Dear Friends,
Summer is here and so is the famous Durban heat and humidity. Where is my air-conditioning in my office? In many ways I am pleased that this is the quiet time of the year for tourism in South Africa, because to spend 4 or 6 hours behind the wheel and then go game-vieiwing for a few more hours or a few days, in this heat, is not the most comfortable of activities to do.
I have been very busy over the past 3 months dealing with enquiries from all over the world. Being an ETN agent means that I get 2 to 10 enquiries a day, not only for airfares but also for car hire, accommodation, bus and train details and of course holiday and safari suggestions. What really bugs me is the number of people with bad manners. I reply to 98% of all e-mails within 48 hours, if not 24 hours. Some I give a lot of details - especially if they have filled in the forms correctly, and others I just welcome and request that they reply to me so that I can assist them further. Well, at a guess, I would say that only 20% have the courtesy to aknowledge my reply. Worse still are those web-users who make me go to great lengths in fnding out details, working out itineraries, making long- distance phone calls or faxes and when I forward them all the info, they don't even say "thanks" - are these just spoilt kids stuffing around or is the human race this bad mannered?
I am very proud of our country - it is a beautiful land with wonderful people and stunning scenery, so I am thrilled to be in the Tourism business and love showing off my country to foreigners. I am not in this job for the money - I LOVE my job, and that is what is important - I have not got to the stage of making money yet ! I have put my life savings in African Bundu Safaris and over the past few years I have met such wonderful tourists and made many new friends, who I hope to see again on other trips so that I can show them other parts of our country. I have also made many e-mail friends from people who have made an enquiry and then we have continued corresponding as I share with them more details of what is on offer, etc.
I have recently started a Guest Book - I have had one in my vehicle since May last year, but I tend to forget to ask people to sign it - my apologies friends - but those that have signed it, your comments are now summarised in our GuestBook on our website -thanks. I have also had a number of other people sign it commenting on my website - again, I must thank Tradepage for their work on this aspect - they have linked me to various search engines and links to be found on the Net. So now I have even more enquiries - thanks Tradepage!
Since my last diary entry I have not been on many trips or safaris and I thought there was something wrong with me, well, when I heard about the many other Tour Operators sitting at home waiting for tourist to arrive, I felt blessed to have been able to assist so many people with their own self-drive itineraries and free advice that I have given during the hours that I have spent in my office. The bookings are coming in now for 1998 - in February and March I have a few trips booked for the game reserves and Shakaland, and then in April I have another lovely trip to Phinda and Londolozi game reserves, plus a few other very nice resorts. August sees me off to Namibia again - great - I love Namibia and am really excited about sharing its beauty with my future friends. There is a lovely honeymoon couple who are going to be starting their new life together here in August by travelling up the coast from Cape Town, ending off with a Wilderness hiking trail in Umfolosi. I have another 2 week safari planned for May, which includes a 4 day Wilderness trail - but, I have not heard from my clients for quite some time now - hopefully, they will read this and re-contact me as I have made the bookings.
I have also officially started Networking with 5 other Durban Tour Operators and so providing the tourist with a choice of vehicles and more importantly, if I am away, there will be someone else to take you on the safari.
I have a lot of Backpackers visiting my site and requesting safaris - well guys, you are normally on a tight shoe-string budget, so for me to take you on safari, you MUST have 5 or 6 of you to make it 'cheap' - taking only one person is expensive. I do have an enquiry form which makes my life a lot easier when people are requesting information - please complete it fully and add in extra comments to help me more.
Please remember how big South Africa is - 5 times the size of Britian - so it takes a while to travel around! There is also more to our Country than Kruger Park and Cape Town - we have a saying here that "South Africa is a world in one country", well our province of KwaZulu-Natal is described as " A country in a province" - as a recent 200-strong delegation of Dutch and Belgium Travel agents on a recent fact-finding mission said - "Where in the world can you find a beautiful ocean and beaches, Game reserve, historical battlefields and majestic mountains, all within 3 hours drive of each other?" - well the answer is easy - right here in KwaZulu Natal, using Durban as a base I can take you on a wonderful 5 to 10 day safari highlighting all of those. But then there are MANY other beautiful places to explore as well - having travelled around the Provinces of Mpumalanga, Northern Province, Western and Eastern Cape and the Free State - there is so much to see. Our neighbouring mountain Kingdom of Lesotho is another favourite of mine and I have a nice enquiry for April to visit there - I hope they decide to go ahead with their plans and thoughts.
Whilst I am away on these safaris, people must please be patient with their enquiries as It will take a while for me to personally answer all the questions. Christine has been very kind over the last few months as she has held the fort for me when I have been away on safaris. I treasure her assistance. What I really need is a lap-top p.c. so that I can give my individual attention to enquiries whilst away on a safari - an donations accepted!!
Over the past few weeks I have been to my brothers house, again, to assist him further with his kennels and fencing for his Rottweiler dogs. Bella, the one bitch, is now pregnant and within the next week we should be having a few pups on the scene. The dogs have now got used to their new home and seem to enjoy the new freedom and extra space and especially Otto and Lumpy who love the river flowing down the side of his property. My brother Sean, with his fiance and children, came and spent Christmas Eve with my mum and myself - I made a lovely Roast leg of Lamb and we had a delicios dinner. The next day my younger sister, Lynn, with her hubby and kids came and spent a few hours on Christmas Day with me mum and myself. The following day Lynn and family went away for a 3 week holiday and I moved into her house to look after it - housesit. She has a nice house and beautiful swimming pool and garden. During that period I also went Christines house for a few nights over the New Year period, to look after theirs for their short holiday at Umfolosi. They came back and reported very few animals sighted with no cats or elephants disappointedly. A week after their return I took two yachting folk for an overnight stay to Bonamanzi. Eva and her 8-year old son have been sailing around the world for 13 years and rally enjoyed their stay in the Treehouse at Bonamanzi and thereafter the drive through Hluhluwe- Umfolosi Game reserve. We saw the cheetah at a nearby Game ranch, plus we had sightings of buffalo, zebra, giraffe, Nyala, kudu, impala, warthog, rhino AND elephant. A great 2 days was enjoyed by all - read Eva's comments in the guest-book.
I have also had a few friends and past-pupils/scouts visiting or phoning me over the past month and these include Craig, Rowan, Jonathan, Greg, Malcolm, Neil and Karsten. Craig came and helped me put up the sides to my carport with Rowan and Jonathan and then my good friend Jason came and installed the electric lights and plug into the carport - so that in the winter months I can see what I am doing when departing early or returning late from a safari. I hope to attend Karstens 21st in May - I really feel 'chuffed' when a past pupil ask me to his 21st. Neil is off with his family to Dubai to settle their and Greg is going to work in Johanessburg. Malcolm is improving his photography and I look forward to seeing his latest photos of his travels. Francois has been busy with French tourists, including the three French navy ships that were in Durban last week. She took them up to Hluhluwe-Umfolosi Game Reserve and also Shakaland on day trips.
Just last week we had a reunion of the Namibia Safari '98 participants. Heather organised it, with Una and Naughton driving down from Empangeni and then Fay and Fritz were up here on holiday from Cape Town. We first all looked at each others photos at Heather and Graemes house and then went to a local Italian restaurant for dinner. Boy were ther some stunning photographs - unfortunately I supported a new local photgraphic shop and they ruined my negatives, thus giving all my prints a greeny-yellow tinge, but Heathers, Fays and Una's photos were absolutely great, especially the desert scenes. Thanks to them for the stainless steel thermo flask which will now be on all safaris, for hot coffee. Jason, my friend, gave me a 3 cup electric flask for Christmas, so now we can make coffee or tea, whilst we are driving!! I have also been given another lovely bird book - to add to my library in the 4x4 - thanks Pat.
I suppose that you have all heard that Nelson Mandela is no longer the president of the ANC, which means when his term of office of President of our Country is over, he will hand over the reins to Thabo Mbeki - the new president of the ANC - we think. Winnie has been through her court case (actually the TRC) and nothing seems to have happened, not that we expected anything to. The education crisis is still a crisis in that the temp. teachers still do not know what is going on, let alone the Education department - boy am I glad I left teaching!! The Lesotho Highlands Water Project has now been completed with phase 1a and water from the Katse Dam is flowing 80 kms under the Maluti Mountains and into South Africa.
STOP PRESS: As I was typing this my brother phoned and said that Bella had just given birth to 10 lovely Rottweiler pups !! Quite exciting news - his first thoroughbred puppies that he has bred!!!!
It is my older sisters birthday on Sunday, so we are all meeting at my brothers house for a braai (barbeque) and so shall see the pups myself!
Well, the puppies have distracted me now, so shall close off.
All the best, and remember to save for your next holiday with AFRICAN BUNDU SAFARIS !!!
Best wishes
Dean Foster
Manager - African Bundu Safaris cc.
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