The countdown to my family’s two-yearly trip home for Hong Kong’s summer holidays has officially begun.

Excuse me making a big deal of it, but when one has been away from home for a decade, seeing family and friends only once every two years… you will understand why we are all looking forward to the trip.

In a month’s time my family and I will board the biggest airplane on the world, Emirates’ A380 en-route to Dubai (via Bangkok).

Two years ago I bought a Lonely Planet guide for the United Arab Emirates that has been gathering dust in my rented storage locker. Thankfully I can finally retrieve it because we will be staying over in Dubai for 4 days.

The kids are still busy writing their final examinations and when that is all done and dusted, the serious planning around what we want to see and what road-trips we will be doing back home, will begin.

I’m going to share some of the information we gather about tourist attractions in South Africa right here on Howzit-HongKong.com

If internet service has improved back home (it was pretty useless and moerse expensive last time around), I also plan to keep you abreast of what we are doing and seeing on our trip around South Africa.

Stay tuned…

African sunrise. A stunning sunrise on approach to OR Tambo Airport in Joburg (Pic: Mike Jansen, 2009)

The Springboks will play all four of the ‘Home Unions’ in November as part of their end-of-year tour. SARU made the announcement today (Friday, January 29, 2010) following confirmation of the fixture programme by the International Rugby Board (IRB). 

The Springboks start the tour against Ireland in Dublin on November 6, having accepted an invitation to provide the opposition for hosts Ireland when they officially open the new Aviva Stadium (the redeveloped Lansdowne Road).

 The Springboks then play Wales, Scotland and England on the following Saturdays. The tour is planned to end with a fixture against the Barbarians at a venue to be confirmed.

Meanwhile the venue of the Springboks’ season-opening Test against France on June 12 remains undecided. SARU are hoping to meet the local organising committee of the FIFA 2010 World Cup to arrive at a final decision on the availability of the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

Springbok end-of-year tour fixtures: 

Saturday, November 6, Ireland v South Africa (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

Saturday, November 13, Wales v South Africa (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

Saturday, November 20, Scotland v South Africa (Murrayfield, Edinburgh)

Saturday, November 27, England v South Africa (Twickenham, London)

Saturday, December 4, Barbarians v South Africa (TBC)

Stay close to Howzit-HongKong.com to hear where we in Hong Kong will follow the Springboks on their end-of-year tour… right here in the SAR!

I have been living in Asia for almost nine years and one of the things I look forward to most is the annual trip home.  Home being Cape Town, Western Cape Province, Republic of South Africa. 

Besides the chance to escape the dreadful Hong Kong summer heat (instead swopping conditions for a cold and wet Cape) the much-needed break is also a opportunity to see family and friends again, doing some renovations to the family home, sightseeing and generally catching up with what’s happening in the country.

South Africa is undergoing rapid changes, not in the least due to the 2010 Soccer World Cup.  Despite reading the local daily papers on the internet and listening to SA radio stations via live audiostreaming on a regular basis, there are still many things that makes me feel like a tourist in my own country.

I’ll be posting some thoughts, experiences, photos and observations on this part of the Howzit-HongKong.com website over the 6 weeks back home.  Please do visit regularly.

I have a date with SAA on Friday July 10, 2009…

Mike Jansen