plishment you get from planning your own holiday. Logging-on or paging through a directory, hand picking each venue you would like to stay at, planning the routes, the fuel stops, the food stops. Seeing the satisfied faces of family or friends at the end of a great trip makes it all worthwhile. Or – it may all go horribly wrong.
Last year on a trip down to the coast from Harare to Vilanculous (or Vilanchaos as it has otherwise become known) we were stopped at a roadblock an hour into Mozambique. On discovering the driver behind me was not wearing his T-shirt, in 40° heat, we were promptly escorted to the crème de la crème of Police Stations – Chimoio Central.
After several hours sitting in Chimoio and contemplating our beach holiday from afar, we were relieved to learn that the Chief Prosecuting Officer did not have the fuel to drive to the station and prosecute us. So with hurried handshakes and apologetic smiles we were again on our way. The now fully-clothed driver, freshly released from his cell, and determined to reach our beach paradise as quickly as possible, took the lead in our convoy. As the rest of us slowed down for the turn-off to the coast at Inchope we watched helplessly as, far ahead in the distance, we saw our fuming friend flying in the direction of Beira.
So my advice to anyone planning a trip in Africa, is plan properly – or you will come short for sure. For the less adventurous and perhaps more sensible I would recommend credible tour operators. It is estimated by the Zimbabwe Tourism Association that 240 tourism companies have closed during the past five years, but amazingly there are still some of the region’s finest operators to be found in Zimbabwe. They offer superb value and unique holidays that cannot be found anywhere else.
And to my friend in the States I would recommend the all-inclusive package deal, complete with personal tour guide, detailed itinerary, mini-bar and air-con all the way so he knows exactly what to expect on his ‘African’ holiday before he’s even left home.
Venues4Africa.com
rian@venues4africa.com
8.6.2006
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Spirit of adventure
A friend from the States asked me what you need to plan a holiday to Africa. Well you never know what to expect from an African holiday, so it's almost impossible to answer. A spirit for adventure, some stashed away forex and lots of patience comes to mind first.
There is a certain sense of accom
There is a certain sense of accom