Oppikoppi 2013 – Photo by Daniel van Flymen

South Africa is lucky to host a huge variety of outdoor music festivals throughout the year. From Oppikoppi to Rocking the Daisies, Earth Dance and TribeOne, there is something out there suited to everybody’s tastes.

Here is a list of the top 5 essential items that all festival goers need in order to enhance their entire experience.

1. Solar phone charger

Finding a place to plug in your charger during an outdoor festival can be almost impossible! With a solar powered phone charger, all you need is the sun! With your solar powered phone charger, you’ll be connected the entire time.

2. Camping shower

If you love outdoor festivals, but hate cold showers and being dirty, a portable camping shower is a must-have! Many festivals do have showering facilities, but they’re often cold, with long queues and little privacy. Buying yourself one of these portable camping showers means that you will be able to shower at your own convenience. Depending on the model, they can come with their own showering tent/curtain to ensure your privacy. You simply fill the bag with water, leave it in the sun to warm up, and shower whenever you feel the need to.

3. Hydration pack

It’s good to have a small backpack on you at all times to keep your essentials safe. Why not consider getting yourself a hydration pack? These backpacks come with a built in water carrier and spout, so you can drink while you’re on the go. Traditionally designed for cyclists, these packs are perfect for festivals, as they let you keep your stuff safe, and keep you hydrated all at one.

4. Two way radio

 Outdoor festivals are often in remote locations, with little cell service. These locations are often massive, and it can be very easy to get yourself lost on the way to find a toilet or a snack stall. With a two-way radio, you will be able to keep in touch with your friends wherever you go and avoid the stress of getting lost alone.

5. First aid kits

First aid kits are always useful, especially when you’re spending a lot of time out doors. You never know what could happen, and it’s always best to be prepared! There should be emergency services available at the festival; however, for a little scratch, cut or burn, it’s very handy to have one of these kits nearby.

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.

No matter how you plan to spend your holidays, you will do yourself a favour if you prepare well by reading up about your destination. Look through the bidorbuy travel books section for brochures and guides. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, you may want to peek into geography or history books too, and even literary works set in the corner of the world you intend to visit.

We guarantee that this step will increase your travelling pleasure by a notch or two, because (a) you will know what to look for and (b) you will know what you are looking at.

Another important consideration is the luggage you take with you. There are few things that are more annoying than having to worry about how to get a mountain of heavy suitcases from point A to point B at the time when, by definition, you should be enjoying yourself. So, as far as luggage goes, less is more.

We warmly recommend following to the letter the advice laid out in the website appropriately named One Bag. Fashion-conscious will also want to mind the rules set by bidorbuy’s Alison on how to choose the vacation wardrobe.

If you manage to pack all your one- or two-week necessities into a single carry-on bag, so much the better for you! Only, make that single bag count. Make sure it’s both practical and beautiful. The bidorbuy luggage section is the right place to look for your ideal travel bag.

It remains to book the cheapest airline ticket you can find on the bidorbuy flight engine. Then set off in the right company and with the right mindset. And remember to send everyone you know a “wish you were here” picture postcard! This is one situation where a digital message simply will not suffice.

So what will you need to pack?

Gear:

• Car seat
• Travel cot
• Stroller
• Baby Sling
• Blanket – for travelling (to be warm and comfortable)
• Baby monitor
• Toys and books
• Night light

Feeding:

• Milk for the trip – if you are breastfeeding
  and are uncomfortable doing so in public, you can pump the milk in advance and it will be safe to drink for 24 hours if it is kept cool on ice. If you plan on bottle feeding for the first time, try to practice this for a few days at home before the trip so as not to make your baby uneasy
• Food – home prepared meals in jars or tubs are better for baby, as it is familiar food
• Feeding equipment – bottles and nipples, bibs, spoons, a plastic bag for rubbish, and sterilising equipment

Changing:

• Nappies
• Wipes (which should be kept handy for those sticky situations)
• Bum cream and powder
• Scented nappy bags

Clothes:

• Warm and cool clothes
• Hats
• Shoes
• Pyjamas
• Swimwear, as well as swim nappies

Toiletries:

• Baby soap, shampoo, and body lotion
• Sponge and face cloth
• Nail clippers
• Sunscreen
• Tissues
• Towels

Other stuff to remember:

• Nappy bags or backpack
• Passports
• First aid supplies
• Camera
• Travel blackout blinds
• Plug adapter – if you are going overseas

After all, at the end of the day you’d rather reminisce about that amazing time you went sky-diving with your closest friend, or sand boarding in Namibia with your significant other, than about losing those 10 kilos, right? So I have compiled a bucket list of all the top 7 things you should at least attempt to experience this year.

#1: Aerobatic flying

Number 1 on my list is trying out the stomach wrenching flipping and twirling in the sky. Get your face out of your bowl of Fruit Loops, and try a few loops of a different nature. This promises to be an exhilarating experience, one that I still would like to participate in. Beware that this is not for the faint of heart, but definitely something to seriously consider.  Just be sure not to eat too many of those Fruit Loops before taking off…

#2: Quad biking

One thing I have done, and continue to do, is quad biking (yes, I even went out and bought my     own). For beginners it may prove to be quite an experience, with the power of the machine at your finger tips. Depending on where the experience is situated, you may find yourself climbing rocks and weaving between trees, or accelerating through open dessert, pulling wheelies and the fashioning the old doughnut in the sand. Either way it is a must that is fun for the whole family.

#3: Sky-diving

Been there, done that, got the video. Yes people, this is definitely one of the more scary things I have experienced. The feeling of jumping out of a plane, miles from the ground, heart in your throat… and then soaring over the earth with a beautiful view of the fields below. This was a once in a life time experience, and something I intend on doing again… and again… and again.

#4: Bungy jumping

This is one thing I still have to do, but am not quite able to pluck up the gut. Bungy jumping must be one of the most exhilarating feelings, jumping from a ledge so close to the earth and springing back before you touch the ground. Now, I have done bridge swinging, which is where you are tied at your waist. With bungy jumping, you are tied at your feet… giving you a good view of the ground rushing toward your face. Go on… I dare you.

#5: Abseiling

One of the less thrilling experiencesNot for those afraid of hightd… that is, if you’re not afraid of heights. Defy gravity by walking down the side of a mountain… or jumping, whichever you prefer. You control your own speed on the way down. Something I have done on a small scale, but would like to try again, at more of a height. Definitely something to add to your bucket list.

#6: River rafting

Man overboard!!! Well we hope not. River rafting is a great team experience, perfect for a spin on the typical office team building events. Brings a perfectly innocent meaning to “wet and wild”. So don your takkies, put on your sun block and get rafting. An alternative to this could be gecko tubing, whereby you sit in individual tubes. Or you could try the all natural way with kloofing, no tubes or rafts, just a life jacket and your legs.

#7: Sand boarding

Last but not least, sand boarding is for us in Africa. Who needs snow with the dunes are right on our shores!
So stop sitting around wandering what to do with your time off. All of these experiences take but a few hours to accomplish, and all are awesome fun to share with family and friends. Visit out travel and experiences section and check out all of the blood-pumping activities on offer. Buy into one, or two, or more – and in no time at all you will be able to say: “Been there, done that!”

Disclaimer: bidorbuy will not be held liable should you suffer any injuries… Just kidding!

Two bidders got a 3-nights-for-2-people stay at any of 51 hotels, lodges or guest houses (be it in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Western Cape, Limpopo, Eastern Cape Jeffreys Bay, West Coast, Mpumalanga, Drakensberg, Gauteng, or even Namibia) for only R45. Another group got the same deal for twice as much, but still stunningly low R90.

And how about this bargain: a week at Sea Park in a self catering 2-sleeper at R81 per night in – wait for it – the month of December!

Would you rather have gone for the week long getaway at Sudwala Lodge, Mpumalanga for R301? Yes, three hundred and one rand bought the lucky bidder a whole week stay in one bedroom facility that can accommodate four persons.

But perhaps you, as an extremely budget-conscious person, would have liked nothing better than this voucher for a ten-day stay in any of 120 hotels and resorts in South Africa that went for merely R35?

Do we see you beating yourself for not having grabbed any of the above?

Don’t despair. Instead, get inspired to go shopping for your well-deserved holiday. At prices like those to be found on bidorbuy, you too can afford to discover all the beauty spots in South Africa.

Start exploring the Travel & Entertainment category. We hope that the “Similar items you may be interested in” feature that now appears at the top of the closed items page will be of help to you in your search for the perfect holiday.

Why?

Because they will have won one of the 14 holiday packages auctioned off by SATSA (South African Tourism Services Association). Though there are still several hours left for late comers to place their bids, the final prices will probably be significantly lower than the market value.

And while the first batch of SATSA holidays closes today, the next batch, also with 14 listings, is already live on bidorbuy. Some of them are still at their starting R1, but not for long, for the second batch is as good as the first one and includes:

• A tour of the Cullinan diamond mine
• Swinging from tree to tree adventure
• A weekend in Ballito
• A stay in Waterfront Cape Town
• A stay in a game reserve
• … and much more.

And once the second batch of SATSA auctions closes next week Wednesday, the third and final one will begin.

So, by the beginning of November, SATSA will have auctioned off over 40 holiday packages on bidorbuy, all from the rock-bottom opening bid of R1, all without reserve.

The proceeds form the auction will be used to fill the coffers of this non-profit organisation, dedicated to promoting South African tourism.

Once again, here is the link to the enticing SATSA holiday auctions.

People become cruise-lovers because a cruise ship has it all. It’s like a floating holiday resort. Everything you need is on board: good food, great service, a variety of activities and entertainment facilities.

More often that not, cruise holidays are great value for money. And when you come upon a cruise being offered on auction with the rock-bottom opening bid of R1 – that is a chance you do not want to miss. The highest bidder is practically sure to get a great discount.

One such series of auctions is currently underway on bidorbuy.co.za. Starlight Cruises are auctioning off four fabulous holidays aboard the cruise ship Melody.

The Starlight auctions have become an established tradition on bidorbuy, dating all the way back to 2002. Such longevity is in itself a guarantee of quality. If you need more assurances, just take a look at all the ratings Starlight Cruises received on bidorbuy over time. Rave reviews predominate. That is a very good indication that the Starlight cruise you win on bidorbuy will be much, much more worth than your highest bid.

Be sure to take advantage of your second chance to go on a cruise that promises the time of your life at a price under the normal retail price. The three auctions for different cruises aboard the Rhapsody will be posted in bidorbuy travel section until Friday 3rd October 2008.

And remember – when you bid on any of the current Rhapsody cruises, your bid amount is for not one, but for two persons sharing the coveted outside, ocean view cabin:

A 3-night Durban – Portuguese Island – Durban Cruise

A 4-night Durban / Cape Town Cruise

An 11- night Mauritius & Madagascar Christmas Cruise

Seriously, even people who can not bear to hear the word travel because it immediately conjures visions of lugging a pile of luggage will warm up to the whole exercise when they learn that a carry-on bag can accommodate all the necessities associated with a sixteen-day journey. At least that is the claim of the author of the article entitled Packing & Travelling Light Recommendations. That is also the claim of a whole website called One Bag.

Unfortunately, no one of us at bidorbuy has been able to either corroborate or refute the claim.