Confed has come and gone

It is officially over – the Confed. This is the time to start taking stock of how we fared on all matters; from the organisation of the soccer tournament itself to the hospitality that we afforded our visitors.

For one it is encouraging that we refused to live up to the bad name we have come to earn. Crime, I mean. The reported few and far between incidents were far less than the apprehension many of us had had.

Those incidents also included the “robbery” that left everybody, even the Egyptians, bonkers. On the soccer front, we have played well as the hosts. Of course we have. But what is this I hear about a shortage of beds in KwaZulu-Natal? A wake-up call for 2010 preparartions.

Because the Confed was about making an impression, Seff Afrika can only hope that the tourists leave with a good one. Needed now are just a few adjustments here and there because the World Cup will certainly need some shifting up a gear. So will Bafana’s performance.

When SA gets its click back

Finally South Africa catches a wake-up. It is good to see creativity in drumming up the world's interest to visit our shores for the big shindig next year. It had been a bit unsettling to see the absence of tourism campaign material in the cyberspace, especially because the tourists we seek to lure to us are found online and mostly online only.

I got more settled when the Cape Town and the Western Cape’s 2010-focused tourism marketing campaign recently went online with energetic, vibey YouTube video clips featuring a synergy between international soccer fans and Cape Town locals.

How else had we hoped to convince the world to join us for a jol when we couldn't even demonstrate to them that we can dance, drink and be merry? More especially during a gloomy economic period. Now that we are talking to the world and kicking up a fuss - because beautiful a country we are - I am more at ease because we can now look forward to fistfuls of dollar moolah.

Prices must make sense for 2010 and beyond

Lest we forget, the Confed Cup is a sample for the World Cup. What the tourism industry does as it relates with its customers at this time is also a sample of what will happen in 2010. At least that's the impression that the visitors will take with them.

Tourism outlets will therefore do well not to kick themselves out of business by overpricing accomodation and food. This goes for quality and service delivery too. Most importantly South Africa needs to make good on its promises.

It's encouraging that at the moment we have nearly 100 000 graded rooms in the country. What should also not be forgotten is that the locals are tourists too (rand, not dollar tourists), so there has to be a way to cleverly factor them in the pricing stucture.

Talking about sampling, we have a lot more to do in creating hype and fanfare, building up to 2010 World Cup. Not he dull and low-key journey to the Confed Cup. Please.

So much for South Africa's bad name

So the Brazilians have also been robbed.
It is beginning to get clearer that South Africa has succeeded in earning itself a bad name when it comes to crime. Even the confusion that was created by the to-ing and fro-ing over whether there is reason to worry about crime come 2010 or there really is a crime crisis aggravated instead of helped the situation. It so much so bad that it is easy for anyone to claim they have been robbed in South Africa and everyone, including the media, believes them without thinking twice.
The Egyptians were the first to report a robbery. Later, the suspicion compass is pointing to the loins of the very victims of this "robbery". The truth is not yet absolutely out, but how do you feel that the country's reputaion has degenerated to such lows?
We have yet to get the finer details of the Brazilian team's robbery.

Leaving tourists marooned

The Confed Cup is well under way and all seems to be well. But the stadiums are perennially empty. For a second I felt a bit of pity. But I quickly remembered that the stadiums are empty because of a deliberate plan by the organisers of this all-important event.

The whole event is elitist -- from the pricing of the tickets to the process of obtaining them, one can tell that the average South African was not in the minds of the organisers. Never mind the fact that mainstream soccer fanatics are generally drawn from the lower end.

Get to the stadium and you will realize what I am talking about; for every single thing you want to buy, you need a Visa card. Forget the ordinary debit card, it does n0t work. How then are we to expect to attract crowds to the stadium? How? This will clearly be a disappointment to our visitors who have come all the way on the strength of a promise that South Africa is ready and waiting for them, to rejoice, to celebrate together. This is further complicated by the fact that Ellis Park was full when Bafana was playing. What are we saying to the tourists?

We also seem to forget that as much as the country's economy needs the bounty that will come out of the tourism brought about by this Fifa shindig, we still need to watch our prices. Food practically costs an arm and a leg at the stadiums. Prices shooting out of the roof will surely drive tourists away and, needless to say, it is difficult to get rid of a bad impression. Besides the sight of visibly empty seats on the ground is gross.

Monica Lewinsky left me shaken, but smiling

Back in the 80s Swaziland was a weekend getaway, where thrill-seekers went to to snub the Immorality Act, sample the country's herbal export and gamble.

Two decades later and some things haven't changed - the Mdzimba Mountains still stare down on a verdant Ezulwini Valley, the casinos still pump out fistfuls of Lilangenis (the local currency) and Hotel California remains on the playlist at the Royal Swazi Spa Hotel.

But other things have changed. The once teenage king has grown up and has acquired several wives over the years, and a new breed of adventurers have swopped the thrill of the-one armed bandit for a weekend of outdoor adventure.

The Royal Swazi Spa Hotel has become the stopover point for quad biking, adventure caving, canoeing, horse riding and white water rafting. And that is how I, one weekend, came to tangle with one Monica Lewinsky.

Monica lay in the middle of the Great Usutu River, a graded rapid.

This was the first bit of white water of the morning and it looked scary. Negotiating Miss Lewinsky meant manhandling a narrow, two-man inflatable boat called a Croc between a couple of rocks and making sure we hit the rapid head on.

All went according to plan until, halfway down the rapid, I was thrown from the bucking Croc, tumbled through the white water and came to bobbing along in a life vest and wearing a cheesy grin. My partner hadn't even noticed I had left the boat.

I had just "gone down on Monica Lewinsky", was the insider white water rafter's joke.

'Monica Lewinsky was nothing compared to the final rapid of the day' -- By Shaun Smillie
Read full article -- IOL

Facing Swazi skies, breathless!

Sweat, dust and fear. These three words aptly sum up what you can expect when you set out to conquer the beautiful hills and mountains of the kingdom of Swaziland in a four-wheel drive vehicle. And my adventurous self was up to the challenge.

IT IS a common truth that Africa is blessed with gravel roads but the kingdom of Swaziland seems to have been blessed in abundance. Wait. This story needs to be started from the beginning.

The minute it was announced that there was a 4x4 weekend that required a journalist to attend, it quickly became clear no arm-twisting was necessary to get me cracking. Who in their sound minds would classify trading the office chair with the veld in a 4x4 as work? Certainly not me. And this is why?

It is a Saturday morning when we assemble by the poolside of Ezulwini Sun, one of a trio of resorts in the gorgeous Ezulwini valley, south of the capital, Mbabane. This valley encapsulates the “heaven on earth” dictum.

Off-road adventure guru Francois Rossouw kicks things off by giving a brief background of the yearly event. Having been in this game since 1972, the RSG 4x4 Club events coordinator has thousands of stories to tell about the pilgrimage through the rocky terrain.

Soon the eight 4x4 SUVs are lined up and the team of more than 24 participants is on course to begin its crusade.

In the line-up, the Range Rover Vogue takes the lead both in price and superiority. It is hotly pursued by the Land Rover Discovery TDV6 Sport. The luxurious Jeep Commander 5.7L looks more than ready to take up the challenge. But you must see the sexy Jeep Wrangler Rubicon’s attitude before considering the Mitsubishi Pajero and the two Nissan Patrols.

These vehicles look too precious to be taken to the bush, I think to myself. I’m not the only cynical one. “They are not suitably adapted for serious 4x4-ing,” says Jeanne Volschenk, a staunch off-road enthusiast and Capetonian who ditched the seaside in 1997 just to be close to the endless rocks and trees of unspoilt Swaziland.

He laments: “It’s a pity that the designs of these SUVs are dictated by the market. When adventure hots up it’s easy to damage a vehicle, so with these, extra care is needed, and that tends to trim the fun”.

Soon we are in the vehicles and setting out. Less than a kilometre from the hotel we are on a dirt road. Members of the nearby community rush out of their modest houses to wave at the pilgrims, marvelling at the convoy of plush SUVs.

Francois wastes no time. He wants the fun to begin; here, now. So instead of crossing the highway that links the cities of Mbabane and Manzini, we drive through a storm-water drain, using it as a tunnel.

As we reach the other side of the road we are in rural Swaziland and the 4x4s are itching to stir up some dust. When the road gives us trouble, we simply beat a fresh path, leaving a cloud of dust in our wake. Francois suggests that we breach the nearby koppie, just for fun.

The steep hill seems to be easy meat. The stunts evoke a shot of adrenaline; nothing is as stimulating as a growling V8 engine. After repeated climbing of the hill, it’s time to proceed.

As we ascend the winding dirt stretch called the Tea Road, Jeanne points out a tree.

“It’s called the Coral Tree. It’s a tree that refuses to die.”

The community cuts down the tree to make fence poles. The poles start growing leaves and become trees again.

As we relish the wonders of nature, we lose pace and the rest of the team gets far ahead of us. With a chuckle, Jeanne guns the Patrol’s 3 litre petrol engine and soon it feels as if we are back in Gauteng with the speed, only minus the metro cops who often lie in ambush, laser gun in hand. Take it from me, driving on tar is a downright bore. How am I going to get used to it again?

We get to a small river and before we know it we are in a muddy situation; a time for the 4x4s to prove they are not just shopping trolleys.

The sexy Rubicon is the first to make a splash and redeem itself. It leisurely moves through the water, eats the sand on the bank, climbs the ridge and it’s out. Point taken. Next in is the Pajero. Easy peasy!

The mud is getting really sticky now, giving the Discovery a fresh challenge. What? Impressive! After all, the Landy is the mother of traction technology. Of all the vehicles it is the most hi-tech.

“It does not permit any slippage and this it does by constantly varying the driving force to the wheels,” says Land Rover’s Ian Wentzel.

Because the Vogue is stuck in the mud, you can say it fails the traction test. But Jeanne says: “It’s the low-profile wheels. They are not ideal for off-roading; those are for Sandton driving.”

So what do we do? Simple – beat a new path. The Vogue reverses a little, points its wheels to a steeper dry cliff and ascends gingerly.

I take a glance at the vehicle and I feel pity for the car washers. Once we are done with this mud-slinging, they will really earn their day’s takings.

We continue with our crusade but first, we must change drivers. By the end of this voyage each of us has to have had a go at all the SUVs.

Occasionally we make a stop to get something to drink because this kind of business tends to be dehydrating. We may be having fun but sorry, no alcohol allowed.

We’ve covered half of the 60km expedition to the top of the mountain and it’s time for lunch.

But this will not happen before we tackle the next obstacle. We are facing huge ridged boulders after which, if we get past, we will access the mystery lunch spot.

Again the Rubicon is the trailblazer. It passes this test with little effort, enforcing its unrivalled status of the most practical 4x4 of the day.

Francois and the crew from Land Rover and Jeep help the drivers manoeuvre by directing them. This helps to prevent the vehicles from hitting the rocks. But still they take a few scratches on the bumpers and the plastic trimmings that make them eye-candy.

We sit down and tuck in. Forget the comfort of chairs and tables; we are in the bush, so on rocks we sit.

Because we don’t have the luxury of time, we are soon on our way.

As we leave, we are met with another surprise challenge: quite a steep depression. Again with Francois’ help, the vehicles are carefully driven down the slope and climb up the steep incline on the other side. It gets really interesting when the vehicles undermine the slope, with two wheels dangling in the air. Technique is key, says Francois.

After a short drive along a grassy stretch, the road begins to get extremely rocky and quite steep. No, in fact there’s no going forward, it’s a dead end. The imposing rock in front of us is a mountain itself. But how has the red Jeep Rubicon reached the top?

I’m next and I think this must be a joke. I suddenly break a sweat and my foot is repeatedly tapping on the accelerator pedal in spasmodic fashion; I’m shivering. I’m feeling weak and strong at the same time. For the life of me I cannot believe the Commander will go up the rock with me behind the wheel. Before the fear gets the better of me I am halfway up the intimidating rock, a rock so steep the sky is all I can see through the windscreen.

The growling V8 restores my strength, but not enough to slow down the racing heartbeat. I am thinking: what if ... what if ... forget it, I’m up the hill and have parked the Commander. Believe me, the power of this Jeep is simply amazing and my heartbeat is slowly returning to normal. Watching the other vehicles judiciously approach the arrogant rock makes for an effective tranquilliser.

Now we must take the mission to the next level, but Francois’s Nissan Patrol is stuck in a rift between two rocks, thanks to the towbar that has landed against one of the rocks. The car’s rear wheels are spinning in the air, and boy, is it steep.

Well-prepared Francois whips out a tow rope and connects it to the athletic Rubicon. In no time the Patrol is free and we are on the move.

The next uphill takes the cake as the father of steep. In full command of the Discovery TDV6 Sport, I prudently take on the pompous rock, whose incline is 60 degrees, at a glance. This is no timid boulder but the SUV’s meanness quickens my blood. When I squeeze the accelerator, it piles on the attitude.

By maintaining secrecy about what challenges lie ahead, the organisers keep the fun fires blazing.

A feeling of achievement prevails as we get to the top of the mountain – quickly – rendering Kilimanjaro irrelevant – even Everest.

This is a picture-perfect site. Standing on this mountain, we are surrounded: it’s mountain after mountain after mountain. Manoeuvring past the beautiful rocks requires serious negotiating and that’s where the cream of the fun is.

As if by consensus, we spend a longer time on the mountain. The tranquillity we enjoy as we feed our eyes on the breathtaking view of the rolling hills of the kingdom is priceless.

“In South Africa, places such as this one are already taken by private owners. We always need to seek permission and it’s sometimes difficult. That is why we come to Swaziland for this kind of activity,” says Andy Cory of Sidududu Tours.

Perhaps that is why most South Africans use their 4x4s to buy groceries. Ian says: “Only about 5% of our customers buy the 4x4 and actually do off-roading.”

The winter wind starts pressing down on the mountain and we know for sure it’s time to whip out jackets and grumpily accept that the end of our off-roading expedition has come.

So much for a short day, the day we took millions of rands to the bush to play. The combined value of the vehicles is in excess of R6 million, with the Range Rover sweeping the stakes at about R1.2 million.

Going back to the hotel, the vehicles snake down one of rugged Swaziland’s dirt roads. Because of the occasional cow on the road, vigilant driving is not optional and the bumpy ride is a trusted cure for insomnia. We are bushed. What a weekend!