Great news for online travel shoppers. As most of us do nowdays when thinking of traveling to somewhere exciting, we turn to the web for some fantastic in depth info on the destination we have in mind. Well, if that destination is anywhere in Southern Africa, then here is some very good news. The Cape Town-based company SmartGuide has developed an online interactive travel guide for Southern Africa. This guide is built on a combo of Google Maps and Google Earth and has excellent detailed information available. With thousands of points of interest, places to stay, eat, activities and more. Each icon placed on the map contains media rich content (pictures, podcasts, videos, virtual tours, etc) which can be easily accessed. The delivery of content is layered and managed so as not to bombard the traveler with too much information at any one time.

This technology has caught the eye of many of the big tourism players within South Africa and SmartGuide is likely to announce some exciting partnerships in the near future which will launch their product more widely. This technology is set to change the face of online travel shopping and research, allowing the potential traveler to get a real sense of their destination before committing to their plans. With a lot of interest from tour operators, destination marketing organizations, accommodation brokers and service providers atthe recent Travel Indaba in Durban in May, this product is set to impact tourism in a big way.

For a demo of the online Interactive Travel Guide watch the video below.
Or follow this link to try it out for your self: www.africantourismportal.com

To find out more about SmartGuide and other products that they have, like audio visual guides to destinations in South Africa, that can be downloaded onto handheld devices such as iPods, phones etc. see their website: www.smartguide.co.za

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Every year I go to South Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban and witness tour operators from all over the world, walking around with their wheelie suitcases filling them up with endless brochures and promotional material, all printed with toxic ink on glossy paper. They will take these home by plane, file them and probably never look at them again. And this all just fuels the printing fire for next time. And it worries me. As hard as the organisers are trying to promote the green aspect of the show, and recycle as much as possible, there is still a pile of brochures on every stall, and a daily Indaba newspaper printed for all to read.

I keep thinking that there have to be ways that we can minimize our impact on this earth. But most of the time I feel helpless in the onslaught of our rampant consumerism, with so much printed matter out there, like the newspapers and glossy magazines, air conditioners, etc, how does one begin to stem the flow? I suppose its a bit like voting in the elections: “one vote can make a difference”  or “you gotta be in it to win it” and all those old cliches. So I try to recycle as much as possible and do those few things that can make a difference, but maybe I have to try harder.

And hats off to those in tourism who are going digital and putting their glossy brochures online only. Wilderness Safaris are trying, although they are still printing, but have at least started the process. I see that the magazine Africa Geographic have a fully online version of their publication now too. So this is good.

And here are some other inspiring ideas to get you involved and hopefully to make that difference. Even if its just the little things, like turning off the lights when you leave a room, or not letting the water run whilst you brush your teeth.

The winners of the Young Designers Category this year at the ETA Awards 2009 were Gingindlovu Primary School Eco Club. “eta” is the Greek symbol for efficiency, hence the name of the Awards. The purpose of the eta Awards is to reward exceptional effort in the more efficient use of energy by individuals, students, companies or other institutions. The brief for the Young designers Category: aimed at school-going children with a creative idea, programme, design or prototype that looks at the efficient use of energy and not the generation of energy.

Their main challenge was to look for solutions in areas with a lack of transport and energy which resulted in the development of an “eco-bicycle”. A battery was attached to the bicycle which would be charged through the natural energy of the learners riding the bicycle home. The learner could then use the battery to power a lamp to do his/her homework after riding the bicycle home from school.

They attached a dynamo to a mountain bike, leading to a 12 volt battery secured to the bicycle. They determined that one trip of 400 metres generated 1 volt of electricity. They needed to travel 4,8km to fully charge the battery. They then compared the energy used by an incandescent bulb versus a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). The CFL provided 40 minutes of light on a full battery, compared to 18 minutes from the incandescent bulb.

And what about this guy who won the residential category? Dr Keen managed to make his home more or less energy self-sufficient over a period of 26 years. The first step was to install a solar hot water system, which paid for itself within 6 years. Now that is trying!

For more on these awards and to see other winners, go to: www.eta-awards.co.za

Why the need for energy efficiency?
The more electricity we use, the more electricity needs to be generated. We flick on switches without thinking that behind the supply of power to our homes and businesses is a complex chain of supply that stretches back hundreds of kilometres to power stations across the country.

The higher peak demand for electricity grows, the more new power stations are required. This requires massive capital investment and, in turn, pushes up consumer energy costs. The environment will benefit from the efficient use of energy. For example, every kWh (Kilowatt hour) of electricity saved means a saving of 1,4 litres of water and one less kilogram of carbon dioxide generated by a power station.

So when you next go to gym, ask them why the bike you ride there whilst listening to your i-pod is not hooked up to a battery charger that powers their lights or the hot water supply. And remember to turn off all those unnecessary lights tonight…

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IPL action - Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore

“Wow! What a treat!” I think this is what most cricket fans in South Africa are saying right now. After only 2 weeks of the DLF IPL Twenty20 Tournament, local and international fans have seen the best cricketers in the world battling it out again and again. And they have certainly delivered a lot of incredible performances. We have already seen a “Super Over” shoot out, many huge sixes, spectacular catches, run-out’s and much fine bowling in some tightly contested matches. And that is just on the field! The organisers have put together an astoundingly polished all-round show for each match, including overhead cameras, bands, dancers, fireworks and dj’s to mention a few. And to add more spice to the mix, each team is part-owned by legendary Bollywood stars like Shahrukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty, who attend each match with their entourage and really get into the cricket vibe.

IPL Dancing girls

The big names of cricket have come to the party and have put on flamboyant show so far to match their bright stylish gear: big hitters such as Matthew Hayden, Yusuf Pathan and Chris Gayle have been on superb form as have some new stars on the scene too, like Kamran Khan and Yusuf Abdulla. As for the gear, well it is completely over the top Indian style: black and gold of the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Rajasthan Royals’ royal blue and the Kings XI Punjab in their bright red and silver. And the dancing girls have gear to match, just a little less of it. And the crowds have really been coming out to get in the spirit of this cricket fest. Stadiums have been sold out since the beginning and the vibe in the crowds has been really electric with local South Africans really getting behind their chosen teams. Plus we have seen quite a few international Indian travelers attending the games too. And they as we know are extremely passionate about their cricket.

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty

With a month of cricket still left, the IPL promises to continue serving up the finest sports entertainment available as the round-robin phase winds up and heads towards the playoffs. So for those of you out there, considering traveling to SA to watch some of this amazing sporting action and enjoy South Africa too, see our IPL travel specials:www.africabespoke.com/travel-specials/cricket.html

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Indian Premier League winners 2008 - the Rajasthan Royals

Attention all cricket fans! After quite a bit of last minute planning, the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament 2009 is now to be held in South Africa, and is set to kick off in South Africa any day now. This is great news for South Africans who will be able to see the world’s best cricketers in action live around the country over the next 6 weeks. So book your tickets now. It is also great news for cricket lovers and travelers from India and other countries. This is a perfect chance to see the like of cricket greats like Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar and Adam Gilchrist in action - plus visit South Africa, go on Safari, see Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Kruger Park to name just a few. This amazing showcase event will bring some much needed tourism to South Africa at a time when things are typically winding down. Read the rest of this entry »

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Taste of Cape Town entrance

What a concept. And what a festival. The Taste of Cape Town fine food and wine festival was fabulous. Again! I vividly remember last year’s snippets of gastonomic delight under Table Mountain. And this year was as good if not better. Fine food and wine in the fresh air of the city bowl is hard to beat. Especially when it is presented in stylish bite sized plates by 16 of greater Cape Town’s finest chefs and restaurants.

The setup, the setting and the revellers

Just read these to get your taste buds going: Tempura squid with wasabi mayonnaise (Terroir), Asian Beef Tartare (Luke Dale-Roberts, La Colombe), Lamb and Aubergine Strudel purse with ricotta ratatouille and braised garlic (Harald Bresselschmidt, Aubergine), Seared scallop, pea and asparagus relish (Margot Janse, Tasting Room) to name but a few. And I quite enjoyed the Mini Bunny Chows that were served out of the front of an Airstream Trailer by Bruce Roberston and team from the Showroom Cafe. There were too many options. What a pleasure: all the big names were there. Reuben Riffel, George Jardine, Richard Carstens, and the list goes on. But remarkably it was a mellow affair. None of the fuss and stuffiness that one often encounters at these very restaurants. Operating out of white tents with makeshift kitchens the size of a boarding house bunkbed, these artists produced meal after meal of wonderful food for those who had come out to enjoy the autumn days and nights on the fields and savour some great local wines. Lounge tents sponsored by various beverage brands abounded, for a bit of comfort and a place to put up one’s feet after a session of eating and drinking was always a pleasure. So if you have not managed to tick off some of these top 20 restaurants during the next 365 days, don’t miss “Taste” next year, they will all be under one roof, so to speak.

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