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Malaria prevention — **Mosquito insence burning**

Health aspects always play a role when traveling abroad. South Africa is on a different continent and may seem exotic – but in terms of diseases, we don’t have that much to offer here.

Vaccinations against yellow fever or typhoid are unnecessary. Should you already been vaccinated against yellow fever it’s good to know that the yellow fever vaccination protects you for a lifetime. If you have been to a yellow fever country before entering South Africa, the South African government will want to see a vaccination when you enter South Africa.

How is malaria transmitted?

Malaria is transmitted from an infected person to a person who is not yet infected by an insect bite from a mosquito. The infected person can also be an animal, which is why it is not possible to eradicate malaria. The female Anopheles mosquito sucks blood and uses her saliva to transmit the pathogens, for example Plasmodium falciparum, to the next person she bites. There are six species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. The best known and most widespread species in parts of South Africa is malaria tropica, which is transmitted via the single-celled parasite mentioned above.

Plasmodium falciparum travels with the blood to the liver, where it multiplies but does not yet produce symptoms. Then it travels around in the body and destroys red blood cells, which of course is not cool.

How do you protect yourself from infection?

The best protection against mosquito bites is to wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants during dusk.

Try to cover open areas of skin as much as possible. Mosquitoes are usually out and about at dusk – hardly during the day. In the evening around the campfire in the camp in Kruger National Park, you should wrap up well and rub the unprotected areas with a mosquito repellent. Some mosquitoes are already immune to the sprays that are still used in many places to fumigate hotel rooms, for example. DEET is not only harmful to the environment, it is also not ideal for us humans (as part of the environment…).

There is no vaccination against malaria that really protects. The ‘RTS,S’ vaccine developed over 30 years of work prevented just 30% of malaria cases in initial trials in 2019. Since then, nothing more has been heard of ‘RTS,S’. Prophylactic medication can be taken, which comes with a ‘nice’ range of side effects that can ruin your vacation.

What to do?

Like any native mosquito, Anopheles mosquitoes are attracted to the human scent, which signals to them: 5 liters of delicious blood are HERE. Insatiable…. anyway. So the aim is to cover it up. Essential oils immediately spring to mind, don’t they? And: exactly! The right mixture also helps to distract the mosquitos.

Fanning mosquito coils (the same as the electric mosquito plugs) can help, but these beasts usually contain synthetic pyrethroids, which are harmful to children and babies. Oh! And not for adults? I don’t like being taken for a ride. Synthetic insecticides cannot be healthy by definition, because they kill insects. The poisoned survivors may be eaten by a bird, which in turn may be eaten by another predator. The poison ends up in the environment and who is at the end of the food chain? Well, us (and a few other apex predators and pigs, which we also eat, and anchovies, which…). Poison is not a solution for people who think holistically.

You have to reapply the natural mixtures of essential oils every 2 hours, because the odorants are ethereal, they evaporate. Recipes can be found here. It also helps to be near someone who always gets stung :D. In homeopathy there is the malaria nosode, which you can obtain abroad. In Germany, where people are particularly interested in eradicating naturopathy, you cannot get this medicine.

Infected – and now?

Unfortunately, the first signs are relatively unspecific: Headache, fever and chills. But, if you have been in a malaria area and 14 days later these symptoms appear, then it seems obvious to do a malaria test. What is good to know is that even without any treatment, only about 200 out of 1000 seriously ill people die. In 19 years, 25054 travelers from the UK contracted malaria, 184 of whom died. First of all, this means that many (an unknown number that is being concealed from us. However, in the years in question, around 39600000 Brits traveled abroad every year) were bitten, but were able to fight off the infection on their own (with their own immune system). Only 25054 fall so seriously ill that they seek medical help. Of course we don’t know which foreign countries the Brits traveled to, certainly not all to an area where there are Anopheles mosquitoes. But as with all statistics, it is important not to lose sight of the proportions. I’m just saying: SARS-COV II.

So if you are infected with Plasmodium falciparum, then artesunate, a derivative of mugwort, will help you. This is also very interesting, because for the reasons already mentioned, herbal medicine has a hard time in Germany and Artemisia annua has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, but also for hundreds of years in alternative medicine.

The difficulty of the matter is bioavailability, i.e. you can’t take so much mugwort that it actually helps…but hold on! There was also homeopathy, where everything is potentized so that it is more effective.

Everyone is to find what they believe in and acts accordingly.

White Rhino with calf Shamwari Private Game Reserve

My guests arrived on the 26 of October and told me yesterday on the occasion of our last supper that they were really worried as I wasn’t there waiting for them when they entered the arrivals hall. What started with a fault (I was 10 minutes late to pick them up) turned into a fabulous trip along the Gardenroute. But the minutes they waited for me to arrive were quite unsettling as they only knew me from video calls and came to Cape Town trusting that everything would be in order – and now their tourguide was mia.

They stayed in Cape Town for 5 days and we ticked all the sightseeings but it’s the slightly unusual (scary …) things that they remember best like when we went to eat at a really dodgy looking place 😀 – but they trusted me and were stunned by the experience. As with every trip I also learn a lot – every guest is different and for them to have the best experience it is adamant to find out about their likes and dislikes during the planning phase and how far I can take them out of their comfort zone to create a good lasting memory and not a shock.

On the 31st we packed the car and drove towards Hermanus. Due to the recent flooding the scenic coastal drive was still blocked and we couldn’t do what was planned. Flexibility is a prerequisite when visiting Africa – even the Western Cape which is a very europeanised part of the country – Africa light as I like to call it. The guests went on a whale cruise and had the most amazing encounters – they loved their accommodation and the dinner.

Speaking of accommodation: Dear future guest, please be specific when we talk about your accommodation. I do not have to like it – my taste might be different from yours. Tell me what is important to you so I can find the hotel/B&B/tent 😉 that you enjoy the most.

We stayed on a working farm near Swellendam, in Plettenberg Bay and in St. Francis – very different accommodations – before reaching the highlight of the tour: Shamwari Private Game Reserve. There are 7 lodges on the reserve, the clients stayed at Eagles Crag and absolutely loved it. The game drives, the meals, their room, the service. The Rhino picture was taken by them. It rained in the evening and the roads turned into muddy catastrophes – I broke quite a sweat when I picked them up again.

We flew back from PE to Cape Town and ended the trip in Stellenbosch with a relaxing stay at Lanzerac wine estate. Today our journey ends and we will leave for the Airport in a few hours. All guests are the same when it comes to this part of the trip – time flew by. A good thing about our brains and hearts: they store memories that last a lifetime.

Unlike what the name implicates the Gardenroute is not a stretch of countryside with beautifully cultivated gardens. Tourists from all over the World would most probably not come here if this was the case. The stretch of coast roughly from Witsand or Mossel Bay to the Tsitsikamma Forest/Storms River offers great natural beauty, amazing hiking trails and some game reserves.

When we take you to the Gardenroute we show you some of the better kept secrets – a few we keep to ourselves 😉

When you rent a car and drive from Cape Town to Hermanus you appreciate the beauty and take in the fresh air, but you will not see the hidden gems that will make your holiday in South Africa so special. This is why you booked with us.

Often on our trips the Gardenroute is just one part of the itinerary. I cannot stress enough, that this part of the country is very european in many ways and very good to ease into the African vibe.

The roads are good and driving is safe.

Where do the two oceans meet?

The southwesterly-most tip of the African continent is at Cape Point, dem Kap der Guten Hoffnung, but it isn’t here where the cold Benguela and the warmer Agulhas current meet. This is at Cape Agulhas, approximately 150kms southeast of Cape Town. The Agulhas gets so shocked by the cold Benguela that it turns back on itself. Of course there is no fixed line as this is water – mingling and shifting constantly. We only establish the mark at Cape Agulhas as this is where the Kelp forests that like colder water stop to grow.

Hiking and more

Absolutely stunning are the hikes that wait for you on the Gardenroute. The famous Otter trail being just one of many. Please talk to us should you wish to include a multi-day hike on your trip. From a few hours to a few weeks, there are many options. You can even hike in Krugerpark, but that’s a different part of the country ;-).

And then there are the Kayak opportunities and yoga classes you can attend as well. Maybe you would like to book a yoga-and-travel with us?

Wildlife on the Gardenroute

From Cape Agulhas it is not far to the marine protection area at De Hoop Nature Reserve. For that reason you have the best chances of seeing whales frolicking in the sea in this reserve. Southern Right whales, Humpback and Bryde’s whales come here between the end of May and November.

Africanrovers does not support Shark Cage Diving as we do not like this way of exposing an animal and firmly believe it is not for their good.

There are still Great Whites around although Port and Starbord, the two Orca’s that visit False Bay regularly really scared them off. The Great White sharks moved further east and can still be seen from Gansbaai all the way to Plettenberg Bay.

Nothing compares to Botswana. And the parks in the rest of South Africa do not compare to the Kruger National Park, BUT you can see the Big5 on the Gardenroute too. So if you are a wildlife enthusiast, please come to Botswana and Namibia with us. If you feel like the fauna of Africa is something that you should at least had a peek at: Addo, Sibuya, Kariega or Amathala will do.

There are seals you can snorkel or dive with in Simon’s Town and near the Twelve Apostles Hotel on the atlantic side of the peninsula. At Boulder’s in Simon’s Town and close to Betty’s Bay there are penguin colonies. If we hike Table Mountain on a quiet day we might see a Tahr. These animals are not indigenous to South Africa but the Himalayas and cause problems on Table Mountain.

For ornithologists or people who just love to see a colourful bird, the Gardenroute has a lot on offer. From the tiny sugarbirds to the Flamingos in the lagoons at Hermanus and elsewhere this part of the country is home to many species.

Rooiboostea (Aspalathus linearis) is unique to South Africa. The thin leaves and part of the shrub are harvested and make a delicious caffeine free Tea that has lots of health benefits.

The Koi and San, the original inhabitants of this area have used the plant forever as a remedy. Rooibos Tea is high in antioxidants, provides energy nonetheless and can relieve allergic symptoms. It is also used in skin care as it helps with damaged skin. A traditional knowledge study from 2014 confirmed these benefits. The Khoi and San people would harvest the right plants, chop them into little pieces, ferment (it’s more enzymatic oxidation as there are no microbes involved) and dry them. Only in 1904 Rooibos Tea became known to the rest of the world through a Russian immigrant who started trading with the indigenous people. Today it is recognised by the government of South Africa that the Koi and San People have the right to everything Rooibos as their knowledge is linked to the traditional use of the plant. This means that every farmer of Rooibos has to engage with the local communities and find a way to share the profit they make by selling Rooibos products.

The plant is part of the legumes family, go figure! Rooibos needs the harsh climate of the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape of South Africa to grow, where winter temperatures go below 0°C and summers are really hot (over 40°C). I am writing this blogpost sitting on the stoop of ‘Weaver’s Cottage’ at Alphaxcelsiorfarm – sweating away, where Rooibos is farmed. The sandy soil of the fynbos biome is ideal for this endeavour. The plant can survive in these conditions due to a long root that taps into the water table, so the water table mustn’t be deeper than 3 meters as this is how long this tap root grows. Just like other legumes, Rooibos hosts anaerobic bacteria which produce nitrogen for the plant to use.There are seven varieties known today of which ‘Nortier’ is the most popular. But small farms in the Cederberg mountains often farm wild varieties due to their better durability. After 18 months the first harvest can be done. Between January and April every year the plants are hand harvested and one plant can be productive for 50 years.

I couldn’t find any information of how Rooibos tea cannot be organic, but it seems to some there are colourants added – yuk! Also disturbing is the fact that teabags are mostly no longer made from paper or any other organic material, but from plastic. That also sucks. So loose tea is the way to go and usually much more fragrant anyway.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel as Carmíen Rooibos Tea is not only certified organic but the teabags are also made of biodegradable starch. The fair-trade certified farms harvest their Rooibos only for Carmíen. All the farm workers are shareholders.

And fun fact at the end: Rooibos is to South Africa what Champagne is for France. Nobody else can use the name Rooibos.