The Festive Season, as it should be

A couple of weeks ago, we took a drive to Oldenburg in Germany, some four hours away, to meet up with our cousins to enjoy the Christmas Market in Oldenburg. These German markets are renowned for their festive spirit and good cheer. We found the greatest gifts ... love, care, attention and time with family and friends.

"The first news report that appeared on Dutch television after Christmas, was about people placing their unwanted gifts on auction websites like e-Bay. This is a sad reflection of what the Festive Season has become.

Instead of showing our loved ones how much we love them by giving them our time, care and attention, we buy each other gifts instead - as a placement or representation of our love." read the full story

A Brief Glimpse into Ice Sailing

The Netherlands experienced another record warm year in 2007. But in the week before Christmas, the temperatures plummeted. On the 21st of December, it even dropped to minus 8 deg Celcius. Brrr. Winter water sport enthusiasts were enthralled. Hope you enjoy this brief glimpse into "hard water sailing" - read further

About Animals - African Lions

The lion has been one of the most talked about animals on the African plains, and not surprisingly has been the main topic of conversation around camp fires for thousands of years ... read further.

About Animals - the Little Five

For many travelers to South Africa, ticking off the ‘Big Five’ on their safari checklist is an exciting challenge. However, very few people consider or look out for the ‘Little Five’… read more.

Finding Our European Roots

"No matter where you come from, as long as you're a black man, you're an African, no mind your nationality, you have got the identity of an African". ~ Peter Tosh

Albeit in reverse, Peter Tosh sings about the way I felt a lot of the time while growing up in South Africa with my pale skin - I felt out of place ... read full story.

Shore-entry Navigation Dive

During our Master Diving training course, we were instructed to do a shore-entry navigation dive in our buddy pairs. This meant kitting up on the beach, gently easing into the waves, setting the appropriate navigation course, putting fins on, submerging beneath the waves and setting off in the right direction. Read further.

Welcome to the Tours and Tales BLOG!

Hi there, just a quick welcome to our readers. This is the official blog of our Tours and Tales website, which will include a introduction to all articles and journals on our website. Feel free to add your comments about the articles to these postings.