Looking for Advice about South Africa

Susie and I are heading to the middle of South Africa in September to present several sessions at a week-long conference called Highway 2001. It's a conference that's about online journalism on the African continent. We'll be south of the equator a total of 16 days, and if you or anyone you know has any advice whatsoever about South Africa, we'd be most appreciative if you could pass it along.

We will arrive in Grahamstown on Sept. 8th and will stay throughout the week during the Rhodes conference, which ends on Friday. From the 15th to the 22nd, we are free birds. We have a flight from Johannesburg to the U.S. at 7:55 p.m. on the 22nd. I'm going to outline some of the things we want to do, and you can chip in advice, help, anecdotes, etc.

Sept. 8 to 14 - Sight-see in Grahamstown during week of conference.

Sept. 15 - Addo Elephant Park during the day, drive to Shamwari Game Reserve and stay overnight.

Sept. 16 - Shamwari Game Reserve and overnight. Or should we go on to Port Elizabeth that night?

Sept. 17 - Drive to Port Elizabeth. Sight-see in the city. Stay overnight or drive on the Tsitsikamma National Park?

Sept. 18 - Hike in Tsitsikamma National Park, drive on to Oudtshoorn.

Sept. 19 - Visit the Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn, drive to Cape Town.

Sept. 20 - What are the Radio Active Springs? Should we pause there? Name sounds a little sketchy, but intriguing.

Sept. 21 - Arrive Cape Town; sight-see -- Table Mountain, etc.

Sept. 22 - Sight-see in Cape Town (visit Grand Parade).

Some things we think we'd love to do but can't see how to fit in are the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe Tour from Knysna to George or the other way and whale-watching in Hermanus. We do have whale-watching here in California, so I guess it won't be the end of the world if we don't fit that in!

We are also extremely interested in local art and/or crafts and would appreciate any advice you might have about where these might be found, especially if you can tell us how to avoid the usual tourist trap locations.

Anyone helping will be brought back a genuine African artifact, perhaps a nice pair of hotel towels with a matching ashtray, or a set of airline safety cards. You will also be peppered with postcards and you'll have my eternal thanks.

Comments