SkinnAreena - Oct/Nov 2010

Christmas Season is on the Way

Yes, it’s that time of the year again! Christmas 2010 is already rocking the jingle bells! We are fully booked from 18 December and with our family entertainment programme ready to get everyone into the Christmas spirit, this year is guaranteed to be one to remember!

If you would like to book Christmas Lunch at Areena Quays, phone Heather on 084 997 5733 right away to make your booking!

There are a few surprises in store for you this year at Areena - a beautiful tree grew a fun jungle gym despite the drought - we have a stunning new lounge above the restaurant and we are working on a brand new exciting activity to get your adrenalin pumping!

We have had a few lovely rainy days recently but will need quite a few more before the holidays begin - so wherever you are, send the rain our way!

My name is Lisa, I am 21 years old and study Zoology in Vienna, Austria. Because of the fact that Austrian students are 3 months off University for the summer, I decided to spend some of this time abroad and chose South Africa. Not really knowing what I have to expect I started my journey on the 7th of July and after 32 hours of travelling I finally reached my new home for the next 2 months: East London. There the Rathbone Family and their 4 dogs put me up warmly and I felt welcomed from the beginning on.
On my first day Kiki showed me the whole resort and I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape. I really fell in love with the wildlife, animals I only knew from TV or zoos. I also met the famous Abby, the tame giraffe of Areena, who welcomed me with a slobbery kiss.
Another outstanding thing for me is the friendliness of the South Africans.
So what am I doing as a Volunteer at Areena Riverside Resort? One task I took to my heart is the touch farm with the goats, ducks, emus, chicken and turkeys. I feed them every day in the morning and therefore I got the nickname “goat-mommy”. Everytime the goats escape, I can hear somebody calling my name and with a bucket of mealies the whole herd of 7 goats follows me back to the enclosure. I feel like Konrad Lorenz when the group of goose in the enclosure follows every step that I take, looking at me with big eyes and begging for food.
I also help the lovely ladies in the office, where, besides doing the work of course, we have lots of fun and my coffee-consumption increased rapidly.
Another part is the Adventure Village, where I help cleaning boats, making the Riverside Patrol and am able to take part in the Quadbike Trips. It is so beautiful to paddle down the river and enjoy the beauty and peace of the surrounding area. Read More

Corporate Teambuilding Mania

Teambuilding It's that time of the year when companies are looking to reward their employees with constructive fun. September and October have been bumper to bumper with team building and conferencing! Thanks to all who took part in the Team building and we hope to see you back at Areena soon!

Know The Difference: Bull the Nyala

Both of these photo’s are of the same animal, a Nyala named Bull who has been a popular sighting around the camp sites at Areena. We said goodbye to Bull this past month as he was darted and relocated to a farm near Stutterhiem. Even though there are signs at Areena warning guests that our animals are wild and should be treated as such, a few too many people have not quite understood the warning and ended up at the end of a sharp nyala horn.

Abby in the News

Did you see Abby on SABC2 News? Our tame giraffe has made us famous over the years and for good reason! How many places have you been to where you can get a kiss or sloppy lick from a 3m tall “wild” giraffe???...AREENA, that’s here!