Archive for March, 2008
Zimbabwe: The Prodigal Son?
Today the entire southern African region is on the precipice. Part of what makes southern Africa such a dynamic travel destination is that it can be here today and gone tomorrow. South Africa came online with a bang in 1994 after 50 odd years of growing isolation under apartheid, Mozambique followed a little later after nearly 30 years of revolving civil war, and Zimbabwe, abruptly, in the year 2000, slammed into reverse gear and plunged into political chaos that broke the back of a staggering economy, opened up the national parks to private plunder, and otherwise dragged a vibrant tourist industry, along with everything else, into a hole of lawlessness and corruption from which it seems unable to recover.
The reasons for all this have a ring of familiarity about them. The predations of white, minority rule that prevailed throughout the 19th and most of the 20th centuries gave way to the predations of black minority rule. One-man-one-vote-once was the popular cry of the disenfranchised at the time, and although, since then, the creeping post cold-war morality that now demands more of third world proxies than hitherto, has swept the continent clean of the more obvious and odious malefactors, Robert Mugabe, the grand old daddy of African demagogues, has, by the skin of his knuckles, held on to power.
Date: March 31st, 2008 |
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The Wild Coast of KwaZulu/Natal
In the modern world, ‘wild’ as far as nature is concerned is a relative concept. It is enough, perhaps, that an area of natural beauty is not utterly trampled by urban development, or destroyed by irresponsible land use, for it to deserve the term ‘wild’. Certainly this is the case in the developing world, and most particularly along the earth’s tropical coastlines. The Wild Coast of South Africa’s KwaZulu/Natal, although hardly wild, is by comparison to the KNZ South Coast in a different world altogether. It is a gorgeous natural environment, comprising the signature open grasslands and hill country of the south coast, with deep cut ravines peppered with groves of aloe, and deep tidal estuaries cloaked on either bank with rich and unsullied riparian forest. There is no sign anywhere of mock Tuscan gated developments, of strip malls or the blanket sugar estates so ubiquitous throughout the region. It is moreover an environment fiercely protected by both a large cohort of outside environmentalists and significant numbers of local community members. The latter, almost uniquely, have successfully resisted the temptation to climb into bed with property developers and sell the long term integrity of their landscape for short term profit.
The Environmental Frontline
Currently, however, the issue is less property development and more highway construction and strip mining. The controversy in the first instances involves the extension of the ubiquitous toll road system, that is the pride of the South African transport infrastructure, through the Transkei, and secondly whether to grant Australian mining conglomerate, Minerals Commodities Limited, and Local Black Economic Empowerment group Xolobeni Empowerment Company, license to dune mine substantial base metal reserves along the coast. While the intricacies of this contest are beyond the scope of this narrative, they do broadly pit local concerns against central and international financial interests. At the core is the question of land ownership, which, in the case of the wild coast, is land owned by the state and held in trust for the people.
Date: March 24th, 2008 |
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South African Retrospective: Robben Island
Prison Islands occupy a particular place in the macabre mythology of human history. Thanks to the searing autobiography of French detainee Henri Charriere, Devil’s Island is one of these, although perhaps more famous, if somewhat less malignant, is the South African redoubt of Robben Island.
International Heritage Site
Robben Island, with its cell no: 46664, the 18 year home of iconic black nationalist Nelson Mandela, was granted International Heritage Site status in 1999, five years after the collapse of apartheid in South Africa, and largely thanks to the incarceration on the island of leading ANC activists of the anti-apartheid era. Since then it has been a museum, and home to a diminishing number of local residents, all in one way or another associated with the sites penal past, and all nowdays in one way or another associated with the cultural museum that has taken its place.
The History of the Island
Robben Island, meaning Seal Island in the Dutch, lies some 12km off the coast of the Cape Penninsular, and is accessible by ferry from Nelson Mandela’s Gateway on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront in Cape Town. Its penal heritage corresponds more or less with the period of colonial interest and activity in the region, with its initial use in the late 17th century to isolate political activists and leaders of the Dutch Far East colonies. The Maturu Kramat shrine, built on the Island in honor of imprisoned Musilim holy man Sayed Adurohman Moturu, who, when released, founded Islam among local slaves, and became the first Imam of the colony.
During the 19th century a number of native chiefs were imprisoned on the island during the colonial wars of containment and occupation of that period, as were, of course, the activists and nationalists of the more modern period. Parallel to this the Island has been used alternately as a hospital, a leper colony and a training and defense station during WWII. Vestiges of all these functions remain to interest visitors to the site.
Date: March 19th, 2008 |
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Land Rovers – Buy one or list yours for free
Driving a Land Rover in Cape Town or Johannesburg is probably not your best bet, but when you are starting to explore the nature, Land Rovers sure come in handy. These beautiful and powerful British vehicles never go out of style. Ask any collector and they would tell you how much they prize their Land Rover. If you wonder where you can buy a Land Rover, here’s a cool site with nothing but Land Rovers for sale on it. The site features free listings if you are looking to sell your Land …
Date: March 16th, 2008 |
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Crime in South Africa: Know the Score.
On my most recent trip to South Africa I met and fell into conversation with a Danish women at a local backpackers lodge who had been in the country for a few days, and who was, within a week or so, due to take up a voluntary appointment working for a month or two at Kruger National Park. The subject drifted to local crime, and as I gave her the usual dissertation that I spare no newcomer, I could see by the smile on her face, and a general look of indulgence, that she had me down as a paranoid local white racist with an historic distrust of black people. Even as I drew her attention to the 9ft high wall surrounding the property, the steel gate at the front door, and the loops of razor wire running the length of the perimeter, she still preferred to rely on her instincts, and the surface impression one invariably gets on arrival in South Africa. To prove this point she slung her day pack over her shoulder, popped her camera in her fanny pack, and set off downtown on foot.
How serious is the problem?
It is a fact that South Africa, especially Johannesburg, and the many comfortable backpackers or luxury lodges that abound, do not in combination give the newcomer any hint of the fact that South Africa is a very dangerous country indeed. Johannesburg has one of the best urban freeway systems in the world, but you will never see a soft top convertible. It has some of the most lavishly appointed malls and shopping centers anywhere, but each is patrolled by a heavily armed paramilitary security guard with two side arms, body armor and an R5 assault rifle. It has one of the most tried and tested, effective and best equipped police forces on the planet, from the ranks of which at least one, but often more, are killed in shootouts with criminals every month, not to mention the extraordinary number who fall victim to suicide, or stress related fratricidal killings.
Date: March 13th, 2008 |
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Luxury Lodges & Private Game Reserves
A signature feature of African travel is the concept of luxury wilderness and game lodges. This approach to touching the wild in Africa is usually not for the faint of pocket, but in exchange for this a high degree of exclusivity can be expected, coupled with the work of celebrated interior designers, and the attentions of accomplished hospitality professionals against a backdrop of one extensive private wildlife reserve or another. There are certain destinations that are better at this than others, but arguably the crème de la crème of luxury wilderness hospitality establishments anywhere on the continent are currently to be found along the Botswana/South Africa/Mozambique axis.
Touch the Wild in Style
In the area of the Kruger National Park, for example, there are some two dozen high profile game lodges clustered on the fringes of the main reserve. The usual fare of game walks, bird watching, relaxation and Haute Cuisine can be selectively combined with spa facilities, aroma therapy, health & wellness, and a variety of sporting options, all within, against or upon the raw bushveld that defines the region; and all feeding easily into the vast facility of Kruger National Park itself. In KwaZulu/Natal, associated with the St. Lucia (iSimangaliso) Wetland Park and the Hluhluwe National Park is the themed Hluhluwe River Lodge, and further north the superb Pinda Lodge situated on a 22 000 acre private conservation area in the Maputaland region, and also associated with the greater St Lucia Wetlands reserve.
Date: March 27th, 2008 |
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From the Kaapse Klopse to the Field of Dreams: SA Music Culture
Splashy Fen
Legend has it that two friends, Peter Ferraz and Bart Fokkens, were sitting around over a beer one evening in 1990, discussing the decline of the great music festivals of yore. Concluding that the moment had come to reverse this trend the two decided then and there to found a festival in the grand old tradition, and thus the Splashy Fen was born.
For those of you not already making plans to drive, hitchhike or walk to Splashy Fen farm in the Drakensberg, then it is probably too late to catch the opening acts, but the festival runs for four days over easter, so if you hurry, you might not miss the best of what is on offer.
South African Musical Diversity
Things have come a long way since the first ad hoc jam that launched the festival, and since then Splashy Fen has diversified it’s roots in folk nostalgia to embrace much of what defines South African contemporary music. Nowadays you can expect anything from the black styles of mbaqanga and iscathamiya, to alternative rock/pop, and to grunge, punk, hard rock and classical/jazz fusion. Overwhelmingly white, however, Splashy Fen is probably not for those looking for the quintessences of township jive, besides the mixed race big band and ska outfits made for easy and very general consumption. Splashy Fen made it’s debut as the brainchild of two men confronting middle age, and although it has razzed it up with some quite adventurous local beats since then – for it must said that South Africa, across the race spectrum, has plenty of those – it will probably be a disappointment for anyone hoping to tap into the rich black vein of South African city and ghetto music.
Date: March 21st, 2008 |
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South Africa real estate - Browse ads or list your place for free
South Africa is one of those countries where many visitors dream of moving there permanently shortly into their first visit. Whether they end up pulling off the move is another thing altogether, but at the very least it can be interesting to see how much properties are selling for, even if you aren’t seriously considering the move…yet.
We recently launched a new section to SouthAfricalogue where people can list properties for free. There are sections for commercial properties, houses, land, and even rentals. The site is fairly new and the inventory is building, so you might want to bookmark the new South Africa Real Estate listings section and check back periodically as more listings are added.
Here are a couple listings there so far just to whet your appetite:
A modern Tuscan-style Double story house in Yzerfontein, which is about 40 minutes outside of central Cape Town. The price is 2,500,000 rand, which is a bit over US$300,000 at the current exchange rate. It’s got breathtaking sea views (which are my favorite kind of sea views, by the way) and it’s a 2-minute walk to the beach. The house also features 4 reception rooms so it’s an ideal place to entertain. There are four other photos in the listing if you are curious.
And for those with a bit more spare cash…
Date: March 18th, 2008 |
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The Pros and Cons of Jumping on an Overland Truck
The overland industry in Africa was pioneered by a few brave souls who in the late 1970s regularly transected the continent from Europe to the Cape in army surplus troop carriers. These were commercial trips, but at the time they were astonishingly adventurous, and blazed the trail for what in the ensuing years has become an established and highly organized travel option. Nowadays, as conditions have generally improved, you rarely see the brutish German M.A.N. 630 L2 six wheelers that at one time carved a deep channel from Marrakesh to Nairobi, but a fairly late model Scania tending to rugged appeal rather than heavy, off road capacity. The routes these days are fairly standard, the support en-route predictable, and the itineraries reasonably tight. Despite this the overland experience is without doubt adventure travel, and if you choose your carrier carefully, you will more than likely travel in a compatible group with broadly similar objectives.
Date: March 13th, 2008 |
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Drakensberg - Cathedral Peak
As with the Royal Natal National Park, the area of Cathedral Peak is dominated by the Drakensberg escarpment, and similarly offers the two distinct walking zones of hill country above, and ridges and gullies below. Cathedral Peak is also the first realistic point of descent from the escarpment after Mont aux Sources, for although there are some 6 or 7 passes that leak off the face in between, none will deposit you anywhere near a hotel or KNZ Wildlife facility. Thanks also to the fact that the Cathedral Peak Reserve and its surrounds are well serviced by accommodation options and other general facilities it is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Berg. However, although there are a variety of easy and pleasant trail options available to service the regular flow of day trippers, there are also some very cheeky and little used byways that might take you by surprise, and will severely challenge your leg muscles while leading you into some of the most majestic and beautiful scenery in the entire range.
Trail Options
The area of Cathedral Peak (32 000 hectares) is essentially three separate conservation areas: Mlambonja Wilderness Area to the north, Mdedelelo Wilderness Area to the south, and Cathedral Peak State Forest in between. Notable here is the potential for those without the physical means or inclination to walk, to gain close vehicular access to the escarpment. Some 10,5 km long, and climbing some 500m in altitude, Mike’s Pass was named after Mike de Villiers, forestry research officer circa 1949, who is credited with the establishment of the local Cathedral Peak Research Station, and the eventual construction of this road. The road itself begins at the main KNZ wildlife office, and at its conclusion is found the trail head for a series of peaks known as the Organ Pipes, and to the escarpment itself. Also accessible from this point is the renowned Didima Gorge with its extraordinary proliferation of some 3900 individual examples of San rock and cave art.
Date: March 10th, 2008 |
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