PARKERS NEWS: July 2010
In this month's issue:
2010 World Cup News Update
 Four years ago, we launched a minor project, the aim of which was to provide a free flow of information relating to the preparations for the 2010 World Cup. In our original statement, we declared our confidence that South Africa would host the greatest World Cup in history. Since then, this country has experienced extraordinary highs and lows, including a political and constitutional crisis which led to the recalling of the country's president, the outbreak of xenophobia and electricity shortages which threatened to cripple the country's power grid.
 On the plus side, the country was able to ride the global economic meltdown, thanks largely to a number of multi-billion rand World Cup-related construction projects. Throughout this period, the world watched nervously as the various World Cup deadlines loomed. Just two years ago, FIFA President Sepp Blatter sparked a storm of controversy by conceding that there was a 'Plan B' in the event that South Africa was unable to host the mega sporting event. But, once again, we produced the goods and confounded our critics.
Hundreds of millions of people spent 32-days watching in awe as South Africa took its rightful place at the centre of the universe and embraced the entire planet. The reality is that the country, which was once the pariah of the international community, has now made the world a better place. The critics who spent four years running us into the ground have been drowned out by the roar of approval from the international media and the near-record number of fans who watched the 64 matches. John Carlin, the author of 'Playing the Enemy', says all those stories, promoted by FIFA, among others, about the World Cup being the 1995 rugby World Cup all over again, about healing racial wounds, uniting the fractured nation and so forth, were off the mark. 'It was much, much better than that. What we saw was just how united and racially healed South Africa really is, how far we've advanced since the nervy nineties,' he says.
Sepp Blatter told waiting journalists that South Africa had scored a nine out of 10, 'making it a doctorate summa cum laude'. Blatter went on to say he had feared the high crime rate and poor public transport would jeopardise the tournament, but it went off without any major problems. 'A big compliment to South Africa, a big compliment to the people of South Africa, a big compliment to the government of South Africa for all the guarantees they have given and met. They can be proud.'
So there we have it. South Africa (yet again) has produced the goods. Take a bow!
Flora/Fauna: Spot the difference!
Knowing What You See
It's winter here, the best time to visit the bushveld. Water is scarce and animals and birds tend to congregate or visit rivers and pans. Grass is low and dry and many of the trees and bushes have lost their leaves. This makes game viewing much easier, not to mention the fact that it is usually cooler and there are fewer mosquitoes about. Though some species of animals have sexes that are quite distinct, in many, the males and females look alike. Here are a few clues on how to identify gender, looking at colour, size, shape and behaviour.
 The male and female zebra are similar in size. The male's genitals are not always visible, making it very difficult to see the difference. One clear difference is the black vertical stripe between the buttocks. The male has a very narrow stripe about 1 inch wide and the female has a stripe about 2 or 3 inches wide.
The horns of buffalo give a good indication of the sex. The male's horns are slightly thicker than the females and the male has a very prominent boss. The bull in particular makes a regular habit of rubbing and polishing his horns and boss on trees. The purpose of this may be to prevent flies from laying eggs in the cracks of its horns. Eggs laid in the horns eventually hatch into larva and start boring through the keratin layers causing significant damage to the buffalo's horns.
In elephants, bulls are heavier in weight and generally have thicker tusks than the cows do. A cow has a more prominent forehead when compared to the bull. With young calves it is rather difficult to see the difference in the forehead. Elephant bulls are usually seen singly or in small groups of two or three. Cows are always part of a matriarch herd with adult mothers and their various sized offspring of both sexes.
Giraffe bulls go very dark to black with age. When it comes to birds, things get more complicated. Its fine if you just want to tick the species, but if you want to go further and identify whether it is male or female, adult or immature you need to look at appearance and behaviour. Some bird species are dimorphic, which means there are visible differences in appearance between male and female birds' plumage. In most cases, male birds will sport brighter, bolder colours as a way to attract mates during the breeding season. Female birds are usually duller, with less distinctive markings that make it easier for them to blend in to the surroundings while they mind a nest or protect young birds. This is most apparent during the spring and summer breeding season.
Many bird species are monomorphic, which means there are no easily visible differences between male and female birds. In many cases, female birds are larger than males, though in most songbirds the size differences may not be noticeable unless two birds are side by side.
Careful observation of birds' behaviour, however, can still offer clues about gender. Male birds may migrate sooner than female birds so they can stake out and defend territories. Those same male birds are often vocal and talented singers, using their songs to attract a mate as well as to advertise their presence and mark their territory. Watching which birds tend the nest and feed fledglings can be another clue to a bird's gender. In many species, however, both parents will tend the nest and care for the young birds, so this may not always be a reliable way to judge a bird's sex.
Turning from gender, some similar species can also be mixed up. Using the same principles, look at shape, especially the horns of antelope, such as in Tsessebe and Red hartebeest.
When ticking your 'big five' list the two African species of rhino can be confusing, especially from a distance. The black rhino is smaller than the white rhino. A large bull weighs around 1000 kg. They have a rather small hooked shaped mouth for feeding on trees and shrubs. Its natural head posture is face upward, so there is no need for it to lift its' head when feeding off trees. They are often found in thick vegetation which is possibly the reason why the female will often run in front of her calf to clear a pathway. The black rhino is short tempered and extremely aggressive compared to the white rhino. They are very solitary and seldom join up with other individuals.
Large white rhino bulls reach weights of 2500 kg. They have a very broad flat mouth which aids in feeding off large quantities of grass. A white rhinos' natural head posture faces downward so its' mouth is always close to the ground while grazing. They have a very distinct hump above the shoulders as well as a very prominent fold of skin at the lower parts of the shoulders. Being a very social animal it is not uncommon to see 10 or 15 white rhinos moving together and sometime more. White rhino are normally found in very open areas such as plains. The calf normally runs in front of its mother, with the mother using her horn to direct the calf by tapping it on the rear. There is no colour difference between the two rhinos. Even though the white rhino is less aggressive, there are still more incidents of them attacking people as they have a higher population and thus regular encounters with people.
South Africa - Survey
A recent survey revealed the most popular activities for international travellers visiting South Africa are Wildlife, Culture, Beach and Natural attractions.
Satisfaction
The greatest reasons for satisfaction for visitors were:
- The scenic beauty 80%
- The wildlife 71%
- Hospitality and friendly people 42%
(Good service (15%) and value for money (12%) are areas which need to be improved! )
Top Ten Drives and Barriers to travel to South Africa
Reasons for visiting South Africa
- 63% to see the scenery / beauty
- 49% to experience a different culture
- 39% engage in a variety of activities
- 37% to go on a safari
- 33% to fulfil a dream
- 30% warm climate
- 26% to relax
- 26% friendly people
- 25% my friends / family recommended it
- 20% apartheid related reasons
Reasons for NOT visiting South Africa
- 39% too expensive to get there
- 38% general issue of safety
- 29% concern for personal safety
- 26% uncertain about political climate / civil unrest
- 20% too expensive once there
- 13% too much time to get there
- 9% don't know anyone there
- 8% not a relaxing destination
- 6% concerns about AIDS
- 2% nothing interesting to do there
Black Rhino Private Game Reserve & Spa
 Fancy booking into your very own private game lodge for a week? That's exactly what you can do at Black Rhino Private Game Reserve. This small and exclusive private reserve, within the larger - and malaria free - Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa, consists of 4 thatched chalets, a large central lounge, dining room, snooker room and bar, boma and splash pool. It has all mod cons including plasma-screen satellite TV, fully equipped kitchen and dining room for self catering, DVD with surround sound. This is how to enjoy the African bush in comfort! You even get your very own maid, Game Ranger and 10-seater safari vehicle!
A few week-long dates are still available for a group of up to 12 guests to take over the whole lodge:-
- Arrive: Mon 13 December / Depart: Mon 20 December 2010 (for a pre-Christmas bash)
- Arrive: Mon 10 January / Depart: Mon 17 January 2011 (chase away those post-Christmas blues)
- Arrive: Mon 11 April / Depart: Mon 18 April 2011 (autumn in the bush - one of the best times for game viewing)
Just R3500 per night (that's a staggeringly low R350 per person per night for a group of 10 - amazing value!)
Contact us for more details.
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
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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!
Quote of the day: If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
~ Unknown
Southern Africa - Excellent Value
The Rand is still hovering at around R11/£1 R8/US$1 / R10/€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.
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