Motion Fitness

Tactics for travel

Jazz Kuschke is our resident adventure and travel expert.

Are there any mountain biking spots close to Gauteng?

Yes, more than youâ€™d think. Try these popular options and you might just meet some MTB insiders whoâ€™ll show you the secret spots. MTN Toyota Cycle Park Several kilometres of man-made trails cater for all skill and fitness levels. Thereâ€™s also a world-class BMX track at the park. Itâ€™s situated on the land adjacent to Main road and the N1 highway between Bryanston and Fourways. The entire park is enclosed by a razor-wire perimeter fence and patrolled by a private security company. R50 gets you in. www.cyclepark.co.za Northern Farm lies west of Fourways next to the R28. Itâ€™s a multi-user recreational facility used by horse riders, birders and hikers. The Northern Farm MTB trail offers a selection of rides, all specially designed for different riding experiences, duration and difficulties. R20 entry fee. www.northernfarm.co.za Groenkloof Nature Reserve in Tshwane has approximately 20km of marked mountain bike trails featuring ridges that vary in steepness and make for some exciting climbs and descents. Warning: you might be spooked by a zebra, impala or even kudu around a corner. Entry is about R20. www.tshwane.gov.

On a holiday road trip, whatâ€™s a good amount of time to spend on the road each day?

It obviously depends on the area youâ€™re driving through, where youâ€™re going and how fast you want to get there. If the journey is the holiday, and youâ€™re travelling on tar, aim for about 400km a day (400km in Angola can take a week). This should allow you to leave at a civilised time (at least after coffee at about 8am), then have a couple of stops (including breakfast, sightseeing and photography) before lunch. Youâ€™ll have enough â€œamble timeâ€ after lunch to take in the scenery and have a couple of stops before arriving at your overnight stop in the late afternoon.

What exactly is geocaching?

A high-tech treasure hunt â€“ â€œcachesâ€ (pronounced like the stuff you â€“ sometimes â€“ carry in your wallet) are hidden in wild places. The hider posts the GPS coordinates of the cache online as a challenge for seekers to find. If youâ€™re given the exact location by publishing the waypoint, whatâ€™s the big deal? Itâ€™s one thing to know where the item is; itâ€™s an entirely different thing actually getting there and finding it. It might be hidden at the top of a tough climbing route or in a spot accessed only with scuba equipment. Itâ€™s a great way to really use your GPS, but youâ€™re also going to need a combination of hiking, orienteering and GPS skills for the hunt. Just remember, if you find a cache and remove something, youâ€™ve got to replace it with something else for the next guy to find.

Archives

Do I need a Schengen visa for Reunion?
- Weâ€™re going to Reunion on honeymoon. What do we need for a Schengen visa?
  
  By going to Reunion youâ€™re technically entering France, so youâ€™ll have to apply for a visa at the French consulate in your area. Go armed with: 1. A completed and signed Common Schengen Application Form (you can download it from www.consulfrance- lecap.org). 2. Your passport, which must be valid for at least three months beyond your day of exit and have at least two blank pages. (Temporary passports are no longer accepted by most Schengen countries). 3. Two passport photos â€“ recent and in colour. 4. Round-trip air ticket and itinerary with flight numbers, entry and exit dates and confirmed hotel reservations. 5. Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of stay. 6. Proof of travel/health insurance. 7. The exact amount for the visa in cash. (At the time of going to print, the visa cost R590.)
How do you overcome aerophobia?
- How do I overcome my fear of flying?
  
  According to research, people with aerophobia fall into two groups: those with specific fears (a crash or hijacking) and those who suffer from panic disorder (a fear of losing control of oneâ€™s emotions in a place where escape is impossible). Iâ€™m not qualified to tell you how to overcome your fears, but for me itâ€™s all about staying relaxed. Hereâ€™s how I deal with flights. 1. Know the stats Why am I scared? Youâ€™ve heard it before â€“ on paper itâ€™s safer to fly from Joburg to Cape Town than it is to drive to work. 2. Prep Have all your travel papers (or ID for e-tickets) ready. 3. Arrive extra early Your mother was right. 4. Donâ€™t drink anything fizzy It will make you feel bloated. 5. Stay entertained Load your iPod or MP3 player with music and videos, take a Nintendo DS Lite for distraction or get lost in a good book.
Which festivals are worth visiting?
- Which South African festivals are worth visiting?
  
  • Cape Town Jazz Festival www.capetownjazzfest.com Two days (usually in April) of music from more than 40 international and African acts. It also features art and photographic exhibitions.
  
  • Hermanus Whale Festival www.whalefestival.co.za Join the mellow Hermanus locals in late September as they welcome the southern right whales to Walker Bay. Think bands, craft stalls, plenty of food and drink, all in the spectacular Southern Cape setting.
  
  • Knysna Oyster Festival www.oysterfestival.co.za Go for the sporting events – adventure races, trail and road runs, mountain and road bike races. The oysters are for after and there’s no shortage – braais, tastings and eating competitions all featuring the magic little mollusc.
  
  • Ficksburg Cherry Festival www.cherryfestival.co.za First held in 1969, it now attracts over 20 000 visitors to the sleepy Eastern Free State every November. Cherry and asparagus tastings, local music and the unmissable highlight, the Miss Cherry Blossom competition.
  
  • Oppikoppi www.oppikoppi.co.za A homegrown Woodstock of sorts that takes place every year in August with cool people camping on a hill in the Northwest bushveld.
Iâ€™m going to Tanzania. What vaccinations do I need?
- I’m going to Tanzania. What vaccinations do I need?
  
  You’re going to need a yellow fever Vaccination, but technically that’s not for getting into Tanzania, it’s for coming back into South Africa. A yellow fever shot will cost you about R400 at a Netcare Travel Clinic (go to www.travelclinic.co.za). With it you’ll get a small yellow pamphlet stating when you had the shot and where. Keep this in your passport and have it stamped at customs in and out of Tanzania. The travel doc will probably suggest a couple of other shots too: hepatitis A & B, typhoid, rabies and tetanus. Of these I’d definitely get a tetanus (if you haven’t had one in the last two or three years), to protect you from reef cuts and the like getting septic. Discuss the others with the doc and weigh up just how dodgy the places are you’re planning on visiting.
What dive sites do you recommend in South Africa?
- I’ve done northern KZN. What other dive sites do you recommend in South Africa?
  
  Northern Natal and southern Mozambique are undoubtedly the most famous diving areas, but our coast has a lot of underrated spots.
  Cape Peninsula Wrecks Plenty of Cape of Storms’ victims to choose from, just don’t forget your seven-millimetre wetsuit, hoodie, gloves and booties – the Cape waters are beyond ice cream headache temperatures.
  Tsitsikamma A shore entry from Storms River Mouth lets you become part of the abundance of fish and rock life that’s the result of a no-fishing marine reserve.
  Tunderbolt Reef Directly off Cape Recife Lighthouse (near Port Elizabeth) you’ll find hard and soft corals, sponges, anemones, fish and, best of all, sharks. It’s also a wreck yard (got it’s name from HMS Thunderbolt that sunk in 1847).
  Wild Coast Go in midwinter during the sardine run and witness the carnage and chaotic beauty of one of the greatest migrations in the world.
Do I still need a map for a road trip?
- Do I still need a map for a road trip?
  
  In a word, yes. We live in the age of GPS, but it’s only as powerful as its mapping software and the skills of the guy using it. Having a back-up map is a must. It’s also a great way to check where you’re headed in relation to where you are. Also, few things say “road trip” like pulling over on a lonely road and opening a map on the bonnet of your 4x4. Map Studio recently launched a range of GPS companion maps – road maps with GPS coordinates of points of interest. The Southern Africa Map is a beautiful 1:3 500 000 scale resource covering all the borders, major roads, rivers and nature reserves from South Africa up to the DRC. Buy it for context and use your GPS for detail. R100 www.mapstudio.co.za.
Iâ€™m going overseas. How should I carry my forex?
- I’m going overseas. How should I carry my forex?
  
  For a two-week trip, I’d take a cash card, some cash (in different bills for taxis and so on) and a credit card as back-up (and for bigger purchases). For longer trips, I’d also take traveller’s cheques. Here’s why:
  Cash Take a range of bills and hide the cash in different places (just not in your check-in luggage). In destinations such as south-east Asia, it’s better to buy dollars here and then change the dollars for local currency once there.
  Cards Credit cards are widely accepted and, if you have a pin, can be used for drawing money. Some also offer free travel insurance if you pay for your plane tickets with them. Debit cards, as long as they display Master Card or Visa, are also being accepted but check with your bank before you depart. Many banks offer international travel cards that can be pre-loaded with forex. You get a pin and the card can be used at ATMs, in stores and hotels.
  Traveller’s cheques An antiquated system that has one big advantage: if stolen, they can be replaced easily (so record the serial numbers).
My photos never do my travels justice. Any advice?
- My photos never do my travels justice. Any advice?
  
  With a few basic pointers you can easily turn your happy-snaps into decent images.
  1. Adhere to basic rules of composition: place your subject in a third of the frame rather than the middle and shoot images with a dominant foreground subject and a contributing background.
  2. Use the “magic hours” – the first and last hour of sunlight.
  3. Study postcards of where you’re heading and take the same shots. Then, look for two new angles (think high and low).
  4. Always shoot landscapes with a tripod. It eliminates camera shake making for sharper images. Don’t have one? Use a portable bean bag and the self-timer.
  5. For an SLR, a polarising filter is indispensable. It eliminates glare, saturates blues and gives portraits “life”.
Do I really need an expensive sleeping bag?
- Do I really need an expensive sleeping bag?
  
  It depends on where and how often youâ€™ll use it. If youâ€™re not planning on pitching your tent in the Drakensberg in the middle of July then no, you donâ€™t need a top-of-the-range bag. That doesnâ€™t mean compromising on quality. The mistake many guys make is to buy a bag thatâ€™s too warm â€“ high-tech construction plus top-quality insulating materials, equals an expensive bag. For a good, all-round camping bag, look for something that is rated between 0 and -5Ëš C and big enough for you to roll over in. If youâ€™re using it for hiking, youâ€™re going to fork out a little more. Look for a mummy shape (packs smaller). Also make sure itâ€™s light. Hot tip: donâ€™t roll a sleeping bag when packing it away. Stuff it! Itâ€™ll change your life.
Iâ€™m planning a trip to Tanzania. What should I do about malaria?
- I’m planning a trip to Tanzania. What should I do about malaria?
  
  If you’re planning a trip to a malaria-risk area, you need to take the following crucial steps:
  > Visit your GP or local travel clinic (www.travelclinic.co.za) to get a prescription for the correct prophylaxis.
  > Take the meds as prescribed (usually a week in advance and up to four weeks after you return). Don’t be lazy and end the course prematurely. Take the meds until the course is finished.
  >Wear long clothes at dawn and in the evening, even if the heat is unbearable.
  >Use anti-bug spray (we recommend Peaceful Sleep aerosol) or lotion (Tabard) on exposed areas and clothes.
  > If you’re on an overland trip carry Doom in your car and give it a thorough fumigation before you drive (just make sure you don’t get into the car for at least 10 minutes).
  >Sleep under a mosquito net (spray with Peaceful Sleep for good measure).
  > If you suspect you might be infected, test yourself with a self-test kit (U-Test, R60, www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za). If positive, get medical attention immediately.

*Men's Health does not give out contact information for experts featured in our magazine or on our web site, and queries addressed to these individuals cannot be forwarded on your behalf. If you require professional health and lifestyle advice, we strongly recommend that you contact your local service providers.

What do you think crosses the line into stalker territory? She...
	Asks your friends for details about what you like, your favourite food etc
	Checks your Facebook page often
	Drives past your house to see if you’re home
	Pitches up at your local haunt
	Phones you continuously

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