Archive for December, 2011

Family Adventures on a South Africa Safari

December 26th, 2011

Spending Time with Family on a South Africa Safari

Taking the family on a South Africa safari is one of the best options if you’re looking for a malaria-free safari. The country is blessed with a great variety of malaria free reserves and this doesn’t mean compromising on big game viewing either. This part of Africa has an excellent array of wildlife and if you visit one of the private reserves adjacent to the Kruger or in the Waterberg or the Eastern Cape, you are guaranteed sightings of the Big 5; lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. A South Africa safari offers families a tremendous experience with the very best in big game viewing, beautiful scenery, luxury accommodation and excellent food. South Africa is unique in that it offers families not only a great safari experience but a variety of destinations including Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route. Accommodation in Southern Africa is world class so your family can expect to be spoiled with ultimate comfort and fine dining.

Whale Watching with the Family

Every year between June and November thousands of whales migrate to the coastal waters of South Africa to calve and nurse their young. Taking the family to see these amazing creatures is the perfect way to conclude a South Africa safari. The beautiful and unspoilt Garden Route coastline stretches for over a thousand miles from Cape Town to the picturesque town of Port Elizabeth and it can be arranged for you and your family to take a self-drive trip or a boat to see large numbers of whale. Getting up close to a whale is an unforgettable and exhilarating experience for all the family, especially the children. The whales are actually very friendly and will often come within 5 metres if you’re travelling by boat. The whale watching region is also populated with large numbers of dolphin, cape fur seals, penguins and great white sharks.

Visiting the Kruger National Park on a South Africa Safari

The iconic Kruger National Park in Southern Africa has a vast landscape with spectacular African wildlife that fills it. A safari here is ideal for families who want to be sure they see the Big 5 game while being surrounded by luxury and comfort. The reserves surrounding the Kruger have very few tourists so families can enjoy private game drives all to themselves. The Kruger is one of Africa’s largest reserves covering an area of 19,000 square kilometres. As well as the Big 5, your family will be in the presence of elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard and cheetah. The park also has an amazing Birdlife with more than 700 species including eagles, vultures, ostriches and cranes. Your family will truly appreciate the excitement and thrill of a South Africa safari in Kruger National Park.

Posted in Family Vacations

Scuba Diving in London

December 24th, 2011

I first started diving more than five years ago, but it’s only recently that I can truly say I’ve dived in central London; as A few weeks ago I carried out a search and recovery dive for a handbag in Hyde Park.

We were called to the park because a boat had capsized in the serpentine tipping out a small family and their possessions, including an expensive Louis Vuitton BAG. Upon my arrival Alex, who runs Diving Leisure London, and I discussed the best search patterns; considering what we knew to be the likely conditions in the lake. We then kitted up and got in. Once underwater we found it was incredibly murky and at times it was like swimming through thick oil because of a large amount of leafy mulch. Even though Alex was right beside me, I couldn’t see him. The lack of visibility, led us to keep a tight search pattern and at times we needed to feel our way along. After a short period of time we retrieved the bag and a pair of sandals that had also fallen in. We then surfaced and returned them to the husband who had waited by the lake. The rest of the family had gone to dry off and warm up.

A little further afield, when I’m not rescuing handbags, I teach in a lake on the outskirts of the M25. Once again, not the best dive site in the world but it is great for training new divers. For me, the larger deeper inland dive sites is where the fun really starts and once I’m in the sea off the UK coast, that’s where I’m in my element.

There are many misconceptions about UK diving, for example lack of visibility, the cold, nothing down there etc. This really isn’t true. Visibility off the coast isn’t always spectacular, though how often do you actually look at something that’s more than five metres away from you? And the colder waters don’t have to be a problem as a good drysuit will supply you with ample insulation.

As far as what’s down there is concerned, there is loads; a great abundance of marine life including seals, dogfish and basking sharks (which eat plankton). After all the marine life, there are thousands of wrecks at various depths including many that are perfect for technical dives. As a huge fan of wrecks I am spoiled for choice.

Posted in Adventure Activity, Vacation Destinations