Iconic Choo-Tjoe may run again
THE Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, the
Garden Route’s iconic steam
train that once operated between
Knysna and George, may be
resurrected if talks between
private-sector interests and
Transnet bear fruit.
Mike Asefovitz, senior manager:
external communications for
Transnet Freight Rail, said: “There
are discussions around the future
of the line with interested parties
but it is still in discussion phase
with nothing concrete tabled.”
According to Friends of the ChooTjoe,
a non-profit organisation
formed in August 2010 to promote
the rehabilitation of the railway line,
the service was suspended eight
years ago due to massive storm
damage to the line infrastructure.
The website (http://www.
friendsofthechoo-tjoe.co.za) states
that in 2012, Transnet estimated
the cost of returning the Choo-Tjoe
to the tracks was about R250m,
which it could not allocate unless
the line could be used for freight.
In February 2012, interest was
shown by a Dutch group involved
with the operation of Museum
Stoomtram Hoorn-Medemblik,
which incorporates a heritage
railway.
Sun City elephants to retire
TOURVEST Accommodation and
Activities (TAA) will end its elephantback
safaris and elephant interaction
activities at Sun City Resort from
the end of August to rehabilitate the
elephants.
TAA ce, Gary Elmes, said after 12
years of educating and enriching the
lives of visitors to Sun City, it was
time to enter the next planned phase
and to release the elephants back
into the wild.
Gavin Reynolds, ceo of Mankwe
Gametrackers, which merged with
TAA in May, said it had not yet been
decided where the elephants would
go because, although Pilanesberg
National Park would be first prize
because of its closeness to Sun
City, it did not have an elephant
management plan. Gavin said once
the elephants had been placed in a
park, there were plans to rehabilitate
them into the wild.
Thompsons Africa offers safari-Cape Town combos
THOMPSONS Africa is offering
two new safari-Cape Town
combination packages
following the re-introduction of
scheduled air services directly into
Skukuza in the Kruger National
Park.
“We are extremely excited about
what promises to be a much more
cost effective, convenient and
time-efficient travel solution for our
customers,” says Craig Drysdale,
gm – global sales.
A two-night stay at Nottens Bush
Camp in the Sabi Sand Game
Reserve is combined with three
nights at 15 on Orange in Cape
Town. It includes three meals daily,
local soft drinks, house wines
and beer, two game drives and a
bush walk per day at Nottens Bush
Camp. In Cape Town, a cocktail and
transfers to the Victoria & Alfred
Waterfront, Camps Bay and the city
centre are included.
The second option is for a
two-night stay at Lion Sands River
Lodge on the banks of the Sabie
River, and three nights at More
Quarters Apartment Hotel in Cape
Town. At Lion Sands guest enjoy
three meals and two game drives
per day, refreshments, local soft
drinks and a selection of house
wines, spirits and beers.
Included in both packages
are meet-and-greet services
at OR Tambo International Airport,
scheduled flights JNB/SZK and
SZK/CPT, return road transfers
between Skukuza Airport and
lodge, and return scheduled road
transfers between Cape Town
International Airport and hotel.
Free WiFi at SA airports
AIRPORTS Company South Africa
has launched a free WiFi service
for passengers in the boarding
areas of its nine airports.
Users will have either 30
minutes of WiFi connection or
50mb of data available at no
charge. Once 30 minutes have
lapsed, or 50mb of data is
reached, users will be able to top
up the service on a pay-as-you-go
basis.
WiFi can be accessed through
any AlwaysOn WiFi hotspot on
laptops, smartphones or tablets
that have built-in support for
WiFi or are equipped with a WiFi
network card.
Users select AlwaysOn then
follow the instructions on screen.
They then open the device’s web
browser and are automatically
redirected to the AlwaysOn login
page. The option ‘complimentary
access’ should be selected.
Users are required to register
and provide their email address
for verification processes. Once
registration is completed users
receive their free WiFi.
