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Lorne Philpot

Lorne Philpot is a tourism and aviation fanatic. He has travelled the globe, managing to live and work in several countries. He enjoys reporting on news and developments in the tourism and aviation landscapes.
Japan e-visas

How to apply for Japan’s e-visas

By Lorne Philpot 02-08-23 11:54

Japan’s e-visa makes travel to Japan much more convenient and accessible for tourists from a number of countries. Unlike visa processing for Europe (Schengen Area) and the United Kingdom, there is no need to pay for the services of handling agencies. It is not There is also no need to attend an interview at the […]

Japan e-visas

Japan opens up e-visas to South Africans

By Lorne Philpot 02-08-23 09:08

Good news for SA! Travelling to Japan has become simpler and much more convenient for South African passport holders. Japan has joined many other Asian countries that are eager to welcome tourists and visitors. Thus, it has decided that a number of nationalities (who are not visa-exempt) are now able to travel to that country […]

South African Airways - ANC cadre deployment

South African Airways dogdes a bullet with Airlink claim

By Lorne Philpot 28-07-23 10:00

The High Court in Johannesburg has ruled that South Africa’s national carrier South African Airways does not have to repay nearly R900M to Airlink. Local carrier Airlink made a claim for a large sum of money it is owed by the national carrier for airfares that South African Airways accepted on behalf of Airlink, prior […]

Brussels night flight ban

Night flight ban at Brussels airport to impact African flights

By Lorne Philpot 27-07-23 10:38

Belgian Federal Transport Minister, Georges Gilkinet has proposed a ban on night flights at Belgium’s Brussels Zavantem International Airport. The airport is a hub for a number of international airlines that fly into and out of the Belgian capital, including those from African destinations. BAN ON NIGHT FLIGHTS Gilkinet suggested that the airport serving the capital […]

Mkumbuu City ruins

Saving Zanzibar’s Mkumbuu City ruins from rising sea levels

By Lorne Philpot 27-07-23 09:33

Sadly, Zanzibar’s ancient Mkumbuu ruins will face sea invasion if nothing is done to protect them from rising sea levels. MKUMBUU RUINS The Mkumbuu Ruins are located in the South Pemba Region. They lie at the end of a long narrow peninsula known as Ras Mkumbuu. The ruins mainly date from the 9th century CE and were […]

johannesburg businesses municipal bills

Two SA cities rank among Africa’s most polluted

By Lorne Philpot 25-07-23 13:36

It is sad and shameful to see both Johannesburg and Pretoria ranking among the most polluted cities on the African continent. SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES Unfortunately, for many Johannesburg and Pretoria residents life in these metropolises is already challenging enough with deteriorating roads, ever-increasing living costs, and worsening crime levels. Increased air pollution is often visible […]

UK Namibia visa

Why the UK ended Namibia’s visa-free travel privileges

By Lorne Philpot 20-07-23 10:59

South Africa’s neighbour Namibia has now suffered the same fate as South Africa concerning entry restrictions for the United Kingdom. Namibia has had its visa-free travel status removed by the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for the Home Department. AFFECTED COUNTRIES Suella Braverman announced on 19 July that 5 nations, including Namibia had lost their […]

European Union

Want to work in Europe? See the labour shortages list here

By Lorne Philpot 20-07-23 09:52

Europe is currently experiencing a number of labour shortages in various sectors. Here is the list of areas where persons from outside of Europe stand higher chances of securing work in Europe. To the surprise of many South Africans, these labour shortages are not just for highly skilled professionals. There also exists a huge demand […]

United Kingdom revokes visa-free travel agreement for 5 countries

By Lorne Philpot 20-07-23 09:31

In a statement released on 19 July, Suella Braverman, the UK’s Secretary of State for the Home Department announced that the United Kingdom has revoked it’s visa-free travel agreement and has instead imposed visa requirements for nationals of several countries when entering the UK. Last month Canada opened up visa-free entry arrangements for passport holders of […]

Drakensberg cable car set to boost tourism

By Lorne Philpot 18-07-23 11:08

The Drakensberg is a naturally scenic part of South Africa with its spectacular mountain scenery. The area is a firm favourite among many South Africans who often view it as a convenient local option for mountain scenery and activities. READ MORE: Nelson Mandela Bridge temporarily closed for maintenance DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS The Drakensberg region is equivalent […]

No more! Why Seychelles now bans entry to one nation

By Lorne Philpot 18-07-23 10:48

The Seychelles is a bucket list holiday destination for many travellers from across the globe. However, Seychelles’ pristine beaches and idyllic waters are no longer available to genuine visitors and tourists from one nation. Social media platforms erupted in outrage last week following reports alleging that the Seychelles had imposed an entry ban on Nigerian […]

Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s incredible Zimbabwe expedition

By Lorne Philpot 14-07-23 13:45

Founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson, arrived in Zimbabwe on 30 June with budget airline Fastjet. Banson’s visit has been closely watched, with much speculation around the reasons for his visit to the country. Before heading down to Africa last month, Branson’s new boutique hotel property, Son Bunyola opened its doors. The new 26-room luxury […]

SAA 3 checked bags

South African Airways increases scheduled domestic flights

By Lorne Philpot 14-07-23 10:39

South African Airways has added extra scheduled flights to key destinations in its domestic route network. RAMPING UP The restarted airline which was grounded from March 2020 until September 2021 has cautiously been scaling up its operations so that it is not wasteful of state funding. Demand for air travel is rising in South Africa […]

visa-free Asian countries

Five stunning visa-free Asian destinations for South Africans

By Lorne Philpot 13-07-23 16:41

See which five countries in Asia South African passport holders can visit without needing visas for tourist stays. The South African passport is certainly not the best passport in the world. South Africans are quite restricted with regard to global mobility compared with passports of other countries. That said, there are some exciting and inspiring […]

travel to Japan

Do you want to travel to Japan without clothing? You can now!

By Lorne Philpot 13-07-23 10:34

Here’s a first. Travellers can now visit Japan without needing to take their clothes with them! No, this is not a trip to a nudist colony. And no, it is not something inappropriate or untoward. A Japanese airline has introduced a clothing rental service for passengers on its flights. The airline is attempting to reduce […]

Largest countries in the world: Top 5 listed here!

By Lorne Philpot 12-07-23 09:43

Some countries have large populations but small surface areas, while others have large areas that could easily accommodate huge numbers of people. However, many of the countries with the largest land areas contain so much uninhabitable land due to the inhospitable climactic conditions. There are various metrics used to measure the largest countries in the […]

Germany turns to SA for trained nurses

By Lorne Philpot 11-07-23 10:00

Germany is facing huge shortages of medical nurses and is seeking trained nurses from Africa. This may be good news for South Africa as it is seen by other countries to have high training standards for medical professionals. However, South Africa stands to lose well-trained nursing professionals to Europe. NURSE SHORTAGE Germany is struggling with […]

elephant conservation

Branson is visiting Zimbabwe for elephant conservation

By Lorne Philpot 07-07-23 15:29

Renowned for his business ventures and innovative ideas, Richard Branson made a name for himself as an entrepreneur, adventurer, and philanthropist. TRIP TO ZIMBABWE There has been speculation regarding why the UK billionaire had travelled to Zimbabwe, besides the fact that he used a low-cost airline to do so. Newsday reports that Branson is in […]

Richard Branson

But why? Reasons for Richard Branson’s trip to Zimbabwe

By Lorne Philpot 04-07-23 16:07

Famous British entrepreneur Richard Branson, recently surprised crew and staff of local budget carrier Fastjet when he flew to Zimbabwe’s capital city. The Virgin Group founder happily posed in photographs with passengers and airport staff at Harare’s Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. The British billionaire is somewhat of a celebrity in these parts. Being the […]

Richard Branson

Richard Branson flies with budget African carrier

By Lorne Philpot 03-07-23 22:49

Last week famous British entrepreneur Richard Branson flew into neighbouring Zimbabwe, not by private jet or in first class. Branson arrived in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare with budget airline Fastjet on 30 June. The airline was honoured to have the celebrity entrepreneur on board one of its flights and thanked the founder of the Virgin Group […]

South African Airways - ANC cadre deployment

Finally! SAA sets date for restart of intercontinental flights

By Lorne Philpot 30-06-23 08:36

After a lengthy absence on the international scene, SA’s national carrier South African Airways (SAA) will soon be jetting off to another continent. SAA is rebuilding its international network. The carrier will relaunch its first intercontinental route since restarting operations as a smaller airline nearly 2 years ago. INTERNATIONAL ROUTE The airline’s first intercontinental scheduled […]

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