SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Botswana skies are unending. It is day 2 of my stay here at Chobe Safari Lodge just outside of the world-famous Chobe National Park and I truly feel like I’m in Eden. Chobe National Park is situated in northern Botswana in close proximity to the Savuti and Moremi Game Reserves as well as the Okavango Delta. There are many Safari Lodges in the area but I am staying at Chobe Safari Lodge as it is a 2AFRIKA, INC. appointed property.
Staying just outside of the Chobe National Park permits you access to the Caprivi Strip of Namibia which enables you to walk through a Namibian village as well as have full day access into Victoria Falls. If you wish, you can pop into Livingstone town (Zambia) as well as Victoria Falls town (Zimbabwe) but I highly doubt that you would want to leave this paradise. There’s a marketplace right alongside the Lodge named ‘Choppies’. You really do experience rural Africa here whereas when you stay in Chobe National Park itself, you’re confined to the parameters of the National Park.
People here are genuinely friendly, not just because they are employed and trained in the hospitality industry. Where ever you may wander, people greet you with a warm ‘Hello’, not because you’re a tourist. Everyone who passes one another in a car on the road also waves. This is a remarkably friendly Country.
All activities at Chobe Safari Lodge, when reserved via a 2AFRIKA, INC. package, are included. Most game drives or boat cruises take about 3-hours. You have the middle of the day and evenings to yourself. I’m sitting on the deck right now, overlooking the Chobe River typing away. I’ve developed a healthy, strong tan. I feel like I’m glowing, I don’t feel like I got a tan that you associate with the tropics. Almost like this land has branded me, painting my skin with a warm copper tone. While within the vicinity of the lodge you’re pretty much bug free, when you’re on a Safari Game Viewing Drive it can become pretty pesky. We highly recommend Malaria medication for extra precaution and a very strong bug lotion or spray (I bought pre-soaked clothing with 30% DEET).
The game drives here are fantastic. I was up at 4:45am to shower and get ready for my drive that I was supposed to report for an hour later at reception. It’s cold in the morning. Jeans, t-shirt and a sweater weren’t enough. I should have worn a long sleeved shirt under my sweater. Even a blanket would be nice. The drive from the lodge into Chobe National Park takes approximately 7-minutes. To summarize my experience, the free-roaming game unravels before you like a play as you penetrate deeper into the National Park. As the warm glow of sunrise approaches, one by one from smaller to larger, the animals awake greet you and a new African day.
We saw impala everywhere followed by a few hippos who grunted as we passed by. Wild dogs blocked one of our roads and we saw two immense herds of water buffalo. A few crocodiles popped their heads out of the water - I’ve noticed that the afternoon is better for seeing crocodiles basking in the sun as well as the multitudes of elephant that come to the river to drink. We saw kudu as well as large family of baboons which laboriously tore a tree apart. We saw plenty of giraffes but what topped it off for us was a pride of young lions - 10 feet away from me!
Seeing the Animal Kingdom in its natural state (none of them were placed within the park - it’s the Wildlife Services that built the lodges around the park before it became proclaimed a National Park) was beautiful. No zoos; nothing artificial. Actually this should be the slogan for Africa - No Preservatives! On a side note, I am seeing the DEET clothes working; a few mosquitoes just flew by me and didn’t stop - under normal conditions I would’ve been eaten alive.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
Sunday, April 20, 2008
‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski
SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This morning I left beautiful Cape Town. I was up by 4:30am in order to be collected in the lobby of my fabulous hotel, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice (their safes actually fit laptops and charge them at the same time! Nowhere else did I see this unique feature). While Cape Town is very modern I still think that arranging your private transfers is way better than asking for a taxi. If I needed a taxi at 5:30am today who would’ve guaranteed that it would come on time? The private transfers are operated by people who do this day in and out so know the currently changing infrastructure of the city and especially the airport.
Having a local driver is also a great way to get to know South Africa more intimately. People here are more than eager to talk and tell you about their country. I’ve found that most regular cab drivers seem to be foreigners from other African countries and know very little about South Africa.
I saw the true beginning of winter today - an annoying drizzle that people were running away from like it burned! Cape Town is misty in the morning, sunny most of the day and windy at night. That’s my interpretation. My flight to Johannesburg was delayed by 20 minutes because they couldn’t find covered stairs to board the passengers in comfort (turns out that we didn’t need them as by the time we were boarding the rain stopped): T.I.A. - This is Africa.
Flying is a great means of transportation here and to combine many places in one region is practical and smart. One might fly a couple of different airlines for sometimes, due to no space being available, you can’t book everything on South African Airways. I flew British Airways to Johannesburg and then had to transfer for my 11:20am international flight to Zambia on another airline. I hurried myself and anxiously waited for my luggage to appear on the conveyor belt. Truth be told, you can show up and hour, perhaps 45 minutes, before your regional flight for once they check you in, the flight cannot leave without you on board and accounted for. I didn’t have to stress. Africa is a place of distances. The distance between the domestic terminal and the international terminal is a brisk 10-15 minute “power” walk.
The more time I spend in Africa the tanner, or rather burned I become. Being the tough guy that I am, I refused to pack the “essentials” however when I thought I left my deodorant in Cape Town today I really felt unnerved . . . of course, that is ridiculous for deodorant is not a rare commodity – particularly at the next point that I was traveling to – and of course, there are many shopping facilities at the O.R. Tambo International Airport concourse. Arrival in Livingstone was effortless. British Airways has more leg room but the seats are kind of narrow and they serve meals on most flights. Nationwide Airlines has wider seats, less leg room, and serves meals on regional flights (on domestic flights you may purchase food). To me, a flight is a flight and it’s not meant to be comfortable (unless you fly a Middle Eastern airline), but simply intended to get you safely from point A to point B.
Immigration in Zambia took all of about 1-minute. The Livingstone International Airport really IS a two hall space. There are only about 4 or 5 flights arriving into Livingstone International daily with each airline carrying approximately 130 passengers. There is a distinct ‘difference’ between the people of Zambia, Botswana and South Africa. People from the countries that border South Africa are more approachable and warmer. Perhaps South African is too First World on the Third World Continent while in Botswana, they have managed to retain their ‘old world charm’. Yes, you do pass through rural towns and villages en-route to Chobe Safari Lodge from Livingstone International. You pass through the town of Livingstone which is merely a rural town and not a metropolis by any means. You drive by farms and see traditional villages (yes, thatched roofs and everything) and your driver acts like an ambassador welcoming you to his part of town. Keep in mind that it’s customary and necessary to tip these people in USD. At your discretion, tipping is usually between US$5 and US$10 for a transfer and when on safari game viewing drives, usually US$20 for your Game Ranger.
The transfer from Zambia to Kasane and Chobe National Park was an hour’s drive from the airport to Kazangula. Kazangula is the border on the Chobe and Zambezi rivers where vehicles, visitors and locals alike make the river crossing from one country to the other. It really is a quick, informal procedure. Along the way I enjoyed the company of Frederick, Wilson, and Blessing with whom I had many political conversations with about the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe (frankly, everyone feels that Zimbabwe is a hindrance to all four bordering countries). Being an anthropologist, of course I was in heaven. I also discovered that I, as an Eastern European, have so much in common with the people here. Our countries were always ruled by a higher authority. Eastern Europe and Southern Africa are mirror images of each another.
Botswana by far is my favorite country. The people here are nonchalant and even though I was oftentimes in rural areas where most people live off the land, not once was I approached nor even stared at let alone asked for money. Here, there is a sense of pride. People here will offer a service if they can help you rather than beg. Chobe Safari Lodge is beautiful. It’s heaven on Earth. I took a last minute private boat cruise and saw elephants, hippos, impala, kudu (which I also had for dinner), and crocodiles. It’s unreal what kind of experience one can get here. The accommodations are beautiful and elephant, hippo and crocodiles are known to often roam the well manicured lawns which lead to the banks of the Chobe River during the night hours. A family of warthogs have mane the property their home. I’ve been told that monkeys are VERY common here too.
Note to self: do not leave your doors open when you leave your room so you can “air-out” the room even with the screen closed in the evening. I’ve spent 15 minutes chasing months and flushing questionable insects down the toilet. This is why all rooms are equipped with air-conditioning. I can’t help but to add that perhaps I like Botswana more than South Africa. I feel more relaxed and relieved here. People here don’t have barbed wire surrounding their property. It is this, the true African Safari experience which always releases my spirit.
Sitting on the lawn, listening to music played by the live band and digesting my kudu, springbok, fish and bread, gazing at the stars I truly felt relaxed, at home, at peace. I’ve re-attained the mythic African liberations - finally. I also need to add that the Chobe River swarms with insects at dusk. The sunset is amazing and Chobe Safari Lodge is equipped with special lighting to keep the property illuminated without attracting many insects.
I’ve been up since 4:00am this morning and am functioning on about 3 ½ hours of sleep. I’m going to crash now as I have a game drive that I need to report to at a quarter to 5 tomorrow morning. Africa has taken me in her arms and once more breathed new life into me. Seeing the majestic elephant herds once more is all it took for me to taste true Africa.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This morning I left beautiful Cape Town. I was up by 4:30am in order to be collected in the lobby of my fabulous hotel, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice (their safes actually fit laptops and charge them at the same time! Nowhere else did I see this unique feature). While Cape Town is very modern I still think that arranging your private transfers is way better than asking for a taxi. If I needed a taxi at 5:30am today who would’ve guaranteed that it would come on time? The private transfers are operated by people who do this day in and out so know the currently changing infrastructure of the city and especially the airport.
Having a local driver is also a great way to get to know South Africa more intimately. People here are more than eager to talk and tell you about their country. I’ve found that most regular cab drivers seem to be foreigners from other African countries and know very little about South Africa.
I saw the true beginning of winter today - an annoying drizzle that people were running away from like it burned! Cape Town is misty in the morning, sunny most of the day and windy at night. That’s my interpretation. My flight to Johannesburg was delayed by 20 minutes because they couldn’t find covered stairs to board the passengers in comfort (turns out that we didn’t need them as by the time we were boarding the rain stopped): T.I.A. - This is Africa.
Flying is a great means of transportation here and to combine many places in one region is practical and smart. One might fly a couple of different airlines for sometimes, due to no space being available, you can’t book everything on South African Airways. I flew British Airways to Johannesburg and then had to transfer for my 11:20am international flight to Zambia on another airline. I hurried myself and anxiously waited for my luggage to appear on the conveyor belt. Truth be told, you can show up and hour, perhaps 45 minutes, before your regional flight for once they check you in, the flight cannot leave without you on board and accounted for. I didn’t have to stress. Africa is a place of distances. The distance between the domestic terminal and the international terminal is a brisk 10-15 minute “power” walk.
The more time I spend in Africa the tanner, or rather burned I become. Being the tough guy that I am, I refused to pack the “essentials” however when I thought I left my deodorant in Cape Town today I really felt unnerved . . . of course, that is ridiculous for deodorant is not a rare commodity – particularly at the next point that I was traveling to – and of course, there are many shopping facilities at the O.R. Tambo International Airport concourse. Arrival in Livingstone was effortless. British Airways has more leg room but the seats are kind of narrow and they serve meals on most flights. Nationwide Airlines has wider seats, less leg room, and serves meals on regional flights (on domestic flights you may purchase food). To me, a flight is a flight and it’s not meant to be comfortable (unless you fly a Middle Eastern airline), but simply intended to get you safely from point A to point B.
Immigration in Zambia took all of about 1-minute. The Livingstone International Airport really IS a two hall space. There are only about 4 or 5 flights arriving into Livingstone International daily with each airline carrying approximately 130 passengers. There is a distinct ‘difference’ between the people of Zambia, Botswana and South Africa. People from the countries that border South Africa are more approachable and warmer. Perhaps South African is too First World on the Third World Continent while in Botswana, they have managed to retain their ‘old world charm’. Yes, you do pass through rural towns and villages en-route to Chobe Safari Lodge from Livingstone International. You pass through the town of Livingstone which is merely a rural town and not a metropolis by any means. You drive by farms and see traditional villages (yes, thatched roofs and everything) and your driver acts like an ambassador welcoming you to his part of town. Keep in mind that it’s customary and necessary to tip these people in USD. At your discretion, tipping is usually between US$5 and US$10 for a transfer and when on safari game viewing drives, usually US$20 for your Game Ranger.
The transfer from Zambia to Kasane and Chobe National Park was an hour’s drive from the airport to Kazangula. Kazangula is the border on the Chobe and Zambezi rivers where vehicles, visitors and locals alike make the river crossing from one country to the other. It really is a quick, informal procedure. Along the way I enjoyed the company of Frederick, Wilson, and Blessing with whom I had many political conversations with about the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe (frankly, everyone feels that Zimbabwe is a hindrance to all four bordering countries). Being an anthropologist, of course I was in heaven. I also discovered that I, as an Eastern European, have so much in common with the people here. Our countries were always ruled by a higher authority. Eastern Europe and Southern Africa are mirror images of each another.
Botswana by far is my favorite country. The people here are nonchalant and even though I was oftentimes in rural areas where most people live off the land, not once was I approached nor even stared at let alone asked for money. Here, there is a sense of pride. People here will offer a service if they can help you rather than beg. Chobe Safari Lodge is beautiful. It’s heaven on Earth. I took a last minute private boat cruise and saw elephants, hippos, impala, kudu (which I also had for dinner), and crocodiles. It’s unreal what kind of experience one can get here. The accommodations are beautiful and elephant, hippo and crocodiles are known to often roam the well manicured lawns which lead to the banks of the Chobe River during the night hours. A family of warthogs have mane the property their home. I’ve been told that monkeys are VERY common here too.
Note to self: do not leave your doors open when you leave your room so you can “air-out” the room even with the screen closed in the evening. I’ve spent 15 minutes chasing months and flushing questionable insects down the toilet. This is why all rooms are equipped with air-conditioning. I can’t help but to add that perhaps I like Botswana more than South Africa. I feel more relaxed and relieved here. People here don’t have barbed wire surrounding their property. It is this, the true African Safari experience which always releases my spirit.
Sitting on the lawn, listening to music played by the live band and digesting my kudu, springbok, fish and bread, gazing at the stars I truly felt relaxed, at home, at peace. I’ve re-attained the mythic African liberations - finally. I also need to add that the Chobe River swarms with insects at dusk. The sunset is amazing and Chobe Safari Lodge is equipped with special lighting to keep the property illuminated without attracting many insects.
I’ve been up since 4:00am this morning and am functioning on about 3 ½ hours of sleep. I’m going to crash now as I have a game drive that I need to report to at a quarter to 5 tomorrow morning. Africa has taken me in her arms and once more breathed new life into me. Seeing the majestic elephant herds once more is all it took for me to taste true Africa.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
Thursday, April 10, 2008
‘A significant moment worth remembering’ – a message from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber
THURSDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On April 10, 1912 the RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage. The ship departed Southampton, England, bound for New York City, New York, with Captain Edward J. Smith in command and 2,223 people aboard. The RMS Titanic docked in both France and Ireland to collect joining passengers.
Among the passengers were many famous names: John Jacob Astor and his wife; Denver millionairess Margaret "Molly" Brown; Benjamin Guggenheim; Macy's owner Isidor Straus along with the White Star Line's Director J. Bruce Ismay and the ship's builder Thomas Andrews. There were three classes of passengers; many in third class were Irish and British immigrants looking to a new life in America.
On Sunday, April 14, the ship altered course slightly in a southerly direction in response to iceberg warnings. A number of subsequent warnings from other ships were received, but not acted upon. At 11:40 pm, lookouts spotted an iceberg directly ahead of the ship.
A collision was unavoidable. The ship hit the massive ice, buckling its hull and breaching five underwater compartments. Shortly after midnight, Captain Smith ordered lifeboats into the water. There were only 20 lifeboats on board with a total capacity of 1, 178 passengers, but many of the lifeboats were launched only partially filled as in the early stages of the crisis, many did not believe the ship would sink.
Of the 2,223 passengers on board the RMS Titanic, 1,517 perished leaving only 706 survivors.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On April 10, 1912 the RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage. The ship departed Southampton, England, bound for New York City, New York, with Captain Edward J. Smith in command and 2,223 people aboard. The RMS Titanic docked in both France and Ireland to collect joining passengers.
Among the passengers were many famous names: John Jacob Astor and his wife; Denver millionairess Margaret "Molly" Brown; Benjamin Guggenheim; Macy's owner Isidor Straus along with the White Star Line's Director J. Bruce Ismay and the ship's builder Thomas Andrews. There were three classes of passengers; many in third class were Irish and British immigrants looking to a new life in America.
On Sunday, April 14, the ship altered course slightly in a southerly direction in response to iceberg warnings. A number of subsequent warnings from other ships were received, but not acted upon. At 11:40 pm, lookouts spotted an iceberg directly ahead of the ship.
A collision was unavoidable. The ship hit the massive ice, buckling its hull and breaching five underwater compartments. Shortly after midnight, Captain Smith ordered lifeboats into the water. There were only 20 lifeboats on board with a total capacity of 1, 178 passengers, but many of the lifeboats were launched only partially filled as in the early stages of the crisis, many did not believe the ship would sink.
Of the 2,223 passengers on board the RMS Titanic, 1,517 perished leaving only 706 survivors.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
Sunday, April 6, 2008
‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today is my last day in South Africa (for the moment), in Cape Town. I’ve spent four glorious days here and the city got under my skin - in a good way. I arrived and drove past the informal townships allowing me to see the ugly side. Yet my driver was the kindest person ever, showing me that everything has two sides to it. I stayed at the much talked about V & A Waterfront as well as in the middle of the city itself. I took in the whole peninsula and saw things my eyes couldn’t have dreamt about. South Africa and Cape Town especially, is the ultimate destination. Cape Town is a melting pot, a smorgasbord of tastes, people, languages and all walks of life.
Staying at the V & A Waterfront reminded me of being in a theme park. It removes you from so much and is really solely a tourist destination. It’s a safe way to stay out until late at night but it’s not the real Cape Town. The second two days I stayed within the city. The thing about Cape Town is that it is not a city that goes full steam 24/7 like New York. Monday through Friday it’s a commercial center to many and safe to walk anywhere. After working hours the stores start closing and only a few patches on certain streets remain open. On Saturdays mostly everything starts closing by 3pm. People here are not workaholics – they have a life! The sun is shining and you can eat al-fresco nearly every day. Why would one want to be stuck in an office here? South Africans live life at a different pace!
I keep hearing from people that the City is not safe at night. No, you won’t get killed but you will be solicited many times over by people with questionable intentions. Nearly the whole economy here is based on tourism - tourists also are targets for beggars or people who needlessly want to help you get somewhere. A lot of streets in the city feature many bars and restaurants next door to one another. Usually those places are fine and there are many policemen watching the streets all the time. You’re never left alone, just avoid alleyways. Like with any big city one should remain street-smart - to avoid Cape Town would be a shame.
In the evenings many people please the city and reach for the suburbs like Green Point, De Waterkant or Sea Point. It’s best to take a taxi to and from your intended destination as there is virtually no public transportation, and taxi rides are inexpensive. These suburbs started to sprout up many cafes, restaurants and bars. All of them have a view of the ocean, maybe this is why it’s more laid back here. Cape Town - the inner city is mainly used for commercial purposes but has contained entertainment.
Cape Town is very much like California. No one walks here. The distances are too great so driving is the only way to go. Not at all like Manhattan where you can either walk or take a cab every few blocks. Everyone has a cell phone here. It is a safe city provided you don’t look for trouble. For example, while walking today (I took a lengthy walking trip - not something I would ever do again) someone who saw me somewhere yesterday (or claimed he did) started to walk with me and chatted. What he wanted I’d rather not imagine but I simply told him that I would like to walk alone as I’ve been walking all day and am quite tired and not in the mood to chat. He went away without a problem. People will see you during the ‘after-hours’ and try to get your attention because you’re foreign and thus they assume you have money. Ignore them and you’ll be fine.
The best way to do Cape Town is for about 5 or 6 days and arrange a couple of tours to fill in at least three days to really ‘get’ the city. Cape Town has excellent tourist facilities and you can get information virtually everywhere. Info Centers are as common in Cape Town as yellow taxis in NYC. There’s an option to hop on a “topless bus” that will take you throughout the whole city for about two hours - but you can hop on and off. So if it’s between ‘business hours’ on a week day then you pretty much can go where you want to go, hop on and off and don’t need a taxi. Guided tours, as arranged by us, are the epitome of getting to know this City. On my full-day Cape Peninsula tour our guide took us to the southernmost tip of Africa. Because some of the other passengers in a vehicle took forever to join us at one of our breaks we skipped the tourist part of Boulders Beach (famed for the penguin colony that resides there) and went to a public part. We save R30 and got closer to the penguins than we actually could have in the tourist part.
With a tour like this you feel like you’re with a friend showing you around. I hiked all the way to the top in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and had a great moment of solitude but then had to run 2 miles in about 15 minutes down the slopes of Table Mountain. Mountains and hills - Cape Town is full of them. This is why it’s not really a walkable city. You’ll be tired as the whole city surrounds Table Mountain. You see it all the time, there’s no escaping it, and after three days you feel like you can’t escape its shadow.
I’ll be leaving the Mother City tomorrow morning and just want to point out a few important matters before I go. There are many places to change money (even hotels will do it for you at the front desk), all hotels so far were able to provide an international adapter plug for my laptop, food and beverages are inexpensive as are taxis. I found Hout Bay to be the most inexpensive location to buy souvenirs. Hout Bay is a small village from where you take a cruise to Duiker Island where you will be feet away from the seal colony. This country and this city and its surroundings really are a whole world in one.
Tomorrow I check out at 5:30 am to make my British Airways/Comair flight bound for Johannesburg where I will once again revert to Nationwide Airlines for my flight to Livingstone - Zambia. I’ll cross the border at Kazangula into Botswana where I am spending two nights at Chobe Safari Lodge before I return to the Victoria Falls and the Royal Livingstone on the banks of mighty Zambezi. My visit to this incredible part of the world will end at Madikwe Hills Game Reserve at the ultra-luxury Mateya Safari Lodge.
I miss New York City. I miss my friends and miss everything that I thought that I hated about it. I am excited to leave the atmosphere of the city and stay in the middle of nowhere. I feel like I’ve changed a lot yet again. I feel like I escaped a cocoon that I’ve been in and tasted new flavors, good and bad.
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today is my last day in South Africa (for the moment), in Cape Town. I’ve spent four glorious days here and the city got under my skin - in a good way. I arrived and drove past the informal townships allowing me to see the ugly side. Yet my driver was the kindest person ever, showing me that everything has two sides to it. I stayed at the much talked about V & A Waterfront as well as in the middle of the city itself. I took in the whole peninsula and saw things my eyes couldn’t have dreamt about. South Africa and Cape Town especially, is the ultimate destination. Cape Town is a melting pot, a smorgasbord of tastes, people, languages and all walks of life.
Staying at the V & A Waterfront reminded me of being in a theme park. It removes you from so much and is really solely a tourist destination. It’s a safe way to stay out until late at night but it’s not the real Cape Town. The second two days I stayed within the city. The thing about Cape Town is that it is not a city that goes full steam 24/7 like New York. Monday through Friday it’s a commercial center to many and safe to walk anywhere. After working hours the stores start closing and only a few patches on certain streets remain open. On Saturdays mostly everything starts closing by 3pm. People here are not workaholics – they have a life! The sun is shining and you can eat al-fresco nearly every day. Why would one want to be stuck in an office here? South Africans live life at a different pace!
I keep hearing from people that the City is not safe at night. No, you won’t get killed but you will be solicited many times over by people with questionable intentions. Nearly the whole economy here is based on tourism - tourists also are targets for beggars or people who needlessly want to help you get somewhere. A lot of streets in the city feature many bars and restaurants next door to one another. Usually those places are fine and there are many policemen watching the streets all the time. You’re never left alone, just avoid alleyways. Like with any big city one should remain street-smart - to avoid Cape Town would be a shame.
In the evenings many people please the city and reach for the suburbs like Green Point, De Waterkant or Sea Point. It’s best to take a taxi to and from your intended destination as there is virtually no public transportation, and taxi rides are inexpensive. These suburbs started to sprout up many cafes, restaurants and bars. All of them have a view of the ocean, maybe this is why it’s more laid back here. Cape Town - the inner city is mainly used for commercial purposes but has contained entertainment.
Cape Town is very much like California. No one walks here. The distances are too great so driving is the only way to go. Not at all like Manhattan where you can either walk or take a cab every few blocks. Everyone has a cell phone here. It is a safe city provided you don’t look for trouble. For example, while walking today (I took a lengthy walking trip - not something I would ever do again) someone who saw me somewhere yesterday (or claimed he did) started to walk with me and chatted. What he wanted I’d rather not imagine but I simply told him that I would like to walk alone as I’ve been walking all day and am quite tired and not in the mood to chat. He went away without a problem. People will see you during the ‘after-hours’ and try to get your attention because you’re foreign and thus they assume you have money. Ignore them and you’ll be fine.
The best way to do Cape Town is for about 5 or 6 days and arrange a couple of tours to fill in at least three days to really ‘get’ the city. Cape Town has excellent tourist facilities and you can get information virtually everywhere. Info Centers are as common in Cape Town as yellow taxis in NYC. There’s an option to hop on a “topless bus” that will take you throughout the whole city for about two hours - but you can hop on and off. So if it’s between ‘business hours’ on a week day then you pretty much can go where you want to go, hop on and off and don’t need a taxi. Guided tours, as arranged by us, are the epitome of getting to know this City. On my full-day Cape Peninsula tour our guide took us to the southernmost tip of Africa. Because some of the other passengers in a vehicle took forever to join us at one of our breaks we skipped the tourist part of Boulders Beach (famed for the penguin colony that resides there) and went to a public part. We save R30 and got closer to the penguins than we actually could have in the tourist part.
With a tour like this you feel like you’re with a friend showing you around. I hiked all the way to the top in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and had a great moment of solitude but then had to run 2 miles in about 15 minutes down the slopes of Table Mountain. Mountains and hills - Cape Town is full of them. This is why it’s not really a walkable city. You’ll be tired as the whole city surrounds Table Mountain. You see it all the time, there’s no escaping it, and after three days you feel like you can’t escape its shadow.
I’ll be leaving the Mother City tomorrow morning and just want to point out a few important matters before I go. There are many places to change money (even hotels will do it for you at the front desk), all hotels so far were able to provide an international adapter plug for my laptop, food and beverages are inexpensive as are taxis. I found Hout Bay to be the most inexpensive location to buy souvenirs. Hout Bay is a small village from where you take a cruise to Duiker Island where you will be feet away from the seal colony. This country and this city and its surroundings really are a whole world in one.
Tomorrow I check out at 5:30 am to make my British Airways/Comair flight bound for Johannesburg where I will once again revert to Nationwide Airlines for my flight to Livingstone - Zambia. I’ll cross the border at Kazangula into Botswana where I am spending two nights at Chobe Safari Lodge before I return to the Victoria Falls and the Royal Livingstone on the banks of mighty Zambezi. My visit to this incredible part of the world will end at Madikwe Hills Game Reserve at the ultra-luxury Mateya Safari Lodge.
I miss New York City. I miss my friends and miss everything that I thought that I hated about it. I am excited to leave the atmosphere of the city and stay in the middle of nowhere. I feel like I’ve changed a lot yet again. I feel like I escaped a cocoon that I’ve been in and tasted new flavors, good and bad.
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It’s day three in South Africa for me and I’m still a little iffy with the time zone. Today I’m flying Business Class on Nationwide Airlines from Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga) to Cape Town International via Johannesburg. I’ve been doing a lot of flying while in South Africa and I think this is the best way to go when one wants to see the whole country. I’ve been moving around every day since I’ve arrived so it’s good that from today (Wednesday) until Sunday I’ll be in one place (Cape Town).
In Cape Town I’ll be staying at the Table Bay Hotel, right on the V&A Waterfront and then will move over to the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice (formerly known as Protea Hotel Extreme) on Long Street which is in a very hip part of town. This is a little treat to myself where I don’t plan to do any site inspections at all… actually I’m lying because after meeting with the owner of Perry’s Bridge Hollow and the Hippo Hollow in Hazyview he suggested I see two of his other properties in the Mother City - Cape Town Hollow and Hollow on the Square.
I was supposed to fly to do two other site inspections today but it’s been overcast this morning in Hazyview, hence the name, so I drove into the Kruger National Park instead. The best way to go game viewing in Kruger National Park is very early in the morning or late afternoon early evening. I wasn’t going there for the game experience but rather to refresh myself on the feel of the park. It was a very scenic drive.
On the way to the airport in Nelspruit my friend and I drove past a few shanty towns and it really reminded just how sheltered I’ve lived. The houses ranged from shacks to pretty nice, suburban styled homes. The people there were all nicely dressed so it wasn’t like they were sitting and begging on the street. It’s mostly a rural, farming community very reminiscent of rural America. I could’ve been in Mpumalanga or in Nowhere Town, USA. I was thinking about the economic status of these people and it really is more of an issue that my needs were shaped differently than theirs. If you’ve never had McDonald’s would you be born with a craving for it?
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It’s day three in South Africa for me and I’m still a little iffy with the time zone. Today I’m flying Business Class on Nationwide Airlines from Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga) to Cape Town International via Johannesburg. I’ve been doing a lot of flying while in South Africa and I think this is the best way to go when one wants to see the whole country. I’ve been moving around every day since I’ve arrived so it’s good that from today (Wednesday) until Sunday I’ll be in one place (Cape Town).
In Cape Town I’ll be staying at the Table Bay Hotel, right on the V&A Waterfront and then will move over to the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice (formerly known as Protea Hotel Extreme) on Long Street which is in a very hip part of town. This is a little treat to myself where I don’t plan to do any site inspections at all… actually I’m lying because after meeting with the owner of Perry’s Bridge Hollow and the Hippo Hollow in Hazyview he suggested I see two of his other properties in the Mother City - Cape Town Hollow and Hollow on the Square.
I was supposed to fly to do two other site inspections today but it’s been overcast this morning in Hazyview, hence the name, so I drove into the Kruger National Park instead. The best way to go game viewing in Kruger National Park is very early in the morning or late afternoon early evening. I wasn’t going there for the game experience but rather to refresh myself on the feel of the park. It was a very scenic drive.
On the way to the airport in Nelspruit my friend and I drove past a few shanty towns and it really reminded just how sheltered I’ve lived. The houses ranged from shacks to pretty nice, suburban styled homes. The people there were all nicely dressed so it wasn’t like they were sitting and begging on the street. It’s mostly a rural, farming community very reminiscent of rural America. I could’ve been in Mpumalanga or in Nowhere Town, USA. I was thinking about the economic status of these people and it really is more of an issue that my needs were shaped differently than theirs. If you’ve never had McDonald’s would you be born with a craving for it?
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On my first full day in Johannesburg, I woke up at 6:00AM local time to keep with my usual waking schedule - and had some delicious coffee in my room and laid in bed for a couple of minutes watching TV. “Sunrise” seems to be the Good Morning America of South Africa.
Breakfast service at The Safari Club S.A. starts at 7:00am. Myself and an English couple (they spoke the Queen’s English so they had to be from one of ‘those’ countries) sat in the spacious breakfast room, didn’t speak (I even said good morning and they ignored me), while the most pleasant Zulu woman served me my usual eggs and ham.
I had to catch up with my e-mails so I made my way to the main lobby (the guest rooms are well appointed between the landscaped gardens of The S.A. Safari Club)to greet Emile (long time friend and owner of The S.A. Safari Club) and catch up a little. My laptop was running low on battery power but thankfully Emile has a ton of international plugs, which I assume will be available at hotels throughout my journey.
Because I always like to be extra early rather than late I got to the airport three hours prior to my departure for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO STRESS THE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS. This is how it went: Justice, my driver, dropped me off at the airport (currently undergoing major renovations in anticipation of 2010), and we exchanged e-mail addresses as he told me he’s “always on the internet.” I proceeded to the Domestic Departure Terminal, before buying some post cards and a magnet, and it was smooth sailing from there. Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International is really smooth (despite the ongoing renovations). The Domestic Departure Terminal is not unlike being in a domestic airport in a medium-size city in the U.S. - Philadelphia, perhaps?
I walked over to the Nationwide Airlines counters and asked them where to go; in a very heavy Bantu accent (which I am still getting used to) I was told to go over to counters 1-8-H … I simply walked in the direction that the woman told me and saw huge signs where to check my luggage. Seriously, there’s nothing to freak out about. Everything in South Africa runs smoothly. The people here ARE very friendly and I can’t help but to notice how many beautiful and warm smiles I was greeted with.
I went to check my luggage and the woman checking me in made some small talk. What is my nick name? Where am I from? I proceeded to talk about how my mother says my name with her thick Polish accent when she tries to speak English. I also connected via Skype whilst at The S.A. Safari Club, with my father to show him via video what it looks like.
I had time to kill so I bought some local compilations and now I’m sitting waiting for my flight - WAY TOO EARLY!!! I got here when they were boarding the flight to Cape Town before mine. Airlines are the local means of commuting here. They are to South Africa what the Subway is to New York City. Might I add that there’s Wi-Fi virtually everywhere within the airport but it costs. An hour of internet time costs ZAR50 - $6.
The Nationwide Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Kruger Mpumalanga was roughly 35 minutes - definitely better than driving the 5 hours there. It really is NOT that much of a scenic drive. It’s all mostly farmland so it’s not like you’ll see game on the way there.
In Mpumalanga Province there is a town called Hazyview. It’s right outside the western boundary of the Kruger National Park and close enough to the famed ‘God’s Window’ and the picturesque ‘Panorama Route’. I arrived here and checked into Perry’s Bridge Hollow, a sister hotel to the Hippo Hollow located on the banks of the Sabi River. Perry’s Bridge Hollow has individual, air-conditioned chalets and outdoor (as well as indoor showers) - I always prefer the outside showers. It’s located, technically, in a sub-tropical climate so it’s ALWAYS pleasant here. You can go swimming in the winter time, if you’d like. The nights are cool but the days can get hot.
The drive from the airport to the hotel took me through small towns reminiscent of Northeast Pennsylvania but with an African flavor to it. The closer we got to the hotel the more rural the surroundings became. You really get a taste of real, rural Africa here and to be honest, it’s no different than rural America. While at Perry’s Bridge I hopped over to Elephant Whispers. Elephant Whispers is a ranch that takes in elephants that usually roam the wild. There is an overflow of the elephant population in southern Africa which disrupts the eco-system and threatens other animals. The folks at Elephant Whispers have a great love for the elephants and you can interact with WILD African elephants.
No, they’re not tamed, training nor domesticated. Elephants are incredibly intelligent creatures and through positive reinforcement (giving treats, respect for the animal and love) the elephants got over their fear of humans and seem very happy here. This is a great place to visit in order to learn about these majestic creatures. For example, they have poor day vision, don’t have tear ducts and can lower their temperature in the heat by 3 degrees Celsius.
I also visited Hippo Hollow - a more upscale hotel owned by the same owner for a more mature crowd. It’s definitely exotic as the whole building focuses on South African culture (Zulu, Tswana, Sotho, Afrikaner, and Xhosa, to name a few) and its river-side chalets (reserved more for families or groups of four) face the Sabie River which is home to many hippos.
The Hippo Hollow also features the Shangaan River Club – a collaboration between the local tribe living in the area and fellow hoteliers bringing to life the Shangaan culture and benefiting orphans of the area infected with HIV/AIDS. These kids are the magnificent dancers who proudly display their strong identity. Their performance benefit’s the local orphanage most of them live in.
So far South Africa has been a very friendly country. The music is absolutely amazing. I stocked up on compilations at O.R. Tambo International. Dinner consisted of Ostrich and my dining companion was one of the two cats that roam the property and followed me during my time here.
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On my first full day in Johannesburg, I woke up at 6:00AM local time to keep with my usual waking schedule - and had some delicious coffee in my room and laid in bed for a couple of minutes watching TV. “Sunrise” seems to be the Good Morning America of South Africa.
Breakfast service at The Safari Club S.A. starts at 7:00am. Myself and an English couple (they spoke the Queen’s English so they had to be from one of ‘those’ countries) sat in the spacious breakfast room, didn’t speak (I even said good morning and they ignored me), while the most pleasant Zulu woman served me my usual eggs and ham.
I had to catch up with my e-mails so I made my way to the main lobby (the guest rooms are well appointed between the landscaped gardens of The S.A. Safari Club)to greet Emile (long time friend and owner of The S.A. Safari Club) and catch up a little. My laptop was running low on battery power but thankfully Emile has a ton of international plugs, which I assume will be available at hotels throughout my journey.
Because I always like to be extra early rather than late I got to the airport three hours prior to my departure for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO STRESS THE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS. This is how it went: Justice, my driver, dropped me off at the airport (currently undergoing major renovations in anticipation of 2010), and we exchanged e-mail addresses as he told me he’s “always on the internet.” I proceeded to the Domestic Departure Terminal, before buying some post cards and a magnet, and it was smooth sailing from there. Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International is really smooth (despite the ongoing renovations). The Domestic Departure Terminal is not unlike being in a domestic airport in a medium-size city in the U.S. - Philadelphia, perhaps?
I walked over to the Nationwide Airlines counters and asked them where to go; in a very heavy Bantu accent (which I am still getting used to) I was told to go over to counters 1-8-H … I simply walked in the direction that the woman told me and saw huge signs where to check my luggage. Seriously, there’s nothing to freak out about. Everything in South Africa runs smoothly. The people here ARE very friendly and I can’t help but to notice how many beautiful and warm smiles I was greeted with.
I went to check my luggage and the woman checking me in made some small talk. What is my nick name? Where am I from? I proceeded to talk about how my mother says my name with her thick Polish accent when she tries to speak English. I also connected via Skype whilst at The S.A. Safari Club, with my father to show him via video what it looks like.
I had time to kill so I bought some local compilations and now I’m sitting waiting for my flight - WAY TOO EARLY!!! I got here when they were boarding the flight to Cape Town before mine. Airlines are the local means of commuting here. They are to South Africa what the Subway is to New York City. Might I add that there’s Wi-Fi virtually everywhere within the airport but it costs. An hour of internet time costs ZAR50 - $6.
The Nationwide Airlines flight from Johannesburg to Kruger Mpumalanga was roughly 35 minutes - definitely better than driving the 5 hours there. It really is NOT that much of a scenic drive. It’s all mostly farmland so it’s not like you’ll see game on the way there.
In Mpumalanga Province there is a town called Hazyview. It’s right outside the western boundary of the Kruger National Park and close enough to the famed ‘God’s Window’ and the picturesque ‘Panorama Route’. I arrived here and checked into Perry’s Bridge Hollow, a sister hotel to the Hippo Hollow located on the banks of the Sabi River. Perry’s Bridge Hollow has individual, air-conditioned chalets and outdoor (as well as indoor showers) - I always prefer the outside showers. It’s located, technically, in a sub-tropical climate so it’s ALWAYS pleasant here. You can go swimming in the winter time, if you’d like. The nights are cool but the days can get hot.
The drive from the airport to the hotel took me through small towns reminiscent of Northeast Pennsylvania but with an African flavor to it. The closer we got to the hotel the more rural the surroundings became. You really get a taste of real, rural Africa here and to be honest, it’s no different than rural America. While at Perry’s Bridge I hopped over to Elephant Whispers. Elephant Whispers is a ranch that takes in elephants that usually roam the wild. There is an overflow of the elephant population in southern Africa which disrupts the eco-system and threatens other animals. The folks at Elephant Whispers have a great love for the elephants and you can interact with WILD African elephants.
No, they’re not tamed, training nor domesticated. Elephants are incredibly intelligent creatures and through positive reinforcement (giving treats, respect for the animal and love) the elephants got over their fear of humans and seem very happy here. This is a great place to visit in order to learn about these majestic creatures. For example, they have poor day vision, don’t have tear ducts and can lower their temperature in the heat by 3 degrees Celsius.
I also visited Hippo Hollow - a more upscale hotel owned by the same owner for a more mature crowd. It’s definitely exotic as the whole building focuses on South African culture (Zulu, Tswana, Sotho, Afrikaner, and Xhosa, to name a few) and its river-side chalets (reserved more for families or groups of four) face the Sabie River which is home to many hippos.
The Hippo Hollow also features the Shangaan River Club – a collaboration between the local tribe living in the area and fellow hoteliers bringing to life the Shangaan culture and benefiting orphans of the area infected with HIV/AIDS. These kids are the magnificent dancers who proudly display their strong identity. Their performance benefit’s the local orphanage most of them live in.
So far South Africa has been a very friendly country. The music is absolutely amazing. I stocked up on compilations at O.R. Tambo International. Dinner consisted of Ostrich and my dining companion was one of the two cats that roam the property and followed me during my time here.
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the Original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2008
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Check-In at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International went very smoothly. I didn’t get the seat that I reserved (which is precisely why we do not arrange in-flight seating – I have never heard of a confirmed seat number actually being honored), my meal request also was not honored and I frankly didn’t feel like bothering to ask. Our flight was delayed by an hour and fellow passengers would not silence their cell phones. That’s a flight for you; it’s just another form of public transportation that we all dread and hate.
At the same time you’re in the company of people who are all in the same boat.
The actual notion that I’m on vacation didn’t hit me until we were about to land in Dakar. Up until then I was still on New York time, thinking about bills, statements, accounts, work, etc. We land in Dakar and all of the sudden it hit me: I’m back on African soil. I thought to myself that this will not change nor alter my life. I will go on, but I’ll be on vacation. I was wrong. Returning to Africa did put a break and a stop in my life. I stopped being hectic and plugged into the vibe of African time letting go of all that I was used to a mere 7-hours earlier.
The first changes that you’ll notice are the trees. Growing up in the Northeast I’m used to a specific climate and a specific flora. The trees are just different in Senegal. This is a taste of what’s to come later. The seats on the South African Airways aircraft are unlike any US carrier – there is more space and the in-flight service is very ‘genteel’. The duration of the flight is not as grueling as it seems. The hours DO pass by really fast.
I sat next to Mohammed, a 6 year-old boy whose parents are from The Gambia and who’s uncle is taking him back to visit family. We didn’t get into much detail but he was my flying buddy for the first leg of our flight. We played video games, I helped him with his dinner (which he just didn’t want to finish; instead half of it ended up on his shirt). At around 7:00AM Senegal time (approximately 3:00AM EST) we landed in Dakar and about half of the passengers departed the aircraft.
The ‘new’ crew informed us that we had another 100 passengers joining us for the onward flight to Johannesburg. Perhaps because I’m sitting in seat 74D - right at the tail end of the aircraft, the influx on new passengers didn’t affect us. The area around us is lighter and we can pretty much sit where we want. Johannesburg is 7:30 hours away. I slept on and off, collectively for about two hours. The anticipation and the adrenaline are keeping me up. The bathrooms onboard are microscopic!
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
NEW YORK, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Check-In at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International went very smoothly. I didn’t get the seat that I reserved (which is precisely why we do not arrange in-flight seating – I have never heard of a confirmed seat number actually being honored), my meal request also was not honored and I frankly didn’t feel like bothering to ask. Our flight was delayed by an hour and fellow passengers would not silence their cell phones. That’s a flight for you; it’s just another form of public transportation that we all dread and hate.
At the same time you’re in the company of people who are all in the same boat.
The actual notion that I’m on vacation didn’t hit me until we were about to land in Dakar. Up until then I was still on New York time, thinking about bills, statements, accounts, work, etc. We land in Dakar and all of the sudden it hit me: I’m back on African soil. I thought to myself that this will not change nor alter my life. I will go on, but I’ll be on vacation. I was wrong. Returning to Africa did put a break and a stop in my life. I stopped being hectic and plugged into the vibe of African time letting go of all that I was used to a mere 7-hours earlier.
The first changes that you’ll notice are the trees. Growing up in the Northeast I’m used to a specific climate and a specific flora. The trees are just different in Senegal. This is a taste of what’s to come later. The seats on the South African Airways aircraft are unlike any US carrier – there is more space and the in-flight service is very ‘genteel’. The duration of the flight is not as grueling as it seems. The hours DO pass by really fast.
I sat next to Mohammed, a 6 year-old boy whose parents are from The Gambia and who’s uncle is taking him back to visit family. We didn’t get into much detail but he was my flying buddy for the first leg of our flight. We played video games, I helped him with his dinner (which he just didn’t want to finish; instead half of it ended up on his shirt). At around 7:00AM Senegal time (approximately 3:00AM EST) we landed in Dakar and about half of the passengers departed the aircraft.
The ‘new’ crew informed us that we had another 100 passengers joining us for the onward flight to Johannesburg. Perhaps because I’m sitting in seat 74D - right at the tail end of the aircraft, the influx on new passengers didn’t affect us. The area around us is lighter and we can pretty much sit where we want. Johannesburg is 7:30 hours away. I slept on and off, collectively for about two hours. The anticipation and the adrenaline are keeping me up. The bathrooms onboard are microscopic!
As is customary here at the Original 2AFRIKA, INC., we are always on the look-out for new and innovative Safari products for our valued passengers – and usually, we time these ‘on-site’ inspections to coincide with visits to properties that are already featured in our Safari Collection to be sure that the standard of requirements that we set have enhanced themselves to suit our Collection but most importantly, our passengers.
Each day (or at least each day that he is internet accessible), Zakrzewski will be writing his evaluation reports on the day’s activities, emailing them to me, and I will be posting them. The title of this Blog will be ‘On Assignment in Africa’ – an update from the original 2AFRIKA, INC.’s Director of Operations, Dominik M. Zakrzewski.
I do hope that you will follow the trail and enjoy the newfound information that Zakrzewski has to share on a regular basis.
For further information on this informational Blog post or any other Safari in the Original 2AFRIKA Collection, visit us on the web at http://www.2afrika.com/
The Original 2AFRIKA, INC. remains committed to Corporate Social Responsibility in Tourism.
If you would like to comment on this Blog Post, please communicate directly with the Original 2AFRIKA Founder & President, Kenneth R. Hieber, electronically via kenneth@2afrika.com
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