About Africa Travel

A Wildly Fun Monday

2010-02-08T13:05:50Z

20 fun African wildlife facts to liven up your Monday ....

The flamingos' diet of shrimp-like crustaceans are responsible for its pink color
Hippos secrete a natural sunscreen that is colored red and eventually turns brown
Giraffe tongues are dark blue and average around 20 inches in length
Leopards are strong swimmers and eat fish
Lions are the only cats that live in groups (prides)
Warthogs can jump
Chimpanzee females reach reproductive age at 13
Male Nile Crocodiles attract females by bellowing, slapping their snouts in the water, and blowing water out of their noses
Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, just like human finger prints
Hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs
Impalas can jump over 10 meters (33 feet) in a single leap
Aardvarks have ears like a rabbit, long tails, webbed claws, sharp nails, long snouts, and are not related to pigs (despite their name)
Both Black and White rhinos are actually gray
An elephant's trunk contains about 100,000 different muscles
Cheetahs only need to drink every 3 or 4 days
Cape Buffalo have good memories, they've been known to attack people that have harmed them years after the event
Jackal males and females mate for life
Male Vervet monkeys have a turquoise blue scrotum and a red penis
Ostriches can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and use their wings as rudders to change direction
An adult Mountain Gorilla will eat about 60 lbs of vegetation per day

Want to See All this Yourself?

_{Source: National Geographic and Image -- © Getty Images/Frank & Joyce Birek}

A Wildly Fun Monday originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 13:05:50.

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Surfing J-Bay in SA

2010-02-07T18:42:20Z

Surfing is big in South Africa. The last time I drove past Muizenberg, just outside of Cape Town, I was amazed at the amount of people in the water. Young, old, big, small, male, female -- all decked out in wetsuits and enjoying the ocean. Our regular contributing writer David Bristow, an avid surfer himself, has a managed to pinpoint the Top 10 Surfing Spots in South Africa. In Muizenberg apparently the swell is consistently good hence the crowds, but David mentions that "the hotties wait for a big south to south-east swell, when the right-hand point break really grinds". I guess that's what was happening when I happened to cruise by.

Dotted around South Africa's Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts, there are bays that are excellent 365 days a year, and some like the Dungeons near Hout Bay, that only work in winter. Whether you're a veteran surfer, or would like to try for the first time, you'll find that surfing in South Africa is just swell. Find out more about South Africa's Top 10 Surfing spots.

_{Image of a Surfer in J-Bay, South Africa -- © Getty Images/Pierre Totsee}

Surfing J-Bay in SA originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 18:42:20.

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Africa at the 2010 Winter Olympics

2010-02-04T14:44:54Z

The Winter Olympics are on the horizon and I am keeping track of African athletes who will compete in Vancouver. Since snow is thin on the ground, money is tight and training facilities scarce, it takes an awful lot of determination to make it to the Winter Olympics as an African. It should come as no surprise then, that the athletes representing 7 African nations no less, are a colorful bunch with some very interesting stories.

Ghana will be competing in their first Winter Olympics. Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong (aka "The Snow Leopard") managed to get enough points to qualify by racing in Iran, Bosnia and Turkey. He wears a dazzling leopard print suit to match his dazzling smile. He saw snow for the first time at the tender age of 22. He's a self-taught, self-financed skier, and has been training hard for 5 years. No doubt about it, he's going to be a hit in Vancouver.

Ethiopia's Robel Teklemariam has been training on roller skis at home while waiting for his Canadian visa to come through. Philip Boit of Kenya will compete in his fourth Winter Olympics. Last year his farm in Kenya burned down. With the help of fellow Olympic athletes he managed to raise enough money to rebuild, just in time for his retirement. This will be his final shot at a medal. Samir Azzimani of Morocco was sent to a holiday camp in the French Alps as a foster child, where he learned to ski. At the age of 10 he was back in Morocco with no real chance of skiing ever again. But a determined Samir worked his way back to France in his late teens and will finally realize his Olympic dream at the age of 32.

None of these African athletes are expected to medal, but all deserve our applause. Find out more about Africa at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

_{Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, "The Snow Leopard" Ghana's first Olympic Skier -- © Getty Images/Mike Hewitt}

Africa at the 2010 Winter Olympics originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 14:44:54.

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351 Years of South African Wine

2010-02-02T18:40:47Z

On February 2, 1659, Jan van Riebeeck wrote in his diary "Today, praise be to God wine was pressed for the first time from Cape grapes", and so South African wine came to fruition. Jan Van Riebeeck had been sent to settle Cape Town a few years earlier by the Dutch East India Company with instructions to plant vineyards and fruit orchards in order to supply sailors on their way to the East. Wine was much sought after because it could ward off scurvy (what a happy coincidence). Within a few decades more vineyards were established in Constantia, and South Africa was already on its way to becoming world renowned for its wine.

Today, the 351 year-old South African wine industry directly supports around 280,000 jobs and exports around 400 million liters of wine per year. I'm personally grateful having consumed my fair share. But nothing beats actually going to visit South Africa's wineries in person.

Many of South Africa's best known wineries can be found just outside of Cape Town in Contsantia, Stellenbosch and Paarl. I think this area is even more beautiful than California's Napa Valley. The understated Cape Dutch architecture with stunning mountain ranges as their backdrop is quite awe inspiring. This region is also home to some of the finest restaurants in South Africa. It's really a taste sensation all around, and culinary tours are becoming a very hot item.

If you can't afford to go, check out this Savor South Africa contest run by African Portfolio. They're offering a gourmet trip for 2 to South Africa's Winelands as well as a safari. And my personal favorite South African winery I hear you ask? A little gem called Meerlust. it's just south of Stellenbosch, where I believe I tasted a little slice of heaven when I put their Rubicon to my lips.

More About: Cape Winelands l Culinary Tours l South Africa

_{A slightly doctored image of Jan van Riebeeck from Wynsa.co.za and Cape Winelands -- © Dave Hutchinson}

351 Years of South African Wine originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 18:40:47.

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Egypt Wins The Cup of Nations

2010-01-31T16:38:00Z

Egypt has just won the 27th Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, beating Ghana's Black Stars 1-0. This is the 7th win for Egypt, a tournament record. And it's an especially sweet victory since Egypt failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. The finals took place in Luanda, Angola's capital city in front of a packed stadium. The goal arrived in the 85th minute, when The Pharaohs substitute, Mohamed Gedo curved a neat ball past Ghana's goalkeeper, Richard Kingson. In the end, Ghana's young team lost to a more determined and savvy Egyptian team. Disappointing for Ghana, but they can console themselves knowing they will be playing in the 2010 World Cup.

All in all Angola proved to be good hosts despite the awful start to the Cup of Nations. It's a slow shuffle back to the world stage after too many years of civil war, but this certainly got them on their way. Hopefully the money spent on the stadiums will prove their worth in the coming years.

More about the 27th Africa Cup of Nations ...

_{Image of the Victorious Egyptian Team -- © Getty Images}

Egypt Wins The Cup of Nations originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 16:38:00.

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Pack for A Purpose

2010-01-29T12:38:42Z

Next time you head to Africa for a vacation, leave some room for soccer balls. Many African tour operators, safari camps, and lodges support local communities in the areas in which they work. It's a great idea to ask if you can bring any school supplies, medical supplies, clothing or other light objects that will help these projects helps others in the community. Not sure what to bring? There's a new non-profit web site that can help -- Pack For a Purpose. They have good suggestions on how to pack common items that are in high demand, and they also have lists of specific requests from lodges around Africa.

While airlines are doing their level best to encourage us not to fly by charging for every pound of baggage, it's still worth exchanging 5lb's of your own things, for pencils, soccer balls and band-aids. Not only will you be making a difference to a local community, but you'll have more room to buy local souvenirs to bring back home. And even more importantly, you'll have an excuse to visit a local school or community center while on vacation. It often ends up being a highlight of a trip. As the Pack for a Purpose logo states: "Small space, Little Effort, Big Impact". You can't argue with that.

More About: Packing for a Safari l Volunteering in Africa l Souvenir Shopping

_{Image � Getty Images}

Pack for A Purpose originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 12:38:42.

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Musicians and Aliens: African Films You Should See

2010-01-27T09:58:08Z

I just watched Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a documentary about a group of musicians who formed a band (of the same name) in a refugee camp in Guinea. They were all fleeing the horrific civil war (1991 - 2002) that was going on in their home country of Sierra Leone at the time. The documentary charts the history of each band member and how they got to the refugee camp, sobering to say the least. It then follows the band as they tour other refugee camps in the area courtesy of the UNCHR. The power of music is so self-evident, it's amazing to watch what joy a single band can bring to entire communities who are traumatized and have lost everything. (Haitians are doing a lot of singing right now too).

The Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars then head back to Freetown for the first time in years to record an album. This is where the documentary ends, but the great thing is, the band actually made it way beyond their own expectations and are now touring around the world. They also have a new album coming out on March 23rd, (2010). The music is great, the story is important, and I just highly recommend you watch it. You can either buy it online, or just rent the movie from Netflix or any other decent video store.

On an entirely different note, but also about refugees of a sort, I thought District 9 was fantastic. I know, I'm very late in the game, but I watched this sci-fi thriller a couple of weeks ago and can't wait to rent it again. I generally steer clear of movies with aliens, (Battlestar Galactica was an exceptional exception) but District 9 is really well done. The script is excellent, there are many themes that parallel South African history including what happened in District 6 during Apartheid, recent displays of xenophobia in townships, and corporate greed.

The acting in District 9 is also excellent and I really appreciate the fact that they used South African actors in a South African film, what a novel idea. For those of you who have not yet seen this, it's about an alien spaceship that lands in Johannesburg. The aliens on board are moved into a refugee camp inside a township. 20 years later, the government wants to relocate them further afield, they've become a nuisance, people are suspicious of them and crime is rampant. You really have to see it to find out what happens next, but it is very violent, so be warned.

I'm off to re-think my Top 10 Movie list and purchase a Sierra Leone's All Star Refugee t-shirt.

More About: My Top 10 African Movie List l District 9 l Sierra Leone's All Star Refugees

_{Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars Latest Album Cover -- � SLRAS}

Musicians and Aliens: African Films You Should See originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 09:58:08.

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Africa Cup of Nations - Quarter Finals Update!

2010-01-26T12:25:16Z

The second week of Africa's Cup of Nations taking place in Angola, started with a whimper not a bang. One of Ghana's star players, Michael Essien had to bow out due to a knee injury. Despite this, Ghana managed to scrape through to the quarter finals where they broke a determined Angola, and made it through to the semi-finals with a 1-0 win. Angola's home fans were obviously disappointed.

Ghana will play Nigeria in the semi-finals on January 28 (2010). Nigeria's Super Eagles battled hard against Zambia in the quarter finals. The Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) put up a great fight and just lost 5-4 in penalties after extra time.

Egypt is looking good, very good. It is the only team to have won all three first round matches. They met Cameroon's Indomitable Lions in the quarter final, and won quite convincingly, 3-1. Their arch rivals Algeria also made it through to the semi-finals by beating the favorites to win the tournament, Ivory Coast. This match was an absolute thriller down to extra time, and Algeria just managed to pull it off to win 3-2.

Egypt and Algeria will play each other in the semi-finals on 28 January (2010). Let's hope whatever the outcome that it will remain peaceful back home. Residents in Benguela where the semi-final will take place are a little nervous about hosting this match. Egypt will be looking to regain their pride after losing to Algeria for a coveted spot in the 2010 World Cup.

More About: Africa Cup of Nations l 2010 World Cup l Angola

_{Ghana Fan at the Ghana V Angola Quarter Final, Luanda, 24 January, 2010}

Africa Cup of Nations - Quarter Finals Update! originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 12:25:16.

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Ethiopian Airlines Jet Crashes

2010-01-25T09:07:29Z

An Ethiopian Airlines plane has crashed en route to Addis Ababa from Beirut (Lebanon). The body count is at 34 and rising. The plane was carrying 90 passengers and it doesn't look good for any potential survivors. The jet apparently crashed soon after take-off early this morning. Eye witnesses reporting to the BBC, saw a "ball of fire". The weather in Lebanon has been very stormy in the past few days.

Ethiopian Airlines is one Africa's best airlines with extensive routes throughout Africa as well as the rest of the world. Addis Ababa is a major East African hub. The plane that crashed was a Boeing 737-800 with a capacity to carry 189 passengers. Ethiopian Airlines has a very good safety record and only operates Boeings, in fact they just put in a big order for more planes. They're certainly not one of those shaky airlines that use old Russian cargo planes. At this time, no foul play is suspected.

More on this story:

Ethiopian Jest Crash Deaths Rise ... - AFP
Ethiopian Jet Crashes ... -- BBC
Beirut: 90 Feared Dead... -- Daily Telegraph

More About: Are African Airlines Safe? l African Airlines l African Airports

_{Image of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing -- CC}

Ethiopian Airlines Jet Crashes originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 09:07:29.

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February Festivals and Events in Africa

2010-01-23T19:11:32Z

Generators will be buzzing in Zanzibar next month as the island will come alive with the sounds of Swahili music during the annual Sauti za Busara music festival. Cape Town will get gussied up for its annual Gay Pride event. These festivals are preceded by an inspiring cultural festival in Mali, held on the banks of the mighty Niger River.

Get more details by clicking -- February Festivals in Africa.

February Festivals and Events in Africa originally appeared on About.com Africa Travel on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 19:11:32.

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