May 7th, 2013 at 10:00AM: After writing eight travel books that took him around Britain on foot, through the Pacific on a kayak, across Latin America, Europe and Asia on trains and up and down Africa by his wits over the last 30 years, one might think that Paul Theroux would be hard pressed to find new insights into the traveling lifestyle. But in his new travel narrative, "The Last Train to Zona Verde," the 71-year-old ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
SouthAfrica posts
An Interview With Paul Theroux, Author Of 'The Last Train To Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari'
May 7th, 2013 at 10:00AM: After writing eight travel books that took him around Britain on foot, through the Pacific on a kayak, across Latin America, Europe and Asia on trains and up and down Africa by his wits over the last 30 years, one might think that Paul Theroux would be hard pressed to find new insights into the traveling lifestyle. But in his new travel narrative, "The Last Train to Zona Verde," the 71-year-old ...Rooting For Ethiopia In The Africa Cup Of Nations
Jan 20th, 2013 at 11:00AM: One of the byproducts of travel is that you become more aware of events that don't get much coverage back home. The sports pages here in Spain, for example, aren't exactly full of stories about the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
This continent-wide football championship, starting today in South Africa, is sure to be watched by millions of Africans. I'm especially curious as to the public ...Video: Zulu Dancing
Jan 15th, 2013 at 1:00PM:
"Amazing Dancing From The Zulu (kwaZulu-Natal)" from Alex Masterson on Vimeo.
The Zulu people of South Africa make up the largest ethnic group within the country. Mostly living in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, nearly 10-11 million Zulu people in the region now celebrate equal rights in South Africa. The Zulu culture is vibrant and fascinating. One of the most notable aspects of Zulu ...
A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Interview With A USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Diplomat
Dec 3rd, 2012 at 9:00AM: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is very much an under-the-radar career opportunity for Americans who are interested in trade promotion and living overseas. Compared to the other Foreign Affairs Agencies, the FAS is quite small. At the moment, there are only 166 FAS Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) but they serve all over the world in 96 offices in ...Leopards May Go Extinct Thanks To Religion
Sep 17th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
One of Africa's iconic animals may be hunted to extinction by an emerging religion that honors them, CNN reports.
The Church elders of the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe, wear leopard skins as part of their rituals. A mixture of Christianity and traditional Zulu practice, the church has attracted some five million followers in South Africa and is growing quickly.
...Video: How To Cook A Sheep's Head
Jun 21st, 2012 at 2:00PM:
One of the great pleasures of travel is the food. Of course, sometimes the food can be a bit strange. A new web series called "Africa on a Plate" takes you across the continent in search of unusual delicacies that aren't so unusual in the local area. In the first episode, host Lentswe Bhengu shows us how they cook a sheep's head in South Africa.
This video is part one of two. You can see the ...
Fact vs. Fiction: Penguin Spotting At Boulder Beach, South Africa
Apr 10th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
Rock hopper African penguin colonies famously criss-cross the Cape of Good Hope south of Cape Town, South Africa, and one of the most popular spots to see the creatures is at Boulder Beach. There's a bit of wood decking and infrastructure built around this colony, which makes it easier for tourists to access. As such, though you can get a bit closer to the animals you can expect a bit of a ...Jeopardy! wants to send you to South Africa
Mar 11th, 2012 at 3:00PM: Popular American quiz show Jeopardy! and South Africa Tourism have joined forces to launch a new contest that will send one lucky winner off on the trip of a lifetime. To enter, simply drop by the Visit South Africa Facebook page, click on the "Jeopardy!" link and fill out the short form. You'll want to hurry though, as the contest only runs through March 22 and a winner will be randomly selected ...Video of the day: flying rhinos in South Africa
Dec 28th, 2011 at 5:00PM:
Flying Rhinos from Green Renaissance on Vimeo.
Flying rhinos aren't something you see everyday--not even in South Africa, where 19 of these endangered rhinos have recently been moved from the Eastern Cape to a conservation location in the province of Limpopo. Still relatively new, an airlift capture technique was used to transport black rhinos out of inaccessible or difficult locations. ...
Zimbabwe has mixed success stopping rhino poaching
Dec 6th, 2011 at 10:30AM:
Zimbabwe has seen an increase in rhino poaching this year, the government newspaper The Herald reports.
At least 23 of the 700 or so black and white rhinos in the country were poached this year, but authorities managed to arrest 37 poachers and horn dealers. Rhino horns are popular for folk medicine, especially in Asia where they fetch high prices. One tactic of the poachers is to poison ...5 train trips everyone should experience
Oct 29th, 2011 at 10:00AM: While some train routes can seem long and boring, there are many that allow for great views of unique landscape or luxury service. Still, there are some train rides that go above and beyond your wildest imagination. Check out these five train trips that everyone should experience in their lifetime.
The Blue Train
South Africa
The Blue Train travels approximately 1,000 miles between Pretoria ...Video: South African biker saves calf from drowning
Oct 24th, 2011 at 3:30PM: This guy must be related to MacGyver. While participating in the qualification trials for the Amageza Run, South African motorcyclist Johan Gray didn't think twice about stopping to save a baby calf who had gotten separated from the herd and fallen into a canal. While it took him a few tries, Gray was able to use his ingenuity to save the animal and bring him home. Thankfully, he was able to ...
5 best fast food chains around the world
Oct 14th, 2011 at 1:00PM: While fast food often gets a bad rep, you can't expect to eat all of your meals sitting in down in slow food restaurants. And, when traveling abroad, you will sometimes find that fast food doesn't always necessarily mean greasy fries and fattening burgers. Travelers can make their quick dining experiences worthwhile by visiting these five delicious and budget-friendly fast food restaurants, ...Mountain biker vs. antelope in South Africa
Oct 10th, 2011 at 6:15PM:
Mountain biker Evan van der Spuy earned a new nickname this weekend and it already has a trending hashtag on Twitter (#BUCKNORRIS).
Van der Spuy, a Team Jeep South Africa rider, was competing in the Time Freight MTB Express at Albert Falls Dam. Out of nowhere a red hartebeest decided to cross paths with Van der Spuy and Travis Walker, who captured the whole thing on a mounted GoPro.
So, ...
Baboon raider put to death in South Africa
Mar 26th, 2011 at 12:30PM:
He was known to his countrymen simply as Fred. The famous baboon's hobbies included car burglary, stealing fruits, harassing humans, and sunning on a gorgeous stretch of a South African road around Millers Point.
This week, South African authorities decided Fred's behavior was excessively aggressive, and put him down. While numerous activist groups such as Baboon Matters and the Nature ...Ten great hotel bars to see and be "scene"
Mar 4th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Craving insider access to the latest celeb hot spots? We've got the skinny on the latest "it" venues brimming with notables, views to die for and parties you just can't miss. With venues such as these we advise you to tread carefully, for your name may be the next to end up splattered across the front page of Page Six... don't say we didn't warn you.
Thompson Toronto
Bringing guests ...Photo of the Day - Tour d'Afrique
Jan 18th, 2011 at 5:00PM:
The 2011 Tour d'Afrique is officially underway! Just three days ago, more than 120 cyclists set off from Cairo, Egypt on a four month, 7,375 mile race across the world's most exotic and alluring continent. The competitors will pedal through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia before aiming to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa on May 14th.
If you ...Shootouts kill five rhino poachers in South Africa
Jan 16th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
Five rhino poachers were killed in two shootouts with South African police this week, the BBC reports. Three were killed in Kruger National Park, one of the most popular game reserves for safaris in South Africa. Two others were killed near the border with Mozambique. Poachers often cross borders in an attempt to evade the law.
Two rhino horns were found among the poachers' belongings.
...Daily Pampering: The Nelson Mandela Platinum Suite in South Africa
Nov 10th, 2010 at 4:00PM: When you're one of the most revered men in the world, your own suite at one of the top luxury hotels in the world is just part of the package that comes along with being you. In the spirit of sharing and world peace, however, this particular suite named after Nelson Mandela is available to the general public.
The intimate Saxon Boutique Hotel, Villas & Spa, located in Johannesburg, South ...Reflections on a round-the-world journey
Oct 25th, 2010 at 9:30AM:
Several nights into our journey, as we were speeding along dark roads en route to our guest house on the island of Lifou in New Caledonia, I felt a bolt of irrepressible excitement of the sort familiar, no doubt, to most travel enthusiasts. We'd just spent several nights in big, bold Sydney, a bona fide world city, well-organized and self-evident. Sydney was exciting, but, truth be told, not ...
