Accomodation update and SA Public Holidays

Update 28 June  -  Please email us - wedding@wombok.com should you still need to book you accomdation at The Bend. We will make arrangements on your behlaf. Read updated information on the special prices offered by The Bend. And SA School Holidays are on at the same time as The Festival, so book ALL your accommodation NOW!

We have updated The special price list from The Bend after seeking clarification on some points of confusion. One important point is that Breakfast is included! Read the updated pricelist for more info:

Updated - The Bend Special Price List

While on accommodation, I should mention The Bend is filling up fast! As of today, all that remains available is :

• Room 9
• Stone Cottage
• Cedar Cottage

Please let us know immediately should you be told The Bend is full and we will try our best to sort something out.

School Holidays -  22 September to 02 October 2007The Wombok Festival is during South African school Holidays. So if you haven’t book accommodation for the rest of your trip, then DO IT NOW! Also note that Monday 24 Sept is a public holiday – Heritage Day. Normally The Bend would charge extra for public holidays, however we have negotiated with The Bend to waive this fee.More info of SA school holidays here:http://www.saweb.co.za/holidays.html

Midlands Accomodation

Update 28 June  -  Please email us - wedding@wombok.com should you still need to book you accomdation at The Bend. We will make arrangements on your behlaf. The Bend Country House Situated in the foothills of the majestic Drakensberg Mountains of KwaZulu Natal and in the heart of the Midlands Meander, The Bend Country House, set in a Private Nature Reserve of over 3,500 acres, offers an exquisite blend of accommodation, intimate pub, log fires and warm hospitality in a colonial tradition dating back to the 1920’s, when the establishment first became renowned for its gracious style. The Bend has accommodation for up to 60 people. We hope all our guests can stay with us there however, as space is limited please make your booking as soon as possible.

To make at booking at The Bend, phone Candice on +27 (0) 33 2666 441 or email candice@thebend.co.za. We have arranged these special rates for our guests:

Updated - The Bend Special Price List

We are hosting the picnic, braai and champagne brunch, so no additional payment will be required. The welcome dinner and any additional activities (such as fishing, horse riding etc) will be added to your room account. Directions to the Bend, along much more information can be found on The Bend Website. Click the picture below to enlarge:

Rawdons Hotel Should The Bend be fully booked then a short drive away is Rawdons Hotel. Described as: “Nestling deep in the heart of the lush and lovely Natal Midlands, you will find the charming Rawdons Hotel and Fly Fishing Estate, a haven for those who seek the peace and tranquility of this famous country retreat.” More infomation here : http://www.rawdons.co.za/ Please let us know first before you contact Rawdonws. It may be possible to squeeze you into The Bend if we re-arrange some of the rooms/cottage allocations.

Car hire & driving advice

Public transport is next to non-existant in South Africa and Taxi’s are not terribly safe. Your best option is to hire a car. Motorways are very well maintained and other roads are generally of a good standard, as is road signage. It’s as easy as buy a map, hire a car, read the saftey advice, and hit the road! The follow information should help: Car hire links

• http://south-africa.holidayautos.com/ (car hire broker for most of the ones below)
• http://www.avis.co.za/
• http://www.budget.co.za/
• http://www.imperialcarrental.co.za/
• http://www.hertz.co.za/
• http://www.woodford.co.za/
• http://www.nationalcar.co.za/
• http://www.tempestcarhire.co.za/
• http://www.thrifty.com/
• http://www.europcar.co.za/

Durban Car rental companies at Durban airport are: Avis, Budget, Imperial, Hertz, National Alamo, Woodford, Khaya, Tempest, Thrifty and Europcar. They are all located at the arrivals terminal. Most can be found using the above links, or contact the airport helpdesk +27 31 451 6758 to get put through. Cape Town Car rental companies at Cape Town airport are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial, National Alamo, Tempest, Dollar Thrifty. These companies have counters in International Arrivals and in Domestic Arrivals. Driving in South Africa The information below is taken from the South Africa Tourism webiste. The tip in the last paragraph is very true. The first time I pulled into a petrol sation in SA I thought I was in a F1 pit lane! Roads Our road infrastructure is excellent, so driving is a viable option, but South Africa is a huge country not easily traversed in a day, so plan your journeys carefully. If you’re not used to driving long distances, rather break the journey, as fatigue is a major contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents. While most national roads are tarred and in good condition, the more rural the road, the more likely it is to be pot-holed and poorly surfaced. Road info, maps Current information on the conditions of roads can be obtained through the Automobile Association of South Africa. The AA also provides invaluable guides for road users in the form of strip maps tailored for specific destinations and information for tourists on accommodation en route. Main roads are identified by colour and number rather than by name, and with a good map which incorporates the route marker system, visitors should have little difficulty in finding their way around.

• Maps of South Africa
• Automobile Association of SA web site
• Shell Geostar

Toll roads Before you set off, check your route. Many of the national roads between the major centres are toll roads. Check the toll fees before you leave, and make sure that you have either a credit card or cash to pay. Toll fares for a light passenger vehicle vary from R2.50 to R46.00.

• Routes Travel Info Portal: Toll Roads

Watch out for animals in rural areas Be aware that the roads in many rural areas are not fenced, so you could find dogs, chickens, sheep and even horses or cows on the road, so it may be dangerous to drive at night. Large antelope crossing the road can also be a hazard in certain areas – watch out for the road signs depicting a leaping antelope, and take it slowly, especially towards evening. Keep left, belt up, think kilometres We drive on the left-hand side of the road, and our cars – rental cars included – are right-hand drive vehicles. All distances, speed limits (and speedometers) are in kilometres. Wearing of seat belts is compulsory. Using hand-held phones while driving is against the law – use a vehicle phone attachment or hands-free kit, if you want to speak on your mobile phone. The law prohibits the use of hand-held phones while driving but that doesn’t stop most of the locals from using them. Speed limit The general speed limit on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 120km/h (75mph). On secondary (rural) roads it is 100km/h (60mph). In built-up areas it is usually 60km/h (35mph) unless otherwise indicated. Check the road signs. Driver’s licences Any valid driver’s licence is accepted provided it bears the photograph and signature of the holder and is printed in English. Filling up A variety of petrol (gas) stations are situated on both main and country roads. Most of them are open 24 hours a day, although some keep shorter hours. However, distances between towns (and therefore between petrol stations) are considerable in some parts of the country, so it is advisable to fill up your tank before it starts giving warning signals. Different petrol types are available: unleaded, and 95- or 93-octane (“super” or “premium”). The 95-octane petrol is available in the higher altitude, inland regions, while 93 or lower is used at the coast. New fuel specifications will be in effect from January 2006, when all petrol will be lead free. If you are hiring a car it is likely to require unleaded petrol, but check before you set off. South African petrol stations are not self-help: an attendant will fill the car, check oil and water and tire pressure and, if necessary, clean the windscreen – for which he or she will expect a tip of two or three rand.

Build Your Own Safari

You have seen them in wildlife documentaries. Perhaps you have seen some of them in a zoo. Now you want to seen them for real, in the wild! The famous Big 5! Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo! Not forgetting their co-stars, the Giraffe, Zebra, Wart hog, Wildebeest, Gazelle and my favourite, Africa’s number 1 human killer, the Hippopotamus!

You could book an expensive tour, however why not just do it yourself? Hire a car and off you go! If you have time, then Kruger is the biggest and most famous, however Kwa Zulu Natal has a wealth of Nature Reserves as well as the world heritage listed St Lucia Wetlands!

If you have three days to spare before or after the Wombok Festival, then I would suggest the following itinerary:

Day 1 and 2:

The closest Nature reserve to the St Lucia Wetlands is HluHluwe Nature Reserve. This reserve is famous for its program breeding white rhino and you will most certainly see many of these in the reserve! The accommodation ’Hilltop camp’ also recently won the ‘British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award’ and is very reasonably priced.

2 bed chalets (self catering) – R510pp or Rest huts (with communal ablution blocks and kitchen) R250pp
Note: There is no camping allowed – you might get eaten by a lion!

HluHluwe is located off a main toll road – the N3. This is a safe and fast route to travel. Ensure you have cash for the tolls.
Once you turn off the main road, the route to the park should take approx 40mins. This too is relatively safe, but it is best not to stop and get out of your car.

Ensure you have a good map as sometimes the signposting for the park can be a little confusing. Try to leave as early as possible on the day you intend to travel to the park, it takes approx 3 hours to get there. There are plenty of BBQ areas dotted around the park and at the camp so you should take along some supplies.

It is possible to see some animals during the day but cats and hyeanas rest during the day, so to see these, you would need to drive around in early morning or late evening. It would be best to book a trip with the camps game drives – you could do an evening or morning drive (or both) and they are quite cheap. NOTE: the parks only open at 5 in the morning, game drives start at 4am. So by staying at the park you get an hour of extra viewing before tour groups and hotel guests from outside the park are allowed in (and scare away the wildlife!)

If you can try to catch one meal at the restaurant, they make lots of game dishes which are some of the best I’ve tasted!

Details
http://www.kznwildlife.com/hilltop_dest.htm

Bookings (“Hilltop” is our recommendation): 
http://www.kznwildlife.com/hilltop_price.htm

Please book your rooms at the park as soon as possible.

Day 3:

The St Lucia Wetlands Estuary is not far from HluHluwe, approx 40 mins. I would suggest booking a boat trip with Advantage Tours in advance.

They run hippo and crock trips four times daily, and I suggest you book in advance. It is a 2 hour round trip, so ensure you have enough time to spare as you will need to get back to Durban.

Cost R130pp
http://www.advantagetours.co.za/

If you wish to make more of the trip, you could also do a hike, they have many well marked trails of varying lengths… and you should see plenty of birdlife, buck and little mudskippers…a marvel to behold!

I suggest you leave St. Lucia by 2 or 3pm you should make it back to Durban before dark.

I believe my hints above should provide reasonable idea on how to get around and what to expect. You should also have more quality time at each place. It may take a bit longer as you will need to call these places and make bookings in advance, but you should have a better quality holiday for it.

Midlands Attractions

The Bend is in the heart of what’s know as “The Midlands Meander”. Set in the foothills of the Drakensberg, the Midlands Meander is an “off the beaten track” tourist drive that takes in a unique mix arts and crafts galleries, breweries, wine cellars, potteries, cheesemakers, weavers and much more! Brewrey Enjoy Beer? Then a short drive from the Bend you will find the Nottingham Road Brewing Company. It’s actually located at the Rawdons Hotel, where some guests may be staying should there not be enough space at The Bend. More info here: http://www.rawdons.co.za/brewery.htm Battle fields The midlands is surrounded by military history. The battlefields of both The Anglo-Zulu war of 1879 and the Anglo-Boer war of 1899 -1902 are spread around the region. Rorkes Drift Battlefield is possibly the most well known and made more famous as a result of the 1964 movie “Zulu”. Rorkes Drift is where some 100 British soldiers defended their position against 4 000 Zulu warriors in a 12 hour engagement. The battle resulted in the most number of VC’s ever awarded in the history of the British Army! To learn more about the battlefields and related museums, visit http://battlefields.kzn.org.za/ Arts & Crafts and more!

• Antiques & Collectables
• Art Galleries & Fine Art
• Beads & Jewellery
• Candles
• Cheesemakers
• Clothing
• Cosmetics & Herbal Products
• Craft & Decor Shops
• Farm Stall/Country Pantry
• Furniture & Woodwork
• Gifts
• Glassware
• Hammocks
• Handcrafted Paper
• Ice Cream Maker
• Kites
• Leatherwork
• Photography
• Picture Framing
• Pottery & Ceramics
• Sculpting
• Shoes
• Stained Glass
• Toys
• Weavers
• Wind Chimes
• Wirework
• Wrought Iron

Read more about the Midlands Meander here

Durban Accomodation

Are you spending the weekend before or after the festival in Durban and wondering where to stay? Then here are a few suggestions:

Durban is a coastal city. If you really want to be in the heart of it, then the place to stay is North Beach. Chris’s family will be staying at The Palace . There is also a large ‘Holiday Inn’ resort nearby, namely Holiday Inn Garden Court. Feel free to ask the staff at Garden Court about other hotels in the area - remember, Saffa’s love to talk!

If you wish to stay somewhere a bit more upmarket, then try Umhlanga. Umhlanga is around 25 minutes North of Durban along the coastline. This area is known as the’millionaires paradise’ of Kwa-Zulu Natal. It also boasts the ‘largest shopping centre in the southern hemisphere’ -Gateway. Gateway has a multitude of shops, but also boasts a surfers wave pool (which creates the perfect ‘big’ wave for a duration of 15 minutes), one of the biggest indoor climbing walls, a massive skateboarding park (which has hosted a number of world skateboarding championships), basketball courts…etc etc!!

Be prepared to fork out a bit of cash if you stay here…one of it’s most famous hotels is The Beverly Hills. Those in Australia who know of Sol Kerzner (the Guy who is building the tall apartment block on the Gold Coast) might be interested to know that this was the first hotel he ever built at age 29 and where he began to amass his fortune! This was the first 5 Star hotel in South Africa and was the beginings of ‘The Southern Sun Group’, now known world wide.

If you do book one of these hotels, or find something even more fun and exciting, please let others know by posting a comment below - it’s always more fun to share your experiences!

Around Durban

Durban’s beaches and climate are up there with the best of what Australia has to offer. In fact Durban has a long history of being a popular holiday destination in South Africa. It is only recent years that has seen it’s tourist crown lost to Cape Town, however Durban is determined to win it back!

The Beaches

Durban’s main attraction is it’s “Golden Mile”. The City runs all the way up to the beach front giving Durban’s CBD a very tropical holiday-like atmosphere.

The heart of coastal Durban is North Beach. Here you will find many bars and restaurants, as well as informal markets and a Sunday flea market, with many curiosities!

Recently, much regeneration work has been done on the harbour or ‘Point’ area of Durban. Ushaka is one such ‘Point’ development. Opened in 2005, Ushaka is not just a a world class aquarium but an experience! Wander through the sunken ship themed aquarium, where you look through port holes to see ragged tooth shark, dolphins and seal. For the brave amongst you, a swim with the sharks can be arranged! Fancy braving some scary slides? Ushaka also has a large waterpark which will keep kids entertained for hours!

http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/

The Point is the entrance to Durban’s busy commercial harbour. In days gone by it was renowned as the city’s red light district, however in recent years the massive urban renewal project in the area has managed to clean away it’s unsavoury past. As well as playing host to the theme parks, it has luxury apartments, a marina, restaurants and shops. At the end of The Point is a particularly good seafood restaurant that offers spectacular views of the big ships being piloted in and out of the harbours narrow entrance. On Sundays a street market operates near the car park

The Zulu Village

On your way up to the Midlands (or perhaps on your return to Durban), why not stop off at a Zulu Village? The villiage has been built as it would have been hundreds of years ago, with traditional mud and wood huts and a ‘kraal’ where the animals are kept. They have traditional dancing at times during the day but I suggest giving them a call in advance to determine show and guide times.

0027 31 777 1000

http://www.phezulusafaripark.co.za/

Largest Shopping Mall in the Southern Hemisphere!

Like to Surf? Like to watch movies? Like to ride go-karts? Like to rock climb? And most importantly, like to shop? This this is for you!

A 25 minute drive from the Durban CBD is the largest shopping mall in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE (now isn’t that a challenge to all you Aussies!)….(also see ‘Durban Accomodation’ section on this site)

Wedding Gifts

Click here:

http://www.wombok.com/wedding/?page_id=32

SA Saftey & Security

South Africa is a THIRD world country. It is generally not safe anywhere but you can do some simple things to ensure a good level of safety. These can include, sticking to main routes, be careful where you stop the car and get out. Don’t stop for anyone no matter what! If you remain alert and aware, you should be fine…many people travel to SA and dont have any problems at all. Some key points to remember:

• Malaria tablets are not required for Durban or the Midlands, however if you plan to travel further North then you will need to check with your doctor. Also check vaccination requirements well in advance.
• Make photocopies of passport and travel documents and keep them separate.
• UK/Aus drivers licences are accepted in SA, so be sure to bring them. We recommend hiring a car and avoiding taxis or public transport.
• Do not stop for locals in “trouble”. Sadly this is often an attempt to commit robbery. Also obstacles on the road may be used with the same intent, if safe then try to drive around them.
• Traffic lights are called “Robots”.
• Lock doors and windows when driving.
• Flashing hazard lights means “thank you”.

For the latest news on saftey and security in South Africa, visit the British Foreign Office website

About the Wombok Festival

Our family & our friends mean a tremendous amount to us. It is unfortunate that most of you have never met each other. The fact is  we are spread across three continents, so it is likely that our wedding may be the only time in our lives for everyone to get together.  One day is just not enough! Indeed, a festival is in order! We would like you to stay with us at The Bend for 4 days of fun, food, adventure and relaxation!

Sharon & Chris

For further information, download the  festival-flyer (284K PDF)