Day train takes in the views

THE trouble with most of SA’s longdistance passenger trains is that they travel across this beautiful land of ours at night. But now, passengers on the Johannesburg-Durban Shosholoza Meyl can enjoy the magnificent scenery on a daytime train, which departs Jo’burg at 7am on Fridays and arrives in Durban at 8.30pm on the same day. The return service leaves Durban at 7.25am on Sundays, arriving Park Station at 8.45pm. The fare is R310 per person one way.

The train has standard tourist-class two- and four-berth compartments and a full-service dining car. For information, call 086 000 8888 or visit

shosholozameyl.co.za. It is best to buy your tickets in advance at the station.

CATHAY TO CAMBODIA

CATHAY Pacific Airways is to offer four flights a week from Hong Kong to the

Maldives from October 27, while its sister airline Dragonair plans to begin a seasonal service on October 29 to Siem Reap, the main access point for Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temple complex. The airlines hope to attract South African travellers by combining these destinations with a stopover in Hong Kong.

SAX BOOSTS ZIM SCHEDULE

SAA FEEDER airline SA Express has stretched its wings with the addition of a fourth weekly Durban-Harare flight.

ZEPPELINS OVER PARIS

THE last time a German-built Zeppelin airship cruised over Paris, it dropped bombs. Now, a Zeppelin has taken to the skies above the French capital once more, this time carrying tourists. The airship carries up to 12 passengers, flying at just 300m over Versailles and the River Seine. According to The Telegraph, fares are à250 for 30 minutes. See airship-paris.fr for details.

BA LONDON SPECIALS

BRITISH Airways is offering special fares to London from Jo burg and Cape Town, starting at R9 177 and R9 677 respectively. Outbound travel dates are between September 1 and November 30 from

Jo’burg and October 24 and December 4 from Cape Town. Fares include all taxes and surcharges. The offer ends tomorrow. See

britishairways.com.

MAN INVENTS SAND-FREE TOWEL

AN Australian entrepreneur has invented a “sand-resistant” towel. According to The Telegraph, Gold Coast resident Baz Brown has patented his towel which, he claims, will let beachgoers “leave the beach at the beach”. The nylon-backed towel lets sand slip off easily, unlike conventional beach towels, which trap sand in their fibres.