Dean's Diary

      March / April 2000

       

      Our winter months are now arriving - with autumn in full swing at the moment!

      This is a good thing, as it means the bush gets thinner, there is less water around with river levels dropping and the wildlife is proving easier to spot in the bush. The days are not as humid as summer, though they are nice, sunny and warm - and the nights are now cool, with a jumper being needed occasionally.

      Since I last wrote Dean's Diary, much has happened - another busy two months, though I must say, the income has not been good - that Zimbabwe idiot of a president, Robert Mugabe has been making a real stuff-up of running Zimbabwe and with all the terrible murders, land invasions, propaganda, intimidation, severe restrictions etc - the tourism figures for Southern Africa have been drastically cut - and this has effected business - so if anybody wants to get rid of him, you have my blessing!!

      In this edition I shall cover the following:

      1. Past trips
      2. Future trips
      3. The Indaba
      4. Zululand Flying Service
      5. Satour Offices
      6. Legal and Illegal Guides & Operators
      7. Developments with ABS
      8. My friends and family
      1. Past Trips:

      Since I last wrote to you I have had two great safaris - the first was with my old pen friend, well, he is not that old, just we have been pen-pals for so long. Kevin is the Chief Medical Officer on the Royal Navy's Antarctic research vessel and having spent a number of months 'down south in the ice' - they were on their way back to the UK and the ship stopped in Cape Town for 10 days - to replenish supplies, refresh themselves and strengthen diplomatic ties with our great country! Kevin's family, along with many of the other officers' families arrived in SA a few days early - to enjoy the sunshine and hospitality of the South Africans. Other good friends of mine, Theo & Morag, met Helen and the kids at the airport and hosted them for a few days before Kevin arrived, and then a couple of days after Kevin's arrival, I flew down to CT and stayed with Theo, as Helen, Kevin and kids had gone to a self-catering apartment in Muizenberg for a few days. Well, I then took Kevin and family on a 4-day safari of the Western Cape - first to Cape Aguhlas - where we visited the lighthouse and its museum - at the southern most tip of Africa - and we spent the night at a lovely guesthouse nearby. If Nathan (the son) had his way, we would have stopped at every beach along the way - he seems to be so fascinated with the sea (must be his Dad's blood!!) After a great breakfast, we left the area and stopped briefly at the Bredasdorp Shipwreck museum - then continued across the fruitlands of the Cape, stopping at a small fruitshop and restaurant for lunch, prior to arriving at a private game reserve on the edge of the Great Karoo. The big novelty here is sleeping in a cave, decorated with Bushmen paintings! We had a short drive to the nearby canyon to watch sunset - and then returned for a lovely dinner around the campfire under the stars! What a memorable occasion for the family! After a good nights sleep, we went on a freezing early morning game drive - to have a packed breakfast (which was not really very appetising), but was made up with some nice game viewing of springbok, zebra, gemsbok, blesbok, wildebeest, ostrich… returning to the lodge to pack our bags and then depart for the Cedarberg Mountains. We stopped en route to have a lovely picnic lunch under the trees in the Algeria Forest - and then arrived at the chalet situated beneath the Wolfberg Cracks. The remainder of the afternoon was spent being spoilt by Kevin - who insisted on serving Helen and I tea by the river, then making a tremendous fire for an evening braai (barbeque) - thanks Kevin!!

      The following day, after breakfast - we enjoyed a brisk walk to the nearby Bushmen (San people) paintings and the unique rock formations at Stadsaal Caves. (The famous outdoor parliament of the old SA!). That afternoon was spent relaxing around the rock pools downstream - me trying to avoid the sun, and the family trying to get as burnt as possible! Alas, all good things come to an end - and the following day we returned to Cape Town - but via a crocodile farm near Paarl and then a cheetah project near Stellenbosch. That night, we arrived in Cape Town and after showering at our lodge near the Waterfront, Theo and Morag joined us for a Greek dinner at the V&A Waterfront - prior to rushing to Kevin's ship to watch the Symphony of Fire competition being staged at the harbour entrance. A great ending to our stay in Cape Town. After breakfast, I took Kevin back to the ship and then Helen, Nathan and Nadine and I left for the airport - and flew up to Durban. We spent two nights in Durban and then left for Zululand - enjoying one night at a small private game reserve on the outskirts of Hluhluwe - where the most exciting moment was having our path blocked by 3 huge white rhinos when walking back to our rooms after dinner!!

      After a huge breakfast - we then drove through Swaziland to a small nature reserve and the tented lodge near Pigg's Peak, having explored and bartered at the craft market en route! After fulfilling meals and good sleep, we left Swaziland for Hoedspruit - where we were treated to some great game viewing at a large private game reserve that is well known for its orphaned animal projects. I mentioned last edition about the exciting walk with the orphaned animals on the morning walk - and the nice game drive - where we saw buffalo, leopard, lion, rhino, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and many other animals. The next day, we enjoy the Panoramic Drive - stopping briefly at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes and God's Window, prior to arrival at Sabie - to a lovely family resort where we spoiled ourselves to soaking ourselves in the heated outdoor swimming pool prior to stuffing ourselves with a great steak dinner - thanks Helen! The following day we explored the nearby Sudwala Caves and then it started raining - for our drive to Johannesburg airport. It was a sad farewell to Helen and her two great children - and after checking them through the International departures, I went to the domestic departures to fly Nationwide back to Durban. Guess what? They had changed the flight times 3 weeks ago and not having reconfirmed my flight AND my flight agent not having told me - I had missed the flight - and had to wait in the Standby queue for the last flight of the night - which I made, arriving in Durban at midnight! I found the plane very comfortable with the hostesses very pleasant and even serving a tasty midnight snack!

      The following day, I met Alice's brother, girlfriend and his two adult children - and we departed for Umfolosi-Hluhluwe Game Reserve. We had two nights in this 96 000 hectare reserve and were thrilled to have heard a leopard very close by whilst on a game walk, to have sighted cheetah, wild dogs, elephants, rhino, zebra, giraffe, vultures…. + + … a great time enjoyed by all! Departing from Hluhluwe, we deviated to Phinda Game Reserve, where Arthur and Linda were to spend two luxurious nights, and Louise, Gavin and Alice's son, Greg plus me continued to Tembe Elephant Reserve, where we enjoyed two great days of 'close encounters of the huge kind' with these majestic mammals! The bush was still very thick from the summer rains, so other game viewing was very difficult, plus there was a lot of water everywhere, so animals did not have to walk far for a drink! We enjoyed watching some elephants have a good mud bath at the one hide. Departing from Tembe, we returned to Phinda to collect Arthur and Linda who had really been spoilt - and then after stopping for a quick lunch in Hluhluwe at a popular curio shop, we continued to Durban. This was the last safari that I conducted - then Mugabe screwed Southern Africa up!!

      Of the self-drive guests or guests who have been on safari with one of our freelance Guides, Andre and his wife Carol returned from their tremendous Honeymoon - and we had a brief note from Andre after he returned to work:

      "I finally returned to work today to find a pile of e-mails a mile high to read. I will send you guys a proper e-mail later telling you about all our experiences, but for now would just like to thank you for planning us an absolutely awesome trip. Everything worked out great, and we saw lots of animals and had a really great time."

      Well, I guess the mile-high pile of e-mails is still being sifted through, as we have not heard from them yet. Neil and Tanya returned to the UK - after having a great stay at MalaMala - but then everything after that was an anti-climax and they were disappointed. MalaMala is the world's best game reserve and has also been voted numerous times as the world's best game lodge as well - so I always try to book clients into there at the end of their itinerary if at all possible - my apologies Neil and Tanya. Here are a few comments from their feedback: "Mala Mala was a brilliant despite the conditions. The staff made a genuine effort with in the weather imposed constraints and we had a wonderful time seeing all of the big five and a lot more besides. 10/10… …….. Keith picked us up and proved to be the find of the holiday. His knowledge, efficient yet unobstructive manner and friendly nature made the middle section of the holiday for us. It was this part of the trip where the accommodation fell below what we had expected and hoped for. … " (Keith is a Freelance Guide we employ)

      So, for their next trip to South Africa, we shall have to be a lot more vigilant in our recommendation of accommodation - we hate disappointed clients.

      Janet and her fiancé, Dave, came out from the UK to Durban and our wedding specialist and photographer, Janice, ensured they had a memorable wedding at a private game reserve. The couple had arrived a week before the big day, to relax a bit with Janet's family and to confirm all the finer details with Janice. We were thrilled to see some of their photographs and also hear about how happy they were with all our arrangements - thanks again Janice. "Hi there Dean and Alice, Just a quick note to say thanks very much indeed for all your help in the run-up to the wedding and for recommending Janice who was indispensable in the planning stages and on the day itself!
      The apartment in Umhlanga was the perfect place to start our stay and we're just sorry we were unable to go ahead with the safari we discussed - however next time we are over we may take you up on the self-drive option, when there are less people to consider (and less family politics!).  We will certainly recommend African Bundu Safaris to everyone we know as you have been helpful, friendly and efficient throughout.
      Thanks again for all your help and good wishes,
      Janet and Dave"

      And so, another happy couple!

      2. Future Safaris

      Well, as I mentioned before, the tourism business is quiet due to the conflict and unrest in Zimbabwe, which is over 2000 kms away from Durban in another country, and it is the white farmers and their labourers that are being targeted by the ruling Mugabe party - to date, 3 white farmers have been killed and 20 black farmers - and Mugabe wants all whites who hold British passports out of the country. Not one tourist has been harmed yet, but one must realise that lots of these "war veterans" are illiterate and have a grudge against white people. Even though the war ended 20 years ago, Mugabe made promises to give land to all those who fought with him, and so now these old warriors AND their children are illegally occupying farms which do not belong to them - and they are getting away with it! The ruling Zanu-pf party members have vowed that if they do not win the elections at the end of June, then there shall be a civil war - and they are intimidating, terrorising and hurting everyone who does not support them!!! Free and fair elections - yeh likely, gonna tell me that birds don't fly now?

      I have a booking for an 8-day safari with Nina and her family at the end of June, then Claudia comes and spends 2 weeks with me in July, then I should be taking Nancy and Peter on a one-week safari at the end of July. I have other enquiries that seem definite for August to October, but I do not like to say that I have a safari until I have a deposit in the bank - that is a commitment. So many people surf around and play games with 3 or 4 Tour Operators at the same time, not realising how much time, energy and expense goes into planning itineraries for them - we do not have set itineraries, all our trips are tailor-made, so these take time! We have a professional business and an excellent reputation that we are proud of, so please, tell us the truth and play fairly!

      In June I will however be travelling to Botswana, at the invitation of a number of lodges to come and experience their facilities and hospitality - so shall be away for 12 days, returning with lots of photographs and good honest practical experience - I hate using lodges that I have not personally visited, so this educational trip is very important and does cost my company money. During my absence, another freelance Guide of ours, Dave, shall be taking Bill and his wife on a short safari to Zululand - a few nights in Umfolosi Game Reserve, then a night at a private lodge where there is a cheetah breeding project. They then depart on their own to Port Elizabeth for a self-drive vacation through the Garden Route to Cape Town.

      I do have some bookings already for the period June to September 2001 - and so would request past or new clients of ours to book early - it seems as though lots of people delayed the Y2K holidays for 2001 and many lodges and resorts are already booked for long periods in the best game-viewing period here in Southern Africa - plus, if you want me to personally Guide you around, then I have to fit you in to the calendar - I can only work so many days of the month - need a break in between trips.
      1. The Indaba

        2. This International Tourism Trade show is held annually in Durban and it is our chance to market ourselves and services to the overseas Tourism Trade - who visit Durban for a week. I normally only visit the Indaba on the final day, to get the latest tariffs and meet certain product owners whose services I use. This year was a lot different, as we used it to market our new and unique flying service to the international delegates and also to the Cape Town and Johannesburg Tour Operators that were visiting Durban. I was very pleased to meet so many of these fantastic people who welcomed the Zululand Flying Service as a great product that will be supported by them all. On the day before Indaba, I Guided 11 international delegates through Zululand on one of the Fed Air's Cessna Grand Caravans - stopping in Hluhluwe for breakfast, Lake Sibayi for lunch, and Mkuze for afternoon tea - and flying low altitude along the Dolphin Coast and likewise over the Maputoland lakes - so scenic and beautiful. On the Tuesday, we had a contingent of journalists from various parts of the world on a flying visit to Zululand, landing at Hluhluwe for morning tea before flying over Lake St Lucia, Sibayi and then Kosi Bay, before returning to Hluhluwe for a visit to the nearby Zulu cultural village and lunch, ending off with a boat cruise on a river flowing into Lake St Lucia and then flying back to Durban. On the Thursday I again flew along our route and guided another 11 delegates to Hluhluwe for breakfast, Kosi for tea, Tembe for lunch and Mkuze Falls for sundowners. What an exciting 3 days - and now Europe especially will know about the Zululand Flying Service, as we had representatives from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. During this period I also hosted an Austrian Tour Operator, Walter - whom I had met in Zimbabwe last year - and whom I hope will be able to use my services in the future? I was able to attend the Indaba on the Wednesday and met quite a few of the owners of lodges that we use, plus old friends and colleagues. I also met my cousins' wife - welcome to the family, as Shaun put it! Shaun owns a budget overland camping company with a partner Bruce, and we have had many of our guests happily use them. I was also able to host a dinner for colleagues of a Kariba based company that we work with and my sympathies go to them for the terrible circumstances that they have to deal with in Zimbabwe. So a busy week that was!

      2. Zululand Flying Service:

        3. Well, it is official - the launch date is Saturday 29 July and this is when the first flight shall be available. The price of R1500 exclu VAT, means a total launch Price of R1710 for a return ticket - to virtually any of Zululand or Maputoland's Airstrips - as per our planned route. We have held 5 flights now over the area, stopping at the various airstrips to 'test' them out - and have selected the most viable ones. The basic daily itinerary shall be as follows - 09h15 - take-off from Virginia Airport (Durban's light commercial airport 10 mins drive from the Cities beachfront) and then fly the scenic coastal route - between 500 and 900 feet above the beach and sea - to Richards Bay - where we shall land, if there are passengers to drop-of or collect. This short section takes 35 mins, and is planned to collect the passengers that fly from Johannesburg to R.Bay, instead of Durban. We then continue to Hluhluwe, via the Lake St Lucia estuary, and land at Hluhluwe (like R. Bay and all other airstrips, if there are passengers to disembark or embark) - from the Hluhluwe airstrip which shall be upgraded to a regional airport in the near future, we shall follow the routing that includes Phinda Game Reserve, Sodwana Bay, Lake Sibayi and Rocktail Bay, Kosi Bay and Tembe, Ndumo and finally to Mkuze - where arrival time shall be between 11am and 1pm. The plane shall wait here until after lunch (optional extra) and then fly back to Hluhluwe and Richards Bay - to connect with the afternoon flight, and then continue to Virginia airport, arriving there the latest at 16h05. Please note, this is not a schedule and not a daily service - the routing will vary according to the passenger needs and if there are no passengers flying on a certain day, the plane does not take-off! The airticket enables guests to board the plane at 2 airstrips and disembark at two - i.e. you can board in say, Virginia and fly to Hluhluwe - spend a few days there game viewing etc - and then say you want to go to Kosi Bay for some snorkelling, fishing and diving - we could organise a road transfer there - and after spending 3 or 4 days, you could then fly back to Virginia. We are still working on pricing for 2 or 3 stops en route and also for a short or one-way flight. At the moment, the launch price will be subsidised by Federal Air and then on the 1 November, the more realistic price shall be implemented. Our present price was calculated in February and since then we have had 4 large fuel price increases and also the US$ against the Rand has weakened - so not good for our pricing!! On my website - there is a button to the Flying Service - and there is not only a separate enquiry form, but also clickable maps - when you get to the map of Zululand, then you will not that various airstrips and lodges are indicated on it, and shortly, the lodge names will be clickable and a short description & photo of each subscribing lodge will be displayed. On the present website are photographs, some descriptions and details, plus music!! (I love a website that comes alive!) So, for your next holiday to South Africa - there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on chartering a plane to get to your favourite or new destination - you can fly in comfort in one of our Cessna Grand Caravans - virtually direct to the Zululand or Maputoland Lodge - thus cutting down on travelling time, a lot more scenic and a lot more comfortable and safer! It is also possible to use 3 to 10 days of your vacation in this region and the remaining portion to visit other parts of Southern Africa - contact me and let's discuss it!

      3. Satour Offices:

        4. As 95% of our clients find us on the Internet, and I believe that fraud is very rife in many countries, I always recommend to prospective clients to verify my companies credentials and existence via any of the Satour Offices in various parts of the world. The Satour offices are our governments tourism and marketing authorities and have a number of branches or agencies in about a dozen countries. The following countries Satour office are 100% aware of African Bundu Safaris, as we have had correspondence from them - there are a few other branches that might be aware of us - or at least if they contact the Pretoria Satour head office, they will vouch our legal status. Satour Tokyo, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Brussels and Pretoria are all able to tell you something about our office - so feel free to contact anyone of these offices. Obviously, the person who answers the phone might not be able to tell you much or anything - however, there is a manager or marketing manager who will be able to help you. Over the most recent Indaba, I met members from Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Frankfurt - so they have even met me in person. New York is a very familiar branch and a firm credential from them is guaranteed. London recently became refreshed of my existence and just a month ago, a client said they had heard good words from the Los Angeles branch. So, help is available for you. The reason for checking on credentials is to confirm that you are dealing with a legal and registered company, someone who you can trust and know that you will get value for money - and of course be re-assure that you are not sending your money to some fly-by-night company or worse still, some computer whiz-kid who would never meet you at the airport!! As mentioned in previous editions of Dean's Diary, you are more than able to contact any of the previous guests in my guestbook, who have willingly left their contact details along with comments of their holiday.

      4. Illegal Guides and Operators:

        5. Unfortunately, here in Southern Africa, and also elsewhere in the world, there are people who are willing to 'make a fast buck' and think nothing of 'ripping off' the consumer. To safe guard against such a practice to you there are a number of steps you should take to verify that you are dealing with legal and registered people. I state this as statistics show that throughout the world, the increase of computer users is astronomical, the number of people using e-mail to make direct bookings is alarming and so is the number of Tour Operators. When I started my company 4 years ago, there were maybe 4 or 5 Durban Operators who had websites - including myself, now there are probably about 40 or 50 in Durban who have websites - there is a lot of competition out there and each company offering a very slightly different service -and each one stating that they are different from the rest and the best. So the trend is to have surfers sending the same e-mail to 5 or 10 companies and then ignoring the majority of those replies and replying to 2 or 3 and then after quotes and itineraries, they ignore all but one - very bad manners and highly irritating - but such is life. We have the reputation of acknowledging all e-mails within 48 hours - and sometimes we even answer within 2 hours! (All depends on how busy we are at that moment you send the enquiry - and how personal you make it!!) All we ask is for surfers to send a nice polite reply to our e-mails and inform us if you are no longer going to deal with us - saves a lot of time in the long run - PLEASE.

        As mentioned earlier - contact any of the Satour offices about the existence of a company you are going to deal with - or the South African Embassy or consulate in your country. Then there are a number of large hotel chains or Nature Conservation bodies that could also verify the existence - such as Protea Hotels, Sun International, SA National Parks, KZN Nature Conservation, to name a few. We have contracts with the above and many more.

        To be legal, a company has to be registered with the government as a Close Corporation or a Pty LTD - which means they have to have a bank account, an accountant and be an income tax payer. It is also a good idea to be registered with some Tourism Organisation - like TASA, SATSA, ASATA… as these bodies set minimum standards to meet. These companies have to use Satour certificated Guides - which means they have passed a course and exams - and have a category or region for which they are registered. When you meet a company that says you can pay cash when you arrive, or you deposit the money into a persons name account and not a company name - I would be VERY suspect of such people/companies. Likewise with vehicles being used for the tour - all passenger carrying vehicles need permits from the department of transport - and need these displayed on the windscreen - and these vehicles are subject to annual inspections - these steps are to maintain standards and ensure safety for all passengers. There are many car rental companies in Southern Africa - some are offering cars at very low prices - look out for hidden costs - we use three reputable companies - the one main one we use offers unlimited kilometres, insurance with an excess far below the others, personal 'meet and greet' at the airports and a few other perks. All our cars are less than 1 year old, so are in a excellent road condition. So, here are a few points to remember for those Cyber Surfers!!

      5. Developments with African Bundu Safaris:

        6. There have been some changes over the past few years and some more in the future. Alice has now been working for me for 2 years (2nd June anniversary!) and has become very conversant with many of the lodges and areas that we cover. She has been a stirling supporter and an efficient consultant who has ensured many a happy guest and holiday maker! Her work load has expanded, along with her salary, but there is only so much that she can do. With the new Zululand Flying Service, it will not be possible for her to cope with those bookings, so I welcome to the team, Carol Booth - who has a background in tourism and shall be the booking agent for the Zululand Flying Service, our records & book-keeper and eventually, Carol will be assisting Alice with the conventional tailor-made safaris. Alice lives with her family about 5 mins drive away, and Carol lives next door, and is the wife to the local church minister, Ian. Alice works in the mornings, basically form 9am till about 1pm and Carol will be working from 12 noon until 4pm. Those who have seen our office will realise that there is not enough room for 2, let alone 3 people to work in there, so during this final week of May, another larger office shall be constructed on the property and shall be large enough to house all the office equipment and staff. The present office shall be my little retreat and labelled the 'Bored Room' - for when I have to entertain reps, friends or keep out of my consultants' way!

        My hands are covered in blisters at the moment, as over the past week I have been doing lots of manual work - digging and levelling out the ground where the new office is going - and not used to this manual labour, my back is also telling me I am getting old - but it is nice to be working outdoors and getting some good exercise!

        During the month of May, I have also been looking after a friend's house in Glenwood - stunning views over Durban harbour - and so have had to commute the 25 minutes to the office every day - but it is nice to be able to work in the evenings and not have interruptions. I have also had great fun entertaining and cooking for various friends and visitors - more details below!

      6. Friends and Family:

      Claudia is coming to visit me again, in July and I am looking forward to a good few weeks break from the office and spending time with her. There is a slight chance that I shall go to Germany in November to visit her and meet her family - there is also a tourism travel fair in Leipzig, Germany at the same time! Over the past few weeks, I have spent a fair amount of time with Steve and his son Lloyd - Lloyd has been getting various information from the Internet for school projects and last week they and their boarder came around for dinner - made a lovely dinner with grilled lamb chops. Tom, Johness and Dominique popped around for dinner last night and we have a delicious beef fillet as the main course - and was surprised by them telling me they had sold their house and were moving onto a yacht - the financial overheads are a lot less, and they used to live on a yacht before moving to Swaziland 8 or 10 years ago. Neil popped around for a few hours a month ago - he is a past pupil of mine and now works in Johannesburg for a computer company. Shannon completes his work with the one company in the UK soon, and then is looking for some work elsewhere, before returning home in a few months time. Karsten, I believe, is still working hard in Germany and looking forward to coming home. Jason, also a past pupil, is doing well with his electronic company he works for and often travels to various parts of the country to install or repair equipment at gyms.

      My brother, Sean recently used our services to book a night at a hotel near Kruger, for a mini conference with various farming personalities - and I know that his family, like lots of others, have flu at the moment. My older sister, Gail, phoned me last week, very excited at sharing her new news - remember I said last time that they had bought a farm - well, something went wrong there and they never bought it - now they are buying a different one - a bit smaller, but the exciting news is that it is the turning point for the popular Brandwag Hiking Trail - where hikers camp on their farm. They want to provide some toilets and showers and even some basic huts for the hikers to use - and thus make a small income in addition to their nursing salaries, which are always low. My dear mum is also fighting the flu at the moment, as was off work for a while. I am trying hard to avoid any flu, so avoid anyone with flu!

      Well, that's all my news folks!

      Cheers

      Dean

       
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