Travel: Expectation vs. Reality

Most of us spend a lot of time dreaming about all the adventures we are going to have when we actually get around to travelling the world. However, travel isn’t always what you expect...

Make sure you are prepared for the reality not to meet your expectations!

Expectation – You will save up lots of money and visit all the countries you want to, all while living comfortably.

Reality – You will spend most of your money paying for debts, bills, school fees, groceries, going out, etc.

Expectation – You will find a cheap, but comfortable hotel room that is cheap in a central area.

Reality – You will leave it too late to plan your accommodation, and you can only afford a tiny hotel room with a lumpy bed.

Expectation – You will plan everything out such as your accommodation, daily food budget and sightseeing for the day.

Reality – You will spend most of your money too early, you’ll get lost and you will probably stay longer than intended.

Expectation – You will find new places no one knows existed and see things that only a few people have.

Reality – You will go to places that are filled with tourists, and when you decide to explore you will get lost and find nothing special.

Expectation – You will meet so many different, unique people with amazing stories and you will become friends forever.

Reality – You will meet people, but only for a short time and you will probably forget about them and eventually stop talking to them.

Expectation – You will come home and your friends and family will be there to welcome you and hear all about your adventures.

Reality – You will come home and everyone will be quite busy with your jobs. You will come to the realization that you have missed quite a lot and everyone has moved on with their lives.

Even though travel is rarely what we expect, that is the beauty of it – the unknown.

Looking for a shuttle service that can get you to or from the airport at an affordable price? Airport Shuttle in Cape Town and Durban can get you where you need to be comfortably and on time!

www.airportshuttlecapetown.co.za

www.airportshuttledurban.co.za

Simple tips to make flying suck less

Imagine you’re taking an amazing holiday trip abroad, the only thing in your way is the long plane ride ahead; do you want to enjoy your flight? Of course you do, flying can really suck at times! Use these tips to make your flight less painful, after all you don’t want to arrive at your destination in a bad mood.

Tip No.1) Do your research and book a good airline, cheaper isn't always better! In my opinion if you’re going to be on a long flight, it’s better to pay more and be comfortable.

Tip No.2) If you hate listening to other peoples conversations, babies screaming and the planes loud engine bring headphones with you, you can listen to music or watch a movie to cancel out the noise and keep you entertained.

Tip No.3) Sleeping on a plane can be very uncomfortable, so make sure to fasten your seat belt over your blankets so the flight attendants don’t wake you up to check if you’re strapped in. If you can, buy a neck pillow it can help you get more comfortable and reduces head and neck ache.  

Tip No.4) Food can be very expensive to buy on a plane, and most of it isn't very tasty, rather make sure to pack yourself a few healthy snacks for your flight.

Tip No.5) Occasionally get up and walk around the plane, it’s good for blood flow and can help kill a lot of time.

The golden rule to enjoy your flight is to be positive and polite, don’t get upset with the flight attendants and always be polite to your fellow travelers, thinking positive thoughts can really make you feel better and improve your trip.

Written By: Christine Romans

A Bad Case of Wanderlust

WANDERLUST

‘wɒndəlʌst/

noun

1. A strong desire to travel.

“a man consumed by wanderlust”


I woke up this morning overcome by a bad case of wanderlust. On a daily basis I’m tempted to call an airport shuttle, head off to Cape Town International Airport and jet off to the Maldives, Zanzibar, or even more adventurous, Mallorca!

However, real life takes precedence over fantasies of white sandy beaches and instead I’m sitting at my desk writing this article. I’m daydreaming about sunbathing on a tropical island, horseback riding through a forest and sipping cocktails with my toes in the sand.

It’s not easy to overcome wanderlust, but a busy inbox and to-do list manages to distract my wandering mind sufficiently to get through the day relatively easy. I will keep myself occupied in the meantime, until the time comes when I can hop on that plane and go seek my heart’s desires.

Written by: Christine Kleyn

Romance is in the Air

Imagine having a date 37 000 feet in the air. Imagine having a romantic, candlelit three-course dinner with your partner or significant other…in the sky.

Now you can - if you fly Business Class with Turkish Airlines. This new catering concept is the airline’s latest business class offering to enhance the satisfaction of its already satisfied passengers even further. The idea behind this concept was to recreate the romantic ambience one would find a fine-dining restaurant – complete with flying chefs.

The airline has already earned its bragging rights by winning Skytrax rewards for “World’s Best Economy Class On-board Catering” in 2011 and “Best Business Class Catering” in 2013, talk about raising the bar!

We certainly hope that other airlines will follow suit, especially in South Africa. Please, we want romantic dates in the sky!!

Written by: Christine Kleyn

You might be sitting next to a stalker

Travel-stalking, it's a thing now...

So you're planning a trip: you've got your travel plans down to a T.  Flight booking, check. Passport, check.  Private airport shuttle, check - you don't want to be bugged by a bunch of strangers right at the start of your trip.  All is going according to plan, but hang on, you're being watched!  Certain airlines allow you to pick who you want to sit next to via Facebook. This feature is available when you check in online between 24 and 2 hours before your flight.

Stalker-alert!

This makes travelling a little creepy - as if sitting next to a stranger for a few hours wasn't bad enough, now that stranger might have chosen you as a seat buddy! 

My initial reaction was: “Oh cr*p! What about kids travelling by themselves?!”  I often see kids travelling alone to visit a parent or relative…surely this opens yet another doorway for creepy predators?

Thankfully our national carrier didn't up the ante a la Virgin America with their flirting service where you can send drinks or a snack to someone you fancy via the in-flight entertainment system. Being watched and hit on in a confined space where you can’t escape… no. Just NO, Sir Branson.

We vote NO. Stop this madness!

Written by: Christine Kleyn

This blog was produced on behalf of http://www.airportshuttlecapetown.co.za.

South African Airports - Embracing Mobile Technology

Good news travellers! ACSA just made travelling more convenient with the unveiling of its free Airport App. This app will assist travellers navigate airports with the help of a detailed airport map, developed in conjunction with TomTom and Micello Indoor Maps.  It's available for Android, Apple and Blackberry (except the Q and Z series) devices and forms part of the first phase to introduce innovative solutions to improve efficiency at ACSA airports.

So, what exactly does the app do?

1. It will facilitate fast and efficient airline & parking reservations and boasts an in-app parking cost calculator;
2. it will enable passengers to search for shops & restaurants (by category, terminal or name), airline & travel information, as well as weather reports; 
3. passengers will be able to plan transport/shuttles to and from the airport - traffic updates enable travellers to plan their trip to the airport more effectively. There are listings and contact details of the car rental companies, Gautrain, taxis, and airport shuttle services;
4. travellers can search for flights via flight number or an advanced search option as well as checking in online - once the flight is activated, any changes related to the flight will be visible to the passenger on their mobile device;
5. the app will contain a list of the airlines that operate at the respective airports, as well as their contact numbers;
6. there is also a list of frequently asked for information and contact details for the Customer Care department.

ACSA did their homework and the research shows that almost 40% of their customers are the Gen-Y group: tech-savvy and between the ages of 16 – 35. These travellers want convenience, a seamless “virtual airport” experience and reliable self-service options.

Whether we like it or not, technology is here to stay and the Airports Company South Africa is doing what all successful businesses are doing: taking advantage of emerging tech to respond to customer demands.

Written by: Christine Kleyn

New Regulations for Travelling with Children

New Travel Regulations Delayed

The Department of Home Affairs has recently announced new travel regulations, particularly for adults travelling with children. These changes caused some panic, but may be worth supporting seeing as it’s serves to curb child trafficking. Thankfully they decided to extend the start date for these new regulations as such short notice changes would cause chaos for families travelling with children seeing as school holidays are only a couple of days away.  You now have until the end of September 2014 to comply with the new travel regulations and avoid disappointment and delays in your travelling arrangements.

Here’s the long and the short of it:

Travelling internationally with children, parents are now requested to provide an unabridged birth certificate (including the details of the child's father as well as the mother) of all travelling children - this applies to foreigners and South Africans alike. Unabridged birth certificate applications can take anything from six to eight weeks to complete and without it, travel will be denied. When children are travelling with guardians, these adults are required to produce affidavits from parents proving permission for the children to travel. 

Without proper procedures being followed and educating travel agents, airport staff, airlines, airport shuttles and other relevant stakeholders, this could have a negative effect on the South African travel industry.

The new South African immigration regulations concerning travelling with children:

Regulation 6: (12)

(a) Where parents are travelling with a child, such parents must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child.

(b) In the case of one parent travelling with a child, he or she must produce an unabridged birth certificate and-

(i) consent in the form of an affidavit from the other parent registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorising him or her to enter into or depart from the Republic with the child he or she is travelling with;

(ii) a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the child; or

(iii) where applicable, a death certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate;

Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.

(c) Where a person is travelling with a child who is not his or her biological child, he or she must produce-

(i) a copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child;

(ii) an affidavit from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child;

(iii) copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and

(iv) the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child, Provided that the Director-General may, where the parents of the child are both deceased and the child is travelling with a relative or another person related to him or her or his or her parents, approve such a person to enter into or depart from the Republic with such a child.

(d) Any unaccompanied minor shall produce to the immigration officer-

(i) proof of consent from one of or both his or her parents or legal guardian, as the case may be, in the form of a letter or affidavit for the child to travel into or depart from the Republic: Provided that in the case where one parent provides proof of consent, that parent must also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her in terms of which he or she has been granted full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of

the child;

(ii) a letter from the person who is to receive the child in the Republic, containing his or her residential address and contact details in the Republic where the child will be residing;

(iii) a copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child in the Republic; and (iv) the contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child.

Written by: Christine Kleyn

A Memorable trip to the Drakensberg Mountains

Last week I had the privilege of spending three days in the beautiful Central Drakensberg. The cool, pre-winter mountain breeze was just what the doctor ordered!

Unfortunately I did not have time to explore the surroundings for hours and take lots of pictures, but I can describe the experience. Firstly I have to give a shout out to the guys from Airport Shuttle Cape Town for driving me to the airport in comfort and on time for my dreaded 6am flight – it takes a certain level of professionalism to pick a groggy passenger up at 04:30 in the morning and still muster up a smile! 

Upon arrival in Durban and having to shed my coat and scarf, we piled into a luxury bus for the 2-hour drive to the stunning Champagne Sports Resort in Central Drakensberg. I love the mountains so I immediately felt at home sitting on the balcony and appreciating the view, cup of tea in hand. The room was big, warm and comfortable and I decided to take a nap the moment my body sank into the down duvet…it was heaven for a few minutes!

Our days were filled with (surprisingly fun) business sessions in the conference room, spectacularly decorated for the event, and our evenings consisted of gala dinners and partying until the wee hours of the morning! Wine flowed freely and champagne and tequila followed soon after!

The resort staff were friendly and accommodating, the accommodation was absolutely perfect and my shuttle driver made sure I get to and from the airport in comfort – it was a truly memorable travelling experience. Drakensberg will definitely see me again, soon…

Written by: Christine Kleyn

The Convenience of Modern Travel

So I woke up this morning wondering about the miracle of transport and how easy it has become in the past decade. We’ve come a long way since journeys by boat or train. Travelling used to take weeks of planning, simply because it took so long and was such an inconvenience.  Today, however, it couldn't be simpler!

Humans are impatient and slaves to instant gratification – thanks to the rapid development of technology and travel methods, I can wake up in Cape Town at 05:00 and by 19:00 be having dinner in Paris, Rome or London. WOW!

Sit back and let that sink in for a moment. You could leave work on Friday afternoon, catch an Airport Shuttle to Cape Town International and catch the evening flight in time to be in London for bacon, eggs, beans and chips – all in a matter of hours!!! If that’s not convenience at its best, I don’t know what is!

With all the time saved travelling, you can finally start writing that novel, brainstorm your next multi-million Rand business idea or even learn a new skill!

An Adventure Imagined

You’re tired, overworked and underpaid. You want adventure and you want it now.

Imagine getting home from work one day and just grabbing your beaten up old backpack from under your bed and throwing in a couple of T-shirts, a pair of jeans and some underwear.

Imagine calling a cab service (Airport Shuttle Cape Town is my favourite by the way!) and heading to the airport and staring at the departures board and just picking the first available flight to anywhere.

Imagine landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and starting your day with a glass of Cristal and a sensational smoked salmon baguette before taking a walk down Champs Elysees to visit the Arc de Triomphe. Imagine seeing the Eiffel Tower in its full glory and now imagine standing on top of it and having Paris all around you!

Imagine waking up in a hotel overlooking Times Square in New York City…in winter…covered in snow. Imagine sitting down in Starbucks across the road, sipping a latte and taking advantage of their free WiFi to catch up with your friends back home. Imagine partying it up on New Year’s, Times Square Style!

Imagine celebrating Oktoberfest in Germany, it’s not for the faint of heart…you've been warned!

Imagine standing at the top of the ski slopes in Austria or Switzerland and feeling the icy air and adrenaline overcome you on the way down.

Just imagine…

Now stop! I know it sounds impossible but you don’t have to be among the super-rich to travel. A budget hotel, bed and breakfast or even a backpackers (if you’re a student or travelling in a youth group) can be just as fun! After all, you’re not going to spend any time there except to sleep – which you won’t do very often anyway because there’s an adventure waiting and you have limited time.

Do yourself a favour and start a dream collage, there’s something about putting it out there in the universe that works magic. Write down your dreams and goals and add pictures! Everyday look at it and do something (no matter how small) towards achieving it.

Who knows, before long you might find yourself checking in your luggage on your way to an amazing adventure!

This blog was produced on behalf of http://www.airportshuttlecapetown.co.za

Written by: Christine Kleyn

5 Reasons to Travel...NOW!

Travelling can be a very personal thing. Everyone has a reason to do it and many will find reasons NOT to.

Today I will share some of my personal reasons for globetrotting and discuss their merit. I’ll also encourage you to discover your own reasons for travelling and their meaning to you.

Here are 5 reasons to travel and how it changes your life for the better:

It changes your perspective

We all get comfortable in our routines…and what happens when we get comfortable is that life becomes boring. Painfully boring. Getting out of your routine will give you a fresh perspective on life. You will learn new things and discover a whole new world outside your own!

Challenge yourself & your beliefs

Travelling, especially alone, can be an intimidating experience. Heading out into the unknown will teach you a lot about how to be adventurous and do things in the moment.

Jumping on that plane will push you past your reservations about leaving your comfort zone and immersing yourself in a different culture or vibe than you’re used to. Go ahead and eat that strange dish in a foreign country, get lost and find your way back to the hotel without asking for help…just do it!

I can guarantee that these experiences will help you grow as a person and get past emotional and physical limitations that are keeping you from living a crazy, fun and fulfilled life!

It changes your speed of thinking

When travelling you will notice there are lots of variables that challenge you to be creative & flexible. Your plans can change at any moment and you have to adapt instantaneously. The rain might start pouring down by the bucket loads on the day you planned to go hiking or do some outdoor sightseeing, you might leave your wallet at a restaurant, hotel or the bus, you might even miss the get-together of your tour guide! All these things will force you to think on your feet and act quickly if you want to enjoy your journey by grabbing every opportunity to go have fun and trying something new and different.

It teaches you discipline

Travelling teaches you persistence and self-reliance – both skills that will benefit you in your everyday life.

You need to be financially disciplined to budget and save for your trip, you need to get your travel documents (Visa’s & passports) and paperwork in order and you need to ensure that your vaccinations are up to date and that they comply with the requirements of the country you’re travelling to. You also have to arrange for your personal and home affairs to be taken care of while you’re away. Some questions/issues to consider: Who’s feeding your pets? Are the kids staying at home and do you have a reliable babysitter/caretaker? If you own a business, are your managers reliable?

As you can see, it takes hard work and discipline to accomplish your goal of travelling to another country.

It improves your self-confidence & adaptability

Can you think your way out of a difficult situation? Well…travelling will teach you just how to do that!

Placing yourself in a situation where you’re in over your head and managing to rise above will give your self-confidence the boost that it needs. If you don’t believe me, try navigating through a busy foreign airport…for the first time…alone…without any guidance. You feel on top of the friggin’ world when you get to the other side all by yourself!

Written by: Christine Kleyn

This blog was produced on behalf of http://www.airportshuttlecapetown.co.za

Welcome to the Travels of a Madman

Hi…I am the Travelling Madman and this is my blog.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, let’s get down to it. The Travels of a Madman is named after me – the madman. I'm a pleasure-seeker travelling far and wide to feed my sanity but end up even more insane and wanting more at the end of the day. I’m restless, completely off my rocker and I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust. 

I love travelling, exploring beautiful places, eating strange foods and discovering gems in the most unlikely places and now I get to share it all with YOU!

In this blog I’ll share some travel tips and advice while taking you on a journey to some of the most magnificent places I've seen and experiences I had; I’ll also be brutally honest and share some of the not so awesome things I have encountered on my travels.

I was inspired to share my experiences by reading other travel blogs and by my peers always asking me for tips on anything from restaurants and hotels to car hire/transport and sightseeing before they pack their bags for that long overdue holiday. I’ll help you navigate through the travel maze and make the process as stress-free as possible.

I hope you accept my invitation to join me on this journey where we’ll take a walk through Paris and have a croissant in a street corner café, take a trip through Deutschland and take the scenic route through the green, cow-spotted countryside of the Netherlands. Together we will also explore the city of cities and my home…Cape Town. Beautiful, colorful, vibrant Cape Town.

I look forward to this journey with you, feel free to comment and share your own travel experiences along the way. I’d love to hear from you!

Written by: Christine Kleyn