I have just returned from a 4 day safari to our Kruger National Park which is a proclaimed national park the size of Israel or Belgium. Not only were we 2 adults and 4 children, but unknown to us “Lady Luck” had joined us on the trip. After 4 days we had seen the big 5 plus more. Lady Luck had arranged that we saw a pride of lions enjoying their meal of a buffalo. It took a day for them to enjoy their leisurely meal in between lazing under a tree and showing us their fat bellies.

Another special and rare sighting was spotting a leopard with his impala kill, up in a tree. Sightings like these are not an everyday occurrence and for us it was a privilege to be so lucky. Added to this we saw a chameleon crossing our path and a snake crossing the road. A great time was had by all and the most special thing to me was the education and experience had by our children ranging from 4 – 16 years.

With the year half way through I reflect on what has been achieved and what has not been so good this year.

Both here in South Africa and in the USA we have had elections and we have new Presidents. In the USA, Barack Obama was voted in with confidence. In South Africa the existing political party, the African National Congress (ANC), were reinstated with a 66% majority. It was a free and fair election although the cynics of our country were well represented.

Our new President, Jacob Zuma thus far, has come across as the right man for the job, notwithstanding that he has had his fair share of shame. He was acquitted in court on a rape charge and corruption charges dropped in an armaments procurement deal.

With the world economic crisis, we are also going through tough times, but not as bad as in Europe and the USA. South Africa is hosting the 2010 World Soccer, the biggest sport event in the world. We are spending billions of Rand building 5 new stadiums. We are also spending billions on upgrading our highways as well as a rapid rail system in Johannesburg. These projects, which still have a few years to go, have provided employment for thousands of people.

On the down side, the property prices are dropping and our car industry is in the doldrums. Yes, we build BMW’s, Mercedes Benz, Toyota’s and VW’s here in South Africa and export right hand drive cars to countries like Australia and others who use right hand drive cars. This downturn has resulted in the retrenchment of hundreds of thousands of workers.

The hype of us hosting the 2010 World Cup Soccer is hotting up. Anyone thinking of visiting our shores to experience the biggest sports event in the world should start planning now as accommodation is already becoming hard to come by. This applies also for anyone wanting to travel to our neighbouring countries like Botswana for safaris and Zambia to Victoria Falls. I have secured some special destinations which are available now but not for long.

I derive great pleasure from responses I get from clients when they arrive back home. Comments like Ït’s the best holiday I have had for 20 years” or ”Thank you for your excellent service and attention to detail on each aspect of our trip”.

Why should you use me and not your local travel consultant? I have lived here all my life (56 years) and have travelled to many destinations here in South Africa and our neighbouring countries. There is no area I recommend to which I have not travelled. I know how best to organize your trip according to how many days you will be here. To those of you, whom I have met this year, thank you for entrusting your trip to me. To all of you considering visiting Southern Africa, why not contact me?

Our new website is about to go online, for this I thank my nephew, Craig Isakow from the USA. Visit www.chavkinafricansafaris.com.

Till next month
Fond Regards
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris

As much as I would like to always write about positive things, this time around, it’s negative. The subject is credit card fraud, which is prevalent and increasing in South Africa, but is no doubt a worldwide problem. However, by being vigilant, we can prevent ourselves from being caught out. There are two problems:

1) When you hand your card out for processing, mainly at restaurants. Waitrons work in conjunction with fraudsters, whereby the waitrons have a tiny electronic scanning device, the size of a pack of cigarettes, which they use to scan your card and copy your magnetic strip. They then manufacture a new card with all your information and defraud your account. To avoid this, we should:

Always stay with your card when it is being processed, if you are at a restaurant and a portable processing machine is not brought to your table, and then take the trouble to accompany the waitron to the machine.

Diligently keep all your slips and reconcile them against your statement at the end of the month. When on holiday, we are often off guard and we use our credit cards more than usual. It is not possible to recollect all our transactions and will often not recognize the names of all the shops, restaurants and other places where we used the card.

2) Another fraud taking place is when you give your credit card number, expiry date and the last three digits on the back of the card, when doing a remote transaction. Arrests were made whereby staff at our national airline were fraudulently using this information to process airline tickets, which were then resold at a fraction of the price.

Once again, just be vigilant, keep all slips and reconcile your credit card statement.

My passion and appreciation of nature and the animals around us often brings sorrow and dismay at how the human race lets us down. In Namibia, a country west of South Africa, a sad story rears its ugly head time and time again. Namibia’s coastline, the Atlantic Ocean, is home to enormous seal populations. There are also seal populations off Canada’s coast. These two countries permit tens of thousands of seals to be culled annually.

We have a wildlife program on TV every week called 50/50. Last week’s program highlighted the inhumane culling of mainly pup seals and adult male seals. The method used to slaughter these animals is by clubbing them to death with wooden batons. The justification of this heinous act is that the seals are responsible for the depletion of fish populations. There is no scientific proof that they are responsible for the decline in fish populations. The decrease in fish populations worldwide is from over fishing and the use of gill nets and long line fishing techniques.

What makes the saga even worse is that where the slaughter takes place in Namibia, it is supposedly a seal sanctuary. It is a place called “Cape Cross Seal Reserve” and checking it on the internet it is depicted as a haven for seals. Tourists are welcome there and are inspired by the beauty of these harmless and playful creatures. The reserve is open from 10am to 5pm. The slaughterers go on their killing spree from sunrise to 9am, so when the tourists arrive they are completely unaware of what has taken place. This issue has nothing to do with depleted fish stocks, it’s big business. The companies responsible for the culling claim they utilise all parts of the seal carcass, although it is widely believed that the most profitable part of the seals are their penises, which are dried and sold as fertility symbols in the Far East. Fur coats drape the bodies of the rich.

By being aware of what goes on, we can all do our little bit to stop cruelty. We should stand by Al Gore and Brigitte Bardot, who are fighting to save our planet and animals for future generations.

On the brighter side there is a remarkable 8-minute video clip, which can be viewed on YOUTUBE. It is a unique sequence of events whereby a game ranger and his clients were at the scene of an event which had never been witnessed by the game ranger in his 25 year career and would probably not witness anything like it for another 25 years. The client did the video footage and it involved lion, buffalo and a crocodile. To all of you who are going on safari soon or in the near future, I can assure you that one never knows the pulse of Africa. It may be you making YOUTUBE’s next unique wildlife video. Visit YOUTUBE and search for “Battle at Kruger”.

Till next month
Fond Regards
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris

Thankfully, I can report that the American tourist lost on Table Mountain was found the next morning, suffering from hypothermia, but otherwise okay. He had gotten lost as the mist rolled in and the lesson to be learnt was not to leave your warm clothes in the car – BE PREPARED. Walk with at least one other person and carry your mobile phone with you.

Summer has arrived and as South Africans, we are looking forward to do what we love the most – to spend time outdoors. One notices people cleaning their mobile homes (we call them caravans) or servicing their boats to prepare for summer, which stretches on till the end of April. I think we are a lucky nation. To all of you due to visit soon we look forward to welcoming you to our shores, on bush safaris, mountain climbing, a round of golf or whatever. To those of you who may be looking for adventure and adrenalin pumping activities, why not go for a bungee jump or white water rafting at the Victoria Falls.

I often think about what the relationship is between environmental issues and tourism. I was listening to an interview one of our talk radio hosts had with an author from England the other day. His name is Leo Hickman and his book is called “The final call – In search of the true cost of our holidays”. One issue discussed was the amount of environmental damage done by the 1000’s of aircraft flying each day. He claims that if he flies from the UK to South Africa, a 12 hour flight, the amount of damage he is responsible for to the environment on this trip would be equal to half of the total damage he causes by using electricity, driving his car, etc, in a year. Yes, we are all aware of what’s happening to our planet and we all know that we have to do our share of saving the world. Sorry, I don’t have the answer and I don’t intend to preach. Boeings order books are full, thousands of new aircraft will be delivered to the worlds airline companies over the next few years and Airbus has launched an 800 seater aircraft. Don’t despair, you can do your bit to help the planet. It won’t help to stop flying, the millions of people who will continue to fly every year won’t care less if you stay at home, so aircraft are here to stay.

I have a brainwave, may I make a suggestion? Book your seat to travel soon, by doing so you will be contributing to the betterment of the environment. How do I reach this conclusion? Well, when you help fill the airplane, you are responsible for reducing the per person amount of pollutant pumped into the atmosphere. Okay, I say this “tongue in cheek”.

On the same subject, here is another issue to consider. When visiting Southern Africa you will be inundated with local people selling their arts and crafts. The tourist spots all have traders selling various types of wood carvings, some are masks, kitchen utensils & animals. Tourists always want momento’s from the countries they visit. Invariably we get carried away purchasing far more than we need. Some of these wood carvings are taller than us and you see them being carted around at the international airports. So what’s the problem? The local inhabitants of Southern Africa are desperate to earn a living and not only is this market overtraded but they are destroying millions of trees a year. May I make a suggestion, of course you should purchase some of these items, but they should be fewer and smaller in size. Not only will it be easier to take home, but you will be helping reduce the cutting down of so many trees.

A story appeared in a reputable local travel magazine. The story was sent in by one of the readers. Not only do I think it is hilarious, but I do believe it is true. The incident took place in Botswana in an area called Savuti. There are allocated camping sites and when you set up camp you are in the heart of one of Africa’s true wildlife areas. I have camped there myself and the experience is one of living with the animals on their turf. Etiquette is that when in the bush, you don’t play loud music & generally keep noise levels down to enjoy the tranquility of the area. The story was that the writer was camping in an area and that after midnight he heard a disturbance from a neighbouring camper. There was continual screaming coming from the campsite a short distance away, which carried on for quite a while. The next day he went to complain to the authorities about the disturbance. What had happened was that an elephant was feeding from a tree under which someone had pitched their tent. When the elephant moved off, it’s leg hooked around the guy rope of the tent. The mighty animal was dragging the man along, who was stuck in his tent, screaming in desperation! The elephant was probably unaware of what it was doing! After a while the hapless camper managed to get out of the tent, immediately jumping into his vehicle and leaving the area.

I do send clients to Savuti – but never fear because I only use large brick tents, also known as luxury lodges!

Till next month
Fond Regards
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris

We are now in the high season with regard to visiting game parks in southern Africa. The choice is vast as there are numerous options. The main one’s being our famous Kruger National Park, which is bigger than Israel. The Park does not offer 5 star accommodation, but adjacent to the Park is the Timbavati whereby lodges are more exclusive and much more expensive.

My favourite recommendation is the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in our neighboring country Botswana. This area is much larger than the Kruger Park, more natural & untouched. Without fail, on meeting clients on their return from Botswana, I notice an aura of peace and excitement. I know why – after leaving their hectic schedules, wherever they may live, their short time on holiday when visiting exclusive game areas, brings them back to nature. This experience of taking in what nature has to offer as a revitalizing experience. The game drives offer time to relax and take in the quiet of the bush, the wonders and miracle of nature and also time to think about what life is all about.

When on holiday, I know most of us, think about the changes we would like to make in our lives. We recharge our batteries and think about how we will alter our daily lifestyles. Of course it doesn’t take long, after arriving back from a holiday to fall back into a rut and everything stays the same as before. Well, there is no harm in dreaming!

Our tourism industry is continually on the rise, we are often quite rightfully asked about the crime situation in South Africa. As a tour operator your safety is the most important aspect of the trip. I will never compromise your safety and you will always be safe, because of where I will send you on holiday. The only recommendation is that you be as aware as a tourist anywhere else in the world. Bring as little valuable jewellery as possible, why have the worry of keeping your valuables safe when you are here to unwind and be carefree?

As I write this newsletter, there is a helicopter and search party looking for a missing American tourist who disappeared whilst climbing Table Mountain, which is situated in Cape Town. He was apparently climbing the mountain with his wife when he decided to climb the rock face and his wife used the pathway. She waited at the top of the mountain and he did not arrive. He left his warm clothes in the car and only had a short sleeved shirt and short pants on. It is now 24 hours later, the weather has turned cold and rainy and the Mountain Rescue Club are desperately searching.

The moral of the story is “Do not ever hike or climb alone, it is dangerous.”

I will report on the outcome of this story next month and we pray that everything turns out well.

Till next month
All the best
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris

We are now in the season when the Okavango Delta is the place to be, voted amongst the top 10 destinations in the world today. April to October is when the temperatures are more pleasant and the rainy season has gone. Our summer starts in September and the rains usually arrive in November.

In April – May, I secure better rates in the Okavango before the high season kicks in from June – October. Anyone thinking of planning a trip for next year should start making plans in the very near future.

We have various clients arriving over the next few months who will be visiting the Okavango and I will give feedback on their experiences.

Okavango is not our only wildlife destination and should you be visiting in the height of summer, we have very good alternatives. No matter which time of year you wish to visit, we will arrange an itinerary for the holiday of a lifetime. The choices are numerous and our coastline offers wonderful summer holidays. You can go scuba diving, play golf, enjoy wine estates, and visit mountain areas, beside the wildlife experience.

Local News

In Johannesburg, at a post office, a parcel was intercepted, which contained poisonous snakes. The snakes had been posted from the Czech Republic and which in turn had originated in Australia. An arrest was made and a syndicate trading in exotic animals (which are protected) has been bust.

The trade in animals, reptiles, ivory and insects, including spiders & butterflies is a worldwide problem and an enormous business. Illegal trade in drugs, diamonds, human trafficking, money laundering and trade in wildlife are all major problems in our world today. The arrests being made are just the tip of the iceberg and the trade continues growing annually.

Why a so-called “intelligent” human being feels justified in keeping exotic animals is hard to understand. Is it so that a person can boast to friends about their rare acquisition, does it make them unique, are they a step ahead of their fellow human beings? There is no answer, but one thing is for sure, our living creatures belong in their natural habitat.

Till next month
All the best
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris

I have often heard people say they would love to ride on an elephant and in Africa these excursions are available. I am personally against this practice and would not be party to arrange this activity. In our innocence, we don’t think of the following – an elephant, being a wild animal does not voluntarily present itself to be our friend. In order for an elephant to be tamed and is beaten and maltreated, from when it is a baby, into being submissive to it’s human handler.

There was a case in South Africa where footage was secretly filmed and leaked to the media of procedures at a ranch where elephants were taken from the wild to be tamed. The scenes were horrific and the trainers or mahouts as they are known in Asia were cruel and inhumane. The case went to court and the owner of the ranch was fined and the mahouts fled the country before they could be brought to book.

So next time we see a wild animal at the local circus or watch people enjoying their ride on the elephant’s back, let us remember that the animal belongs in no other place than the wild. If not for the few wonderful people who years ago set aside land to save our wildlife, we would at this stage have decimated all the animals on earth only to be able to show our future generations what these creatures looked like by showing them photographs.

I am planning a tour for a youth group next year. I would limit the tour group to 20 people and I would personally accompany the tour. The itinerary and cost will be established should I have anyone who may consider the trip. It would take place July – August 2008. If you are interested please e-mail me and we will then make further plans.

Till next month
All the best
Anthony
Chavkin Safaris