Luxury Travel Review
Organizer gear makes life easy when traveling, on safari
Spec.-Ops. gear
With these days of innumerable security checks, removing shoes, belts, jackets and outer layers, it’s sometimes challenging to keep important carry on items organized and protected. We went in search of lightweight and durable gear that could make our lives easier on the road, at airports and during trips in general. As if that wasn’t enough, we wanted it to be sturdy enough and color coordinated to take on safari.
Enter Spec.-Ops. Brand, a manufacturer of high performance tactical nylon gear. They recommend three travel accessories, an organizer pouch that can be moved from a travel bag or suitcase to a day pack or handbag, a travel wallet and an airport-friendly pants belt that can be worn through security.
“We make all Spec.-Ops. Brand gear to withstand the toughest battle conditions, so we’re certain these travel accessories will survive pretty much anything the road warrior can throw at them,” said Jeff Wemmer, founder and CEO of Spec.-Ops. Brand.
The Mini Cargo Pocket Organizer fits into a pocket or purse and is just the right size for essential items to take on board a plane. Although the manufacturer recommends the organizer as an unusual, field-grade iPod case, we used it to carry our cell phones and accessories such as SIM cards, headphones and other small carry on items.
The Pack-Rat is a mid-sized organizer pouch with bright yellow lining for travelers on overnight flights or other dim-light conditions. The bright lining was designed to help travelers find items inside in low light. We found it perfect to carry a book and other small items for use during flights. It stows comfortably in the seat pocket on most airplanes.
T.H.E. Wallet is big enough for a passport and boarding pass, but small enough to fit in a pocket or purse. An optional cord lets the traveler wear it around the neck, a real bonus when juggling bags on the way to the gate. It fits easily in cargo pants thigh pocket but is a little large for a hip pocket.
The Spec.-Ops. BDU Belt NS is durable enough for heavy duty use yet attractive enough to go out to dinner. This allows us to wear it on game viewing drives during the day and to an elegant dinner at night. The bonus is that the single-piece, high-tech polymer buckle won’t set off metal detectors. Finally, a belt that can stay on through airport security check points.
The Spec.-Ops. products, are available on the company website, retail from $19.95 to $39.95 and come with a lifetime guarantee. We have taken the gear on trips within North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Africa and have never needed to take advantage of the lifetime warranty but it’s nice to know it’s there.
Spec.-Ops. Brand designs and manufactures high performance tactical nylon gear for military, law enforcement and other demanding applications in Monahans, Texas. The company’s product line includes organizers, wallets, weapon slings, packs and load bearing equipment, designed to lighten the load and minimize the effort to operate equipment. Click here to read more Simon & Baker articles about Safari Gear.
Eagle Creek duffle – outstanding design, quality construction wrapped in 3 lb package!
Article and photo by Josette King
Eagle Creek ORV Gear Bag
The Eagle Creek designers must have been reading my mind when they developed their superb ORV (Off Road Vacation) Gear Bag! I tested it on several trips in recent months and found it was everything I ever hoped for in a duffle bag. Compact enough to meet airline carry-on requirements; it still managed to hold everything I needed for a two-week African safari.
Thanks to its oversized, three-sided top opening, it is a breeze to pack. The two internal zip-up divider panels and the two pockets fitted into the top flap of the bag make the contents easy to organize and access; no need to unpack and repack at each stop of my itinerary. The ORV Gear Bag is equally convenient to carry as it is to pack. In addition to the detachable padded shoulder strap, it features sturdy grab handles at the top as well as both ends of the bag; or it becomes an instant backpack thanks to comfortable back straps hidden in the bottom of the bag.
Although only three pounds in weight, the Eagle Creek ORV Gear Bag is exceptionally sturdy. It is made of tough, lightweight Cordura Nylon, and all exterior seams are double-stitched. The two external compression straps are especially useful when the bag gets over packed.
Click here for the complete article on Eagle Creek ORV Gear Bag
Purchase Eagle Creek ORV Gear Bag
Holiday gift ideas for baker, cook who has everything
Complete Baking Cookbook
Have you been looking for a gift for that someone special in your life who loves to cook or bake? Does he or she have all the gadgets and classic cookbooks? Consider a newly published selection of old favorites; holiday recipes or a completely novel cooking style like safari dishes or modern Indian food to spice up their life.
For baking enthusiasts, the Complete Baking Cookbook (Robert Rose, $24.95) published October 2007, features 350 recipes, from cookies and cakes to muffins and pies. Written by George Geary, a baker and pastry chef, the 448-page soft cover book includes illustrations and color photos. Each recipe also lists tips and variation options. After the introduction about electric equipment, hand tools, baking pans, and common ingredients, the book is divided into sections on Cookies, Bars and Squares; Pies, Tarts and Cobblers Cakes; Frostings, Glazes and More; Confections; Grand Finales, Breakfast Breads; and Holiday Favorites.
A Passion for Baking
The 320-page hardcover A Passion for Baking (Oxmoor House, $29.95) by Marcy Goldman, a pastry chef and home baker, has 220 recipes and many color photos. Following introductory and baking secrets sections, the book is divided into: Loaves, Large & Small; Rolls, Baby Breads & Buns; Pizza & Other Flatbreads; Scones & Biscuits; The Muffin Shoppe; The Cookie Jar; The Biscotti Bakery; Bars & Squares; Quick Breads & Coffee Cakes; Pies, Tarts & Pastries; Sweet Yeast Baking; Cake Creations; Say Cheesecake; Holiday Baking; Grainy Goodness; and Baker in a Hurry.
Holiday Entertaining
Williams-Sonoma 286-page hardcover Holiday Entertaining (Oxmoor House, $34.95) has recipes by Georgeann Brennan and drink recipes by Jordan Mackay. Filled with color photos, the book is divided into Occasions, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s; and Recipes: Drinks, Hors d-Oeuvres, Soups & Salads, Mains, Sides, Desserts, Breakfast and Gifts from the Kitchen.
For those looking for something off the beaten cooking path, we recently discovered two intriguing titles, A Kitchen Safari: Stories & Recipes From the African Wilderness (Struik, $29.95) and Modern Indian Cooking, (Silverback Books, $29.95). Modern Indian Cooking was published August 2007. A Kitchen Safari was first published in 2004 and republished July 2007.
In the 191-page hardcover Modern Indian Cooking with foreword by Daniel Boulud, Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna promise easy and quick to prepare recipes, and invite the reader to experiment and substitute ingredients for their own favorites. A brief introduction leads to Appetizers, Soups and Salads, Vegetables, Beans and Legumes, Rice, Poultry, Meat, Seafood, Breads and Desserts, Drinks and Accompaniments sections. A list of ingredients, brief instructions and colorful photos motivate eager cooks to begin their journey of culinary experimentation.
Recipes examples include Orange Chicken with Soy Ginger Reduction, Crispy Pan Fried Shrimp with Tamarind Glaze, Stir Fried Potatoes and Green Beans with Mint, and Duck Vindaloo. For the sweet tooth there is Pure Almond Milk Fudge and Valhorna Chocolate Burgi with Toasted Coconut.
A Kitchen Safari: Stories & Recipes From the African Wilderness
The not-your-grandmother’s-cooking (with rare exceptions) collection of stories and recipes from the African bush can fuel a cook’s wanderlust. The 192-page hardcover book is filled with colorful animal photographs and recipes from Conservation Corporation Africa properties. It is the work of CCA food leader Ivonne Short and Dumi Ndloou, head chef, Ngala Private Game Reserve.
Although some items like springbok (Smoked Springbok Carpaccio with Summer Greens) and Zambezi lager (Beer Bread) may be hard to find at your local grocery store, most of the ingredients listed are more common. Mouth watering names (and large color photos) like Tomato, Tamarind and Ginger Soup, Three Cheese Bread and Butter Pudding, Chocolate Pan Soufflé with Orange and Mint may inspire the adventurous chef.
To purchase click on the title of your choice
Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining
Sabi Sand property offers privacy, Big Five luxury experience in South Africa
An elephant at Rattray’s*
Thanks to its location adjacent to the world famous http://simonandbaker.com/kruger in South Africa, the Mala Mala Reserve is ideally situated for Big Five game viewing. Perched on the edge of the larger Sabi Sand Reserve, Mala Mala shares a long fenceless border with the park through which prey and predator alike cross at will. This alone makes Mala Mala noteworthy because this area of Kruger is known for its outstanding game viewing.
Home of a popular lodge, Mala Mala Main Camp, the Reserve also houses the new and exclusive Rattray’s lodge. Where the Mala Mala Main Camp is a good buy for families and game viewing enthusiasts willing to share space with a few fellow travelers; Rattray’s is adult oriented and intimate.
During their stay at Mala Mala, our team appreciated the property’s Big Five orientation and friendly staff. The family owned Rattray’s lodge became a South Africa favorite. Small, intimate and structured to show off its animal guests, Rattray’s offered a fine safari experience. A young university trained game viewing guide doubled as a round the clock staff person assigned to each party of up to four guests for the duration of their stay.
The suites, each in a self contained building, were seductively elegant, comfortable and private. In addition to two full bathrooms, WiFi, and a laptop computer there was a private plunge pool. In the event a guest chose not to go on the early morning or sunset drive, the suite was a perfect place to lounge.
*Photo Elena del Valle
Natural grooming products for dogs useful on a trip
Article and photo* by Chester Godsy
We used Sexy Beast on Wager, our model dog
During a recent trip with our dogs we tried Sexy Beast, a new hypo-allergenic and vegan product grooming line for dogs made by Project Rover, LLC. Sexy Beast is a three step refresher process, Fresh, Powder, and Gloss, to condition dog coats. While Fresh is described as a gentle cleanser and deodorizer, Powder promises to add body, fluff and shimmer to a dog’s coat, and Gloss is described as a laminating mist “to restore luster and shine.” A travel set in due to be released soon.
We tried Sexy Beast on our three dogs and a friend’s two dogs that traveled with us. We keep our dogs fairly clean; we bathe them frequently and they live in our house. We use a variety of products to keep our dogs clean and keep their coats healthy. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical of this product. However, I found that the dogs did not mind having these products on their coats. Often dogs will react poorly to perfumes on their coats. After shampoos and product application dogs will usually go outside and roll around.
Sexy Beast Gloss and Fresh
This was not the case with these products; they reacted well to the Sexy Beast line. At the same time, people liked the fragrances. A little bit of the Sexy Beast product goes a long way in terms of fragrance. There is no substitute for keeping a dog clean. Although Sexy Beast was pleasant for dogs and their human friends, the products won’t cover up an already stinky dog.
We used Sexy Beast products on our dogs just before we traveled so that they would smell better to the people we encountered along the way. We also traveled with two other dogs owned by friends. One of these two dogs had a reputation for smelling poorly. After we treated the smelly pooch with Sexy Beast products things improved for us humans. One thing I liked about the products was that the were made with natural ingredients.
Based on my experience with Sexy Beast , I recommend it to my friends who want to improve the scent of their dogs and keep their coat clean and shiny between shampoos. The line is available on the company website and at luxury pet stores.
*Product photos courtesy of Sexy Beast
Bonaire, a diver’s paradise
The dock at Buddy Dive in Bonaire
Diving options and destinations abound across the globe. Warm water diving destinations are fewer but there are still many to choose from. Having sampled a few we favor Bonaire for several reasons: the island itself holds a charming appeal, friendly locals, lots of shore dive spots, numerous dive operators to choose from and nearby dive locations within a 15 to 30 minute boat ride. Other advantages include a southern Caribbean location away from the hurricane belt, an arid climate with limited rainfall, an on island recompression chamber in case of an accident, as well as protected and pristine tropical waters to showcase the best of the island’s underwater world.
Although the visibility was not 100 feet, as we read in many promotional websites and brochures before visiting the island, the water was clean and with minimum signs of human visitors. One of the reasons for the excellent condition of the marine environment is that all the area surrounding the island up to a depth of 200 feet has been a protected marine park for 25 years.
Locals care for their marine park and instruct visiting divers about the importance of protecting the environment. For example, first time visitors and those who have not been on the island in a year or longer are required to have an orientation with a local diver and pay for a marine park tag. We also noticed the dive staff we went out with were always protective of the coral reef and sea life when diving and reminded everyone on the dive boats to do the same.
For dive courses, relaxed diving, small groups, personalized attention, and resort shore diving we loved Great Adventures Dive & Water Sports Bonaire at Harbour Beach Village Club. On our last visit, we enjoyed many a shore dive including a brief sunset dive just off the beach. There were plenty of opportunities where we were one of a handful of guests on the dive boat. Several times we were the only two divers to go out. We enjoyed those especially because it was like chartering a private dive. Staff members were experienced and knew the area and dive sites well. They were helpful and friendly.
We also liked Buddy Dive at the Buddy Dive Resort. There was a constant buzz of activity, a healthy selection of dive options, courses and packages, and a well stocked dive shop. They catered to guests staying onsite, luxury property renters who only needed tank replacements and off site guests like us who needed an island orientation, were taking a course or fine tuning their diving skills. In spite of the many guests and staff, one of the characteristics we enjoyed most at Buddy Dive was the personal touch and service oriented staff.
