Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The meaning of Conservation

We would like to share an excerpt out of Kobie Krugers book called ‘All Things Wild and Wonderful’ about her life as wife of a Kruger Park Game Ranger:“
Time and time again when I would think that I was alone I would hear a strange noise or sense a movement and discover that I was being watched. But one gets used to the idea of being watched. And in time the idea grows on one until it acquires a very comforting dimension. “ I am not alone. I am now a part of nature.” I wondered about city people about their stressful lives and their loneliness. I wondered if they still recognized within themselves the longing for wilderness and solitude, if they still remembered the soothing harmonies of nature, the repetitive refrains of the seasons and sunsets, the exhilaration of each new dawn the sweet delight of making the acquaintance of a wild creature. If they have forgotten this then they might think of conservation merely as a necessary exercise to preserve the planets finite resources and to prevent our eventual extinction. And the whole effort would seem such a joyless one.
But if they remember then they will know that conservation is also about preserving the magic that nourishes our souls, a cause therefore that also holds a promise of joy.”

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Vital Visa/Passport information

In some of the various countries in which we operate there are very stringent government regulations regarding the number of blank pages in travellers’ passports and their expiry dates, and it is vital that guests are made aware of this and ensure that they have the correct documentation. One of the stipulations which seem to have been misunderstood in the past is that at least THREE BLANK PAGES are required in your passport on departure from South Africa. These need to be VISA pages, not endorsement pages. As guests normally include more than one country in their journey (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and/or Namibia), we therefore recommend that there are at least 4-5 blank pages in the passport prior to arrival as guests can be denied entry and deported if the immigration officials do not have blank pages on which to place their entry/departure/visa stamps.

Friday, October 12, 2007

New Hotel for Cape town

One & Only Hotels has announced that the R900m luxury (6 star) hotel, is finally to go ahead at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

The seven-story, 130-room hotel is expected to be completed in two years and is the first new project by Kerzner in South Africa since he completed Sun City in 1992. The hotel will have a state-of-the-art spa and fitness centre with two of the suites offering en-suite spa treatment rooms.

Each of the guest rooms and suites will have a maximum size of 60 sqm and will include either a private terrace or balcony. The hotel will also have a 'Kids Only' clubhouse for children under 11, which will be equipped with the latest hi-tech entertainment. There will also be a 263 sqm banqueting and conference room that can host up to 200 people.