Swakopmund: We Love it!

“Adrenaline Junkie’s Paradise”

This old German town situated along the Skeleton coastline in the western part of Namibia is known for many different things amongst the locals thus everyone has their own little personal ideology of what the town is all about. It is common wisdom that as the only town in the country with a proper civilian/leisure beach, namely The Mole. Thus you can already imagine what the Mole beach looks during the peak season with crowds of with lazy, sun hungry holiday makers hogging every inch of the sand & water.

However the ocean and the beach are not the main reasons why locals and tourist alike flock to this coastal escape. There are the obvious attractions that come with the big city, the extreme nightlife, shopping malls satisfy the ladies desire’s and empty the spouses’ wallets, all the convenience of having to top tier government agencies and if you are into such things, great old German architecture that the town has reserved so well and in some cases integrated with modern designs. The foodies won’t be left out in the cold either as the town boasts quite a few number of amazing new and old cafés with unique recipes cakes, muffins and other confectionery delights.

And for everyone else though, this town has a whole other identity! It’s the adrenaline junkie’s day dream, short of base jumping; you can do just about any heart stopping, mind blowing and suicidal activity of your choice! Ok, it’s most of the available activities are not that life threating yet they are extremely thrilling, here’s a break-down of my favourites:

Sand boarding/Skiing in the dunes
The sand boarding option is without doubt the most popular activity amongst the tourist, it can be done either standing up or lying down. The less popular option of skiing in the dunes is also available from some tour operators.

Quad biking in the dunes
For those of us out there who are 4×4 enthusiast, this is a pretty straight forward activity. Quad biking is done in group and it is advised & enforced that you stay on the provided route as this section of dunes is a common breeding ground for the Damara Tin (bird) and thus it is a protected conservancy area.  

Skydiving
Labelled as the ultimate way to see the sand dunes even descripted by some as “better than sex”! An aircraft will take you for a brief scenic flight as you are trying to ascend to the appropriate height for a jump, if you are a professional jumper than you can do a solo jump but for the mere thrill seekers, assisted jumps are the norm. In hind sight if things go south, as far crashing places go, the sand dunes are better than most other alternatives!

Go-karting
Speed freak! The nearest thing to F1 racing that I have experienced thus far, speeding into corners with a vehicle that makes you feel as though you are sitting on the ground! Gets your heart pacing and envy the likes of Lewis Hamilton for being paid to have so much fun.

Wind/Kite surfing
The late afternoon winds that blow into the shore from the sea makes this town the best place for this activity. If you love water and surfing then this is definitely a must do activity on your visit to Swakopmund. Local surf shops will be more than willing to rent the equipment to you per request.

If you are not all that adventurous, consider these options:
Dolphin & Seal boat cruises or perhaps the municipal aquarium or visit the museum as well.

If you want an excuse to bring out your deck chair, braai & drink beer then go fishing; Swakopmund is an excellent angling/Fishing spot whether on the shore or off shore.

Too bad, our cold currents along the coastline make it an unsuitable habitat for sharks or else I might have added cage diving to my favourites as well.

To BOOK any of the above mentioned activities when in Swakopmund, feel free to visit any of these sites:
Chameleon Safaris Namibia: www.chameleonsafaris.com
Desert Explorers:  www.namibiadesertexplorers.com
Outback-Orange: www.outback-orange.com

Has Vacationing Gone To The Dogs?

I know what your first thoughts were after you read the headline but wow, hold your horses for a sec! Don’t let your imagination runaway with you just yet. What could possibly be more human than wanting to take a long overdue vacation? Taking time off from your busy 9 to 5 to regroup & recharge? Whether it is an exotic holiday somewhere to a tropical island or a quite simply a weekend away to the family cottage in the country side. No early morning communing, zero ringing telephones or beeping Skype messages, away from all the noise of the big city, just you having some quality alone time. In other words, I guess what I am trying to say is that; wanting a timeout every now and then is simply just human nature.

At least this was a uniquely human sentiment up until recently that is. Let me reward your curiosity and tell you what I am really on about, they are eccentric institutions that operate under the title “Pet Recreational Centers” or in layman’s terms pet hotels. At this point, I know some of you are going “Mate, kennels have been around for ages now!” if those are your currents thought than you are in for a major shocker! Kennels used to be/are places where you dump your pets when you are going somewhere that is not pet friendly or you just do not want to deal with the extra hassles of travelling around with your best friend. Pet recreational centers are an entirely different breed in total. These centers are the equivalent of you visiting a spa or a resort, getting served an exotic drink upon arrival and being wined and dined like royalty. Our canine friends and their feline counterparts can enjoy the same “Getaway/Vacation” benefits as humans as well rather than simply receiving boarding.

Pet hotels are now recreational providers, treating our pets to activities such as grooming, massages, most even boast pets’ swimming pools and some go as far as to provide a taxi/shuttle for your four legged pal to and from their hotel. They offer daily services as well as full overnight packages, if you’d liked they will even enroll your pet into behavioral/obedience classes or even do a full vaccination and if you searched hard enough you will even find 1 that offers what I can only refer to as a “speed dating” service (not the official preferred term nor similar to the human speed dating). It now seems that our animal buddies can now ditch us at home to our boring lives and escape on a care free vacation paid for by yours truly! Mhmm…imagine that, never thought the tables could turn like that huh?! The rise of these hotels are so potent that big “human” hotel chains have noticed and are now switching/including pet friendly antics into their services and offerings, perhaps hoping that the bond between you and your pet would make it preferential to vacation and enjoy the good life together, after all you are BEST FRIENDS!

Sources: http://petshotel.petsmart.com
http://dpethotels.com http://pet.com/sg
http://petswelcome.com

For further information on what we do, visit: http://chameleonsafaris.com

How do YOU pack when travelling!?

How do YOU pack when travelling!?.

How do YOU pack when travelling!?

The Great “Folding” Vs “Rolling” Debate!
Once you’ve chosen a destination and booked a trip, the next big decision is about packing. There’s so many different opinions out there about what’s best. But you are the only one who knows what is right for you.

Here’s a couple of the most common debates when it comes to packing, and some pros and cons for each option. Roll clothes or fold them? Suitcase or backpack? Read our handy guide and make your decision wisely…

Rolling clothes vs folding

Rolling

By tightly rolling your clothes, it makes them more compact and easier to pack. It also cuts down on creases for many smaller items. Rolling is ideal for synthetic fabrics, such as nylon as these are less likely to wrinkle than natural fabrics, such as cotton. Rolling works well for shorts, socks, synthetic t-shirts and singlets, pajamas and tracksuit pants.

To roll your jeans, just fold them lengthways so that the legs are stacked on top of each other. Now, starting from the cuff, roll your way up. For t-shirts, place face down and fold the arms back. You should now have a long rectangle. Then fold this lengthways and roll up.

Folding

If you’ve got clothes that wrinkle easily, such as cotton shirts or pants, folding is the way to go. Folding items along the creases they are supposed to have, for example, along the creases of jeans or pants seems to work well, but unwanted creases can show up where the garment is folded in half.

For windcheaters and other tops that aren’t t-shirts, the square fold is best. You should firstly do up all buttons and lay shirts face down on a bed or flat surface. Smooth away wrinkles. Fold material in at the shoulders and lay arms flat along the body so that you create about two-inches of overlap on both sides. Now fold up a third of the material from the bottom and overlap a third from the top. You should now have a tidy package that will fit neatly into any suitcase.

Suitcase vs backpack

Suitcase

A suitcase with wheels can be really handy when travelling, as you’ve got easy access to the contents and they are less likely to get caught in baggage conveyors/ Due to their size, suitcases are easier to store and they’re great in airports and hotels when you can just roll them smoothly along behind you.

However, there are some disadvantages You can’t carry most suitcases for more than a few minutes. So from the moment you decide to take a suitcase instead of a backpack you are essentially stuck taking taxis, cars and booking your hotels and hostels in advance. You lose freedom. This is the advantage of a backpack and for the independent traveller freedom is one of the most important features of the journey.

Backpack

Backpacks were designed for people planning to travel by foot over considerable distances – explorers, hikers, soldiers etc. They allow the weight to be distributed evenly across the shoulders/hips so that they can be carried comfortably. The fact backpacks are really light makes a big difference, as suitcases can weigh a lot before they have even been filled. So there’s less risk of going over the baggage allowance. And if you find yourself in a confined space, it is a lot easier to control your luggage when it’s strapped to your back rather than dealing with a suitcase on wheels.

The bad news is, it can be quite tricky to locate all your items in a hurry. They can get quite squished, and often there’s pockets and compartments that you need to dig around in. If your backpack is quite heavy, often it can be really difficult lifting it up and onto your back all the time. If you suffer from a back injury, it might be better to stick with a suitcase.

What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments section below. Then head to twitter and Facebook to keep the debate going.

if you are thinking/planning on coming to Namibia anytime soon and are looking for something memorable to do visit: www.chameleonsafaris.com or for accommodation visit: www.chameleonbackpackers.com

Note: This post was adopted from Peregrine Adventures’ travel blog. www.peregrineadventures.com

Shhhh…”Sleeping Glampers ahead!

5star camping…Sounds ridiculous right?! There is nothing glamorous about putting up a tent or trying to fall asleep in a sleeping bag on uneven gravel with bits & bumps underneath you. Thus most of us inturn have to reach way deep into our pockets to forkout enough to overnight in a lodge, guesthouse or hotel while on vacation, for some the cost of accommodation is so excessive that we put off taking a holiday as a whole. Well, Santa has just read your letters and by the looks of it, you have being good boys & girls because your wish has been granted.

Step aside conventional accommodation establishments, there’s a sheriff in town! Glamping, that’s the new buzz word in tourism and travelling circle for those of us who are a little behind the trends. Short for Glamorous-Camping, it takes all the perks of a regular guesthouse or lodges like a permanent structure, comfortable beds, closets, a bedroom suite complete with décor and en-suite facilities but with the low cost infrastructure of camping. What these establishments are in a nutshell is a permanently erected tent usually with a solid overhead structure to protect the tents from the elements. (See picture)

The massive savings that accommodation provider’s benefits from by building these low cost infrastructures, ultimately translate into cheap accommodation for tourist and holiday makers all over the world. This new trend is set to boost and revitalize the travel industry into a booming market; customers love low prices (the perfect excuse to take that long overdue vacation that you have been craving for) thus driving huge numbers to travellers to these “Glamping lodges” resulting in a favourable win-win scenario. These Glamping lodges are now starting to pop up all over Africa, 1 of the world’s most travelled to destination especially by overseas tourist with keen interest in wildlife safaris and with little creativity these glamorous camps can be made to look amazingly stunning, most would even rival well-built traditionally lodges and resorts. Here are some examples of beautifully designed Glamping lodges all over Namibia.

Environmentalist and green enthusiast are especially thrilled by the new “Glamping” trend as it causes very minimal damage to the natural environment, no excessive building materials are required and relocation is easily possible and it would be as though the campsite was never there! Thus environmentalist and activist are 1 of the major driving forces behind the campaign and who are we kidding if it means low prices, we are definitely a 100% behind this trend. I guess now, all we can say to traditional accommodation powerhouses now is: “It’s the end of an Era huh?”

So if you have been putting off a vacation for long time quite simply because the cost of taking a glamorous holiday with 10 000 memories is too high, get on to Google now and start planning your ultimate getaway! Too bad we cannot help you with airline prices because oil is still too damn expensive, maybe if you keep on being good boys and girls and write another letter to Santa…who knows!

Be sure to visit the following websites when hunting for Glamping holidays.
Africa: www.chameleonsafaris.com
Rest of the world: www.goglamping.net

An Australian Girl(^^,)

An Australian Girl(^^,).

An Australian Girl(^^,)

Let me tell you a story, 1 one that does not start with the traditional “once upon a time…” or maybe it should just to keep the culture of folklore alive and flowing through the veins of youngsters or the X generation as they are called but  I am not really much of a traditionalist!

This story starts in the great Australian outback (obviously), the star of this post is an adventurous blonde with an exceptional taste for the fresh air and travelling the world. She was a banker by profession so you can already see that she’s not your average blonde. In 1995 her aspiration to see the world was so sensational that she decided to drop her life as she knew it and set out to conquer the 7 seas and 7 continents but being blonde she made a fatal mistake! SHE STARTED WITH NAMIBIA!!!!!

Let me explain: When she backpacked those the beautiful sand Dune Sea of the Sossusvlei and Namib Naukluft National Park in the Namib Desert, which holds a reputation as not only one of the oldest deserts in the world but also boost the highest sand dunes than anywhere else in the world!

 The tempting coastal adventure town of Swakopmund, an adrenaline junkies wonderland with host of activities like, skydiving, sand boarding or skiing in the giant sand dunes that were recently described by “Matt Lauer” of the Where in the world is Matt Lauer show as the “sands of hell” or any water activity of your choice!

 As if all is that is not convincing enough, the pride of Namibia: the majestic Etosha National Park, 1 of the world renowned wildlife viewing destinations in Africa which is home to an impressive collection of game including the white rhino and endangered black rhino, lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, giraffe and numerous species of antelope as well as an impressive 340 species of birds – enough to keep any nature and wildlife enthusiast happy! Those are not even half of what this diverse country has to offer, major attractions include but are not limited to; The Fish River Canyon (2nd only to the Grand Canyon), The Epupa and Ruacana Waterfalls, the Okavango River & Delta, the Otjikoto Lake (one of the deepest and longest underground lakes in the world) the multitude of warm and inviting local tribes namely Shiwambo, Otjiherero, Himba, Damara Nama, San (bushmen) and Afrikaners (Boers).

 The Australian blonde was out manned and out gunned, she set out to conquer the world but instead Namibia conquered her! The overwhelming diversity simply stole her HEART! She so loved the country that she just had to share it with the rest of the world thus she founded Chameleon Safaris: www.chameleonsafaris.com is safari tour operator in Namibia designed for the sole purpose of bringing Namibia that much closer and easily accessible to the rest of the world! 

 She now owns and manages Chameleon Safaris Namibia: A pioneering tour operator; Chameleon Backpackers & Guesthouse: a great quality pre or post safari accommodation in Windhoek That strives to provide a warm and intimate family like environment of its guest and Chameleon holidays: A tailor-made travel specialist that is bounded to satisfy even your craziest travel needs!

 Who knew, that a blonde could have so much potential…