Thursday 31 March 2022

Abandoned South Africa: Viljoenadrift laerskool, Deneysville | Заброшенное Южная Африка

#Abandoned #SouthAfrica #Viljoensdrif #Deneysville #FreeState #Vereeniging #Фильйюнсдриф #ЮжнаяАфрика #ФриСтейт #Заброшенное #Денисвилль #Африкаанс

Abandoned South Africa | Заброшенное Южная Африка

Abandoned Viljoenadrift laerskool, Deneysville. Reason for closure: too few children, state decided to close it in 1993. Aglo-Boer war grave is just across the road. Lots of activity here when pupils were attending school here in the 80's and 90's.

Even the teacher had one or two stories of paranormal experiences. Viljoensdrif is a coal-mining village 8 km south of Vereeniging and part of the Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State province of South Africa. It takes its name from ford (Afrikaans drif) which was closed to ox-wagons by President Paul Kruger in 1895 to prevent goods reaching the Witwatersrand, thus forcing people to use the Netherlands-South African Railway Company (NZASM)'s Pretoria-Delagoa Bay railroad.

Named after the owner of the place, J H Viljoen, who established a ferry in 1857 | Заброшенная начальная школа Viljoenadrift (Фильйюнсдриф), Денисвилль, Южная Африка.

Школа была закрыта в 1993 из-за недостатка учеников. Могила времен агло-бурской войны находится через дорогу. У учителя школы всегда была пара истории о паранормальных явлениях в этих краях.

Фильйюнсдриф — деревня шахтеров в 8 км к югу от Вереенигинга, входящая в состав муниципального округа Фезиле-Даби в провинции Фри Стейт в Южной Африке.

Он получил свое название от брода (Африкаанс: дриф), который был закрыт для повозок с волами президентом Полом Крюгером в 1895 году, чтобы товары не попадали в Витватерсранд, что вынудило людей использовать линию Нидерландско-южноафриканской железнодорожной компании (NZASM) Претория-залив Делагоа. Назван в честь владельца этого места J H Viljoen, который построил паромную переправу в 1857 году.

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Wednesday 30 March 2022

South Africa: African Askari Safaris: 5 Nights Big Game Kruger Park Safari

African Askari Safaris

5 Nights Big Game Kruger National Park Safari, South Africa

Visit Kruger National Park in a Five Night Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) and capture the best possible photos of wildlife, birds and landscapes.

Itinerary Day One

Meet and greet by one of the partners at the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport on arrival. Includes tour welcome briefing, Covid protocols and safety talk. Its approximately an hour transfer by good road to your accommodation where you will be based for your entire stay. Check in is scheduled for any time after 14h00 and as such lunch is not included on arrival, however you can easily arrange for lunch should your flights arrive earlier at an extra cost of around R200.00 pp.

Relax, unwind, order drinks and snacks, and enjoy the views as you settle in your accommodation.

Dinner. Enjoy great south African cuisine with a safari touch. The South African star lit nights are simply spectacular and provided the weather plays the game your chances are good for experiencing at least one such evening.

Overnight. Get a good night’s rest.

Itinerary Day Two

(Breakfast, Lunch and dinner are included)

Full day Kruger National Park Safari. Your host will brief you the night before of your wake up time and you need to prepare for an early start with an African sunrise. Coffee and tea are usually served at around 5:30 in summer and around 6h30 in winter.

The Safari includes the whole day in the park and captures everything available. You are likely to see many large and small game species including a rich diverse amount of fauna and flora. Many of our clients see at least four of the big 5 and if you are lucky five of the big 5, however there is no guarantee as animals roam freely.

The Safari includes the whole day in the park and captures everything available. You are likely to see many large and small game species including a rich diverse amount of fauna and flora. Many of our clients see at least four of the Big 5 and if you are lucky five of the Big 5, however there is no guarantee as animals roam freely.

Experience the legendary Kruger National Park, home to the magnificent ‘Big Five’ animals of the world, and a host of others besides…147 species of mammal, and over 500 bird species.

Our specialist tour into this famous reserve is in specially modified, open safari vehicles, both to enhance your game viewing, and to provide the finest, unimpeded vantage points for photography and bird watching.

There’s little between you and your subject!

Our qualified experienced guides will undoubtedly enhance the experience with their deep understanding of the bush and the movement and identification of animals and birds, knowledge they will impart to you. You’ll not only relish the experience of being in the Kruger environment, but you’ll leave with gems of information you’d never have known before.

Your experience highlights:

Professionally guided open vehicle game drive

Big Five game viewing

Choose between an early morning breakfast at your lodge or a packed breakfast in the Kruger National Park.

Depart to the Kruger Park where we will enter the park at either the main Malelane Gate entrance or the main Crocodile Bridge Entrance.

Lunch is at one of the Kruger National Park Camps situated in the park. Your Safari is brought to a close at around 17h30 to 18h30 pending season. Enjoy Leisure time with some pre dinner drinks back at your lodge as the sun sets.

Dinner is served at around 19h00 to 20h00 in the evenings.

Overnight.

Itinerary Day Three

(Breakfast, Lunch and dinner are included)

Leisure day.

This day has been reserved for you to decide what you would like to do and includes the following all of which will be discussed with you after dinner the previous night by your host. It may include simply sitting around the camp, enjoying the special views across the park, reading your book, enjoying drinks, meals, the pool and other facilities. Just doing the bare minimum.

Exciting options which are available should you feel energetic, which are not included but can booked on site. See the detailed description of these safari and explorative options below this itinerary:

An additional full or half day Kruger National Park Safari. Recommended.

Book a round of Golf at one of the most amazing golf courses in South Africa – link

Scenic full day Panoramic Route. Daily on Request:  06h00 – 16h00

Scenic full Day Tour to Swaziland. Daily on Request:  06h00 – 16h00

Visit to Chimp Eden Half day tour departs daily on Request

Full Day Tour to Mozambique. (City Tour of Maputo) Daily on Request 07h00-17h00

Full Day Tour to Mozambique. (Day on the beach) Daily on Request 07h00-17h00

Upon returning from your day tour enjoy leisure time with some pre dinner drinks back at your lodge as the sun sets.

Dinner is served at around 19h00 to 20h00 in the evenings.

Detailed descriptions of extra activities available on site at an extra cost on Day 3:

An additional full or half day Kruger National Park Safari

Book A Round Of Golf

Scenic full day Panoramic Route

Scenic full Day Tour to Swaziland

Full Day Tour to Mozambique. (City Tour of Maputu)

Full Day Tour to Mozambique. (Day on the beach)

Visit to Chimp Eden

Itinerary Day Four

(Breakfast, Lunch and dinner are included) 

Your 2nd Full day Kruger National Park Safaris as per day 2.

Itinerary Day Five

(Breakfast, Lunch and dinner are included) 

Day at leisure.

We highly recommend that you simply use this day to relax around your lodge and enjoy the African sunny weather. Laze around the camp, enjoy the special views across the park, read your book, enjoy drinks from the bar, meals, the pool and other facilities.

Your host will however discuss options with you the night before should you feel energetic and explorative and in such case you can choose to participate in any of the activities as listed under Day 3.

Itinerary Day Six

Breakfast at your lodge.

Depart for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport with one of the partners of Askari Safaris.

Included in your tour :

Return airport transfers Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA).

5 nights Lodge accommodation Dinner, Bed & Breakfast.

Lunches x 4 days. (Days 2, 3, 4 & 5)

2 x Full day Kruger National Park open vehicle safaris including park entrance fees.

Not Included:

Lunches on either your arrival or departure day if required.

All Drinks.

Extras available on site.

Extra day tours available on leisure day 3 and 5.

Covid tests applicable to cross border tours on leisure day 3 or 5 if booked.

Visas where applicable to cross border tours on leisure day 3 or 5 if booked.

Flights to and from Kruger Mpumalanga International airport KMIA.

Important information:

Rates are quoted per person (min 2 people) per 5 night tour including items as indicated.

All rates are subject to change without notice and are based on availability. Please get a final quote from African Askari Safaris for the most up-to-date rates and special offers (use the form below).

Clients are collected and dropped off at the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport KMIA (MQP) for arrivals and departures.

Vehicles on Safari:

Kruger National Park Safaris are conducted in open 4 x 4 specially adapted and specially registered as (OSV) vehicles with the Kruger National Park. Vehicles are accredited by the South African Bureau of Standards.

Tours and transfers are conducted in mini busses or similar sedans which are air-conditioned and maintained to distinction. Vehicles are carry the required transportation permits both in South Africa and cross border.

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Tuesday 29 March 2022

Natural Selection: An enriching 8 days Botswana safari experience

AN ENRICHING 8 DAY SAFARI EXPERIENCE…

More of us are making conscious decisions about travelling in a more eco-friendly, impactful, and ethical way. We want to connect with nature, with communities, and get a deeper understanding of the places we visit.

At Natural Selection we are proud to introduce our new 8-day Botswana Conservation Itinerary for those of you not only wanting a rich safari experience, but also wanting to see first-hand how responsible tourism can positively impact conservation and communities.

This conservation focused trip will take you deep into the heart of our sustainable safari operation, where you’ll stay at 3 of our luxury camps – Meno a Kwena, Little Sable and Mapula - and get greater insight into 5 projects we are involved in, and how they help us protect some of Africa’s last great wild places.

Your trip will be privately guided by a specialist guide, with deep experience in conservation and a passion about sharing their knowledge and wisdom with you.

We believe this trip will inspire you and give you a better understanding into how, together, we are helping to protect beautiful Botswana and its people.

Your trip will take you deep into the heart of our sustainable safari operation, where you’ll stay at 3 of our unique camps – Meno a Kwena, Little Sable and Mapula - and get greater insight into 5 projects we are involved in, and how they help us protect some of Africa’s last great wild places.

This exclusive conservation focused safari adventure, is an incredible opportunity for you to not only stay at our camps, but also to see the significant difference and impact your stay can have on the conservation of wildlife and the lives of the people living sustainably in and near wildlife areas.

Our exceptional safari guides have had years of experience in the wildlife and conservation space and are passionate about protecting it and teaching about it. Their personal and intimate understanding of the bush, conservation and community, will truly leave you inspired, giving you a better insight into how together we are helping to protect beautiful Botswana and its people.

MENO A KWENA

PROJECT 1: ELEPHANTS FOR AFRICA (EFA)

Elephants for Africa is situated on the north western edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. This conservation project is dedicated to enhancing human-wildlife coexistence in rural farming communities, which we believe is crucial to protect both the elephant and the communities in this wildlife area. The project focuses on mitigating human-wildlife conflict primarily through community workshopping and installing elephant proof fencing.

LITTLE SABLE

PROJECT 2: WILD DOG RESEARCH CAMP

The Wild Dog Research Camp sits within the Moremi Game Reserve, on the south eastern edge of the Okavango Delta. It is the most well established research centre in the Okavango, and has conducted over 30 years of research on wild dog packs, as well as members of the large carnivore guild, the lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. While the various projects supported by this centre are dispersed across the Okavango landscape, on your visit you’ll get to meet the dedicated resident researchers who are available to take you through some of the projects and showcase the importance of applied conservation in Botswana.

PROJECT 3: KHWAI COMMUNITY / VILLAGE

The Khwai community and village is situated on the eastern edge of the Khwai Private Reserve. It is here that we dedicate a lot of time and effort to implementing multiple community outreach initiatives in and around the settlement of Khwai village. This veritably reflects our goal of continuously improving the livelihoods of communities living alongside wildlife. And like it is for us, your visit and interaction with the community, will truly be an insightful and humbling experience.

MAPULA LODGE

PROJECT 4: ELEPHANT EXPRESS

The Elephant Express project is situated on the north eastern edge of the Okavango and is a wonderful solution to a complex human-wildlife conflict issue. The project transports vulnerable members of the community – children, elderly and the disabled – to school and clinics through dangerous elephant corridors. The Elephant Express helps to minimize human-wildlife conflict by creating a space within which elephants and people can co-exist more easily.

PROJECT 5: COMMUNAL HERDING FOR LIVESTOCK & WILDLIFE PROTECTION (CLAWS)

CLAWS has been set up in the north eastern edge of the Okavango Delta to support human wildlife conflict (HWC) mitigation. This communal herding program safeguards cattle, creates employment, reduces retaliatory killing of lions, and restores overgrazed landscapes. Here you will see first-hand how by facilitating a return to traditional herding practices, whereby a herder accompanies livestock, lion-livestock interactions are reduced and the perceived conflict between lions and farmers is alleviated. This initiative combines different herds, to reduce the costs of herding per household and achieves two incredible goals: it reduces retaliatory killing of lions, and it improves the grazing land for livestock herders through rotational grazing.

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Monday 28 March 2022

Namibia: aerial video of Fish River meeting Orange River | Реки Фиш и Оранжевая Намибия

#NamibiaRainyChronicles #ExtremeWeatherSouthernAfrica #FishAndOrangeRivers #HelmeringhausenRiver #DieHelmeRiver

A rainy season aerial video reports by Mr. Björn Basler: flowing rivers in Helmeringhausen area: Die Helme River and Fish River flowing into Orange River in March 2022.

Floods in Windhoek and Namibia, January 2021:

https://youtu.be/CTKSLfBjFVU

Keetmanshoop:

http://www.namibweb.com/keetmanshoop.htm

Historical floods in Namibia with photos:

http://www.namibweb.com/floods-namibia.htm

According to the latest estimates 2021-2022 rainy season is one of the best in Namibia's recorded history although some parts of the country experienced damaged, blocked and closed roads, flooded houses, burst dams and washed away walls. Flash flooding has been reported as well as severe flooding in southern regions of Namibia. NamWater reported that most dams in Namibia are close to 100% full.

YouTube video:


Björn Basler:

https://www.facebook.com/bjorn.basler.7

1. "Meeting-point" (GPS: -28.093096, 17.1740684): The Fish River meeting the Orange River on 15 March 2022. Fish River still feeding the Orange River with substantial amount of water.

2. Helmeringhausen Glamping Adventure Camp
Karas Region

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Sunday 27 March 2022

Namibia: Rainy season reports and extreme weather video

#NamibiaRainyChronicles #ExtremeWeatherSouthernAfrica #FloodingKeetmanshoopGrunauNamibia

A compilation of rainy season reports and extreme weather from all over Namibia, from Damaraland to Etosha Park and Mariental. Part 12.

Floods in Windhoek and Namibia, January 2021:

https://youtu.be/CTKSLfBjFVU

Keetmanshoop:

http://www.namibweb.com/keetmanshoop.htm

Historical floods in Namibia with photos:

http://www.namibweb.com/floods-namibia.htm

According to the latest estimates 2021-2022 rainy season is one of the best in Namibia's recorded history although some parts of the country experienced damaged, blocked and closed roads, flooded houses, burst dams and washed away walls. Flash flooding has been reported as well as severe flooding in southern regions of Namibia. NamWater reported that most dams in Namibia are close to 100% full.

YouTube video:

COOPERATION:

1. Send your video to namhren@gmail.com
2. Watch it on our compilation
3. Get links and views to your channel

YouTube channel Exploring Namibia TV publishes four video a week: on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Themes range from travelling in Africa to exploring Europe and Russia. No annoying endless begging "hit/smash that bell" and "don't forget to sub" here.

© Exploring Namibia TV

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Saturday 26 March 2022

Flame of Africa: Trip to the only International Quadripoint in the World

#kazungulaquadripoint, #flameofafrica #chobe #botswana #dronesberg

Trip to the only International Quadripoint in the World!

What’s New in Chobe?

Kazungula Bridge Tour, home to four different Countries!

The newly built Kazungula Bridge is certainly unique, not only by its interesting design but also by it straddling four international countries. Yes that’s right, that makes this the only International Quadripoint in the world!

Join Flame of Africa for a really unique trip. We will take you to the point where the four countries meet. This is approximately 15 minutes drive from Kasane and then 35 minutes by boat. There is no need for Immigration procedures as we will not leave Botswana Waters.

While on the cruise we will provide interesting facts from the four Countries along with their cultures and beliefs.

Have your cameras ready, you will have plenty photo opportunities and don’t forget that all important Selfie!

Ever wondered why the Bridge is curved? Jump on board and we will tell you more.

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Friday 25 March 2022

Namibia: OMBA Arts news | Омба Артс Намибия

OMBA Arts

Celebrating Women and Partnerships

The bright light of hope and optimism for 2022 following the Covid fall-out of 2019/2020 is fading somewhat with all the troubles around the world right now.

But there is still reason to celebrate….

World NGO Day on the 27 February, put the spotlight on NGOs around the world and the value they add by promoting social or political change.  In Namibia, Omba Arts has been a long-term partner of several local NGO’s who are working to support the livelihoods of  communities as well as community based natural resource management and conservation. We are also proud to be a member of WFTO (World Fair Trade Organsation).

International Women’s Day was celebrated on Tuesday 8 March 2022.  Working with over 400 rural women throughout the country for the past 30 years, Omba has witnessed first-hand the hardships, abuse, discrimination, isolation, and challenges they face.  Single mothers raising children with no support, grandmothers feeding orphans, teenage mothers who have had  to leave school. We have, however, always been amazed at the tenacity, resilience, and the absolute determination of so many female artisans who make a better life for themselves and their children… whilst sharing much joy and laughter!

Omba has given over 11 rural women artisans and staff the opportunity to travel regionally and internationally - Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Germany, South Africa, Spain, Kuwait, and USA (even a rushed day site-seeing in New York with a basket weaver from a remote village in the north!). Sometimes challenging to get passports and visas when there is no street address for the application form, but always a pleasure seeing the impacts of meeting new people and travelling far away.  Many of our artisans have travelled to Windhoek where they have visited Omba HQ and seen the city lights.

We are excited to announce the new partnership with Khwe San basket weavers from the Bwabwata National Park in the Zambezi region. Their basket-weaving tradition was revived some 20 years ago when an Omba friend working for a NGO in the region at the time, discovered an old and tatty sample in a homestead and within a couple of months, women were producing these rare and unique baskets to support their livelihoods.

What makes these baskets so special is that normally basket-making in Namibia is linked to agricultural or pastoral practices (harvesting, winnowing and storing grain or curdling milk).  These are the only baskets from an ancient hunter-gatherer culture where they were used to collect and gather wild fruit or ‘veldfood’– the handle providing a practical and functional element to the design; the colours all natural dyes.

One would think life for hunter-gathers in a national park surrounded by wildlife and wild edible plants would be idyllic. Sadly, the Khwe face immense challenges on a day-to-day basis; their subsistence has been described as pure ‘survival’.  There are increasing land invasions whilst anti-poaching measures have denied them access to traditional gathering areas in the bush.  Harvesting devil’s claw is a critical livelihood opportunity whilst basket-weaving has provided intermittent income when there has been a reliable market – unfortunately production all but ceased these past few years due to limited access to palm and distrust in the ‘middlemen.’

Thanks to collaboration with IRDNC and the Kyaramachan Association, Omba has embarked on, what we hope, will provide a regular and sustainable livelihood opportunity for the weavers in this area.

These rare, beautiful, hand-made and culturally authentic baskets are back on our shelves, and we are looking for buyers and/or collectors (so that we can keep the home fires burning for the weavers by buying regularly!).

Namibians are celebrating the excellent summer rains and our unusually GREEN landscape (even the Namib desert dunes are tinged with green!) We do however, give thought to those impacted around the world by war, flooding, and drought.

Stay safe and stay well.

Karin le Roux, Director, and all at Omba

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Thursday 24 March 2022

South Africa: Ruins off the Swellendam to Bredasdorp road

The Cape's threatened buildings

Ruins off the Swellendam to Bredasdorp road (R319), Overberg

A ruined farmstead off the R319 between Swellendam and Bredasdorp, Overberg. Found on the Muurkraal/Witdam road, there is a ruined, fairly deep three-bay farmhouse built of mud bricks and what looks like an older barn (or longhouse) that is built of beautiful stonework up to lintel-height, then topped with mud bricks.

The exposed wall fabric reveals various stages of development, and the stonework appears to have a join at centre, suggesting the barn was doubled in length fairly early on. It may once have been thatched, but its corrugated iron roof has lasted longer, thereby protecting the now collapsing walls. But only until the roof, which is precariously perching on the walls, collapses too.

Matthias Streicher: Old Jan “Motsak” Swart owned the farm and built these houses. The story goes that there lived two spinster sisters, both got sick from TB. In those days people believed that the TB germs stayed in the building for years. So when these two ladies moved out no one moved in again.

My great grandfather bought the farm in the 1940’s. The photo above with the thatch roof still on was taken by my grandfather in the 60’s. My father sold it to the Human family in 1999. Both my aunt and my neighbour Mr. Human had there wedding photos taken at the old barn.

So it is still cherished in a way. P.S. We don’t think of it as remote, it is just about 15 minutes drive from town. We have lived here all our lives. But we know that it must have been a different story for forefathers and mothers.

I thought perhaps that Elim would be a good benchmark and checked now, but I wonder if this farmhouse would go back quite that far (1820 to 1850ish). 

This part of the world feels quite remote to me now – I wonder what it must have felt like to live there in the 1800s! Especially if someone became very ill or another tragedy struck…

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Wednesday 23 March 2022

March 14: This day in South African shipwreck History

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

See also: Namibian shipwrecks

March 14:

“This day in South African shipwreck History”

1838: St Clair, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked in a south easterly gale off Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape with the loss of several lives (the exact number being unknown). 

1843: Conservative, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked north of Yzerfontein, possibly near Vondeling Island in the Western Cape. Its wrecking was under mysterious circumstances as there was no indication of how it wrecked, with six bodies later being washed ashore that confirmed suspicions that it had wrecked. 

1864: Sappho, this wooden sailing barque wrecked in a south easterly gale at Blaauwbergstrand in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

1866: Portsmouth, this sailing brig wrecked after its cables parted in a north westerly gale just east of the Coega River Mouth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. The cook drowned whilst trying to swim to shore. 

1982: Cape Point, this steel-hulled motor-powered fishing trawler wrecked after running onto rocks south of the Gourits River mouth in the Western Cape.

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Tuesday 22 March 2022

March 13: This day in South African shipwreck History

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

See also: Namibian shipwrecks

Today, March 13:

“This day in South African shipwreck History”

1826: Harmony, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked at Needles Point by the Knysna Heads in the Western Cape.

1839: Shylock, this wooden sailing cutter wrecked on a reef off Dassen Island off the west coast in the Western Cape.

1853: Africa, this vessel wrecked in the Mthatha River in the Eastern Cape.

1879: A strong north easterly gale claimed three vessels in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal: 

• Gazelle, this wooden sailing brig wrecked on Back Beach after its cables parted. 

• Liba. This sailing schooner’s cables parted and it was driven onto the bar and then Back Beach where it wrecked. 

• Zeba, this sailing schooner wrecked at the mouth of the harbour. 

1953: Falken, this steam-powered whaler wrecked south of Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape. It was being towed by the Carmen from Saldanha Bay when both vessels ran aground on Robben Island, but the Carmen was refloated whilst the Falken became a total loss.

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