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Cape Town, South Africa
08 - 11 April 2005

PREAMBLE MAPUTO

Private hash train trip from Maputo to Cape Town Being organised by ‘Bwana’ For more info email Bwana on:
robert.david.walker@mz.pwc.com

whats included & whats not of the Africa X-Press pre-ramble

download Info document for 2005 Africa X-Press, Maputo to Cape Town Pre-Ramble 1st – 8th April 2005
or download registration form for 2005 Africa X-Press Pre Ramble to Africa Hash 2005

Mozambique Hash House Harriers invite you to join the Greatest Africa Hash Pre-Ramble ever!

Ever dreamed of a romantic train journey through Africa? Forget the Blue Train, take the Africa Hash X-Press from Mozambique to Cape Town for Africa Hash 2005! The train consists of six 1st class carriages, a double dining coach and a lounge/bar and will take 144 hashers maximum in compartments of 2 and 4. The Train starts in Johannesburg, so we can pick up hashers there if required. (NB see below re Soweto Shebeen run). On On to Mozambique to hash with Maputo and Matola H3 and the Pre-ramble Hash Ball at a romantic 4 star Hotel overlooking Maputo Bay. The train then proceeds to Swaziland for some real Africa Hashing, hosted by Hhohho H3 in and around the wildlife parks of Eastern Swaziland. Then on its one long hash party down South Africa, Hash in KwaZulu with the Hippo Hash and Zululand H3, see the Last Outpost of Empire with Durban H3, then on on through the African heartland of the Free State, and the beautiful coastlines of the scenic Garden Route!! Most of the traveling is at night so there’ll be time for seeing a bit of bush and wildlife, a bit of African culture and a bit of classic tourism, and plenty of Hashing ! Generally we are looking for good quality, interesting locations to hash, eat and party off the train where ever we stop. On the train the party will be continuous!

NB: Jacaranda hash will be organising a Soweto Shebbeen run on the morning of the departure of the train but this is not included in the Africa X-Press and you must register separately – contact "Bones" <axel_vz@yahoo.com>

Price
Our policy is to keep prices as low as possible consistent with comfortable quality hashing, and to pass all the value on to the hashers. There will be a hash cash account prepared after the event, and any surplus will be spent on extra beer etc. or handed back. If you book now the price is 5300 ZAR (South African Rand). There will be a supplement for joining the train in JHB and reductions for those who join in Swaziland or later down the track in South Africa. Prices may vary later due to exchange fluctuations etc. If costs reduce after you pay and we can’t spend it all on beer you’ll get money back. If prices go up after you pay you won’t pay more. Registrations are payable in South African Rand, net of all bank charges. Please specify to your bank that you will bear all charges. Bookings taken at Interhash in Cardiff can be paid in cash in any convertible currency at the London selling rate ruling on the day.

Registrations, Cancellations and Transfers
Fill in the attached form and send it to Bwana at robert.david.walker@mz.pwc.com Payment details are on the form. A registration can be transferred to another unregistered hasher at any time at no cost. Both parties must e-mail Bwana to confirm the transfer. Cancellations must be notified by fax or e mail to Bwana. Notification does not avoid payment for the cancelled place. However, only unavoidable costs will be charged to cancellations. The cost of empty beds is R2200 each, and this amount is the minimum cancellation charge unless the train is full on departure, in which case a full refund will be given. This charge will apply to cancellations notified before 1st March 2005. After 1st of March no refund for cancellations is guaranteed. Refunds after this date will be at the discretion of the Committee.

What is included in your registration with Africa X-Press Pre-Ramble;
situation at present,
  • Food, beer and softies on and off the train. Possibly not unlimited booze, but we'll be very generous.
  • A bed in a 4 star hotel in Maputo and entrance to the opening Africa X-Press Hash party, including live
music, food and drinks
  • Run fees for hashes along the way plus transport to and from hash locations
  • Apart from hashing we will include at least one trip into a game reserve, and other tourist activities in the registration. This is not finalised, and we may have to add supplements if you want to do something really
exotic, but if we ask for supplements the activities will be optional
  • Pre-Ramble T shirts or similar from each hash we run with, and other goodies.
What is not included;
  • Visa'a for entry to the various countries we are going into, that is; South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland.
You must arrange these before you leave home.
  • Health, travel and accident insurance, we will try to arrange access to emergency services at all times, but we
cannot commit to 100% coverage, this is Africa, and in all cases the cost will be yours if you need assistance. We also have no insurance for things that go wrong that we could be blamed for. We're just hashers like you, if our competence worries you, insure yourselves!
  • Communications. We strongly recommend that you arrange cell phones that work in all the countries we are going to. This will be our primary means of contacting people who get lost or don't show when the train has to leave. Plan B is to leave them behind!
  • return transport from Cape Town. This is something you should look at now. See page below for some low cost South African airlines to get quotes for flights from Cape Town back to Johannesburg or Maputo. However you may get a better deal with your own travel agent when you book your round trip. Either way, its your cost and responsibility.
  • Wine and short drinks, these will be available from the bar on the train and elsewhere, but at your cost.
  • and finally - registration to Africa Hash 2005 in Cape Town is not included! This may seem obvious, but
some Dickhead has already asked!
  • Cost of the pre-amble Soweto Shebbeen run, organised by Jacaranda hash before the train leaves Johannesburg is also not included. See above (1st para) for contacts

On In; Smuggley from Copenhagen H3 writes;

 One piece of information that might be of use for hashers flying in from Europe intercontinental with South African Airways but possibly also other companies that are cooperating with SAA in the so called Star Alliance - Lufthansa, Austrian Airways, and more) the price for a flight to Jo'burg and Cape Town is the same - and the plane to Cape Town always stops over in Jo'burg. Meaning that you can fly into Jo'burg from Europe, get off the plane and continue by train to Cape Town and fly back to Europe from Cape Town on the same ticket and without extra expense.

On On

Bwana

For the Mozambican 2005 Africa X-Press  Committee
Bwana is R.A. and Founder of Matola H3, Mozambique,).

Maputo Hash House Harriers

 AFRICA X-PRESS.

A Hasha Continua.

Provisional Itinerary and Programme
(this programme will be developed and improved, although the start and end are fixed)

Day

Date - 2005

Place

Activity
Thursday 31st March Johannesburg, Train leaves JHB at 18.00 for Komatipoort , Mpumalanga.
Hashers starting in JHB could travel on the train.
Friday 1st April Maputo Bus Komatipoort  - Maputo  (1 hour) for those arriving from JHB by train. Register for the 2005 Africa X-Press

(Train leaves Komatipoort for Mpaka, Swaziland )
15.00 - Hash with Maputo & Matola H3's
Overnight Cardosa Hotel in Maputo – Africa X-Press Hash Ball

Saturday 2nd April Mpaka (Swaziland) 8.00am bus to Swaziland to train (1.5 hours)
Hash with Hhohho (Mbabane) H3, Hlane National park
Lunch at Hlane Game Lodge
Train leaves for Richards Bay -overnight
Sunday 3rd April Empangeni
(Kwazulu) 		Hash with the Hippo H3 and Zululand H3
Lunch at Traditional Zulu village
Train Leaves for Durban -overnight
Monday 4th April Durban (Natal) Scenic Hash with Durban H3 (the oldest Hash in Africa)
Lunch catering by Cockle Jack’s Hash Pub
Train leaves for Bloemfontain -overnight
Tuesday 5th April Bloomfontain Sightseeing -possible trip into Lesotho with Maseru H3
Train leaves for Port Elizabeth -overnight
Wednesday 6th April Port Elizabeth
(Garden Route) 		Hash and lunch in Port Elizabeth
Train leaves for Knysna -overnight
Thursday 7th April Knysna
(Garden Route) 		Scenic Hash run organised by Maputo H3 for anyone still standing. Lunch on world famous Knysna sea food. Farewell Africa X-Press Pre-Ramble party. Train leaves for Cape Town -overnight
Friday 8th April Arr. Cape Town Register for Africa Hash 2005

LOOKING FOR CHEAP ONE WAY FLIGHTS CAPETOWN - JOBERG AFTER THE AFRICA HASH...

Read on..
Hashers looking for flights from Capetown to Joberg at the end of the Africa Hash check the following web sites:

www.flynationwide.co.za
Nationwide Airlines - cheapest flight on 11 April 2005, one way, Capetown - Joberg - ZAR 595.

www.kulula.com
Kulula - cheqpest flight on 11 April 2005, one way, Capetown - Joberg - ZAR 429

www.flysaa.com
South African Airways - flights around ZAR 831

www.britishairways.com
British Airways - flights around ZAR 825

Rough Knight

Full details and updates on www.africahash.co.za "Look under Pre-ambles"

Hashing your brains out not enough??
How about a look round Maputo, Mozambique and South Africa

Several Hashers have expressed interest in doing some touristy things in Mozambique, South Africa or Swaziland before or after the Pre-Ramble. Maputo is ideally placed for visiting the For those of you who did not get my previous note, DANA TOURS is the official travel agent of the Africa X Press pre-Ramble. Details to Contact DANA are below.

So what is there to do, apart from hashing?

Maputoitself is a beautiful city. International with a strong Latin/African culture and fascinating Portuguese colonial architecture, lined with beaches and palms and dotted with restaurants and bars serving cold beer and the famous "LM" prawns, it’s a perfect tourist location for the discerning hasher!

An easy drive from Maputo are beach resorts like Bilene and Marracuene, offering most facilities. Maputo is also an ideal starting point for a tour of Mozambique. You can drive to Inhambane, which has some of the best beaches and diving in the world, or fly to island paradises like the Bazaruto archipelago or Ilha de Moçambique, a world heritage site. Nearer to Maputo, but only for those with 4x4, are the Maputo Elephant Park and big game fishing and coral reef diving at Ponto d’Ouro.

What else is nearby?

Maputo, situated in the southern tip of Mozambique is only 50 minutes from Mpumalanga, one of South Africa's main tourist areas. World famous Kruger Park is right on the Mozambique border, and Mpumalanga has a huge range of other tourist activities including hiking, climbing, fishing and numerous private game lodges. We are also only an hour away from the Kingdom of Swaziland, land of tribal ceremonies and cosy Mountain Inns, which is also known as the Switzerland of Africa on account of the herds of wild gnomes that are found in its mountains.

Our official travel agent DANA TOURS an help you arrange your holidays in Mozambique, Swaziland or South Africa before and after the Pre-Ramble and after the Africa Hash 2005. They specialise in Mozambican Coastal Tours, but through their Southern African network they can arrange any kind of trips for you.Our contact is Natalie Tenzer-Silva director of Dana Tours Maputo,

e-mail Natalie@danatours.net, Fax +258 1 49 4042.
Phone + 258 1 494060/1/2
E-Mail; natalie@danatours.net

Mention that you are part of the Hash pre-Ramble! or visit their website www.danatours.net

PRE- & POST- EVENT INPUT
     Your drivel here, as at     -   17-Sep-2005
Give us your pre- and post- event blurbs for this area.......

Return to the AFRICA HASH 2005 home page
please direct all mail for the AFRICA HASH 2005 Organising Committee to:
Irish Mist at email  anneodonnell@woolworths.co.za