PARKERS NEWS: February 2010
In this month's issue:
Featured Destination: Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga Rocks. The rebirth of a legend
 The Oyster Box, with its long, celebrated history and following an extensive two-year renovation and refurbishment programme, recently opened her doors for business. With all the luxurious comforts, elegance and charm of a bygone era, together with its historic lighthouse and breathtaking views, the new Oyster Box exceeds the expectations of even the most discerning visitor.
Staff training ensures the utmost in service delivery and is at the core of the Oyster Box's operation. Over 30 staff have been retained from the old Oyster Box and have undergone extensive training both internationally, with the Red Carnation Collection in Europe and locally, at sister hotels within the Red Carnation Hotels Collection, the Twelve Apostles in Cape Town, recent winner of 'Top City Hotel in Africa and The Middle East' in Travel + Leisure's 2009 Awards and 'The Best Hotel Spa In Africa and The Middle East' and Bushman's Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Spa in the Cederberg Mountains, winner of 'Best Hotel in The World' voted by Travel + Leisure 2009. Both the manager and the hotel's chef recently spent a month at the world-renowned 'Raffles Hotel' in Singapore.
Luxury abounds at the new Oyster Box, with 90 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, eight Garden Villas, each with its own private pool and a magnificent 450 sqm Presidential Suite, complete with private pool. The varied accommodation options will suit the needs of every guest, from individuals, to honeymoon couples and families (including your pets). Children are welcome with special facilities and a Kids Club provided, to give parents the rest they deserve.
Ask for us special rates
2010 World Cup News Update
 There are no guarantees in football - on or off the field. That much was evidenced with the hideous terror attack on the eve of the African Cup of Nations. Not surprisingly, the incident was immediately linked to the upcoming World Cup In South Africa, thousands of kilometres away. It's hard to believe that just weeks ago, South Africa was the toast of the international community. The magnificent 2010 Final Draw provided confirmation that South Africa was on target to present a safe and successful World Cup. The event which was broadcast around the world marked, in the words of Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan, 'the death of doubt'. And now this.
Jordaan has spent the past few days angrily pointing out that it is illogical to question South Africa's safety standards for the World Cup based on the attack on the Togolese soccer team in Angola. 'Angola is its own sovereign state with its own military, so if there's a security breach in Finland, we are not going to ask England to explain... it's illogical and if we apply that, it's double standards,' he said, adding that South Africa has hosted 147 major sporting events peacefully since 1994. Fair enough, but there are millions of people around the world, fuelled by negative media reports about post-apartheid South Africa and, of course, post-colonialist Africa.
So, how does this impact on the situation regarding the security of the World Cup. The reality is that other global mega sporting events have been targeted in the past i.e. Munich (1972) and Atlanta (1996). With this is mind, the South African government, FIFA, the 2010 Organising Committee and local and international crime-fighting organisations have, over the past few years, formulated a comprehensive security plan specific to the 2010 World Cup. SA National Defence Force Lieutenant General Vijay Ramlakal this week said the military has spent four years preparing and 'our level of readiness from a security point of view is higher than that of Germany'. There are, of course, no guarantees, but South Africa has clearly met all the requirements expected of it.
Featured Flora/Fauna: African Rock Python
 The African Rock Python is Africa's largest snake. It is non-venomous, killing its prey by constriction. In appearance, there is a large spearhead mark on the crown of the head. There are dark and light bands radiating from the eye to the lip. The body is grey-green to brown, with dark-brown, black-edged bars and blotches on top.
2 races are recognized: Python sebae and Python sebae natalensis. Adults normally measure up to 4 metres in length but specimens up to 6 metres have been recorded.
Pythons prefer an open savannah habitat but have been found in forest areas. In Southern Africa they are largely restricted to the north and north east areas, northern Botswana and northern Namibia and down the east coast of South Africa.
The female can lay between 30 to 50 eggs but 50% of them may be infertile. The female guards the eggs and only leaves for short intervals.
African rock pythons are highly dependent on water sources, and aestivate during the hottest and driest parts of the year, remaining deep in burrows made by other animals. They are opportunistic predators, and will consume almost any animal they come across, which they can overpower with constriction. Young pythons primarily eat small rodents. Adults are capable of taking very large prey, including crocodiles, goats and gazelles, making them a potential danger to livestock. The African Rock Python is noted for its aggressive response and readiness to bite if harassed.
Prepaid currency cards: The new way to spend your cash abroad
 Prepaid currency cards are safe, simple to use and can save you money when you are abroad on holiday.
Prepaid currency cards combine the budgeting advantage of travellers' cheques with the flexibility and security of a credit card
Do you want a 10 per cent discount on your next weekend away, no strings attached? With planning and basic web-savvy, that's how much you could save if you currently buy your spending money in high street or airport bureaux de change. Even habitual credit and debit-card travellers could secure savings of about five per cent
In recent months, the popularity of prepaid foreign currency cards has increased. This new breed of plastic combines the budgeting advantage of travellers' cheques with the flexibility and security of a credit card.
Getting hold of one is easy for anyone with a UK bank account. Apply online, choose the currency in which you'd like your card denominated (euros, dollars), load it with funds from your current account and wait for it to drop through the letterbox (typically less than two weeks later).
Though the cards work exactly like a debit card, your pot of money remains separate from your current account, and so is safer to manage from an overseas internet connection. It's free for you (or someone else) to top up. Charges are easy to understand or non-existent. Compare this with the various "loading", transaction and cash withdrawal fees when you use most UK plastic overseas.
According to Peter Ralph, head of operations at MyTravelCash: "The popularity of prepaid currency cards has risen as trust in banks has tumbled." The company has seen applications double every month since the website started eight months ago. When I checked rates last week, a MyTravelCash prepaid MasterCard (0845 867 6496; www.mytravelcash.com) loaded with €500 cost £457.41. A FairFX Currency Card (www.fairfx.com), also MasterCard, costs a little less at £451.47. Travelex's Cash Passport Visa (0800 015 0401; www.cashpassport.com) costs £460.87 for €500, and its uptake has increased rapidly since it introduced extra denominations in South African rand and Australian, NZ and Canadian dollars.
Check the charges, however. Although it's free to use any of these cards to make purchases, ATM cash withdrawal fees differ: a flat €1.25/$1.50 per withdrawal with MyTravelCash, €1.50/$2 with FairFX, but zero with a Cash Passport. There's also a hidden plus for anyone flying with Ryanair. Currently, a prepaid MasterCard is the only plastic that doesn't incur a booking fee.
If you prefer to carry cash, online bureaus offer rates closer to the interbank "wholesale" rate than customers can access on the high street or airport - and better rates than the prepaid cards. Remember, though, most travel insurance policies only reimburse a limited amount of lost or stolen cash. You'll also get a replacement card quicker than an insurance claim for lost currency ("within 24 hours", according to Travelex).
Easy-to-use online exchange services include TMS (www.travelmoneyservices.co.uk), ICE (www.iceplc.com) and Best Foreign Exchange (www.bestforeignexchange.com). Ideally you should consult www.travelmoneymax.com before ordering to see which offers the best rate on the day, and to check whether any have branches conveniently located to avoid paying (typically £5) for secure delivery to your home or workplace.
Gift Vouchers
 Our gift vouchers are the perfect present for anyone wild about travelling!
Whatever the occasion - anniversaries, honeymoons, birthdays - Parkers gift vouchers are the ideal gift for your family & friends. What a great way to help someone save towards their dream holiday!
Parkers gift vouchers are available in denominations of R700 (£50), R1500 (£110), and R7000 (£500), are valid for 24 months from the date of issue and can be redeemed against any Parker Travel group tour or tailor-made trip.
To order vouchers call us on (South Africa) 00 27 (0)35 590 1576 or (UK) 00 44 (0)207 993 5127 or email parker@parkertours.co.za
Send to Friends
Help us to help you, and them. With nearly 80% of our business stemming from recommendations and return visits by happy clients, this suggests we are doing something right. Help spread the message by suggesting to your friends, that they subscribe to our monthly Newsletters. It's free. Oh, and if you recommend someone who books a holiday with Parkers, we will give you a 10% discount off the cost of your next holiday with us!
Travel Blog
Write for our Travel blog and win one of our Holiday Gift Vouchers worth R1500 (£110)!!
"It was really a nice trip. We enjoyed our stay very much. Best of all we have liked the camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, the desert camp and the Norotshama River Resort.
The Tok Tokkie Trail was of course quite a special experience. We have found out interesting things about the life of the animals in the desert.
We have already considered where the next trip should go, but this is still far away. We would like to visit Epupa and Ruacana falls in Namibia, the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe and then in the direction of Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta back to Namibia. Maybe in September or October next year."
Above is an exert from one of our blog entries... Don't forget to send yours!
And if yours is the winning blog you can win a R1500 Gift Voucher from Parker Travel!
Please email your stories, memories and pictures to parker@parkertours.co.za and win!!!
Closing date is the 31st December 2010.
Want something for Free?
In these trying economic times, we are going to try and help by giving away a free Gift Voucher every month! That's Right, one free Voucher, every month.
How do you do it? Its simple, enter the competition link in this newsletter, and enter into our monthly draw. We will notify the winner by email and the result will be posted in our next newsletter. And your friends can enter too! So what have you got to lose?
What else is for free?
Well, for those of you who have already booked a holiday with us, you automatically qualify for a 5% discount off your next adventure, so don't forget to mention it in your next booking!
Competition
 Where am I?
Simply send us your answer on an email and your entry will be included in our monthly draw. The winner will receive a voucher worth R700 (£50) which can be redeemed against a future holiday with us.
Last month's pic was of the Cango Caves, and the lucky winner of a travel voucher is Karen Duckworth of Edinburgh, UK. Congratulations. Your prize is on it's way to you. Happy travelling!
Funny bones: A few more signs that can only be in Africa!
On one of the buildings of a Sierra Leone hospital: " Mental Health Prevention Centre."
In a maternity ward of a clinic in Tanzania: " No children allowed!"
In a cemetery in Uganda: " Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their graves".
In a Malawi hotel: "It is forbidden to steal towels please. If you are not a person to do such a thing, please don't read this notice."
Also inside a Malawian Lakeside bar: " We have agreed with the Banks that they sell No beer and we give No Credit!
A sign posted in an Algerian tourist camping park: "It is strictly forbidden on our camping site that people of different sex, for instance a man and woman, live together in one tent unless they are married to each other for that purpose."
Southern Africa - Excellent Value
The Rand is still hovering at around R12.5/£1 (R8/US$1), Compared to Dollar and Euro zone rates of exchange, South Africa still offers excellent value for money. This means you can afford that once-in-a-lifetime trip so take full advantage of the weak Rand and give yourself a wonderful holiday!
Using our currency brokers Moneycorp, remember you can lock into a very attractive rate of exchange now, even though your holiday plans may still be some way in the future. Ask us for more information.
As always we look forward to hearing from you, both newcomers to Parkers and members of the PT Survivors Club, and hatching the most marvellous holidays with you. Feel free to email or phone (including Skype) with any questions you may have about visiting Southern Africa and we'll be delighted to help.
|
