| Accommodation in: | Addo | Kirkwood | Sundays | Zuurberg | Addo Elephant Park | Port Elizabeth |
2009 Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival
www.MyAddo.co.za: Space is being reserved for craftspeople, artists and entrepreneurs who have something "unusual and different" to offer at the 2009 Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival – but the stalls are selling out fast, says festival director Jenni Honsbein.
"With over 35 000 visitors this year despite the economic downturn and high fuel prices, the majority of the more than 300 stallholders at this year’s Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival booked for 2009 before they left," she says.
With the stalls being an important ingredient in the mix that has made the eight-year-old festival one of the most popular in the Eastern Cape, every year brings the exciting challenge of finding new exhibitors, she says.
"We are looking for people who specialise in hand crafted goods which have a wildlife theme – be they décor items, clothing, food, or camping and hunting gear. But, we welcome any "out of the box" products and ideas. The Absa Kirkwood Wildlife Festival is an ideal place to launch new ranges and to test the market," she says.
Stall holders can find out more by going to www.wildsfees.co.za or contacting Natasja van Greunen on 042-2300066.
Morning Game Drive In Addo
www.MyAddo.com: Around the world backpacker, David Lee wrote about his experiences in the Addo National Elephant Park recently:
After a nice self-catered breakfast on the backpacker's patio, we motored to the gate and collected our maps of the park, complete with a checklist of the animals we hoped to see. No more than a few minutes passed before we started to spot the wildlife.
Tons of Warthogs were munching on vegetation, while a Black-backed Jackal was simply chilling out. My old friend, the Ostrich, was soon seen, as were the pretty yellow Weaver birds when we stopped at the first watering hole. John was very adept at identifying each animal or bird and sharing a quick fact about them.
When you're in a park with wild Lions, Leopards, Black Rhinos, Cape Buffalo, and hundreds of African Elephants (The Big 5), it makes sense that you don't get out of your car except for a few signposted occasions. The skeletal remains of male Kudus (antelope-type animal with long twisted horns) below us near the watering hole were a good reminder of why exiting your car is also at your own risk!