South Africa Car Hire

Johannesburg - Heavy rain and thunderstorms have flooded Eastern Cape rivers and homes, reported Dispatch Online on Friday.

It said police warned people to avoid low-level bridges as floodwaters rose.

Haga-Haga was drenched on Thursday afternoon as 110mm fell in three hours.

Resident Betty-Lou Brown said the "roads were like rivers".

SA Weather Service spokesperson Garth Sampson said: "These early storms usually hang over the sea, this one just moved across to the mainland."

In East London, the O'Brien family were up early on Thursday, fighting a rising tide in the living room of their Braelynn home.

"We have been up since 04:30 sweeping out the water, and we are still walking through dams of water at home," said music promoter, Sheree O'Brien.

Sampson said there was nothing unusual about the rain.

"March and September is the time for floods and severe weather."

Police disaster management spokesperson Captain John Fobian warned residents to avoid crossing flooded rivers or low-level bridges.

"There have been no problems yet, but the rivers are just starting to rise," he said.

Light rain was expected along the coast and adjacent interior on Friday.
Article from www.news24.com/
Need a 4x4? www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - General

It’s time to make sure you have the best seats in the house for this year’s Loerie awards, taking place in Margate at the end of July 2007. Bookings opened today, Friday 30 March, and in addition, preferential airfares to industry professionals travelling from Johannesburg and Cape Town en route to the Loeries are available through the official carrier agreement with low cost airline Mango, announced earlier this week.

Comments Andrew Human, MD of The Loerie Awards, ““We are very pleased to have Mango on board as a partner this year. They are a great young brand and willing to fly that extra mile.

“Bookings for the awards and flights get snapped up quickly so I advise all those planning on coming to the festival weekend to start booking their tickets for the awards, flights and accommodation now so as to avoid disappointment,” he advises.

Booking instructions are as follows:

* All award tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to www.theloerieawards.co.za/festival/tickets/ for all booking information.
* Go to www.theloerieawards.co.za/festival/flights/ to book flights for the festival weekend.
* If you haven’t already done so, you’d best arrange your accommodation while you’re about it. All accommodation information can be found at www.theloerieawards.co.za/festival/accomodation/
Don’t forget that the entry deadline is 15 May, so everyone involved in brand communications - whether traditional advertising, architecture or ambient media - still has time to compile their entries and stand a chance of winning the industry’s most sought-after accolade.

For all information regarding entry categories, criteria and inspiration, as a full archive of winners since 1978, go to www.theloerieawards.co.za. The 2006 printed annual is also available.

SABC, Media24, The Zulu Kingdom and Vodacom are major sponsors of this year’s awards. Other sponsors and partners are: Aon-Shield, Avis, Brandhouse, Gallo Images, Gearhouse, Grid, Hetzner, Hibiscus Coast Municipality, Lightworks, Lithotech, Newsclip, Ogilvy Johannesburg, Orchestra Blue, Ornico Group, Paygate, Rocketseed, Six Million Dollar Media, Sonovision, The Design Indaba, Ugu District Municipality, Verdantpoint, Magna Carta, H-Factor, Leg Studios, Havaseat, LED Vision, JuJu.
Article from http://www.bizcommunity.com/
Don't forget to book your car through www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - Airlines, South Africa - Entertainment

LOW cost airline 1time, which commands a 13% slice of the domestic air travel pie, and will list on the JSE this year, remains committed to the Eastern Cape and plans to achieve a 15% to 20% capacity growth on its routes to and from East London for 2007.

This was the word earlier this week from the airline‘s CEO, Glenn Orsmond, in an address at the annual general meeting of the Border-Kei Chamber of Business in East London.

Orsmond, born in Kokstad, raised in King William‘s Town and educated at Dale College, Rhodes University and the University of Port Elizabeth, admits to “an emotional involvement” with the Eastern Cape. He plans to build a holiday home at Khamanga Bay outside East London.

Speaking on how to conduct business in a competitive environment, the airline boss said before 1time launched its highly competitive low-fare daily Johannesburg-East London service back in 2005 with just one aircraft, East London was the national carrier SAA‘s most expensive domestic destination. Other low cost operators followed suit and the city is now SAA‘s cheapest destination.

In the interim, however, all the competitors, with the exception of 1time, had withdrawn for the East London route.

Orsmond said from 2002 to 2006 the East London air travel market grew by 74% from 172 000 departing passengers a year to 300 000. This compared favourably with the 60% growth achieved by neighbouring Port Elizabeth, but unfavourably with the 120% growth achieved by George.

He warned that East London was running the risk of being overtaken by George as South Africa‘s sixth biggest route. Speaking on the small beginning of his company, Orsmond said it had all started “around a couple of beers and big dreams” in 2003.

“The time was right, there was a world-wide trend for low fare airlines. Fares in South Africa were high, values of aircraft were low and the rand strong. ”

It was against this background, and the September 11 terror attack – which grounded many aircraft and slashed their value – that Orsmond said he plucked up the courage to quit as financial director of kalula.com and start up 1time. He has also been associated with airlines such as BopAir, SunAir and ComAir.

“It took five months to draw up a business plan, look for investors, find (the right) people, premises, apply for licenses, find aircraft, start selling and then start flying. We opened for sale at the end of January 2004 and started flying in February 2005.

“The effect on the market was dramatic. Fares fell by 40% overnight. A vicious price war started as our competitors tried to force us out of the market before we got off the ground. We estimated that kulula spent R30-million on a price war before our first flight”.

The company survived and revenue grew from R156-million in the first year of operation, to R332-million in the second year and R462-million in the third year. Orsmond said R500-million was forecast for 2007.

The company, with its fleet of nine aircraft and a staff of 500, now carries 1,2-million passengers annually on some 1 000 flights every month.
Article from http://www.theherald.co.za/
Thousands of cars, hundreds of locations. www.southafrica-carhire.com can also supply impressive numbers.

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

Budget airline 1time has announced that it will be reintroducing flights between Johannesburg and George.

"We’ve been thinking about reintroducing the George flights for awhile and based on recent passenger feedback that’s exactly what we’ve decided to do," says Rodney James, marketing director for 1time Airline.

This additional service makes it easy for business travellers as well as leisure passengers to connect between Johannesburg and George. Initially this route will be operating weekend flights (Fridays and Sundays) but there will be additional flights (up to six flights a week) added over high demand periods such as Easter and public holidays, making it that much easier for holiday makers to get to their destination.

“Another reason for this decision is that we have seen an increasing trend amongst holiday makers to fly to the Eastern Cape for their annual getaways," says Rodney.

1time currently flies between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, between East London and Cape Town, between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town and will soon be flying between Durban and Cape Town as well.

Concluded Rodney: “We are really pleased with 1time’s growth since we launched three years ago. As South Africa’s first genuine low cost airline we are offering airfares that are consistently lower than our competitions’ and our low fares have dramatically stimulated the domestic air travel market with many first time flyers. We believe the market is ready for our Johannesburg – George and Cape Town – Durban service.”

Article from http://travel.iafrica.com/
Rent a car in Johannesburg or George, or any other 1time flight from www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

Johannesburg - Mango Airlines said in March that it had "given back more than" it had received as a start-up loan to parent company South African Airways (SAA) and said it didn't see a need "at this point or in the foreseeable future" to return to the parent company for funding.

Careful not to use the word "pay", Mango chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout commented when asked about his company's profitability and the loan it received from SAA: "We are self-sufficient, which is demonstrated by the fact that we have returned to SAA more than we initially received.

"If we weren't self-sufficient we would be cross-subsidised, which is not the case now."

'All airlines do it'

Bezuidenhout admits the cash, the amount of which he would not divulge, came from sold tickets that have not yet been flown but adds that "all airlines do it" - use money from tickets that have not yet been flown.

"Not only has the airline carried in excess of 300 000 passengers, but ticket sales have exceeded 600 000 and load factors currently average 85%," said Mango in a statement on the occasion of its four months of operations.

Bezuidenhout says the "sustainably cash-positive" position is a good indicator of profitability, which he said was in line with expectations.

"Our competitors originally complained about our source of funding, but now our cash positive position negates any arguments about our funding."

SAA holds cash on our behalf

However, Bezuidenhout seems to contradict himself when asked if Mango would not seek any more funds from SAA. He leaves open that possibility: "It's our cash flow. They (SAA) hold the cash flow on our behalf."

At a press briefing recently at SAA's headquarters, chief financial officer Gareth Griffiths confirmed the receipt of millions of rand from Mango, telling Fin24 "all airlines are cash-generative," referring to revenue from unflown, pre- sold tickets that can be used for a period of twelve months.

That makes one wonder whatever happened to the "arm's length, commercial" relationship and whether this is still "the beginning and end" of Mango's relationship with SAA.

Article from http://www.fin24.co.za/
No cash at www.southafrica-carhire.com, only credit card!

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

By Cathy Dippnall Garden Route Correspondent

ECONOMIC expansion in the region and the huge growth in tourism along the Garden Route have prompted budget airline 1time to re-launch its route to George with an inaugural flight from Johannesburg on Friday.

The carrier pulled out of George in March, 2006, after six months due to lack of capacity.

“We realised we could not cope with the demand because of a lack of aircraft. The company was growing rapidly and our fleet of six planes could not cope, so we decided to cut the Johannesburg-George route,” said 1time commercial manager Desmond O‘Conner.

1time‘s fleet has grown from six aircraft a year ago to 10 with the arrival this month of its latest MD/82, 157-seater aircraft from America.

O‘Conner said that with a fleet of 10 aircraft there would now be 250 flights a week nationally, compared with the carrier‘s launch in March, 2004, with one aircraft and three flights a day between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Two new routes were introduced by 1time yesterday – a daily direct service between Cape Town and Durban and a six-day-a-week flight between Johannesburg and George.

The number of flights to George will be seasonal and could drop to weekend-only flights during low season. 1time has also introduced a third weekly flight from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The new routes and additional frequencies to other centres will grow 1time‘s available seats to 1,5 million for the year.

“The decision to return to George was due to numerous requests from the public, since our competitors raised their fares quite heavily in the last six months. “The airfare to George starts at R248, including airport taxes, which is about 25 per cent lower than our competitors,” said Rodney James, 1time marketing director. George representative Mike van Niekerk said, “We are excited with 1time‘s growth since the company launched nearly three years ago. The Garden Route is growing at a phenomenal rate and this time we are here to stay.”

Kulula.com market analyst Sizakele Khumalo said: “We are not threatened by 1time‘s reappearance in George.” She also said the airline would not be returning to East London in the foreseeable future, after the carrier pulled out of the route in January, 2005, because the route could not sustain two low-cost carriers.

Mango airline has yet to include George in its flight schedule. Mango spokesman Hein Kaiser said, however, that the airline was considering and investigating several domestic routes.

“Mango is unable to comment on specific routes such as East London, Mthatha and George at this time. As we have said before, where there is a demand and it makes business sense to operate on a particular route, then Mango will consider flying there,” said Kaiser. Mango flies between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Article from http://www.theherald.co.za/
Unlimited routes from www.southafrica-carhire.com!

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

Cape Town - The same strict security measures for liquids, aerosols and gels in hand luggage that are in force in Britain, the European Union (EU) and the United States are planned for South African airports from April 2.

If the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are applied in SA it will mean that passengers at SA's airports won't not be allowed to have liquids in containers larger than 100ml in their hand luggage.

Containers of liquids that are allowed must be carried in a transparent, resealable plastic bag and be a maximum of one-litre. Exceptions are made for medications, baby foods and special diets.

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said at the annual meeting of the Board of Airlines Representatives on Friday that these regulations could be inconvenient for passengers, but he trusted that "the airlines will do their best to inform the public about this extremely important matter".

The department of transport's head of civil aviation safety must ensure that the ICAO recommendations, which were issued in December 2006, are implemented at SA's airports, Radebe said.

The regulations already in force at airports in Britain, the EU and the US followed the suspected terrorist plot at London's Heathrow airport in August last year. Radebe said it would be important for passengers to plan ahead, and South Africans must take note of the new measures.

In reply to an enquiry, SA Airways' spokesperson Sarah Uys said they were aware of the measures but were still waiting for clear guidelines from SA's Civil Aviation Authority.

Low-cost carrier 1Time marketing head Rodney James said it expected that the measures would first be applied only to international flights into/out of SA and that domestic flights wouldn't be affected initially.

The ICAO recommended in December last year that the measures should be in force worldwide from March 1 2007.

Airports Company of SA CEO Monhla Hlahla said in November 2006, shortly after the EU began applying the measures, that aviation authorities worldwide must agree on uniform security measures, otherwise it could become very expensive for airports outside the US and the EU to comply with the different standards.

She also expressed fears that EU measures could negatively impact non-EU airports' income from duty-free sales.

However, the latest information from the Airports Council International appears to indicate that most countries that have instituted ICAO's measures make exceptions for purchases from duty-free shops at airports of departure.

In fact, the ICAO recommends that exceptions should be made for liquids bought from duty-free shops at airports or on board aircraft they must be packaged in a sealed, tamperproof plastic bag and must have an acceptable proof of purchase.

Article from http://www.fin24.co.za/ By: Francois Williams
Take as many liquids as you want in a vehicle with www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

Johannesburg - Low cost airliner 1Time has recently taken delivery of two MDH aircraft to take its fleet to ten. This takes place as the company reintroduced its flights between Johannesburg and George this past weekend.

Targeting mainly the travel and leisure market, 1Time would initially operate the route on Fridays and Sundays.

"We've been thinking about reintroducing the (Johannesburg -) George flights for a while and based on recent passenger feedback that's exactly what we've decided to do," says Rodney James, marketing director for 1time Airline.

This additional service makes it easy for business travellers as well as leisure passengers to connect between Johannesburg and George. Because the route is seasonality-dependant, there will be additional flights added over high demand periods such as Easter and public holidays with up to six flights a week.

Rodney added that they're really pleased with 1time's growth since its launched three years ago. "We believe the market is ready for our Johannesburg - George service (again)."

1Time operated the route for nearly a year between 2005 and 2006. It found the profit margins very low because of intense competition and pulled out. Both South African Express Airlines (SAX) and the biggest low cost operator kulula.com operate the route.

"When we pulled out of the route the prices of the other airlines went up dramatically," says Desmond O'Connor, 1Time's commercial manager.

"It generated a lot of debate internally when we pulled out, we have (since) been watching it (the route) closely. We see this (the high prices) as an advantage."

O'Connor says there's no doubt in "our minds that this is one of the fastest growing" routes in the country. He says there has been a lot of development in the George area, which brings in business travellers as well.

The prices would be between R489 and R1 000 one-way.

Asked if his company was looking at any other routes, O'Connor said 1Time constantly look at all the main routes with a view to increasing its frequency.

"We will be opening up to regional routes. Opportunities are huge in (the rest of) Africa."

He says flights to some countries in the region are way too expensive, helped by the protectionist regulations in place in those countries. O'Connor says his company is busy talking to three regional countries with a view to resuming operations.


Article from http://www.fin24.co.za/

Car Hire in Johannesburg, www.southafrica-carhire.com
Car Hire in George, www.southafrica-carhire.com
Car Hire in South Africa, www.southafrica-carhire.com
We think you understand

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

By MALUNGELO BOOI

Mthatha Bureau

BUDGET airliner Mango is considering opening new routes in the Eastern Cape.

These possible new routes include East London and Mthatha.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch from Johannesburg yesterday, Mango spokesperson Hein Kaiser confirmed they were investigating the viability of flying to the Eastern Cape.

“We are seriously looking at the Eastern Cape as one of our new routes which we are hoping to open in the country,” said Kaiser.

“At this point we do not know which routes we are going to take in the Eastern Cape, but we are exploring every possible route,” said Kaiser.

“As long as the airport or route makes business sense to us and we see the need for our services, we will fly in it.”

The province has three operational airports, with Port Elizabeth and East London being the busiest, while Mthatha airport has fewer flights.

Kaiser said part of their mandate was to get South Africans flying. He, however, could not say when the airliner would start operating in the province.

An announcement would be made shortly, he said.

Mango sparked off competition with its low-price specials, when they launched in November last year. “Our January and February figures showed a load factor of 85 to 90 percent,” Kaiser said, adding that in January the airliner sold more than 500000 tickets.

“A large number of our passengers are first-time flyers and we feel that during the first four months of flying we have successfully reached a segment of an un-flown market,” he said.

“However, this is just a tip of the iceberg – there is still much room for growth.”

Yesterday, Mthatha Airport manager Anderson Maduneni said two other airliners had also been making enquiries about possible routes they could explore in or from the Mthatha airport.

Maduneni would, however, not reveal any names.

Nadine Prinsloo, marketing manager for Kulula.com also revealed they were looking at flying to East London and Mthatha.

“We have already started with our route investigation, and I can only say we are keeping a watchful eye on both places,” she said.

At the moment Kulula.com only flies to Port Elizabeth.

Attempts to get comment from 1Time concerning their plans to operate in Mthatha were unsuccessful yesterday.

However, last month residents calling themselves Friends of the Mthatha Airport, forwarded a petition accompanied by more than a hundred signatures to 1Time, urging them to consider opening routes that would include Mthatha.

Article from http://www.dispatch.co.za/
At www.southafrica-carhire.com, we already have cars for you at all major airports

Labels: South Africa - Airlines

This year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival features intense gyrations on and off stage, writes Daniel Friedman
Unsurprisingly, this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival boasts impressive international jazz names such as legendary drummer Jack de Johnette, Byron Wallen, Jerome Harris, Jason Yarde, Jeremy Pelt and the ever-popular Joe Sample.

It isn’t all about the jazz, though. Pop singer Randy Crawford brings some commercial clout to the proceedings. Senegal’s Ishmael Lo, Algeria’s Fethi Tabet and our own Madala Kunene are among the artists supplying an African element. Sounds from further afield will be provided by the Caribbean Jazz Project as well as Cuba’s Paquito D’Rivera and Danilo Perez. Rapper HHP, with his large, live band and ska kings the Rudimentals will lend the fest some hip, urban credibility.

But what boldly stands out is the presence of a couple of the world’s best-loved funk bands: the Average White Band and Nils Landgren’s Funk Unit.

Guitarist Onnie McIntyre, a founding member of stalwart Scottish funk act The Average White Band, which has been going for nearly 35 years, feels that funk -- unlike jazz, its more intellectual cousin -- is a form of music that inspires dance. “People take music too seriously. There’s a lot of pretentiousness involved, but music should be about joy, not just brow-beating. Funk comes from soul and R&B. It’s meant to be fun, it’s meant to make you move. African music has that joy inherent in it too, which isn’t surprising since jazz, funk and soul all have their roots in Africa.”

While McIntyre asserts that funk is “more about moving your body than stroking your chin”, he adds that “hopefully, you can find a balance. We always have fun onstage but that doesn’t mean that our music is mindless.”

Nils Landgren, a veteran Swedish trombonist who has played with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Abba, will be at the festival with his nine-strong Funk Unit. “Jazz is a music form in constant forward motion, and we will always have this element to our music,” says Langren. “We are all trained jazz musicians, but we love the funk groove and so that’s what lies at the heart of our music. To me, funk is a form of musical freedom. Funk’s godfather, George Clinton, put it best when he said ‘free your mind and your ass will follow’.”

Clinton’s sentiments are echoed by another Nils. Experimental Swedish act The Stoner’s clarinetist Nils Berg says: “To move your body you have to disconnect your mind, and that’s the best way to hear music, with your body.”

The Stoner are a forward-thinking bunch of misfits with a unique, tongue-in-cheek, visual sensibility and a desire to make music that bridges the generation gap that divides jazz audiences. “Jazz means different things for your older audiences -- who grew up on traditional, acoustic jazz -- and younger people, who tend to come from a clubbing background and who are more accustomed to dance-music-inspired Nu Jazz. We want to make music that excludes neither of these groups,” says Berg.

He agrees with Landgren’s assertion that jazz should always be in “constant forward motion”. “As musicians, with traditional jazz backgrounds, we found that it was pointless to play the same old stuff in the same way in which it has been played already. We are involved in a playful struggle to find a new musical path.”

The same can be said of one of the most interesting acts on the line-up, local improvisers Closet Snare, whose members are reluctant to label their sound. They agree it isn’t straight jazz, and the inclusion of Sibot, turntable/production wizard and member of glitch unit Real Estate Agent, helps to take their music into delightfully indefinable places. “I would call it improvisational-live-instrumental-electronica-groove music, using normal instrumentation, live visuals, weird effects, samplers and other machines,” says multi-instrumentalist Sean Ou Tim, who provides the basslines.

“Jazz is an influence in our music but we also have other influences, such as hip-hop and electronica,” adds drummer Kesivan Naidoo, himself a seasoned jazz musician. “I suppose, if you wanted to give what we do a name, it would be something like electro-acoustic grooving South African jazz. But I am not sure that there is a shelf like that in the CD store.”

With such a colourful mix of musicians booked for this year’s fest, it may be pointless to play at neatly categorising its acts. Closet Snare guitarist Marc Buchanan cautions against it. “Whether it’s a beautiful orchestral string section, an uncontrolled distorted guitar, a hip-hop beat or a great improvised horn solo, it’s all just the kind of music we like. Good music.”

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2007 takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on March 30 and 31. Tickets cost R290 (day pass), R430 (weekend pass) or R25 for individual shows at the Rosies Stage. A free concert will launch the festival on March 29 at Greenmarket Square, Cape Town.

Article from http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/
Good music, great car? Visit www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - Entertainment

Simon Alston and Craig Northam are two South Africans cycling from Cairo to Cape Town to raise money for two charities that provide bicycles, and promote their use, in African communities.

Please help us support the good work of Re~Cycle and BEN by making a donation, however small. It costs £2,500 to send a large shipment of bicycles to Africa, but with your help we hope we can raise at least double that - thank you!
EGYPT
cape town

Cars whiz by in every direction, hooters blaring, switching lanes as they please, pushing through every little gap; only half have their lights on in the night, no-one obeys a single traffic light and people cross as if they are indestructible...hectic! Unfortunately we are stuck here for a while as we failed to get a Sudanese visa before the Arabic weekend starts tomorrow. We tried yesterday but needed a letter of referral from the SA embassy! So off early this morning to the embassy to request the letter...30 minutes they said...which turned into 1h30min...and more! Eventually Simon rushed off to the Sudanese to try and keep them open while I waited on the letters...and the commissioner, who seemed to be having a lie-in this morning!

Eventually I jumped into a cab which proceeded to get lost, so carried on by foot (I new better than he where to go...guess they don't do The Knowledge here then?) and got there as they were going to close...only to find that the next phase of the application was now closed so we'd have to wait anyway...We should have them on Sunday morning at 10am, apparently!
We left Cairo on Sunday, cycling through the dusty City of the Dead, a vast stretch of modern-day tombs sprawling south. The nightmare that was getting into and out of Cairo has been forgotten as smooth roads and strong tail winds have pushed us quickly south along the Red Sea Coast. We have covered almost 700km in 5 days, some days well over 30km/h despite carrying around 30kg of equipment and water. Like sailors superstitious about the wind we don't talk about p********s. Our Kona Sutra's roll easily along the smooth tarmac and every lorry and car toots as they pass. Rounding a corner we find a recently overturned lorry, dead driver covered in a soiled carpet, and wonder if he had tooted further back.

After a second complimentary tea (get what you can!) we left the "Hotel Almadina", happy to be leaving! (3rd hotel out of 4 with a terrible toilet...not high on the list of priorities for local people obviously!) We thought of writing a message in their visitor's book in Afrikaans to warn some people who may think of staying there...but weren't given the option, perhaps they sensed what we had planned!? I could feel that it would be a hard day. It was already hot and my wrist (that I has stupidly sprained the day before) had kept me up much of the night. We stocked up on food fro the falafel-stall-owner that Simon had befriended the night before and then sat outside the Temple of Horus and ate breakfast. We didn't have the time to visit this one, so we set off from Edfu on the road to Aswan.
cape town

We did little in Qena apart from eat, sleep and hold broken conversations with the locals over tea. Sit down and within minutes you have the first tentative questions, more people joining your table as things warm up. We talk often about football, occasionally Bush and Blair as few people are openly political. Without fail we are asked about our relationships as there isn't the same concept here of dating before marriage. In Qena we are joined by the local stoner, all sleepy eyes and giggles, and as we head south we find we are offered hashish more and more often and openly. Either it is our changing appearance after 3 weeks on the road, or life is more liberal away from the capital. Arabic lessons are normally the most entertaining for the crowd, and I now keep a postcard on my handlebars in my own crude phonetics, trying to learn new words as I cycle.

Craig and Simon have successfully completed their first country, Egypt from Cairo to Aswan. Above are extracts from updates received. Please visit the website for complete stories updated on the Blog page and wonderful photographs. We expect the updates to be less frequent as they progress into the next country, Sudan. Their equipment is holding up well and the only casualties so far are spokes in Craig's back wheel and the front bar-bag clips.

Article from http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/
If you want to hire a car to get back, visit www.southafrica-carhire.com

Labels: South Africa - General