WeeklySA_AdminGoodwill: Omphile and Kgopotso impressed by safety and security at all times, especially for women
By Victor Mecoamere
Two fun loving South Africans celebrated Women’s Month in style with a memorable week’s stay in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
But holidaymakers Omphile Sebogodi and Kgopotso Setlhare and Kenyan would not have had a blast earlier this month if they had not met tourism agent Fabian Mutinda, who had just completed a private group tour when saw that the two ladies appeared stranded, and he offered to help enhance their visit to the famous city with a guided tour.
Northern Cape based engineers Omphile from Khathu and Kgopotso from Postmasburg had both agreed that they would be relaxed and rejuvenated after visiting Dubai, a fabled holiday destination known for its skyscraper-filled skyline, artificial islands, luxury shopping malls and markets, avantgarde architecture and a lively nightlife scene.
“We were lucky that – as we were walking around, taking in the scenery, we bumped into Fabian, who politely introduced himself to us; we exchanged contact details, and on the second day into our seven day, we started to really experience most of Dubai’s hidden gems because we were being capably guided by an amazing person, indeed,” said Omphile.
“It was a great lifetime experience for us. In the end, we were refreshed. As bosom buddies, we had travelled almost all over mainland Africa, parts of Europe and the United States; and for us, Dubai lay in wait, and in the end, we did not regret. It was totally safe. We could walk without any fear at night. Back home, in South Africa, safety and security for women is a tragic story.”
What was unbeknown to the ladies was that Mutinda is the founder and CEO of Afrigemz Safaris, the respected tourism company operating in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and currently setting anchors in South Africa and Mozambique. Mutanda is also a highly respected interviewer and show host for his own private television channel, Fabz TV, on which he profiles the positive social, economic and political trends occurring throughout Africa through chats mostly with high ranking government officials. For Kgopotso, their trip’s highlights included visiting the humungous malls, old and historic markets, experiencing the thrill of ascending the famous Burj Khalifa, which ranks among the few tallest skyscrapers in the world, as well as traversing the length and breadth of the desert that surrounds Dubai.
“For an engineer, I was bowled over by the amazing infrastructure, ” Kgopotso said. “I was also amazed at the sheer size of the malls. In one of the huge malls, one famous clothing brand occupied several floors. Also, the transport system was a marvel to behold and experience. South Africa can achieve the same feat as Dubai, if only we could deal with the scourge of corruption.” Both Omphile and Kgopotso said they would use Fabian’s services on their next holiday because of his impeccable professionalism, pleasant personality and immense knowledge of the countries where Mutinda operates.
What was unbeknown to the ladies was that Mutinda is the founder and CEO of Afrigemz Safaris, the respected tourism company operating in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Angola and currently setting anchors in South Africa and Mozambique. Mutanda is also a highly respected interviewer and show host for his own private television channel, Fabz TV, on which he profiles the positive social, economic and political trends occurring throughout Africa through chats mostly with high ranking government officials. For his part regarding how he met the ladies and ended up showing the various hidden gems of Dubai, Mutinda said, “when I first saw the ladies, they appeared somewhat stranded; and I had just finished one of my regular tours of Dubai, and I would not have been able to live with myself if I had not helped them to truly experience Dubai, especially the place’s famous tourism aspects, and I am glad that, in the end, it turned out to be a memorable experience for all three of us.”
Mutinda said Dubai is a city of amazing different, yet distinct parts, which tend to culminate with the vivacity of a fast paced modern metropolis that is intrinsically intertwined with the slow traditional life of the desert. “So the ladies were able to view some of Dubai’s famous landmarks from the distinct heights of the Burj Khalifa Tower, which is among the few tallest artificial structures in the world, standing at 829.8 m. And it was on a spectacularly balanced viewing platform from the height of 125 floors that the ladies could see the splendour that is the Dubai megapolis,” Mutinda added.
“Also, for both the ladies and I, it was thrilling to take in the social engineering marvels that are the Palm Islands, namely the Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali artificial islands, which are shaped in the form of a palm tree, topped by a crescent, and are situated on the coast of Dubai.”
Mutinda said both the Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali islands accommodated hundreds of residential, leisure, and entertainment centres on an artificial land mass that has since added a total of 520 kilometres of non-public beaches to the city of Dubai.
“I am glad that, in the end, it all worked well for all three of us as Africans, who met and made the most of a chance encounter, ” Mutinda said. “I would not have left two fellow Africans stranded. Now, we have made an acquaintance that I hope has also enhanced our world view, because travelling opens one’s mental horisons.”
