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“The human
voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still
small voice of conscience”
- Mahatma Ghandi
Newsletter 55 | April 2006
P.O. Box 13600, NOORDSTAD,
9302 E-mail:
info@etniquetravel.co.za
Tel: (051) 406 2500
Fax: (051) 436 3793
To receive our monthly newsletter electronically please send an
e-mail to
info@etniquetravel.co.za
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER:
083 461 2561
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A Definite Nay for the USA! |
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Having had the privilege to travel to both India and the USA during
March, I was again struck by the fact that countries are worlds
apart in terms of technology, culture and the level of poverty.
However, it is not as much these differences that confront one, but
the harsh, almost uncivilized manner in which the US Customs and
Security operate at their airports. Even when entering Russia some
time ago, it cannot be compared with the attitude of the US
officials at both JFK and Las Vegas.
I
have full understanding for the sensitive situation in the USA since
September 11; but still, this does not warrant damage to one’s
luggage by cutting the safety strap and breaking the combination
locks of the suitcase as happened on our way from JFK to LAS: the
contents were just dumped back into the suitcase, ignoring all
civilized norms.
When leaving Las Vegas McCarran, I unlocked the suitcase, and in a
gentle way tried to persuade the security official to allow me to
again lock my suitcase after screening. This was refused in an
impolite way, and needless to say, on my return at Johannesburg
International, two of the three latches were open with part of the
contents peeling out.
At
all other international airports (i.e. London Heathrow, Frankfurt,
Paris, Tokyo) security is performed in a strict but civilized
manner; they are sensitive towards passengers’ privacy when
screening and searching: surely, you need not have to take off your
shoes and belts and queuing like cattle in long rows!
It
is really a pity that the American Customs Officials are almost
paranoiac in the way they enforce their security issues on potential
visitors to their country; we are of the opinion that safety and
security can still be dealt with in a more civilized way, and still
allow the visitor to feel welcome and not a criminal in transit!
-
Johann Beukes
INTRODUCTION
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The first week in March saw
the ASATA Annual Congress being held n India. After congress I went on a
tailor made tour to remote rural areas in RAJASTHAN and UTTAR PRADESH: for a
period of three days it was me, and my driver, Dwermentah, who was both
guide and interpreter in a very poor English, that introduced me to a very
different face of India.
Being my second visit to
the country with over a billion people, I was a bit more street wise to
deal with crowding hawkers, irritating bargainers, begging children and
shrewd schemers. In India there is always “another story and another
price”. Whether it is to know that a choice with a cost difference does
exist between “air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned” vehicles
(whether you ask for it or not), “special” places to take unfamiliar
photos of specific monuments, or just above the average level of
service. My advice to any visitor to India would be to deal only through
knowledgeable tour-operators, and insist on a detailed itinerary
specifying every aspect of the trip, in detail, of what is included in
the quoted price. |
The romantic Taj Mahal in Agra, seen at sunset from a totally different
view spot
across the Yamuna River |
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A typical Indian family of six on a daily excursion on their moped |
The
Indian way of transport can be very innovative and exciting: anything
from bicycles and tricycles, rickshaws and automised Tata/tuck-tucks,
wagons drawn by man, goat, camel water cow and tractor; queuing and
lanes mean little to the Indian people: in the major cities like Mumbai
and Delhi six lanes of traffic, all inclusive of the above means of
traffic as well as cars and lorries and busses squeeze and converge into
a maximum of two lanes, without creating a major traffic jam!
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After congress I left
Mumbai early Saturday morning on Jet Airways to Jaipur. I had the
privilege to share to flight with JP Shaw, director of Tourism India
(Incredible India) in South Africa. This seems to be a silent comfort on
my first encounter with India on my own. At Jaipur airport I was met by
my driver and his small Tata vehicle: my companions for the next three
days.
RAJASTHAN
The Jaipur region
of Rajasthan lies on the eastern fringes of the Thar Desert, a
semi-arid land cut southwest to northeast by the craggy Aravalli
Hills. Studded by hilltop and jungle forts, its valleys and
plants glitter with palaces and pavilions, pleasure gardens and temples. |
Exciting modern architecture in Mumbai’s
financial suburb of Bandra |
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The Water Palace rises like a mirage from the
calm waters of the lake
Man Sagar |
The historically rich
territory is centred around the old capital of Amber and the “newer”
city of Jaipur, with some 3 million inhabitants. Well-known for its Pink
Palace,
the Jantar
Mantar
observatory, various temples and bazaars around Johari and Tripolia, the
eary Jal
Mahal
water palace, as well as impressive modern buildings like the Rambagh
Palace Hotel and Regional Parliament Building.
A labyrinth of
fascinating bazaars (selling anything from blue pottery to briyani
chicken, monkeys to meenakari jewellery, malai kofta to masala baingan;
tandoor pots to textile block prints), opulent palaces and historic
sights, Jaipur offers a chance to see the old alongside the modern. |
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The Badi Chaupar
square is at the one end of the Tripoilia Bazaar. Narrow pedestrian
streets branch out of the main streets where artisans fashion puppets,
silver jewellery, as well as other local crafts in tiny workshops. Next
door is the Hawa
Mahal
or Palace of
Winds: this ornate façade has become an icon of Jaipur, a tiered
baroque-like composition of projecting windows and balconies with
perforated screens
UTTAR PRADESH
On
route to Agra, we stopped at Fatehpur Sikri, a Mughal
capital for 14 years. The principal buildings of the imperial palace
complex, clustered on a series of terraces along the sandstone ridge,
formed the core of Akbar’s city. It is fascinating to see the effective
use of pivots in stone, the same way they are executed in wood. This
style of construction is not usually used in arch construction. This is
seen only in stone temples built by Hindus, without using the principles
of masonry construction.
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The Hawa Mahal façade designed to enable the purdahed ladies of the
harem to watch unnoticed the colourful street scenes on Sireh Deori
Bazaar below |
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A view of the five storeyed open pavilion, Panch Mahal, with the Talao
Pool in the foreground, where it is said that the court musicians could
light oil lamps with the magic of their voices |
One of the world’s most
important bird sanctuaries and a World Heritage Site, the Keoladeo
Ghana , is certainly worth visiting. Today, the park spreads
over a small 30 square kilometre area of wetlands, and attracts a wide
variety of migrant and water birds which fly in each winter from places
as distant as Siberia.
Agra
lies in the centre
of a rich and varied cultural territory. Obviously this is home to one
of the world’s most popular and written about buildings, the
Taj
Mahal.
The English novelist and poet, Rudyard Kipling, said of the Taj after
his first visit:
“As the mists shifted,
and the sun shone upon the mists, the Taj took a hundred new shapes,
each perfect and each beyond description. And over and above concrete
comparisons, it seemed the embodiment of all things pure, all things
holy and all things unhappy.” |
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The white marble of the
Taj is extraordinary luminescent and even on dull days seems bright; the
whole building appears to change its hue according to the light in the
sky. In the unique beauty, subtlety is blended with grandeur and a
massive overall design is matched with immaculately intricate execution
and attention to detail.
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The camera might record but only an aspect of its outward truth, its
totality, the real spirit remaining beyond its focus:
a prayer, a
vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder magical memory to take home and nurse
forever… |
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All contribute to the
breathtaking first impression as you pass through the arch of the
entrance gateway. You will already have seen the dome of the tomb in a
distance, looking almost like a miniature, but as you go into the open
square before the main entrance, the Taj itself is so well hidden that
you almost wonder where it can be. The glorious surprise is kept until
the last moment, for concealing it is the massive red sandstone gateway
of the entrance, guarding the wealth and beauty inside and symbolising
the divide between the secular world and paradise.
I forced myself to
leave, and looked at it from every side, unable to make up my mind which
was more beautiful.
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Johann Beukes |
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Educationals in Support of
Service Excellence |
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We at SURE ETNIQUE TRAVEL
believe in the enhancing of our consultants through proper product knowledge
and constant training programmes; part of which is frequent educationals to
various destinations, both locally and abroad.
Nerina and Maquida recently
visited China, Hong Kong and Paris respectively. Not only does this first
hand experience empower the consultant, but it also bring them into contact
with new trends and specific requirements regarding country’s different
attitudes towards airport security and custom regulations.
We hereby include a brief
synopsis of both consultants’ experiences:
Paris – France
At the beginning of March I
was extremely fortunate to be able to join a group of 8 wonderful Travel
Agents from all over the country on an educational trip to Paris, hosted by
South African Airways and Travel Vision.
Well, it was absolutely mind
blowing! Paris is a beautiful, busy, bustling city which never seems to
sleep! We departed from Johannesburg Aiport on Thursday evening, 09 March
on South African Airways. We arrived in Paris on Friday morning early after
a rather long 10 hour flight, nevertheless we were excited and ready to
start exploring. We were transferred to the Brebant Hotel on the Boulevard
Poissonniere. On arrival at the hotel we quickly changed into warmer
clothes, with beanies, gloves, scarfs and jackets – as you can gather it was
REALLY chilly!!
Over the next few days, we
spent our time exploring the many sites Paris has to offer. We visited the
Sacre Cour (meaning sacred heart), made entirely of marble, we next visited
the Eiffel Tower, and were brave enough to go right to the top, 300m plus.
We also viewed the Arc de Triomphe, and walked all the way down the Cahamps
Elysees to the Louvre Museum. Along the way we stopped in at Cartier, Louis
kVieton, Nike Paris, the Renault F1 store and we even had Hagan Daad ice
cream in –4 degrees. We visited Notre Dame and spent time in Saint Germain.
We also visited the Chateau de Versailles, rich in the history of King Louis
and his family.
We spent 2 fun filled days
in Disneyland, Paris, acting like 10 year old kids again. Here we were a
group of 1200 travel agents from all over the world exploring Euro Disney!
I will definitely go back to
visit Paris again as there are many more sites and areas I would like to
visit, this week visit just gave me a taste of the wonderful experiences the
city has to offer!
- Maquida du Preez
Hong Kong and China
This educational was arranged by Far East Tours and China
Horizons, who specialize in this area of the world. Flights were on Cathay
Pacific to Hong Kong and then onto Beijing China for our first night's
accommodation.
Beijing – Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven – hosted by a
local family for lunch – interesting very small and humble homes – only
allowed to have 1 child per family. Train from Beijing to Xian – can
recommend – clean and neat with dining car. train travels overnight.
Shopping in China much cheaper than Hong Kong, but be careful
of fakes. Do not buy valuables on street, but at the pearl factory or silk
factory instead. still bargains compared to SA.
Restroom facilities not very hygienic, use hotel restrooms
rather. Always take own tissues with as no toilet paper supplied in
restrooms. Safe to walk at night and during day – careful of counterfeit
money from street vendors.
American breakfasts are also offered at hotels. Peking duck
very, very interesting and pleasant to eat.
I would also recommend that tour guides be used in china
where possible or for any special sightseeing. Great Wall of China, my
personal achievement to climb up to the wall – once on top the feeling is
great to know you are on one of the seven wonders of the world.
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Nerina Sarluis
An African Adventure
Sure Etnique Travel
has the resources and personal experience to help you plan your own African
Adventure without a personal tour guide.
Africa has so much to offer
that we do not know of. Vast Deltas, open grass plains, tropical forests,
white sandy beaches, waterfalls, lakes and so much more. Africa has
something special to offer each and everyone.
Now we can assist you with
all the information you need to travel into Africa and help you to make your
travelling experience more pleasurable and unforgettable.
We can be of assistance with
all your planning needs - your itinerary, route planning, accommodation,
visas, travel documentation, excursions, budget etc. Now you can go into
Africa knowing what to expect and whether you will have hot water or not.
The countries we specialize
in are: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Zanzibar,
Kenya and Uganda.
With each information
booklet you receive:
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Detailed itinerary
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Attractions
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Budget
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Maps
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Country information: visas, borders, markets, weather,
health, roads etc.
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Excursion list with
prices
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Accommodation options
With all this information
you will be able to go into Africa knowing what to expect.
- Johann Beukes
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