SA shines at World's Best awards -www.southafrica.info
South Africa performed strongly in the 2007 World's Best Awards survey by international travel magazine Travel + Leisure; with nine establishments listed among the world's top 100 hotels and Cape Town voted 10th best holiday city in the world.
The Singita Sabi Sand (formerly the Singita Private Game Reserve), located within the Kruger National Park, was South Africa's highest ranked hotel, scooping awards for the second best hotel overall in the world, second best small hotel in the world and the best hotel in Africa and the Middle East.
The Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve was ranked as the seventh best hotel worldwide, second best in Africa and the Middle East, and the sixth best small hotel in the world.
From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee…- Drienie Hattingh
Johan and I visited most of America while attending company conferences. We marveled at how the vegetation, landscape, animals, food, peoples, accents and climates changed as one crosses from one state into another. People’s nature and attitudes vary from state to state! Some more friendly and hardworking and some less.
Minnesota – Land of 10,000 Lakes – was named (land-of-sky-blue-waters) by the Sioux Indians. The mighty Mississippi originates here and it has the biggest fresh water lake in the world – Lake Superior. Minnesota has hard working people who emigrated from Scandinavian countries.
Hippos & hippies at Port St Johns-www.southafrica.info
Port St Johns is a swashbuckling village of legend on the Pondo side of the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape. It is also one of the highlights on any international backpacker's world itinerary because of its natural setting, frontier atmosphere and appeal to more adventurous younger travelers.
The village lies on the Umzimvubu River, Xhosa for "hippo". The most famous hippo ever to have visited Port St Johns was back in 1931. Named Huberta, she settled upriver for more than four months during her trek from Zululand down to the Eastern Cape.
HOME AFFAIRS - David Furlonger
Although my job takes me all over the world, I’m not a great travel fan. I love visiting new places but getting there can be a pain. Twelve hours in an aircraft is my idea of hell.
I know flying saves time, but journeys should be part of the fun; meeting locals and stopping off where the fancy takes you. That’s why, when possible, I drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth or Durban. So what if it takes a day rather than a couple of hours? Thanks to the Internet age, I can plug in my computer and send articles from wherever I am.
If I want a break from driving, there’s also the rail option. The Blue Train to Cape Town may be beyond most budgets but the Shosholoza Mail is a great alternative.
Brief Vannie Hys Af-Blouwillem
Liewe Ouboet,
Te midde van die winter wat nadersluip en Eksdom se kragonderbrekings is daar darem so hier en daar ‘n ou ligpuntjie hier by ons. Daar was nou die dag ‘n beriggie van ‘n ou wat sy belofte aan sy oorlede pa nagekom het deur ‘n ontkleedanseres te huur om by die ou oom se begrafnis op te tree nadat hy in die ouderdom van 103 dood is.
Sport-Blouwillem
Every little rugby mad boy in South Africa dream of one day wearing the green and gold Springbok jersey. For me, I would much prefer Trevor Immelman’s green jacket, partly because of the honor but I must confess, mostly because the famous green jacket pays a bit better! Unfortunately, at half past one in the morning, most South Africans (even some sport lovers) were fast asleep when the 28 year old Immelman was crowned as winner of the US Masters in Augusta, probably the equivalent of the Soccer or Rugby World Cup.
A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley-Drienie Hattingh
Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour—no body, no case. But when Kalahari game rangers stumble on a human corpse mid-meal, it turns out the murder wasn’t perfect after all. Detective David “Kubu” Bengu of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department is assigned to the case.
Euro Crime (England): ‘A rip-roaring read…Detective Kubu is set for many great things.’ Publishers Weekly: ‘Intricate plotting, grisly sense of realism … make this a compulsively readable novel.’ Booklist: ‘Fast-moving story... Rich with the atmosphere… well-drawn characters … exciting debut.’ Library Journal: - ‘will enthrall readers.’ Genre Go Round Revies: The police procedural story line is superb...
What is the value of the rand?-Colin Donian
Measuring the value of a currency is no easy matter. There are obvious indicators of “relative value” – such as inter-currency measures or comparative changes over time, but these do not provide an absolute measure. A computation that is even more troublesome is trying to determine what value is “good or bad” (the right value) for a currency. What is good for some is not so good for others, but what the general value should be is an elusive matter.
The South African Rand is a minor world currency and takes its cue from a variety of domestic and international factors. Such currencies are constantly buffeted by domestic, regional and global dynamics – pushing them up and down relative to other currencies.
The Cape Rocks! -Jeremy Wilkinson
We all know that “the Cape Rocks” as a place to visit and/or live in, so in celebration of that South African icon, 4 Wines Plus More and Van Loveren launched a special label.
The Cape Rock Brand was created to represent the very best of South Africa wines at every day affordable drinking prices.
4 Wines Plus More only represents family owned Wine Estates. Van Loveren has an incredible reputation in South Africa where they consistently over the years have been recognized by all as the best value winemakers in S.A.
Zimbabwe’s Unresolved Election -Daniel Silke
Another year – and another Zimbabwe election. The same result? Well, this time it is different. Events over the last month have clearly questioned just about every aspect of governance in that once-wealthy nation. With inflation now at a staggering 100,000% and climbing, food shortages, overall political intimidation and an octogenarian leader intent on staying in power, it was hardly surprising that any election would run into severe difficulties. No matter what the result, Zimbabweans would be in for a rough time. And it has clearly come to pass.
At the time of going to press, Zimbabwe’s electoral authorities are busy recounting the votes in some 23 constituencies. This, despite the initial release of parliamentary results some weeks ago which showed the MDC narrowly (but convincingly) defeating ZANU-PF by a handful of seats.
Travel with a Purpose -Dorianne Berry
The first Baby Boomers are beginning to retire. Many of them have the word “travel” noted at the top of their “to-do” list and have a few cruises and trips planned. Others want to do volunteer work. This is a great attribute that many of us have, a desire to give back, to help or to volunteer.
The Peace Corps was one of the first organizations to encompass the notion of traveling for a humanitarian purpose. It was founded in 1961 by President Kennedy. To date there have been 190 thousand volunteers and trainees. “Doctors without Borders” was founded in 1971 in the wake of the famine in Biafra. It is still going strong. Newer organizations like “Habitat for Humanity”, “Travel with Purpose” and “Heifer International” have sprung up recently in the wake of the Tsunami in the Pacific, the floods in New Orleans and the World Wide AIDS crisis. All of these groups, and many others, provide an opportunity for people who feel they want to “give back” on a volunteer basis.
Southern Desk -Daniel Silke
Fighting crime in SA has become something of an embarrassment to the authorities. So much so that the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security, Susan Shabangu, recently suggested that police be given the license to kill criminals during the course of preventative actions. "You must kill the bastards if they threaten you or the community. You must not worry about the regulations. That is my responsibility. Your responsibility is to serve and protect," were the fighting words of the Deputy Minister at an anti-crime imbizo held recently in crime-ravaged Pretoria.
