Friends of Zimbabwe – Travel

When planning your vacation to St. Thomas, you may want to consider whether or not travel insurance is a worthwhile investment. When making this decision, the most important aspect to consider is your personal level of risk. As part of a Caribbean vacation package, travel insurance would firstly protect your investment should any unforeseen events occur that prevent your travel, such as you or a family member are admitted to the hospital before your vacation, a car accident occurs en route to the airport, or a natural disaster takes place. However, there are several other aspects to take into account when considering travel insurance. Here are some travel tips to keep in mind when assembling your Caribbean vacation package.
As mentioned, trip cancellation / interruption (TCI) insurance can be very helpful if you have to cancel your vacation to St. Thomas. When you arrange your vacation package, you’ll be given a list of accepted reasons for canceling, usually including those mentioned above. Keep in mind that TCI insurance doesn’t allow you to alter your vacation plans because you changed your mind or have concerns about travel.

Travel insurance is probably a good idea if you are a senior or have a pre-existing medical condition, as special coverage options exist. Complicated itineraries, guided tours, multiple stops or cruises are also good candidates for insurance based on the possibility of missed connections or delays. Also, if you absolutely have to be in St. Thomas, insurance simply goes without question.

Many travelers are protected for certain contingencies under their medical, auto or homeowner’s insurance policies or through the benefits offered by some credit card providers. However, some coverage may not extend outside the country and could include deductibles. Hence, you will need to check the fine print of your existing policies and benefits and compare the coverage with your overall travel risks.

Two important types of insurance to consider for a vacation to St. Thomas, regardless of existing coverage, include supplier default insurance – to offset problems you might experience with tour operators or accommodations in St. Thomas – and emergency medical care / medical evacuation coverage.

On the surface, many policies may sound great, but specific airlines, accommodations, cruise lines, car rental companies or tour operators may not be covered. In fact, several large domestic airlines companies were stricken from some travel insurance plans when bankruptcies were filed.

Always remember, it is very important to read the fine print when shopping for travel insurance. Never make any assumptions about what your policy covers. Also, ask the agent questions about any scenario that may affect you to see if the coverage is what you need. If you are looking for specific contingencies in a travel insurance plan, many providers can sell add-ons to meet your needs.

You should also try to avoid buying travel insurance through a tour operator or cruise line. In the event that the tour company goes out of business or bankrupt, your insurance and money may go with it. Instead, use a reputable insurance provider with offices located in St. Thomas and committed 24/7 customer service. If you can’t find a company, ask your travel agent for a recommendation.

Avoid purchasing unnecessary travel insurance package perks, in many cases, additional coverage for luggage and rental cars is superfluous. Chances are your credit card provider or existing auto insurance policy offer at least collision coverage for auto rentals. Additionally, most airline companies offer up to $2,500 of luggage liability per passenger for lost or damaged items.

As you will traveling outside of the United States, the necessity for some type of travel insurance is certainly more pressing than it may be for a domestic vacation. You will need to determine what your overall risk is when traveling to St. Thomas and weigh that risk against the cost of travel insurance. Generally speaking, more extensive insurance policies – protecting your airfare, accommodations, health and personal belongings – add about 5-10% onto the cost of your vacation. When abroad, 5-10% can be a small price to pay for security and piece of mind.

By: Justin Peterson

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Caffeinated Content

The town of Worcester in South Africa was founded in 1822. The town today is mainly the service centre for the surrounding wine and fruit growing areas in the Breede River Valley. Worcester lies at the N1 freeway connecting Cape Town and Johannesburg and is an ideal place for a stopover, since it has some interesting tourist attractions to offer.

At the Kleinplasie open-air museum one can gain an insight into the living conditions of the first settlers. A farm from the 18th century, a hut of the Trekboers and a Khoikhoi camp have been rebuilt and furnished true to detail. Actors in historical dresses reinvoke the rural life of the old days. Visitors can watch how they manufactured soap, rolled tobacco, forged horseshoes, milled wheat, spun wool and much more.

To the wine lover, Worcester offers a big Wine Tasting Centre, where one can savor the excellent Breede River wines. Definitely worth a visit is the KWV Brandy Cellar, where one can gain an insight into art of brandy distillation.

Another attraction is the Karoo National Botanical Garden, about one kilometer north of Worcester. In this 144 hectare semi-desert nature reserve one can find a whole spectrum of Karoo plants.

Glider-flying enthusiasts find the only glider flying airfield in the Cape in Worcester. The Cape Gliding Club owns a whole range of one or two-seater glider planes, a towing aircraft and a tarred runway. Flying activities are usually limited to the weekends only. Visitors are welcome and can, under the supervision of a teacher, try flying themselves. Thermal winds and weather conditions in the Breede River Valley are excellent most of the year.

Worcester lies on the main route to and from Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. With its wide range of services and commercial facilities, it has become the business and shopping centre for the entire valley and surrounding towns.

Things to See and Do:

Kleinplasie:

The Complex (next to the Robertson Road) comprises the agricultural showground’s, an Open Air Living Museum, restaurant and wine cellar, as well as the Reptile World.

Kleinplasie Open Air Living Museum:

The unique open air museum depicts the lifestyle of the early pioneer farmers. Throughout the year a variety of activities are presented.

Karoo National Botanical Garden:

This jewel of a garden with 144ha of natural semi-desert vegetation and 10ha of landscaped gardens, features the unique plants of the drier parts of the country. Its greenhouse boast world famous collections of stone plants.

Brandy Route:

During the 325th brandy producing year in South Africa in 1997, the world’s first Brandy Route was introduced, causing a stir amongst the world media. Public awareness was roused and brandy-lovers set about finding out more about the production and finer side of this noble fruit of the vine, by visiting the cellars along the Brandy Route.

The KWV Cellar, the largest of its kind in the world, is one of eight cellars on the Brandy Route. It’s uniqueness lies in the 120 Woudberg potstills, huge maturation cellar and demonstrations of the ancient craft of barrel-making by the coopers.

The Olof Bergh Solera Cellar, at Goudine, is the other cellar in the Worcester region. Small but prolific, it accommodates 22 Woudberg copper potstills, similiar to those used in Cognac, France, for the distillation of high quality colombar wines. It is the only cellar in South Africa to practice the famous Spanish Solera method of maturation and blending.

Institute for the Blind:

Visitors are invited to come and see how the visually impaired are trained and how they work.

Institute for the Deaf:

Visitors are invited to come and see how the hearing impaired are trained and how they work.

Nuwe Hoop Centre for the Hearing Impaired:

A centre where children between the ages of three and twenty one years receive formal and technical training. Visitors are welcome.

Architectural Walking Routes:

Worcester was laid out according to a definite plan with parallel streets. This enables the visitor to take an easy walk through town and visit some prime examples of early architecture. Brochures are available at the Tourism Bureau.

Gift and Antique Shops:

Several interesting shops are dotted around town.

By: Gerald Crawford

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africa travel

No one – especially in these credit crunch times – wants to return home from a restful holiday to a pile of credit card bills. That’s why all-inclusive holidays are more popular than ever. And, of course, luxury all-inclusive holidays are the best of the bunch. So, we have put together our very own top ten of luxury all-inclusive holidays to inform you about the very best of the best.

The world really is your oyster. Whether you are after a beach holiday, the adventure of a lifetime or an exotic safari, there is a luxury, all-inclusive holiday for you. Romantic breaks are an obvious choice for this kind of break, but family and even singles holidays are just as suitable for this kind of holiday. Luxurious and affordable is an attractive combination.

There is an all-inclusive luxury holiday to suit everyone, whether you are looking for slick international resorts or remote island retreats, whether you are a couple or honeymooners seeking romance, or simply a family wanting something to please all ages.

African Safari

Spectacular locations, unique luxury accommodation and animal sightings all included

Antigua

A special Caribbean island offering tropical meals, local rum, sun-soaked beaches and boat cruises

Barbados

Enjoy accommodation from slick international resorts to all-inclusive island retreats

Honeymoon

Probably more than any other holiday, you want your honeymoon to be luxurious and stress free, which is why an all-inclusive, luxury holiday could be your best bet. That way, all you and your partner need to do is concentrate on each other, and you may just get a few deserved extras, such as flowers, a relaxing massage and chilled champagne included too

Jamaica

Warm sunshine, world-class music and sublime beaches all included

St Lucia

One of the most desirable destinations in the Caribbean, this lovely island is pretty, romantic and exciting. St Lucia really does have it all – and it’s all included on luxury all-inclusive holiday.

Maldives

Because, in these cash strapped times, so many operators to the Maldives are currently offering free upgrades on their all-inclusive holidays, there has never been a better time to venture out on an all-inclusive, luxury Maldives holiday. Some travel experts are even tipping these kinds of holidays as the best choice for 2010.

The Maldives is a very special group of islands (no less than 1,200 of them) in the Indian Ocean, attracting the wealthy and celebrities alike. Extras you don’t have to pay for could include a superior standard of room, a chilled bottle of champagne or sublime. Until recently, many holidaymakers assumed the Maldives out of their reach; now this exclusive destination is accessible to many.

Mauritius

Luxurious accommodation, white sand beaches and traditional fishing villages all await.

Mexico

Throughout the country, you can come across luxury, all-inclusive resorts to meet the highest standards, but perhaps the most desirable are in the popular tourist centres of Acapulco and Canc