Planting Season

 

Here is a message from our celebrity ambassador... South African Idol, Jason Hartman!


This is Jason Hartman the singer, songwriter and lover of trees.

The Countdown has begun! I am so chuffed to have the opportunity to be the one to introduce you to the coolest collaborative project in South Africa today.

This is the "Earth Hour" of South African sustainability and we are encouraging people all over SA to grow an organic vegetable. What does this mean to you, Neil? It's really quite simple, and yet it has the potential to bring massive benefits to all in our country! Here's what it means to me...

• If we can get 1 million people to grow at least one vegetable, our country will almost immediately have more food, and there are people and animals to whom this would make a massive difference. More plants also means more uptake of carbon dioxide.
• Growing your own food is an act that brings us closer to the simplicity of nature, and this is something we could all do with in the world we live in today. In fact, my music is inspired by this connection with nature.
• It's really quite shocking to think how dependent we've all become on centralised suppliers of food, water and electricity.  Actually, this doesn't need to be. We are like puppets, dependent on them for our very survival and this is because we have lost touch with the "real world", the world of the Earth.
  
• Even for someone who is not a "greenie" it makes financial and health sense in these troubled times. And these efficiencies are available to us today - they can be found in the procurement of water, energy AND food. 
• Don't for one second think that planting a vegetable is complicated - it's not, we can ALL do it, and make a difference. Even if birds and insects eat your plants it's Happy Days, because they are struggling too thanks to our collective greed and decimation of their environment.
• I believe that growing your own food is the best place to start the next peaceful revolution. It's our way of showing our leaders that we are serious about moving rapidly along the road towards a healthier, greener South Africa - one that we're proud, not embarrassed, to leave behind for our children. And children today are aware of the situation.
  

You know hey the first song I ever wrote was Valleys of Gold, and I'd like to share this with you because music is my best form of expressing just how much the earth means to me and what we can do to help heal it. When you sign up at www.jasonsgarden.com you'll receive an MP3 track of this song. It's an amature recording done long before I ever featured on any TV screens, but says it all in a way that I'm happy to share with South Africa. Soon it'll be available on my latest album. This one is written for the World, and I share it freely. Also, Jason's Garden supports the Countdown to Planting Season and provides a wealth of information for the inexperienced and experienced gardener. Start with our Garden School! (www.jasonsgarden.wetpaint.com).

One final thing before you get back to your life... please tell us why YOU think we should all be growing organic vegetables at home. We are going to publish these comments in a book before the soccer World Cup. Let's show our International guests how to really grow a country! You can do this once you register on the www.jasonsgarden.com website.

I look forward to having you on board. Let's come together, make small changes, grow a plant, share the Love.

JASON

PS. One more thing!! Please refer people to plant alongside us. The site will rely heavily on referrals until such time as we have enough people for the media to take notice. You can refer them here.

_________________________________
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flights to livingstone

 

 

1Time will be launching five flights per week between Johannesburg and Livingstone using a 130-seater MD87 aircraft.
 
The launch date has yet to be determined.

 

Service Providers
1Time

 

Locations
Livingstone

Chilled Kruger Bedded 3 day Safari

Dear Tina,

Thanks for your email.

We had a great time on the Chilled Kruger Bedded 3-day Safari and we are
pleased to share our experiences.

The safari was all that we had hoped for and much more. We thought that
the drive out to Kruger was spectacular and it was terrific to be able
to see so much of the country between Joberg and the Park. Our Guide,
Dejon, was punctual and welcoming. (At all times during the tour our
guides/drivers were punctual and reliable). The views and landforms at
the Three Rondawels, Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and the Bourke's
Luck Potholes were so fantastic.

During our time in Kruger, we were lucky enough to see all of the "Big
5" in one day, as well as lots of other wildlife on all the drives.

On the morning/day drives we saw many large and small animals and birds.
Dejon, who was also a bird enthusiast, was very knowledgeable about all
the animals and birds which we saw, as well as being skilful about
locating them for us! His commentary was succinct, but he was very
willing to expand and give more info if we were interested and asked
questions. We enjoyed his sense of humour.

On the night drive with the Kruger guide, we had a fantastic time-
spotting many animals, including a young male elephant on the road,
which trumpeted at us and did a mock charge at fairly close range, a
family of warthogs settling for the night, and also a leopard. We were
thrilled when Thomas, the Guide, stopped the truck and authentically
imitated a leopard call, in an attempt to lure the animal back out of
the bush. The real leopard responded to his calls from the nearby bush
(but didn't show his face again to us, unfortunately!).

The people on our drive were very enthusiastic spotlight wielders and
managed to spot several special animals, including an African wild cat,
bush babies and a mongoose.

We were pleasantly surprised by the comfortable and unique accommodation
at Timbavati. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The meals were
plentiful and delicious and the atmosphere very tranquil and relaxed (in
spite of the nearby roar of lions during the night). It was pretty
amazing to be served hot cross buns for breakfast on Good Friday in the
middle of the African wilderness!

It is hard to select a highlight, but seeing the "Big 5" would have to
be up there! We also took advantage of the optional morning sunrise walk
in Kruger accompanied by two armed guides. As we were the only people
booked on the walk, we had a wonderful "private" tour with Gordon and
Thomas, who were so interesting and made it a great experience, pointing
out all the different tracks, animal resting spots and small things such
as plants and insects,etc. They also unexpectedly provided drinks and
snacks for us half way through the walk. We were lucky enough to get
quite close to a herd of curious giraffes. We were relieved that the
guides didn't have cause to use their rifles, however! The morning walk
was a special highlight for us.

We only had time to do the three-day safari because we flew home the
next day and I know that you initially recommended that we do the
four-day trip, which would have been great, but we feel that we were
able to get a real flavour of the area and the park and its wildlife,
even in the short time we did have. We were so lucky to see so much
wildlife, as apparently not everyone gets to see so many animals on the
various drives. We also enjoyed the pleasant company of the young
travellers from different countries, on our various drives and at our
meals. Michelle especially enjoyed being able to chat with travellers
of a similar age to herself, but even though we were the "oldies" (at
50) on the trip, we weren't made to feel old at all!!

We would recommend that travellers do the morning walk (despite the very
early start from Timbavati). You don't have to be super fit, and it does
give you a different perspective than the view from the safari truck.

Warm regards from
Sally, David and Michelle Carratt
Aberglasslyn - Australia

Namibia Explorer 10 days

Namibia Explorer 10 days

Clive and Tina,I went on a 10 day overland tour with you all late last year through Namibia.  You all did such a great job matching my budget (low-mid range) with my interests (cultural and national attractions) that I figured I'd see if you had any recommendations for the Serengeti or seeing the apes in Rwanda.  I'm in Dar right now and seriously considering both....more so the gorillas.  If this is your jurisdiction or you know of a reliable place to start looking your input would be greatly appreciated.  I hope life and the Stellenbosch weather is treating you kindly.  Sincerely, Eddie Heier. Metairie, Louisiana , USA

 

http://www.packagetours.co.za/index.php/Namibia/Camping/Namibia-Explorer-10-Days.html 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

That South Africa will be hosting four (4) major sport tournaments in South Africa within a period of two months?

1.        The World Superbike GP series for motorbikes will take place at Kyalami (Jo'burg) from 15 – 17 May 2009

2.        The IPL (Cricket) has already started in April and will last until mid May 2009

3.        The Confederations Cup for soccer will be hosted from 14 – 28 June 2009

4.        The British Lions will tour in South Africa to play a number of provincial rugby matches as well as 3 tests from May to July 2009.

 

Have you bought your tickets for any of these vents? Don't miss it!

 

Linton Kwesi Johnson/LKJ & his fab dub band on tour in SA

 

 

Linton Kwesi Johnson Biog Linton Kwesi Johnson was born in 1952 in Jamaica. He came toLondon in 1963, went to Tulse Hill secondary school and studied Sociology at Goldsmiths' College. He was a member of the Black Panthers. In 1977 he was awarded a C Day Lewis Fellowship, becoming the writer-in-residence for Lambeth. He then worked at the Keskidee Centre, the first home of Black theatre and art. His first collection of poetry, Voices of the Living and the Dead, came out in 1974. He has had four more books published and in 2002 became only the second living poet and the first black poet to have his work included in Penguin’s Modern Classics series, under the title Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems. Johnson’s first album, Dread Beat An Blood was released in 1978, and he has released 14 more albums, including LKJ Live in Paris in 2004, a CD and DVD celebrating his 25th anniversary as a reggae recording artist. He has been running his own record label, LKJ Records, since 1981. He has worked in journalism and still tours around the world with the Dennis Bovell Dub Band. He is also a Trustee of the George Padmore Institute. In 2003 Johnson received an honorary fellowship from his alma mater, Goldsmiths. DATES AND VENUES All public holiday weekends Friday 24 April        â€"    JHB @ Newtown Park                                         6pm Saturday 25 April   â€"    Grahamstown @ Great Field                               6pm Friday 1 May          â€"    Cape Town @ Maynardsville                                5pm Saturday 2 May     â€"     Durban @ The Bluff Fairground                          6pm   please confirm details of venues on www.whatsonsa.co.za from 15 April   TICKETS All tickets are R200*  OPTION 1 Computicket have tickets on sale from this Friday, Friday 13 March. They will be charging *R5.70 booking fee.   OPTION 2 There will be a number of street outlets throughout SA, that sell physical tickets. Please check regularly on www.whatsonsa.co.za for the street addresses of these premises, as they will be constantly updated throughout March.   SUPPORT BANDS NATIONWIDE   JOHANNESBURG Tidalwaves Nizah KgaFela/poet DJ â€" Jah Crucial MC â€" Bongolution of Radio 2000   GRAHAMSTOWN Vibrafarians Siya â€" Lover   CAPE TOWN Teba Croc â€" e â€" Moses/poet Carol Mashigo of Black Porcelain DJ â€" isibane MC â€" Carol Mashigo of Radio 2000   DURBAN The Meditators David Vaso Band Tuff Masters  DJ â€" Paperboy MC â€" Jason of ‘Maneuver to Land’ JOIN US IN HAVING A BLAST AND CHANGING THE FACE OF THE BANDS THAT COME TO South Africa ON A REGULAR BASIS

Orange River Rafting Specials

 

MORE LONG WEEKEND TRIPS!!!

 

Orange River Rafting

 

25 April – 1 May:  6 Day / 7 Night @ R2 950 pp

27 April – 1 May:  4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 550 pp

Freedom Day Long weekend

 

 

1 – 5 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 000pp

Workers' Day Long Weekend

Fin24.com: Your friend thought you might be interested...

Sent By: neil has sent you a link to an article on Fin24.com Message: mm believe it when i see it!! lol

News  |  Markets  |  Personal Finance  |  Finweek  |  Podcasts  |  Opinion  |  Trading  |  My Fin24  |  Fin24 Mobile

economy 'SA ready to deliver bandwidth' Apr 10 2009 10:05   Johannesburg - While a new undersea fibre-optic cable will help to push up South Africa's bandwidth capacity 120 times to around 10 terabits per second by 2011, consumers will only benefit if government and local operators can deliver the bandwidth to them efficiently. On Wednesday, a number of firms signed an agreement for the implementation of the West Africa Cable System (Wacs). This is the sixth confirmed undersea fibre-optic cable set to serve west, east and southern Africa. But while it will make bandwidth available, it is the responsibility of operators and governments to deliver the increased capacity to consumers. Local industry players, however, are confident that the South African government and local operators will shape up. "I can understand the concerns people may have, but I don't think there will be any problems," said the founder of the internet and computer news website My Broadband, Rudolf Muller. According to Frost & Sullivan ICT analyst Lindsey McDonald, getting the broadband to consumers will depend on the infrastructure available. "You only really see the full potential and full connectivity of these cables if the national backbone infrastructure is in place," said McDonald. "In South Africa we're definitely luckier than other African countries." Many local firms are also adding to the infrastructure to support the new broadband capacity. "Previously, Telkom was solely responsible for the distribution of bandwidth from the Sat3 cable. This exclusivity was then exploited. Nice price for consumers "But as more and more operators get involved in providing broadband to the public, that exclusivity and exploitation will be eradicated," Muller said. MTN, Neotel and Vodacom are already working on putting infrastructure in place to support the new broadband capacity. Work on the MTN/Neotel/Vodacom national long-haul fibre network is expected to start in April, with the first leg connecting Johannesburg and Durban. "A lot of guys are getting involved and pumping money into building and developing infrastructure," said Muller. The lifespan of the Sat3 cable will be coming to an end in 2015/2016 and the Wacs is set to take its place. Wacs, a $600m submarine fibre-optic cable, will link countries in southern Africa, western Africa and Europe, with at least 3.84 terabits per second of international bandwidth. The telecommunications companies that have signed the Wacs agreement include Angola Telecom, Broadband Infraco, Cable & Wireless, MTN, Portugal Telecom, Sotelco, Tata Communications, Telecom Namibia, Telkom SA, Togo Telecom and Vodacom. "Wacs will provide Africa with faster and better connectivity to Europe and the world at far cheaper rates - savings which will be passed on to consumers," said Telkom in a statement. "There will obviously be a base price for bandwidth, but the increased competition will definitely affect prices. It happened worldwide and will happen here," said Muller. - Fin24.com Comment on the story

Top Stories   Gap in car prices widening The gap between the prices of new and second-hand cars is widening in SA.   Huge interest in Absa shares Last month saw huge interest in Absa shares and almost one-fifth of the banking giant's shares changed hands.   Cable thieves' days numbered South African dealers in second-hand goods will find that the landscape has changed forever.   Miners give JSE firm underpin Reopening after a four-day Easter weekend, South African stocks are more than 200 points firmer supported by strong mining counters.

FIN24 partners: Sake24 | Rapport | MiningMX    Data supplied by:

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

 

 

 

The 80/20 rule as interpreted by Mario

 

80% of our people do not really make things happen. All they want is a well paid SECURE job.

 

20% should but alas 80% of this 20% also do not make things happen.

 

So only 4% of our people really make things happen. Revised to 2%.

 

They are the ENTREPRENEURS that CREATE WEALTH and in the process  create the jobs for the 98%

 

 

 

 

Where do we find these Entrepreneurs?

 

Entrepreneurs are in large, medium and small enterprises in both the public and private sectors

 

It is not too difficult for leaders to survive and prosper in a large enterprise without being very entrepreneurial

 

Not so in a small or medium enterprise (SME)

Owners /managers in SME’s that have been operating successfully for FIVE or more years are all entrepreneurs

 

 

 

 

Entrepreneurship

 

Entrepreneurship is the process of creating value by bringing together a unique package of resources to exploit an opportunity.

 

 

 

 

Myth 1:        Entrepreneurship is about starting and running a small business

Not necessarily. Entrepreneurship represents a growth-oriented outlook on business. It implies an innovative, proactive approach to running a company. Most small businesses are not at all entrepreneurial. Rather they are stagnant, reactive, complacent, status quo operations. And while they do serve an important purpose in the economy, they do not provide much dynamism.

 

Myth 2:        Entrepreneurship is a discrete event

Entrepreneurship does not just “happen”. There is a process involved. The process starts with identifying an opportunity, then developing a business concept, assessing and acquiring resources, and finally, managing and harvesting a venture. As a process, entrepreneurship can be managed on an ongoing basis and can be applied in organisations of all sizes and type.

 

Myth 3:        Entrepreneurship is about taking wild risks

Entrepreneurs are not wild-eyed gamblers. Instead they are calculated risk- takers. They evaluate a situation and systematically  identify the key financial, technical, market and related risk factors. They then go about identifying ways to manage and minimise the likelihood of each of the underlying risk factors occurring.

 

Myth 4:        Entrepreneurs are born

They are not born. Rather, we all have some degree of entrepreneurial potential within us. The ability to develop and realise that potential is very much a function of one’s environment. Ones entrepreneurial instincts are enhanced if one cannot find a job.

 

Myth 5:        Entrepreneurship is about greed

The real motivator behind entrepreneurial behaviour is not money, and it certainly is not power or position. Entrepreneurial individuals tend to be driven by a desire to achieve; to do what others said could not be done, to overcome all the obstacles and naysayers.

 

Myth 6:        Entrepreneurship is about individuals

It is true that entrepreneurial events usually have a driving force behind them in a form of a visionary individual who persists in making change happen. There must be a champion who keeps a new concept alive. But entrepreneurship does not happen without teams. Too much must be done to bring a concept to reality. The obstacles are formidable and the technical, legal financial, marketing and related requirements are complex.

 

Myth 7:        Entrepreneurship requires lots of money

Entrepreneurial individuals are opportunity-driven, not resource-driven. They do not limit the scope of their vision by how much

money, time, staff or related resources they own. Rather, they go after their dream by leveraging resources… by borrowing, begging, partnering, sharing, leasing and recycling resources. And it’s not just money. Studies of entrepreneurial failure suggest that the problem far more often is related to other causes, such as poorly prepared managers, inadequate distribution channels, or ill-conceived-marketing efforts.

 

Myth 8:        Entrepreneurship is about luck.

No, entrepreneurs tend to create their own “luck”. It’s much more about hard work, creative insight, in depth analysis, adaptability, and an openness to opportunity when it comes along. The entrepreneurial individual recognizes a trend, a possibility, an incongruity, an unmet need. He or she comes up with a unique concept for capitalising on the trend or need, and does so while the window of opportunity is open.

 

Myth 9:    Entrepreneurship starts with a new product or service

This is one of the great mistakes many would-be entrepreneurs make. They come up with a novel product concept without even determining whether a need exists, how extensive that need actually is, how satisfied customers are with current products, what their switching cost would be, and whether they will be able to see meaningful advantages in the new product. Entrepreneurship does not start with the product or service one would like to sell. It starts with an opportunity, and opportunities are found in the external environment.

 

Myth 10:        Entrepreneurship is unstructured and chaotic

There is a tendency to think of entrepreneurs as gunslingers…that they shoot from the hip and jump in feet first. The reality is not only that they tend to be well-organised individuals, they tend to have a system, perhaps elaborate, perhaps not, but personally designed to keep things straight and maintain priorities. When doing something entrepreneurial one is dealing with the unknown. Entrepreneurial individuals have to be comfortable with ambiguity, as things are rarely nice and clear-cut.

 

Myth 11:        Most entrepreneurial ventures fail

Many do, but many do not. Failure rates differ widely by industry, and drop off significantly after the first few years of operation. And failure rates rise as the amount of entrepreneurial activity rises.

 

Myth 12:  All unemployed persons are potential entrepreneurs.

Very few are. Most would prefer to be employed.

Little merit in focusing on micro start-up enterprises.

Rather focus on the proven entrepreneurs. Set them free and they will create jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRAITS OF ENTREPRENEURS – How entrepreneurial are you?

Assess each trait on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is very entrepreneurial).

 

Enthusiasm                                        Opportunity seeker              

 

Versatility                                   Persuasiveness

 

Calculated risk taker                   Self motivated

 

Good positive attitude                     Comfortable with uncertainty

 

Perceptiveness                          Assertiveness

 

Creativity                                   Expertise/experience  

 

Achievement orientated          Hard working

 

Energetic                                   Initiative   

 

Resourcefulness                         Independence 

 

Persistence                                 Well organised                         

 

Self-confidence                        

 

 

March 2009 - Package Tours Official Newsletter

 

 

Greetings Travellers! April is just around the corner and you should be thinking about what you are going to do in your short break from the 4th to the 13th April, well here are two top class affordable adventure suggestions : - 4 day Orange River Canoe Safari…….. from R2350 pp - 7 day Cape To Addo safari…… R4450 pp plus free bungee jump or… And for a TOTALLY MAD experience – Abseil off Table Mountain Join us on Saturday 28 March when we step off the top, at 1000 metres above sea level, and rappel into pure vertical space. This is the world's original highest commercial abseil. You are surrounded by awesome views and the deep blue Atlantic at your feet. Normal price: R495 per person Special student price : R445 per person *** R50 saving *** And for plenty more SPECIALS on Wildlife & Adventure Safaris , check out Latest Specials and Deals Cape to Addo 7 day safari From Cape Town to the southern most tip of Africa to the BIG 5! Explore the Whale Route to Cape Agulhas, the Little Karoo, Garden Route and Eastern Cape, home of the Addo Elephant National Park . Departing Cape Town and Stellenbosch every Sunday, our 7 Day Cape to Addo Elephant Park tour has been designed to give you, the adventurous traveller, a unique, safe and affordable African experience you'll cherish for a lifetime.... Touring both the malaria free Western and Eastern Cape coastal regions, on our tours nothing is left out as we explore the Whale Route, Route 62, the Karoo and Garden Route all the way from Cape Town to Mandela Bay and Port Elizabeth. Each Cape to Addo Safari is professionally driven and guided by an experienced African tour leader and the itinerary is packed full of unique experiences and exciting discoveries, game driving, ski-boat cruises, beer tasting, caving, zip lining, bungi jumping, hot springs, horse riding, elephant feeding and riding, river canoeing, sea-kayaking, the list goes on... and on. Day 1 – Whale Route, Hermanus, Birkenhead & Cape Agulhas Day 2 – Route 62, Little Karoo, Hot Springs & Oudtshoorn Day 3 – Cango Caves, Knysna, Bloukrans Bungi & Tsitsikamma Day 4 – Tsitsikamma Zipline, Jeffreys Bay & Sundays River Day 5 – Addo Elephant Park Game Driving & Port Elizabeth Day 6 – Crags Elephant Sanctuary & Wilderness Beach Day 7 – Return to Cape Town via Swellendam & Sir Lowry's Pass For detailed itinerary see : Cape to Addo Return 7 Days Normal Price R4 850 per person Student price until 19 April 2009 - R4450 per person *** R400 saving *** plus choose any 1 free activity from:- bungy jumping, tree-top zipline, sunset cruise, cheetah or elephant interaction The above price includes: Comfortable air-conditioned transport Spacious dorm accommodation in top backpacker lodges . Bedding, duvets, pillows etc. All breakfasts and dinners. A free beer tasting at Birkenhead Breweries. A free drink at Ronnies. Entrance to Warmwaterberg Mineral Hot Springs. A guided tour of Cango Caves. All park fees & a 3hr game drive in Addo Elephant Park. And for plenty more savings on Wildlife & Adventure Safaris , check out Latest Specials and Deals Orange River Canoe Safari 4 days This is an adventure that you will remember for the rest of your life , paddling down a section of this 2092 km river under the hot African sun with fresh cooling water all around and Fish Eagle calls that break the silence , at night you sit by the fire savouring a cold beer & sharing your day's experiences before lying down under a canopy of stars that are brighter than anywhere else in the world , the food is delicious and your morning "moer koffie" , that has been boiling on the fire for at least an hour, with a rusk tastes better than any Italian espresso and biscotti, ever enjoyed. Our aim is to explore and discover the desert reserve with all its hidden treasures and trails. Our days are spent with early morning paddling, swimming, floating, bird watching and negotiating some rapids and fast flowing water. Our guides will take you through the steps of paddling through rapids, hiking some mountains and in general discover the eco system of the desert. This is not a race, but we do need to cover some distance on a daily basis to reach our destination. The trails vary from 40 km – 160 km. Umkulu safari & canoe trails offers 12 years of experience, passion and knowledge gained from the environment. Explore the Ultimate Desert River Trail. This is truly one of the purest adventure trails in Southern Africa. The Gariep River or "great river" as it is called by the local Nama people offers a unique outdoor experience to those you seek tranquility and adventure. The Orange River cuts through the Richtersveldt desert reserve and is now part of the Transfrontier transformation parks in Africa. We offer 4 – 6 day river trails, exploring the many hidden treasures of this remote and almost forgotten desert reserve of Southern Africa. The river is surrounded by semi precious stone, rock formations, and volcanic rock to the abundance of small animals, primates and extraordinary bird life. Departing our base camp head to our adventure with just the bare necessities prepared for the days of wild camping to follow. Our camps will be along the river edge and we will follow the ethics of eco tourism along the river. River & Area Information: The Orange River originates in the Drakensberg mountains and meanders through a great part of South Africa to seek and meet the Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund. In total the great Gariep is 2092km in length from source to mouth 39th longest river in the world. An annual rainfall of 5-150 mm and temperatures of between 0-56 degrees along with the vegetation and the rates of evaporation qualifies the Richtersveldt as the superior desert region of South Africa. The river offers a source of life and existence to all life along its banks and bays. Umkulu Safari & canoe trails offer a base camp on the banks of the Orange River from where we conduct all our river trails through the Richtersveldt Reserve. Our base camp acts as the meeting and departure point for all our river trails and offer a level of professionalism and comfort to all our fellow adventure travelers. Base Camp & Facilities: Our River Trails Start & end at the Base camp Aquacade. Aquacade is 10km down the road on the right hand side - look out for the Aquacade signboard. Facilities at Aquacade include showers, chalets, campsites, bar facilities, friendly staff, safe parking, swimming pool, safe keeping of valuables and incredible views of the Orange River. Our guides will meet and greet our clients and inform them of the preparations of the trails that follow. Preparations for Trails: All trails are lead by qualified river guides and we do offer a back up system from our Base Camp. You will receive a full briefing on the safety procedures and basic ethics of exploring the trail. Our guides will prepare all meals and assist with your equipment preparations before embarking on your adventure trail. No previous experience is needed and a moderate level of fitness is required. Equipment: We make use of the best equipment available in South Africa and all has been SABS approved for rafting and canoe trails. Our two man inflatable rafts are suitable for all terrains and can comfortably handle any river graded 1-3. Every boat has 2 paddles, 2 buoyancy aids; dry bags and a cooler box for drinks. Eco Trails: No glass is allowed on the river and all waste will be transported along the trail and returned to base camp. Please decanter supplies to plastic containers or make use of cans Trail: Our aim is to explore and discover the desert reserve with all its hidden treasures and trails. Our days are spent with early morning paddling, swimming, floating, bird watching and negotiating some rapids and fast flowing water. Our guides will take you through the steps of paddling through rapids, hiking some mountains and in general discover the eco system of the desert. This is not a race, but we do need to cover some distance on a daily basis to reach our destination. The trails vary from 40 km – 160 km. Umkulu safari & canoe trails offers 12 years of experience, passion and knowledge gained from the environment. Explore the Ultimate Desert River Trail. MARCH Orange River Rafting 28 Feb - 04 March: 4 Day/5 Night @ R2 550 pp 07 – 11 March: 4 Day/ 5 Night @ R2 550 pp March Student Special 13 – 17 March 2009: 4 Day St Patrick's Day River Trails @ R2 350 pp 18 – 22 March 2009: 4 Day Long Weekend River Trails @ R2 350 pp 23 – 27 March: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 350 pp (SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE) APRIL Orange River Rafting University of Stellenbosch vacation 4 -13 April 2009 4 – 8 April: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 550 pp 7 – 13 April: 6 Day / 7 Night @ R2 950 pp 9 – 13 April: 4 Day/ 5 Night @ R2 550 pp (Easter weekend) 25 Apr – 1 May: 6 Day / 7 Night @ R2 950 pp 27 Apr – 1 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 550 pp (Long weekend) MAY Orange River Rafting 1 – 5 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 550 pp (Long weekend – Workers Day) 6 – 10 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 350 pp SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE 16 – 20 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 550 pp 23 – 27 May: 4 Day / 5 Night @ R2 350 pp SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE Breede River Rafting 1 March: Overnight camping @ R895 pp 14 March: Day trip @ R550 pp 28 March: Overnight camping @ R895 pp Orange River Rafting on Inflatable Rafts with kind regards Clive Murray Lowest Price & Best Advice info@packagetours.co.za Change your subscription Unsubscribe Powered by Joobi © 2009 Package Tours | Budget Safari and Tour Specialists in South Africa Website and Joomla! 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THE WORLD AFTER 2020

THE WORLD AFTER 2020 

Across the developed world, political leaders are devising solutions to the global economic crisis which include measures to ameliorate global warming and improve energy security, only to have them shot down by the environmentalists who claim the rest of the rescue package harms the environment even more than it helps. Down here in Southern Africa, the politicians are so wrapped up in preening and pontificating ahead of elections that they haven't had time to come up with comprehensive, concrete measures to cope with the economic crisis, cut carbon emissions, prepare for oil prices sky-rocketing as crude reserves run out and address the perennial challenge of finding work for the unskilled unemployed. To help them, here's my one-page blueprint for what we should do:

Tap the Congo and Zambezi Rivers: Unlike other continents which have utilised 40% or more of their hydroelectric potential, Africa uses less than 10%. Ten years ago, when we were helping Eskom develop their African business strategy, we were told time and again by Eskom engineers that the Inga Gorge on the Congo River could generate more electricity than Europe then consumed. Why is this project never mentioned in Eskom's plans instead of more and more coal fired power stations? (On the plus side, this week Eskom announced its next baseload power plant would use solar thermal energy, not coal, and a Scottish wind turbine manufacturer signed a £ 19 million deal with the South African government to supply thousands of turbines). 

Locate metallurgical and manufacturing facilities close to mines and hydro transmission lines: It makes little sense in an energy starved world to ship raw ores half-way round the globe and then ship the finished goods back again. Rather use local labour to make lighter finished products so the content is shipped once only.

Introduce a fast train connecting Bloemfontein to Cape Town, Durban and Sandton. In Europe or Japan trains zoom along at 300 km per hour and more, so why not here? If you add up the time taken to get to an airport, check in, wait around, fly, wait around some more for baggage and then drive again, the train would be faster, more comfortable and convenient and use no jet fuel.

Build cycle paths in the main cities. A quick visit to cities like Montreal, Boston or Vancouver, none of which can boast Africa's sunny weather year round, will show people cycling everywhere and lanes on even the busiest streets closed to motorised traffic. And cycling is healthy too. All the excuses about security, bike theft, kids having too many books and bags to take to school or arriving sweatily at work could be solved with a little bit of practical thinking by local communities.

Install solar hot water systems: As piping hot water gushes out of my shower each morning from the solar geyser on my roof, I wonder why so few houses here have the same facility when solar systems are so widespread in a country like Germany with its comparatively inclement climate? A quick calculation shows that for the price of building two coal fired power stations, more than 800,000 homes could have solar geysers so why has the existing Eskom subsidy scheme only attracted a paltry 800 households? And the running cost of a solar system is next to nothing compared with endlessly feeding furnaces and fixing transmission lines.

Cancel some planned projects including Eskom's coal fired power stations, Sasol's CTL plant, new coal mines, the oil pipeline from Durban to Johannesburg, Durban's La Lucia airport, Coega's oil refinery and aluminium smelter, the pebble bed nuclear reactor, new highways and a whole lot more. These are all projects planned by those with vested interests in the status quo on the assumption that tomorrow is going to be exactly the same as yesterday. It's not and it's high time we understood that!

Change the fiscal regime to punish the manufacturers and operators of gasoline guzzling vehicles and reward makers and users of electric cars and bicycles; to shift goods transport from road to rail; to reward schools whose pupils are not delivered to the school gate by their pandering parents in SUVs but use bikes, foot and public transport; and to encourage home and office owners to generate their own power - and more - and hot water from the sun and the wind. (Some of this is slowly starting to happen though in a somewhat haphazard manner).

Utilise carbon credits: Last week I received an E-mail from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, a UK government department, patting itself on the back for purchasing carbon credits from four low carbon projects in emerging markets to offset air travel emissions. With all the carbon trading going on, there should be billions of credits available to finance a huge chunk of the initiatives in this blueprint. Maybe you can even get a carbon credit or two to pay for your solar geyser!

I am sure that just about every one of the 100,000 and more of you who receive this newsletter, whether you live in Africa or not. will be nodding your head in agreement as you read these suggestions on how to improve the economy, cut carbon emissions, improve energy security, increase employment, lead healthier lives, improve foreign exchange reserves and generally give the continent a competitive advantage economically and in the moral debates ahead. Yet, despite the fact that most of us live in working democracies, little, if any, of this is likely to be implemented here or indeed anywhere else and so next to nothing of this extensive list of benefits will be achieved.

Maybe we've got to stop relying on ineffective political leaders who can't see further than being re-elected a few months hence and start ourselves, acting as responsible individual consumers, parents, employers and employees, setting an example with our actions while putting pressure on every single politician and transport or energy sector leader we know to start acting in all our interests. Remember, the future only comes once and we need to make sure it's the best one for all generations!

Some other useful links to further stimulate your thinking about where the world is going: MBendi Blog - Signposts to 2020 | Previous Newsletters | World Outlook