Three Cities Winter Specials

The Three Cities Group introduced their winter specials which are available from June to August 2009. All the deals include breakfast, but please phone Hatfield Travel (012 430 6100 - Anton) for the room specifications of the specific deals!

RESORTS

Greenway Woods – Mpumalanga – R190 per person per night sharing
David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa – Zambia – R1680 per person per night sharing (including dinner)
Chobe Marina Lodge – Botswana – R1710 per person per night sharing (including three meals and two game activities)
Phakalane Golf Estate – Botswana – R1940 4 bedroom chalet (4 people)
Alpine Heath Resort – KZN – R1130 per chalet per night (max 6 guests)
Pinnacle Point Beach and Golf Resort – Garden Route – R1340 2 bedroom lodge (for 2 people)

CITY HOTELS

The Riverside Hotel and Spa – KZN – R530 per person per night sharing
The Westville Hotel – KZN – R310 per person per night sharing
The Royal Hotel – KZN – R560 per person per night sharing
Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel and Spa – Cape Town – R540 per room per night (for 2 people)
Royal Palm Hotel – KZN – R410 per person per night sharing
Golden Horse Casino Hotel – Pietermaritzburg – R710 per person per night sharing
The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel – Cape Town – R620 per person per night sharing
The Cape Milner Hotel – Cape Town – R600 per person per night sharing
Lagoon Beach Hotel – Cape Town – R440 per person per night sharing

What to pack?

My sister lives in the USA and when she came to visit, bringing along her American husband and their child, they packed 9 suitcases! For some reason she had forgotten that EVERYTHING is readily available in South Africa. When packing, do remember the following things:

1. Toiletries: Don’t pack litres of shampoo and conditioner! Bring no more than 100ml (small travel packs). Every litre of fluid means you are carrying a kilogram of weight. Our leading chain pharmacy, Clicks, sells all the shampoos and toiletries you will find in other countries. Things include shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, toothpaste, hairspray, mouth wash, body lotion, sun screen, lip balm, disposal razors etc. If you are thinking about your budget and saying “these things are expensive” think again! You would have bought them anyway and paid in your own currency! The South African Rand will give you value for money. If you haven’t used all you products by the end of the holiday, don’t pack them in, rather give them to hotel staff and put souvenirs in your luggage.
2. Warm clothes: Don’t think that because you are visiting Africa, you won’t need a warm jacket! Cape Town is known for having all 4 seasons in one day. Even in the South African summer, you will find that the wind can be very cold. So do pack a jacket or jumper especially for your kids. If you forget these items, at least you can buy them anywhere in the country. Other parts of the country reach minus four in winter, so think about the season!
3. Bring a pen! You may not think that a pen is an essential travel item but it really is. You will use it on the plane, when using your credit card, when writing down directions, when making notes about your holiday etc.
4. The sun can kill you! When coming from Europe you might not think that a sunny day will come again. The sun shines most of the year in South Africa and you will wish for a little rain by your third day! So don’t rely on a factor 8 or 10 sunscreen! Buy one in South Africa no less than a factor 30 and where it daily! DON’T LIE IN THE SUN. Make sure you re-apply after swimming or sweating! AVOID THE SUN BETWEEN 11:00 AND 15:00. Wear a hat and sunglasses as glare from the ocean can make sunburn even worse! The sun shines even more during the winter months and you should where sunscreen even during this season.
5. Currency: Try and change your currency at the airport. It will cost you less commission and you will be sure to be able to change your money much later than normal banks. Don’t carry all of your money in cash. Only change to a few Rands, no more than R500 at a time, because you can use your credit card almost everywhere. It is much safer and you will save on the long run. Be careful with your credit card! Don’t give out your details, not even the hotel. Always be the one using the card! Don’t let an attendant swipe your card without you being next to him/her.
6. Water: Drink loads of water! Water is safe to drink from the tap in hotels and guest houses unless otherwise indicated. Fill up a water bottle at the beginning of your day. It’s no fun dehydrating in the middle of you holiday! If you are still nervous about tap water, you will find many varieties of bottled water in any shop. Do think about the environment though…please don’t litter!
7. Souvenirs: People have packed sand in their luggage to take home. I mean rally! A piece of Africa going home! Don’t be stupid! That puts a lot of extra weight on that you have to carry to the airport – and possibly pay extra for. Make sure what you are allowed to take home with you. You can find a list on the South African Home Affairs website or even from you travel agent. Obviously you are not allowed to take any flora and fauna (plants and animal), rocks (tempting when visiting Table Mountain), food products (cheese, meat, non-sealed products) etc. Be very sure before you buy souvenirs because you may have to get rid of these gifts at the airport because of strict rules!
   

Myths

1. Flu: You can’t catch any type of flu by eating any meat. You won’t get mad cow disease from beef; you won’t get bird flu from chicken; you won’t get swine flu from pork; and you can’t get anything from lamb! Follow the normal rules when eating! Chicken and pork should be cooked! Fish shouldn’t smell off! Don’t eat cooked food which has been left in a car for an hour (or longer).
2. Oxtail and Monkey gland: Contrary to some beliefs, Oxtail is the actual tail of an Ox, therefore it’s just beef. It’s the most expensive part of the Ox because it is tender and tasty! Monkey gland isn’t actually monkey glands! It’s a name of a barbeque type sauce. I have no idea where the name comes from – probably just to put foreigners off.

Mondazur at San Lameer

If you need a holiday and you have some extra cash, have a look at the Mondazur Resort at San Lameer on the South African South Coast. We were lucky to be able to stay there during a conference we organized. They have 40 hotel rooms and more than 500 villas. These villas have from one bedroom to 4 en suite luxury bedrooms.

The resort is one of the only beach resorts who still have the “blue flag status”. This means the beach is clean, safe and manned by lifeguards. The world class San Lameer golf course is also worth a try if you must pull yourself away from the beach.

The resort has a restaurant, pool and some river activities as well as a conference centre – but who wants to work if you can play, right?

I reccommend you do your grocery shopping on the way there - they do have a small shop but it has limited stock. Also, do rent a golf cart - some of the villas are far away from the beach - plus it's fun to drive one around - but don't get lost :)

Contact me for a booking: mariette@hftmce.co.za

Rates are from R1670 per person per night ($167)

Day with African Elephants!

Our family had a fun day at the Hartebeespoort Elephant Sanctuary.

http://elephantsanctuary.co.za/magalies.htm. Our day started with a cold drink and a piece of banana bread. Our guide took us to a spot under the trees where 3 elephants suddenly emerged. They gave us a demonstration of a few commands and then the fun began. We took turns to touch these magnificent animals. We had a look inside their mouths and we could touch their feet and tails – which in the wild wouldn’t be possible at all.

After a short walk back to the deck we could listen to the guide talking about the anatomy of the animals as well as the different species found around the world and of course the sub species in South Africa.

We then had a chance to feed an elephant. Here too the guide explained how the skull looks like and where the teeth grow.

We then finally had a chance to walk with the ellies trunk in hand!
Do yourself a favour and book a day with the elephants. You can’t have the same experience in the zoo!! Contact me if you need to make a booking!! mariette@hftmce.co.za.

Magaliesburg and Surrounds

We spent our New Year’s Weekend at Lover’s Rock Family Resort. Lover’s Rock is not really a resort but rather a camp site, although there are cabins. The camp sites have loads of shade and grass and as long as it doesn’t rain, you can even settle on a site with only a little grass. There is a pool with a small water slide and a 200m hiking trail. So for activities, I suggest you go look for it! The ablution facilities are a bit disappointing so don’t expect The Ritz! But still, it’s a safe area, close to the surrounding sights with low prices.
http://www.loversrock.co.za/

The top attraction, for me, was the Magaliesberg Canpy Tours. It is situated at the Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa not far from Rustenburg. The activities keep you busy for about 2 to 3 hours and it includes use of the hotel pool after a day of hanging in the air. This activity is suited for young and old scared and brave! You just can’t join in the fun if you are pregnant! I am a real ninny regarding these type of activities and I loved it!
http://www.magaliescanopytour.co.za/

The other fun thing to do is visit the Blaauwbank Gold Mine. It’s a tour through an historic gold mine including a demonstration of gold panning. And yes, you get to see real gold with that excersise!

http://www.wilparkgroup.co.za/blaauwbank/index.htm

You can also go to Maropeng, which I didn’t get to see, but I hear it’s really interesting, especially if you are open to the thought of evolution.
http://www.maropeng.co.za/

There are lots of hiking trails for the nature enthusiasts and shops and tea gardens for the shop-a-holics amongst us.
http://www.magaliesburg.co.za/

Cheap holiday: South Africa

Thanks to the global financial situation, South Africa is one of the most affordable destinations to visit. Today’s Exchange rate is US$1 = ZAR9.8. You will get a lot for your money here. But do take time and go to a local grocery shop on your first day. I have taken a few things from the Pick ‘n Pay online shopping list to give you an idea of what things cost. Pick ‘n Pay is a good quality food market. Some outlets have clothing and home wear as well as toys and outdoor and DIY products.

1 Kg Steak – R70 (you can pay up to R100 for a steak in a restaurant – and if you stay at an expensive hotel you will pay even R300!!)
Cigarettes (Camel 20s) – R20.80
Jumbo eggs (6) – R8.99
1 Kg Apples – R12.99

Even though South African eat relatively healthy, we are slowly but surely following the USA to obesity. People prefer fast foods due to our hectic life styles. If you do visit South Africa, try our fresh foods, but if you do need some comfort from home, here is what you will pay:

Big Mac – R15.50
Coke – R4.29 (330 ml/can)

If you like a drink every now and again, local beers and wines are very well priced. But do look out for LOCAL beers and wines. You will pay a little more in bars, and a lot more in hotel bars. Have the locals tell you about bars in the vicinity!

Millar – R5.69 (330 ml/bottle)
Windhoek Lager (from Namibia but surely one of the best – R5.29 (340ml/bottle)
Jack Daniels – R149.99 (750 ml bottle)

You also need to shop around for accommodation. Don’t go to the very famous names like Hilton and Holiday Inn. Have a look at these websites:

http://www.threecities.co.za/
http://www.legacyhotels.co.za/NeedFlash.htm
http://www.premierhotels.co.za/

And if you budget is tight, search online for guesthouses. They are affordable and the food is always good.

It is rather safe to rent a car but be aware that we drive on the left side of the road; our speed limit is in kilometers and our taxis don’t follow the rules of the road. Also, don’t leave anything in your car. While you are driving, put handbags/cameras/laptops etc under you seat, or in the boot. “Smash and Grab” is very common at intersections.

You can enjoy loads of activities and most info is available online. You just need to know where to look!

We hope to see you here!

Resources:
https://www.pnponline.co.za/default.aspx

Cape Town: Departure

Our final day started by going to the V&A Waterfront for the morning. Our instructions were to hand the car over to the rental company at 13:00, so we really did not have that much time. We had a quick brunch at the harbour while watching seagulls eat anything possible.

http://www.waterfront.co.za/Pages/Welcome.aspx

If you have time there are many things to do, from Heli-Flips (which are totally overpriced for the average South African) to a visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium. We went for a quick visit to the old fort! It is worth it if you know a little about South AFrican History!

http://www.aquarium.co.za/

Many tour operators depart from the waterfront on fun activities such as shark diving, whale watching, sand boarding and harbour boat trips. Just be sure to dress for all seasons because the weather can change in 30 minutes, especially next to the water. It can either be freezing cold, or you could sustain serious sunburn!

After handing in our little Corsa keys, the rental company gave us a lift to the Airport – so much time is wasted at airports waiting… and Cape Town Airport is awful. There is not much to do so bring a book or magazine to keep yourself busy – and maybe some toys if you have kids.

Getting back to Johannesburg was much less painless than going to Cape Town. The flight was smooth and the view was great!