Dream Makers Vacation

NW Beverages | Disposable Cups

2011-12-14T02:45:00.000-08:00

NW Beverages cup solutions offers a variety of disposable hot paper cups for the "coffee to go" market, cold paper cups for the cold beverage market and PET products for the traditionally known "smoothie" market.

NW Beverages are the suppliers of premium cup solutions to South Africa and its neigbouring countries hot and cold beverage market. This paper cup supplier pride themselves on being able to deliver the highest quality at the most competitive price in the market. They service the small user right through to the Giants.

Paper Cups

Hot and Cold Beverage Cups. A quality product and environmentally more friendly than ordinary plastic cups and foam cups. Great for the hot beverage on the go market!

Single Wall Hot Paper Cups / Round Ribbed Hot Paper Cups

Plain paper cups with unique generic designs.

Sleeves

If branding is a must for you and your volumes are not worthwhile going into big printing runs directly on the paper cups, then sleeves made to fit their range of paper cups will be an effective solution for you.

Lids

Lids which actually fit. These lids sit tight on their paper cups the way it should be.

Double Wall Cold Paper Cups

Great for soft drinks! Printing and branding on request. Minimum order runs apply however stock can be drawn off over an agreed time frame.

NW Beverages

Really Cheap Car Hire Cape Town

2011-12-12T02:44:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for car hire on a very small budget, Betta Car Hire in Cape town may just be the place for you. Cash Car Rentals in Cape Town never looked so good! With a wide range models available, all cars are fitted with aircon and radios and there is unlimited mileage! For the cheapest car hire in Cape Town visit Betta Car Hire!

Parker Cottage | Social Upliftment

2011-12-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

Parker Cottage is a little different to the usual hotel/guesthouse/bed and breakfast experience. Rather than being just a conventional ‘place to sleep’, this Cape Town City Bowl bed and breakfast offers a very much unplugged, urban retreat.

Parker Cottage are passionate about the people of this country and are involved in several social upliftment projects we personally manage or sponsor.

Kloof Street B&B - Parker Cottage & Society

At Parker Cottage Guest House, we are passionate about the people of this country and their development. We show our commitment in several ways:

We are not only involved as sponsors in several social upliftment projects but we personally manage and have founded some of them too. (Community Engagement)
As far as possible, we only buy our produce and services from local disadvantaged entrepreneurs (Business & Economic Development)
We take the development of our own staff very seriously and focus on developing the skills of disadvantaged staff to increase their earning potential. (Staffing and employment)
We employ more staff than we actually need to spread employment and access to a better life for as many families as possible. (Staffing and employment)

Community Engagement

At Parker, our staff are actively involved in several community projects. Some of these we support financially and some of these we work in ourselves.

School Scholarships

Parker sponsors two scholarships at Ntaba Maria Primary School in the Eastern Cape. This flagship primary school was originally where Phil taught for several years. The scholarships are anonymous and aimed at learners who have high potential but limited financial resources. They cover fees, uniforms, transport and some books.

School Support

Phil volunteers at a local primary school in the Bo Kaap, an economically depressed area of the inner city in Cape Town for a couple of hours a week. His focus is on increasing the literacy of the Grade 7 learners from other African countries or parts of South Africa in support lessons he designs for them to compliment their existing curriculum.

Business & Economic Development

We aim to use the purchasing power of Parker Cottage to support businesses from less affluent areas and owned by historically disadvantaged families and individuals. In this regard, we:

Buy all our electrical goods from Transignal, a 100% Black owned company in Cape Town.
Actively buying Eastern Cape products to decorate the guesthouse and for our shop (for example, a set of five wood prints from an art student at Rhodes University Grahamstown.)
Using Eastern Cape labour and skills in the Western Cape. For example, our caretaker, Donovan Jonkers is born and bred from the Eastern Cape.
Buy a lot of our furniture and decorative items from Funky Junk, a Port Alfred based antique shop.
Buy all our fruit and veg from Pappi and his sons (see picture on the left!) who deal in organic produce from local farms.
Buying the cut flowers for the guesthouse from local street vendors, not chain stores
Supporting local farms and shops in the way we purchase breakfast supplies, particuarly cheese, cold meat, bread and dairy products.

Suppliers

Wherever possible, we use supplies from local entrepreneurs and actively seek links with small organic suppliers, particularly from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Typical examples are:

Flowers
we only buy our flowers from local street sellers not from chain stores

Fruit
as often as possible, our fruit is delivered daily by local tradesmen from the Woodstock community. The majority of this produce is organically grown.

Hygiene
we buy our soaps and shampoos from Jade and Ecoco, two small Cape Town based companies employing previously unemployed women to manufacture environmentally friendly products made from local plants and trees.

City Tours
we have a great relationship with Walk In Africa, a company offering walking tours of central Cape Town and elsewhere in Africa.

Other Tours and Transfers
We have our own driver at Parker Cottage, Chris Hannival, who grew up in District Six (an area of Cape Town that was bulldozed under apartheid) and now runs his own transport company, of which Parker Cottage is the major client. Chris is now able to offer work to a further two drivers as a result of his affiliation with us who are all, like him, historically disadvantaged individuals.

Staffing and employment

Our two permanent staff at Parker Cottage both benefit from at least two times the minimum wage for the industry. Our temporary staff also receive at least 50% higher wages than the minimum wage for the industry. Our guiding principle at Parker is that no member of staff, including the owners or managers, will ever earn more than three times the salary of the lowest paid employee.

Our staff are actively encouraged to try their hand at new areas of the business, such as stock taking, linen control and so on. Our aim is to turn our maids into housekeepers with staff who work for them. When we find staff have strength in a particular area, we organise more training and build on their success.

Our longest-serving staff member, Marie Schultz, is now our Senior Housekeeper, having been a room maid for many years. Our latest member is Babalwa Ngombane who we are now training up to be an Assistant Manager. A single mother of five, she now finally has an opportunity to learn a new more responsible role which will empower her to earn more and be more mobile in her employment.

Local Businesses

We encourage our guests to walk to local restaurants and to spend locally. Particular links we’ve made are with:

Miller’s Thumb
a small family owned and operated restaurant less than two minutes walk from Parker Cottage, using fish caught by local fisherman.Zibonele Tours a small tour operator specialising in the township tour market with a particular focus on walking through the township, not driving through.

Hoerikwaggo Trail
with a local tour operator, we actively promote 2, 5 and 7 day hikes across Table Mountain staying in lodges built from alien vegetation and supporting conservation efforts in the peninsula’s National Parks.

Downhill Adventures
we’ve made a link with this activity tour operator who specialise in cycling, abseiling and other natural environment activities in the Western Cape

Parker Cottage

Bed & Breakfast - Villa Blu

2011-08-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

With the promise of unforgettably warm hospitality and phenomenal panoramic views, Villa Blu is a must see when visiting the beautiful whale watching town of Hermanus. Situated near the Southern most tip of Africa, Hermanus is home to the majestic Southern Right Whale and the dramatic Overberg mountains, as well as the famous Grotto ‘Blue Flag’ beach. For an intimate look at this superb Hermanus guest house, and to discover more about the services and facilities they offer navigate to the Villa Blu website.

Extreme Scene - Adventure Tours

2011-08-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

Extreme Scene is a Cape Town based adventure tour operator offering some of the most exciting outdoor tours and packages in South Africa. With adrenalin pumping Cape Town adventure tours such as bungee jumping, tandem sky diving, shark cage diving and quad biking, and authentic South African tours such as national park safaris, whale watching and sunset cruises, Extreme Scene is undoubtedly one of the best specialist adventure tours company in South Africa. Visit the Extreme Scene website for a detailed look at these and other thrilling adventure tours on offer.

David's Guest House

2011-08-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

In the heart of trendy Green Point lies David’s Guest House, a charming guest house offering comfortable Green Point accommodation, warm hospitality and a picturesque setting. This modernised Victorian terrace home boasts elegantly decorated en-suite bedrooms, magnificent living rooms and beautiful gardens, making it one of Cape Town’s most notable guest houses. Visit the David’s Guest House website to find out more about their services and facilities.

Jambo Guest House

2011-08-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Jambo Guest House, situated in the trendy Mother City, offers comfortable, yet luxurious Green Point accommodation. This exclusive Cape Town bed & breakfast maintains their reputable reputation by providing guests with outstanding service and friendly hospitality. Navigate to their website and find out more about this charming guest house.

The Cavern - Drakensberg Resort & Spa

2011-07-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Cavern resort situated in the Northern Drakensberg offers guests an unforgettable holiday experience. Offering comfortable rooms and suites, wonderful spa facilities and various thrilling activities, this Drakensberg accommodation is the ideal holiday destination for families, couples or single travellers. Go to The Cavern website to find out more about this remarkable Drakensberg holiday resort.

Magical Cape Town Beaches

2011-07-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

Cape Town offers some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, with sunny white beaches stretching east to west. It’s no surprise that many of South Africa’s beaches have been awarded the blue flag status, given only to the most perfect beaches of the world. Part of the allure of this area is that this is where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. The Atlantic lies on the west side and is about 4 degrees cooler. Many of the most popular beaches lie on this side of the coast, with many referring to it as South Africa’s “Riviera”. These beaches are lucky to have longer days and protection for the Cape winds, making them a very pleasant experience indeed.

One of the most notable is Clifton which is comprised of 4 beaches all together, it is no doubt one of the most fashionable beaches. The wealthy all aspire to own homes fronting its snow white sands and people fly from all over to see and be seen against the backdrop of the bright blue water, decorated with gleaming white yachts.

The East coast however has the warmer water with many hidden and secluded gems, which tourists travel from far and wide to experience. These are also preferred by local families wanting to steer clear of the crowds along the west coast. Each beach has its own particular charm however, so it’s always best to go to a few and decide which is most suited to your tastes.

If you are thinking about visiting this side of the world you are sure to be left with more than just a glowing tan, but fond memories of this captivating region and the hospitable people which reside in it. There is a wide array of accommodation options you can take advantage of such as SelfCatering Accommodation & Holiday Rentals or hotels. There is plenty to choose from and they line the coast, offering a wonderful way to experience the sun and surf offered by Cape Town, South Africa.

Affordable Car Rentals

2011-07-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Are you under the age of 21 and having trouble finding an affordable car rental company in South Africa? Drive Africa understands the needs of students travelling on a budget! Take a look at their site for super deals. I used Drive Africa myself in December and was very pleased with the outstanding service!

The Southern Right Whale seeks nursery accommodation, Witsand happy to oblige.

2011-05-27T02:14:00.000-07:00

There is a small coastal town just off the N2, in the area of the Western Cape known as the garden route that hosts an annual whaling spectacular the likes of which can’t be witnessed anywhere else in the world. At the right time of year in this small sleepy town, called Witsand, accommodation is inundated with Whale enthusiasts.

The whales that congregate in this area for calving purposes every year are considered

to be the least understood of all the species, they have inhabited the southern oceans for over 60 million years and are said to have the most highly evolved brain of all mammalian species. Every year from June to late November they move from the Southern Atlantic Ocean to the coastal regions off South Africa, Australia and South America. The region along the southern coast has some of the best viewing of these gentle giants and by all accounts the best of these is Witsand. Accommodation in this normally sleepy town can become hard to find at this time of year due to the popularity of watching the new mothers with their calves.

In 2005 a survey counted 130 whales and 51 calves a massive number considering that they have been a protected species for barely 40 years. The region along this particular stretch of coast is sparsely populated and other than in the town of Witsand, accommodation can be hard to find so booking in advance is important if you wish to witness this spectacle of life.

The calving is a natural complement to an area that is already full of beauty. Witsand means White Sand which is simply a reference to the brilliantly white sandy beach that hems in the town. This eye catching phenomenon is caused by an underground water supply that leeches the red iron oxide out of the sand leaving it bleached white. What makes this even more striking is the fact that the town sits on the mouth of the Breede River whose muddy brown water spills onto the dazzling white beaches of Witsand. Accommodation can be found all the way up the BreedeRiver and the historical Pont can be found near Malgas. This historical river crossing is still in use today. The roads in this area, however, are not well maintained and getting around can take time and could require a 4x4.

If you are after coastal activities it would be most practical to find Witsand accommodation, the river estuary formed by the river mouth provides a safe location for a range of activities, including windsurfing, swimming, paddle-skiing and fishing. These waters provide some of the best fishing in South Africa, the most common catch been the Spotted Grunter. Garrick, Shad and Steenbras are also commonly caught. Most Witsand accommodation owners are happy to provide you with information about the best fishing spots or even offer a charter service.

Perhaps the strangest thing you could experience at Witsand is what the locals call Brulsand which, in English means Roaring Sands, when the wind blows just right and the dunes start to move they release an eerie low rumbling noise. Finding Witsand accommodation is finding a place to share in natures wonders.

Health Tips For Travellers

2010-10-29T04:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing can spoil a holiday more than feeling off-colour, and nothing can dull the pleasure of your holiday memories more than getting ill far from home. There are a number of health issues that you should be aware of, particularly if you're from the northern hemisphere.
However, while there are risks anywhere, South Africa has a relatively salubrious climate and our levels of water treatment, hygiene and such make it a pretty safe destination.
If you're an adult, you won't need any inoculations unless you're travelling from a yellow-fever endemic area (the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America), in which case you will need certification to prove your inoculation status when you arrive in South Africa. It is recommended that you have the required inoculations four to six weeks before you travel to South Africa (a yellow fever inoculation certificate only becomes valid 10 days after inoculation - after which it remains valid for 10 years).
Hepatitis B inoculations are recommended for children up to the age of 12 who have not completed the series of injections as infants. Booster doses for tetanus and measles can also be administered.
Medical facilities
Medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but you will find that in rural areas the clinics and hospitals deal with primary health needs, and therefore do not offer the range of medical care that the large metropolitan hospitals do. Trained medical caregivers are deployed round the country, so help is never far away.
The sun
We have a warm sunny climate and you should wear sunscreen and a hat whenever you are out of doors during the day, particularly between 10am and 4pm, regardless of whether there is cloud cover or not. Even if you have a dark complexion, you can still get sunburned if you are from a cooler climate and have not had much exposure to the sun. Sunglasses are also recommended wear, as the glare of the African sun can be strong.
Can I drink the water?
High-quality tap (faucet) water is available almost everywhere in South Africa, treated so as to be free of harmful micro-organisms, and in any area other than informal or shack settlements, is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. In some areas, the water is mineral-rich, and you may experience a bit of gastric distress for a day or two until you get used to it. Bottled mineral water, both sparkling and still, is readily available in most places.
Drinking water straight from rivers and streams could put you at risk of waterborne diseases – especially downstream of human settlements. The water in mountain streams, however, is usually pure and wonderful. In the Cape, particularly, the water contains humic acid, which stains it the colour of diluted Coca-Cola – this is absolutely harmless, and the water is wonderful. You may also find this colouring in tap water in some areas. It's fine – it just looks a bit weird in the bath.
Do I need to take malaria tablets?
Many of the main tourist areas are malaria-free, so you need not worry at all. However, the Kruger National Park, the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal do pose a malaria risk in the summer months. Many local people and some travellers do not take malaria prophylaxis, but most health professionals recommend you do. Consult your doctor or a specialist travel clinic for the latest advice concerning malaria prophylaxis, as it changes regularly.
Whether you take oral prophylaxis or not, always use mosquito repellent, wear long pants, closed shoes and light long-sleeved shirts at night, and sleep under a mosquito net in endemic areas (the anopheles mosquito, which carries malaria, operates almost exclusively after dark). It is advisable to avoid malarial areas if you are pregnant.
Other health issues
Bilharzia can be a problem in some of the east-flowing rivers, but it is easily detected and treated if it is caught early. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a routine test a month or two after you get home – just to reassure yourself. Ticks generally come out in the early spring and may carry tickbite fever, which is easily treated. You should also be aware of hepatitis, for which you can be inoculated.

Source: Blue Dot Car Hire | Car Rentals in Cape Town

What To Do in Cape Town

2010-10-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

Great scenic drives in and around Cape Town:
In terms of getting around Cape Town car hire is definitely your best option if you want to take full advantage of all the beauty that Cape Town has to offer. Cape Town is world renowned for its scenic views with its rugged mountains and breathtaking shorelines it is hard not to be wowed by the splendour of the city. When visiting Cape Town one of the best ways to see all the beauty that Cape Town has to offer is to go on one of the many scenic drives.

Chapman’s Peak Drive – Hout Bay to Noordhoek
Arguably one of the most beautiful drives in the world Chapman’s Peak Drive winds its way along the Cape Town coast from Hout Bay to Noordhoek. Cut directly into the mountain side it was considered a great feat of engineering when it was completed in 1922. Its 9 km length offers panoramic views of sea and mountain with sheer cliffs that drop away from the road straight into the waves below. It offers many places along its length where one can stop the car to admire the view or hire a picnic basket and stay for the afternoon.
Victoria road- Llandudno to Bantry Bay
Stretching along the Atlantic seaboard Victoria road follows the Cape Town coast all the way from Llandudno to Bantry bay. It boasts fantastic views of both sea and mountain as well as a string of beaches including Llandudno, Camps Bay and Clifton which offer an assortment of activities. Park the car and head down to Clifton 4th beach and you can hire a deckchair and get some sun. Alternatively you can head to Llandudno hire a surf board and hit the waves or stop for lunch in Camps Bay where they have some of Cape Town’s top restaurants with top views.
Boyes drive – Westlake to Kalk Bay
This is a drive which gives you not only a great view back over the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town but as you round the mountain there is also a great view of Cape Town’s False Bay coastline. This provides a great vantage point where you can watch for whales from your car. At the end of the drive head down to Kalk Bay main road where you can park the car and go explore the antique shops and boutiques. The more adventurous can head on along the coast to Simons Town where you can hire a kayak and paddle out into the bay.

Cape point
The Cape Point Nature Reserve is not just the tip of Cape Town but the very tip of Africa. It has many kilometres of scenic drives through natural fynbos and great sea views. It also offers the opportunity to view the wildlife form the comfort of your car. Animals you may see include the cape mountain zebra, many species of buck including the eland and bontebok and ostriches. You are also likely to see baboons, just remember it is illegal to feed them and they are notorious vandals so always make sure your car doors and windows are closed. You can also park the car and go explore the many hiking trails or hire a mountain bike and take a ride around.

Source: Blue Dot Car Hire

isiZulu Phrases You Can Learn When Travelling to South Africa

2010-10-06T02:16:00.000-07:00

If you're travelling around South Africa, take the time to speak to people you meet.
Don't be afraid to try a new language and, although they might correct your pronunciation, most people will respect the effort you're making in their language.

isiZulu is the first language of about a quarter of all South Africans, and is understood by many more.

Pronunciation is very simple in isiZulu, and there are fewer click sounds than in isiXhosa. Generally the emphasis falls on the first syllable, for example: "Unjani?" The last syllable of each word, except in a question, is often dropped, so sawubona may be spoken as sawubon'.

isiZulu words are compound words, which at first glance can be intimidating. The first syllables include pronouns, tense and usage case. The suffix may change for the negative.

Additionally, isiZulu nouns have classes, analogous to the genders found in many European languages, except that there are many more classes.

If all of that sounds complicated, don't worry. As a spoken language, isiZulu is very easy to pick up, and intuitive to use. The best way to learn is to get out there and practise!

GREETING (SINGULAR)

Sawubona - Hello.
This greeting is an acknowledgement of having seen the other person. If you are greeted in this way, you could reply:

Yebo, sawubona - Yes, I see you.

Unjani? - How are you?

Ngiyaphila, wena usaphila? - I am well, how are you?

Kulungile - Good.

GREETING (PLURAL)

Sanibonani - I see you.

Yebo, sanibonani - Yes, I see you.

Ninjani - How are you?

Siyaphila - We are well.

USEFUL PHRASES

Yebo - Yes.

Cha - No.

Ngicela - Please. (The c is pronounced with a click, similar to a ch sound.)

Ngiyabonga - Thank you.

Uxolo - Excuse me. (The x is pronounced with a click in the back of the mouth, making a sound like kho.)

Kulungile - That's all right.

Ukhuluma isingisi? - Do you speak English?

Nibizani lokho? - What do you call that?

Lokho kusho ukuthini? - What does that mean?

Angizwa - I don't understand.

Angikhulumi isiZulu - I don't speak isiZulu.

Ngiphuma e... - I am from …

Kuphi? - Where?

Nini? - When?

Yini? - What?

Kanjani? - How?

Kungaki? - How much?

Kungaki? - How many?

Ubani? - Who?

Ngani? - Why?

Iphi? - Which?

Ungisize! - Help

Ngiyabonga - Thank you.

Source: http://www.bluedotcarhire.com/isizulu-phrases.html

Health tips for travelling in South Africa

2010-04-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

Nothing can spoil a holiday more than feeling off-colour, and nothing can dull the pleasure of your holiday memories more than getting ill far from home. There are a number of health issues that you should be aware of, particularly if you're from the northern hemisphere.
However, while there are risks anywhere, South Africa has a relatively salubrious climate and our levels of water treatment, hygiene and such make it a pretty safe destination.
If you're an adult, you won't need any inoculations unless you're travelling from a yellow-fever endemic area (the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America), in which case you will need certification to prove your inoculation status when you arrive in South Africa. It is recommended that you have the required inoculations four to six weeks before you travel to South Africa (a yellow fever inoculation certificate only becomes valid 10 days after inoculation - after which it remains valid for 10 years).
Hepatitis B inoculations are recommended for children up to the age of 12 who have not completed the series of injections as infants. Booster doses for tetanus and measles can also be administered.
Medical facilities
Medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but you will find that in rural areas the clinics and hospitals deal with primary health needs, and therefore do not offer the range of medical care that the large metropolitan hospitals do. Trained medical caregivers are deployed round the country, so help is never far away.
The sun
We have a warm sunny climate and you should wear sunscreen and a hat whenever you are out of doors during the day, particularly between 10am and 4pm, regardless of whether there is cloud cover or not. Even if you have a dark complexion, you can still get sunburned if you are from a cooler climate and have not had much exposure to the sun. Sunglasses are also recommended wear, as the glare of the African sun can be strong.
Can I drink the water?
High-quality tap (faucet) water is available almost everywhere in South Africa, treated so as to be free of harmful micro-organisms, and in any area other than informal or shack settlements, is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. In some areas, the water is mineral-rich, and you may experience a bit of gastric distress for a day or two until you get used to it. Bottled mineral water, both sparkling and still, is readily available in most places.
Drinking water straight from rivers and streams could put you at risk of waterborne diseases – especially downstream of human settlements. The water in mountain streams, however, is usually pure and wonderful. In the Cape, particularly, the water contains humic acid, which stains it the colour of diluted Coca-Cola – this is absolutely harmless, and the water is wonderful. You may also find this colouring in tap water in some areas. It's fine – it just looks a bit weird in the bath.
Do I need to take malaria tablets?
Many of the main tourist areas are malaria-free, so you need not worry at all. However, the Kruger National Park, the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal do pose a malaria risk in the summer months. Many local people and some travellers do not take malaria prophylaxis, but most health professionals recommend you do. Consult your doctor or a specialist travel clinic for the latest advice concerning malaria prophylaxis, as it changes regularly.
Whether you take oral prophylaxis or not, always use mosquito repellent, wear long pants, closed shoes and light long-sleeved shirts at night, and sleep under a mosquito net in endemic areas (the anopheles mosquito, which carries malaria, operates almost exclusively after dark). It is advisable to avoid malarial areas if you are pregnant.
Other health issues
Bilharzia can be a problem in some of the east-flowing rivers, but it is easily detected and treated if it is caught early. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a routine test a month or two after you get home – just to reassure yourself. Ticks generally come out in the early spring and may carry tickbite fever, which is easily treated. You should also be aware of hepatitis, for which you can be inoculated.

Source: Health Tips
Car Hire Cape Town

Travelling to South Africa? You'd better learn the lingo my bru...

2010-04-13T01:27:00.000-07:00

South Africans speak English, that doesn't mean you'll always understand us. Our robots are nothing like R2D2, just now doesn't mean immediately, and babbelas is not a shampoo.

SA English has a flavour all its own, borrowing freely from Afrikaans - which is similar to Dutch and Flemish - as well as from the country's many African languages, with some words coming from colonial-era Malay and Portuguese immigrants.

Note: In many words derived from Afrikaans, the letter "g" is pronounced in the same way as the "ch" in the Scottish "loch" or the German "achtung" - a kind of growl at the back of the throat. In the pronunciation guides below, the spelling for this sound is given as "gh".

A

abba - Carry a child secured to one's back with a blanket. From the Khoi-San.

amasi (pronounced um-ah-see) - A popular drink of thick sour milk. From the isiZulu. An alternative name is maas.

apartheid (ap-art-hate) - Literally "apart-ness" in Afrikaans, apartheid was the policy of racial separation, and the resulting oppression of the black majority, implemented by the National Party from 1948 to 1990.

ag (agh) - Generally used at the beginning of a sentence, to express resignation or irritation, as in: "Ag no man! What did you do that for?"

B

babbelas (bub-buh-luss) - A hangover.

bagel (bay-gell) - An overly groomed materialistic young man, and the male version of a kugel.

bakgat (buck-ghut) - Well done, cool, awesome.

bakkie (buck-ee) - A pick-up truck.

bergie (bear-ghee) - From the Afrikaans berg, mountain, originally referring to vagrants who sheltered in the forests of Cape Town's Table Mountain and now a mainstream word for anyone who is down and out.

biltong (bill-tong) - This South African favourite is dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky, although it can be made from ostrich, kudu or any other red meat.

bioscope - A cinema or movie theatre, originally a defunct international English word that has survived longer in South Africa because of the influence of the Afrikaans bioskoop.

biscuit - In South Africa a cookie is known as a biscuit. The word is also a term of affection, as in "Hey, you biscuit".

bliksem - To beat up, hit or punch - or a mischievous person.

blooming (blimmin) - A variation on very, as in: "That new bakkie is blimmin big."

bobotie (buh-boor-tee) - A dish of Malay origin, made with minced meat and spices, and topped with an egg sauce.

boerewors (boor-uh-vors) - Literally, farmer's sausage. A savoury sausage developed by the

Boers - today's Afrikaners - some 200 years ago, boerewors is South African food at its most traditional.

boet (like book, with a t) - A term of affection, from the Afrikaans for brother.

boma (bow-mah) - An open thatched structure used for dinners, entertainment and parties.

bonsella - Surprise gift, something extra, or a bribe. From isiZulu.

bosberaad (borse-bah-raad)- A strategy meeting or conference, usually held in a remote

bushveld location such as a game farm.

braai (br-eye) - An outdoor barbecue, where meat such as steak, chicken and boerewors are cooked, served with pap and bredie.

bredie (brear-dee) - A traditional South African mutton stew, first brought to the country by Malay immigrants. It now refers to any kind of stew.

bru (brew) - A term of affection, shortened from Afrikaans broer, meaning "brother". An example would be "Hey, my bru, howzit?"

bunny chow - Delicious and cheap food on the go, bunny chow is curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread, generally sold in greasy-spoon cafés. Perfect for eating on the side of the road while backpacking across South Africa.

bushveld (bush-felt) - Taken from the Afrikaans bosveld ("bush field"), the bushveld is a terrain of thick scrubby trees and bush in dense thickets, with grassy groundcover between.

C

café (kaf-ay, kaff-ee or kayff) - The ubiquitous small neighbourhood convenience store, often found on street corners and stocking cigarettes, cold drinks and newspapers.

china - To most people China is the country with the largest population in the world, but to a South African it can mean something entirely different. China means good friend, as in "This oke's my china". It's one of the few Cockney rhyming slang words to survive in the country, coming from "china plate" = "mate".

chommie - Friend, from the English chum.

cooldrink, colddrink - This is the common term for a soda, such as Coca-Cola. Ask for a soda in South Africa and you will receive a club soda.

D

dassie - The rock hyrax, a small herbivore that lives in mountainous habitats and is reputed to be the species mostly closely related to the elephant. The name comes from the Afrikaans das, meaning "badger".

deurmekaar (dee-oor-muh-car) - An Afrikaans for confused, disorganised or stupid, as in "He's a bit deurmekaar.

dinges (ding-us) - A thing, thingamabob, whatzit, whatchamacallit or whatsizname: "When is dinges coming around?"

doek (like book) - A head scarf worn to protect a woman's hair.

dolos - Interlocking blocks of concrete in an H-shape, with one arm rotated through 90º. The dolos is a South African invention used to protect seawalls and preserve beaches from erosion. The name comes from an Afrikaans word for the knuckle bones in an animal's leg. The plural is dolosse.

donga - A natural ditch resulting from severe soil erosion. From the isiZulu for "wall".

donner (dor-nuh) - Beat up. From the Afrikaans donder, meaning thunder.

dop (dawp) - An alcoholic drink: "Can I pour you a dop?" It can also mean failure: "I dopped the test."

dorp - A small town on the platteland.

droewors (droo-uh-vors) - Dried boerewors, similar to biltong.

dummy - A baby's pacifier.

dumpie - A South African beer served in a brown 340ml bottle.

Durbs - The city of Durban.

dwaal (dwarl) - Lack of concentration or focus: "Sorry, I was in a bit of a dwaal. Could you repeat that?"

E

eina (ay-nuh or ay-nar) - Ouch! Can also mean "sore".

eish (aysh) - Used to express surprise, wonder, frustration or outrage: "Eish! That cut was eina!"

F

Fixed up - Used to mean "that's good" or "sorted". Example: "Let's meet at the restaurant." The reply: "Fixed up."

flog - No whips implied. South Africans use flog to mean sell, as in "I've had enough of this old car. I think it's time I flogged it."

frikkadel (frik-kuh-dell) - A traditional meatball.

fundi (foon-dee) - Expert. From the Nguni umfundisi, meaning teacher or preacher.

fynbos (fayn-baws) - "Fine bush" in Afrikaans, fynbos is a vegetation type unique to the Cape Floral Region - a Unesco World Heritage Site - made up of some 6 000 plant species, including many types of protea.

G

gatvol (ghut-foll) - Taken from Afrikaans, this means fed up, as in "Jislaaik, china, I'm gatvol of working in this hot sun." Translation: "Gee, my friend, I'm fed up with working in this hot sun."

gogga, goggo (gho-gha or gho-gho) - Insect, bug. From the Khoikhoi xo-xon.

gogo (goh-goh) - Grandmother or elderly woman, from isiZulu.

graze - Eat.

H

hang of - Very or big, as in: "It's hang of a difficult" or "I had a hang of a problem".

hanepoot (haa-nah-poort) - A sweet wine made from the muscat blanc d'Alexandrie grape cultivar.

hap (hup) - Taste, bite, as in "Take a hap of this".

hey - The popular expression hey can be used as a standalone question meaning "pardon" or "what" - "Hey? What did you say?" Or it can be used to prompt affirmation or agreement, as in "It was a great film, hey?"

homelands - The spurious "independent" states in which black South Africans were forced to take citizenship under the policy of apartheid. Also known as bantustans.

howzit - A traditional South African greeting that translates roughly as "How are you?", "How are things?" or simply "Hello".

I

indaba (in-daa-bah) - A conference or expo, from the isiZulu word meaning "a matter for discussion".

inyanga - A traditional herbalist and healer.

is it (as one word: izit) - An expression frequently used in conversation and equivalent to "Is that so?"

J

ja (yaa) - Yes.

jawelnofine - Literally, "yes, well, no, fine", all scrunched into a single word and similar to the rhetorical expression "How about that?"

jislaaik (yis-like) - An expression of outrage or surprise: "Jislaaik, I just saw Elvis!"

jol (jawl) - A versatile word with many meanings, including party, disco, having fun, or just thing.

Jozi (jo-zee) - The city of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, which is also known as Joburg or Joeys.

Joburg on the move

just now - If a South African tells you they will do something "just now", they mean they'll do it in the near future - not immediately: "I'll do the dishes just now."

K

kasie (kaa-see) - Shortened form of lokasie, "location" in Afrikaans, the older word for township - the low-income dormitory suburbs outside cities and towns to which black South Africans were confined during the apartheid era.

khaya (k-eye-ya) - Home. From the Nguni group of languages.

kif - Cool, neat, great or wonderful. From the Arabic kayf, meaning enjoyment or wellbeing.

knobkierie (k-nob-kee-ree) - A fighting stick with a knob on the business end. From the Afrikaans knop ("knob") and the Khoi-San kirri or keeri, meaning "stick".

koeksister (kook-sister) - A traditional Malay - and now also Afrikaner - sweet, made from twisted yeast dough, deep fried and dipped in syrup. The right-wing enclave of Orania in the Northern Cape even has its own statue to the koeksister. The word comes from the Dutch

koek ("cake") and sissen, meaning "to sizzle".

koki (koh-key) - A coloured marker or felt-tip pen.

koppie (kor-pie) - A small hill.

kraal - An enclosure for livestock, or a rural village of huts surrounded by a stockade. The word may come from the Portuguese curral ("corral"), or from the Dutch kraal, meaning bead, as in the beads of a necklace - kraals are generally round in shape.

kugel (koo-gell) - An overly groomed materialistic young woman, from the Yiddish for a plain pudding garnished as a delicacy. A bagel is the male variety.

kwaito (kw-eye-toe) - The music of South Africa's urban black youth, a mixture of South African disco, hip hop, R&B, ragga, and a heavy dose of house music beats.

kwela (kw-eh-la) - A popular form of township music from the 1950s, based on the pennywhistle - a cheap and simple instrument taken up by street performers. The term kwela comes from the isiZulu for "get up", though in township slang it also referred to the police vans, the kwela-kwela. It is said that the young men who played the pennywhistle on street corners also acted as lookouts to warn those drinking in illegal shebeens of the arrival of the cops.

L

laatlammetjie (laart-lum-et-chie) - The youngest child of a family, born (mostly by accident) to older parents and many years younger than its siblings. The word means "late lamb" in Afrikaans.

laduma! (la-doo-mah) - A popular cheer celebrating goals scored at soccer matches, from the isiZulu for it thunders.

lappie (luppie) - A cleaning cloth.

lekgotla (lek-ghot-lah) - A planning or strategy session.

lekker (lekk-irr with a rolling r) - Nice, good, great, cool or tasty.

M

Madiba (muh-dee-buh) - An affectionate name for former President Nelson Mandela, and the name of his clan.

mal (mull) - Mad, from the Afrikaans.

mampara (mum-puh-rah) - An idiot, a silly person. From the Sotho languages.

mampoer (mum-poo-er) - Extremely potent brandy made from peaches or other fruit, similar to the American moonshine. See witblitz.

Marmite - Trade name of a dark-coloured spread made from vegetable extract and used on bread or toast.

mealie (pronounce mih-lih) - Maize or corn. A mealie is a maize cob, and mealie meal is maize meal, the staple diet of South Africa, which is mostly cooked into pap. From the Afrikaans mielie.

moegoe (moo-ghoo) - A fool, buffoon, idiot or simpleton.

mossie (morse-ee) - common name of the Cape sparrow, also applied to the house sparrow, and sometimes used to refer to any small undistinguished wild bird.

muti (moo-ti) - Medicine, typically traditional African medicine, from the isiZulu umuthi.

Joburg's king of muti museum

Mzansi (m-zun-zee) - A popular word for South Africa.

N

naartjie (nar-chee) - The South African word for tangerine, Citrus reticulata.

nappy - A baby's diaper.

nca - Fine, beautiful. Pronounced with a downward click of the tongue.

nê (neh) - Really? or is that so? Often used sarcastically.

now-now - Shortly, in a bit: "I'll be there now-now."

O

oke, ou - A man, similar to guy or bloke. The word ou (oh) can be used interchangeably.

P

pap (pup) - The staple food of South Africa, a porridge made from mealie meal (maize meal) cooked with water and salt to a fairly stiff consistency - stywepap being the stiffest. Pap can also mean weak or tired.

papsak (pup-suck) - Cheap box wine sold in its foil container, without the box.

pasop (pus-orp) - An Afrikaans word meaning "beware" or "watch out".

pavement - South Africans walk on pavements and drive cars on the road (at least that's the idea). The pavement is the sidewalk.

piet-my-vrou (peet-may-frow) - The red-chested cuckoo (Cuculus solitarus). The name, an approximation of the bird's call, literally means "Peter my wife" in Afrikaans.

platteland (plutt-uh-lunt) - Farmland, countryside. Literally flat land in Afrikaans, it now refers to any rural area in which agriculture takes place, including the mountainous Cape winelands.

potjiekos (poi-chee-kors) - Traditional Afrikaner food, generally a rich stew, cooked in a three-legged cast-iron pot over a fire. The word means "little-pot food" in Afrikaans.

puffadder - A viper or adder of the species Britis arietans. From the Afrikaans pofadder.

R

rand - The South African currency, which is made up of 100 cents. The name comes from the Witwatersrand (Dutch for "white waters ridge"), the region in Gauteng province in which most of the country's gold deposits are found.

robots - Traffic lights.

rock up - To arrive somewhere unannounced or uninvited. It's the kind of thing friends do: "I was going to go out but then my china rocked up."

rooibos (roy-borss) - Afrikaans for red bush, this popular South African tea made from the Cyclopia genistoides bush is gaining worldwide popularity for its health benefits.

rooinek (roy-neck) - English-speaking South African, from the Afrikaans for red neck, but without the connotations given the term in the US. It was first coined by Afrikaners decades ago to refer to immigrant Englishmen, whose white necks were particularly prone to sunburn.

rubbish bin (alternatively dustbin or dirt bin) - Garbage can.

S

samoosa (suh-moo-suh) - A small, spicy, triangular-shaped pie deep-fried in oil. Originally made by the Indian and Malay communities, samoosas - known as samosas in Britain - are popular with all South Africans.

sangoma (sun-go-mah) - Traditional healer or diviner.

sarmie - Sandwich.

scale, scaly - To scale something means to steal it. A scaly person is not to be trusted.

shame - Broadly denotes sympathetic feeling. Someone admiring a baby, kitten or puppy might say: "Ag shame!" to emphasise its cuteness.

sharp - Often doubled up for effect as sharp-sharp!, this word is used as a greeting, a farewell, for agreement or just to express enthusiasm.

shebeen - A township tavern, illegal under the apartheid regime, often set up in a private house and frequented by black South Africans. The word is originally Gaelic.

shongololo - Large brown millipede, from the isiZulu ukushonga, meaning "to roll up".

sjambok (sham-bok) - A stout leather whip made from animal hide.

skelm (skellem) - A shifty or untrustworthy person; a criminal.

skinner (skinner) - Gossip, from Afrikaans. A person who gossips is known as a skinnerbek: "Jislaaik, bru, I'm going to donner that skinnerbek for skinnering about me." Translation: "Gee, my friend, I'm going to hit that guy for gossiping about me."

skollie (skoh-li) - Gangster, criminal, from the Greek skolios, meaning crooked.

skop, skiet en donner (skorp, skeet en donner) - Action movie. Taken from Afrikaans, it literally means "kick, shoot and beat up".

skrik - Fright: "I caught a big skrik" means "I got a big fright".

skrik vir niks - Scared of nothing.

slap chips (slup chips) - French fries, usually soft, oily and vinegar-drenched, bought in a brown paper bag. Slap is Afrikaans for "limp", which is how French fries are generally made here.

smaak stukkend - Love to bits. In Afrikaans smaak means like, and stukkend means broken.

smokes - Cigarettes.

snoek (like book) - A popular and tasty fish, often eaten smoked. If you're lucky you may get to experience a snoek braai - a real South African treat.

sosatie (soh-saa-tee) - A kebab on a stick.

spanspek (spun-speck) - Cantaloupe, an orange-fleshed melon. The word comes from the Afrikaans Spaanse spek, meaning "Spanish bacon". The story goes that Juana Smith, the Spanish wife of 19th-century Cape governer Harry Smith, insisted on eating melon instead of bacon for breakfast, causing her bemused Afrikaans-speaking servants to coin the word.

spaza - Informal township shop.

spookgerook (spoo-ahk-ghah-roo-ahk) - Literally, in Afrikaans, ghost-smoked. Used jokingly, the word means "mad" or "paranoid".

stoep (stup) - Porch or verandah.

stompie - A cigarette butt. From the Afrikaans stomp, meaning "stump". The term picking up stompies means intruding into a conversation at its tail end, with little information about its content.

stroppy - Difficult, uncooperative, argumentative or stubborn.

struesbob (s-true-zz-bob) - "As true as Bob", as true as God, the gospel truth.

T

takkies - Running shoes or sneakers. Fat takkies are extra-wide tyres.

tannie (tunny) - An Afrikaans word meaning "auntie", but also used for any older female of authority.

taxi - Not a metered car with a single occupant, but a minibus used to transport a large number of people, and the most common way of getting around in South Africa.

to die for - An expression popular in the affluent suburbs of Johannesburg and Cape Town, denoting enthusiastic approval for an object or person: "That necklace is to die for."

tom - Money.

toppie - Old man.

townships - Low-income dormitory suburbs outside cities and towns - effectively ghettos - to which black South Africans were confined during the apartheid era.

Soweto, heartbeat of the nation

toyi-toyi - A knees-up protest dance.

tsotsi - A gangster, hoodlum or thug - and the title of South Africa's first Oscar-winning movie. Although Will Smith thought otherwise at the awards ceremony, the word is not pronounced "sossy".

tune grief - Cause trouble.

U

ubuntu - Southern African humanist philosophy that holds as its central tenet that a person is a person through other persons. (See box on the right above.)

An ubuntu Buddhist in Ixopo

V

veld (felt) - Open grassland. From the Dutch for "field".

velskoen (fell-skun) - Simple unworked leather shoes.

vetkoek (fet-cook) - "Fat cake" in Afrikaans, vetkoek is a doughnut-sized bread roll made from deep-fried yeast dough. Mainly served with a savoury mince filling, it's artery-clogging and delicious.

voetsek (foot-sak) - Go away, buzz off.

voetstoets (foot-stoots) - "As is" or "with all its faults". The term is used when advertising, for example, a car or house for sale. If the item is sold voetstoets the buyer may not claim for any defects, hidden or otherwise, discovered after the sale. From the Dutch met de voet te stoten, meaning "to kick".

vrot (frot) - Rotten or smelly.

vuvuzela (voo-voo-zeh-lah) - A large, colourful plastic trumpet with the sound of a foghorn, blown enthusiastically by virtually everyone in the crowd at soccer matches. According to some, the word comes from the isiZulu for "making noise".

W

windgat (vint-ghut) - Show-off or blabbermouth. Taken from the Afrikaans, it literally means wind hole.

witblitz (vit-blitz) - Potent home-made distilled alcohol, much like the American moonshine. The word means "white lightning" in Afrikaans. See mampoer.

Source: budget car hire cape town

World’s Best Travel Destinations – Cape Town

2010-01-26T04:55:00.000-08:00

The Cape Town tourism industry has really grown in the past few years. This growth is said to be continuing in the following years, despite the fact that the world is currently experiencing a global economic crisis. Also, the country is making efforts to strengthen its tourism industry, and this includes Cape Town tourism, to make sure that it is ready to accommodate and entertain all the tourists that will travel to South Africa for the international football event, the World Cup in 2010.
As Cape Town began to grow, the world started to really discover the true potential of this beautiful tourist destination. Whether for pure pleasure or business opportunities, the number of people travelling to South Africa, and especially Cape Town, has increased tremendously. You should also know that South Africa was voted as one of the top 25 tourist destinations worldwide.
A truly important aspect that helped Cape Town’s tourism industry’s growth was Cape Town’s architecture that incorporates different architectural styles from all over the world, England, France, Holland, etc. Cape Town’s architecture is considered to have the largest number of buildings built following the trends of the Cape Dutch style.
Cape Town’s tourism industry also profits from the annual Minstrel Carnival, or it is more widely known Kaapse Klopse, which is held each year on January 2nd. While it is not competing with the Rio carnival, Kaapse Klopse has a lot of color, music, and beautiful displays that are sure to entertain anyone visiting or passing through Cape Town.
The Cape, as it was fondly named by locals and tourists who took advantage of what the Cape Town tourism industry has to offer, also has spots untouched by this industry. This virgin spots can be quite a delight for those wanting a little more privacy. Strand beach, for example, is a 5 km long beach where you can rent privately owned homes from people that are on vacation themselves.
To really make your vacation to Cape Town unforgettable, make sure that you rent a car from one of the many car rental Cape Town companies. Apart from the local car rental Cape Town companies, there are a lot of international car rental companies that decided to profit from the growing Cape Town tourism industry.
Whether you are keen on a specific color, brand or type, you can rest assured. There is surely a car rental Cape Town company that has the vehicle that suits each and every one of your needs. Some companies offer full insurance, some do not, so be careful before choosing. The most important factors you need to take into consideration when making your pick from the large variety of car rental Cape Town companies are insurance against theft, and insurance against accidents. Other than that, have a great time in Cape Town.

Car Hire Cape Town - Cheap Car Rental in South Africa. Compare rates and book online with Drive South Africa!

Cape Town Trips Offer Exciting African Escapes

2009-11-01T23:12:00.000-08:00

There are numerous facets to Cape Town, and perhaps it is the sheer variety of entertainments on offer that make this town Africa's most popular destination for international tourists. From majestic natural features that provide awe-inspiring sight-seeing opportunities to the charming architecture and notable cultural achievements, there's something for everyone in Cape Town.

Start your holiday with a trip to some of Cape Town's most famous sights and ensure that you don't forget to bring a camera so that you can capture and treasure forever your time appreciating Table Mountain, located in the Table Mountain National Park, or admiring dramatic Cape Point. For unsurpassable views of the ocean, many travellers take the time to drive along the narrow Chapman's Peak Drive while active types also enjoy a hike up Signal Hill to take in a mountainous vista for themselves.

If it's relaxation that floats your boat when holidaying, there's plenty of opportunity for chilling out and kicking back in Cape Town too. It's the many beaches of this South African destination that draw sun worshippers back to its shores again and again - especially as the unusual lay-out of Cape Town means that it's more than possible to visit quite a few beaches in one day, ideal if you're hoping to follow the sun. Watersports are also abundant on the coast, with surfing and deep sea fishing being particular favourites in the area.

Those who enjoy picking up a few bargains and designer items on their travels will be glad to hear that Cape Town has plenty of shopping outlets. With the impressive Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Two Oceans Aquarium shopping centres offering hundreds of shops, travellers are advised to leave space in their suitcase on flights to Cape Town, they're certain to fill it before their flights back home!

Cape Town is of course also home to a large number of sporting events. It has hosted sports events of all shapes and sizes, but if you aren't there to watch you can always participate - the most popular sports to take part in are cricket, football and rugby - so don't forget to pack your protective gear.

There are plenty of inspirational cultural attractions in Cape Town for those who like to absorb a little local art on their holidays. The town is packed with theatres and the South African national gallery and District Six Museums are not to be missed. What's more, the Cape Dutch inspired architecture ensures that visitors will enjoy absorbing the views even as they make their way from one Cape Town highlight to another.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Source: Article Base
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