#Cape Town cruise

[savvytravelers]

Eco-friendly Africa Cruise

Cruise responsibly with Savvy Travelers on an Eco-friendly Africa Cruise, preserving the beauty of Africa's natural wonders for future generations!

[mailnews]

CRYSTAL CRUISES

CRUZEIROS pela ÁFRICA, com sua espetacular VIDA SELVAGEM - Cape Town, Seychelles, Ghana

http://images.mailnews.com.br/mail/CRYSTALCRUISES-02-JUL24/crystal-cruises-02-jul24.html

Caso não consiga visualizar o informativo, por favor acesse www.mailnews.com.br, e procure em INFORMATIVOS MAIS RECENTES, no canto esquerdo superior da página. Este informativo é publicado pela Mailnews e direcionado exclusivamente aos Agentes de Viagens.

[ltwilliammowett]

James Skyrme a Welsh pirate

One of Bartholomew Robert's captains was the Welshman James Skyrme (c. 1678-1722)

His flag, according to a description by Captain Ogle

Not much is known about him (only what Captain Ogle later reported), except that he sailed from Bristol in the summer of 1720 as first mate of the Greyhound. That October, Bartholomew Roberts captured a dozen ships off St Lucia, including the Greyhound. After her capture, Skyrme signed her articles and joined Roberts' crew while Roberts burned the Greyhound.

Two French ships attacked Roberts in April 1721, but were themselves captured by the pirates. Roberts renamed the ships, handed over command of the Ranger to Thomas Sutton and gave the Little Ranger to the Skyrme, which Roberts used as a storage ship. Sailing alongside Roberts, they captured a number of other ships and their crews. Later that year, Roberts docked at Cape Lopez to cruise, replacing Sutton with Skyrme as captain of the Ranger.

In February 1722, Captain Chaloner Ogle of HMS Swallow baited Roberts with an attack on his 50-gun warship. Mistaking it for a fleeing merchant ship, Roberts sent Skyrme with the Ranger to capture it. When the Ranger was alone, Ogle set the trap and opened fire on the pirates. After a brief skirmish, Ranger was badly damaged, several pirates had been killed, and Skyrme's leg had been severed by cannon fire. Skyrme tried to continue the fight, but the Ranger finally struck the flag and surrendered. Desperate pirates tried to blow up the Rangers by firing a pistol into a barrel of gunpowder, but they failed and were badly burned. Five days after the victory over Skyrme, Ogle returned to Cape Lopez and destroyed the rest of Roberts' fleet; Roberts died early in the battle. Swallow took the survivors and the badly wounded Skyrme to Cape Coast Castle, where they were tried and most of them, including Skyrme, were hanged in March.

Ranger herself survived the battle against Ogle's Swallow, though not much longer. She was sent back across the Atlantic as a prize ship and sank off Port Royal when a hurricane devastated the town in August 1722.

The Pirate Encyclopedia: The Pirate's Way, by Arne Zuidhoek

Pirates: The Truth Behind the Robbers of the High Seas, by Nigel Cawthorne

Black Bart Roberts: The Greatest Pirate of Them All, by Terry Breverton

Daily Life of Pirates, by Marley David

[therealvinelle]

Do you think Heidi and the Volturi would look at the Titanic sinking and go "Hrm, a cruise ship disaster, that's a good way to get a lot of humans and make them disappear"?

Like maybe not regularly but if they had an emergency "we need 1500 people as fast as possible because I guess we're throwing a big feast idk"?

Oh god no.

The first rule to making 1500 people disappear is you don't make 1500 people disappear. You physically can't, at no point in history have 1500 people been able to disappear without people noticing. The reason we know so many painstaking details about the RMS Titanic, who was where when and exactly how the ship was built, is that a massive investigation was launched into how the ship sank. You'll remember the Malaysian Airline disaster a few years back, and you remember it because of the amount of attention and resources that were poured into uncovering what had happened.

In times past you might have been able to make away with a ship more easily and have it be noticed later, because the absence of wireless communication systems meant a ship not making it to port could simply mean they were delayed. Even then, though, people would notice and it would attract a lot of attention. The SS Waratah, which departed for Cape Town from Durban in July of 1909 and was expected to reach her destination on the 29th of July, had people looking for her on August 1st even if she wasn't reported officially missing until much later. An inquiry was launched the next year, with an emphasis on "Why haven't we found anything?". This was a 211 passenger casualty: imagine the inquiry, the search effort, for a 1500 passenger ship.

Even with the RMS Titanic many of the dead had worn life vests, several hundred people were recovered in the months after the disaster. There were bodies sighted around the place the SS Waratah had last been seen, though none were recovered. Point being, what's lost at sea is not always lost at sea. Heidi would have to create a record of her 1500 people having been aboard the ship she intends to sink, without them actually being on board or else she has to somehow ensure none of them will float to the surface after the fact.

You'll notice the ships on this wiki site generally have a few things in common: they had a lot of passengers and they were not expected to be lost. A fishing boat might be lost without attracting much surprise, this was something people knew to expect. During wartime, doubly so.

A ship containing any number of passengers, though, that wasn't expected to be lost, that will have people talking about it, investigating, trying to find out what happened even if we go back a few centuries. In the modern age, the search would be on every headline.

The Volturi would not be able to keep the secret for any amount of time if they attempted anything like this.

[stephensmithuk]

The Valley of Fear: Epilogue

CW Discussion on suicide in one link.

I have covered Victorian courts in this post:

I would remark that it is a bit odd for a murder case to be dealt with at a Quarter Sessions. Also, he could also have been charged over hiding the relevant evidence and wasting a lot of police time. We call that perverting the course of justice here:

Deviltry is an archaic variant of "devilry".

People going overboard is still a regular occurrence on cruise ships today; less than a quarter are rescued - most are never found.

A gale is a term for strong winds that tends to be used more in nautical contexts in the US, but in British English would cover stuff on land as well.

There would be no good reason for a passenger to be outside on an ocean liner in those sort of conditions unless it was a dire emergency. Even being inside would be uncomfortable and possibly hazardous if things were not secured properly.

Saint Helena is an island in the South Atlantic, best known as the location of the second and final exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, who died there in 1821, his body being returned to Paris for burial. Colonised by the British in 1656, it was a major stopover for ships heading the long way round Africa, the only option until the Suez Canal opened. Still a British territory, it is one of the remotest places in the world - until the airport opened in 2017, the only way to get there was a five-day sea voyage from Cape Town.

A triphammer is a powered hammer, typically by the use of a water wheel, therefore more powerful than a sledgehammer. Holmes is doing one of my personal favourite things in wordplay, extending a metaphor.

Of course, Holmes will encounter this "old master" again in a future story, which will be covered again later this year.

****

So, that is the final one of my historical context posts on the Sherlock Holmes canon.

I would like to thank you very much for reading, liking, reposting and commenting. I hope it is been a pleasure to read and that you've learnt something.

I certainly did.

I would sign off with a Holmes quote, but I honestly can't think of a good one, so I will use one of another logical thinker:

Live long and prosper.

[airplaneniner]

PINNED/INTRO POST

Let's try this again since Tumblr borked the last one. Finally getting around to doing this, may be updated as time goes on.

The name's AirplaneNiner, but call me Niner. Other names include Airplane, Plane, Plen, Neener, and (before 2021) Airplaneguy9

19 years old. Born August 17, 2005, blah blah baby yes very funny. I try to keep this blog PG, but some NSFW may slip through the cracks. I'm fine with minors as long as they don't interact with those posts

South African 🇿🇦, from Cape Town. Whether I'm proud of it or not depends on the phases of Ganymede

Neurodivergent (AuDHD)

Cis hetero male, my pronouns are he/him. I stand with all my LGBTQ+ friends, and I will block anyone who dares speak against them. Please be patient with me if I accidentally say something that could be considered homophobic or transphobic, and tell me so I can learn from it

For obvious reasons, TERFs will be blocked and decimated on sight

Pro-Palestine 🇵🇸. I have zero tolerance for Zionists

Athiest. Any religious stuff will be swiftly ignored

Standard DNI (proshippers etc.). Don't be a dick, basically

My interests:

Super into civil aviation, currently studying for my pilot's license (30 hours + first solo so far). If you talk to me about it I will not shut up

Flight simmer with 3000+ hours on multiple sims. My main sim is Prepar3D v4.5

I also like cruise ships, and have been getting into public transit

I have been maintaining a realistic fictional African country for over ten years called Koquwa, but I probably won't mention it much unless people ask me to

God's strongest Bocchi the Rock fan. Loyal fan of Kessoku Band for 2+ years. I write fics sometimes

I also absolutely love Stardust Telepath, Love Bullet, Girls Band Cry, Revue Starlight, and Kirara in general. Huge animanga fan

Geometry Dash player. 240hz, hardest is Windy Landscape, on-off progress on Acu (21%)

Other fandoms I'm in: Minecraft (Build the Earth, MTR, citybuilding servers), Terraria, Hollow Knight, Pokemon Gen 1/2 glitchology, and Rhythm Heaven

My favorite food is Samyang Buldak Spicy Ramyun. I eat it every Wednesday while watching one episode of an anime per week with friends.

[chrisframeofficial]

Cunard 2025 Special Event Cruises

With 2025 now in full swing, let's look at the biggest and best Cunard event voyages coming this year, so you can work out which special voyage you’d most like to be on!

Queen Anne Maiden World Cruise:

Queen Anne is about to set sail on her maiden world cruise, with maiden calls at New York, Miami, the Panama Canal, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong, Cape Town and Tenerife, to name just a few.

I am particularly excited for this trip, as I’ll be aboard as a guest speaker during the New Zealand leg of the voyage! Having last been aboard Queen Anne during her maiden voyage, I am keen to experience this new Cunarder again!

Great Australian Culinary Voyage:

The 2010-built Queen Elizabeth is completing its final Australian cruising season, before relocating to the Caribbean later this year. She will host the Great Australian Culinary Voyage to Tasmania between 6 and 11 February.

Special guests Matt Moran – a well-known Australian TV chef and restauranteur will headline a team of Aussie food personalities providing enrichment for guest aboard.

Film Festival:

Cunard’s 2004-built flagship, Queen Mary 2, will be the host ship for their 2025 Film Festival at Sea. Sailing from 8-15 March. The film festival crossing is in partnership with the BFI and will feature film screenings in Illuminations, the ship’s 3D cinema and planetarium.

Cunard 185th Anniversary:

Queen Mary 2 will also host the 185th anniversary transatlantic crossing event – another voyage I am very excited about! I will be aboard as a headline guest speaker, along with Dr. Stephen Payne – the designer of Queen Mary 2!

This voyage sails from 24 June to 1 July, so just a few days ahead of the actual 185th anniversary of Britannia’s maiden departure on 4 July 1840.

However, back in May 1840, Cunard’s first ever ship – the Unicorn – sailed across the Atlantic to commence the first Cunard voyage before Britannia even entered service. Unicorn was a smaller steamer that Cunard purchased to run a ferry service in Canada, and in June 1840 she was causing quite a stir with the local press, creating great interest in the new steamship service.

Dance the Atlantic:

Dance the Atlantic will take place aboard QM2 from 8-15 August 2025 and sees Cunard partner with English National Ballet. There will be ballet classes in the Royal Court Theatre, and performances aboard the ship during the transatlantic crossing.

Symphony:

September 3-10 will see QM2 welcome Anthony Inglis and the United Kingdom’s National Symphony Orchestra aboard for a series of performances in the Royal Court Theatre.

Voyage du Vin:

In October, the Voyage du Vin will set sail aboard Queen Victoria. This cruise, from 13-24 October features talks and tastings from wine experts, and is hosted in partnership with Corney & Barrow, one of the oldest independent wine merchants in the UK.

Special Crossings:

QM2 is home to the final two event voyages of 2025, with the Transatlantic fashion week crossing from 31 October to 7 November, and the Literary Festival at Sea from 8-15 December.

Both the fashion week voyage and Literary festival are eastbound crossings from New York to Southampton.

[savvytravelers]

African Cruise Tours

Wilderness Odyssey: Exploring Africa's Majesty

Africa offers some of the most breathtaking wildlife viewing opportunities and picturesque landscapes, inspiring countless works of art. Combining a river cruise with a safari adventure opens doors to exploration, with five distinct itineraries to choose from. Discover iconic sites like Cape Town's Table Mountain and the historic home of Nelson Mandela with Savvy Travelers.

Wildlife / National Parks

Explore the wonders of the Greater Kruger, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Serengeti national parks, along with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Witness Africa's majestic elephants swimming freely, graceful giraffes bending for a drink, and the powerful presence of rhinos resting nearby.

Cape Town

From the iconic Table Mountain to the dramatic coastal roads leading to the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town offers a blend of natural beauty and cultural richness. Experience the thrill of whale watching or marvel at a colony of penguins at Boulders Beach.

Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruises

Discover Africa

Embark on a journey through Cape Town's treasures, then venture into Namibia for a Chobe River safari cruise. Encounter Africa's wildlife wonders and conclude your adventure with the majestic Victoria Falls.

Rivers & Rails of Africa

Experience the luxury of the Rovos Rail after exploring Cape Town. Sail through the Chobe National Park, witness the mighty elephants, and journey through Zimbabwe to South Africa.

Wildlife and the Falls

Check off the "Big Five" with a thrilling wildlife adventure in Greater Kruger National Park and a visit to Victoria Falls, before exploring Johannesburg's rich heritage.

Stars of South Africa

From Cape Town to Johannesburg, embark on a journey filled with cultural immersion and wildlife encounters, culminating in the pristine wilderness of Greater Kruger National Park.

Golden Trails of Africa

Begin your adventure in Johannesburg or Cape Town, cruise the Chobe River, and explore the wonders of Tanzania's luxury lodges.

Included on Your Wildlife Cruise

Luxurious accommodations with air-conditioned balcony suites

Personalized service from trained Cruise Managers

Onboard dining featuring regional cuisine and traditional African dinner

Excursions include Chobe National Park safari and private boat safaris

Included on Your Africa Safari

Land packages featuring stays at luxurious hotels and lodges

Guided tours of iconic landmarks like Cape of Good Hope and Victoria Falls National Park

Exclusive experiences such as sundowner cruises and vintage steam train receptions

Authentic Experiences

Immerse yourself in Africa's diverse cultures and traditions, enhancing your journey with enriching encounters.

Sought-After Souvenirs

Support local artisans and villages with unique souvenirs from your African adventure.

The Distinctive Zambezi Queen

Experience wildlife up close aboard the Zambezi Queen, designed for eco-friendly cruising along Africa's legendary Chobe River.

Regional Cuisine

Savor a variety of flavorful dishes prepared by expert chefs aboard the Zambezi Queen, offering a blend of traditional African flavors and Western favorites.

Local Recipes

Take a piece of Africa home with you by trying out some delicious local recipes, including Oxtail Stew, Malva Pudding, and Lemon Meringue Pie.

Embark on an Africa river cruise expedition through Africa with Savvy Travelers, where every moment promises awe-inspiring encounters with nature's majesty. From the vibrant streets of Cape Town to the tranquil waters of the Chobe River, each destination offers a glimpse into Africa's rich tapestry of wildlife and culture. Join us on this unforgettable adventure and discover the true essence of the wild!

[beardedmrbean]

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — An aquarium in South Africa is stretched beyond capacity after more than 500 baby sea turtles were washed up on beaches by a rare and powerful storm and rescued by members of the public.

The little turtles are mostly endangered loggerheads and should be cruising the ocean. Most of them instead will spend the first few months of their lives in newly built plastic tanks at the Turtle Conservation Center at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. The aquarium is rehabilitating around 400 of the roughly 530 sick and injured turtles that were brought in, while sending the rest to two other aquariums to spread the load.

Baby turtles have to fend for themselves from the moment they hatch on beaches and make their way to the ocean.

In South Africa, loggerheads hatch on the northeast coast on the far side of the country from Cape Town. These turtles were likely sucked in by the warm Indian Ocean Agulhas Current, carried around the tip of South Africa and spat out in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Town.

That's fairly common, said Talitha Noble-Trull, the head of the Turtle Conservation Center. She's in charge of treating the new arrivals.

What isn't normal is the powerful storm that recently hit the Cape Town area, leaving hundreds of baby turtles needing help.

The conservation center usually receives a few to maybe 100 stranded young turtles in the three to four months after hatching season. It has a normal capacity of 150 turtles.

“What we haven’t seen before is over 500 turtles in two weeks, which is what the last little bit of time has brought us,” Noble-Trull said. “My budgeting plans for the year have really gone out the window.”

She estimated that each turtle will cost $500 to get back to full strength before being released into the warmer Indian Ocean in a few months. The Turtle Conservation Center has brought in a small army of volunteers to help the aquarium's full-time staff care for them.

The turtles are ranked according to how sick they are, with some needing intensive care due to injuries, malnutrition or infection. A number is written on each shell to identify them.

While the storm was a major shock to the turtles, who are vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change, it has given Noble-Trull and other conservationists a valuable insight into another increasingly common danger.

Many of the turtles had ingested small pieces of plastic, which exited their systems after they arrived at the aquarium. Noble-Trull has a tray of plastic pieces collected in just one day, some as big as a fingernail.

The conservation team normally wouldn't see that amount of evidence of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Turtles spend almost all their lives in the ocean, apart from when they're born and when females return to shore to lay eggs. Because of that, they're “ocean indicators,” Noble-Trull said.

“Little bits of soft plastic, little bits of hard plastic are floating all along the oceans and turtles are eating them. So, for us it’s very important to be collecting and capturing this data. Because these turtles are coming at us with a message. They’re not telling us. They’re shouting it at us. That our oceans are not a safe place for turtles.”

[ruohteloiv]

Gay Gibson (16 June 1926 – 18 October 1947)

TW: True Crime, Death, Disturbing details.

"a beastly thing to do"

Re-coloured photo rendering of actress 'Gay Gibson' (Eileen Isabella Ronnie Gibson) - who went missing from the Durban Castle during a voyage between Cape Town, South Africa and Southampton, England in 1947.

The criminal case that followed was known as the Porthole Murder. Deck steward James Camb would later be convicted, after admitting to pushing Gay's body through her cabin porthole, discarding of the corpse 25 feet into the "shark infested" depths below.

Camb denied killing Gibson, claiming she had died of a "sudden illness" during consensual intercourse. He disposed of her body in a panic, fearing for his job, later describing this as "a beastly thing to do". Camb was sentenced to death, but a suspension of the death penalty meant he served just 11 years for the murder, though was later convicted of unrelated crimes - an additional 10 years.

It seems apparent through subsequent interviews with fellow shipmates and previous coworkers of Gay Gibson, that she did infact suffer with ongoing health issues, including an undisclosed heart problem and fainting spells. Evidence examined at the trial saw significant injuries to Camb's wrist, Gay's urine on her cabin bed and blood on her pillow. Gay was possibly pregnant at the time of her death.

Sources:

Death of an Actress - Antony M Brown

Death Cruise - cruiselinehistory.com

Wikipedia

[ltwilliammowett]

HMS Hydra at Cape Bagur, 7 August 1807, by British School, c. 1833

On a board on the back of the picture is the inscription; 'On August 6 the British 'Hydra' 38 guns, Captain George Mundy, cruising off Catalonia, chased into the Spanish harbour of Bagur an armed ship and two brigs. On the following morning these vessels were discovered lying under the protection of a battery. About 1 pm the 'Hydra' opened fire, which was quickly returned and followed by an hour's close action. A division of boats under Lieutenant E O'B Drury then left the British frigate and after a gallant attack captured the fort and in a short time the town. At 5.30 pm Lieutenant Drury gained entire possession of the vessels. The captured ships were the 'Principe', 'Eugenio', 'Bella Carolina' and 'Carmen del Rosario'. The British loss was one seaman killed and six wounded.'

[blurredblonde]

BUCKET LIST, including the strange, the wild, the weird, and the borderline undoable

Go to a nude beach

spread eagle naked towards the sun

use Pinterest business to do brand links and get any amount of $$ from that alone

go to a pole dancing class

try hot yoga

do a burlesque show in Melbourne

post an animation to youtube

start a webtoon

learn to sew

get an apartment by myself

get an apartment with friends

post a shitty homemade music video in a lana del rey way with the help of friends

get a perm

visit coney island

be 125 pounds

get a the dachshund tattoo

post a vlog like im famous

be a extra in a movie

act in a gay indie movie like norman reedus

go to a gorillaz concert

get a snake

get a record player

meet a sugar mommy

go to a jazz bar alone

get a dressed up like a old hollywood star and go have a night on the town

get my license

own a mustang

ride a motorcycle

go to a mosh pit

go to a rave

get black out drunk

go skinny dipping

publish a art book

own a beach house

get a red gingham bikini

take a slutty picture in a american flag bikini and post it to instagram

go diving with whale sharks

be a art director on a project

do a mural on a wall

complete a painting on an obnoxiously large canvas

make a pop song with no knowledge of music or mixing

work on a big animated film

Do a boudoir photoshoot

party in paris

do a full cosplay

pet a pigeon

get a scuba diving license

explore an abandoned building

kiss a stranger

get in a fist fight

flash my boobs at something

attend a figure drawing class

be the nude model at a figure drawing class

receive fanart of my own characters

create a reel showing school doodles

be the cinematographer for a project

take a history class

be a dive instructor

post a animation meme to a jack stauber song

go on vacation all by myself

have sex

be in a youtube video

go on the video side of omegle

visit japan

go to a film festival

jump off a pier

do a pin-up photoshoot

go to an acting interview

heh

open an online store

do artist alley at a convention

cross country roadtrip with friends

stargaze on top of a car

invest in stocks and real estate

go on a cruise to thailand and thrift there

go to the new york library

visit bora bora

learn to play guitar

draw on the sidewalk with chalk

nurture and take care of a plant

grow my own food

get chickens

join a club in uni

take a pottery class

work out in a gym

surf a barrel

buy a surfboard

meditate for 50 days in a row

travel in a van

fly first class

go on a blind date

buy and fill a photo album book

kiss in the rain

do a thirty-day photography challenge and post the whole thing

explore the woods by my house

go to a ball/masquerade party

host a dinner party

say yes to everything for a day

grow my hair past my ass

become mildly fluent in french

attend golbeins animation workshop

buy an obnoxiously large rug

smell the tomford cherry perfume

get a Brazilian wax

get henna done

go to Brisbane museum by myself

get my i.d

go wine tasting

visit Miami

Meet my online best friend

dine at the ritz

go on a gameshow

do tent camping

win a sweepstake

create a artist porfolio/website

be featured in a gallery

go to okinawa

learn to ballroom dance

ride a horse on a beach/ and or backwards

go to a country club

bake a pie

buy a tourist t-shirt

do a escape room

live in Santa Barbara

stay in cape cod

belly dancing class

get my art viral on tiktok

do a commision

buy a fancy wardrobe

have a room with a slanted roof

sleep in a pool in an inflatable pool

snuggle with nurse sharks

bayonetta mui mui glasses.

go out in a pair of high heels

do a show at a convention

stay at the madonna inn

do lesbian handkerchief flagging in public

do a 'nude' photoshoot

own every sims 4 pack

complete a sims4 generations challenge

play subnautica

swim a motel pool at night

pick a girl from a bar

get a drinks bought for me

smoke a ciggrette

try mixology

get a hickey

have a friend or myself sew vintage patterns

wear a tailored suit

buy real cowgirl boots

bathe in a heart shaped tub

take a rose petal bath

stick a polaroid of myself somewhere public

use spray paint

do a vintage glamour competition

own a house with stain glass windows

go to a cathedral

get pink lace curtains

paint a room

milk a cow

replay Detriot become human

do a live stream

do a lesbian event like a cruise or smth

go to a pride parade

participate on a float in a parade

be a scare actor

act in a play

see a broadway show

shoot a gun

drive a convertible

see lana del rey in concert

do modelling work

do a commercial

buy a sewing machine

drive the road without directions

write a screenplay

submit a film for a competition

pitch an animated show

take a opportunity that scares me

do public karaoke

buy a shitty 2000s camera

get a boat license

buy a boat

go to a random diner

sell clothes on depop

play a drinking game with mates

stay in a hotel with mates

do a draw my life

do a drawing for each section of my Pinterest board

get my fortune told/ future read

buy some mega flare jeans

post a picture of myself to Pinterest/ start a 'me' board

buy some colorful tights

get blue streaks through my blonde hair like aquamarine

drop in on a skateboard

buy a castle

party at Hearst castle

post another fanfic to ao3

dress up in a slutty Halloween costume,its a rite of passage

bake and decorate a fancy cake for someone

[bloginetqscwdqwdcqwlfdqw]

Tourist Areas in South Africa Everyone Should Experience

South Africa is a land of breathtaking landscapes, diverse cultures, and vibrant cities. From pristine beaches to majestic mountains, there is something for everyone to explore and enjoy. Here are some must-visit tourist areas in South Africa that everyone should experience:

You can read Top Tourist Attractions in Africa That You Have to See with Your Own Eyes in the following article

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is one of Africa's largest game reserves, renowned for its diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes. Visitors can embark on unforgettable safaris to spot the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros) as well as a myriad of other species.

Table Mountain

Dominating the skyline of Cape Town, Table Mountain offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding coastline. Visitors can hike to the summit or take a cable car ride to enjoy breathtaking vistas and explore the unique flora and fauna of this iconic landmark.

Cape Winelands

The Cape Winelands region is famous for its picturesque vineyards, historic towns, and world-class wines. Visitors can indulge in wine tastings, gourmet cuisine, and scenic drives through rolling hills and valleys, making it a must-visit destination for food and wine enthusiasts.

Garden Route

Stretching along the southern coast of South Africa, the Garden Route is a scenic paradise renowned for its lush forests, pristine beaches, and charming towns. Visitors can explore nature reserves, go whale watching, or simply relax and enjoy the natural beauty of this coastal gem.

Robben Island

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Robben Island holds great historical significance as the former prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years. Visitors can take guided tours of the island to learn about its poignant history and the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

Located in Cape Town, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a vibrant cultural and entertainment hub offering a wide range of attractions, including shops, restaurants, museums, and outdoor activities. Visitors can take boat trips to Robben Island or simply soak up the lively atmosphere.

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in South Africa, including deep gorges, towering cliffs, and cascading waterfalls. Visitors can explore hiking trails, go birdwatching, or take boat cruises to admire the breathtaking vistas.

Addo Elephant National Park

As South Africa's third-largest national park, Addo Elephant National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including elephants, lions, and buffalo. Visitors can enjoy game drives, guided walks, and horseback safaris to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.

Durban Beachfront

With its golden sands and warm waters, Durban Beachfront is a popular destination for sunseekers and water sports enthusiasts. Visitors can enjoy swimming, surfing, or simply strolling along the promenade and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of this coastal city.

Drakensberg Mountains

The Drakensberg Mountains offer some of the most spectacular scenery in South Africa, with rugged peaks, deep valleys, and cascading waterfalls. Visitors can explore hiking trails, go rock climbing, or simply relax and enjoy the tranquility of this majestic mountain range.

These are just a few of the many incredible tourist areas in South Africa that everyone should experience. Whether you're a nature lover, history buff, or simply looking for adventure, South Africa has something for everyone to enjoy.

[iridessa-sol]

it was iridessa sol’s birthday. which meant the levels of debauchery had no bounds for the day and the rhpd were likely in full tactical gear in preparation for whatever the hurricane that was iridessa was going to get up to. over the previous years her birthdays displayed antics such as: having a party that lasted three days by holding a bounce house shaped like kermit the frog hostage, single handedly causing half the rhpd to have a breakdown, life size tiny car mario cart, and who could forget somehow ending up in the flamingo enclosure at the zoo while dressed as a flamingo. yes, birthdays were good. this years one would be no different and it started off with her morning mimosa while she cruised around town in her tiny car with a queens cape and crown. let the birthday celebrations begin.

@happieststarters​

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Fat Music, Volume 4: Life in the Fat Lane 1999 Punk Rock / Pop-Punk / Skate Punk / Hardcore Punk

Fuck, man. I don't listen to nearly as much punk rock as I used to when I first started this stupid blog, but this is a CD that really makes me want to go back to exploring it regularly again. Here we have a late 90s dispatch from the Fat Music sampler series, which was put out by the prolific Fat Wreck Chords, the label run by Fat Mike of NOFX and his then-wife, Erin.

Now, two of my favorite things in punk rock—especially mid-to-late 90s punk rock—are melodic anthems as well as the really speedy skate stuff that comes with rapid, always changing, and mashing drumbeats. And when those two things get combined, as happens somewhat often on this release, I am fully on board. Plus, I also don't know how many of these bands actually hail from the SoCal area, but the ones that do seem to kick the most ass out of all of them 🤘.

Lagwagon, from Goleta (a town just outside of Santa Barbara), open up this comp with "May 16," a song that hooks you right in with its power chords as the band's two guitarists lay down a thick bed of noise and vocalist Joey Cape soars above in his own satisfying high pitch; then the speediest demons from Simi Valley, Strung Out, cruise at 120 in the left lane across the unfortunately named Ronald Reagan Freeway in "The Exumation of Virginia Madison," which also includes a pretty gnarly solo in its second half; and then LA's own NOFX, themselves, deliver an exclusive called "The Plan," a song that ridicules the willfully politically ignorant and seems to serve as a possible precursor to their famed, 18-plus-minute opus, "The Decline," which begins with an iconic pair of questions that pick up from where "The Plan" left off: "Where are all the stupid people from? And how'd they get to be so dumb?"

Never actually dug into this Fat Music series before, but judging by the quality of a bunch of these tunes here, it looks like I might need to check more them out 🤔.

Highlights:

Lagwagon - "May 16" Frenzal Rhomb - "Do You Wanna Fight Me" Strung Out - "The Exumation of Virginia Madison" Avail - "Taken" NOFX - "The Plan" Snuff - "Keep the Beat" Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - "My Favorite Things"

[aroundtheworldin214days]

July 4, 2023 - Day 190

Hubbard’s Glacier, Alaska

In the comments section “easyasgoingtothedentist” asked the following question so I thought I would try and answer. My response is probably too long but I wanted to give it a go so here it is.

Question = “It’s hard to believe you have been on this journey for half a year now. With one month remaining, would you reflect on your favorite places and where you would return to? Any comments on the world atmosphere post-Covid which you have experienced? How about any interesting people you have met on the ship? Which ports did they embark? What nationality were they? It has been really fun to read of your escapades. Thank you. Oh- and could you please post a map of the rest of your ports-o-call?”

Thank you for your note. I appreciate that someone is actually looking at this. It is hard to answer your first question because there have been so many but let me give you a few statistics before I try.

On this trip we have visited 44 countries with 117 stops in different cities. I keep track of how far we go each day and the two screenshots below show my mileage markers. To date we have traveled 51,430 miles and have 7,195 miles to go for a total voyage of 58,625 miles. As far as the rest of the voyage we will be visiting Sitka, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Victoria, Astoria, San Francisco, Cabo San Lucas, Zihuatanejo, Puerto Quetzal, Puentarenas, Cartagena and Great Stirrup Bay in that order. We weren’t allowed to land in Peru or Myanmar because of political unrest and missed Kodiak Island and Hubbard’s Glacier because of weather. Because of CoVid we were the first cruise ship to return to many of the ports and there were extremely happy to see us. Bands, dancing and big welcome signs were common. Many of these places depend on the tourist business and there were many closed businesses and restaurants that didn’t survive.

The average age of people on the ship is 72, the oldest is 92 and the youngest is 23. Five people have died during the voyage, there was one helicopter evacuation because of a heart attack, there have been 8 people that have broken arms, legs and wrists because of falls and 2 couples have been kicked off the ship because of misbehavior. The ship doesn’t advertise these events so there may have been more but these are the ones I know about.

Three hundred and fifty of the Around The World passengers got on and will get off in San Francisco. Fifty seven got on and off in Miami and NewYork. Half the passengers are from the US, 25 % from Canada and the rest from other countries including Switzerland, Germany, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Israel, Mexico, Columbia, Turkey and two Ukrainians. The passengers are fairly affluent with representation from all races, colors and nationalities. Most are retired but some still working a little. The professions include medical Doctors, lawyers, engineers, book authors, a retired bus driver, a police detective, a tobacco factory owner, university professors, bed and breakfast owners, medical laboratory technicians, the owner of a Canadian lumber company, the chief architect for Home Depot, high school superintendents, a physiologist and many more that I don’t know.

The crew is even more diverse. The Captain is from Croatia and most of the officers from Eastern Europe. There are only about 8 of the crew that actually work for the cruise line the rest work through a contract company and are mostly Indian, Philippino and Indonesian. The chef and ship manager are French.

As far as places I would like to go back to there are many so let me just pick one or two from each continent. The highlight of the trip was Antartica. Amazing scenery, amazing animals and absolute desolation. In South America it would be Punta de Este, Uruguay followed by Puerto Monty, Chile and Recife, Brazil. In Africa it would be the Seychelles followed by Cape Town, South Africa and Walvus Bay, Namibia. In the Middle East it would be Muscat,Oman. Dubai, of course, is great but it is just a big international city. In South Asia it would be Columbo, Sri Lanka. In the Far East all of Japan was great but if I had to pick it would be Hakodate and Kobe, Japan followed by Ha Long Bay, Vietnam and Singapore.

Politically my biggest surprise was how strong the Chinese influence is in many of the countries especially West Africa. The situation in these countries is very sad. It is to much to discuss here but basically the vast majority of people live in extreme poverty with the few people in power selling off the resources of the country to China to enrich themselves. The Chinese then move their people in to gain land and resources at the expense of the local population.

Another surprise and disappointment was what I saw in San Diego and San Francisco. The downtown streets are lined with tents and cardboard boxes housing the homeless. There were many many more than I saw in even the poorest countries we visited. I am not going to get into the reasons I think this is happening but there is definitely something wrong in these cities and it needs to be fixed.