If you only travel in the United States, chances are you stay at hotels. But if you’re traveling in South Africa (or anywhere for that matter), Guest Houses and Bed & Breakfasts are excellent alternatives. Here’s why:
Warm People
While traveling through South Africa, I stayed at many guesthouses. In Durban, it was the Burns Bed & Breakfast (shown above). I’ll never forget how welcoming Mike and Shelley Burns were during my stay. They greeted me on arrival, personally escorted me to my room and made me breakfast every morning.
Showers shouldn’t come with instructions. But in many of the hotels I’ve stayed in, I’ve had trouble figuring them out. Similarly, the worst feeling at a hotel (aside from being the only one there) is stepping into the shower in the morning and not having any hot water.
But dear adventurers, there is a simple solution. When you first arrive in your hotel in the afternoon, check your shower. Turn it on, figure out the knobs, buttons and levers. Make sure the water runs hot and cold and it drains appropriately. Count your towels.
Here’s a fun adventureswithben fact… In a prior life, I was a magician. Throughout high school and college I performed magic tricks at birthday parties, city-wide festivals, restaurants and more. See the photo below of Magic Ben.
Magic Ben Spring 2000
And while it’s been almost a decade since the last time I stepped onstage, I still love the art. Anytime I have a chance to catch a magic show, I’m there. And there’s no better place to catch a magic show than Las Vegas. David Copperfield, Penn & Teller and Criss Angel are the big headliners at night, but there’s another act you may not have heard of that you should definitely add to your show list – Mac King.
Today’s story is all about sleeping on the Great Wall of China. Who would have thought you could do something like that? Well… our special guest blogger Brendon, from China Travel Go, will tell us all how to do it! You can also follow Brendon on Facebook and Twitter.
I was staying at the Cedar Lodge in Krugersdorp in South Africa for 3 months. It’s a delightful bed and breakfast and was the perfect home away from home. The Cedar Lodge happens to have a giant aviary and peacocks roaming the property. Every once in a while, the peacocks would fan their feathers. Of course, I never had my camera… until this day.
It’s so rare to see a peacock with full feathers. It’s even rarer to have so many of the feathers in near-perfect condition. Many times they are missing a feather or two. Nonetheless, I thought I would share this moment with you.
Having blogged about travel for 15 months, I’ve reached a milestone where PR folks flood my box with pitches for stories – most of them not of any interest to me (or you). But an offer to read Drive I-95, a book by Stan and Sandra Posner, caught my attention. Having driven that stretch of highway many times from my home state of Massachusetts all the way to Florida, I can tell you that it’s not pleasant. It’s long, boring and takes two full days with little to look forward to.
Our first hotel in Pattaya was the Ocean Marina Yacht Club. It was just a few minutes beyond the downtown area. Here’s our recap from our stay there. Have a great weekend.
*****
Hey Explorers,
Is it just us, or does every hotel we stay at always have more comfortable pillows, blankets, and sheets than our own bed? The Ocean Marina Yacht Club, our first hotel in Pattaya, stays true to tradition and will make for a comfortable, peaceful retreat from the noise of Pattaya – while maintaining those stunning ocean views.
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