Travel Journal Archives

Posted on August 25, 2022April 17, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

Cathedrals, Cliffs, and Castles with England Experience Tour

A couple of months back, I was in Europe working on a few travel campaigns when I found myself back in England. I have to be honest and say that even after 8 trips there, England has not ranked high up on my favorite list of places to explore. I previously lived in the South West and London and did a fair bit of traveling when I was 19 & 20. On this trip, something different happened and I gained a newfound love for it after exploring the Kent countryside with England Experience Tours a subdivision of Highlander Experience Tours.

I was invited along on their Catherdrals, Cliffs, and Castles day tour. They focus on small groups with a maximum of 16 people. What’s special about this one is that it takes you on a journey throughout time, while you explore the countryside, dramatic coastal cliffs, and incredible English landscapes and take in a few historic buildings along the way.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The tour departed from a local coffee shop, one that my google maps had a hard time trying to find. The meet and greet were really fun, and we had a great bunch on our tour.

We left London and headed towards Canterbury, following in the footsteps of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales characters who journeyed to visit the shrine of the martyr Saint Thomas Becket, regaling stories to one another along the way.

A visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Canterbury

Our first stop was Canterbury – famed as the historic cathedral city of Britain, and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. I was most excited about this leg of the trip and had spent a few days there with my sister and friends the week before. I was instinctively drawn to its medieval Celtic heritage and needed to explore more of it.

The Monarch of the United Kingdom has granted Cantebury City status as a result of its diocesan cathedrals. The Canterbury Cathedral where St Augustine became the first Archbishop in 597AD and served as an apostle to the pagan kingdom of Kent. I fell in love with its breathtaking mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The cathedral became a major focus of pilgrimage and draws more than 1 million visitors per year making it the most visited place in all of England. Services here are held 3 or more times per day depending on the session and the demand.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The city has first been recorded as the main settlement of the Celtic tribe of Cantiaci, and then later the Romans rebuilt the city in a grid pattern. Since then, many historical structures have filled the area including an eroded city wall formed by the Romans, the ruins of St Augustine Abbey, the Norman Castle, and the oldest extant school in the world.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

16 & 17th Century Houses

The medieval streets are dotted with pretty black and white timber-framed 16 & 17th century Weaver houses. The most iconic of these buildings is the Old Weavers House along the River Stour which takes its name from the influx of Flemish and Hugenot weavers who settled in the area after fleeing from religious persecution during the 16th and 17th centuries.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Our tour guide was just incredible and he gave us such an informative free walking tour around this warm and mellow city. I learned from him that the first floor of this double-story house was built in the 16th Century and the second floor in the 17th Century. I can’t offhand remember the reasons why.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

While most of the tour group explored the inside of the Cathedral, I opted for something a little bit different – The ruins of Augustine Abbey.

The ruins of St Augustine Abbey

I always have this tendency to search for the most eroded ruins in nearly every medieval place I visit. It’s now become such a big inspiration around my blog posts. Not only do I think they all look absolutely beautiful but also that they tell us a story about the heritage of mankind and share historical facts with us about the past.

I followed the eroded Roman wall for a couple of km when I reached St Augustine Abbey.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

This was the most important Monastery in medieval England. For almost 1000 years it was the center of learning and spirituality. It was originally established in an effort to bring Christianity to England but was reduced to ruins when King Henry VIII broke with Rome and declared himself head of the church of England. He brutally executed a mall number of abbots and monks who resisted the closure of their monasteries. Not all the parts of the monastery were destroyed. The remaining parts were renovated and turned into a Royal Palace with a walled courtyard and a private garden. A few years later under new ownership parts of these ruins became an Inn called the Old Palace, and the chamber over the great gate was turned into a cockfighting pit. In the 1840s the St Augustine missionary College was built here. This single site carries such in-depth history, and as a result, UNESCO declared this a World Heritage Site.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The crooked Sir John Boys House

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

This is possibly the most photographed place in all of Canterbury and one of my favorite sites on this tour – Sir John Boys House. Often referred to as the Crooked House, King’s Gallery, or Old Kings Shop, this delightfully skewed 17th-century half-timbered building‘s most noticeable feature is the bright red skew front door. Alterations to an internal chimney caused the structure to slip sideways resulting in this immaculate art piece.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Walking the White Cliffs of Dover

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The next stop was the world-famous White Cliffs of Dover. These 110m high coastal cliffs mark the closest point to France from mainland Britain. I will never forget the amazement I felt when I first experienced them back in 2004. I was taking a ferry crossing from England to Paris when the sun illuminated the white chalk against the contrasting bright blue ocean. On a clear day, the cliffs are noticeable from the French coastline.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

This time around I had an opportunity to walk a section of them. The cliffs stretch along the coastline for 13 km throughout the county of Kent – the home of the ancient and still important English port.

In geology terms, these cliffs have offered the most fascinating, accessible, and complete records of the story of the Chalk Formation. The cliffs are made from soft white chalk: a very finely-grained pure limestone that is 300 – 400m deep and made of calcium carbonate. These chalk layers have built up gradually over millions of years. Interestingly the shapes of the cliffs were formed from the skeletal remains of minute planktonic green algae combined with other creatures. Over millions of years, the once below seabed has become exposed and is now above sea level.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Each year the cliff face weathers about 1cm. There have been two instances where large pieces the size of a football pitch, fell into the Channel so it’s advisable that you stay clear from the cliff edge. Because you are so high above sea level it gets pretty windy up there, especially along the small paths on the cliff’s edge. There were moments when the wind came over and I got a little bit nervous. At one point the path was rather close to the edge and in most tourist spots there would be multiple danger signs.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The view from up here was absolutely stunning. Along the way, there are a few information boards highlighting the importance these cliffs had during World War 1 & World War 2 and including their use as a railway.

After taking a short walk around, I had a delicious lunch at the restaurant at the National Trust Centre and learned more about the geology of the cliffs at their information center.

This is a beautiful area to take in and you can quite easily hike to multiple towns along the coastline from this point, so if you are visiting you should try and set aside a full day.

Leeds Castle

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

We ended the tour at Leeds Castle: a breathtaking spot that was built in 1119 upon two islands in a lake. This most visited property in Britain was home to six of England’s Medieval queens and King Henry VIII who lived with his first wife Catherine of Aragon.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

We arrived at the ticket counter and paid our entrance fee of £24,90 per person. It is a bit on the steep side but take into consideration that this ticket allows you access for 12 months from the date of purchase. It also allows you to go just about everywhere on the property and you can quite easily spend an entire day here. You cannot gauge the size of the property on arrival, but I can tell you it is massive so be prepared for a lot of walking. There are 500 acres of parkland and a range of interesting gardens. The woodland garden is along the river bend and filled with vibrantly colored flowers. Many peacocks and black swans have made themselves a home here.

The Culpeper Garden has an informal layout with low box hedges and is very picturesque. There is also a really challenging but fun walk through a maze of 2400 English yew trees. Here you can find the Birds of prey center which offers a 30-minute demonstration on a wide variety of birds like hawks, vultures, falcons, and owls.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

When you are walking through all these gorgeous gardens you almost forget that you are there to experience an 11th-century castle that has been standing for over 900 years. It’s a beautiful and contrasting site when you first experience it. If you have some time, consider taking a ride on an elegant wooden punt and experience the ancient arches and castle exterior from a. different perspective.

You can enter the castle by walking over a drawbridge that was used back in the day to protect from attacks. Walking inside the castle at a slow pace will immerse you in the Medieval and Tudor periods which are still evident in these rooms today. The helpful dialogues on boards in each room will give you ample information that will make you feel like you are living through these centuries. There are also plenty of artifacts that you can enjoy.

England, Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

After an interesting day, we hurried our tired bodies back to the minivan. What did I love the most? That’s a hard one! Every place visited was incredibly different and offered rich insight into English culture. Be prepared for a really long but fun day with this crowd. They are incredibly laid back, fun, and informative and offer a unique perspective to their tours.

Out of this list – Which is your favorite? We would love to hear why!

#England #EnglandExperiencetours #EnglandTourism #Cathedrals #Cliffs #Castles #SaintThomasBecket #LondonTourism #CanterburyTales #51countriesandcounting #KzaraVisualConcepts #Canterbury #Kent #Canterburytourism #UNESCOWorldherigagesite #StAugustine #Romanesquearchitecture #gothicarchitecture #travelblog #canterburytravelblog #NormanCastle #CanterburyCastle #StAugustineAbbey #16thCenturyHouses #OldWeaversHouse #RiverStourCanterbury #SirJohnBoysHouse #CharlesDickens #WhiteCliffsofDover #FranceTourism #France #ThingstodoinFrance #ThingstodoinCanterbury #ThingstodoinEngland #LeedsCastle #EnglandsMedievalPalace #KingHeneryIII #CatherineofAragon

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Posted on August 25, 2022June 1, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

The Ultimate Guide to Skiing in Switzerland

Switzerland | Image by Chantelle Flores, Kzara Visual.

When dreaming of taking a ski trip, Switzerland is usually the country that first comes to mind.

Why wouldn’t it? It is where the big boys like to play.

Some of the world’s top snowboarders, freestyles, and skiers frequently head to Switzerland to take part in International winter competitions, like the Ski World Cup and the Freestyle Championships. Competitions that, we have all gotten to know and love.

With guaranteed snow during the winter months at each of its top premier ski resorts, it is no wonder why Switzerland ranks as the world’s number one ski destination.

It doesn’t matter if you are a newbie or a near pro, these resorts have some incredible ski schools, offering professional and accredited coaches that will show you the ropes. Before you know it, you could just be gliding down the slopes just like a pro.

So pack up those woollies and thermals, buy yourself that uber-cute ski outfit you have always wanted, and let’s help you start planning your trip.

Insiders Guide to saving money in Switzerland

Before we can list our favorite ski resorts, we would like to offer you some budget-friendly tips.

It’s no secret that Switzerland is expensive, but there are a few ways you can make it easier on the pocket.

When to go
If we have learned one thing from traveling the world, it is this – travel during the low session will save you a penny or two. Switzerland is no different. Not only, are the ski slopes less crowded, but the hotels make them more affordable too. Usually, the prices are lower during December (except during the Christmas and New Year periods) and in January.

During some December however, there has been little or no snowfall, so carefully look into this as it could not be the most ideal time to ski. The last two weeks of March offer a good alternative and are, friendly on the budget. Skiing over Easter is something to consider as well.

Book online

Some ski resorts offer you a 20% discount when booking your ski passes online, usually one to two weeks in advance. The same rule applies to ski equipment rental and ski lessons.

Guest Cards
Most hotels in Switzerland will give you a tourist card for the duration of your stay. It is usually issued by a local tourist office and gives you all kinds of advantages, like discounts at the local stores or restaurants, public transport, free access to a swimming pool or ice skating rinks, etc.

Types of Accommodation
Eating out in Switzerland can literally eat into your budget, so booking a half-board package at your hotel or a self-catering chalet, that will allow you to cook your meals, can save you a ton of money.

Types of Ski Resorts
Luxury mountain resorts like Zermatt, Verbier, and Gstaad can be costly, however, smaller, lesser-known village resorts can offer more affordable alternatives. We have included a few of our budget-friendly resorts in the list below.

Budget Travelling with children
Traveling with children in Switzerland doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, Switzerland is a country that caters more to children than to adults. Don’t be surprised to find that most hotels allow children to stay for free when booking a family room.

What’s more, is that ski passes for children under the age of 6 or 9 are free, with older children enjoying big discounts too. Similarly, ski rental companies provide children’s ski equipment free of charge when renting equipment for yourself.

World Class Resorts

Zermatt

If you are looking for a premier ski resort, famous worldwide, then Zermatt is your place. Its outer-worldly beauty will leave you in awe. Aside from its famous Matterhorn mountain that everyone is talking about, the views from its 37 other 4000-meter peaks are just as incredible.

It’s high altitude and glacier make this a possible ski destination all year round.

There is 360km worth of trails waiting for you to explore it. These trails cater to almost every skill level.
For experts, the 36km black track will get you the most excited and ensure your adrenaline will be pumping. Whilst it is marked, it is not a groomed track and will take you all the way down to the village.

Switzerland | Image by Chantelle Flores, Kzara Visual.

Davos – Klosters

Did skiing at Europe’s highest city make it onto your bucket list? If so, then the Davos-Klosters ski area is your place. It is the highest city in Europe and a real delight, appreciated by the “Upper Class”. Here you could just run into your celebrity crush or the likes of Prince Charles.

Not only is the region incredibly picturesque, but it also offers 300 km of slopes across its six mountains, peaking at 2,844 meters. It has been dubbed as the biggest snow sports region of the Alps.

The Parsenn ski area above Lake Davos is a favorite, offering runs of up to 12 kilometers and catering to various skill levels. If you prefer snowboarding then you will appreciate the Jakobshorn Fun Park, geared for the freestyle snowboarder.

Snowboarding and skiing are not the only things that this region is famous for.

The area is also amazing for cross-country skiing, which you can do completely for free. Tobogganing is also famous here, having started in 1883. There are nine toboggan runs, each promising fun, and diversity. More so, Davos is home to Europe’s largest natural ice rink, where you can practice your ice-hockey skills, speed skating, or just a regular ice skate.

Snowshoeing is a must here too. You can venture into deep snowy forests and enjoy the untouched winter landscapes. Night hikes are the in thing, where along with a mountain guide, you can appreciate the landscapes under the full moon and opt to spend a night in a traditional mountain hut.

Laax Resort

If you are traveling as a family, then the Laax Resort is for you. The Laax for Beginners ski school finds “little” ski enthusiasts coming here each year to learn how to ski. What’s nice about this one is, you can leave your children in the hands of trusted professionals while you enjoy a few of the 224km ski runs of your own.

What’s more, is that the resort town has retained its traditional charm, boasting a rich history and Swiss architecture.

Grindelwald

Grindelwald can be found in the Canton of Berne and is surrounded by the world-famous alpine peaks of Eiger, Wetterhorn, Faulhorn, and Fiescherhörner. It is also home to the famous UNESCO Jungfrau Railway which takes you to the Top of Europe.

It is 3,453 meters above sea level, making it the highest railway station in Europe. The journey up is incredible offering spectacular close-up views of the towering Eiger North face and views of the Grindelwald Valley.
The Ice Palace boasting a range of artificial ice sculptures is something special to see, and while you are there, visit the highest chocolate shop in the world – The Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven.

Skiing at Grindelwald is world-class. The resort town offers over 60 kilometers of sun-kissed groomed slopes with magnificent panoramic views.

Mürren Resort

53 km of prepared ski and snowboard pistes, toboggan runs and a network of winter walking trails are what await you at the Ski Resort of Mürren.

Adrenaline is guaranteed on piste No. 9; the steepest slope in the Jungfrau area. It offers an incline of 88% and breathtaking panorama views can be enjoyed on its long descent.

Snowboarders and freeskiers can appreciate the runs at the Skyline Snowpark.

St. Moritz

St Moritz ranks high up there as one of Switzerland’s premier alpine resort towns. Celebrities are bustling here, for its modern alpine lifestyle which is characterized by top-class restaurants offering gastronomic variety, glamorous hotels, and high streets filled with big-named designer boutiques.

Despite all of this, the town’s real riches lie outdoors, in the mountains. It has 88 snow-covered slopes, sparkling in the sun, waiting to be explored. There are four large and varied ski areas, namely, Corviglia/Piz Nair, Corvatsch, Diavolezza/Lagalb, and Zuoz, as well as five smaller ones, equally as beautiful. Collectively, these areas offer runs of up to 330km.

The town is also the birthplace of alpine winter tourism, which started 150 years ago. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice as well as the world-championship Cresta Run (a bobsled run made of natural ice) and has an outdoor Olympic ice rink. Its frozen lake hosts polo, cricket, and even horse racing on ice.

Budget-Friendly Resorts

Les Diablerets

In the heart of the Vaud Alps, Les Diablerets offers exceptional skiing at a fraction of the cost, especially during the months of October to May.

The 112 km worth of slopes is perfect for the whole family and offers spectacular scenery. Children under the age of 9 can take advantage of free ski passes and can learn how to ski in the resort’s snow gardens. Advanced skiers can appreciate the fantastic snowpark; Glacier3000 which offers the highest slopes in the region.

In addition, you can find many self-catering units, and restaurants offering budget meals, specifically the L’Ormonan’s, where you can enjoy a Chinese meal from 5CHF.

Interlaken
The lakeside town of Interlaken has become a favorite amongst backpackers. Whilst there is no local ski area, it is a great base when wanting to access the ski areas of Wengen, Grindelwald, and Murren.

Apartment rentals here are wallet-friendly and trains and buses around the region are usually offered free of charge when you have a ski pass.

Coop, Migros, and Aldi will save you a pretty penny when it comes to nosh – pick up a sandwich at one of the delis for a mountain-packed lunch.

Nendaz

Nendaz lets you ski Verbier’s terrain since it shares the same 4 Valley ski area. When it comes to prices, this alternative tends to be much cheaper.

If you are just starting to learn how to ski or snowboard, then you can appreciate the free access given to Park Tracouet. The idea behind the access is to give beginners the to learn all the basics.

What’s more, the resort offers additional canny ways to save. Instead of purchasing a pass that covers the full 412km of slopes, you will be able to purchase the Printze Pass. This pass only covers 220km worth of trails but will save you 60CHF in the long run.

There are budget-friendly accommodation options on offer here too. That said, catered chalets in the area offer packages that include both food and wine in the overall price.

Saas-Fee

You won’t be disappointed with the slopes at Saas-Fee. They offer some of the best ski conditions in the Alps, thanks to the Allalin Glacier. There are 145km of pistes to be discovered and you would be surprised at the number of deals this resort town has on offer.

Children under the age of 9 can ski for free when purchasing a 6-day adult pass. Similarly, groups of 10 people can benefit from the lift passes that are also thrown in for free.

Local restaurants like Bar No 1 are making it easier to have an easy-on-the-pocket trip as well. For example, you can enjoy their meal of the day for as little as 10CHF, saving you at least 60% on dining out.

Moreso, nights out in the town don’t have to break the bank either. Gletcher Grotte offers the cheapest beer and glühwein around.

Article commissioned by Travel Start, South Africa

*Disclaimer*
All information on this blog page was correct at the time of publishing and may change at any time without prior notice. 51 Countries and Counting will not be held liable for loss or inconvenience resulting from the use of outdated or incorrectly noted information.

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

The GYPSIES that stole my heart (Iceland Part.2)

Let’s get this exciting journey started.

Iceland | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

I arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland after a 30-hour flight from South Africa. You could get here in a little under 16 hours on direct flights, however, I opted for the cheaper latter. Long waits at airports meant extra time to meet new people from all corners of the world.

I arrived early evening at The Capital Inn on a night’s board of R280 in a 10-bed dorm. I was welcomed by 2 Moroccan ex-pats (Taha & Walid), One guy from Switzerland (Steven), A South Korean (Kate), A Slovenian girl (Sanja), a British guy (Ben), One American (Gia) & one French girl (Martine). 90 % of solo like-minded travelers looking for their own adventures who were destined to meet. Life-long friendships were forged as meaningful stories and experiences began to be shared.

As the days went on, we encountered a few other people that added to our story. Evenings were spent in the Capital Crowd basement where we cooked our communal dinners and took pleasure in sharing and dancing to our favorite songs from our hometowns. We created unique memories whilst we joined in the celebration and taught each other how to sing Happy Birthday in our home tongues, amongst other rare words we learned from these favorite gypsies. This is rather fun to do, and a first-time experience for all of us. The Happy Birthday song is a universal language we all speak, yet sounds so unique and different amongst all these cultures. I would like to challenge you to try this on your next trip and send me a video recording of all the people you meet on your journey singing this in their home tongue. Let’s start our own cappella group of Happy Birthday Songs.

We formed a diverse team with a pool of travel expertise that collectively made our experiences. We were so tight that Taha created a private Facebook group – Capital Crowd 1012, to post our unique and crazy pictures from our trip. It’s private because it got pretty crazy most nights while everyone expressed his or her individuality.

Drinking in Iceland is a no-go, and can be rarely afforded. Import prices and taxes make it one of the most expensive countries in the world to have a drink in. To put it into perspective, a bottle of Amarula in South Africa would cost around R89 a bottle, and in Iceland over R1200. An R50 bottle of wine from Stellenbosch would cost an average of R400. A pint of beer would cost you anything from R98.00. And that is their local beers – Viking & Polar Beer.

I would highly recommend buying as many drinks as you are allowed at their airports duty-free prior to flying into the country.

Drinks aside, the people you will meet in Iceland, will keep you entertained for hours.

Most nights, as 11 pm approached we suited and geared up for our evenings ahead in Iceland’s extreme weather conditions to chase the northern lights. 9 of us filled our 2 rented cars and headed to mountainous locations out of sight of city lights. Usually, our journeys out of Reykjavik lasted 45 min to an hour but offered the best-untouched views of the northern lights. We stayed out till 4 in the morning most nights.

Iceland | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Steven and Gia were the best coordinators in establishing visibility of the Aurora Borealis and had a good understanding of the factors involved in viewing these like hPa numbers and cloud cover types; lower, middle & high clouds. I took one look at Vendur – Iceland’s preferred website for measuring activity and my lack of a geological understanding and degree thereof was to my disadvantage. My knowledge extended thus far “Does 4 mean we can see the lights?”.

Have a look at this in your effort to understand me on this:

http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/#type=total

By night 3, we all became pros & tour operators by acquiring Gia & Stevens’s understanding of the Auroras – To the point that I ran my own Northern Lights tours in Northern Norway – a country I was yet to visit. Only on arriving, did I realize I had learned so much from these two incredible jet setters.

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

An adventure that not every South African would have the guts to do! {Photos}

Not something on your everyday bucket list – but a definite must-do for the brave.
Soweto, South Africa

I was hosting a photographer friend over recently visiting from Spain. He has an adventure-seeking soul, so I wanted to give him a thrilling experience of what life in Johannesburg was really all about. What better way to show him what the traffic was like than by playing Dodge ‘em with Soweto taxis whilst on quad bikes?

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Cristian Viko & myself are ready to hit the streets of Soweto

So I contacted the guys from Naledi Backpackers in Soweto and put together a unique tour that showcased all the best tourist attractions that Soweto had to offer.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

En route, Google directed me to “Soweta”. I found this pretty strange but laughed it off and thought Google was having a spell-check moment.

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Both nervous and excited, I had no idea what to expect.

On arrival, we were greeted by Naledi’s friendly staff and the community who assisted us with all safety checks before departing on our 6-hour journey that was about to turn into the most memorable experience we have had in South Africa.

We thought we would share this sort of experience with you. Pictures do after all communicate 1000 messages!

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Urban Uprising, Soweto

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The team at Naledi Backpackers enroute to the Oppenheimer Tower

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Credo Mutwa Cultural Village

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Oppenheimer Tower

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Aerial views of Soweto from the Oppenheimer Tower

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Children play fearlessly in the street

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

The local community cheers us on as we drive by

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Children cover their ears to prevent damage caused by the sounds of the quad bikes

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

A visit to the newly redone Soweto Theatre

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Enjoying a quick refreshment stop at the theatre

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Artwork along the vertical walls of the theatre

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

We stumbled across this local church service group

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.comSouth Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Church choirs of Soweto

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Local church service group welcomes us to the community

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Enroute home after spending the day grocery shopping

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.comSouth Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Zulu culture is evident still today

South Africa | Image by Chantelle Flores | www.kzaravisual.com

Article featured on the South African.com
http://www.thesouthafrican.com/an-adventure-that-not-every-south-african-would-have-the-guts-to-do-photos/

For more information on Soweto’s Quad biking tours at Naledi Backpackers, contact Tshepo Makoti.

Telephone: +27 (0)11 074 8869

Mobile:+27 (0)83 490 2586

Email: naledibackpackers@gmail.com

Physical address:635B Nakedi Street Zone 3, Meadowlands, 1852

Prices start from R650 p/p

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Naledi-Backpackers-and-Soweto-Quad-bike-Tours/Johannesburg/87737/reviews

www.kzaravisual.com

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

Illegal fishing of Great White Sharks – should this be allowed?

Just a little after dusk and as the beaches start to empty, local fishermen gather to take part in a series of illegal activities on Eastern Cape’s beaches.

I happened to stumble across this purely by chance on my recent visit.

This great white shark was caught through a process of catch and release, after having fishermen take photos with it. Kinda like a trophy animal. They later dragged it back to sea so as not to harm the poor animal.

They didn’t seem too impressed that I happened to be there, and appeared furious when I managed to sneak a few images of their illegal activity.

I later learned that hammerhead sharks are commonly used as bait for drawing great whites to shore.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Article featured on Thesouthafrican.com
http://www.thesouthafrican.com/illegal-fishing-of-great-white-sharks-should-this-be-allowed/

www.kzaravisual.com
#southafrica #meetsouthafrica #meetsouthafrica #africa #portelizabeth #easterncape #touristattractions #travel #travelblogger #traveltheworld #shark #greatwhiteshark #hammerheadshark #fishing #illegal #dusk #sunset #seascape #localfisherman

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

The postcard country {Photoblog of Iceland}

Photos that will inspire you to travel to Iceland.

I like to refer to Iceland as the postcard country, and when you see some of the images below you will understand why. There is something charming about traveling to a country that is more than 80% uninhibited, although most will be daunted by its lack of civilization. I quite liked the idea of having 9 days of peace and quiet, whilst being spellbound by this country’s astonishing natural beauty.

Whilst locals can make for a better traveling experience, it didn’t seem to bother me that I didn’t bump into any. Over 60 percent of the country’s population of 330 000 people live in the Capital City of Reykjavik. I spent most of my time along the West Coast and the South Coast.

I found contentment in the silence Iceland offers while I forged a deep connection with nature. Its ever-changing weather created some of the most dramatic scenes I have ever witnessed in a land of fire and ice. To give you an idea: on a visit to the Reykjanes Peninsula, I experienced 3 snow storms and sunsets in a period of 30min. Similarly, at the Skogafoss waterfall, I experienced a hail storm, a rainbow, and a gorgeous sunset. So if you are looking to capture that perfect shot, it’s a good idea to wait it out for a little.

Each day offered another opportunity to photograph something new, so no planning was necessary for the trip. I just rented a car and drove, and with only 5 hours of daylight, I managed to rake up a fair amount of photographs in a short amount of time.

Skogafoss Waterfall

Legend has it that the settler Þrasi has buried his chest of gold under this 60 -meter high waterfall.

Blue Lagoon

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Basalt sea stack, Vik

Reykjanes Peninsula

Gullfoss waterfall

Sunrises enroute to Jokulsargljufur National Park

Reykjanes Peninsula

Haukadalur geothermal area, home of the Great Geysir

Dyrholaey

Hópneshringur Circle Shipwrecks

Dyrholaey lighthouse

Landscapes of Vik and surrounding areas

Just outside the Blue Lagoon

Hópnesviti Lighthouse

A few of the landscapes seen while driving through the South Coast

Landscapes of Vik and surrounding areas

Black sand beaches, Vik

Icelandic wild horses

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Landscapes along the West Coast

Chasing the northern lights

Gullfoss waterfall

Haukadalur geothermal area

Landscapes of Grindavik

Skogafoss Waterfall

#iceland #travel #grindavik #skogafoss #Haukadalurgeothermalarea #greatgeyser #Gulfosswaterfall #northernlights #westcoast #mountains #snow #ice #winter #traveller24 #travelblogger #worldtravel #traveltheworld #waterfall #cloudy #SeljalandsfossWaterfall #Icelandicwildhorses #horse #Blacksandbeaches #vik #HopnesvitiLighthouse #lighthouse #orange #blue #Dyrholaeylighthouse #HopneshringurCircleShipwrecks #Dyrholaey #GreatGeysir #ReykjanesPeninsula #Reykjanes #JokulsargljufurNationalPark #Basaltseastack #Seljalandsfoss

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

The power of BELIEF – Viewing the northern lights for the first time (Iceland Part. 3)

There are only a few moments in life that take your breath away.

The 24 January 2016 was one of them.

Here’s the story:

I visited Iceland with the intention of seeing the northern lights on my Dad’s Birthday who passed away on the 5th February 3 years back. This would be the 3rd birthday that I would not have seen him. This entire trip around the artic was dedicated to him. He loved Christmas (My birthday to) and one of my favorite holidays celebrated with him. I delayed my birthday and opted for a white one across Iceland, Finland, Norway & Sweden. On the 23rd of January at 10:30 pm, I and a group of amazing gypsies I had met divided ourselves between two rental cars with a mission in mind – to view the Aurora Borealis.

None of us had experience in this, except for our few practice nights prior to this and without any luck. I mentioned to the crowd my possible emotions around witnessing this for the first time and explained my personal reasons surrounding this trip. I knew there was a small chance of viewing them and high cloud cover reduced our visibility. The rain posed a serious problem as well.

The power of BELIEF

I have always heard individual accounts of their experiences viewing the northern lights for the first time. Most mentioned it meant something to them on a deep spiritual level, however I could not comprehend the experience until I experienced it myself.

When the clock struck 12pm on the 24th January – the clouds cleared and the Auroras put on an incredible display as if it was my Dad sharing his presence. I either believed it into existence, or it was God’s way of restoring my faith in this principle that anything is possible if you only just believed. Either way, it was INCREDIBLE!

Instantly, tears filled my eyes and I was left speechless! Steven earlier mentioned in my previous posts, appreciates the finer things in life, came running to me yelling, “ It’s your dad, it’s your dad”. I was drawn to him on meeting, by his intense appreciation of the “smaller things” that offer this life meaning. Jess gently rubbed my back, and we all sat in silence and took it all in.

These are the few images I managed to get in through the tears. Not my usual quality of images I put forth, having my eyesight slighting impaired, by the water streaming from them.

I will be forever grateful to the individuals that I shared this with on such a deep level, and for eternity it will remain embedded into my heart and memory.

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Posted on August 25, 2022May 2, 2023 by Chantelle Flores — Leave a comment

The biggest snow fort in the world

The SnowCastle of Kemi, Finland

What an incredible experience: the snow castle of Kemi in Northern Finland. I visited this unique gem in early February.

This unique castle made of snow and ice, is the biggest snow fort in the world and gets rebuilt every winter. The first snow castle in Kemi in 1996, drew on average 300 000 visitors.

The area covered by the castle has varied from 13 000 to over 20 000 square meters. The highest towers have been over 20 meters high and the longest walls are over 1000 meters long, and the castle has had up to three stories.

Despite its varying configurations, the snow castle has a few recurring elements: a capel a restaurant, and a hotel.

A Unique Dining Experience

Visit The Snow Restaurant for a unique dining experience, with ice tables and seats covered with reindeer fur to keep you warm in this – 5 degrees Celsius setting.

The Snow Hotel

Why not stay the night and live as the Eskimos did back in the day?

This hotel offers you a choice of double rooms and a honeymoon suite, all of which are decorated by local artists using local materials.