The ultimate travel packing checklist – Part 1 – Before Trip and Basic Travel Requirements

The ultimate travel packing checklist – Part 1 – Before Trip and Basic Travel Requirements

Cape foral kingdom
Before your trip

Check expiry date in passport
Book flight
Arrange travel insurance
Get visas
Buy forex and clear credit cards with banks
Prepay any bills due
Make sure all your clothes are washed
Charge all batteries
Make sure your home and car are safe
Check in on-line
Confirm special meals
Switch off appliances where possible
Turn off heating and cylinder
Turn off refrigerator
Divert phone calls
Clear out rubbish
Book airport transfer
Away message on e-mail

Cape floral kingdom

Ensure plants watered and mail cleared
Inform your neighbours
Weigh your luggage
Lock and secure home

Basics items to pack
Suitcase
Suitcase lock
Hand luggage/bag/back pack
Passport
Reading material
IPod or music device and ear plugs
Travel guide on destination
Cash in small and large denominations

Cape floral kingdom

Credit and debit cards
Camera, spare batteries and charger
Mobile phone and charger
Visas
Vaccination documents
International drivers license
Flight tickets/details
Frequent flyer cards
Travel insurance details
FICA compliance information ie utility bill
Accommodation details
Airport transfer details
Maps or map apps
Phrase book/translator or app
Local money/travellers cheques
Laptop/notebook and charger

Cape floral kingdom

Diary/journal
Pens/pencil
Copies of all flights, passport and travel bookings
Home emergency contact numbers
Luggage tags with your details

Travel packing list part 2 – on flight and clothing – click here.

Travel packing list part 3 – first aid and miscellaneous – click here.

Travel packing list part 4 – toiletries and camping – click here.

Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.

Off to Namibia . . and Botswana . . and Zimbabwe!

Sand dune Namibia

I am leaving in a day for a camping trip into Southern Africa. It’s going to be three weeks of dirt roads and dust. Sleeping in tents and getting up close and personal with nature. My usual weekly posts on what’s going on in Cape Town will take a short holiday. I don’t expect much communication in the bush and am disinclined to want to subject my precious laptop to the current crisis floods in Northern Namibia, endless bumpy roads and piles of fine dust.

When I get back I will share what our neighbouring countries look like in a few posts. Sixteen of us, in a big overland truck, will be going up the west coast of South Africa into Namibia. When I say big truck, I probably should say seriously big truck. The vehicle is 4.1m high, 2,5 m wide and 9,5m long. It is carrying our food, tents, cooking utensils and us.

The tour includes the Fish River Canyon and Ai Ais hot springs, then it heads up and toward the coast where we stay in Swakopmund. From there we go further north to the Caprivi strip and into the Ethosha and Okavango swamp area. Then we head across to Botswana and Chobe Game Reserve. We finally end up in Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls. It’s a long journey.

I will also be spending a few days in the city of gold aka Johannesburg aka Gauteng, also known as Egoli. How does one city get to have so many names? Hopefully, I will get to ride the new Gautrain. I’m told it makes the London underground or the Paris metro look old and ugly. Have to see for myself.
Watch this space!

Photo courtesy of Elred Lawrence

Lighthouses in Cape Town

Lighthouses in Cape Town

Milnerton lighthouse

Just discovered that the study of lighthouses is known as pharology. Who knew? And who knew Princess Anne is an amateur pharolgist? So there you go.

Cape Town is home to a good few working lighthouses. Our lighthouses are not silent as they are in many parts of the world. Each lighthouse has a unique signal and light character that distinguishes them from other lighthouses. When it gets damp foggy the sound of Mouille Point lighthouse permeates the atmosphere as she calls out to the ships.

The first ever lighthouse in Cape Town was lit on the night of 12th April 1824. It had two lanterns that burned using sperm oil. It is no longer working but can be seen at the Waterclub, which is also where the maritime college is. It’s short walk from the Waterfront.

If you happen to be there, you could take in a silver service meal at the hotel school. For bargain prices you can be waited on by the hospitality students. I highly recommend the food and service.

If you are taking a tour or drive in Cape Town then look out for our lighthouses. They can be found in Green Point, Robben Island, Milnerton, Simons Town, Cape Point, Kommetjie and Hout Bay. Further afield there are lighthouses at Cape Agulhas, Gansbaai, Kleinmond, Paternoster and Mossel Bay. Click here for a full list of lighthouses – lighthouses of South Africa

You can take a tour of the lighthouses and some even have holiday cottages where you can stay. For more on   Mouille Point lighthouse click here lighthouse and shipwrecks and here Mouille Point lighthouse.

Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.

Green Point Park

Green Point Park

Biodiversity Park Green Point
I went walkabout in the recently opened biodiversity park in Green Point last week. The intention was to create a calming, cool, green place for people in the middle of the city. They got it right. 
I must admit I could have done without the helicopter from 07.00 the morning on a local public holiday filming Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds over and over and over and over again. They had to come really low to film so you can imagine just how noisy it was. Why do these guys need to film one scene trillions of times? But OK they’ve gone now.
The park is 12.5 hectares in size and has walkways, a cycle lane around the perimeter, seating and ponds. There are boards with information on indigenous plants, medicinal plants, edible plants and biodiversity. 
They have cute little hand crafted beaded creatures and animal silhouettes from old rusted metal.
The park is a work in progress. An educational centre to train people in the practice of diversity is on the cards. It is irrigated using spring water from the Oranjezicht spring which is channeled into a canal and then re-used.
Don’t forget that in close proximity to the park are the Metropolitan Golf course, Mouille Point Lighthouse, the beach, a couple of museums including the medical and navy museum. And of course the V and A Waterfront. On the other side of the park is trendy Green Point. The main road which runs next to the park has cafes, restaurants and bars galore. It’s a nice walking day trip.
Photo courtesy of Gillian Ress

Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.

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