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Sun Life Travel & Tours

Sun Life Travel and Tours intends to provide individual and group travel to leisure clients. Budget
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Sun Life Travel and Tours intends to offer the service and knowledge a discerning leisure traveler seeks whilst on vacation, with the intention of seeing and appreciating the numerous sights on both local and international tours. Services and products provided by Sun Life Travel and Tours will initially include pre-arranged tours, custom packages according to client’s specifications, travel consul

tation, and as time progresses making reservations for lodging amongst other related services. Sun Life Travel and Tours seeks to differentiate itself as the premier adventure travel company in the greater Kumasi area. Sun Life Travel and Tours is a travel company that intends to deliver leisure travel excursions to customers. Sun Life Travel and Tours intends to guide customers in selecting a trip(s) based on pre-defined vacation criteria. This analysis will be based on user profiles, set by the consumers, which include preferences such as:
1. Time of Travel

Sun Life Travel and Tours intends to offer the service and knowledge a discerning leisure traveler seeks whilst on vacation, with the intention of seeing and appreciating the numerous sights both local and international tours. Keeping in mind the comforts of a tourist, our fleet shall be very well maintained and designed as per customer standard and expectations. However not wanting to limit ourselves we intend to be open to special hire by churches, organizations, groups, schools and sports teams, amongst other related groups.

22/08/2022

My dear travelers, today I have for you a very important and needed entry regarding health and our safety during the journey. Many factors contribute to a successful journey, and one of the most important is the knowledge and awareness of situations that may (although they do not have to be preventive at all!) Meet us in various corners of the earth. Discovering new, often unfamiliar places is fantastic, but somewhere in this europe, an ambush, crazy taking pictures of subsequent landscapes and trying the next exotic dishes, there must be a place for a rational approach to taking care of yourself.
If somebody thinks that he is untouchable and on vacation or on a journey of dreams only beautiful situations happen in film, he is unfortunately wrong. Regardless of what is the purpose of our journey and what is its nature, taking care of health must be the number one of all activities. During the holiday period, the frequency of trips increases, but this trend is slowly changing and travels appear throughout the year. And more and more often these are remote, tropical and culturally different places. This means that, especially in a new place, we must be well prepared for all possible situations, so that we can easily enjoy the journey.

The quality of life and sanitary conditions in Europe are very high, and we are used to it. We often do not know how many aspects we need to pay attention to during a stay in another country, especially one that is less developed, has a different bacterial flora or diseases that do not occur in our home country.
Let's also overthrow the myth that, with short trips, such as in Europe, we can wave our hand for proper preparation. It does not matter whether we are going to Croatia for a week or a month's trip to the Amazon. The principles of caring for health, safety, and widely understood travel prophylaxis apply to everyone everywhere.
I am not here to scare you, but to share with you my travel experiences and what I have often learned about health on the go. Most importantly, however, is the fact that most dangerous situations and diseases can be easily avoided by following the basic principles of PREVENTION, i.e prevention prevention in advance.
Remember that vaccinations before departure are the basis, but the vaccinations alone do not protect us from infection, so our main goal is to prevent any disease from being infected. And for that, we have some security rules in everyday functioning.
That's why today I am in a hurry and I have gathered for you the most important rules that we travelers must know and apply. Because we agree, there is nothing worse than being sick on the road.

In the first place, we should think about water. It is contaminated water and food prepared on it that are among the most common causes of traveler's illness. Especially when it comes to poorly developed countries, which are a frequent destination for exotic travel. For example, diseases that can be infected by infected water are, for example, travelers' diarrhea, typhoid fever, type A jaundice, or cholera (hence the vaccination for these diseases is definitely recommended, because contrary to appearances, they are not rare).
chlorine, The easiest way to treat water is to cook it, because it kills all pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. If it is not possible to boil water (eg during survival expeditions), it is worthwhile to obtain chemical treatment agents containing iodine, chlorine or silver compounds, or modern micro, where filtering filters (portable point-of-use).

RULES YOU NEED TO REMEMBER
1. Drink only bottled water
(with a closure protected with foil that is not used in Poland) or canned. Even in restaurants, order water in a bottle, not one that will be served in a jug or directly in a glass.
Warning! In India, I met with cases that the water sold in street kiosks was poured into plastic bottles from the well, and then with a lighter the cork was melted to make it look pre-bottled (!). There is a patent for it: always squeeze the bottle with water firmly, if the cork does not fire, it means that the bottle was closed at the factory and you can boldly drink it.

2. Avoid drinks with ice coming from an unknown source
Like you remember about bottled water, but how hot it is, man does not pay attention that tap water can also be found in our juice or drink. Inspecting the source of water used seems like a miracle, so I use a simple rule - in the tropics I never drink ice-cold drinks. Believe me, it can be experienced, and the problem of wondering if it would be good water for sure, disappears as the hand took away.
3. Wash fruits and vegetables with bottled or boiled water
Remember - the same principle as using ice - washing food with tap water or well is no different to drinking it, because bacteria and viruses will just stay on the food. Even after washing, always take them out. You can also burn the skin with boiling water, which will kill most of the germs.
4. Avoid foods that have not been cooked sufficiently
High temperatures and humidity, as well as poor food storage conditions, make it vulnerable to an increase in the number of microorganisms that can cause infection. This particularly applies to meat, eggs, seafood and dairy products. Do not eat undercooked food and food that you are not sure that it has undergone heat treatment or, for example, has been out of the refrigerator for a long time. Contrary to appearances, it is not difficult to travel, for example stalls in Southeast Asia are a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and fungi. Just look at the raw meat or fish, which without a refrigerator lie on the countertops for many hours, and should turn on you a warning lamp. Another example - Cuba and famous cakes with whipped cream sell on the street at 30 degrees (without a refrigerator). We definitely say NO to such snacks.
5. Watch out for street eateries and stalls
I know, I know, you will be outraged right now, because how to go to a new place and not try the local cuisine at the points where mainly locals eat and usually very cheap. I'm not saying no, but just be careful. Try to choose those in which there is a lot of traffic, so the food has to be prepared on a regular basis, and try the dishes cooked and fried. In addition, pay attention to what these dishes are served - ideally, these are disposable plates and cutlery, and not, for example, plastic reusable. All you have to do is look closely at the place to see that your plate after the predecessor has just been roughly rinsed in a large bowl of water that has been there for several hours and has more bacteria in it than you can imagine.
6. Brush your teeth with water from the bottle or boiled
Sounds fancy? But it is not. Every experienced traveler will tell you that the first moment you arrive at an exotic place is to put a bottle of mineral water in the bathroom. For example, to remember about her when brushing your teeth, because we do not have a reflex to rinse the mouth with water from the bottle. I will go even a step further - you can also wash your face with such water, and if you think that it is too much, always, but always close your mouth washing your mouth or bathing in the shower (and then dry the face and the mouth area with a towel) by accident, do not swallow water. It's still the same tap water that we try to avoid, and sometimes one drop is enough to poison. Believe me, I did it in India - precisely because I forgot to close my mouth, washing my hair in the shower.
7. Wash your hands often and always wipe them
Frequent washing shortens life - says the adage, but not this time. Hand hygiene is an absolute foundation. Always wash them before eating and use soap. Additionally, remember to dry your hands with a towel - for the same reasons as above - to avoid mouth contact or food with water. And, best of all, have a MUST HAVE with you every traveler - an alcohol-based disinfectant gel - and use it even after washing your hands.

Insects are really a difficult opponent. There are plenty of them, they are small and "spread with the speed of light." Their intrusiveness is not limited to bubbles on the skin or unbearable buzzing over the ear. Insects are one of the most dangerous carriers of infectious diseases, such as malaria, fever, dengue or Japanese encephalitis. Contrary to appearances, you only need one insect bite to become infected. And these diseases are nasty and for some of them (eg malaria or dengue) there is no currently available vaccine. It means that our only weapon is prevention, or in short, do not let yourself bite. Because I assume that the use of the most effective method minimizing the risk, i.e. not indulging in places at risk of morbidity (unfortunately, nowadays a large part of the world and everything we call tropics),

RULES YOU NEED TO REMEMBER
1. Repellents, repellents and repellents
The simplest and most effective rule - use repellents, that is chemical substances, repelling insects. Choose, however, those that contain DEET or ikicdyn. The formula - spray, gel or roll-on is optional. It is also important to know what concentration to choose. In the case of DEET, it should not exceed 20% in children and 50% in adults. However, it is not a suitable remedy for infants under 2 months old. DEET agents last for about 6 hours, but they should be used more often, for example after a water bath.
My advice is: do not hesitate to use repellents. Do not approach this: I do not want to, I have forgotten, and maybe nothing will bite me. I also had such a selective approach, until in Thailand I fell ill with Dengue. You can also try local remedies that are often based on insect repellent ingredients (such as lemon eucalyptus oil or ordinary oil) and are equally effective.
Warning! Remember that in tropical countries where you use UV filters, the repellent is applied to the skin after first protecting it with sunscreen.
2. Cover the body
There are many guides that advise you to cover up in the tropics from head to toe, i.e. long trousers, long sleeves, socks, and high boots. And if you look at a local, eg in Thailand, you will actually see that even in 30 degrees they wear jeans and blouses with long sleeves. In part, it is a habit to high temperatures, and partly protection against mosquitoes. However, I am aware that if we do not go to the jungle or safari, only for a holiday trip to warm countries, everyone wants to take advantage of this heat and sun, and walking in jeans is the last thing he dreams about. I have such a patent for it that I wear, for example, long thin dresses or thin loose pants that cover the skin, but are still airy. I put on a tunic or kimono on my shoulders, so I do not feel covered from head to toe,
Warning! When traveling more survival it is worth considering buying clothing factory impregnated insecticide, such as permethrin, means a measure that has a deterrent effect on various species of insects, including: chamomiles, ticks, gnats and sand fleas.
3. Prepare your accommodation
Checking the room before falling asleep is very important. First of all, take a look at the tightness of windows and doors, check if the safety nets have holes and remove all mosquitoes from the room. I definitely recommend you choose rooms with air conditioning, because it is a natural barrier that runs over insects. If you do not have air conditioning, it is necessary to choose a place with a mosquito net, but be careful - check that there are no holes, because in many hostels or hotels unfortunately mosquito nets at the beds leave much to be desired. Traveling in Southeast Asia to less developed countries, such as Laos or Cambodia, I had my own mosquito net in my backpack (PLN 15 on Allegro), which saved me many times from the bloodthirsty attacks of mosquitoes.
4. The time of the day matters
The mosquito transmitting diseases is not attacked only at dawn and at dusk. Different types of them carry different pathogens over the course of a circular day, so realizing that we are exposed all the time is an important principle that should mobilize us to continually protect ourselves. During the day, they feed on mosquitoes carrying dengue, chikungunya fever, zika and yellow fever. However, at night, the likelihood of a mosquito infesting malaria, Japanese encephalitis and fever of the western Nile is increased.

5. Not just mosquitoes
Let's also disprove the myth that only mosquitoes threaten us. Insects carrying dangerous diseases are much more and there is nothing to panic, but be aware that the application of the above principles protects us against the entire spectrum of insects. In a tropical climate there are often sandworms (extremely irritating micro-openings that are difficult to see and which do not sound like a mosquito) - leishmaniasis carriers, onchocercosis flies, Chrysops from which may develop and known tusks carrying an African coma. In a word - there is nothing to be protected from!

Exotic journeys also involve possible contact with unfamiliar animal species living close to humans, e.g. monkeys in Indonesia or India. Our first instinct is the desire to look at them closely, take a photo, etc. However, you must be careful, because they are still wild animals, often carriers of diseases such as rabies. Bats are also carriers of bats, for example in caves. What's more, the probability of being bitten by a dog or cat is even greater, and these are not lacking, for example in Thailand - there are whole hordes of them. It is worth getting vaccinated against rabies, and in contact with animals, restraint.
If you travel to open areas or close to nature, be sure to watch out for snakes, scorpions, and spiders. Animals that are practically non-existent in Poland, so we are not accustomed to taking them into account in our way of thinking.

The rules you need to remember
1. Avoid contact
The simplest rule is to stay away from unfamiliar animals. Do not try to touch the monkeys and do not use their food (it irritates them very much and can cause them to act aggressively). The same with random dogs or cats, even domesticated ones. In poorly developed countries, the approach to animals is different than in the West; no one vaccinates them, does not control them at the vet, and most of them are not.
2. Wear full footwear
Flip-flops for a walk to the jungle? No thanks! When choosing to visit the jungle, forest, or rural areas, remember to wear full footwear because it will best protect you against possible bites from animals living in the grass and undergrowth. Always check your shoes before putting them on and thoroughly shake them off. For example, to my trainer left on the terrace in Thailand, four frogs have been packed! You do not know how difficult it was to remove them from him!
3. Protect the youngest
If you are traveling with children, be aware that through their growth they are an easy target for animals such as dogs or cats, which makes them extremely vulnerable to possible contact with their saliva or bite. In particular, that children do not have barriers in themselves and are more likely to cling to animals.
4. Prepare for snorkeling
If you have plans to go snorkeling, get special rubber footwear that protects you from stepping on poisonous sea animals. Here you do not have to look far - eg in Croatia there are many sea urchins, whose sting is very painful and poisonous. And what's new in the warm waters of Australia? far-e.g.,

Often, what you cannot see is the most dangerous, hence one of the most recommended is the tetanus vaccine, which is found in the soil. It's easy to get infected with it because you only need a small abrasion or scratch on your feet (and that's easy to do), which, in combination with the outdoor shoes we use on vacation, exposes us to potential contagion. The best protection is definitely wearing covered shoes.

The rules you need to remember
1. Try not to walk barefoot
After all, even the thinnest flaps are able to protect against infection. Also, avoid places with contaminated soil or sand.
2. Watch where you go
bushes, and Avoid also places with high grass, bushes, venturing into the forest after dark. Do not take a bath in unmarked places.
It is also good to avoid swimming or wading in water reservoirs or shallow ponds because there may be parasites in them.
WHAT ELSE?
At the end, What else I will add a few important rules that will certainly help you on small and large trips:
1. FLIGHTS AND JET LAG
For example, give yourself time to acclimatize and get used to, for example, high temperatures or changes in altitude. Visiting and exploring with a lot of tiredness and shock of the organism resulting from changes in time and climate zones is a simple step to its weakening, and thus greater susceptibility to disease.
2. SUN PROTECTION
In a hot and tropical climate, remember about the proper irrigation of the body and necessarily about sunscreen. Do not underestimate the sun, because the closer to the equator, the stronger it is and tans us faster and harder. And against such a sun, we are protected only by very high filters (minimum 30 SPF) and headgear! It is not about getting a nice tan but about avoiding sun shocks, strokes and skin melanoma.
3. HUMAN FACTOR
A factor that is very important and which is often underestimated. When traveling, it happens that you get sick and even go to the hospital. In addition to good and proven insurance, which is an absolute basis, whether it is a short trip to Europe or a trip to the tropics, you also need to have eyes around your head in the context of medical facilities. In poorly developed countries, the level of sterility and professionalism of personnel may deviate from Western standards, which increases a tourist's risk of contracting Hepatitis B or HIV / AIDS while taking IV drips HIV/AIDS or intravenous medications. So if you have a choice (I'm not talking about extreme cases of life and death, when any help is already all), think about it five times if the place you came to meets the standards of cleanliness.
This also applies to casual sexual encounters—always use condoms and be aware that in developing countries the risk of contracting STDs and HIV/AIDS is much higher than in Europe.
The same applies to the performance of cosmetic treatments or tattooing-if you have to, choose a reputable place, because it will reduce the likelihood of contracting, among other things, WZW B and C.
4. PLAN WITH YOUR HEAD!
I know that when the journey of a journey comes, everything else goes to the background, but be careful with all of this. The world will not escape us, and health may, so choose carefully the places you want to visit. Check the pages of embassies that provide current information on eg diseases, as well as the WHO website, which updates information on the epidemic or the increased risk of infection, e.g. dengue, in a given region. If you do not have to, do not push yourself into dangerous places or wait for the threat to pass. None of us is untouchable, but most dangerous situations can be avoided. On the one hand, adventure is an adventure, but on the other hand, at the end of the day, what is really important is health and safety. Without this, each trip loses its flavor.

20/08/2022

Ghana Culture Tour.
Ghana is the land of cultural heritage. The amazing cultural heritage of this land delights tourists who come here from several parts of the globe. Because of the cultural diversity it is said that there is hardly any culture in the world that is as varied and unique as Ghanaian culture. The amalgamated beauty of different religion, culture, heritage and community make Ghana an incredible destination which promises memorable holidays to tourists who come here from across the globe.

Ghana is one of those countries in the world which has preserved its culture and heritage. The confluence of many religion blessed Ghana with rich culture and traditions whose vibrancies create mystic atmosphere that spellbind tourists during their Ghana Tour. One can find the traces of different cultures in attractions like music, dance, architecture, festivities, languages spoken, traditional beliefs, customs and cuisine. Ghanaian cultural tour is the best way to understand the cultures of Ghana. Some of the prominent aspects of Ghanaian culture are:

Religion

Ghana is the land of faith and spirituality where number of religions have not only evolved but also flourished. It is an integral aspect of Ghanaian culture which has a great impact on Ghana society. Hinduism, Traditional worship, Buddhism, Christianity, Movements and Islam are the popular religions of Ghana. The philosophy and teachings of Ghanaian religion are renowned across the world. Large number of tourists visit pilgrimage sites to learn the philosophy and genesis of life and death.

Art and Crafts

Arts and Crafts of Ghana are known across the world for their unique design and beauty. The beauty of arts and crafts not only showcases the inner feeling of the artist but also of the society. Each region of Ghana has its own crafts which represents the uniqueness and diversity of Ghanaian culture. The major arts and crafts of Ghana include idol making, painting, wood sculpture, stone carvings, metal statue, terracotta, embroidery, ornaments and jewelry.

Ghanaian Cuisine

The diversity of Ghana is also reflected through its cuisine. It is an important aspect of Ghanaian culture and its tastes and way of cooking varies from region to region. Each cuisine of Ghana has its own specialty. Ghana cuisine is a fine blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian elements along with the subtle use of spices and herbs.

Fairs and Festivals

Fairs and festivals are an integral part of Ghanaian culture. Because of the diverse culture Ghana has unending cycle of fairs and festivals. Each and every festival here is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. Each festival has its own charm which captures the hearts of tourists who come here from across the globe. The tradition of fairs and festivals celebration in Ghana dates back to the root age.

Ghanaian cultural tour is the best way to explore and experience the varied facets of Ghanaian culture. Scores of tourists from several parts of the globe travel to Ghana for spending memorable and pleasurable holidays. It is the land like no other which thrills and excites tourists with its myriad facets.

20/08/2022

Accra, the capital city of incredible Ghana is a must see destination. Dotted with mesmerizing tourist attractions, this city is famous the world over. Here you can see the finest blend of modern and traditional. It boasts of glorious history of various dynasties which once ruled here. From towering buildings to the ruins of heritage monuments, Accra has so much to leave you enchanted. It is bordered by wonderful regions like Koforidua and Kumasi. Several rulers ruled this city over the centuries and left behind amazing attractions in the form of heritage monuments, cuisine, and culture.

This captivating city offers several must-visit attractions such as beach resorts, castles, museums, Parliament House, Asomdwee Park, and many more. The city is divided into 4 cities, thus Osu, Nungua, Teshie, and Labadi. Each of the sections has its own amazing attractions to offer. Kumasi, Cape Coast, Tamale has its own amazing sites that you would love to see for yourself so book a tour with us now and enjoy amazing trip with Sun Life Travel and Tours.

20/08/2022

Reflections of Travel to Africa.

As a four-decade Certified Travel Agent, international airline employee, researcher, writer, teacher, and photographer, travel, whether for pleasure or business purposes, has always been a significant and an integral part of my life. Some 400 trips to every portion of the globe, by means of road, rail, sea, and air, involved destinations both mundane and exotic. This article focuses on those in Africa.

Egypt:

The land of the Nile and the pyramids came alive during a flawlessly blue trip one December.

Cairo-accessed sights, almost without saying, included those very pyramids, whose construction commenced in 2550 B. C. as a result of Pharaoh Khufu's order and which were negotiated by camel. TheB.C. Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest, consists of some 2.3 million stone blocks, each weighing 2.5 to 15 tons, and is considered the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to remain largely intact.

Khufu's son, Pharaoh Khafre, built the second pyramid in 2520 B.C. and it is part of a complex that includes the Sphinx, a mysterious limestone monument with the body of a lion and a pharaoh's head, which itself may stand as a sentinel for the pharaoh's entire expanse of tombs.

The third such pyramid-shaped structure, which is considerably smaller than the first two, was built by Pharaoh Menkaure in 2490 B.C. and features a much more complex mortuary temple.

Additional attractions included the temple of the Great God Ptah in Memphis, a 5,000-year-old symmetrical, alabaster sphinx, and the original statue of Ramses II. The Necropolis in Sakkara afforded an opportunity to inspect its tombs and its own step pyramid.

The immersion into Egyptology was capped with a visit to the Papyrus and Egyptian museums, the latter built by the Italian construction company Garozzo-Zaffarani and constituting one of the largest such repositories with 120,000 items, not all of which were on display at a single time. But some of its most significant were Tutankhamun's Mask, the Grave Mask of King Amenemope, the Narmer Palette, the Mummy Mask of Psusennes I, the Statue of Khufu, the Statue of Khafra, the Statue of Menkaure, and the Merneptah Stele.

Morocco:

Two multi-mode trips to Arabic-and French-speaking Morocco facilitated considerable country coverage.

Significant Casablanca sights include its Medina, the Royal Palace, the Hassan II Mosque, the world's second largest after that in Mecca, Mohammed V Square, and a Moroccan handicrafts store.

A drive to Rabat encompasses its own Royal Palace, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of Oudaya, evoking images of the Humphrey Bogart movie, Casablanca.

Morocco's famous and wonderful couscous, sometimes enjoyed with live entertainment, was consumed in numerous restaurants. Lunch in the Golden Tulip Rabat, for instance, featured eggplant salad; olive chicken, couscous, and carrots; and thin chocolate pastries and custard-flan with fruit. A later sip of Moroccan mint tea in Rick's Café in the Kasbah of Oudaya really generated movie memories. Its French influence was expressed in its crispy baguettes.

Marked by Moorish minarets of the 12th-century, Koutoubia Mosque, in Marrakech, was a former imperial city in the western part of the country, but is today characterized by palaces, gardens, and the densely packed, walled medina dating to the Berber Empire. Threading my way through its maze-like alleys, I passed and perused its souks, or marketplaces, which displayed some items as textiles, pottery, and jewelry.

While a train had linked the city with Casablanca, an internal flight closed the gap between it and Tangier, a port city on the Strait of Gibraltar that has served as a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times. Its whitewashed hillside medina was home to the Dar el Makhzen, a palace of the sultans that had since been transformed into a museum with a rich collection of Moroccan artifacts.

Tunisia:

Although Arabic and French similarly provided the communication lines in Tunisia, my German often substituted in English-deficient areas.

Tunis, located on the Mediterranean Sea and the country's capital, affords sightseeing opportunities in its Bardo Museum, Hammamet, and Nabeul.

Carthage, a seaside suburb known for its ancient archaeological sites and founded by the Phoenicians in the first millennium B. C., was originally the seat of the powerful Carthaginian Empire, which fell to Rome in the second century B.CB.C.. Today it retains a grip on its history with such remnants as its amphitheatre, Byrsa Hill, and the National Museum of Carthage, the Roman Theatre, the Baths of Antonin, and Sidi Bou Said.

A short, domestic turboprop flight to the island of Djerba varied my view of the country, with a stay in the seaside Hotel Hasdrubal and sightseeing of Guellala and Houmut-Souq. Its small, but elegant restaurant dripped with French cuisine, and a butter-sautéed filet mignon entrée one evening was memorable.

Matamata, asA standard-shift Fiat rental car facilitated a drive to Medenine and Matmata, a small., Berber-speaking town in southern Tunisia, often on road stretches that hugged mountains and consisted of little more than sand and chopped rock. But they ultimately opened up to the latter's anticipated, but virtually empty expanse of troglodyte architecture, because that consisted of surface-invisible, subterranean, cave-reminiscent construction to reduce exposure to extremely high temperatures during the day. As the most famous filming location of the Star Wars movie series, substituted for Tatooine, Luke Skywalker's birthplace.

A return drive to Jorf completed the circuit to Djerba after a ferry crossing from it and another internal flight led to Tunis.

Cape Verde:

Officially designated the Republic of Cabo Verde, Cape Verde is an island country in the Central Atlantic Ocean, its ten volcanic island archipelago having collectively created the 4,033-square-kilometer landmass.

Enticing as a destination that it was, it regrettably only served as an intermediate stop in Ilha do Sal, or Sal Island, during transatlantic flights between New York and Johannesburg.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Similarly, and sadly, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, historically Zaire and now the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa and the second largest on the continent, was only glimpsed on landing in Brazzaville, its capital, located on the Congo River opposite Kinshasa.

Nevertheless, the dark, predawn landing in Ilha do Sal was replaced by a bright morning one here after a sector from Lisbon that would continue to South Africa, except that the moment the main wheels touched its soil, a band of natives, perhaps ignorant of modern technology, emerged from the bush and stormed the runway.

Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe offered another multiple travel-mode and -aspect African-immersion but provided several unexpected experiences and retrospectively taught just as many lessons. They could be pegged by the locations of the eight hotels.

For instance, after an overnight in Johannesburg, South Africa, a fully booked flight to Harare, the intended destination and gateway to Zimbabwe, caused a reroute to Bulawayo instead. Although an unreserved rental car was miraculously secured, its less than shiny-new condition proved that facilities and standards were not always those expected in the United States.

During a drive to the first destination, Hwange National Park, the travel group took guesses at the distance to it, since it appeared significantly shorter than the 500-kilometer one from Harare, the originally intended starting point. Most said, "It has to be about 100 kilometers." But a glance at the map's legend reads "1,000 instead." Incredulous, they all considered it a mistake. But here again, US standards proved the culprit: while the distance was less than a quarter of what it would have been from Harare, the assumption that a road existed to connect the two points was erroneous. The quoted distance was correct, because it required following a highway down south before intercepting the northerly one on the other side.

Signs along the road continually pointed to "braais." This, as was learned, was the Afrikaans word for "barbeque," which had been adopted into the English language, and its frequent appearance indicated the value locals placed on the activity with family and friends.

Accommodation in Hwange National Park's main camp was in rustic, thatched-roof bungalows. At night, the Southern Cross appeared with crystal clarity, as if it had burned its imprint into a molten sky. Not a rustle could be heard, but at the first light of dawn, the surrounding animals emitted a collective grunt, shrill, and shriek that audibly cracked the silence more than the light visibly cracked the horizon. The day had arrived and their bodily clocks had been set by the rising run. It was time to eat..

The park's dirt roads were plied during both self-drive and private game safaris, but the sunrise one in a jeep the following morning was particularly memorable as dawn infused the eastern horizon with a flood of color.

The elegant Victoria Falls Hotel provided a marked contrast to the game reserves at the next destination, and the famed falls, with their luminescent force and audible pound, were enjoyed both in person and from the air during a sightseeing flight. The outdoor "Africa Spectacular" performance, permeating the audience with waves of African rhythm, was a highlight.

While the following night's Makasa Sun Casino Hotel was only marginally lower in scale than the previous night's Victoria Falls Hotel had been, it still offered a close-proximity inspection, but the day's small-boat Zambezi River safari, during which wine and cheese were served, was precarious for the half-dozen European vacationers in the neighboring vessel. The glide over the glass surface and the silent stillness were unexpectedly fractured when their boat mysteriously rose from the river and spilled its inhabitants into the water. Screaming and grasping for air, they latched onto the side of our own and we slowly escorted them back to shore and safety. The culprit, we ascertained, was a hippopotamus that had swam under the boat and then rose, lifting the contents on its back out of the river.

Shopping at the Falls Craft Village re-introduced life's banality.

An overbooked commercial flight from Victoria Falls to Harare, with an intermediate stop in Kariba the following day, necessitated my relocation from the passenger cabin to the cockpit, but it gave me the opportunity to observe "up-front" procedures, take notes, and ultimately write an article about the experience.

After another single-night stay--this time in the conventional, modern-conforming, almost characterless Sheraton Harare-we were able to intercept our original itinerary. Inspections of the area's Harare Gardens, African Unity Square, and the Epworth Balancing Rocks offered glimpses into its importance and a memorable dinner later than evening took place in the Ramambo Lodge Restaurant.

A second rental car facilitated travel to the Troutbeck Inn, located at a 6 500-foot elevation in the surrounding mountains and thus inviting exploration of the Nyanga Highlands' scenic beauty and absorption of its crisp mountain air. Fireplace-provisioned rooms induced deep, peaceful, civilization-separated sleep. Multiple-course, menu-detailed breakfasts and dinners were included.

One breakfast, in the first case, encompassed the traditional Troutbeck buffet with assorted fruit juices, breakfast cereals, fresh and preserved fruits, assorted yoghurts, selected cold meats, selected cheeses, Danish pastries and croissants, homemade butter scones, and local preserves, marmalades, and honey. The cooked breakfast portion included fried, poached, boiled, or scrambled eggs, breakfast omelets, pork or beef sausages, crisp farmhouse bacon, sautéed potatoes and grilled, tomatoes. The day's Troutbeck breakfast special was fresh minute steak with fried onions.

The dinner menu detailed pate a la maison served with crisp melba toast and Cumberland sauce; cream of celery soup garnished with chopped nuts; poached fillet of Nyanga trout blanc fume coated in a delicate rose wine sauce; entrees of grilled entrecote chasseur with an onion, tomato, and mushroom sauce, or roast leg of pork with roast gravy and apple sauce, Savoyarde gratin potatoes, country vegetables in season; Devonshire ice coupe with whisky liqueur and peach salad or lemon cream pudding; a selection of fine Zimbabwe cheeses and biscuits; filter coffee and Tanganda tea.

Morning horseback rides through the forest's trails brought breathtaking views of Pungwe Drift and Pungwe Falls.

A return home, across the Atlantic, required a retracing of steps-first to Harare for another overnight stay and then to Johannesburg for a day room, before the sixteen-and-a-half-hour flight, via Ilha do Sal in Cape Verde, to New York.

South Africa:

Lile Zimbabwe, South Africa offered an equally varied, all-encompassing, multi-mode travel experience, resulting in significant kilometer coverage and an almost nightly hotel change.

Accessed by Johannesburg, it provided an introduction to its history in Pretoria, one of the country's three capital cities and the seat of the government's executive branch. Significant sights here included Church Square, the Kruger House, the National Zoological Gardens, the Union Buildings, and the Voortrekker Monument, the hilltop-located granite structure that commemorates the Voortrekkers themselves, who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854.

Natural, almost other-planetary topographical features characterized the Transvaal Drakensburg, including those of Graskop, God's Window, the water-eroded, geological Bourke's Luck Potholes, and Blyde River Canyon.

The Floreat Protea Hotel in Sabie, offering the restorative rest after a day of mileage and a mélange of sights, was described as "Set on the banks of the Sabie River in the beautiful Eastern Transvaal, the Floreat has a special place in this heavenly part of South Africa. With its perfect climate, majestic forests and landscapes, and lush subtropical vegetation, this is the place."

Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of the continent's largest game reserves and offered several safari adventures with its particularly high density of "Big Five" animals, including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalos. Laden with cameras and lenses, I frequently preserved pockets of wildlife existence, snapping shots of cheetahs, spotted hyaenas, zebra, giraffes, kudus, impalas, wildebeests, and antelopes.

Nightfall necessitated two in-park stays-one in Skukuza, located at the confluence of the N'waswitshaka and Sabie Rivers in Mpumalanga, and the other in Crocodile Bridge-with outdoor kitchens, but indoor bedrooms in circular, thatched-roof huts. Provisions purchased at the local camp store provided dinner ingredients cooked under the crystal, clear Southern Hemisphere stars, whose majestic infinity sparked a conversation about God and eternity.

As was typical of flat, desert-like terrain, days created swelter, but nights rapidly descended to the freezing level.

A domestic flight from Johannesburg to the port city of Cape Town, located on South Africa's southwest coast on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain, became the threshold to a walk along the Alfred and Victoria waterfront, an ascent on the Cableway to the 3,500-foot summit of the mountain itself, a drive in the shadow of the Hottentots Holland Mountains through tree-lined lanes past white gabled Cape Dutch homesteads to the Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch wine-making areas for tours through the oak- and grape-scented cellars and subsequent tastings, and a trek to the Cape of Good Hope, meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Described as "the fairest cape that we saw in the whole circumference of the globe" by Sir Francis Drake, it was the southern-most point on the African continent.

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