Wildguides

Adenaline Junkies new "Bungee release" sport?

2012-01-31T10:23:00.004+02:00

Screen grab of You Tube clip showing bungee break. See below. The investigation to an accident that brought shivers to my spine has been completed. An Australian tourist bungee jumped off the bridge at Victoria Falls, and her cord snapped. She plunged into the Zambesi River, survived the fall and then the rapids and crocodiles with her legs bound together, making her own way to the shore.

Tiger Terror on the Okavango Delta.

2011-11-28T11:17:00.000+02:00

Some great shots of my last safari with a great group of people from the University of Virgina are starting to emerge. I am grateful as I still don't have mine sorted and filed..this interesting image was sent to me by Clay Simpson who was with his wife Kitty in the boat when, "...a four pound Tiger Fish jumped over the boat striking Kitty a glancing blow to the head and then bit our

Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards for 2011.

2011-11-22T13:27:00.000+02:00

A bunch of really good restaurants have won a very highly recognised award and I thought it prudent to pass on the info. Congrats to all as the competition is tough. These are all fine dining restaurants, but they are not too fussy if you only have safari gear. Occasionally I get a chance to drop by one with guests, but I would say a few are missing. Eat Out 2011 Top 10 restaurants of the

South African housing market returning?

2011-11-22T09:01:00.000+02:00

Here is some of the good news I have been hoping for. And I quote from a Dr Andrew Goldings article, link above. South African housing market returning "All in all the South African housing market has not fared badly - prices have probably dropped a total of 15% since the peak of the market and volumes are slowly but surely returning since 50% of the existing market disappeared when the

2011-11-17T09:30:00.001+02:00

Yikes, where has the year and time rushed to. After a fantastic safari season I finished off my last trip for the year so will have to report on that later. Right now, locally in Cape Town, there have been some fantastic events unfolding, we hope will push our tourism industry to greater heights. 8 visitors = 1 job ( full time) and we need more of that. Did you know Cape Town is a great en-route

Happy Spring Day!

2011-09-01T20:24:00.000+02:00

Its been a great day for the penguins, and for those in Cape Town that need some rain for their garden and pools. Yikes, looks like we could suffer drought this summer and escalating water price hike for our sins. Saying that, the city has done well above expectations to cut its energy use. Bring on the Solar power project in the Karoo. So bring on :- BLACK SPRING DAY: Rhino Poaching Awareness

Artificial Insemination

2011-05-31T11:09:00.000+02:00

I have just come back from a safari where a lot of focus was placed on Rhino, their plights and the conservation of; so its nice to share a general email story that I believe was written by one of South Africa's popular authors; enjoy and I hope you laugh as loudly as I did. "Artificial Insemination" : Black Rhino chuckle - from Wilbur Smith Wilbur Smith and the Rhino. A factual account by

Christchurch Quake

2011-02-25T12:29:00.000+02:00

Christchurch as the dust and smoke rises seconds after the quake. Copyright Owner. As I blog, so the tweets of more tremors come through. Shocking, scary and very sad that on top of that, over 200 people are still missing. We had a great holiday over in New Zealand some years back and Christchurch was our last stop before flying home. For a small peaceful law abiding country, the proportions

Mmegi Online :: An economy at crossroads: which way now?

2011-02-25T10:12:00.000+02:00

Botswana, a great success story in the African and world context. A multiparty democracy, yet ruled by the same party since independence in 1966. Whats next for Botswana, and how will the Motswana continue to grow and show the world that Africa has so much more than corrupt dictators, military rule and seen to be descending back to the days of the "dark continent"? How many other African

Lens Envy or G.A.S

2011-02-08T10:15:00.000+02:00

".....!" I thought it would be a good time to share some wisdom from an iconic photographer I have a great deal of respect for, and whom I happened to meet a while back in Mombo. And yes, I still want that 300 2.8L which does not get any cheaper, even 2nd hand, in the USA. Maybe for Christmas... My basic setup really covers all my bases and since I moved over from film to digital, I haven't

Rescue by Mekoro. Landy 0 - Mekoro 1

2010-11-29T07:44:00.000+02:00

Abandon Ship! One of my favorite moments on my recent safari into the Kalahari and Okavango Delta was when my group from the Washington and Lee University and I took a later afternoon game drive activity to find some hippo. One of the nearest pods was a short drive from Xigera and so we set out in two hard worn Landrover TD 5's. On mentioning what I would like to show our guests that afternoon

Croc grabs Elephants trunk!

2010-11-28T08:06:00.000+02:00

An amazing series of pic's have been published by the BBC News about an incident in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia where a very good size crocodile grabbed hold of an elephants trunk. Follow this link to see Martin Nyfeler's images. Wow, great timing! Ele1 - Croc 0.

STRANDED RISSO DOLPHIN SAVED

2010-10-19T11:43:00.000+02:00

I occasionally have the pleasure of doing a "big 5 " water excursion off Gansbaai, to see Bottle Nose Dolphins, Great White sharks, Jackass/African/BlackFooted Penguins, Cape Fur seals, and Southern Right Whales, en route and past Dyer Island.There's a very proactive community there that often amaze me with what they see and discover in their area of work, especailly whilst out at sea. Here's one

Safari into the Kruger with Semester at Sea

2010-10-18T17:11:00.000+02:00

With an early morning start from Cape Town harbour where the MV Explorer was berthed, I set out with 38 students and their escourt for Cape Town International to fly up to the Kruger Mpumalanga International airport. The bus ride didnt take long and soon we were on our 2 1/2 hour flight to Nelspruit.Good snacks, hot and soft drinks served, we arrived to a pleasant Mpumalanga day.Our transfer to

How I got into Wildlife Photography

2010-09-16T20:19:00.000+02:00

"I'm just lovin' it!" Young bulls generally don't mate until they are old enough to compete with bigger, older, stronger bulls in musth. A pan near the Savuti river, when the river was dry, was a very popular area for the matriarchal herds to introduce the young bulls to their " benefactors" whom they would serve and learn from for the next 10 to 20 years as Askari. This has to be one of the

Photo Competition

2010-09-13T19:00:00.000+02:00

Its almost time for another visit to the Kruger with the kids from the MV Explorer. So guys this is directed at anyone, but especially you. I leave with a group from cape Town next month when the ship comes into town for a short stay. And, this is how you can make a positive contribution to a group that do a lot for the Kruger National Park.Generally the days are very full, hot and we see a load

A good nights Sleep

2010-09-13T09:43:00.000+02:00

Ahhhh! One of my favorite things on safari is the good nights sleep I get in the bush. Waking up with that pumped up crisp morning freshness, king of the world, everything is good, moment. Listening to the distant calls of the lion roar, the hyena's cackle, bark of a baboon and the varied dialects of the White Browed Robin-Chat, Francolin, and birding parties before the sun rises. I tend to

Wild Dog puppies stolen from their dens in Zimbabwe. Sign the petition to add them to the Cities list.

2010-07-20T21:19:00.000+02:00

I have just received this very disturbing email saying that Wild Dog puppies are being robbed from their dens in Zimbabwe. Now we know the attrition rate can be very high due to lion predation, but thats balanced out, some of the time, but successful breeding pairs and their packs. But we cant see who's going to be doing the breeding in the future, so if they're stolen from the dens... The

Whopper week in the Cape.

2010-07-20T19:40:00.000+02:00

Phew its been a while and with all the excitement and tonnes of visitors, the Cape is quietly slowing down in some ways, but ready to speed up. The Whales are back and there are several great places to watch them in False bay, all the way down past Hermanus and Witsand where they'll be coming back to breed. Just mind where you sail, and who has the right of way...motor or none, I think whales

Whale of a time had in Table bay...

2010-07-20T19:29:00.000+02:00

By Bethany Firnhaber Staff Reporter A breaching whale has crash-landed on a sailboat in Table Bay, narrowly missing the vessel's occupants and leaving in its wake bits of blubber and thick skin. This picture shows the southern right whale seconds before its massive body landed on the coach roof of the boat, flattening the steel mast and bringing down the rigging before sliding back into the

Soccer WC2010, So far so good...

2010-07-01T14:42:00.000+02:00

We're off to our match on Saturday and cant wait. The expectation is building up and the kids are very excited, me too! We have zone 1 seats so hope to catch a ball or two, sorry, thats cricket, and am also looking forward to the fan walk up through Cape Town to Green Point. It seems we're going to be testing the city public transport to the max, for a change, and taking the train into town from

Gautrain set to start on the 8th June.

2010-05-31T16:07:00.000+02:00

Good news from Jo'berg about the Gautrain beginning its services. GAUTRAIN TO BEGIN SERVICEThe Gautrain is set to begin services between OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and Sandton on June 8, just in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Commuters will now be able to use the airport link into Sandton to get into the hub of Johannesburg at a price lower than that of using a private vehicle,

Diceros Bicornis Michaeli, Black Rhinocerous goes home to Tanzania.

2010-05-27T17:01:00.000+02:00

A B&W of some boats I photographed in New Zealand ages ago. I really like the affect and need to try some more fine art work. Here is some good news about Tanzania's Black Rhino population increasing due to some great conservation work in southern Africa; now benefiting east Africa. "Pretoria — More than two decades after being brought to South Africa, a group of black rhinos

Venus below the crescent Moon on Sunday evening, who saw it?

2010-05-17T10:07:00.000+02:00

A nice bit of star and planet action this week, and last if you were up and about at the best time of the day! Especially now when the air is crisp and fresh, the bird calls are just that little bit sharper and melodic, and the lonely call of the spotted hyena carries closer and closer... This from Claire at the Jhb Planetarium. "The very young crescent Moon will be just above Venus (the very

Tourists watch Elephant gored to death

2010-05-12T12:47:00.000+02:00

The things people can see on safari, even in the Addo National Park near Port Elizabeth. This report is by Helga van Staaden, Die Burger "Port Elizabeth - As a large group of tourists watched in horror a young elephant bull killed an older one in a fight at the Addo Elephant National Park last Thursday. Mandy Roets, marketing manager of SANParks' Frontier district, said Paul, a bull in his

Facinating Vellies, just add lager.

2010-05-12T07:56:00.001+02:00

Clarks of London have revisited the Veldskoen in such a stylish fashion. Who might want them, I don't know but it could appeal to many people I have travelled with. Natalie Hartley of In Style, in the UK, alerted her fans to their existence, "quaintly referring to them as dessert boots". Ideal for the survivors of the shipwrecks of the Skeleton Coast, I'm certain. Apparently they’ll be out in

2010 Classic Escape Fam- SA,Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana

2010-04-30T15:14:00.000+02:00

Recently I returned from a wonderful adventure with Stacy and Diana Fiorentinos of Classic Escapes, New York and a fascinating well balanced group from all over the USA. We had some fabulous sightings of wildlife, Bushman culture, huge water over the Victoria Falls and tremendous weather for a generally rainy time of year.Enjoy the snaps and you'll see the laughs we had along the way.

The Annual line-up of Canopus, Sirius and Procyon, plus Mars.

2010-04-19T08:54:00.001+02:00

Our southern skies, especially in winter, have the most incredible star gazing opportunities in the world. Have a look tonight and marvel at what abounds out there. Its a bit overcast down here in Cape Town, but the local Observatory is offering an open day on 24 April 2010; For more info: www.saao.ac.za "One of the best sights

The Unpleasant Pheasant and more stories

2010-04-18T16:51:00.000+02:00

"A MAD pheasant takes a flying peck at John Tucker - the latest in a barrage of attacks to leave him living under siege...John revealed: "It's got to the point where I have to climb out of the back window to leave the house as he waits at the front door"... click the link below and read on. http:/www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2936167/Pheasant-is-unpleasant.html Red Billed Spurfowl

Cheetah found in Angola

2010-04-14T10:24:00.000+02:00

THE Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), Dr Laurie Marker, recently confirmed the existence of cheetahs in Angola after 30 years of civil war. Cheetahs were sighted during a three-day survey conducted in the Iona National Park in the Namibe Province. The 1,6 million hectare park is located in south-western Angola, bordering Namibia. According to the

Croc Eating Shark...S'true's Bob.

2010-04-14T10:09:00.001+02:00

I love these stories, and thanks to the quick convenient mode of digital, we can share moments like this. I've been up onto the Adelaide River where they have these huge 7m "Salties" crocs, fantastic size I agree, jumping for a chicken on a rope...I know, typical Aussies, but worth the show to see them. What they say is that this is what they do when the Salties are after the wild geese in

Rhino Poaching on the up - Media partially to blame?

2010-04-08T22:20:00.000+02:00

Sadly more tragic news as more Rhino and lion are hunted for their horn and bones. Here's a story from the Eastern Cape. My question is is that when the media report it, does the information unwittingly create more demand and alert opportunists to supply for profit? BRUTALITY: The savage rhino killing at Kwantu Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth at the weekend has left a one-year-old

Radio Interview with Beverly and Dereck Joubert

2010-03-05T11:33:00.000+02:00

Dereck and Beverly Joubert, National Geographic Filmmakers and founding members of Great Plains Conservation, were interviewed on Tuesday by Jenny Crwys-Williams, a well known talk show host on the South African radio station "702". This is a "must hear" and covers a range of rally important issues like trading lion bones from the Free State..., poachers using a chemical made by FMC, FURADAN,

Interesting Star action

2010-02-22T09:14:00.000+02:00

I have some interesting links to share, and as there's a few interesting events happening in the southern skies at present, these may help you with info. Thanks to Claire Flanagan for the below info, off their newsletter. So if you're in town, support the planetariums. Great value for time spent. About the camel... I met this guy at the Lowry Park Zoo, some years back and he was in lust...

Botswana: Leopard loses fight with prickly porcupine

2010-02-09T21:12:00.000+02:00

Here's a great shot and fun story with a happy outcome for you. Reference link below. What a hoot and I haven't been to Mashatu for a little while. The leopard tried all his hunting techniques to catch the rodent but was given the needle by his spikey prey. The two-year-old male leopard tried pouncing on the porcupine from above, prodding him and trying to roll him over, but to no avail.

The Olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) Stolen Egg story continues

2010-02-09T21:04:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Martie for some followup on this issue thats doing the rounds, and sharing some research he did, before I did. This is what he found and the reference links are at the end. If you have anything to contribute, please do. I'd love to understand this apparent waste of energy to reproduce , and its all almost futile. What possible benefit do the turtles gain from nesting here, and it cant

More Turtle Egg theft images.

2010-01-31T09:31:00.000+02:00

Stolen Turtle eggs

2010-01-30T11:09:00.000+02:00

Here's some shocking news, probably something going on for years and only just reached my email address. Thousands of turtle eggs are taken for commercial purposes from the beaches of Costa Rica. I guess its easier to steal eggs than doing a hard days work.

Viva Vuvuzela- buy your ear plugs from me.

2010-01-28T20:44:00.000+02:00

I'm really hoping to get the tickets for the soccers I want to see, like millions of others, for the soccer here in CT this year. I have applied for tickets to two games, namely the quarter final and semi final here in Cape Town. To date, I understand over 2 million tickets have been sold and +1, 2 million applications were made from 192 countries for the 3rd ticket phase, including mine. It

2010-01-07T10:49:00.000+02:00

See, I told you so... eat fat and grow slim! Who ever argued with this logic? This is an excerpt from Patrick Holford's, my guru, newsletter. He makes some good sense and seeing as everyone is going on diet this time of year, I had to add my endorsement to his products, occasionally. Although getting enough sleep also a good way to keep slim. Eat Essential FatsThirty years ago 'fat' was thought

Elephant birth in Bali

2009-12-03T07:50:00.000+02:00

Awww...this is precious. have a look at this clip with an Asian Elephant being born. Not an ideal landing spot for a young'n but something one would rarely see in the wild.http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/656611/d1dfcfee/live_olifant_geboorte_tv.html

Zimbabwe Suspends hunting...

2009-12-02T19:04:00.000+02:00

Zimbabwe suspends huntingThe Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has suspended all hunting permits in an effort to curb the rampant killing of endangered species such as rhinos.” Such was a press release in Harare at the beginning of December (please see below). In actual fact National Parks’ operations director Vitalis Chadenga specifically mentioned elephant poaching, which makes a

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T18:14:00.000+02:00

I would like to wish all of my US readers and friends a very happy Thanksgiving. Have a fun few family filled days and loooong weekend.

New mobile ring tones.

2009-11-23T09:56:00.000+02:00

http://ewt.org.za The Birds of Prey Working Group, with the ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST have some new ring tones for your mobiles..."Our Xmas advert is out there in all the Caxton community newspapers, unfortunately it only reaches readers in the Gauteng area. I am appealing to all our supporters to donate R 10.00 to either our African

2009-11-07T10:11:00.000+02:00

Interesting news, its been suggested that climate change across the globe will significantly impact on Cape Towns 307km coastline.Sea levels may rise by 15cm by 2020, and 2/3's of a meter by 2100! I wish I could see that. Source: www.simplygreen.co.za/local-stories/earth-and-animals/new-study-on-how-sea-level-rise-could-affect-cape-town.html

Kruger Safari

2009-10-12T14:15:00.000+02:00

Its quite incredible what sort of sightings one gets to in an enormous National Park like the Kruger. I have just accompanied a large group of 46 students, long life learners, staff and lecturers for a short spin; 2 nights at the Sabi River Sun with 3 very full days of game viewing, riding elephants, night drives, and not quite a balloon flight.The first drive just after we arrived, we had some

Windy Cape Summer

2009-10-11T10:34:00.000+02:00

Cape Town's south easterly wind plays a predominant part of our summer weather and the affects thereof. From November through to April I miss the moist winter storms with rain, occasional snow, fresh crisp air and am always looking for a gap to get away from Cape Towns "Cape Doctor". Our spectacular beaches coupled with low humidity are as good as it can get, but beware the wind.Feb and March

Curiosity almost killed a cameraman

2009-09-14T08:55:00.001+02:00

Curiosity almost killed a cameramanShared via AddThis

2009-09-09T12:34:00.000+02:00

Here' s some disturbing news "...a kilogram of rhino horn could fetch $4,000 (Dh14,700), while an elephant tusk was worth between $500 and $2,000, depending on quality." Zimbabwe's wildlife is under seige and very little is happening to stop it. Zimbabwe’s wildlife threatened by poachers Zimbabwe’s wildlife threatened by poachersThulani Mpofu, The NationalSeptember 07. 2009BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE //

Patrick Holford's six point plan to beat the flu...

2009-08-24T17:53:00.000+02:00

So here's the solution to keep away the flu...I like this guys' approach. A bit like the Bill Bryson of medicine, and makes good sense. I went to a lecture some time back and he radiates energy and walks his talk. This from his newsletter, links included.Enjoy! LIFE IS SWEET!Patrick Holford's six point plan to beat the flu...What can you do if you get the flu? Here's my six-point plan:1. Take 1

Namibia's Hartmanns Valley -Serra Kafema with Classic Escapes

2009-08-20T10:11:00.000+02:00

H1N1 virus - Swine flu. The Facts

2009-08-20T09:50:00.000+02:00

Having just been travelling through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia,over the last 3 months, and more I was most surprised when my group and I were greeted by masked health department officials in Namibia at Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport. The below extract is a very clear synopsis on the above topic by Dr. King that will be of interest and importance to anyone travelling to Africa."...

2009-07-19T05:06:00.000+02:00

On the road for a while and having a blast in Bots, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia...and will eventually be back in Cape Town in August. Phew, but what a journey so far! I am trying to find a collective noun for many safaris, one after another, like a journey, but I think the giraffe have that one so far.Check out my facebook, and occasional tweet on twitter to stay in touch. ( best link is google...)

2009-07-05T07:55:00.000+02:00

Jumbo! Just back from east Africa with Classic Escapes. A phenomenal safari with some awesome A+ sightings, especially around Seronera in the centre of the national park where we watched an irate elephant matriarch chase a female leopard around us where we were watching. I'll try and upload the video clip on you-tube at some stage.We began in Arusha under the peak of Mount Meru, 4566m, at the

Lion Pressure, for how much longer?

2009-06-20T04:36:00.000+02:00

Lions are really taking a lot of flack on the continent. How long will they last in the wild. Here in SA they are "canned", in east Africa where I am off to they are being poisoned by an illegal pesticide, and I imagine if one searches the web a little longer, more sad stories will pop up about the demise of Africa's big cat. Our icon! Even for the world cup 2010...We know just how far down the

June Safari

2009-06-15T20:13:00.000+02:00

Hey,I have just returned from a fabulous safari and had to get this down before I disappear into the Serengeti for the first time. I havent been to East Africa for ages and cant wait to see how this migration plays out. In the mean time Cape Town, Botswana's Okavango and Linyanti...my favorites, still rock, and the Vic Falls has huge volumes of water at the mo. Magnificent and worth the 1/2 hour

Interesting news today

2009-05-25T09:00:00.000+02:00

Its an effort to get away from all the politics that dominate the news, as if that's the only subject important and worth headlining.So, here are some read worthy articles I have enjoyed this morning:-Winning War On Leaf Roll Virus VERGELEGEN wine estate in Somerset West is pioneering a multi-million rand, long term strategy to free itself from the grip of leaf roll

Best Restaurants in the World

2009-05-05T19:50:00.000+02:00

Well done South Africa. 5 of the best restaurants in the world as per The Worlds S. Pellegrino Best Restaurants, http://www.theworlds50best.com/page/home.html. See the list below, no's 37th, 38th, 79th, 96th, 98th. Wow!! We are proud of you and will be making the most of them this winter which is already starting.1 El Bulli, Barcelona, Spain2 The Fat Duck, Bray, U.K.3 Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark4

Wild grazing animals in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve are steadily disappearing, a study has found.

2009-04-25T11:16:00.002+02:00

This interesting article was sent to me and is so relevant, not just in Kenya, but in all African countries that rely on wildlife for tourism. As the populations' needs grow, so does the demand for land for subsistence farming and agriculture and is wrestled away from whats left of the wilds. Governments won't ( they rarely rely on the individual taxpayer who votes as they are subsidised by aid

Wall Street Triva

2009-04-24T08:48:00.006+02:00

Sundowners in front of the Cape Grace Hotel looking at Table Mountain...how sweet is this!Trivia time:- Wall Street can trace it's name back to 1653.It was originally was set up for defence and not for commerce.Settlers of Dutch descent,who were always on the lookout from attacks by Native Americans or the British built a 12 foot stockade fence.Little did they know that this fence would go on to

Football (Soccer) World Cup in 2010 Update

2009-04-23T08:34:00.005+02:00

Zukumi, the Mascot.And football fever is starting to pitch as ticket sales are booming...have you book yours yet? Now that our election is over and we're waiting for results to come in, focus will be on the footie. Over one million online applications have been received by FIFA. "There are less than 800 000 tickets in total for all of the games, but many of the applications were for the same

Semester at Sea

2009-02-23T09:40:00.011+02:00

This is about the 4th or 5th time I have has the pleasure to accompany students from the SAS university ship MS Explorer that hosts the Semester at Sea program,http://www.semesteratsea.org/The web blurb f.y.i. "The MV Explorer is a new, modern, and safe passenger ship that circumnavigates the globe twice a year and explores a world region each summer. Complete with a student union, wireless

"Hows the Green Point Stadium for the Football World Cup coming on?"

2009-02-23T09:32:00.002+02:00

Some news for those who recently asked about how the stadium is going here in Cape Town. They are cooking! Hopefully the final product will be in good shape to go when the players run onto the field. The Nelspruit stadium is moving a little slower with workers strikes etc, but I imagine that after the elections in April, politics will take a side bench the workers will start heading for the

Elephant Comes visiting

2009-02-08T18:52:00.012+02:00

This is a great modern day safari experience, and the pictures below are not mine, but part of a mass email that's circulating at the mo. And for good reason. the moral here being, Don't feed the wild animals. Ever! The people are not really in danger here as the bull wants food; possibly oranges that he's become accustomed to getting from tourists. I just hope he doesn't meet the same end as

Green Point Market is back in action.

2009-02-06T08:10:00.007+02:00

Great news for shoppers in Cape Town on Sunday.This is a very colourful market with traders from all over Africa, as well as the local Captonians. Coming back from Zanzibar a few years ago, I dropped by the market with guests and had the biggest laugh in a long time. Zanzibar is inundated with tourists from South Africa and Italy and everyone wants to barter for a good deal. So, curios are

Cell Ring tones

2009-02-02T09:05:00.003+02:00

By the way, I had a question about the ring tones I listed ages ago regarding Birdlife SA's ringtones, and it seems they may not be working for some folk, me either! I have called the vendor and they will try and fix it, blaming vodacom...so try in an hours time. The help line no is below though, and as this is a worthy cause for a great ring tone, dont give up. Help no below."Should you

Porterville

2009-02-02T08:16:00.009+02:00

A couple of weeks ago I took the boys camping up into the Groot Winterhoek Mountains west of a small farming town called Porterville. Porterville is famous for paragliding and hangliding off the Dasklip pass. Altitudes range from 1000m to 2077m above sea level and the average rainfall is 1450m, the heaviest between April and September.The farm has been hosting campers for years and now has hot

Gyppo Geese

2008-10-29T20:26:00.006+02:00

It has been a while since I was out of town, and recently have had some very interesting visitors to the pool beside the usual insect life, spiders, dogs and kids. A pair of Egyptian geese live at/on the house next door and occasionally drop by for a visit for a dip in the pool. I just wish they'd help themselves to the snails on the clivias, the flowers are disappearing far too quickly. But

Tonnes of Ivory for Sale

2008-10-20T11:45:00.003+02:00

Here's some bad news! Forget the basic economics of supply and demand. No supply= large demand; will this just scratch the itch or curb the growing"hunger" pangs in the ivory trade?IVORY SALE “COULD TRIGGER POACHING”A massive stockpile of 108 tons of ivory - the remnants from about 10 000 dead African elephants - will be sold off to Chinese and Japanese traders. The bumper sale by South Africa,

Teddy

2008-09-26T09:50:00.002+02:00

I'm on a roll today with this blog thing, before the kids get out of school at 11am. Tomorrow I am off to the Kruger for a few nights with a bunch of students taking a break from their studies at sea.So here is a shot, taking with my cell of Cindy at Heartworks, (021 4248419 heartworks.kloof@gmail.com) a great little shop in Kloof St, Cape Town, where one can find some fantastic South African

Cable car going up

2008-09-26T08:50:00.004+02:00

This article from Cape Business News is good stuff. Keep up the good work...now, where to put that Luge track?Graham CAPE TOWN’s two most outstanding landmarks for tourists, Table Mountain’s Cableway and Robben Island, are showing up different fortunes. While the ongoing woes of the government funded Robben Island Museum are well documented in the local press, the privately-owned Table

Lion around

2008-09-23T10:48:00.006+02:00

I love the big cats. I mean, what else apart from Cape Town do vistor's come to see from all around the world. maybe a zebra and a giraffe, the big 5...in essence we have a lot of things here in Africa, especially southern Africa to see and do; then there's Table Mountain too. What a hunk of sandstone that is.Lions are one of the big 5 and as much as I like them, they do tend to be rather

`hiya

2008-09-11T15:42:00.004+02:00

HEY, This is my first blog on my new Mac... believe I have migrated away from the pc at last; so im very curious as to how this transition will go. So far so good, and I hope to get my treo connected so `i can recover my contacts. `sadly we were burgalled a few weeks ago and `i lost a ton of stuff. `mostly computers, camera equip, including a 300ml lens...Sorry Rick, I really liked that gift!!

Franz Josef Glacier

2008-08-11T17:16:00.001+02:00

Franz Josef GlacierOriginally uploaded by grahamjohanssonNew Zealand exciting wilderness

Alarms

2008-08-11T08:25:00.003+02:00

One of my favorite times of the day is the magic of the pre-dawn. Its just before sunrise and strong a spark of life and energy abounds. The animals and birds are already up and busy, getting on with their morning chores. A leopard rasps away, in the distance, sometimes not so distant the call of the lions roaring, jackals yelping, impala snorting, francolin clacking, Heugelins Robin chirruping,

Cape Town

2008-07-31T11:20:00.002+02:00

Hello from a wet and windy Cape Town. Patches of sun reach out every now and again, but is pulled away by the north-westerly s persistent power clutching with grasping desparate hands at the Table Mountain rugged sandstone buttresses...must get back to work...heres a nice pic stitched together of the waterfront a couple of days ago.Happy travelsGraham

On Safari with the Merritt family

2008-07-15T09:54:00.007+02:00

This has been a terrific safari with a wonderful mix of camps, game, habitat and Africa.We started out in Johannesburg at the Saxon, a nice boutique hotel in the suburbs where comfort and luxury is no expense, but they often forget your name. Good food and friendly staff,but the most stunning design and interior work that has won several awards.Then up into the Namib and Kaokaveld to namibia`s

Lamberts Bay Jaunt

2008-06-12T10:19:00.019+02:00

I took the family on a run out to Lamberts Bay last weekend. the weather in Cape Town wasn't promising much sun, as if it ever does, thats reserved for the week days when folks work...Here are some pics. Great place!

Orca and Dolphin

2008-06-02T10:01:00.003+02:00

WOW! Incredible stuff...imagine watching this. Occasionally the Orca come down to the Cape and have been seen in Hout Bay...sadly I havent seen this yet, my last pod sighting was one afternoon on an island called Quadra up the great North West Passage, Canada.Enjoy the report.Graham"IT LOOKS like a playful display of animal gymnastics as a dolphin dives centimetres away from a killer whale. But

2008-06-02T08:35:00.002+02:00

BuaNewsSharon HammondNelspruitAs part of a relocation agreement between South Africa, Namibia and Zambia, five black rhinos were flown to Zambia on Wednesday.Black rhinos are highly endangered and four of the five animals were selected from South Africa's flagship game reserve, the Kruger National Park."This translocation shows that we are definitely committed to regional conservation and are

2008-05-19T15:36:00.003+02:00

Another very interesting weekend in the Cape with a vist to Boulders, famous for its beaches and endangered, (only +-50 000 breeding pairs left!) African "Jackass"Penguins. I love these little guys; they are tenacious and stare you down, no problems. The weather is really warm at present and they boys and I missed our opportunity to swim, but not before some scrambling around the rock. We had to

2008-04-29T16:38:00.006+02:00

HI again, good peopleThe Cedarberg mountains, large worn sandstone mammoths dating back 250 million years. Aptly named after the almost extinct Cedar tree chopped down for its wonderful long lasting timber. Now the mountains are a nature lovers paradise where one may cycle, hike, climb, just relax and escape the city madness. Fishing, horse riding and some great wine, see http://

2008-04-07T09:49:00.003+02:00

So from Nelson we took a long drive to get to the glaciers, stopping off for the night at Hokitka along the west coast. Gold, hills, mountains, rain forests...greenstone, jade and fishing and hunting are all popular here. It was quick as one of my wannas was to see the glaciers. I love the forces of nature and here isnature in action deluxe... We splashed out and did a 40 min helicopter ride and

2008-04-07T09:41:00.006+02:00

So, to keep the ball rolling, the next step was over to Waiheke Island with Donna and Dean. A magic spot and like the Isle of Weight is to olde England, is Waiheke to north Island. bays, warm water boats, magnifcent views... great food from Fish and chips to excellent wine. Passage Rock did a fab Syrah and excellent lunch. We then flew down to Christchurch and dashed up to Nelson via the Hamner

2008-04-07T09:32:00.006+02:00

HI Guys,Here we are in New Zealand a long way from home. We have had a super time so far, probably have pushed the distance too far, but overall have managed to get by with good friends and out campervan really well. Here are a series of pics with a brief note as time here on the inet is measured carefully...and th amount of literatrure and brochures we are carrying blows the mind and the weight

2008-03-19T21:15:00.002+02:00

There is always something else, and as I share a favorite leopard picture with you from Singita, I must tell you that the "Semester at Sea" shots are almost up. The hosts seem to be having some duplication problems, as I do with my keyboard...so give them time and let me now when you want to down load some.Have a magic Easter and a relaxing weekend.Graham

2008-03-19T20:50:00.004+02:00

Hey!I noticed the other day that this blog almost slipped away from me. I am off to the land of the Long White Cloud on Friday for a break and some business. The tourism infrastructure seems very well put together and even though we still win with the Best Adventure Tourism Award here in SA, they have a remarkable amount to offer for every walk of life. So we will spend a week or so in Auckland

2008-03-02T10:07:00.002+02:00

Candidate for the Darwin awards...?The Voice (Francistown)Moses MarupingA Molepolole man learnt the hard way why the black mamba is widely considered the world's deadliest snake.Moagi Moporofiti Masilo, 42, died before reaching hospital minutes after the two-meter reptile bit him on the finger.His companion, Tirelo Kootshotse, told how they had seen the deadly snake basking on top of a stone."We

2008-02-25T12:11:00.007+02:00

Hi,Just back from a fabulous couple of days in the Kruger National Park with a young group of the ship "Explorer". We took a morning flight directly from Cape Town to , arrived in time for lunch and after unpacking took an afternoon drive into the park from Sabi River Sun. What a great lowveld setting with its rolling hills, golf course and peaceful tres with the Sabi River running doen blow it.,

2008-02-18T10:36:00.004+02:00

So here we are sitting in the landy at Chitabe, one of my favourite lodges in the Okavango where they have some very testy eles...and this young cub comes over, lies down in the vinonia next to us and starts gazing around not making eye contact unless someone moved too quickly. She was a single cub and may have missed her siblings long gone to other predators, and was curious and wanted some

2008-02-04T08:41:00.000+02:00

Happy 2008 to everyone. May it be prosperous in every possible way for you all.My snap here today is of a few young Zambian boys selling boiled groundnuts at the Kazungula ferry crossing. This is where you may have crossed over by motorboat to and from Botswana. I paidKW1000, or "1 pin", as the slang goes and shared them with my adventurous group. Theyre good tasting, healthy and the 25c I paid

Just up

2007-12-18T08:16:00.001+02:00

Well, Santa`s reindeer collected the Christmas letters for a late delivery on Christmas day, leaving three very happy boys wondering whats going to be under the tree in "6 sleeps!"I still have some gifts to find.At the moment I am reading a fascinating book I found in one of my favorite used book shops in Franshoek...yes, just next to the chocolate shop, by Tony Pooley, a legend in his own right

Back in Cape Town, the "Mother City"

2007-12-17T02:28:00.000+02:00

Hi Fellow travellers,After a great 3 months of back to back of adventure travelling, with amazing people, through all sorts of different terrain, countries and African ecosystems, in and out of huge storms, floods, heat and cold, roaring lions, stampeding elephant, stuck in-the-mud buffalo with feeding prides of lion , hundreds of bloated vultures, busy meercat burrows, thousands of zebra on the

Columbus Zoo Safari to Zambia with Classic Escapes.

2007-10-24T07:03:00.000+02:00

Well, Zambia has been referred to as "...beginners guide to Africa", and I can only agree. Its a peaceful,very friendly land locked country of over 11 477 447 people with over 72 different languages72 tribes. Lozi, Tonga, Bemba, Kaonde, Luvale, Nyanja, are some of the main ones ! Its area of Zambia is over 750000km2, along a latitude of 10-18 degrees. The average height is at around 1300m and its

Malva Pudding

2007-10-16T07:44:00.000+02:00

Hi All,I am just back from a funtastic adventure through the Luangwa and Lower Zambesi Valleys. Great game, awesome group and some extreme temperatures.But I`ll save that for later.I have that receipe at last, as promised to many, for a great Malva...a trad Cape dessert served with Creme Anglais, (custard is fine too,) cream or ice cream...your choice. Give this one a go and let me know how it

Snoek Fishcakes

2007-10-04T11:12:00.000+02:00

Today I have to share a wonderful recipe for some of the best west coast fishcakes I have tasted...consistently goood! There is a cute little cafe in Yzerfontein , along the west coast, and hour north of Cape Town,that does good, wholesome family food, proper coffee and has terrfic views over the bay. I drop in there every now and again when I`m up looking at the flowers and whales, very

Thankyou letter from Ron Magill

2007-10-01T08:18:00.000+02:00

Hi GangIts always nice to be able to get feedback from a safari and I`d like to share this letter to me from Ron Magill, Miami Metro Zoo, who travelled with Classic Escapes, www.classicescapes.com, and I, with you."I cannot thank you enough for your inceredible attention and guidance during our recent trip. I've been on enough of these things to know how many things can go wrong and in turn

West Coast Flowers - too late for some

2007-09-19T02:17:00.000+02:00

I dashed up to the West Coast National Park this weekend past to get a glimpse of the spectacular wild flower display that nature offers every year, to the wonderment of thousands of people. And wonderful it is...you have to be there to appreciate the diversity and magnificence. BUT, guess who was too late. And Dawn told me so, as she had been told by her friend.So instead of getting the flowers,

Birdlife Ringtones

2007-08-21T06:28:00.000+02:00

Hey Folks,I have just been informed of a great new set of mobile ringtones that you can download, as per the instructions below... my Treo is not compatable for some reason, so I`ll have to workon that problem later.Have a great week!GrahamRingtones;Birdlife South Africa is proud to announce the launching of its bird call ring tone service in conjunction with Exactmobile. By simply sending an SMS

Recent Safari July/August 07

2007-08-16T10:22:00.000+02:00

Hey, Just had a fabulous trip up to Mashatu, Botswana, Pafuri in the northern Kruger...what a great spot...wow! then a flip down to Kirkmans which is usually better, but we had an incredible sighting of a pack of Wild dogs and their puppies, at the den... the shots dont do it justice, but the experience was awesome. Then to round off we flew up over those devastating fires of Swaziland, added to