Austria Trekking

During the rest of 2014 I was extremely busy, since I also spend two months myself in Europe, climbing the Alps in Austria and visiting Sweden. In Sweden we took a trip right up to the North of Sweden on the boarder of Norway in the Albisko National Park. We experienced here the amazing Northern Lights. It is something one has to experience yourself to really appreciate this fantastic phenomenon of Nature.

Northern Lights at Abisko in Sweden.

Maria Sobotka on a Garden Route Tour with GRF-Tours, Jan.2014!

Es hatte sehr viel Regen gegeben unterwegs. Dies ist im Trudouw Pass in der Naehe von Swellendam.

Maria auf der Bank am Meer bei Keurboomstrand

Buffel auf der Schotia Safari.

Ein Loewe aber leider immer nur von hinten.

Abends dann ein Glass Wein am Lagerfeuer mit allen auf der Safari, ganz toll!

Now already halfway through 2014! Was extremely busy in 2013, so many tourist!

This year 2014 started with Mandela celebrations as he passed away in December 2013. Thinking of this great world hero, I visited together with a Swedish tourist this new statue that was just erected at our Union buildings, where the government is sitting for half the year. For the other half they are sitting in the Parlement in Cape Town as we have one capital, Pretoria, but two cities for the government to have their sittings.

We then also visited the Cradle of Human Kind near Krugersdorp, north of Pretoria. You can listen here to why the poor Dodo, Quagga, Mountain Zebra and many more animals had to die and are now Gone For Ever, becoming Extinct, all since humans started inhabiting this world.

To end off this visit we attended a lovely South African wedding in a beautiful setting with lovely music in the gardens of a guest farm near Krugersdorp. This beautiful bride is one of my many nieces.

We flew back to the Fairest Cape with our well known, inland flight company, Mango!

It is the year 2013, my lucky number!

This year started with a bang. Lots of work in the Tourism business. My first guests Anne and Doro from Germany arrived on the 12th Jan. 2013. After 4 days of Day Tours in and around Cape Town, we took off on a lovely Garden Route Tour over 9 days, with Safaris in private game parks and also a visit to the Addo National Park.

The Year 2012!

Had a wonderful year of many tourists taking them around Cape Town and the Fairest Cape, Flower Tours and Garden Route Tours. Wishing you all a peaceful and happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy new year 2013. Look at my very special package, a wonderful experience in Africa on web: www.travelhealthier.com/id24.html

My trip to Alaska, August 2011

It was one of those world travel experiences that one has to go to. I found this a fascinating country. Almost 600,000miles2, more than half of it is mountains, the Alaska Range and the population in only 650,000 inhabitants. 250,000 of those live in Anchorage. Juno,the capital of Alaska one can only get to it via boat or air. No road to it. The many glaciers is absolutely a fantastic experience if you never have seen a still clean, turcoise colour, glacier. And in the cute little town of Hope, I could even do some Gold sifting with a Gold-digger character!!!:):):)

Garden Route Tour with Andrea, Moira and Aaron, 7th to 11th Feb.2011.

After travelling from Cape Town towards the Garden Route, our first stop was in Riviersonderend. Travelling further was extremely slow, since we had to wait at some 6 road works and sometimes up to 30minutes. When are we finishing all these road works?
But then arriving late afternoon at Botlierskop Private Game Reserve was rewarding, since her ones cases and goods were taken to the luxury tents, whilst we could have a rest with a drink in the lovely entrance room with verandah and view over the Reserve.
We could then relax in the lovely luxury tents and the buffet supper was also excellent. The next morning at 6h00 we all went for the three hour game drive, where we could see Rhino, Elephant, Giraffe, Buffalo, Lions, Eland, Zebra and many other buck.
After a fantastic brunch our journey went further along the Garden Route to Knysna. The Knysna Hollow and Fisch Eagle Lodge was our stay for the night here at the Knysna Lagoon.
The next morning after breakfast we visited the Timber Village, a walk in the Garden of Eden Forest and then an exciting time spend at the Knysna Elephant Park, where we all could experience the FEEL, FEED and HUG an Elephant. All my guests, if young or old always enjoy this.
At lunchtime, we checked into our guest house, The Swallow Nest, and soon after this I dropped my guests off at the lovely beach at Plettenberg Bay. When I later came to join them, they were all so happy, since it was just a perfect afternoon, with no wind. Specially Aaron (5 years) enjoyed this the most after spending much time sitting in his little chair in the car. I did a swim with the dolphins, group of about 8, that came passed very close to the beach. A fantastic experience.
On day four we left after a good breakfast, for Monkeyland, just 15km outside Plett. This was another experience they all enjoyed, walking around in a forest with many different monkeys from all over the world.
Now we had to start our long trip back towards Cape Town. We had a stop at The Heads in Knysna to enjoy a last lovely view over this very large Lagoon.
From Knysna the drive went passed Wilderness, George, Albertina, Riversdale, Heidelberg in Africa and our nights stay was then at the Cypress Cottages in Swellendam. This evening only Andrea and I went for a glass of wine and some salads in town, whilest Moira and Aaron warmed up some food in the kitchen of the Guest house.
On our last morning Andrea and I went for a two hour walk in the well-known Maloth Nature Reserve at the foot of the Langeberge. We climbed up a waterfall, but there was not too much water coming down, since it was still very dry in this area.
After 11h00 we continued our last drive to Cape Town which we reached just after 14h00.