Saving Money when Travelling in Cape Town
Phone Calls: Never make call from your hotel room phone as the rates per minute tend to be very high. Buy a calling card and call direct rather than using the Telkom International Exchange as Telkom will ad on an additional cost.
Exchanging Foreign Currency: Always exchange your foreign money at a Rennies or a local bank. The hotel will exchange your money but at a much lower rate. It is better to exchange money on weekdays as the markets are open and you get a better exchange rate.
Tax Refunds: Remember if you buy any goods over R250 (Rand's) you are able to claim it back when leaving the country. You will find a Tax Refund Desk at all major Airports. It is very important that you Keep all you receipts in order and a safe place so it is easy to claim your tax back.
Credit Cards: When planning our holiday contact you bank or post office and find out if they offer a special travellers credit card with very low interest and no foreign loading charge
Off-peak Season: Off-peak season is from March to September and during this time, rates are lower for all accommodation, activities etc. It is winter but we still have some glorious days.
Car Hire: Always negotiate either by lowing the flat rate price or asking for more Free Km at the same price-also note you are not allowed to buy fuel at any petrol station with a credit card ONLY CASH.
Student Cards: If you have a valid student card do not be shy to ask if students get discounts, take a valid NUS card.
Buying Jewellery: Yes gold and Diamonds are cheaper in South Africa but to get the best deals find out where the locals buy their jewellery by going to a local mall and asking at the Information Desk.
Flea Markets: Always bargain but be realistic and fair in your offers.
General Services
It is important to always remember that even though Cape Town is a Metropolitan City things are not always the same as in Europe, Canada or America.
Here are some tips on general services in Cape Town
Telephone Services - When making an international call you need to dial 00 and then the country code if you are dialling direct. There is the option of calling the local international exchange by dialling 10903 however there is an extra-charge by the telecommunications company (Telkom) It is always more cost effective to use a calling card.
Post Offices - They are open from 8:30am to 4:30pm on weekday and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays, do not be surprised if they close during lunchtime.
Banks - All banks are open from 9am to 3:30pm weekdays and from 8:30am to 11am on Saturdays. Please note that not all banks have a foreign exchange desk. If you are wanting to exchange foreign money, Rennie's, Forrex and Foreign Exchange centres can be found in most major malls and tourist attractions e.g. V& A Waterfront, Canal Walk.
ATM's - There are ATM's in most malls, big petrol stations and busy streets. Please note that you need to be alert and never allow anyone to stand next to you or assist you when withdrawing money!!Also be aware that ATM`s are regularly blown up by explosives by criminals in the dead of night so its a good reason to choose a well lit main high street one
Tax Refunds - Remember if you buy any goods over R250 (rands) you are able to claim it back when leaving the country. You will find a Tax Refund Desk at all major Airports. It is very important that you Keep all you receipts in order and a safe place so it is easy to claim your tax back.
Always remember you are in Africa and thing do not always go according to plan. So relax and have FUN!!!!!
Women's Day
Today the 9th August 2008 is National Women's Day - yes a day set aside to honour women in this country not only for being the backbone to our society but also for their willingness to step out and make their voices heard during the years of Apartheid.
On this day in 1956 approximately twenty thousand women marched to the Union Building in the capital of South Africa, Pretoria. The march was arranged in protest to to a law that was passed requiring all Black South African's to carry identity Passes. The passes could be requested at anytime and any place by the South African Police Force and if the person was not in posession of a pass they would be jailed and fined for not abiding by the laws of the Country.
It is on this day that all over South Africa we celebrate women and our role in history. Great efforts are being done to advance and promote women's equality both within society and in the family situation because for too long women have been seen as a weaker and lesser sex in our communities.
Today all over the country rallies, parties and other special events were held to celebrate being a women. Often it is said "strike a women and you strike a rock!!"
The tourist and the Baboon
This is a true tale of a Tourist and a Baboon who met in the most unlikely way on a beautiful Cape Winters Day.
While driving along the coastal road just outside of Simon's Town a large troop of Chacma baboons were strolling along the road in front of us . So like any other tourists we stopped and took some time enjoying them from the safety of our vehicle with doors and windows closed for as we all knew these baboons love climbing through windows.
Anyway after sitting watching them for about 5 minutes one of the baboons (the dominant male) caught the eye of our young female tourist (lets call her Tara) in the back seat of our car and who had been busy photographing the rest of the troop. Tara then started focusing in on this masivley intimidating babboon as he paraded outside the car. Suddenly he moved closer to the vehicle walking straight past the (male)driver and directly to Tara and proceeded to look her straight in the eye . He then proceeded to open the door fully open in one move and stood curiously looking at her with one arm resting on the door and the other arm on the side of the car as if awaiting the womans hand to escort her to a dance!!
He gently gazed in her eyes before inspecting the vehicle only making sure we had no food available. Was it love? Only one way I am afraid! as the vehicle was free of any food stuff thankfully he never got in otherwise our Tara jumping around in hysterics in the back seat would probably have given him her last meal in one instant which had seconds earlier been pleasantly sitting in her colon!!!
I personally believe it was our Tara who he was really after as he walked directly to her and gazed lovingly into her eyes when he could so easily have come to anyone of our doors but all he got from her was a rebuff !
Once we left the troop Tara needed a good strong drink(or two) to calm her down but there somehow seemed to be a message that had been sent out to all baboons in the region. We were barely seated for lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve when another troop of Chacma babbons came storming in and snatched a bundle of food from a patrons plate !!
It is believed that during the winter months food is scarce in the mountains and that is why they descend and search for food in the suburbs.
It is well known that baboons are very clever and have adapted their lifestyles and eating habits but never have we heard of one making such an intimate and complex connection with a tourist.
Red Bull Big Wave Action
The Red Bull Big Wave Action 2008 surfing event has just happened at dungeons just off the coast of Hout Bay.
On the first day there was some big action with waves reaching between 15 and 20 foot in height. The waves have been named "Dungeons" because of their size and power which to a non surfer would send images of torture through their minds but to a surfer it is the ultimate African wave. Then again it should be said that these waves are not for your average surfer as they are very dangerous and have caused several injuries over the years.
Dungeons was discovered back in the 80's when 2 Capetonians paddled out there and braved the waves. Back then it was not as easily accessible and only a handful of courageous surfers went out there. Nowadays jetskis are used to help in recoveries from wipeouts ,general safety & logistics
This years event was over before we knew it as the weather and the waves were ideal. It usually has a 5 week window during which the the surfers wait for the ideal conditions. South African surfer is Twiggy Baker was declared as the winners of the Red Bull Big Wave Action 2008. Holding second places was Brazilian Carlos Burle leaving third place to American Greg long.
This year was the first ever time a surfer ,Greg Long , scored a perfect 10-points for a tube ride taking off deep on a massive wall and riding it high and critical in the pocket,
This was a perfect way to celebrate the 10th Red Bull Big Wave Action event. For more details on their next event visit www.redbullbwa.com
Red Bull Big Wave Action
Hout Bay
Web Site
Quagga Project
When I was a "little girl" my parents told me of an animal called the Quagga that use to roam the plains of South Africa many years ago but due to severe persecution from man they were thought never to be seen again!!!.
By now you must be asking what on earth is a QUAGGA???
It is a subspecies of the zebra family which lived in the Cape Province and the Orange Free State in South Africa. The Quagga have a very similar look to a zebra but had a black and brown colour rather than the usual black and white of a zebra. They had distinctive markings on their head, neck and body with fewer stripes than a zebra and from their midsection onwards the colour faded towards their hind and legs.
The last Quagga was reported to have died in a zoo in Amsterdam in August 1883. - gone forever and never to be seen again except for stuffed specimens in museums such as the Cape Town National Museum. But a taxidermist named Reinhold Rau who worked on the last animal from a display piece in a museum kept some skin samples of the Quagga believing that maybe one day it could be used in some way.
It was believed that the Quagga was extinct as it was wrongly thought that it was a true species on its own but with in depth work on the DNA it was discovered the Quagga was in fact just a subspecies of a zebra
So a man with a vision plus modern technology equals new hope! For the past 22 years or so, a team of South Africans have been working hard to not only bring this animal back from the dead but also reintroduce it into its natural habitat.
The "new" Quagga species is being bred by using a variety of zebra species but nothing exactly the same as the first Quagga. The latest foal to be born was on the 24 May 2008 which has the closest marking and colour to the original once extinct Quagga and is one of the best replicas so far. It is still a project with a lot of work and time to go . This has only been possible due to the fact that the Quagga is a subspecies so can be selectively bred and it has no 'Jurassic Park' connotations. We must remember that once a species has been extinct it stays extinct!!
So there may once again roam a true Quagga on the plains of South Africa ,unfortunately the "little girl" who use to ask inquisitively about them has gone never to return - EXTINCT!!!
Madiba Celebrates his 90th Birthday
Across South Africa there were celebration over the weekend, celebrating former president Nelson Mandela's birthday.
You may be wondering why all the fuss but for a leader who has been imprisoned in the prime of his life for 27 years and then forgiving those who imprisoned him. Then leading a condemned country into freedom & democracy in a peaceful manner. Yes we celebrate his birthday but more importantly we celebrate his ideas and spread the message he now brings through 46664 events (HIV & AIDS Awareness Campaign) & the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture.
His birthday was officially on the 18 July however the party started in Hyde Park, London with a 46664 concert in his honour on the 27 June. The concert line up included Annie Lennox, Josh Groban, Shirley Bassy and a host of others famous performers.
While back in South Africa birthday wishes were pouring in from all corners of the world and to warm Nelson Mandela's heart the children made sure their voices were heard. While everyone was celebrating, Madiba (Nelson Mandela's Nickname) spent his special day with friends and family in his home town in the Eastern Cape.
It is believed that this will be a year long birthday celebration with an array of events such as book launches, concerts, debates, exhibitions, etc. - with the aim of promoting, assisting and improving Social Justice, HIV & AIDS assistance and Education and so many more things that lie close to Madiba's heart.
On Behalf of Planeteye Cape Town, we wish Madiba a very Happy Birthday and a long healthy life!!