by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Safari Gear, Simon and Baker Travel Review
When we were game viewing, we carried our Micro-Zoom compact binoculars everywhere – they still have the telltale African dust to prove it. Their light and practical design made them easy to carry and a pleasure to use. They were the perfect starting point for basic safari sightings. Whenever we wanted a higher magnification, we would pull out our much heavier second set of binoculars. Most of the time, the Micro-Zoom binoculars were just right for our needs and light enough to carry comfortably, even when we went walking for three or more hours in the bush.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Africa, Johannesburg, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
: Carnivore, a large yet welcoming restaurant able to seat more than 500 diners, was a must-stop for the game and meat lovers among us. During our visits, we enjoyed some of the greatest selection of game meats we have found in an urban restaurant anywhere. T he centerpiece of the restaurant was a large circular fire area with 52 spits and a 5.3 meter diameter extractor fan. It was there that expert cooks charcoal grilled our food to perfection.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Security
The Magellan’s Security Bag (Large) is a travel bag used to protect film from airport x-ray security devices. The Security Bag is made of a flexible lead fabric and weighs 16 oz empty. We used the Security Bag for a total of 4 weeks and tested 2 rolls of film with it. One roll was 200 speed film and the other 400 speed film. Carry-on luggage is scanned by security scanners at a lower power level than check-in baggage security scanners. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) does not recommend putting film into check-in baggage so we chose to place our film in our carry-on luggage inside the Magellan Security Bag. As of this review date (Sept-14-2004) the TSA states the following about placing film through security screening equipment,
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Communications, Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review
Traveling through Botswana , South Africa and Zambia for five weeks of game viewing adventures, we were thankful to have Iridium connectivity and a Motorola 9500 Satellite phone. It worked almost everywhere we tried it as long as it had clear access to the sky to receive the satellite signal. In remote camps without phones or Internet service, it was the only way to stay in touch with work, family and friends. One of our group members, who had a relative undergoing medical treatment in the U.S. , was particularly thankful for the ability to stay in touch the Iridium Motorola phone provided.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Simon and Baker Travel Review
For those of us who do not have access to a private jet, traveling on a flight exclusively for business class passengers is the next best thing. We flew Lufthansa’s new all business class service from Chicago to Düsseldorf. As a bonus, our flight had few passengers. Boarding in Chicago was a breeze; there were no long lines, actually no lines at all.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Luggage
The Osprey Transporter 90, a combination backpack and luggage, made an ideal companion for the remote locations we visited during our Southern Africa adventures. It was soft sided allowing it to conform somewhat to the shape of the space we placed it in. It was versatile and sturdy; handsome enough to accompany us to five star properties and sporty enough for camping accommodations. The padded sides provided extra protection for our contents. The Transporter had straps across the front, which made it possible for the bag to shrink or grow depending on how much we wanted to carry in it. This feature was useful when we purchased a large souvenir that would not fit into any of the other bags. The souvenir fit into the Transporter because the bag expanded to accommodate the extra contents.
