Luxury Travel Review
Looking for a new safari destination? The South Luangwa National Park may be for you
Dawn over the Nchendeni Hills
Photo: Josette King
Simon & Baker Travel Review Writer and Photographer Josette King visited the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia last fall. The park, according to experts, is home to some of the most intense concentration of game in Africa.
She particularly enjoyed her stay at several of the intimate luxury bush camps such as Chamilandu, Chindeni and Kuyenda, managed by the Bushcamp Company, one of only two companies operating within the 3,500 square mile wilderness of the park.
Each camp was ideally located to take advantage of the breathtaking vistas along the Luangwa River and its tributaries. The camps were the starting point for daily walking safaris and game drives. Click here to read more about Josette’s Luangwa Valley experience.
Elephants abound in the Luangwa Valley
Another property she visited in the park, Mfuwe Lodge, will be hosting a special week of “Animals in Action” November 17-24, 2007. During that week, guests will have an opportunity to join a host of internationally renowned personalities coming together at the lodge. They include Katy Payne, researcher and ground breaking expert in elephant communication from the United States); Jonathan and Angela Scott, wildlife photographers, TV presenters and authors from Kenya; Jonathan Truss, wildlife artist from the United Kingtom; and Phil Berry, world authority on giraffe from Zambia.
Derek Solomon, ornithologist and animal behavior specialist from Zambia; and Manda Chisanga, safari guide and specialist on traditional and medicinal uses of the local plants from Zambia will also be in attendance. Lodge guests that week will be able to participate in bush walks, game drives and lectures with time to interact with the guest speakers at bush breakfasts, lunches and sundowners on the banks of the river.
Festive French cremant offers light flavor and festive bubbles
Mann cremant label
Until a few months ago we had never heard of cremant, a French sparkling wine from the Alsace region near the German border. During the end of year holidays we had opportunity to sample several well chilled bottles in the U.S. and France. Although some were too syrupy for our taste, others were drier and a pleasant surprise.
The cremants were often well priced, especially when compared with their better known champagne cousins. This made them ideal candidates for impromptu get togethers and celebrations as well as for everyday toasting.
We enjoyed the cremant icy and in champgne flutes. They complimented light dishes such as seafood, pasta, salads and broth based soups. Heavier dishes like red meats, pork, spicy foods and dishes with complex sauces tended to overwhelm them.
Lucien Albrecht brut bottle
Lucien Albrecht, Domaine Albert Mann, Pierre Sparr and Willm are among the ones we sampled that are available for purchase in the U.S. Lucien Albrecht brut blanc de blancs is available in the U.S. through Pasternak Wine Imports. The Domaine Albert Mann, at first glance most memorable for its distinctive lable by François Bruetschy, is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Riesling. The fruity six year old is recommended by the bottler as an appertif and with oysters, shellfish and salmon.
We sampled the non vintage Pierre Sparr. It was crisp and refreshing. Pierre Sparr offered the only cremant d’Alsace we found available in a brut rose for a very reasonable $9.99. We also enjoyed the Willm blanc de blancs.
TripAdvisor invites visitors to read Simon & Baker Expert Guidebook reviews
An elephant in South Africa’s famous http://simonandbaker.com/kruger
Many websites point to Simon & Baker Travel Review articles including Expedia owned TripAdvisor.com. The popular website, where visitors share their opinions about hotels and attractions, features hyperlinks to more than 70 Simon & Baker Travel Review articles in the Expert Guidebook section.
TripAdvisor.com has links to Simon & Baker articles about international destinations and properties such as Kamalame Cay in The Bahamas, Plantation Club in the Seychelles, Royal Island in the Maldives, Guanahani Hotel in St. Barths (France), and Azulik in Tulum, Mexico.
It also points to many South Africa reviews such as Deception Valley Lodge, Cape Grace and Mount Nelson hotels in Cape Town, Ten Bompas Hotel in Johannesburg, Garonga Thornybush and Singita Lebombo game lodges in the http://simonandbaker.com/kruger area.
In the U.S., TripAdvisor directs visitors to read about Cheeca Lodge Hotel in the Florida Keys, Derek and Houstonian hotels in Houston, 1801 First, Beach House Half Moon, Honor Mansion, Omni San Francisco, Inn Above Tide, and Sea Rock Inn in California.
Recent Simon & Baker articles featured luxury accommodations and attractions in Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago), Cape Town and bush camps in Zambia.
Pelican wheel aboard case may also be safe for check in
While we were visting Tobago last year, there was a bomb scare in the U.K. that led to new stricter regulations on carry on bags, including not allowing any carry on baggage from U.K. airports for several weeks.
Concerned about our carry on items being damaged or stolen if we were prevented from carrying them with us, we searched high and low for options. Our goal was to find a carry on case with wheels capable of being checked in as luggage if security levels were elevated while we were on a trip. Our best find was the Pelican 1510. In it we we can accommodate a laptop and camera gear with less fear for their safety if we are forced to check the bag in with luggage during a trip.
If you have never seen Pelican cases before, they are used extensively in the military and civil agencies, such as fire and police. They are durable, chemical resistant and watertight cases that protect equipment and supplies for transport. The Pelican 1510 is designed to meet the carry on luggage size constraints of most major airlines,It comes with wheels and an extendable handle so it is easy to use.
There are several options available for the interior. We chose the foam blocks designed to allow the user to remove individual cells and form shapes to snugly hold equipment. In our case, we carry an entire professional photography setup, including multiple lenses and spare parts as well as a Sony Vaio laptop. On a recent trip to Africa, we found that this bag was perfect for use in the game viewing camps, as we could just hand it off to the porters to deliver to our rooms and trust that our equipment was safely cushioned.
Pelican also markets TSA approved locks that will secure this case if we ever have to check it with regular luggage. We hope it never comes to this, but if the worst happens while we are out there traveling, we at least have the option to keep our equipment safe and sound if it has to go into the belly of the plane. We hope!
2007 Tourism for Tomorrow finalists announced
Investor in People Award finalist 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, Philippines
The World Travel & Tourism Council recently announced 12 finalists in four categories for the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognise and promote leading examples of best practice in responsible tourism development in four categories: Destination, Conservation, Investor in People, and Global Tourism Business.
Destination Award finalist Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
The finalists were selected from 130 applications from over 40 different countries representing seven continents. The finalists for the Destination Award are Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Greenbox Trading As Responsible Tourism, Ireland and The State of Vermont, USA. For the Conservation Award, they are Aqua-Trek in the Fiji Islands and USA; the Aspen Skiing Company, USA, and the Caiman Ecological Refuge in Brazil.
Conservation Award finalist Caiman Ecological Refuge, Brazil
For the Investor in People Award they are 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts in the Philippines; the Nihiwatu Resortin Indonesia and the Sunderbans Jungle Camp in India. For the Global Tourism Business Award, the finalists are Lindblad Expeditions in the USA and Global; Six Senses Resorts & Spas in Thailand and Global and Wilderness Safaris in South Africa.
Global Tourism Business Award finalist Lindblad Expeditions
One of our teams visited three Wilderness Safaris properties in Botswana. To read about their experiences click on the name of the property Camp Okavango, Xigera and their favorite, King’s Pool.
*Photos: 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, Australia Great Barrier Reef, Caiman Ecological Refuge, and Lindblad Expeditions.
The Olive Shed at Tokara releases limited production distinctive olive oils
The Olive Shed extra virgin olive oils Mission and Frantoio varietals
Photos: Tokara
Recently after lunch at Tokara, the increasingly well known Stellenbosch eatery on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, we had a chance to visit the adjacent olive factory, The Olive Shed. The cozy shop sells four kinds of premium limited release extra virgin olive oils: Frantoio, Leccino, Mission and Multi-Varietal. We brought back two small bottles (250 ml) of the Mission and Frantoio varietals to sample, and luckily they survived the transatlantic flight.
The medium-bodied Mission Varietal has a light peppery flavor. Tokara recommends it with steamed or boiled fish, pasta, salads, and for home-made mayonnaise. The Frantoio Varietal Frantoio has a fuller stronger flavor. It is recommended for red meats and broths.
Since they began producing olive oil in 2002, twenty hectares of olive trees (about 10,000 trees) have been planted on the three Tokara properties: the Tokara farm on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, Highlands in the Elgin district and Siberia in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. A single olive tree produces about 40 kilos of olives representing about eight liters of oil per tree.
The olives are picked between March and July to capture the fruity and peppery flavours. Once pressed the olive oil is left in the tanks to settle for two months before bottling. To qualify as extra virgin, olive oils must not exceed the limit of .8 percent free fatty acids. Tokara olive oils are well below that threshold at .3 percent.
Although they are only sold in South Africa, Tokara is able to ship orders abroad. Customers can order Tokara extra virgin olive oils by email, phone and fax.
