Rundown
for the Week of December 26, 2003 (This show originally ran on February 14, 2003. This encore presentation may contain information that is no longer current or available.)
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One of the major differences between traveling to Africa and visiting a more common destination, like Europe, is the health precautions you have to take: everything from getting shots before you leave to being careful about the water you drink when you arrive. How can you safeguard your health when traveling to Africa? To answer that question, Savvy Traveler host Diana Nyad talks to Dr. Alan Spira, medical director at the Travel Medicine Center in Beverly Hills, Calif.
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While Africa doesn't have a lot of airlines serving it from North America, and there aren't many competitive forces at work to stimulate travel bargains there, our Travel-Expert-in-Residence, Rudy Maxa, has still managed to dig up a deal on getting to S. Africa for a safari.
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So, you want to go on a safari? How about to Kenya and Tanzania, where thousands of zebra and wildebeest roam the Great Serengeti plains? But there are also game parks in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, too. Good thing safari professional Tim Lapage from Safari Experts is here with some advice. Number 1 on the list? Plan at least two weeks on the ground for your safari experience. And, consider the time of year, political situations and types of accommodations when planning a safari.
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A trip to Africa is very deep. A lot of people feel it's a trip that changes their lives. Our reporter Benjamin Adair recently went on safari in Botswana and Namibia, and he was affected in this very pronounced way -- but not necessarily by the safari itself. To him, sometimes the safari in Botswana was like a little Disneyworld. Namibia? Kind of like the San Diego Zoo. But it was a personal connection he felt watching the continent's majestic creatures at the watering hole in a land that takes you back to man's earliest days on earth that really got him...
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Most people like music -- but few have journeyed past Timbuktu to find it. Well, Sean Barlow has trotted around Africa for nearly 20 years, and his latest trip took him to the third annual Festival in the Desert near Timbuktu, Mali. It was a cozy little affair, with 35 music groups and more than 2,000 locals arriving by camel, boat and SUV. The music rolled on until 3 a.m. and celebrity artists from all over Africa performed together.
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Maybe you've done the safari thing...but safaris aren't everyone's cup of tea. Well, there are all kinds of other fascinating trips you can take -- a non-safari trip to Africa can become a short-course study of the history of mankind. Mahmood Poonja, the owner of Bestway Tours and Safaris, has 25 years of experience arranging cultural and adventure trips. He joins Savvy Traveler host Diana Nyad to talk about other things to do in Africa.
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In Africa, the sights and sounds can amaze any road-weary traveler. And, strangely enough, hardly any of the animals of Africa sound like you think they do. To prove this, we play you a few different animal noises -- and we'd like you to try to guess which animals are yelping and barking and snorting. Think you know? Click below to find the answers. Trust us, you will be surprised.
Check Your Health
Deep Safari by Ben Adair
