collections worth viewing.

For the nature lover there are a number of excellent hikes in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The full-day Vineyard Hiking Trail, a fairly new 24 kilometre long trail, starts on the slopes of the Papegaaiberg and winds its way through vineyards, forests, olive groves and coastal renosterveld.

The Stellenbosch Tourist Information Office and the Stellenbosch Wine Route Office are in Market Street - start to your tour here! Many of the historical buildings are close by and it is possible to discover some of Stellenbosch on foot.

Vergelegen Wine Estate, Stellenbosch

The Toy & Miniature Museum is situated behind the Information Bureau and is the only one of its kind in South Africa. Close to Market Street is the town square, known as Die Braak, where there are some interesting buildings. The VOC Kruithuis (Powder House) (1777), the Old Rhenish Mission, the Church of St Mary (1852), the Coachman's Cottage and the old Burgerhuis (1797) are all worth visiting.

Porto Carras, Greece

2009-07-05T13:59:00.002+01:00

http://www.portocarras.com/

Porto Carras (Greek: Πόρτο Καρράς), known as Porto Carras Grand Resort, is one of northern Greece's largest and most famous hotels and holiday resorts. It is located on Sithonia, Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece. It is about 120 km away from Greece's second biggest city, Thessaloniki.

Monaco

2009-07-05T12:37:00.001+01:00

Paris France

2009-07-05T12:04:00.003+01:00

Countryside

Seine

Steet Cafe

Eiffel Tower

Cape Town Today Aerial Photo

2009-07-01T09:07:00.004+01:00

Click for larger view!

Route 62 Western Cape

2009-06-28T14:16:00.003+01:00

Oudtshoorn

Worcester

Calitzdorp

Cape Route 62 that meanders between Cape Town and Oudtshoorn runs through the Breede River Valley.

The Breede River Valley stretches from Gouda in the west and McGregor in the south, to Montagu in the east and the Karoo in the north.

South Africa’s Route 62 was named after the famous Route 66 in the United States of America, a highway that connects the urban and rural communities between Chicago and Los Angeles. And like its namesake, it is an adventure to follow this route, which offers the traveler much more than picturesque scenery and some of South Africa’s finest wines.

The South African Route 62, is the traveler’s route which meanders between Cape Town, Worcester, Montagu, Barrydale, Ladismith, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and on its way to Port Elizabeth. Route 62 also passes through historic Amalienstein and Zoar, and the fruit growing and wine producing towns of Ashton and Robertson, with McGregor, Wolseley, and Tulbagh all offering interesting side excursions.

It is advertised as the longest wine route in the world, including the wine cellars and estates of Paarl, Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson, and Klein Karoo Wine Routes, of which Calitzdorp is a part, producing the world famous Calitzdorp Port Wines.

Route 62 is one of three major routes connecting the hinterland of South Africa with Cape Town, and it is definitely the most spectacular as far as scenery is concerned. There is such a kaleidoscope of variety in the scenic experiences available.

Bizarre red rock formations around Calitzdorp are known as ‘Red Hills’ and here geologists have been able to trace the earth’s development over the last 600 to 800 million years. The sea left the red tinted deposits against these Klein Karoo Mountains over 125 million years ago. This phenomenon is said to be found at only two other places in the world. This scenic area is a must for visitors. This area has some wonderful unspoilt natural beauty.

And of course Calitzdorp and the whole Klein Karoo area is known for its ostriches. These unusual birds can be spied throughout this area as you motor along the highway. Weary, stressed out city visitors to Calitzdorp might also like to relax at the hot mineral baths at The Spa.

There is history in every kilometer of this road from Bushmen paintings to architecture, from war memorials to national monuments. As example Montagu is steeped in history and is famous for its, orchards, vineyards, local herbs and healing hot mineral springs. Natural phenomenons are there for exploration with possibly the internationally known Cango Caves being the most popular place to visit and a comfortable hour’s drive from Oudtshoorn.

For nature lovers it is interesting to know that the fynbos vegetation supports a number of South Western Cape Endemics, one of which is the Cape Sugarbird and the orange-breasted Sunbird. There are many Nature Reserves where motorists can take time out to do a spot of bird watching, or study some of the rare plant species. The Gamka Nature Reserve 22 km from Calitzdorp offers hikes, bird watching, floral walks, 4 x 4 drives, and has recently upgraded

its Bush Camp accommodation.

Route 62, also known as the Mountain Route, offers the visitor range upon range of striking mountain edifices, snow capped in the winter, with the rich agricultural farms nestling in the valleys at their feet.

You will find hiking trails and 4 x 4 routes, fishing opportunities, a whole gamut of restaurants to suit every pallet, legends and stories, grape picking, and much, much more tourists who have traversed Route 62 once, return time and time again, and they declare that this road provides all of them with an adventure. The scenic splendours alone are fascinating and, for example, the majestic Huis Rivier Pass, begins its twists and turns right on the outskirts of Calitzdorp.

And last but not least, whilst heavy traffic dominates the N1 and N2 routes, Route 62 offers leisurely driving with plenty of time to explore the surrounding areas.

The Little Karoo

2009-06-28T13:56:00.001+01:00

The Little Karoo is the hot, dry region squeezed between the Outeniqua Mountains that separate it from the green and luscious Garden Route, and the rugged Swartberg Mountains that separate it from the wider, hotter Great Karoo.

The well marketed Route 62 extends further than the actual R62, including parts of the Breede River Valley. It's a lovely, quiet alternative to the rather more goal-oriented N2, passing through some interesting little towns and winds its way past loads of wineries and guest farms that specialise in rugged activities like 4x4 trails and quad bike trails. The major part of Route 62 runs straight through the Little Karoo towns of Ashton, Montagu, Barrydale, Ladysmith, Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn and De Rust.

It's a lot of fun to zig-zag backwards and forwards between the N2 and the R62 over some very scenic mountain passes, alternating between the lush green Garden Route and the drier, more austere Little Karoo. Most well known for its ostrich farms, which have developed into mega tourist traps, the Little Karoo supports a thriving agricultural industry. Olives, deciduous fruit and wine add to the rather heady mix that most local restaurants exploit gleefully.
Calitzdorp, which is most well known for its great port, holds a port festival every July, and there are fabulous wine farms along the whole length of the R62. Probably the most well known attraction in the region, though, is the enormous Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn. There are some great rock paintings in various parts of the Little Karoo.

The magnificent landscapes, locally known as red hills, offer some fun day walks, and the high mountains on either side of this long, thin valley, offer fantastic multi-day hikes. There are loads of really great cultural attractions, not least of which is the annual KKNK, the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (Little Karoo National Arts Festival) in Oudtshoorn. It's a party. Big time.

Palm Deira

2009-06-27T09:12:00.002+01:00

Durrat-al-Bahrain Pearl of Arab Gulf

2009-06-27T08:23:00.001+01:00

Miami Florida

2009-06-24T14:50:00.003+01:00

Miami Dolphins Stadium NFL

Downtown

Beach area

Cape Carnaveral, Space Shuttle

2009-06-24T14:11:00.006+01:00

We have lift-off

3-2-1

Waiting for weather to clear

Dubai's Arch Bridge

2009-06-21T12:32:00.004+01:00

Here's some info on the bridge as envisioned by New York architecture firm Fxfowle:

- It's one mile long and 670 feet tall.
- It will have 12 lanes for traffic.
- It will cost 817 million dollars.
- The design has Sheikh Mohammed's official stamp of approval.
- The bridge will carry more than 2,000 vehicles per hour in each direction.
- A metro line will run across the middle.
- Construction begins in March, with a slated completion date of 2012. Images by Fxfowle

Dubai Mall

2009-06-21T12:27:00.001+01:00

Mall of the Emirates, the ultimate leisure, entertainment and shopping resort opened on September 28th 2005, and is the largest shopping centre outside of North America. Strategically located in the heart of what is now deemed ‘New Dubai’. This 223,000 square meter centre offers a full range of shopping, leisure, and entertainment. Mall of the Emirates is home to over 450 retailers and also features a complete range of entertainment options including Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski destination in the Middle East, a two-level Magic Planet, the largest indoor family entertainment centre in the country, a 14-screen Cinestar Cinemas and the Dubai Community Arts and Theatre with a 500 seat-theatre and art gallery. It also has over 70 restaurants and coffee shops with everything from fast food to themed restaurants and exclusive dining alternatives.
Other Malls in Dubai:
Bur Juman Centre
Lamcy Plaza
Wafi Shopping Mall
Al Ghurair Retail City
Deira City Centre
Humarain Centre
Al Mulla Plaza
Al Bustan Centre
Oasis Centre
Lulu Hyper Market
Narish Khyma
Dubai Creek

Lindos Rhodes

2009-06-19T14:44:00.002+01:00

Lindos site of 'The Guns of Navarone"

Oasis of the Sea Royal Caribbean Cruiser

2009-06-19T08:45:00.005+01:00

Oasis of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International Oasis of the Seas

Oasis of the Seas Image Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines

Oasis of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world when she is launched in December 2009, carrying almost 2000 more passengers than any other ship. That's a whole another ship-full! Royal Caribbean's newest ship will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 gross registered tons, carry 5,400 guests, and feature 2,700 staterooms.

In addition to the many onboard activities found on other large RCI ships, the Oasis of the Seas will include numerous innovations, including the use of seven distinct neighborhoods to group entertainment areas.

The Oasis of the Seas will homeport in Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and cruise the Caribbean year-round.
Oasis of the Seas Library of Links
More on the Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean
http://cruises.about.com/od/cruiselines/tp/new_2009_cruise_ships.htm

Travel Quotes

2009-06-19T08:27:00.002+01:00

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain
“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” - Paul Theroux
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Lao Tzu
“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” - Benjamin Disraeli
“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” - Aldous Huxley

Termite Heaps Owamboland

2009-06-17T10:59:00.002+01:00

Travel Treasures

QE2 in Cape Town

Oldest ever Dinosaur discovered

Welcome to Cape Town

seasons greetings

Mozambique?

Next Voting Campaign

Vote for Table Mountain before 11-11-11

Vote for Table Mountain

Hawaii's Volcano/Vulcano Nat Park

It's Flower Time again

Incredible Photo

Malmesbury Swartland

Namaqualand Flower Route

Eclipse

Knysna Western Cape

Wellington Western Cape

Matjiesfontein

Bethlehem Vrystaat

Worcester Western Cape

Kimberley "Big Hole" Northern Cape

Exploring Abroad

Dis 'n great blog om al ons tuisblyers op hoogte te hou met jul dag-na-dag excursions oorsee!

Great way to keep everyone up to date on your day-to-day travel excursions http://www.offexploring.com/

Kokstad East Griqualand

Pofadder Namaqualand

Namaqualand Flowers

Vote for Table mountain

Cheetah Chase

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

Kruger 2 Canyons

Keepflying

Cape Town's Coffee Route

Valley of the Elephants

Clarens Freestate

The 2010 Soccer World Cup Final is here

Zorbing hit South Africa

Vuvuzela Button

Explore the stadiums in South Africa with Street View in Google Maps

Durban Soccer Fever

Cape Town Soccer Fever

Diski Dance

Tugela Falls KZN

List of Caves in South Africa

Here is the list of other superb caves in South Africa:

South African Caves

The Cradle of Humankind:

Cango Caves:

Sudwala Caves:

Echo Caves:

Blyde River Canyon Mpumalanga

Picturesque Blyde River Canyon

Lively wildlife and plant life

Enjoyable activities

Nearby accommodations

Traveller's Choice Destinations! Tripadvisor

Orlando Attractions

Attractions and Theme Parks in Orlando

Unclaimed Luggage

This is why I will not attend a soccer match

Message for SA

World's largest can sculpture at DisneyWorld

New Gautrain

Tour de France 1940

Top South Africa Attractions

Google Street View to Capture the Big Outdoors in South Africa

Project 365: Take a photo a day for a year

Looking for: Table Mountain Pics

Looking for: Great Wall of China

Hottest Places to visit

Best of South Africa

2010 Soccer World Cup South Africa

Tickets to the 2010 World Cup

Best wildlife in the World

South African Festivals

Is travelling in South Africa still save?

Eastern Transvaal South Africa (Mpumalanga)

Eastern Transvaal - South Africa

Best Hotel in the World

SA het beste hotel in die wêreld!

Great way to keep everyone up to date on your day-to-day travel excursions
http://www.offexploring.com/