Alan Hawkins

You’ve seen the news, read the Sunday times and it would appear we can look forward to some reduced mobile phone call rates in South Africa. About time, we need to understand the international visitor to South Africa, the holiday maker who has travelled from Europe on a long haul flight, does not want to pay more for accommodation, a beer, a pizza and last of all, for calls from his mobile phone.

Arriving at one’s destination to find it not available is probably one of every traveller’s fears. This fear can obviously be eliminated or at least made highly probably with careful and disciplined planning and preparation…so one would think. Travelling in South Africa is, as has been said before, one of the worlds best kept travel secrets. South Africa offers visitors great accommodation options to suit all tastes and also some extremely efficient and well known travel agents and accommodation portals.

Every year along the Eastern Cape and KwaZulunatal coast a natural phenomenon takes place during the winter months. Visitors in their thousands travel to South Africa each year to witness this as millions upon millions of sardines undertake their annual migration. South Africa is a stunning destination for adventure and nature travel.

If you are visiting South Africa, no problem, a great holiday destination, if you are travelling within South Africa, that’s also great, we have superb holiday destinations, comparable to the best in the world. So if you are reading this article, perhaps for information on the 2010 FIFA Soccer world cup, don’t be alarmed, carry on with your plans, you will be safe and will have a wonderful holiday

The press is wall to wall with coverage of the current soccer competition, our readiness to host and welcome those planning to visit our shores and travel around during the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup, seeking beds, beers, accommodation. At the same time however, what space is still available includes coverage on our inability to process DNA samples; the disbanding of the Scorpions;

Accommodation is one thing, a bed is after all a bed or is it? A piece of kingklip (fish) is always what it says it is? The wine is what it says on the label, all that glitters is after all, gold.

Our family simply love it, travel in South Africa is easy for us, we live here. From our base in East London, in the Eastern Cape, we have a short hop through Port Alfred and on to Port Elizabeth. The start (or end) of the Garden Route, it depends which way you’re coming from. For this travel article we’ll take you from Cape Town toward Port Elizabeth and try and give new visitors to the area an insight into this beautiful part of South Africa.

, South Africans always drink cold lager, normally out of a 2-4 deg. Fridge, even in the coldest of weather, unlike the European beer drinkers where the beers, except perhaps in summer, are normally served at room temperature

Poverty relief through improvements in the education infrastructure is not someone else’s problem, it is ours as responsible persons who supposedly care for the future of Africa, consider this next time you elect the person to represent your ward.

Making some budget suggestions for holidays remains a little subjective; there are unfortunately those of us who will scoff at the idea of even attempting to plan a holiday this year.