VERY PROUD TO BE SOUTH AFRICAN
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
Last night the world watched the showcase of the final World Cup Soccer as it came to an end, with much applause and ceremony, fire works blazing and the Spanish in seventh heaven, the Netherlands (my team) devastated, it was still, no matter the emotions, an incredible 31 days.
The “gees”, meaning enthusiasm, spirit of the game and everything South African, was a uniting factor. All our “woes” were put aside for these past 31 days. We smiled, laughed and sang, also shouted with glee and upset as the 64 games passed at such lightening speed. The world who thought we could not never pull this off are sitting back is disbelief with a little embarrassment of how could AFRICA do this and do it so well.
Well we did, with encouragement, dignity and pride, we showed the world this is AFRICA, we waved our flags, sang the songs and truly a tremendous time was had by all. This is AFRICA” S time just like the opening song said.
Some fools tried their luck and did stupid things, like set up a guy to go into the English teams locker room. Well Simon, your press pass and all your future media work should be barred from publishing and you should be disbarred from any work as a journalist ever again. Shame on you. I think your Mother would be ashamed of your antics.
Despite these “short-sighted” people pulling stunts, generally South Africa, every citizen did us proud and our President Jacob Zuma even thanked us all for our hospitality, for which this country is famous, now given a new name – swop hospitality for – GEES. Pronounced with a gutral G in the back of the throat!!!
So come see what all these supporters felt and saw in this diverse beautiful rainbow nation – as the song says – WHAKA WHAKA eh eh!!
Tags: laughed, Netherlands, sang; shout; Africa; English; flags; waved; publishing; famous; citizen; Jacob Zuma; President; Mother; fire works; journalist; press pass;encouragement; dignity; hospitality; games; rainbow nation;, smiled, World Cup Soccer; South Africa; Spain
PRE & POST TOURS – WORLD CUP 2010
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
From the prices I have received, thank goodness I was sitting down when I read those e-mails, things are rather pricey for the Soccer 2010. So with a lot of thought and ideas rushing through my head, I have decided that I am NOT going to rip-off any potential guests and offer PRE & POST tours to see this beautiful diverse and scenically stunning country of SA, especially the Cape Town area and the Garden Route with Malaria-Free game safaris to 5 star private reserve of Shamwari in the Eastern Cape. They do have the BIG 5! I have seen them there often – Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, black & white!
We will be offering tours from early June until day before match day, which is 11th June and then again from 20th July.
13 – 14 days or parts of this itinerary – 4 nights Cape Town, 3 nights Garden Route, 2 nights Safari, another 2 nights in Garden Route area then a night back in Cape Town or Hermanus for big 6 – Whale watching, then home.
You can see the itineraries on my website – www.flamingotours.co.za
As each tour is personalised to your requirements, we do not have schedule tours or listed prices, each tour is designed to suit your interests and ability. so contact us and we can arrange this JUST FOR YOU!
- BIG 7 – CHEETAH
This is the most endangered big CAT in Africa – the CHEETAH!
Tags: Big 5, black rhino, buffalo, Cape Town, cheetah, e-mails, elephant, Garden Route, hermanus, leopard, Lion, malaria free, personalised itineraries, private tours, Shamwari game reserve, soccer world cup, South Africa, whale watching, white rhino, your ability, your interests
DISABILITY IS NOT INABILITY!
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
Who says having a disability makes you unable to do things!! They are totally wrong!! Recently I had a GENTLEMAN on tour, who had the largest and heaviest wheelchair I have ever had to deal with – 300kg = 66Olbs but we did a whole tour – safari and all! Many hours of negotiations went on before we decided it could be done, with a smile, some compromise and removal of only one bathroom door – we did a African Adventure Tour for him, his partner and his carer. I worried about getting through doorways with this very long 1.3m long (52inch) and 800mm wide (32inch)plus a height of 1.45m (58inch). We managed and managed well. To all those accommodation venues and attractions that went out of their way to make this trip a reality – I salute you!
Thank you for all your efforts and help with this tour !!
and Michael thank you for your patience, understanding about my nervousness in making your tour the best it could be with what we have to work with within this mysterious, wonderful country of South Africa.
So when you think that you cannot do this -
MICHAEL HIS LARGE CHAIR AT PENGUIN COLONY CAPE TOWN
He did – enjoyed and disability DOES NOT MEAN you cannot do it!
Tags: accommodation, Adventure, African, attractions, carer, disability, partner, penguin colony, safari, South Africa, tour, wheelchair
Cape Town in list of top 10 of world’s best party cities
Posted by Jason | Filed under Articles
The Lonely Planet lists the world’s top 10 party cities in its new guide, the “1000 Ultimate Experiences” and Cape Town appears 7th on the list.
7. Cape Town, South Africa
With the 2010 World Cup bringing a global audience to South Africa, the partying will only get harder as travelers converge on a city already well known for nightlife. Luxuriate on some of the world’s best beaches by day and kick back under the moonlight at suave cocktail bars by night. Two hours east, in the Indian Ocean, lies the elegant beach village of Mossel Bay, with more great beaches and chic flair. Visitors must try some of the wines crafted by South Africa’s world-renowned vintners, either at a Cape Town bar or at one of several wineries nearby.
Tags: 2010, Africa, Cape Town, Mossel Bay, soccer world cup, South Africa, wine tasting
Cape Town voted 2nd favourite overseas city
Posted by Jason | Filed under Articles
Airlines, tour operators and hoteliers faced huge challenges this year with a “perfect storm” of recession and a slump in sterling making holidays more expensive at a time when people could least afford them. Despite this, however, many companies not only survived but thrived. Holidays are still regarded as top priorities for many, surveys show.
Certainly the number of readers taking part in this years Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Travel Awards survey seems to show no loss of appetite for holidays — 19,248 gave their views this year, up from 17,000 last year.
Favourite overseas city
Sydney keeps the crown it took from Hong Kong last year. Cape Town, bracing itself for next year’s invasion of Soccer World Cup football fans, leaps up five places to No 2.
· Top five: 1. Sydney 2. Cape Town, South Africa 3. New York 4. San Francisco 5. Berlin
Other categories mentioned in the article are:
Favourite UK city
Favourite long-haul country
Favourite European country
Best UK hotel
Best overseas hotel
Favourite UK tourist attraction
Tags: Cape Town, soccer world cup, South Africa, Travel Awards
Equinox Newsletter Combining Winter & Spring – September 2009
Posted by Jason | Filed under Newsletters
Hello all my friends, colleagues, guests and family
I have combined this newsletter, as time has run away with me, as thankfully I have been busy with tours for the last couple of months. I am truly grateful to those of you who have sent me business in this climate of fiscal fallout.
I love classical music and am currently listening to Vivaldi’s Four Season’s, which is pertinent due the heading of my newsletter. This will be followed by my favourite – Tchaikovsky! This gives me inspiration to write and love life. Some exciting things, besides the weather heading to “my season” I like it hot, I cannot take cold. I grew up in the town which has the second best weather in the world – Mossel Bay – with sunshine 350 days a year, so I am a sunshine person.
So what are the new tour all about – new tours included in our line-up in the new season – more animals and more people! What is this woman going on about I am sure you are asking yourself.
ANIMALS – Tenikwa in the Crags on the Garden Route of South Africa, where Len & Mandy opened their arms to animals in need of help, love and rescued some that would otherwise have died. They have many of the small cats we never see on a “safari” as they often nocturnal, shy or both. They have some never even heard of generally – Black Footed Cats, Caracal, Wild Cats, Serval and off course the most endangered of all the Cheetah. They also have birds – our national bird the Blue Crane and Malibu Storks – the undertakers. This is really worth a visit to support their amazing work. They also do pro-deo work with the local communities animals where possible and where funds allow. A worthy cause and wonderful place to visit, they also go the extra mile to ensure that my special guests get the most out of the experience.
PEOPLE – Meet the People – in Mossel Bay, a young man by the name of Jackie Viljoen, had a vision to help people with hidden talent to promote themselves with a tour with a difference, not a township tour, but a tour where these people could be exposed to visitors to the town who could be a source of “spreading the word” about their talents and how they are trying to help themselves rather than rely on help from government etc; I have written before about Janneman who has now sadly passed away. He did leather work in the form of hand stitched bags etc; he was in a wheelchair after a motor vehicle accident. I was very upset by his untimely death, as he was about my age – far too young to die. I still want to be a granny and enjoy many years of grandchildren. I will now also never get to buy that special pink ostrich leather bag he was going to make me when he could get the leather – sad indeed.
BUT on a brighter note, there are still others who we meet:
Cecile, who makes a foot balm and face crème from herbs she grows in her garden in Grootbrak and also serves a tea made from ingredients in her garden – refreshing hot or cold – she explains how herbs can relax and pamper you.
Then Hein Munroe, whose family have been diving for Oysters for 7+ generations. The beach where I used to dive for oysters as a child – Munroes beach – named after his family who lived there in the Cape Dutch style cottages, now part of the Dias Museum complex. Hein explain how this is done and how oysters are rich in calcium. Between the oysters and my mothers daily calcium pills fed to me, I have very hard and VERY heavy bones for which I am grateful no osteoporosis, so living in Mossel Bay did me a world of good as a child.
We continue the tour to a coffee roastary in Voorbaai where we meet Barruch who also explain the process. Then to the “township” area to meet a few other people, we met Patrick this past weekend. He is a man who is also a wheelchair user that works with leather like Janneman did, he also is a cobbler of sorts, in that he repairs shoes. His story is a real one of dragging himself up from the depths of despair, to be what he is today, a person with conviction to make the best of his life and push his boundaries in sport. Beside the leather work he is participating in various sports, such as wheelchair racing, shot-put, discus and more, for this he needs specialised wheelchairs. He has got old ones handed down from other competitors, but needs new to be the best he can be for getting his times to qualify for the Olympics – his dream – in London in 2012.
Any one who has contacts or can sponsor this, please contact me, whether you are in South Africa or overseas, we will make a plan to get any chairs donated to him and get publicity for you in this regard.
So all these people we meet all have a story to tell and worthwhile a stop and listen, engage with them and come away with a happy feeling of having met very special people. The tourism ad for Mossel Bay is – “no hurry – no worries.” A ‘must-do” stop!
Pam Taylor
Flamingo Tours
Tags: Barruch, blue crane, cheetah, coffee roastary, disability, face crème, Flamingo Tours, foot balm, Garden Route, Grootbrak, Jackie Viljoen, Janneman, leather handbags, malibu storks, Meet the People, Meet the People tour, Mossel Bay, newsletter, ostrich, Pam Taylor, South Africa, tenikwa, tour guide, tourism, township, township tour, Voorbaai, wheelchair, wheelchairs
More Wonderful Safari’s Done!
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
I am back from a further two “safari’s” at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Malaria-Free Eastern Cape. Again the BIG 5 and more were seen. With all the wonderful food, I think I am also heavier! Even though I watched what I ate the food is excellent! They even made me special wheat =free bread without me asking for it, they remembered from previous visits – that is how good the personal service is.
Another visit – Tenikwa and Meet the People tour – also excellent service and the animal encounters are excellent and meeting the people in Mossel Bay also a unique experience.
Cango wildlife ranch also a favourite with service above the usual standard from their excellent guides there.
Spring Flowers – off to see the wild flowers that “decorate” the West Coast of SA at this time of the year. Wait for the next blog to see these fantastic photos. Talk with you all next week.
Tags: Big 5, buffalo, Cango Wildlife Ranch, cheetah, Eastern Cape, elephant, Flamingo Tours, Game, leopard, Lion, malaria free, malaria free game viewing, Meet the People, Meet the People tour, Mossel Bay, newsletter, Pam Taylor, personal service, rhino, safari, Shamwari, Shamwari Private game reserve, South Africa, special service, spring flowers, tenikwa, West Coast
Best “Safari” in 28 years of visiting Africa
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
I have just returned from a tour of 13 days, of which 7 days was a game viewing “safari” in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, at Addo National Elephant Park and Shamwari private game reserve, with 4 people, of whom one young man of 22 was a wheelchair user.
We set off from Cape Town through to the Garden Route via the R62, the longest wine route in the world, overnighting in Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich capital of the country. Here we visited the Cango Wildlife Ranch, where they have a breeding programme for the endangered Cheetah. They also have White Lion, White Bengal Tigers and many more very interesting animals and birds, many endangered such as the Cape Vulture.
We then visited the Safari Ostrich farm, for a tour and lunch ( no potatoes!!). Afterwards we then headed to the coastal area over the Outeniqua pass to Knysna for a night. This is where the real adventure began, with sightings of Elephant, Buffalo and Warthog. Yes we saw 2 of the 6 Lion, a female that decided she liked the look of us staring at her from a koppie and decided to walk back up the hill, so back into the car – fast – and then tried to follow her, but she slunk off into the thick Spekboom vegetation fast.
The next morning the sunrise was beautiful and as I was taking a photo of it, I heard a roar, Keith shouted he’s walking at about 200m direction 12 o’clock from the guest house that overlooked a waterhole and low and behold what a beautiful male Lion. More of this was on the cards over this very lucky spell.
We arrived at Shamwari and in the first game drive of the evening, we followed a male Cheetah on the hunt. This happened a few times. We also followed a female with 2 cubs a few times over the 8 game drives we did. The Elephant encounters were also special, with the young bulls really play fighting a lot. Other sightings included a herd of Elephant and a White Rhino with calf, which were in the same location as the Elephant.
In the mix
We also encountered that same White Rhino with calf who had rolled in the red sand with a Black Rhino who was totally out in the open, who took a dip in a very small mud pool. We managed to get a photo of both types of Rhino together – another first for the rangers.
So many firsts for seasoned rangers on this trip the angles were really smiling down on us. And so it went on with one special encounter after the other. A Lioness with 2 cubs of about 6 months, was not happy with the males advances, and tore a strip off him by growling and chasing him. He tried to block her wanting to leave, but she chased him with lots of growling and roaring – a sight I tried to video but was shaking too with excitement.
More Lion encounters, chasing the Male cheetah out of their territory. I can almost write a book about these 4 days at this private game reserve. Well, the verdict at the end of the tour was – after having visited most of the Sub Saharan countries of Africa over 28 years and doing many game encounters, this was by far the best ever experience for Keith, Liz & Tom. Seb enjoyed his first visit and I am sure he will be back, as I am sure the Somerville’s will be.
Keep reading and I hope to set up a photo gallery for these magnificent safaris we do in MALARIA-FREE area – Cheers for now – Pam Taylor.
Lioness one of many seen
Tags: Addo Elephant Park, Africa, black rhino, Cape Town, cape vulture, cheetah, cubs, endangered, Flamingo Tours, game drive, game viewing, Garden Route, Knysna, lioness, Lions, malaria free, ostrich, Oudtshoorn, Outeniqua, Pam Taylor, safari, Shamwari Private game reserve, South Africa, Spekboom, Sub-Saharan Africa, wheelchair, white lions, white rhino, white tigers
“Meet the People” star – Meets his maker
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
It is with great sadness that the STAR of the tour we do in Mossel Bay – “Meet the People” – Pride versus Poverty style township tour – Janneman passed away last month. I was so shocked to hear this as I think he was not much older than me.
Janneman was a wheelchair user that was such a success story of achievement through gaining self worth and understanding his ability rather than his disability. Janneman made hand stitched leather handbags.
It all started about 5 years ago, when Jackie Viljoen met this sad, shy man who did not understand he had talent to make his future more comfortable and find his self esteem and his pride. With a lot of encouragement he found all of this and I became very fond of this gentle-man – emphasis on gentle. From first meeting him where he would not look in the eye, because his disability literally got in the way. He thought that because he was in a wheelchair he was useless, no one in a wheelchair is useless, but it takes time to find that wealth within that strong essense of life that when found spring out and brings joy to all who meet the person. Janneman came out of this shell so much I could not wait to see how he had “grown” each time we visited with overseas guests. Most said he was the highlight of the tour.
So now what?? His passing has left this huge chasm that will never be filled in the way Janneman made eveyone feel so humbled. He will be sorely missed by all knew him. Our condolences to his family and friends. Pam Taylor – Flamingo Tours.
- JANNEMAN – THE STAR OF THE SHOW!
Tags: disability, essense of life, Flamingo Tours, Janneman, leather handbags, Meet the People tour, Mossel Bay, Pam Taylor, poverty, self worth, township, township tour, wealth, wheelchair
PHOTO’S
Posted by Pam | Filed under Articles
Tags: cape of good hope
