Bethlehem Freestate

Bethlehem, situated in a fertile valley of the Maluti Mountains on the N5 highway, is the largest commercial, industrial & educational centre in the eastern Free State & the northern terminus of the mountain route.
The original settlers found that wheat flourished in the valley & hence the town was named Bethlehem (house of bread). Bethlehem was founded by the Voortrekkers during the 1840's & is the setting for a number of historical sandstone buildings, many of which are now provincial heritage sites.

Langebaan Western Cape

Langebaan is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa on the eastern shore of Langebaan Lagoon.

Hermanus Whale Festival 2010

Off Exploring Abroad

Dis 'n great blog om al ons tuisblyers op hoogte te hou met jul dag-na-dag excursions oorsee!

Great way to keep everyone up to date on your day-to-day travel excursions
http://www.offexploring.com/

Namaqualand Flowers

In terms of natural selection these flowers have been selected for their ability to survive and indeed multiply in a somewhat hostile environment.   Dry and hot and dusty for much of the year, they all bring out their delightful flowers in spring, to make the most of the short period before the drought once again settles in, to be pollinated and produce seed, which may lie inactive in the soil for many years.  It is difficult to believe that they bring forth their glory simply to attract bees and butterflies and other insects.

There are enormous stores of seed in the soil of the Richtersveld and Namaqualand.  These plants have adapted to remain inactive in the soil for many years, and only germinate when the conditions are right ... rain during mid-winter, and hopefully lasting through to springtime.  Many of these species have some sort of built in randomiser, so that in any one year only a small percentage of the seeds germinate.  If the initial winter rains do not follow through to the spring, then all is not lost ... there are many more seeds in reserve for the following years.  And when a good year comes, enormous quantities of seed are produced, renewing the reserves in the soil for future years. Different seeds germinate under different conditions of temperature and moisture, so the predominant flowers in each area will be different from year to year, depending on when the first rains fall.

Pofadder Namaqualand

The very little town of Pofadder lies surrounded by rugged, sparsely populated and very scenic countryside. Here locals make their money from sheep or goats farming, and there seems little more to entice you to visit the town than its position on the main route from Upington to Springbok, just 60kilometres from the Namibian border post.

Surrounding towns have equally sleepy backwater sounding names, like Aggeneys, Kakamas and Pella but there is something about this parched countryside that is appealing and, certainly in spring, the blanket of incredible flowers that brighten this part of the world makes a visit here worth the drive. Pofadder is, in fact a great place to overnight and the wee town provides a more than welcome break from endlessly straight roads through the Kalahari plains.

Pofadder has quite a history too. It might be little more than a couple of tar roads, a café, church and hotel, but there was quite a resistance mounted by the original Koranna people (offshoots of the Khoi-Khoi) who made this part of the country their home back when a mission station was set up here in 1875. The station was named Pofadder, not after the snake of the same name as many assume, but after the local Koranna chief. A few fresh water springs, called the Koranna springs, were what attracted these people here originally, and a town soon followed in 1918, officially called Theronsville. Pofadder, however, stuck, and the official name soon followed suit and reverted.

In August this is a great little base from which to explore the Namaqualand daisies, and there is a hiking trail, called the Pofadder hiking trail, in the vicinity.

Vote for Table mountain

http://www.votefortablemountain.com/
http://www.new7wonders.com/en/

Underberg KZN

Underberg, lies immediately beneath the majestic mountains of this area, their looming greatness offering a multitude of hikes and moments of breathtaking beauty. Underberg forms part of the Sani Saunter, not as well known as the Midlands Meander perhaps, but offering as many outdoor opportunities and scenery to equal if not challenge the former.

The Sani Saunter extends from Loteni in the north to Bushman’s Nek in the south, and east to Bulwer, including the little town of Underberg and her quaint neighbour, Himeville, just 5 kilometres away, and as its name indicates, there is access to numerous hikes and walks in this part of the world. The greatest attraction to the twin towns of the southern Drakensberg - Himeville and Underberg - is fly-fishing. There is more opportunity here than anywhere else in the country and the Underberg-Himeville Trout Fishing Club hold rights to over 160 kilometres of river as well as 60 dams - that’s a lot of fishing!

Underberg is a little town, and busy, despite the fact that this part of the district is predominantly farming country. The town of Underberg is pretty functional, although it has grown in the last couple of decades and now includes a number of commercial ventures.

The Splashy Fen Music Festival sees hundreds of people make their way through Underberg and this part of the southern Drakensberg to attend the Easter weekend filled with local music, arts and crafts, food and drink.

• Southern Berg Escape
• Splashy Fen
• Sani2C MTB Race
• Joberg2C MTB Race
• Drak Challenge Canoe Race