As the struggle for freedom reached a new intensity in the early fifties, the ANC saw the need for a Freedom Charter - a vision for a united, non-racial and democratic South Africa.
"The determination made by the Freedom Charter, that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, now also reflected in our Constitution, decisively repudiated the dismal future for our country that those who had superior weapons had sought to impose," said South African President Thabo Mbeki.
"As we engage in these celebrations [Ed: 50th anniversary], we will also reaffirm that the victory of the perspective advanced by the Freedom Charter means that there will never again be the kind of conflict exemplified by the skirmish at Mossel Bay in 1488. Instead, our people will continue to strive to work together in the true partnership of which Chief Luthuli spoke, together to eradicate the legacy of centuries of colonialism and apartheid and build a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it, united in their diversity," Mbeki said.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
Dream Diving in KZN and TOFO (NEW!!)
Don't know about you ... but diving with whale sharks and manta rays has been one of my dreams for a very long time, and it ranks high on my list of "things to do before I die". We are therefore delighted to announce our new partnership with tour operator Scuba Addicts, based in Durban (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa) - scuba travellers can enjoy a spectacular 14-day adventure diving and safari vacation.
"Where in the world can you dive with mantas, tiger sharks, Zambezi [bull] sharks and cuddly ragged tooth sharks, dolphins, turtles, rays, the list is endless and lets not forget the humpback whales on the way out / back to the beach, in the morning and then in the afternoon go and see rhino, hippos, elephants, giraffe, zebra, again the list is endless? There is nowhere in the world like it."
Travellers are met at Durban's International airport and transported to log cabins on KZN's South Coast. The first week provides plentiful scuba diving on Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks and a safari at Hluhluwe Imfolozi (the oldest game reserve). The adventure then heads north with great diving in Sodwana Bay (a.k.a. 'soddies' pronounced 'soredeez') and then gets a lot more rustic as travellers are transported to Tofo Beach in Mozambique.
Tofo Beach is situated about 465 kms north of Maputo and about 25 kms from Inhambane. The area is pristine, surrounded by palm trees with miles of sandy beaches. The diving in the area is fantastic, the reefs are in awesome condition, untouched during 17-years of civil war but the main attraction is the abundance of huge manta rays and whale sharks. In the winter months, the annual migration of the humpback whales makes for some fantastic close-up encounters.
Travellers also have the choice of doing this adventure in reverse, i.e. fly from Johannesburg to Inhambane aiport, join the group and head back down the coast to Durban. Groups are kept to a minimum (between 1 and 9) to ensure the best level of service and personal attention.
"Just to let you know I got back on Sunday. Well I had a fantastic time in S.A. I thought the tour ran like clockwork and was very well organised, thanks for your hospitality and service, I had a great introdution to Africa that has whetted the appetite for more. I will certainly recommend ScubaAddicts to other divers." Cheers ANDY ROBERTS (LONDON, UK) "P.S. I brought some biltong back to the office & it didn't go down well!!" [Marvic: Biltong is a South African speciality of spicy dried meat ... once the taste is acquired, it's difficult to let go.]
"Where in the world can you dive with mantas, tiger sharks, Zambezi [bull] sharks and cuddly ragged tooth sharks, dolphins, turtles, rays, the list is endless and lets not forget the humpback whales on the way out / back to the beach, in the morning and then in the afternoon go and see rhino, hippos, elephants, giraffe, zebra, again the list is endless? There is nowhere in the world like it."
Travellers are met at Durban's International airport and transported to log cabins on KZN's South Coast. The first week provides plentiful scuba diving on Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks and a safari at Hluhluwe Imfolozi (the oldest game reserve). The adventure then heads north with great diving in Sodwana Bay (a.k.a. 'soddies' pronounced 'soredeez') and then gets a lot more rustic as travellers are transported to Tofo Beach in Mozambique.
Tofo Beach is situated about 465 kms north of Maputo and about 25 kms from Inhambane. The area is pristine, surrounded by palm trees with miles of sandy beaches. The diving in the area is fantastic, the reefs are in awesome condition, untouched during 17-years of civil war but the main attraction is the abundance of huge manta rays and whale sharks. In the winter months, the annual migration of the humpback whales makes for some fantastic close-up encounters.
Travellers also have the choice of doing this adventure in reverse, i.e. fly from Johannesburg to Inhambane aiport, join the group and head back down the coast to Durban. Groups are kept to a minimum (between 1 and 9) to ensure the best level of service and personal attention.
"Just to let you know I got back on Sunday. Well I had a fantastic time in S.A. I thought the tour ran like clockwork and was very well organised, thanks for your hospitality and service, I had a great introdution to Africa that has whetted the appetite for more. I will certainly recommend ScubaAddicts to other divers." Cheers ANDY ROBERTS (LONDON, UK) "P.S. I brought some biltong back to the office & it didn't go down well!!" [Marvic: Biltong is a South African speciality of spicy dried meat ... once the taste is acquired, it's difficult to let go.]
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
African Myth and Legends
Recapturing past events and sharing our beliefs has got to be man's greatest triumph.
As with all great nations, South African history has also been handed down from one generation to the next, with tales being told by campfire or during a communal village meeting or while out on a hunt. Some of our favourite myths are about our favourite animal, the majestic African Elephant.
"Indigenous people speak about the pair of 'wisdom sticks' that the elephant carries on either side of his temples. They believe that these sticks enable the elephant to know the time and place of its own death. That is why they believe that very old tuskers are often seen without their herd, preferring to find a hiding place to die, thus maintaining their dignity, as they wish to die alone and in peace."
Feel free to check out other myths and legends on our website, or perhaps you'd like to meet these wonderful creatures in person ... up close?
As with all great nations, South African history has also been handed down from one generation to the next, with tales being told by campfire or during a communal village meeting or while out on a hunt. Some of our favourite myths are about our favourite animal, the majestic African Elephant.
"Indigenous people speak about the pair of 'wisdom sticks' that the elephant carries on either side of his temples. They believe that these sticks enable the elephant to know the time and place of its own death. That is why they believe that very old tuskers are often seen without their herd, preferring to find a hiding place to die, thus maintaining their dignity, as they wish to die alone and in peace."
Feel free to check out other myths and legends on our website, or perhaps you'd like to meet these wonderful creatures in person ... up close?
Pick 'n Mix Holiday Adventures
Guests booking their holiday adventures with one of our partners are given the utmost flexibility to plan their vacation itinerary.
The internet has changed the way we travel and most people now book their flights online. In fact, many travel agents have closed down some branches or offices due to this phenomenon. Some websites offer international flights, some offer fly/drive packages, and other sites are great for booking international accommodation. Our website focuses on the nitty gritty of an exotic destination ... the local experience.
We offer a variety of one-day excursions in and around the magnificent Cape Town region, including Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach, Simonstown, Cape Peninsular, Cape Point, West Coast and of course the fertile Winelands. Guests can pick 'n mix the experiences they wish to partake in.
We also offer extended adventures comprising of a few days / nights, which include accommodation and transport. These adventures extend a little further down the track ... some head east along the breathtaking Garden Route towards the Addo Elephant Park and others head north towards the spectacular Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Our tour operator partners in South Africa are also very helpful in offering local advice and recommending the best options for the time of year that you'd like to visit the rainbow nation. Marvic Tours and Tales further enhance your online booking experience by adding handy links to affiliate websites on the relevant pages e.g. accommodation / flights.
The internet has changed the way we travel and most people now book their flights online. In fact, many travel agents have closed down some branches or offices due to this phenomenon. Some websites offer international flights, some offer fly/drive packages, and other sites are great for booking international accommodation. Our website focuses on the nitty gritty of an exotic destination ... the local experience.
We offer a variety of one-day excursions in and around the magnificent Cape Town region, including Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach, Simonstown, Cape Peninsular, Cape Point, West Coast and of course the fertile Winelands. Guests can pick 'n mix the experiences they wish to partake in.
We also offer extended adventures comprising of a few days / nights, which include accommodation and transport. These adventures extend a little further down the track ... some head east along the breathtaking Garden Route towards the Addo Elephant Park and others head north towards the spectacular Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Our tour operator partners in South Africa are also very helpful in offering local advice and recommending the best options for the time of year that you'd like to visit the rainbow nation. Marvic Tours and Tales further enhance your online booking experience by adding handy links to affiliate websites on the relevant pages e.g. accommodation / flights.
"Come to South Africa, and meet the friendly locals!"
Monday, June 13, 2005
A spring fever to catch? It's time to act!
People in the northern hemisphere are used to definite seasonal changes, as each season is normally made up of three months each. However in South Africa things are a little different! Summer usually lasts for about 7-8 months with autumn, winter and spring making up the balance. In fact, some of South Africa's winter temperatures are even better than central European summer temperatures (see our average weather chart). Okay, the point of all this weather talk is that when spring does spring, it's brief and people stand up and take note :-)
The West Coast Wild Flower spectacle is world-famous and people from all the corners of the globe flock to this arid land that's been turned into a carpet of flowers. This time of the year also brings in the magnificent Humpback and Southern Right whales, that grace these waters to meet their mates and to calve.
The West Coast Wild Flower spectacle is world-famous and people from all the corners of the globe flock to this arid land that's been turned into a carpet of flowers. This time of the year also brings in the magnificent Humpback and Southern Right whales, that grace these waters to meet their mates and to calve.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Life After Apartheid
More than 10 years have passed since South Africa's first democratic election, and much has been done to rectify the sombre effects from the apartheid era. Crime is still a problem, houses are still too few, there's still a lack of running water or ablutions for many South Africans. However, it's not as bad as it was and things are on the mend.
Why not visit South Africa yourself and discover first hand how the locals have experienced the transition from oppression to freedom? You can see how people are moving forward and are following Nelson Mandela's example of attaining resolution instead of restitution; an attitude that has earned him world-wide awe and respect.
The Cape Care Route is made up of 21 individual destinations situated in and around the greater Cape Town area, each one showcasing their unique ability to promote the link between people, culture and the environment.
Our Guests are shown how the communities are uplifting themselves, improving their quality of life, developing skills to build their own homes, growing food & vegetables, turning waste materials into arts & crafts, recycling waste and simultaneously rehabilitating and protecting sensitive ecological systems.
An important focus of the Cape Care Route is on projects that show how the partnerships between our Guests, business, government and the communities themselves are helping to protect the rich natural resources of Cape Town and provide healthier and cleaner living environments in poor communities.
Join us for a day and see what a difference your visit makes!
Why not visit South Africa yourself and discover first hand how the locals have experienced the transition from oppression to freedom? You can see how people are moving forward and are following Nelson Mandela's example of attaining resolution instead of restitution; an attitude that has earned him world-wide awe and respect.
The Cape Care Route is made up of 21 individual destinations situated in and around the greater Cape Town area, each one showcasing their unique ability to promote the link between people, culture and the environment.
Our Guests are shown how the communities are uplifting themselves, improving their quality of life, developing skills to build their own homes, growing food & vegetables, turning waste materials into arts & crafts, recycling waste and simultaneously rehabilitating and protecting sensitive ecological systems.
An important focus of the Cape Care Route is on projects that show how the partnerships between our Guests, business, government and the communities themselves are helping to protect the rich natural resources of Cape Town and provide healthier and cleaner living environments in poor communities.
Join us for a day and see what a difference your visit makes!
Friday, June 10, 2005
What are authentic adventures?
Can you remember the first time you travelled? It was so exciting ... the airports, terminals, getting dropped off, booking in your luggage ... you took photo's of everything. "Me at the terminal", "Us having a pre-flight drink", "Our window seat that we were fighting over", etc. And that was just the flight! Sadly, the flight itself has nowadays become commonplace, almost the same as driving a car.
Our holiday expectations have moved to the destination. "What can we expect? What are the people like? Is it safe? What's the food like? Is it clean? What can we do when we're there?" With information freely available the Internet has helped a lot in this regard, but no amount of books, videos and brochures can replace the actual experience.
Organised group tour packages ... we're all familiar with these well-worn, cheap and cheerful, vacations. When you're at the destination, the locals often focus entirely on the tourist market so that you don't get to experience the real country. For most people wanting a quick get-away, this option is great -it's a no-brainer, where everyone goes with the flow.
On the other hand, authentic adventures are uniquely designed for the traveller who wants to discover the real country, behind the usual tourist facade. As hotels / touring coaches / meal arrangements haven't been block-booked for cheaper rates, authentic adventures also cost more than their well-worn cousins. There are no pre-determined times of departure / arrival and they're often long haul destinations, like South Africa.
These experiences still conjour up feelings of nostalgia and rekindle our romance with travelling. They're considered exotic ... and they should be, it's often taken a day or two to get there! We still think that's half the fun, trying to catch 40 winks with your knees twisted behind your ears while you're flying over the Sahara.
We recommend that travellers partake in a 'red bus tour' (shows most common tourist spots, hop-on / hop-off bus ticket normally valid for the whole day) on arrival and stay put for the entire 2-3 hour route, for a quick orientatation and overall perspective. But from there, we're into "real experiences" - where you really discover the unique destination, where the locals hang out, off the beaten track.
Our adventures are provided by an insider who can share these secret spots, and introduce you to the real people of South Africa. You can see the past from their perspective and how they're facing the future. The most important thing is to experience this country through their eyes, take in the smells as they would and to live a snapshot of another's life.
Authentic experiences are what separate the traveller from the tourist.
"A traveller sees what he sees, a tourist sees what he's come to see." - Unknown
Our holiday expectations have moved to the destination. "What can we expect? What are the people like? Is it safe? What's the food like? Is it clean? What can we do when we're there?" With information freely available the Internet has helped a lot in this regard, but no amount of books, videos and brochures can replace the actual experience.
Organised group tour packages ... we're all familiar with these well-worn, cheap and cheerful, vacations. When you're at the destination, the locals often focus entirely on the tourist market so that you don't get to experience the real country. For most people wanting a quick get-away, this option is great -it's a no-brainer, where everyone goes with the flow.
On the other hand, authentic adventures are uniquely designed for the traveller who wants to discover the real country, behind the usual tourist facade. As hotels / touring coaches / meal arrangements haven't been block-booked for cheaper rates, authentic adventures also cost more than their well-worn cousins. There are no pre-determined times of departure / arrival and they're often long haul destinations, like South Africa.
These experiences still conjour up feelings of nostalgia and rekindle our romance with travelling. They're considered exotic ... and they should be, it's often taken a day or two to get there! We still think that's half the fun, trying to catch 40 winks with your knees twisted behind your ears while you're flying over the Sahara.
We recommend that travellers partake in a 'red bus tour' (shows most common tourist spots, hop-on / hop-off bus ticket normally valid for the whole day) on arrival and stay put for the entire 2-3 hour route, for a quick orientatation and overall perspective. But from there, we're into "real experiences" - where you really discover the unique destination, where the locals hang out, off the beaten track.
Our adventures are provided by an insider who can share these secret spots, and introduce you to the real people of South Africa. You can see the past from their perspective and how they're facing the future. The most important thing is to experience this country through their eyes, take in the smells as they would and to live a snapshot of another's life.
Authentic experiences are what separate the traveller from the tourist.
"A traveller sees what he sees, a tourist sees what he's come to see." - Unknown
Monday, June 06, 2005
Great White Shark Cage Diving - MOST POPULAR!
Cage diving with Great White Sharks is the most popular adventure activity in South Africa! More people ask about cage diving with these awesome beasts than any other adventure we have on offer (and there are lots).
To join us for this scary adventure in Shark Alley, you don't need to be a scuba diver, but you must be comfortable in the water. It is carried out by our responsible tour operator partner in Gansbaai (South Africa), who treats the sharks in a humane manner.
We do not encourage the use of chum nor baiting the sharks, as this could affect their behaviour towards man. The safety of our Guests and wildlife is our primary concern. Check out our website, to learn more about Great White Sharks (animal facts) and about this exciting adventure (cage diving).
"Come to South Africa and meet the friendly locals!"
To join us for this scary adventure in Shark Alley, you don't need to be a scuba diver, but you must be comfortable in the water. It is carried out by our responsible tour operator partner in Gansbaai (South Africa), who treats the sharks in a humane manner.
We do not encourage the use of chum nor baiting the sharks, as this could affect their behaviour towards man. The safety of our Guests and wildlife is our primary concern. Check out our website, to learn more about Great White Sharks (animal facts) and about this exciting adventure (cage diving).
"Come to South Africa and meet the friendly locals!"
Introduction to Marvic Tours and Tales
Hi everyone, we'd like to introduce ourselves. I'm Victoria Koning and am in partnership with my husband, Marcel Koning. We started our business, Marvic VOF (Vennootschap Onder Firma - Dutch for partnership) in 2001. It's registered as both a flooring installation company and a web-based tourism and writing business that we're building. Marcel handles the workload on the flooring side, and I do the web stuff.
Marcel is Dutch (born in Emmen) and spent his youth in South Africa. He lived in Holland for five years from 1990 before returning to South Africa, and has over 18 years of experience in the building / carpentry / flooring industry. I was born in Cape Town and have lived all over South Africa, and also have 18+ years of working experience.
2001 was a big year for us, as we "quit our day jobs" in January, got married in March, took some "time-out" and then moved to the Netherlands from South Africa. I followed the 'inburgeringscursus' and learned about Holland and how to speak Dutch. Fortunately, Marcel hit the ground running with the flooring side, after having built up a good reputation from when he lived here before.
Our website Marvic Tours and Tales (http://www.marvic.biz) focuses on authentic adventures in South Africa, because we believe that tourism has so much to offer everyone involved. Guests can experience 'real' travel experiences and at the same time help local South Africans improve their quality of life from the money they've earned.
Responsible and sustainable tourism is the way to go!
We'll be posting updates about various tours and latest news and events, and welcome feedback from readers. What do you think of our site? Is it easy to navigate? How can we improve it? We look forward to hearing from you.With best regards, Victoria and Marcel Koning
Marcel is Dutch (born in Emmen) and spent his youth in South Africa. He lived in Holland for five years from 1990 before returning to South Africa, and has over 18 years of experience in the building / carpentry / flooring industry. I was born in Cape Town and have lived all over South Africa, and also have 18+ years of working experience.
2001 was a big year for us, as we "quit our day jobs" in January, got married in March, took some "time-out" and then moved to the Netherlands from South Africa. I followed the 'inburgeringscursus' and learned about Holland and how to speak Dutch. Fortunately, Marcel hit the ground running with the flooring side, after having built up a good reputation from when he lived here before.
Our website Marvic Tours and Tales (http://www.marvic.biz) focuses on authentic adventures in South Africa, because we believe that tourism has so much to offer everyone involved. Guests can experience 'real' travel experiences and at the same time help local South Africans improve their quality of life from the money they've earned.
Responsible and sustainable tourism is the way to go!
We'll be posting updates about various tours and latest news and events, and welcome feedback from readers. What do you think of our site? Is it easy to navigate? How can we improve it? We look forward to hearing from you.With best regards, Victoria and Marcel Koning
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