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Halloween gave us the perfect opportunity... The theme, as voted for by our fellow Travelstarters, was Rocky Horror/Adams Family. The Charity benefiting, suggested by Annie and Athol, is the South African Guide Dogs Association. We managed to raise R500 in one day! So, 'big up' to all our very generous fellow TS Angels as well as a few members of the public who had a good chuckle at us walking through Green Market square...

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Last weekend Halloween was celebrated in the US. Mostly it's a holiday for the kids who do their "Trick or Treat". In New York all the shops had stocked up on sweets and dressed up children with their parents walked around to fill their bags.

But even the grown ups celebrate and it's a real adventure to see all the costume clad people filling the city. On 6th Avenue there is a parade in the evening but you can see imaginative costumes almost anywhere. And far from everybody is dressed as something scary.

Some of the inventive things I saw was three guys dressed as "Three stages of MIchael Jackson", one from Off the Wall in the 70s, one from the Jacksons with his brothers,  and one from the 80s Thriller. Another guy had built a nightstand with bedside lamp and alarm clock and all that he was wearing. When people asked he said he was a "One Night Stand".

I went with some friends to the Danger Party in Brooklyn. It was absolutely packed with people, and lots of go on the dance floor.

Due to unsavory weather conditions forecast for this Saturday, the Cape Town leg of the World March for Peace and Non Violence (as mention in my previous blog) has been postponed till next Saturday, 14 November.

We will still meet same place, same time... That is Kloof Nek Parking Lot at 11am.

Hope to see as many of you as possible there!

In Love and Peace

53% of South African travellers would rather deal with the possibility of contracting swine flu than run the risk of losing their luggage. These are the findings of an online survey conducted by Travelstart.co.za, the global online travel booking service. Only 5% of travellers polled thought contracting swine flu the biggest fear when travelling.

Although ACSA and the airlines have worked hard over the last year to curb theft and misplaced luggage, it is clear that this is still a big fear for both South African and global travellers, says Stephan Ekbergh, CEO and founder of Travelstart.

In 2007 about 40 million items of luggage were reported lost globally.  This figure decreased to 32 million in 2008.

In South Africa around 10 000 personal items were reported lost or stolen in 2008, and this does not include damaged and stolen luggage. Few passengers seem to know that if their luggage is lost, damaged or merely delayed for more than four hours, they are entitled to compensation, says Ekbergh.

Airlines offer compensation in the region of 20 USD per kilogram for lost or delayed luggage. Although this amount is the industry standard, some airlines compensate well above this rate an example of this is Air Botswana that compensates at a rate of 42USD per kilogram.

Protecting your valuables is especially important with personal items that are impossible to replace, like the photographs of your holiday should you lose your camera, jewellery and valuable company and personal information in the event of a lost laptop, says Ekbergh.

Although it is important to understand what compensation you are entitled to as a passenger, it may also be prudent to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance to protect your valuables. With travel insurance, you can claim up to R25 000 for theft or damage to your baggage, depending on the amount of cover you opted for.

In addition to the standard safety measures travellers should undertake, SITA the organisation specialising in air transport communication and information technology solutions has recently announced that radiofrequency identification (RFID) could potentially save the airline industry $750 million annually by ensuring origin-to-destination tracking of baggage.

    - Don't pack hazardous goods. If uncertain, check with your travel agent, airline or airport officials.

For more info, contact: therese@travelstart.com

Picture by Geishaboy500

The World March for Peace and Non Violence has already begun...

It all started in New Zealand, on 2 October 2009 and is making it's way across the globe. This particular date was chosen as it marks the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth and was declared the "International Day of  Non-Violence" by the United Nations in 2007.

The March will continue for 90 days through all climates and seasons until it reaches the Andes Mountains (Punta de Vacas, Aconcagua, Argentina) on January 2, 2010.

Numerous respected international personalities have endorsed this World March, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Penelope Cruz, Bryan Adams, Yoko Ono, Philip Glass and Art Garfunkel, to name a few.

Here in Cape Town, the South African Peace Alliance will be hosting our part in this global March. Pack a picnic and join us for a peaceful walk in nature this Saturday, 7 November 2009. The starting point is at the Kloof Nek parking lot.  We will be walking to Deer Park, along the Jeep Track, where all may enjoy their picnic lunch during the Public Peace Forum.

Please note: SANParks has requested that walkers park at Kloof Nek parking lot - no parking available at Deer Park.

All are most welcome to join in and be part of this momentous occasion, so please bring along your families and friends of all ages. (Suitable for all levels of fitness)

Be sure to register at http://ctpeacemarch.homestead.com/ by this Wednesday, 5 November 2009.

When: Saturday, 7 November 2009
Where: Kloof Nek Parking Lot (meeting point) - Jeep Track - Deer Park (and back)
Registration: 11:00 - 11:30
Walk starts: 11:30
Walk ends: 15:00
What to bring: yourself, friends, family, a picnic lunch and a peaceful heart

Exciting times! Looking forward to seeing you all there...

In Love and Peace

Chelsea to the left, Vancouver to the right.

A nice passtime on Thursday afternoons is to walk around in Chelsea in New York to watch different art exhibitions. This weekday between 5 and 8 pm, many new exhibitions are opening so the galleries are full and often you get a glass of wine, a drink or some snacks.

You often get to see many different types of oil paintings, photographs and sculptures from a variety of artists on these evenings. And it's the variety that I appreciate. Even if you don't like it all, there is almost always something that touches you.

This Thursday however was the first time I saw something I recognised. It was a group of paintings and sculptures of laughing Asian men that made you smile - signes Yue Minjun. When I was in Vancouver, Canada, about a month ago the city put up a new piece of art in a park - sculptures of laughing Asian men. I never got the name of the artist then, but for sure - it must be the same, no?

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To see which exhibitions are opening go to this web site.
This one can be seen at Arario Gallery, 521 W 25th St.
In Vancouver, the sculptures are placed where Denman St meets the beach, English Bay. 

The Angels have been at it hard - spreading the love and working hard so our magazine drive, while an astounding success, was only concluded very recently.  We finally managed to align everyone's schedules and loaded up our company car with all the fabulous, colourful, glossy magazines to be dropped off at the Durbanvill Church Center who co-ordinates the delivery of magazines to the patients at the Tygerberg Caner Ward. 

The midday heat was scorching and the temperature rose dramatically as we drove towards Durbanville.  When we finally reached our destination, nestled in the midst of vineyards and by an open field of lush green grass, we couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and stillness despite the heat.  We met up with Vida who runs the charity arm of the church and from the short time we spent with her, we quickly recognised the unlimited level of love and care she had for those less fortunate.  She led us into a storage room which was filled from floor to ceiling with every type of item that was precious for the needy.  Clothes, toys, toiletries and the list went on.  

She went on to outline the various activities and channels they use to ensure that the donations received, reached the people who needed them most, Tygerberg Cancer Ward being one of them.  Every week, they deliver around 120 magazines to the cancer ward, together with bookmarks and flowers and each person gets 2 magazines, a bookmark and flowers to brighten their day.  Most of the patients are from up country so they rarely get visitors and these magazines help them pass time while they wait for their treatment and during their recovery period. 

She then led us outside to show us the extra buildings built to house yet more things collected from their parish and through various donations.  Everything was neatly packed away, categorized and tagged for future use.  It was truly inspiring to see the level of selflessness and generosity people had.  It made me imagine a world where those of us who have share with those that are less fortunate and don't have. 

Thank you to all our Travelstarters and an even bigger thank you to Bridget McNulty and Kim Gray for opening their hearts and donating generously.  Most importantly, a very special thank you to Nanette McDonald for putting forward this suggestion as our Charity of the Month.

Check out our angels flickr page for more pictures on how we spread the love!

The "9th Street Commmunity Garden" on Avenue C and 9th.

Something that is easy to miss when living on Manhattan is green areas and proximity to nature. My first months here I lived just a few blocks from Washington Square Park, which is one of the bigger parks on the island. But it hardly felt like untaimed wilderness.

I realised pretty quickly that the only place that felt like a real breathing hole is Central Park. There you can almost forget the traffic and the skyscrapers for a while.

Therefor I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the amount of gardens after moving to the East Village. You never have to walk more than a few blocks here without finding a gap between two buildings and here trees, flowers and other plants are growing and being tended to by volonteers.

As it turned out my new apartment is facing one of them and I took a walk there the other day. It almost felt a bit wild, and how it looked - you can see in the photo.

As I am sure many of you know by now, Saturday, 24 October 2009, was The International Day of Climate Action. Worldwide, various demonstrations took place in a call to Governments and Authorities to take action for a positive change in our current climate situation. These demonstrations were photographed, documented and publicized.

What is it all for?

The United Nations Climate Meeting is to be held in Copenhagen in December this year. All actions and demonstrations will be presented in this meeting, to remind our leaders of the urgency and reality of this climatic crisis. The intention is to put pressure on the UN to implement rightful action. 

Why 350?

The number has to do with the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 at a level of 350 parts per million is safe. Currently, this level is sitting at 390 parts per million.

Over 5200 events took place in 181 countries across the globe, 17 of which were held in Cape Town alone. I feel priviledged and blessed to say that I was a part of this incredible united stand for our planet! The plan was to hike up Table Mountain to form a 'human 350'. Unfortunately, due to bad weather conditions, plans changed. Instead, we hiked across from Table Mountain to Signal Hill. It was an awesome occasion that brought together like-minded individuals. We discussed easy ways to conserve energy and change small everyday activities that can make a huge difference. I shall do more research and share such ideas with you in time to come...

A great, big thank you to all the organisers and coordinators. And an extra special thanks to my dad, Jose and my spiritual sista, Cherise for joining in as well!

Love and Peace

The journalists are waiting for director JJ Abrams, recorders ready.

I was recently in Los Angeles on a press event organised by Paramount who had invited directors, script writers and other people who had worked with creating the movies Star Trek, Transformers 2 and G.I Joe. The reason was the upcoming DVD release of the films. The journalists came from a big variety of media - anything from bigger magazines in Australia to small nerd sites only read by Star Trek hardcore fans.

This was my first press event like this and I realised quickly how busy the movie creators are. The Star Trek director JJ Abrams gave individual interviews and it was a very strict 5 minutes per journalist. When the clock started ticking I understood how how little time that is and that not really any issues of real interest can be covered.

But for a movie lover like myself it was really interesting to talk to the creators instead of as most of the times hear the view of the actors. It gave me a much better picture on how movies our made, what enormous job is put behind it and how long time it takes.

Unfortunately my interviews will only be featured in Swedish.

If you travel often, it's highly probable that at some point in time, you've forgotten to pack your mobile phone charger.  

If you are like me, then you've probably forgot to pack it several times, and you now own multiple phone chargers, that are collecting dust in your home. (like these 3 to the left collect dust in my home)

Well, good news has come to the forgetful traveller.... This week, the International Telecommunication Union announced that they had approved a "universal phone charger standard."  To make a long story short, a universal industry standard will be developed for all handsets. 

This is a huge win for both the forgetful traveller, and the environment. The union predicts "a 50 percent reduction in standby energy consumption, elimiation of 51,000 tonnes of redundant chargers, and a subsequent reduction of 13.6 million tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions each year."

Cool. 

In the meantime, don't forget to pack your phone charger for your next trip. And be thankful that pretty soon, you'll be able to borrow a charger from anyone.  

 

Waiting in a queue to buy a ticket for Table Mountain is a thing of the past. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway people initiated an online ticketing system that allows you to buy your tickets online and save some time.

You can buy your tickets from www.tablemountain.net - unfortunately they are only valid for seven days after purchase. If you decide not to go during the seven day window period they will give you a full refund, or you could extend your ticket for a another three weeks and do without a refund.

If you are a female and really want to get away from the male species, you can do so next year April at Queensgate Hotels & Leisure’s Upper East Side Hotel in Woodstock, Cape Town. Here women can stay in one of 14 ladies only rooms with double locks.

Security personnel, cameras in the lifts, lobbies and corridors will keep you safe. The workers will be all female too!

The Pretoria Zoo is big, really, really big... 85-hectares with over 3000 specimens of mammals, birds, fishes, invertebrate, reptiles and amphibians - and trying to see all in just a day really takes a toll on your feet. (I would recommend hiring a golf cart for the day.)  I have seen animals in there I forgot even existed.

I also took a ride on their cable car track – this is something I would not recommend to the faint of heart. It was the most terrifying experience ever (counting that I stood at the top of the Eiffel and walked down the stairs of the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona). The cars are very small and the wind just swings it around as if it is nothing!

You can also visit their Aquarium (very nice specimens to be seen here) and Reptile Park that are part of the Zoo facility. They claim their Aquarium is the largest inland marine aquarium in South Africa but I think Ushaka Marine is (don't quote me on that though!).

Tree huggers and eco fanatics will love the Pretoria Zoo as it boasts a large collection of exotic trees.

(photo courtesy of Swami Stream)
 
I'm a relatively tall fellow, and every year I take long haul flights between 9-15 hours. 

There was a time when I used to dread these flights, but with a little practice, I have developed a routine that allows me to handle them comfortably. Here are my Top 10 tips for surviving a long flight. 

10. Sleep as little as possible the night before your flight. The more tired you are, the easier it will be to fall asleep. Time of course passes quickly while you are sleeping.  

9. Drink as little as possible before and during the flight - going to the toilet in-flight is almost always inconvenient. 

8. Take a book, but be sure that it's a fictional page-turner. Don't take an intellectually challenging, technical or non-fiction book. You need light entertainment for your flights. I have a habit of reading Douglas Adams books, or travel novels, when I fly. 

7. Sudoku. If you don't know what it is, learn. Sudoku has the ability to turn hours into minutes.  

6. Watch a movie or explore your music collection. (sorry, this one is a bit obvious) 

5. Don't watch the clock. Remove your watch if you have one. Time moves slowly when you look at it.

4. Wear several layers of clothing. You want to be a comfortable temperature throughout your flight, and sometimes cabin temperature can fluctuate during long flights. 

3. Read something about your destination. If you are on your way to a country or city you have never been to, take something to read about the place.   

2. Meditate or contemplate. Life is busy, and it's not often we are forced to sit in one chair for 12+ hours. Use the time to relax your mind, and take time to think about things you've possibly neglected in your day to day life. Think of the past, present and future. 

1. Write a to-do list, or do things you sometimes put off. For me, I never take the time to write family or friends post cards, so I always take a few postcards for long flights.  

(photo of Darioush Winery, Napa, courtesy of jimg944)

This week I received a wedding invitation, to attend a small ceremony in Napa County, California next summer. Destination weddings seem all the rage, at least with my friends anyways. This will be the 3rd one I have attended in the past 3 years.  

Having never been to Napa, the first thing that comes to mind is its world famous wine industry. The Napa Valley is very likely the most famous wine region in all the United States - even their county logo is an image of some tasty looking red grapes. The valley is home to more than 300 wineries, and more than 5 million people visit the region each year. Tour are available, so that you can explore the region by any method imaginable. 

Napa offers something for every tourist, and not only wine connoisseurs. (and of course, you can't tour wineries and test samples all day!)   The area also features hot air balloon rides, museums, spas, are galleries, and several local tour operators offer a vast array of services. 

There are also many parks and wilderness areas in Napa country, and the 850 acre Skyline Wilderness Park is open every day of the year, with more than 40 kilometres of hiking and biking trails available, and views of San Francisco on a clear day. 

San Francisco and Oakland are the nearest large metropolitan centres, just 70 kilometres away.  

  

 

 

First of all. What´s the purpose of this article?

It seems as Hilka Burns only has one thing and that is to highlite one or maximum two negatives said about our issues concerning the crocked practices in the travel industry of not including taxes and fees.

One such critic is from an ex employee of ours. Is that even worth spilling ink on.

As far as ASATA goes. Travelstart has applied for membership twice but we have been denied membership TWICE with the following  motivation: “As the business model of Travelstart falls outside of our current membership criteria, we cannot forward an application form to you”

 

Regarding Hello Peters comments I said ( but was only quoted half sentence ): "Travelstart has 1000 passengers per day. If Hello Peter only has 10 negative reviews after our three years in business I think that’s pretty good. "

And finally my name is spelled STEPHAN not Stefan

 

1. Don’t be fooled

There are all manner of scams that are regularly used to pull the wool over foreigner’s eyes (and the dollars from their wallets), especially at border crossings and entry points to Cambodia, but also at every bus stop and arrival point in a new town or city. Do your homework – make sure you’re up to date with what the scams are and how to circumvent them (i.e. how much things actually cost!) and you won’t fall for any of the obvious scams.

2. Bring an open mind

The problem with Cambodia is that it’s right next to Thailand and Vietnam – both extraordinarily beautiful countries, overflowing with scenery that will take your breath away. Cambodia’s beauty is more subtle, more cultural, and not as flashy. Don’t come in with high expectations and you won’t be disappointed.

 

3. Make time for ancient history

Cambodia is a country steeped in ancient history – the ruins of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap are as wonderful and awe-inspiring as you’ve heard. Although, if you want a personal connection with them (away from the maddening crowds), either make a plan to get there early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or simply (as we did) leave the well-beaten path and go in a direction not pointed out by arrows!

 

4. Eat bread

Baguettes are a way of life in Cambodia. Eat them fresh with cream cheese, or for breakfast with omelettes or Nutella, or for lunch with pickled vegetables, or for a snack, or really just any time you feel a bit puckish. Delicious!

 

5. Don’t give to streetchildren

No matter how desperate they look or how whiny their voices. It’s only encouraging them to stay on the streets – every tourist who gives to a streetchild is supporting a life away from school and an orphanage. Rather shop at fair trade or streetchildren support shops, which are scattered all over the country.

 

6. Understand the past

Cambodia has a violent past, and it’s still fresh in the country’s memory. While you’re in Phnom Penh, visit the Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum, but be prepared – you will leave feeling very depressed. The Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot enforced a regime so violent and insane that it practically reduced the country to the Stone Age – he destroyed education, books, commerce, money, trade, learning of all kinds, entertainment, even clothing (everyone had to wear identical black pyjamas). Understanding Cambodia’s past will help to make sense of the present.

 

7. Go to the beach

For the lighter, prettier, more fun side of Cambodia, head to Sihanoukville for some laidback fun in the sun – loads of bars, restaurants, beach barbecues and snorkeling trips make this the beach resort of choice for Cambodians and tourists alike.

 

8. Haggle hard

Especially with tuk tuk drivers – the price they give you at first is by no means the price they are willing to go for. Ask at your guest house or hotel beforehand so you have an idea how much a trip should cost or if in doubt, start at half the amount they first give you and work up from there.

 

9. Have a foot massage

A whole HOUR of reflexology foot massage (with a little shoulder massage thrown in at the end) for a mere $5 (US). You’ll feel like you were given a brand new pair of feet. Heavenly!

 

10. Be an adventurous eater

Many Cambodian restaurants will offer Western dishes as part of their menu, but these are guaranteed to be boring and poor imitations of what you’d get at home. Be adventurous in your eating and you’ll be rewarded with Khmer dishes with delicious notes of pepper and lime, unusual fresh flavours and zesty sauces. Yum.

I’ve been a bit slack on the blogging front lately, sorry…

We’ve been in the small riverside town of Kratie, on the Mekong River, and we had to pay a small fortune to go online so I didn’t want to blog till I didn’t have any time pressures. Now we’re back in Phnom Penh, the capital city, and I have some time to reflect on the past week or so.

It’s been a pretty heavy couple of days.

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