Jaunted - za

This Could Get Weird: South African Taxi Drivers Launch Their Very Own Airline

kjb — 2011-09-20T09:29:02-05:00

Oh boy this sounds like a slice of travel hell just waiting to happen. Officials from South Africa’s taxi industry are planning to get into the airline business, and even the organizers of the new airline are calling their new venture a “unique traveling experience.” The operators of these mini-bus type taxi services are probably best known for their less than friendly battles—that even sometimes turn violent—over routes, territory, and turf. Let’s just hope the airline stuff remains pretty peaceful.

They want to link locals to areas of the country considered a little less accessible, along with giving those who have maybe never boarded a plane the opportunity to do so. Everything will be run by the South African National Taxi Council, and they’re going with Santaco Airlines. Apparently the taxi industry is trying to clean up its image a little bit, so hopefully the new carrier is a step in the right direction.

Is Kim Kardashian Planning a Secret Honeymoon in South Africa?

cmb — 2011-06-09T13:07:21-05:00

Kim Kardashian and her fiance Kris Humphries are busy making plans for a lavish wedding worthy of her $2 million engagement ring, but their honeymoon may be a bit less luxurious.

Kim recently told Hollywood Life that her dream getaway is a safari in South Africa:

In-Flight Cocktail of the Month: South African Airways' La Chanson

JetSetCD — 2011-03-04T10:54:34-05:00

As many already know, we have a serious obsession with airline cocktails, and so much is our passion that we've created a whole first-Friday-of-the-month feature called In-Flight Cocktail of the Month, which highlights the special concoctions that flight attendants whip up with only a cocktail shaker, some tiny liquor bottles and a whole lot of hope that it won't make you drunk and unruly.

Red sparkling wine is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, the fruity stuff isn't nearly as easy to find as, say, regular French champagne or good old Freixenet. Instead, you've often to grab it when you see it, like perhaps on an Africa-bound South African Airways flight.

2010's Destination Of The Year Is...

Jaunted10 — 2010-12-31T10:58:02-05:00

It's that time of the year again, the time when the year just plain ends. Alas, we can't just let 2010 go that easily, especially since travelers spent it both up in the air and up in arms over a crazy range of topics, encompassing everything from nudie scans to tarmac delays. Needless to say, we're ready for 2011, but first we're taking a brief look back at the best of 2010 with the Jaunted Travel Awards,—or as we fondly refer to them—The Jauntys.

Forget that whole story about the honeymoon murder that happened in the slums of Cape Town, because we're pretty convinced that it was a set-up made by the husband, and plus it is soiling what has otherwise been a banner year for South Africa, our Destination of the Year 2010.

Sure, they had the awesome World Cup, but the energy began earlier in the year when we named them one of the top three places for a medical vacation, owing to their reputation as a mecca for plastic surgery and recovery. Then The Bachelor's Jason Mesnick chose South Africa for his honeymoon, as did Chelsea Clinton, and Kim Kardashian made her inaugural visit to the country with sister Khloe in tow.

And then there was the World Cup...

Cape Town Asks Visitors to Donate One Vacation Day to Cleaning Up the Community

cmb — 2010-10-27T14:14:23-05:00

The Table Bay Hotel, in Cape Town, South Africa, is getting involved in the community by helping to restore several streets in Langa, one of the Cape's oldest townships, and they are asking their guests to help too.

The initiative is part of the “One Street at a Time” project which aims to build Langa into a sustainable tourism destination. The first street they are tackling is Harlem Avenue, a historic boulevard lined with shops and historic homes, including the home of Chris Hani, the influential anti-apartheid activist. Volunteers will help clean up the area and make needed repairs to homes and businesses along the avenue, which adds a nice positive, active slant to a South Africa vacation.

Chelsea Clinton May Be Honeymooning in South Africa

JetSetCD — 2010-08-10T08:58:48-05:00

Right after Chelsea Clinton married long-time beau Marc Mezvinsky two weekends ago in Rhinebeck, NY, the public has wondered one thing: what did she wear? That answer came quickly enough. The bride wore Vera Wang. And then the big question became: where are they honeymooning? This answer didn't come at all.

Now, over a week since the nuptials, there's possibly lead on where Mr. and Mrs. Mezvinsky have headed, and it's far, far away. Sources at WWD have spilled that the couple is currently on safari in South Africa. WWD explains wy South Africa is a perfect honeymoon idea for them:

Emirates Flight Attendants Played a Big Part in the World Cup Final

JetSetCD — 2010-07-12T09:01:05-05:00

Who were those women in veils behind the South African president and other FIFA officials during the World Cup trophy presentation yesterday? Why, they were flight attendants for Emirates Airlines, a major sponsor of the 2010 World Cup who obviously gave enough money to get their girls up in the spotlight.

Following yesterday's final match between Spain and Holland, which Spain won with a single goal during stoppage time, a whole line of these khaki-clad, red-lipped ladies emerged with trays of the player's medals. Asking who they were was a popular question echoed across Twitter, but the answer lay in the big red ad banners for Emirates around the field. They also showed up the day before to present the third place prize to the German team.