Virgin forests, impenetrable jungles, vast expansive grasslands and the eventual merging into the Kalahari Desert. A lonesome cheetah tracks your movements perched on a tree and contemplates its next move. The cheerful birds chirp in the blazing African summer heat and the saga of the African wilderness continues unmindful to the changes the rest of the world has seen. The parched earth cracks and the smell of earth hits you as the reddened skies turn gray and it rains in torrents, bringing the much-needed moisture to the dehydrating flora and fauna. Botswana, a land of unspoilt natural habitats and the epitome of a true African experience, has for the discerning traveler, a great experience awaiting. A true African success story, Botswana today is a country that has left it’s history far behind and races towards progress. A country with one of the best infrastructure, employment rates and investment friendliness in modern Africa, modern Botswana is a tourist hotspot with unsurpassed wildlife parks and reservations. The country is already well known for it’s safari and gaming reserves, though gaming is strictly prohibited in reserves and national parks. The prosperity of the nation and the relatively good infrastructure when compared to other African nations, attracts tourists from all over the world for that unique African safari experience. The Okavango delta, which lies in the north west of the country, is the world’s largest inland delta. The delta was part of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi and now, as there is no outlet to the sea, it empties into the Kalahari Desert. The Okavango shelters a wealth wildlife and the denizens include African elephants, the African buffalo, the hippopotamus, giraffes, crocodiles, the big cats, wild dogs, the warthogs, over 400 species of birds, including the African Fish Eagle, the Crested Crane, Sacred Ibis. There are many safari camps to choose from and most of them work on the principle of ethics and ecological responsibility. For those who can afford, there are luxury safaris, which make sure you have the best safari experience of a lifetime. One such is the ‘Orient Express Safaris’. They make sure your photographic journey in Botswana and the safaris you undertake remain luxurious to say the least. Orient Express Safaris Eagle Island Camp at Xaxaba in the Delta is a swamp, and the Okavango being a life-sustaining source of pure water attracts all imaginable wildlife typical to this part of the world. The cacophony produced by the wildlife has a strange rhythmic beat to it and game viewing can either be done on foot when you want to introduce yourself to timid deer, in an open air SUV while photographing the big cats or by mokoro, a slender dugout canoe that is piloted around swamps for hippo viewing. The Khwai River Lodge on the outskirts of Moremi Wildlife Reserve, has an open-air bar to serve your alcoholic needs and the drinks are prepared in the most chic way possible, in the middle of the African wild. Lavish thatched bungalows, exquisite spread and personalized service are the hallmarks of this luxurious camp run by the Oriental Express Safaris. You could choose to sleep in an equally luxurious tent outside, though, the line between man and the beast is reduced to a piece of fabric. Savute Elephant Camp, their third camp is in stark contrast to the two other camps and is set in the rugged, semi-arid wilderness of northern Botswana, in contrast to the more lush wetlands of the south, teems with wildlife as diverse as the giraffe warthog and elephants. Here you could choose to drink champagne and eat caviar on a beautifully laid table and set out on a safari in a SUV and witness a gloriously golden African sunset, which is beyond any poetic device and has to be experienced, in solitude. The rates at Khwai River Lodge and Savute Elephant Camp range from $525 in low season (Jan. 1 to April 30) to $720 in shoulder season (May 1 to June 30) to $965 in high season (July 1 to Oct. 31.) Rates at Eagle Island range from $800 in low season to $995 in shoulder season to $1,240 in high season. The rates are calculated per night based on double occupancy, and include all the services provided. Oriental Express safaris can be chosen by those who can afford to spend, while others can still choose the more affordable safari options with which the travel desk at the airport in Gaborone, Botswana can help you. Don’t forget to have a cocktail or two when you discuss your experiences with fellow tourists after witnessing the African sunset. Image credit: orient-express-safaris Via: MiamiHerald
Daily Archives: January 18, 2012
Canada is an Example of Response to Consumer Demands
There are several ways that Canadians can find a friend, family member, or a business. Traditional 411 services require a name and location to provide a phone number, and typically, they charge a fee. In the digital age, consumers expect free access to online databases. This has created a demand for free access to telephone directory information as well. Consumers expect companies to make it easy to find the information that they want. It’s not surprising that some services offer filters that can narrow down searches. The search filters make it easy to find that wonderful restaurant with the impossible-to-remember name or that place a friend took you a long time ago. To further meet the expectations of customers, many free online directories have partnerships that allow them to provide maps and directions for businesses all over the country. One of the ways to find the information you want is through 411 Canada. More than two million Canadians use this service every month. Unlike telephone-based services that charge a fee for every number request, this service is totally free. It’s free to search for local businesses, look up an old college friend, and find out who keeps calling from that unknown number. To provide up-to-date information on millions of businesses and individuals, 411 Canada partners with public information agencies and private third-party companies that provide data from all across the country. Customers have access to a full residential database and business section that’s only offered online. Instead of charging customers to look up numbers, 411 Canada uses advertising revenue to make its services free. In addition to the business section, the residential section allows users to search all over the country for people by last name. The reverse phone search feature helps you figure out who is calling you from unknown numbers. Results will show the caller’s name and where they’re located.
Property Managers Make Good Sense for Landlords
Property managers take the stress out of owning rental properties. Although the income is terrific, quite a few nuisances come with being a property owner. These can all be neatly avoided by hiring a good property manager. The best place to find a property manager is by advertising locally, either in print or online. Look for someone who’s had experience as a property manager. Check their credit history since they’ll probably be handing checks for you. If they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t mind. Ask for references, too. Ask their references about substance abuse and stability issues. If you have a multiple unit apartment building, you may want a live-in property manager. That gives you a pair of eyes on-site to protect your property. Usually you can get someone to manage for a discount on his or her own rent. If you have a few properties in one location, you may want to hire separate managers or just use one for all your rentals. Your property manager is a business interface between you and your renters, so make sure your manager knows how to handle business. They can be lenient, but not a pushover. They have to be firm when it’s time and they must be willing to evict a friend. A property manager who has handyman skills is worth a larger rent reduction. A good property manager can save you plenty of money by making small repairs around the property. They can also prepare and show empty apartments, saving you time and travel. Property managers deflect much of the unpleasantness of owning rental properties by fielding tenant complaints, screening new applicants, and collecting the monthly rent. A good property manager is probably worth more than you’re paying for their service. However, what you’re really paying for when you hire a property manager is peace of mind.