Are you tired of the media sensationalizing our current economic and global woes? Honestly, I believe that they are significantly hurting consumer confidence. Without confidence, consumer spending will continue to drag and our economy will sag. With the stock market and real estate in the tank, more negative press only serves to heighten fears and anxieties.
The cure is not to watch television news unless there is a positive story about someone reaching out to help others in need. Those infrequent stories help to restore faith in humanity. The newspapers are not much better. I've found my reading time is greatly reduced since I won't linger on negative stories.
You can accuse me of being in denial or avoidance. I would prefer to think I'm using strategies to stay positive and focused on constructive solutions. If my confidence and mood is down, how can I possibly help someone else through their difficulties. I strive every day to be a positive influence on those around me. I'll keep traveling my path until the recovery shines bright! Hope you are finding coping strategies that work for you!!
Joan
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
South Africa is a great destination!
Three weeks in South Africa was glorious. The country is lush, and the people are warm and friendly. In researching the country, I was surprised to learn that some consider Cape Town one of the top three food & wine cities in the world. We weren't disappointed with either the food or wine enjoyed in Cape Town restaurants. Five days in Cape Town and the surrounding area could have easily been expanded to 7-8 days. With Robbin Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point, and Cape of Good Hope, there is lots to see. If you go, don't neglect to see the penguin colony or the beautiful gardens.
Loving wine, we spent five nights in the Winelands. These quaint towns are filled with Cape Dutch architecture and beautiful flowers. The beauty of Winelands was further enhanced with the surrounding mountains and vineyards. South African wine is exceptional. Most of their exports are going to the U.K., Scandinavian, and Asian markets. The U.S. market doesn't get South Africa's premium wines which will hopefully change over time.
The last part of our trip was spent in the Singita safari camp bordering Krueger National Park. Spending 4-8 hours on safari drives each day was productive in getting us close to elephants, zebras, lions, leopards, buffalo, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, impalas, kudus, warthogs, and the like. Watching leopards mate was great especially since it's a rare sight. Our best photos came from our five days on safari drives.
All in all, South Africa was a stimulating trip. We loved the people, history and culture. It is one of the few places in the world where the dollar is strong. You might want to add South Africa to your travel 'wish list.'
Joan
Loving wine, we spent five nights in the Winelands. These quaint towns are filled with Cape Dutch architecture and beautiful flowers. The beauty of Winelands was further enhanced with the surrounding mountains and vineyards. South African wine is exceptional. Most of their exports are going to the U.K., Scandinavian, and Asian markets. The U.S. market doesn't get South Africa's premium wines which will hopefully change over time.
The last part of our trip was spent in the Singita safari camp bordering Krueger National Park. Spending 4-8 hours on safari drives each day was productive in getting us close to elephants, zebras, lions, leopards, buffalo, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, impalas, kudus, warthogs, and the like. Watching leopards mate was great especially since it's a rare sight. Our best photos came from our five days on safari drives.
All in all, South Africa was a stimulating trip. We loved the people, history and culture. It is one of the few places in the world where the dollar is strong. You might want to add South Africa to your travel 'wish list.'
Joan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
