World Cup Avoidance - Southern Africa or maybe Chile (1 Viewer)

[Arbu]

The Football World Cup is coming up, and to me that is a good time to get away, as prices may be lower, and there will be undue excitement over it at home. So I'm thinking of going to South Africa and/or Namibia, and hiring a car for three weeks or so. Anyone interested in joining me? 80% birding, although a few days seeing Cape Town would seem worthwhile, and some moderate hiking too. I'm free from 5th Nov until Christmas, although flying back close to Christmas might be expensive. Suggestions of how to do it welcome too.

Chile would be good too, although the hiking would be less moderate...

 

[THE_FERN]

Have you been to Western cape area before? Just back from there.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I presume that you know that association football is the most popular sport in South Africa ?
I know South Africa didn’t qualify for the tournament due to some poor officiating but I imagine people will be watching it avidly in many parts of the country

 

[Arbu]

I presume that you know that association football is the most popular sport in South Africa ?
I know South Africa didn’t qualify for the tournament due to some poor officiating but I imagine people will be watching it avidly in many parts of the country

Yes, but I'll still be further removed from it birding in South Africa than if I stayed in London. And I believe South Africa has a big domestic tourist industry, so if people are staying at home to watch the football, that should make the game reserves quieter. I don't totally dislike football, I'd probably try to watch England in the final if they got that far.

 

[---]

We were in South Africa over the summer. The reserve lodges had deals for residents to fill up the rooms, so the guests were mainly "locals". Apart from a "lively" delegation of American Embassy staff, we only saw one other family from outside the Country .. (the fact they lived less than 5 miles from us was one of those weirdest of coincidences!)

So I suspect the bars will have live football throughout, and plenty of cheering.
The wildlife will be just as good!

 

[THE_FERN]

Things are picking up. Our guide has several tours back-to-back in a month's time I think

 

[---]

Things are picking up. Our guide has several tours back-to-back in a month's time I think

That's good, they need it. Although it was nice to be with the locals, some of whom were on once in a lifetime trips taking advantage of the residents discounts.

 

[Andy Adcock]

The Football World Cup is coming up, and to me that is a good time to get away, as prices may be lower, and there will be undue excitement over it at home. So I'm thinking of going to South Africa and/or Namibia, and hiring a car for three weeks or so. Anyone interested in joining me? 80% birding, although a few days seeing Cape Town would seem worthwhile, and some moderate hiking too. I'm free from 5th Nov until Christmas, although flying back close to Christmas might be expensive. Suggestions of how to do it welcome too.

Chile would be good too, although the hiking would be less moderate...

I've sent you a pm, we did an extensive trip to Western SA and Namibia with a couple of other diversions in 2010-11, here's a few tasters.

 

[Arbu]

Not gone yet, but flights to Windhoek with Eurowings (via Frankfurt) are looking quite good value at c. £600.