It’s a tad confusing for locals - so can only imagine how confusing it is for visitors. But there are a few things common about the transport to the games in all the host centres:

* Most of the precincts around the stadiums are pedestrian-only zones - so only accredited and emergency vehicles will be allowed near them - no private cars at all!!
* park & ride facilities offer safe parking with shuttles to and from the stadium
* park & walk facilities offer safe parking with a 2km or less walk to the stadium

NB: Tickets for park & ride/walk facilities MUST be bought beforehand from www.ticketbreak.co.za and www.computicket.com - you won’t be able to get tickets at the facilities!!

* while they are trying to keep these down to a minimum, road closures or restricted access on certain roads will be in effect for the duration of the World Cup - on both match and non-match days
* fans are advised to leave plenty of time to get to the stadiums - especially for the opening game, semis and the final (some are suggesting that you allow four hours to get to the opening game!)

There are so many sites out there offering good info, but there are also quite a few where the info is NOT up-to-date. Scouting around, these are the best/easiest we’ve found:

JOHANNESBURG: 2 Stadiums - Soccer City and CocaCola Park (Ellis Park)

Getting in, out & around in Johannesburg - everything from Rea Vaya BRT to MetroRail to Gautrain to Minibuses to Rental Cars

Fan Parks, public viewing areas and township TVs

Top 10 tips for travellers
Good advice, road and safety tips

Getting to the games
All the info you need about road closures, park & rides, park & walks, transport hubs, Metrorail, Sandton Metrobus, Rea Vaya BRT, traffic maps and parking tickets

CAPE TOWN: Cape Town Stadium, Sea Point

Road closures

Getting around Cape Town by train, bus, taxi, car and by foot

Park & Ride

Airport Shuttle

Disabled shuttle service

DURBAN: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Foreshore

Getting around: park & ride, park & walk, rail services, airport shuttles, road closures and all you need to know

Also a very detailed transport plan, if somewhat complicated - with maps and signage, covering all aspects of transport and traffic management

Durban Overview

PRETORIA/TSHWANE: Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Travelling to & from Tshwane: distances, airport, shuttles, rail, coaches, metered taxis

Transport to Loftus Versfeld Stadium on match days: soccer trains, park & ride, park & walk, shuttles from Pretoria station

Transport Hub at Pretoria station: open 24/7 for duration of World Cup

Getting around in Tshwane: public & private transport options

BLOEMFONTEIN: Free State Stadium

Transport Overview

Airport-Stadium shuttle service, inner city transport, park & ride, park & walk, fan park and public viewing areas

NELSPRUIT: Mbombela Stadium

Transport Overview

Airport & stadium Match shuttles, inner city transport, park & ride, public viewing areas & road closures

POLOKWANE: Peter Mokaba Stadium

Transport Overview

Stadium/fan park shuttles, park & rides, rail, metrobus, fan park access and road closures.

RUSTENBURG: Royal Bafokeng Stadium

Transport Overview

Stadium shuttle services, event plans, park & ride services

PORT ELIZABETH: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Transport Overview

Airport & stadium shuttles, park & ride, city wide services, fan parks with maps

The best mapping & direction site we’ve found so far is definitely google maps: try the local version maps.google.co.za

Click on the ‘Get Directions’ under the logo - you can also save these or email the links to a friend (or yourself). Next best thing to a GPS. And it’s always better on the ‘big screen’.

Hope it helps.

Of course, if you’re not lucky enough to have scored some tickets, the next best place to be is one of the Fan Fest Parks.

Enjoy!

From Saturday May 1 until Sunday October 31, there’s a bunch of stuff happening at the Cableway - with fun activities for the whole family.

For every full-paying adult at R160 (return trip only), 2 x U18 kids go free (normally R80 each so you save R160!).

Offer valid over weekends and public holidays - and both the July & September school holidays ie : from June 10 - July 12 & September 24 -October 3 2010.

Over the unusually long July holidays (courtesy of the 2010 FIFA™ World Cup), there’ll be a special programme for kids. This includes loads of fun activities like a Winter Treasure Trail (maps available from the ticket office), spot prizes, magic shows, face painting and craft activities. Children will be entertained and taken on guided walks by the Table Mountain Cableway characters - Ernie the Explorer, Dale the Dassie and the Yeti. There’ll also be story-telling of the Myths and Legends of Table Mountain.

They also have the chance to win their own Table Mountain Cableway beanie and scarf. (Entry forms on back of the Winter Treasure Trail map).

The Table Mountain Café is also joining in the holiday spirit & will be offering a delicious kiddies menu - at reasonable rates.

The Cableway operates all year round - weather permitting. For more info, visit Table Mountain website & also click through to their blog for the latest news. You can also call +27 (0)21 424 8181 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +27 (0)21 424 8181      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Before you double, treble or even quadruple your normal rates for the upcoming 2010 FIFA ™ World Cup, please consider these few points:

* Germany didn’t inflate their prices hectically during the 2006 - especially for accommodation. Many of the visitors would just bus home again after matches so it was never really an issue. Besides, there was never a shortage of accommodation to begin with.

* Host nations experience a boom in tourism in the years immediately after they’ve hosted a FIFA ™ World Cup. This was especially true in Germany in 2007, although tourism slowed down in 2008 with the global economic crisis.

* South Africa - and Cape Town especially - is already perceived by some as ‘overpriced’. While we all know that South Africa is the most beautiful country in the world with the most exceptional, nicest people, potential visitors may easily be swayed by other destinations where they can get top accommodation and great scenery for far less than they’d pay here eg especially destinations like India & Asia. 5-star resorts cost around US$ 400 - 500 whereas a similar 5-star option in Cape Town costs about US$ 700 - 1100 - more than DOUBLE the price?! Surely, a room is a room is a room at that kind of level?

* South Africa is a ‘long haul’ destination - and the largest expense in getting here is the airfare. If people perceive it to be expensive on the ground too, we’re losing the battle!

* South Africans are known as some of the most hospitable people on Earth. Let’s nurture that - rather than become known as the most money-grabbing.

And lastly, please let us not lose sight of what the legacy of tourism can be like AFTER 2010.

The 2010 FIFA ™ World Cup is a once-off, amazing opportunity to give the rest of the world a taste for our rich and diverse smorgasbord of wildlife, scenery, culture, history, adrenalin and adventure.

Let’s do whatever we can to make sure that it makes them hunger for more! Not leave with a bad taste in their mouths …

Enjoy the top sundowner spot in Cape Town - at half the price.

The Aerial Cableway at Table Mountain is running its renowned Summer Sunset Special (until Sunday 28 February 2010).

For four months each year, locals and visitors to the Mother City can travel to the highest sundowner spot in Cape Town after 18h00 and pay just half the normal fare. Just R80 each. U18s pay just R40.

Even if you haven’t got much of a head for heights, there’s a thrill in getting to the top of this iconic Cape Town mountain - 1067 metres above sea level. And the cable cars rotate as you go up. If you’re a phobe, grab onto one of the inside poles and ask the operator if you can sit with them - they’re very helpful.

Once at the top, you can explore the top and enjoy all the various views of Cape Town and the peninsula. You’re bound to come across some inquisitive dassies too (Rock Hyrax) - small, brown fluffy things that are apparently kin to the largest land mammal, the elephant. You can also get up close and personal with some of the magnificent fynbos (flora) that the Cape is famous for.

The best is to bring a picnic, some good friends and a bottle of the Cape’s finest. (Sure helps with the descent if you’re nervous about the trip … or the ascent, too …)

If you’re feeling lazy, or just in the mood for a treat, there is a restarant at the summit - the Table Mountain Café. Enjoy absolutely amazing views of the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean over dinner.

Need a momento? There’s also a gift shop to stock up on some South African souveniers … or just browse through

Sunset Special tickets can be bought from the Cableway’s Ticket Office from 18h00. The last car down is at 21h30.

There’s also a New Year’s Eve special - the last car up leaves at 22h00 and the last car down is at 01h00.

Please note: The Cableway operates only if weather permits.

For more info visit The Table Mountain Cableway or call (021) 424 8181.

In the South African Earthwave challenge held at Muizenberg beach yesterday, more then 100 surfers road one wave at the same time at the Earthwave Festival - which breaks the previous record of 100 set by Earthwave Brazil last year.

103 surfers break the Earthwave Guinness World Record at Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town: photo Lee Slabber

“We estimated that there were more than 120 surfers on the fifth of the seven waves surfed at Muizenberg during Earthwave,’ said Paul Botha of Kahuna Promotions, the founders of the South African Earthwave, an event that uses this world record attempt each year to promote awareness of climate change and a better, more sustainable lifestyle for all.

The downer is that there’s only photographic evidence to show 103 surfers on the same wave. But it’s still enough to top the Brazilian’s record. Pics and videos have to be sent through to the Guinness World Record organisation in London to have the record ratified.

In a pearler of a Cape Town day, with sunny skies, a light offshore breeze and tame 0.5 to one metre waves, 443 surfers of various ages registered for the Earthwave attempt. Herds of spectators and well-wishers stood at the shore, cheering them on.

Visitors and surfers were also treated to talks about climate change, beach clean-ups, fund raisers, prizes and giveaways.

Metrorail also came to the party and helped to reduce carbon footprints and traffic congestion by allowing anyone with a surfboard to travel free on the train to and from Muizenberg on the day. Other visitors could get a 2-for-the-price-of-1 deal on the journey.

Recycling was also a big awareness issue with specially marked bins for sorting and collecting any of the day’s refuse. Another paper-saving idea is to send digital certificates to all participants (instead of traditional paper printed ones).

Other projects and programmes promoted by Earthwave Festival were the Shark Spotters programme, the Save Our Seas Foundation, National Bandana day on 14 October for the Sunflower Fund and Cape Town Tourism’s ‘Live it, Love it, LOUDER!’ campaign for the city hosting the FIFA World Cup next year.

To round off the day, an after-party was held at one of Cape Town’s favourite restaurant/bars - the Brass Bell at Kalk Bay Harbour. (Conveniently close to the station so party goers could spill back on to the train homeward bound!)

To find out more about Earthwave, its aims and objectives, visit Kahuna surf/Earthwave and on Wavescape.co.za, the event’s official digital media partner.

Twitter is great for some things - like flagging some really awesome pics of some really crazy South African dudes from Cape Town ’slacklining’ on Table Mountain. I’ve never even heard of it before (cos clearly I live on the g-r-o-u-n-d!) - but it looks like it’s only for the certifiably insane … or those who live, breathe, eat and sleep adrenaline.

The photographer, Greg Beadle, has captured these step-by-step (no pun intented!) images admirably. I think I was actually holding my breath as I looked at them.

Here’s one just to give you a taste … now go and visit Cape Town Tourism’s blog to see the rest of these heart-in-your-mouth photos.

The Natal’s newspaper, The Mercury, first picked up & published the story that the traveller’s bible, Lonely Planet, has listed Durban as one of the top 10 family beach holiday cities in the world in its latest guide book which has just hit the bookstores in the USA last week.

Durban’s “Golden Mile” beachfront - Photo: Courtesy Graeme Williams, MediaclubSouthAfrica.com

Other global cities to crack the nod in this prestigious list are: Kauai in Hawaii, Cottlesloe in Australia, Karon Beach in Thailand, Portugal’s Tavira, Mexico’s Sayulita and Bali’s Sanur in the latest edition of Lonely Planet’s “Travel with Children”. Pretty impressive company to keep!

“Durban resembles a gigantic resort holiday paradise, raised for the sole purpose of entertaining families,” the Lonely Planet publication says of the city in its section on South Africa. “Lined with safe beaches watched over by lifeguards, the Golden Mile is great for swimming, snorkelling and water sports.”

Good for Durban. It’s a friendly city with a hot, tropical climate (don’t think Durbanites know what long pants and jerseys are!). It’s pouring money & resources into its new beach-front complex. It’s also going to have one of the best-looking new stadiums for the FIFA 2010 World cup, in my opinion.

I think many tourists bypass Durban in favour of her more famous & beautiful sister, Cape Town, and the loss is definitely theirs.

It’s got an awesome climate - you can enjoy a holiday there at any time of the year. It’s got miles of golden beaches and the sea’s actually WARM to swim in!

Ah-ha. Looks like the rest of the world may be waking up to one of our best kept secrets - and the beach paradise we are blessed with on our eastern shores.

I did know that this was one of the first FIFA 2010 World Cup Stadiums to be finished. But I hadn’t seen that many photos of it. It really is a spectacular stadium.

The pictures below were supposedly taken on the 25 July 2009. You can see these and more on Nelson Mandela Bay’s official Port Elizabeth 2010 FIFA World Cup site.

I think even if you haven’t get a football-watching bone in your body, you can’t help but be super impressed … and a little awed by these incredible architectural feats - and the awesome designers, technicians and labourers who made it all happen!

Good one, Port Elizabeth!

Viewed from the ocean, the new Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 World Cup Stadium looks like a magnificently-crafted space ship hovering just above the water.

This view is from across the city and shows the stadium at the shore’s edge.

Cape Town Stadium (formerly known as Green Point Stadium) is nearing completion … and it’s starting to look really good. So if you’re in Cape Town, be sure to go to the stadium’s visitor centre for a comprehensive insight into the building of the stadium, its history and its shining beacon of hope for the future of sport in South Africa (yes, there will be life after 2010!).

School groups are also welcome. At the 2010 Cape Town Stadium Visitor Centre, every effort has been made to share and stimulate a sense of soccer and national pride in the build-up to the FIFA ™ 2010 Soccer World Cup.

There’s lots to see and absorb - a multi-media theatre performance, historical pics of South Africa’s rich soccer past, an official 2010 Stadium architectural model and a virtual tour of the 2010 Stadium.

Visit the Green Point Stadium website for the latest pics and more details …

Note: Unfortunately, the Visitor Centre has been closed to make way for a new athletics track post 2010. However, a new Visitors Centre is planned for the near future. See Cape Town Government websute for the full story.

Please also visit the Cape Town Blog for some a-Ma-Zing pics of the stadium - by day & by night, viewed from nearby, from Table Mountain and from Signal Hill: 2010 Green Point Stadium pics

Came across this article on Travel House UK’s blog: http://tinyurl.com/nenjyp about the fate of the magnificent old girl of the seas - the Queen Elizabeth II.

This fabulous vessel was launched by Her Royal Majesty (and namesake) in September 1967 by Cunard, US cruise operators. After an illustrious career that saw her crossing the Atlantic more than 800 times, and carrying over 2 million passengers, the QE2 was the longest-serving ship in the Cunard fleet.

In 2007, Dubai World bought the QE2 from Cunard for an estimated GPB 50 million but has since been at a bit of a loss on what to do with this grand old lady.

Recent rumours are that the Dubai consortium is thinking of berthing her at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and refurbishing her as an upmarket hotel.

I, for one, would love to see that become a reality!