The recent developments around driverless cars confirmed my worst suspicions: I was born too early. Just imagine. Several decades later (let’s not be too specific here), and I would not have had to endure the trauma of taking the driver’s licence test.

The world of today is abuzz with driverless (also called autonomous, self-driving, driver-free and robotic) cars. Basically, the idea is to install some equipment, ranging from radar, lidar (light radar), GPS, to computer vision, plus lots of software into “regular” cars, allowing them to sense their surroundings and find their way in it, better than human drivers do.

The newest on the driverless car front comes from Britain. Starting 2015, self-driving cars will be tested on public roads in three (yet to be named) cities. British government has earmarked 10 million pounds for research and testing and is getting ready to review traffic rules (presumably, especially the one that stipulates that there has to be a driver in the car), all with the ambition to make Britain the world’s capital of cars without drivers.

However, the honour of the world’s first driverless zone goes to the U.S. state of Nevada, which allowed driverless cars from 1 March 2012. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles issued the first “look, there’s no driver” license in May 2012 to a Toyota Prius modified with Google’s experimental driverless technology. Two other U. S. states, Florida and California, followed suit and allowed the testing of autonomous cars on public roads.

Although it is not the only one involved in this field of research, Google is closely associated with the current advent of cars without drivers. The word is that the internet search engine giant has already amassed a respectably-sized mountain of intellectual property rights in this area. Unlike Google, which is going for all-out self-driving cars, most car manufacturers are sticking to the incremental approach, automating this or that feature. Even so, some analysts dare to predict that the majority of new cars will be driverless by the early 2030s.

If this prediction comes true, we are on the brink of the biggest revolution in auto industry since horse drawn carts, the revolution that has the potential to change not only how we get from point A to point B, but also the way we built our cities and the very fabric of our lives. For example: car share, which is already gaining ground in the U. S. and Europe, would blossom, drastically reducing the overall number of cars; there will be no more need for vast parking spaces, because we’d send the car back home after it delivers us to work; the very young, the very old and the handicapped will be able to drive around on their own; and so on.

Oh yes, we’d also be able to consign driver’s licence testing to the rubbish dump of history!

Well, since the he who changed my flat tyre a few days ago is still going on about it, I made a decision to take the matter into my own hands the next time things go whoosh. To that end, I have armed myself with theoretical know-how, which I am happy to share with you.

So, everyone (and ladies especially), here’s how to deal with a flat tyre:

1. Be prepared. Have all the tools you need: car jack, lug wrench, wheel choc (a piece of wood will do), car manual and working gloves. Oh, also make sure there’s always a spare tyre in your boot. (If you are missing any of the essientials, find them in the bidorbuy car parts section.)
2. Learn to recognise the symptoms of a flat tyre (there may not always be fellow motorists around to wave at you frantically). If your car develops strange vibrations and starts wobbling, the probable cause is a flat tyre.
3. Find a level spot away from the traffic and park. Place an automatic car in the park position and a manual in reverse position. Apply the hand brake, remove the key from the ignition and put it in your pocket or handbag to avoid accidentally locking yourself out of your own car.
4. Position the red triangle behind the car and / or turn on your hazard lights.
5. Place the wheel choc behind the tyre that’s diagonally opposite to the flat one. So, if your right rear tyre is flat, the block goes behind the front left tyre.
6. Grab your lug wrench and loosen all lug nuts on your flat tyre by turning them counter-clockwise (to the left), without removing them. (If your tyres have a hubcap and / or trim caps, remove those first.) You need to loosen the nuts in a specific sequence (see the diagram).
   
7. Check your car’ manual to see where to position the car jack. Every model has different jacking points, and doing it wrong can damage your car’s body.
8. Place the car jack beneath the car and start cranking slowly and steadily to raise the vehicle so that the tyre is just touching the ground.
9. Remove the lug nuts from the wheel and place them in a safe spot.
10. Raise the vehicle a little more, until the wheel clears the ground.
11. Remove the flat tyre by pulling it straight toward you and lay it flat on the ground (you don’t want it to roll away). Some well-versed flat tyre changers say it’s best to place the removed tyre under the car, just in case.
12. Take your spare tyre and line up the lugs with the holes in the wheel.
13. Slide the spare on.
14. Take lug nuts and tighten them by hand as hard as you can.
15. Lower the car and tighten the lug nuts with your lug wrench in the pattern you used for taking them off. When you come to the point when you can’t turn the wrench, position it horizontally and stand on the free end to tighten the nuts some more.

Remember, you are now driving without a spare tyre – so, fix the flat or get a new tyre as soon as you can.

Those who have practiced the steps above say that the level of difficulty is low and that the time required is about 30 minutes. If it takes you much longer than that, you may want to reach for the phone…

What, she’s fine with running, but complains about walking?!

So, I did some research, and – lo and behold! – turns out that body primed for running may indeed suffer when forced to walk. (Important note: we’re talking here about serious walking over a long distance, not about a leisurely amble around a park.)

Whether you walk or run, you work your whole body. However, some parts of the body work harder when running (ankles, knees), and some work harder when walking (hips, lower back). It follows that if you trained as a runner and suddenly had to switch to walking, you may need ice packs for your lower back.

With that mystery out of the way, let’s concentrate on the crucial question: what is better for your overall health, running or walking?

The short answer is: anything that gets you off the couch is good for you.

And here is the longer answer: it depends on what you are hoping to achieve. If you are looking to control your weight, running wins, because runners burn more calories and because they eat less. However, when it comes to building endurance, strengthening the bones and improving overall health, the benefits from the two activates are more or less on a par. Both walkers and runners are less likely to have high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol profiles, diabetes and heart disease than their sedentary peers.

So, if you can’t decide between the two, combine walking and running in what is known as run/walk. Basically, you walk for about five minutes, then run for a minute or two, or longer if your fitness level allows. The idea is to get back to the walking part before you start gasping and convulsing. That way, your muscles will recover for another, and another, and another… bout of running. If you run until you’re very tired, you’ll end up dragging your feet instead of walking, and your body will refuse to burst into a run again.

You need not abandon the run/walk method after your stamina improves. Many experienced long-distance runners use run/walk in training because this technique reduces muscle fatigue and the risk of injury.

Whether running, walking or run/walking, it is important to do it properly. Here are some tips from experts:

• Keep your abs tight and actively engaged for stability and good posture.
• Maintain tall body alignment: head high, chin parallel to the ground, back straight, shoulders relaxed and away from the ears.
• Flex (pull up) your toes as you step and keep them pointed in the direction you want to go.
• Use a comfortable stride length with soft, unlocked knees.
• Bend your elbows at 90 degrees and swing your arms from shoulders.
• Make sure your breathing is relaxed and deep. Your heart should be pumping hard, but you should not gasp for oxygen.
• Always warm up before, cool down afterwards, and keep your body hydrated.
• Do what feels natural for your body. Don’t try to force it into this or that angle or stride just because you think it makes you look like Usian Bolt.
• Equipment-wise, good footwear is a must. (Since every person’s foot is different, you need to find out what suits you best: minimalist flat running shoes, or cushioned supportive ones, or something in-between.) While not strictly speaking necessary, it’s good to have a heart monitor (for gauging your exertion levels) and an MP3 player (to help you keep the pace).

What if it hurts, you may ask? Well, a certain level of pain is a by-product of every exercise (especially running). Aching muscles are normal, even welcome (it means you’ve been working them). If soreness persist for longer than a day or two, treat yourself to a massage and keep on exercising, though perhaps at a gentler pace.

As for more serious injuries that can occur, I have a three-pronged approach:

• Prevent injuries by maintaining a good form and a reasonable pace;
• Heel them by allowing body some rest and seeking medical attention if necessary;
• Take up exercising again as soon as possible. (Nothing is worse than sitting!)

Now that you know everything about it, get running, walking or run/walking! No other form of exercise is so accessible and affordable. Enjoy, and see you at the next Comrades! (Perhaps.)

Fuel consumption figures are calculated in a laboratory, under carefully controlled conditions that are very different to the prevailing conditions of driving. When the kilometre per litre ratio is tested in the laboratory, nothing is left to chance. Carmakers have perfected the art of lowering fuel use (and thus carbon emissions too) by resorting to the measures that include: tyres with extra traction; very smooth driving surfaces; taping over door cracks and grills to prevent wind resistance; switching off additional features such as air conditioning; driving the vehicle in high temperatures; and so on.

An international report puts the discrepancy between lab and real fuel consumption at about 25%. Some reviews published in car magazines say that the rule of thumb is to add 10% to the manufacturer’s figures for petrol engines and 20% for hybrids.

Since fuel consumption depends on numerous factors, ranging from climatic conditions and the condition of the car to loads carried and driving styles, there will always be some discrepancy; the worrying trend is that the discrepancy between the lab and real life fuel consumption is becoming bigger as years go by, not smaller.

So, if you are in the market for a new car, don’t go only by what the manufacturers say about the kilometres per litre ratio; rather, read the reviews and listen to word-of-mouth. By the way, if you happen to hear that some cars use less fuel than the manufactures claim they do – don’t write off such testimony as a fairy tale; this has been known to happen in real life.

Further reading:

The 10 Most Fuel Efficient Cars in South Africa

15 Ways to Save on Petrol

While waiting for the day when you board your own yacht and sing the “all hands make sail, ahoy!’ (or similar) command, spend your time profitably and learn to tell the difference between the most common watercrafts.

Banana boats are in the list thanks to their fetching name. This is not really a boat, but more like a big, banana-shaped, inflatable water ski that you get to sit on, with family and friends, while a motor boat pulls you. (Not to be confused with the merchant banana boats, so called because they transport this fruit.)

Cabin cruisers are motor boats that offer accommodation for at least one person. They are usually about 8 to 10 metres long; bigger ones are classified as yachts.  Unlike yachts, cabin cruisers can be operated by one person and can be stored on dry land. A small boat with a small cabin is called a cuddy.

Catamarans come with two or more hulls. They can be sail or engine-powered, small or big. Catamarans are lighter than monohulls and are usually faster.

Deck boats, as their name suggests, have wide decks, which can be big enough to accommodate about a dozen scantily clothed, toned and bronzed bodies.  So, those who don’t fit the description might want to consider boarding a different boat.

Dinghies are small, easy-to-transport watercrafts, made out of wood or (more commonly) plastic. They can be rigid or inflatable and are propelled by muscle power applied to oars or by an outboard motor, though they can be modified for sailing.

Houseboats are homes on the water. Just like homes on the land, they can be fairly modest or ostentatiously luxurious.

Inflatable boats range in size from 2-meter dinghies to ten metres long high-performance boats. They can be deflated and folded for storage.

Jet boats are power boats propelled by a jet of water that is ejected from the back of the craft. They are extremely manoeuvrable and can be small, or very big.

Runabouts are small motorboats capable of holding between four and eight people. They can be used for racing or for pleasure activities like fishing and water skiing. The already-mentioned cuddy is a type of a runabout.

Ski boats are for those who are too advanced for the already-mentioned banana boats. You also get to be towed, but this time on the water skies.

Skiff is a term that can refer to a number of different watercrafts: a small flat-bottomed boat used for fishing; a small motorised boat used for piracy; or a high-performance sailing boat used for racing competitions.

Sloop is a sail boat that usually has one mast and two sails. It looks like a sailing boat a child might draw. It can be small; it can be big; it can even be used as a war ship. In modern times, sloop is most commonly used as a sports boat.

Yacht can be either a sailing or a power boat. The main characteristic of a yacht is that it is designed for leisure purposes. Yachts are usually ten to dozens of metres long. When on the smaller side, a yacht is often called a cabin cruiser or simply a cruiser.

Wikipedia lists about 150 types of boats. When you add the fact that one and the same boat can be small or big; with sail or engine; wooden or plastic; used for racing or for waging wars…You can conclude that definitions and categorisations are rather flexible in the world of watercrafts.

So, chin up and keep the flames of hope burning. Who’s to say that in that world there’s no boat to suit your pocket!

Anyone who straps on skis (or skates, for that matter) for the first time will feel as helpless as Bambi crossing the frozen lake. Those who persevere beyond the initial embarrassment will find the experience of darting down a slope or whizzing over a patch of ice most exhilarating.

The 2014 Winter Olympics are a good time to fall in love with winter sports. Even if you have no chance of frolicking on the snow in the foreseeable future (and few South Africans do), it does not mean that you can’t enjoy watching others do it on your TV screen. In that name, we bring you a brief overview of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, to be held in Sochi, Russia, from 7 to 23 February 2014.

These, 22nd (or XXII) Winter Olympics will see about 2880 athletes competing in 15 disciplines over almost one hundred events.

Skiing

Alpine skiing is without doubt the queen of winter sports. Given half a chance, men’s and women’s downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, and combined will have you glued to the screen.

Ski jumping can make one dizzy simply from watching. For the first time, women ski jumpers will take part in the official Olympic programme.

Cross-country skiing is more about perseverance than about thrills (although medal winners will be excited enough).

Nordic combined is one of the rare men’s only disciplines. Athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

Freestyle skiing can be described as snowboarding on a pair of skis and consists of men’s and women’s moguls, aerials, ski cross, superpipe, slopestyle, and ballet. Unusual terrains make it possible for the athletes to display tricks, jumps, turns and other acrobatics.

Snowboarding involves the use of only one (big) ski. Men and women compete in parallel, giant slalom, half-pipe, snowboard cross, and slopestyle events.

Skating

Figure skating always attracts a large TV audience. And what’s not to love: it’s photogenic, elegant, acrobatic…Men and women compete in singles, pairs, ice dancing and in team events.

Speed skating allows for only two skaters to race at a time in individual events. In the team pursuit, two teams, each with three skaters, are allowed to race at once.

Short track speed skating is similar to speed skating, only the rink is smaller, the racing distances are shorter, and the athletes have a mass start.

Sliding

Bobsleigh or bobsled has teams of two or four slide down narrow and twisting frozen track in a sled.

Skeleton is a single-person sled race, with riders lying on their stomach, face-first.

Luge riders travel feet-first on their backs. Of the three Olympic sliding sports, luge is the fastest and most dangerous.

Curling

At first sight, nothing could seem more boring than watching people sliding a large flat object and scurrying to clean the ice in its path with a long broom. But, then you start paying attention… and really get into it.

This sport involves lots of teamwork and strategy. That’s why it’s called “chess on ice”.

Biathlon

In this sport, athletes race cross-country and shoot at a target, all the while on skis (which they take off when shooting in the prone position).

Ice hockey

It’s like field hockey, only on ice. The players wear helmets, heavily padded protective clothing and (of course) skates. While not (strictly speaking) allowed, fighting seems to be the norm and much enjoyed by the audiences.

Practically every country that has even a trace of snow will be represented at the XXII Winter Olympics, plus some that have not seen a snow flake in decades (like Zimbabwe). Traditionally, among the best-performing countries in winter sports are the USA, Norway, Austria, Canada, Russia, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, France and so on.

Unfortunately, South Africa will be absent from the 2014 Winter Olympics, for the first time since the country was re-admitted into the international sporting world in 1994. The national Olympics committee decided not to send the young Alpine skier Sive Speelman to Sochi, citing that the teenager (Speelman is only 18 years old) “failed to meet minimum requirements”.

Hopefully, next time…

The show is held from 18 to 27 October, and the visitors have a chance to see almost three hundred passenger vehicles.

Every other year, Johannesburg becomes the centre of the motoring world, showcasing the cars of today and the cars of tomorrow.

Not every well-known car manufacturer is present at the show. Those that did come, spared no expense to showcase their latest and their best. So, the visitors can count on being fascinated with more than 250 exhibited vehicles and a score of concept models.

Among the most attractive cars showcased this year are:

Nissan Leaf: Touted as the first all-electric vehicle for sale on the South African market, The Nissan Leaf will retail for R446,000. You will also need to fork out R30,000 for a home charger, and you will have to depend on Eskom. Nissan representatives say that the initial high cost is offset by low running charges. It takes about seven hours to fully charge the Leaf’s battery, for a driving range of up to 195 kilometres.

BMW i8 and i3:  The i8 is a hybrid sports car that promises to take green motoring to new heights, while the i3 is a fully electric city car. The latter will be the first to arrive to South Africa, in the second quarter of 2014.

Mercedes S-Class: Its luxurious beauty is finished off with a perfumed interior and about 150 buttons and switches to play with.

Audi R8 V10 Plus: The new flagship of the Audi R8 trio. With improvements to the engine, the V10 plus is a driver’s dream.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: This convertible boasts 430kW and is said to reach 100km/h in 4.1 seconds. Alas, there are no plans to make it in the right hand drive version, so it’s not likely to be seen on the South African roads.

Volkswagen iBeetle: As can be discerned from its name, Volkswagen Beetle allows for full integration of the Apple iPhone using a special docking station and an app called Volkswagen Car-Net The Beetle.

FAW: The Chinese manufacturer unveiled South Africa’s cheapest 1.3 litre car, FAW V2, expected to retail for just R99,995. Visitors were also taken by the FAW X80, a small SUV expected to hit the South African market at the end of second quarter of 2014.

Other cars that made their debut at the Johannesburg show prior to their 2014 South African launch include: Mazda3, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, the all-new 2013 Toyota Corolla, and the new Audi A3 sedan.

The Johannesburg International Motor Show details:

Duration: 18 – 27 October

Venue: Johannesburg Expo Centre, corner Rand Show Road and Nasrec Road, Johannesburg, NASREC

This blog post is taken over from Travelstart.

It’s time to head for nature’s great flower displays in the Western and Northern Cape, so we bring you this lovely blog post, slightly shortened, courtesy of Travelstart. Enjoy!

Postberg Peninsula

This northern section of the West Coast National Park is open to the public only during flower season. While in the park, do the 14-kilometre Steenbok Trail (only open during August and September, bookings open in June) through a sea of dancing colour.

The Darling District

With spring blooms ranging from white daisies to purple skilpadblomme, the Darling district is a favourite among flower lovers. Try to catch the Darling Wildflower Show from 20 to 22 September with its beautiful displays as well as live entertainment, craft stalls and tractor rides.

Clanwilliam

This picturesque town hosts the best-known wildflower show in the region. It’s a week-long extravaganza (28 August to 8 September) presenting flowers found across five different biomes. While in town, don’t miss the lovely botanical gardens.

The Cederberg

In the heart of the Cederberg mountains lies the Biedouw Valley, known for its wide array of bulbous flowers. Although much of the veld is now cultivated, it’s still well worth a visit. Spend a night on one of the farms in the valley, such as Enjo, which offers rustic, self-catering cottages and a small campsite next to the river.

Hantam Bokkeveld

The Nieuwoudtville Wildflower Reserve and Hantam National Botanical Garden just outside Nieuwoudtville offer some of the finest displays in the Cape. Visit the Kokerboom Forest on Brandkop Farm north of town and the dazzling fields of colour on Matjiesfontein Farm south of town on the gravel road which links up with the R364 to Clanwilliam.

Kamieskroon and Namaqua National Park

Namaqua National Park near Kamieskroon has at its heart the wonderful Skilpad Wildflower Reserve, where you’ll find some of the richest bulb flora in the world. Think tortured rock formations, iconic quiver trees, big blue skies and carpets of flowers.

Springbok region

For those who have the time to venture even further north, flower cornucopia can be found up the N7 on a series of drives around the towns of Springbok and Port Nolloth. Namaqualand daises stretch to the horizon in an ocean of colour. For botanists, this is where they feel they’ve died and gone to heaven.

To book a flight to the nearest airport, visit the bidorbuy flight engine.

A good yoga mat does not always come cheap, but on the upside it will last for years

I won’t go and tell you comforting little lies of the “get your yoga mat on the chap side” type. That is because I own a cupboard-full of “yoga mats on the cheap side” which are (you’ve guessed it) unusable for yoga. They either make the Downward Facing Dog a slippery affair, or they bunch up during Chaturanga, or they simply start falling apart after a few weeks.

So, resign yourself to the idea of paying more than you meant to for your new yoga mat and join me in the exploration of this area. Oh, and there’s a consolation too: if you choose your yoga mat well, it will last for years, even with frequent use.

What to look for

Call it non-slip, non-skid or sticky, it amounts to the same thing. Your yoga mat must not budge as you perform leaps and your hands and feet must not slip as you salute the sun. The ideal mat should not go and glue itself to your body parts either; a tiny bit of slide is desirable in certain poses, like shoulder stands.

Material-wise, it may be difficult to avoid mats made out of PVC, but at least try to is give a miss to the mats that give off an obviously chemical smell. More earth-friendly options include rubber (which might present a problem to people allergic to latex), jute or cotton. If you opt to stay away from the traditional sticky PVC mats, you will probably want to go for more texturised patterns for a better grip.

As to size, a 182 x 60cm mat will suffice for most yogis. It is usually best to go with a 4 to 5mm thick mat. If it’s too thin, you might as well be doing yoga on the hardwood floor; if it’s too thick and foamy, you could sink or feel unstable.

Oh, yes. You’ll also know your good yoga mat by the way the corners do not curl up, not even when you first unroll it.

How to clean it

There’s nothing worse that a grimy yoga mat. The rule number one of the yoga mat hygiene is: approach it with clean feet and hands. (After all, your face will land where your hands and feet used to be.)

Of course, form time to time, you will need to get down to it and do some cleaning.

A lightly soiled mat can be cleaned by rubbing it cloth or sponge dipped in water and a little dish soap. Very dirty mats need to be soaked in a bath tub; use warm water and mild detergent. Some yoga mat manufacturers recommend machine wash, others strictly forbid it (so, read the care instructions).

In between washing, you may want to sanitize your yoga mat with a natural disinfectant that you made yourself with essential oils: put one cup (250ml) of water, 4 drops of lavender, 3 drops of tea-tree oil and 3 drops of grapefruit seed extract into a spray bottle, shake well and spray your mat lightly after a session.

Always rinse the mat with clean water and leave out to air-dry completely before rolling it.

What to do with old yoga mats

Try to avoid just throwing them into the bin. I put my old yoga mat under sleeping bag when camping. They are also better than towels for lying on when basking on a beach. Some people re-purpose them as linings for pet crates, or as coasters. If you need more ideas, just search the internet! (I especially liked this one: wrap your old yoga mat around that attic beam you keep bumping into.)

The light commercial vehicle (LCV) sector of the South African market is highly competitive, which in layman terms means that you are spoilt for choice. Here are some of the more popular models available, in alphabetical order:

Chrysler Voyager boasts the stylish exterior design and roomy interior for seven, with seats arranged in the 2–2–3 layout. Reviewers have call it a car whose customers appreciate practicality above all else.

Ford Transit has been dubbed the quintessential goods carrier for small businesses due to its reliability and large carrying capacity.

Hyundai H1 has been awarded Australia’s best cars award in the people mover category by the Australian automobile association for two years in a row, according to the manufacturer’s worldwide website. So, if you trust the Aussies in motoring matters…

Mercedes-Benz Vito brings a certain touch of class to the vans. The Vito can be bought as a cargo-carrying van, a van with a second row of removable seats, or as a nine-seat people-mover.

Toyota Quantum, also known as Toyota Hiace elsewhere in the world, is a sight familiar to all South Africans, for its 10- or 14-seater is commonly used as a commuter bus, the minibus taxi. (And in case you wondered, all units come with fully functional indicator lights.)

Volkswagen Transporter is based on the Volkswagen Group’s T platform and is now in its fifth generation. The T5 is available in 6- to 9-seat configurations.

Most vans in this category have perfected the art of folding the seats away. That means that they can be used for moving people in comfort, for delivering cargo, and, if needs be, as a tent, for sleeping in. Reportedly, LCVs also drive as easily as a passenger vehicle. So, what’s not to like!